♪ So dazzling… So dazzling… I find myself looking away. ♪

Am I enchanted by her sparkle, or am I peering into the glare of her radiance?

There’s more to everyone than meets the eye. Skip to Loafer has always been a character study, and romantic development is only second on the priority list. The sympathetic cast subverts the contrived one-dimensional archetypes often-present in numerous rom-com slice-of-life anime. They have a fickle heart, some-time prejudiced, yet behave and react as perceptive and delicately human. Aren’t we all? However, what’s more than strong characterization is the theme about self-love and re-discovering yourself again.

THE REVIEW IS SPOILER-FREE. A BRIEF CHARACTER ANALYSIS (CONTAINS SPOILER) CAN BE FOUND FURTHER DOWN THE END FOR ANYONE INTERESTED

At first glance, the main protagonist, Iwakura Mitsumi, may appear like the typical enthusiastic and naive honor student. Coming from a rural area and a supportive familial background, living in a fast-paced Tokyo can be anything but welcoming her with open hands. Like a lost helpless duckling, she finds her mother-goose in Shima Sousuke, a kind-hearted and handsome guy who is entranced by her passion. Sounds familiar, doesn’t it?

The impression of a formulaic premise and cliched dispositions is juxtaposed promptly since the audience can immediately figure out what’s beneath the tip of the iceberg. Mitsumi may originally have had a bit of difficulty adapting to her new high school life, but her perseverance, determination, and authenticity win people over. By taking advantage of various inner monologues and observations, her genuine self is further streamlined through sensible train-of-thoughts and careful actions, allowing her depiction to be far from shallow. Mitsumi’s simplicity is a powerful statement in a show where you cannot identify what people think, as her sincerity is overflowing through tactful and sensitive demeanors.

Everybody has a struggle, and it is not exclusive to Mitsumi. Throughout the course of the story, we also witness Shima Sousuke, Egashira Mika, and other supporting characters resisting their headwind. It is easy to quickly draw an inconclusive sentiment from what is perceived in mere minutes, but aren’t we taking the liberty to understand people’s long-founded past and trauma? How can you find yourself again after being lost for so long? Skip to Loafer celebrates the value of honesty, open communication, and the affirmative domino effect they may have caused. Cause everything is never as it seems.

The romantic exploration has never been the show’s focus, in comparison to similar-genre anime, but the relaxed progression has been quite a refreshing countryside breeze. When you’re in love, you are often attracted to the dazzling light you do not possess and recognize in your potential partner. Skip to Loafer does incorporate such subtlety, and the slow development has been an intricately wise direction in Mitsumi and Shima’s development. It does come with a question, is a relationship a pursuit to complete, or complement each other?

The show’s artwork is nothing to be concerned about, courtesy of P.A. Works’ high animation standard. The washed-out pastel color presentation is different from the studio’s former productions. However, it remains as a prized decision to accentuate the tenderness and warmth throughout the anime’s cour, although it is nothing new in the industry. The direction takes merit on the wisdom of what makes a great slice-of-life anime, as seen from the playful and animated panels, wise comedic timing, and nuanced close-up profile shots.

The BGMs are perfectly embedded in introspective, goofy, and joyous occasions. They offer a variety of musical instruments, from what sounds like a soft combination between harmonica and flute, a pensive bell ringing, to a classic guitar play complemented by a gentle hum. Nothing can describe how perfect the OP and ED are, as cited at the beginning and the end of this writing. The OP also elucidates a dual meaning sometime throughout the story, adding another layer of depth to the viewer’s perspective.

As an afterthought, there is a famous saying, “You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view… until you climb into his skin and walk around in it.” which perfectly captures the general overview of Skip to Loafer.

♪ The more I trip and fall, the better I get at picking myself back up. ♪

SPOILER ALERT ON CHARACTER ANALYSIS OF SHIMA SOUSUKE, EGASHIRA IKA, AND OTHER SUPPORTING CAST

Shima’s bubbly appearance is an antithesis to his enigmatic shadow, which slowly unravels and deviates from his beginning flawless semblance. As Mitsumi illuminates brightly, the viewers gradually see Shima’s true colors. Borrowing from his former-acting manuscript, “Fireflies can only be seen at night, right?” He is an internalizing conflict-avoidant people pleaser, constantly puts a façade, and persistently suppresses his actual feeling. He is afraid of breaking his persona. Falling into a guilt-ridden and self-blaming state, he is incapable of detaching from his destructive tendencies, albeit conscious of his unjust thinking. He has always been the helping hand, particularly towards Mitsumi during her tough times, but is unable to be vulnerable himself. Shima is the epitome of the people with the biggest smiles are the ones struggling the most, and the anime is pivoted on his journey to find his footing.

The character development of the supporting cast also deserves equally universal praise, especially for following the show’s central theme. The new-found reciprocal friendship between Murashige Yuzuki and Kurume Makoto supersedes what’s visible on the outside and goes beyond any preconceptions. Takamine Tokiko from the student council demonstrates the virtue of loosening oneself up and not over-analyzing everything. Kanechika Narumi senpai encompasses tenacity and confidence while staying true to himself. Tooyama Fumino recounts how to be a listener, a confidant, and a friend who is always there for Mitsumi’s needs. Despite the setbacks and downfalls, they ceaselessly illustrate how to bring yourselves against all adversaries – a valuable lesson learned, preluding Shima’s conclusive revelation.

Undoubtedly, the author Takamatsu Misaki took considerable care in writing Egashira Mika, the singular most important supporting role, since her narrative vividly foreshadows what goes right and wrong in Shima’s measures. Her attitude may initially come across as downright ugly, but considering where she came from, isn’t it an expected behaviour of someone who used to be hurt? Mika is the most relatable faulty character out of the bunch, and it’s almost impossible not to root for her redemption. Some of us have been living in her shoes. She is not self-righteous and is fully aware of her hypocrisy. In this context, it is hard not to draw a similarity between her and Shima. Therefore, there has only been a profound delight in watching her transformation, from looking toward what she wants to what she needs.