“Skip and Loafer” is a youth drama depicting the life of Mitsumi Iwakura, a high school girl from the countryside who moves to Tokyo upon entering high school, along with the relationships of those around her.
While Mitsumi considers herself independent and has clear life plans, she encounters difficulties on the day of the high school entrance ceremony. She gets lost and caught up in the commuter rush, feeling dizzy and disoriented. It’s then that she meets Sosuke Shima, a handsome new student from the same high school. With Sosuke’s help, Mitsumi manages to attend the ceremony, marking the beginning of her vibrant high school life.
Coming from a small countryside town, Mitsumi’s communication skills differ from those of her Tokyo peers often leading others to perceive her as uncool or naïve. However, her positive attitude, earnestness, and pure innocence touch the hearts of those around her, bringing happiness to their lives. Her charm is truly captivating.
All the characters in “Skip and Loafer” are inherently good-natured, resulting in no harsh relationships or overly emotional plots, which enhances the enjoyment of the read. Despite this, the portrayal of each character’s struggles and thoughts adds depth to the narrative. Furthermore, the situations they face are likely relatable to readers, contributing to the story’s engagement.
Initially, readers may assume “Skip and Loafer” follows the cliché narrative of an uncool girl being liked by a handsome boy and becoming popular. However, romance is not the main focus; instead, the story deals with interpersonal relationships as a whole with a light touch.
Skip and Loafer, Episode 1. (The first day Mitsumi met Shima-kun)
Readers will undoubtedly be drawn to Mitsumi’s personality and cannot help but like her. But I also like another character, Mika Egashira, initially appears calculated and mean but is influenced by Mitsumi’s purity, revealing her true gentle nature as the story progresses. I found myself rooting for Mika as the story unfolded.
I heard that the title “Skip and Loafer” was chosen by the author to evoke a light-hearted feeling, with “skip” representing such playfulness and “loafer” symbolizing the footwear commonly worn by Japanese high school students, reflecting youthfulness.
The anime adaptation of “Skip and Loafer” was released in 2023, and I thoroughly enjoyed watching it. The opening song featuring Mitsumi and Sosuke dancing together is incredibly cute.
