Recap / Skip Beat Volume 21

Things aren't all sunshine and roses for Kyoko...

After filming Ren, Kyoko, and Yashiro go out to buy a vase for Kyoko's birthday present. Ren tells Kyoko an elaborate legend about the history of the "Queen Rosa" rose, and when she returns home later that evening Kyoko finds a beautiful pink crystal has emerged from Queen Rosa's petals. Kyoko feels like a little bit of Ren's legend has come true, and she's ready for anything that comes her way!

But things aren't all sunshine and roses on the set of Box "R". Kyoko's tardiness on the first day has riled her coworkers feathers, and they're even more upset when she can't get into character as Natsu. The director only wants to see "Mio" when Kyoko performs, but Kyoko wants to create a Natsu that shines on her own. How can Kyoko go against the director's vision when she hasn't got a grip on that Natsu that she wants to play?

This volume contains the chapters:

• Act 121. "Happiness Warning" ^note Kyoko gets caught up in admiring her birthday gifts and ends up late for the Box "R" script reading in the morning. She's so upset over it that she can't slide back into her role as Mio on the set of Dark Moon that afternoon. Ren tells her to snap out of it none too gently.
• Act 122. "Invincible Rose" ^note Kyoko thanks Ren for scolding her and they head off to buy a vase for the rose. At the shop, Ren tells Kyoko that the rose is a "Queen Rosa" and he spins an elaborate legend for her about the history of that variety of rose, featuring a beautiful queen and a doomed princess. Kyoko eats it up, and when she gets home for the night she finds a beautiful pink crystal has fallen from Queen Rosa's petals (a secret gift from Ren). Kyoko names the crystal Princess Rosa.
• Act 123. "Wake Me Up!" ^note Kyoko is feeling angsty about not having found Natsu's character in herself yet, and gets some acting advice from Ren. Yashiro hints to a fellow LME member about Ren's upcoming dual role.
• Act 124. "The Unseen After Image" ^note Kyoko creates a "throne" for princess Rosa (actually a small pendant) before her job as Bo the Chicken on Yappa Kimagure Rock, in which she must go on a date with the celebrity guest, a beautiful model/ actress. Meanwhile Chiori, one of Kyoko's coworkers on Box "R", is presenting a smiling face to the world while keeping a lot of darkness in her heart. Filming of Box "R" gets off to a rough start with the director constantly criticizing Kyoko's performance of Natsu.
• Act 125. "Black and White" ^note Kyoko's still having trouble getting into the role of Natsu, and the director only wants to see "Mio" on screen. Everyone on the production of Box "R", from the costars to the director, are losing faith in Kyoko's acting ability. Her costars resort to some old fashioned bullying to make known their displeasure with Kyoko.
• Act 126. "Dash to Natsu" ^note Kyoko's coworkers are still unhappy with her. Chiori sets out to sabotage any shred of good standing Kyoko has with the director when she tells Kyoko to go against the director and pursue her own interpretation of Natsu. At the end of the day, Kyoko struggles to figure out how to get her physical mannerisms closer to Natsu's and ends up turning to Ren for help.

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Chapters in this volume provide examples of:

• Embarrassing Animal Suit: Kyoko reappears as Bo the Chicken on Yappa Kimagure Rock. She even thanks the one of the producers for keeping her on in the role, though he's confused as to why she would want to continue playing an oversized chicken when she's already getting big roles like Mio on Dark Moon.
• Fairy Tale Motif: Ren spins an elaborate legend for Kyoko about the history of the "Queen Rosa" rose involving a beautiful queen, a doomed princes, and a magical flower. Kyoko absolutely adores anything that has to do with fairy tales and she eats it up.
• Flower Motifs: It's a shoujo managa after all:
  • Much attention is paid to Ren's birthday gift of a large red rose - he even makes up a legend about the rose's history for Kyoko.
  • Most chapters have a few instances of panel backgrounds filling with unexplained flowers.
• Hollywood Voodoo: Kyoko doesn't have a Sho voodoo doll handy when she feels particularly vicious towards him, so she makes one in about five minutes flat and begins to pound it with a hammer.
• Noodle People: Most characters are drawn with long, thin limbs. Just look at the arms on that cover.
• Show Within a Show: Box "R", Yappa Kimagure Rock, and Dark Moon are type 1 examples, where "characters are involved in the production of the show."
• Stock Shoujo Bullying Tactics: Kyoko's costars resort to the type of bullying Kyoko experienced in grade school to show their displeasure with her. Kyoko isn't impressed.

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