By Yoshiki Nakamura. Released in Japan by Hakusensha, serialization ongoing in the magazine Hana to Yume. Released in North America by Viz.

Yes, in case you’re wondering, it *still* says ‘From the creator of Tokyo Crazy Paradise!’ on the back.

It feels like it’s been forever and a day since the last volume of Skip Beat! This is the danger of catching up with Japan. After a long period where Viz released a volume every 2 months like clockwork, they’re now only 4 volumes behind, which is about where Viz likes to hover (about 1 year back). Still, it makes the waiting for the next volume almost torturous!

There’s not much of the overarching plot here – Sho and Reino don’t even put in an appearance. We do see a bit of Kyoko stressing out about her next role, something that will become very important in Vols. 21 and 22. But the major thing happening in this volume is Maria’s birthday – December 24th. Unfortunately, that’s also the day her mother died, so she has no desire to celebrate anything. Silly Maria! You cannot resist the power of Kyoko’s hyperoptimistic shininess!

Indeed, this is very much an ‘up’ volume in Kyoko’s collection of mood swings. She spends most of the book happy and delighted, with some of the best overreactive squeeing we’ve seen yet. Still utterly clueless about love, of course – but then, that is the plot of the book, and it’s still running in Japan, so we can’t have her wising up just yet. (I love the cover, which shows her making two kinds of chocolates – thanks and obligation. No love here!)

As a hilarious contrast, we have Moko, who gets to do all the dark, evil moods herself this time since Kyoko is so happy. Moko wants to see Kyoko be happy, and knows what to do to achieve it, but is simply at war with her basic grumpy standoffish personality. Really, she’s a typical tsundere, not as common in shojo as they are in guy’s harem mangas, but still prevalent. She struggles with herself to buy Kyoko a present she knows she’ll adore, and then manages to one-up even Ren in the ‘getting Kyoko’s love’ sweepstakes.

Ren, as always, is cool and awesome. That’s what he does. He may even be a little dull this volume because of it. And of course Lory as ever proves that if anything’s worth doing, it’s worth overdoing. Luckily, his machinations prove to be beneficial. There are simply buttloads of heartwarming moments in this volume, topped off with an epic final chapters that’s one long happy grin.

Next volume will get back to the acting, and Kyoko’s struggles with typecasting in particular. But for now, it’s good to sit back and relax with a series that makes you smile and is filled with fun and sweet moments.