In a world where youth means reckless abandon and the goal is to fill up life with as much drama and romance as much as possible like a resumé, and where stories romanticize the brilliant fires of sweet adolescence to push the thoughts of agony in adulthood behind, Skip and Loafer stood out to be a future-oriented stageplay around the boundaries of high school life while retaining its teenage animation, something that even I as a university student had many things learned and re-learned from.

The theme of Skip and Loafer is "the steps people take to grow up and live better days", cast by characters with a variety of gaits and subconscious predilections in pacing: strides for the calculated visionaries, strolls for the relaxed present-day people, hops for the energetic enthusiasts, wanderings for the spiritually appreciative opportunists, and well, dawdles for the ground-chained. (And a mixture of some!) Included in the package are realistic humans with a timely set of issues that challenge their perseverance to seek greener pastures through natural and intended social connection, none of which I felt were downright intolerable (save for one) as their actions and thought processes are well-partnered by their particular problems.

On the contrary, the story is packed with great analysts of the atmosphere without harming their own authenticity each time they do so (then there's Shima but we'll get to him later). It's like these kids were bred to be such accepting teenagers with an admirable degree of interpersonal understanding considering the age they are at. It is explained too, that those skills were acquired from previous complications. There are outliers, of course, but the impression is strong that these high schoolers are mature in their own right. God forbid youthful energy is eradicated entirely, heavens no. A huge chunk of their charm is supplied by their juvenile qualities, or this won't be a tale centered around high schoolers at all. The appeal is that alongside their vigor bursting their camaraderie with the color of innocence, there is sufficient space reserved for levelheadedness in treating others right and in thinking about the future.

Shima brings out an interesting dichotomy when compared to the bundle of radiance that is Mitsumi. One is vocal and devoted to her grand dreams (yet has realized that carpe diem is as essential a philosophy to possess for enrichment) while the other has restrained himself mostly due to external factors. Just like Mitsumi, he has shouldered the hopes of other people as a promising (CHILD!!) actor. But unlike Mitsumi, differing circumstances allowed her to more effectively overcome the pressure and turn it into strength instead of crumbling underneath the rocks.

Now let me go over Shima's statement. I think this bit was the most striking one for me out of any in the whole cour.

There is this sense of foreboding that putting something out in the open invites malice. In the case of Shima, that sensation is more tangible due to being tatted with the eyes of the public from a very young age--those eyes are piercing gazes waiting to judge and undermine. And I completely get it, it's such a logical hole to fall into, especially when growing up promise was a given. Sadly, it is as likely that the hopes would instead serve to multiply the despair of possible disappointment rather than the satisfaction of fulfilling one's objectives as well as the pleasure of the journey along the way. Ultimately, it is a pessimistic mindset that causes a self-retreating attitude.

A bit of a tangent for typology talk, but "loafer" is so perfect for Shima since he's an enneagram nine. The vice of sloth governs the type nine, and in this case it is interpreted as inertia from the virtue of right action, i.e., pushing through conflict by heeding one's heart. It is less lazy than it is being motionless due to paralysis.

And that's a valid thing, personally. The heaviness of life's troubles can really put a youth out of motion. Thus, in his perspective, someone like Mitsumi is a person you can't help but be so...blinded and intrigued by. Then there is the guilt of being held at fault by Ririka; helplessness can't help but arise from being sandwiched by the sun and one's darkness. It was sweet to see Shima mellowing out the sentimental nonchalance and showing more emotions apart from the usual friendly demeanor as both he and Mitsumi lead each other to betterment.

To transition rather crudely, I would also like to mention Egashira's character. She is easily one of my favorites of the cast, just closely behind the main stars. I was simply charmed by her high self-awareness of her deceitful and heavily jealous attitude. She harbors resentment for her own personality, centers on what she lacks, tries desperately to gain the recognition she craves, has felt herself superficial as opposed to other future-oriented and authentic classmates, and bottles it all up, making her quite volatile. I thought she would be the typical pick-me it-girl, but wow was I surprised to find her so magnetic. Egashira is pitiful, being surrounded by people whose prospects seemed promising: there's Yuzuki, the muse of her batch, someone who pulls of natural appeal in contrast with Egashira's painstaking fashion decisions; Shima, the one she pines on due to obvious reasons, quite the perfect guy on the outside; Mitsumi, who is liked in spite of, or rather, because of her authenticity, the girl Shima is attached to. She breathes around sources of envy, trapping her in a sense of self-hatred at the thought of never being good enough innately and naturally. There's her past of being bullied to take into account as well. And I think a strong symbol of her character theme is pieced out by this specific thought of hers:

I love it because not only does it apply to herself, but it also resonates with our protagonists.

Although she still acts mean at times, she eventually becomes a part of Mitsumi's circle of friends, a lovely group to share high school life with. I really, really, really, look forward to her and Nao-chan's moments together. Egashira's gait is awkward and still unused to wearing truth on her sleeves and growing self-love within her, and that makes me all the more root for her journey of growth.

Skip and Loafer has only just begun, but I already have a lot of hope in store for it. It really is also a big deal that a common setting manages to subvert or not focus too much on tropes which more often than not hinder the story's originality due to conforming too much on a market of oversaturated trends. However, overtime, more people are getting sicker of the same old gags, plot devices, and such. Away from that has Skip and Loafer taken root. A zoom-in on the formative years of high schoolers and their decisions towards holistic ripeness of self, filled with comfort and productive learning, Skip and Loafer has had me anchored for its next release.