Seinen is a demographic with lines that can seem blurry to some viewers, but it aims to cater to young or adult men. However, sometimes seinen anime have female protagonists or focus on romance and feel more like a shojo romance, like Skip and Loafer.
Skip and Loafer tackles themes of friendship and romance through the lens of its heroine, Mitsumi Iwakura, a bright and outgoing first-year in high school. After moving to the big city of Tokyo, Mitsumi will stop at nothing to fulfill her dream of becoming the future mayor of her small hometown. Skip and Loafer explores the ups and downs of high school while throwing in meaningful friendships and romance. Mitsumi’s struggles are relatable, and fans can easily count on the series to put themselves in her shoes.
Skip and Loafer‘s Energetic Vibes Counter the Darkness Surrounding the Genre
From the theme song, viewers can get a sense of the series’ themes and the vibes. The opening, “Mellow” by Keina Suda, is an upbeat and happy tune, showcasing the series’ main characters, primarily Mitsumi and her new, popular classmate, Sousuke Shima. The visuals for the opening picture Mitsumi and Shima dancing together to the theme music. While some fans may not expect such a lighthearted-sounding song for Skip and Loafer, “Mellow” brilliantly sets the pace for the seinen series.
Unlike some seinen series, Skip and Loafer has a happy vibe — for the most part. While the manga may examine some difficult themes, like growing up or being LGBT, Misaki Takamatsu has a great way of putting an upbeat atmosphere on most events within the series. A great example of this is Mitsumi’s aunt, Nao. Nao is a trans woman. While Mitsumi doesn’t mind and properly calls Nao by the correct pronouns and refers to Nao as her “aunt,” strangers often judge Nao because she has a deep voice and still appears “manly” in some ways. However, Mitsumi quickly negates these comments, reassuring Nao that she is her aunt and that she respects her.
This is an excellent change of pace considering there are many stories that openly and unabashedly poke fun at trans characters. It’s fantastic to see an openly trans character who is important, like Nao, who isn’t shoved into the background or maliciously misgendered.
Mitsumi Is a Refreshing Heroine
Although it isn’t new for seinen series to present tough themes or focus on high school students, Skip and Loafer does things differently. The series’ biggest win comes from its heroine, Mitsumi Iwakura. Mitsumi is an outgoing and pleasant teenage girl with big dreams. And although she always tries her best to do what’s right, she doesn’t always come out on top, and that’s what makes her special. Mitsumi often feels like a real person, setting a great example for fans that seinen leads don’t always have to be dark and brooding.
A good example is the main characters in Kaguya-sama: Love is War. While Kaguya and Shirogane are great protagonists and have interesting personalities, sometimes their schemes can become old and tiresome for the viewer. Mitsumi and her friends bring a happy spin to the seinen genre, hopefully filling viewers with inspiration.
Skip and Loafer may not be the only seinen series that addresses the struggles of being LGBT or school life, and it certainly won’t be the last. However, Skip and Loafer tells an upbeat and great story through its heroine Mistumi, making the series one of the best anime that was released in Spring 2023.
