Hello folks, and welcome back to Wrong Every Time. Today I come to you bearing melancholy tidings, for while I am thrilled to be returning to Skip and Loafer, I am sorry to admit that this is indeed the last episode of Skip and Loafer, at least until a sequel gets announced. Yes, today we must bid goodbye to Mitsumi and Shima, who’ve been such emphatically charming company as they navigate the gentle hurdles of adolescence.

Mitsumi arrived in Tokyo bearing enormous dreams of scholastic achievement and civil service, and so far I’d say she’s more than proven herself as a cosmopolitan big-city gal. Well, perhaps not exactly, but she’s certainly proven she doesn’t need to reinvent herself in order to find a comfortable home in the city. In fact, over the past six months, it’s largely been her own earnest, optimistic personality that has drawn others towards her, disarming the natural defenses of Makoto, Yuzuki, and even Mika through her courageous commitment to being herself. Her example has even led a boy as scarred by past sincerity as Shima to believe he could earnestly pursue his passions – and with both his family and old flame gathered at the festival, it is clearly time to put that faith to the test. Let’s get to it!

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Hello folks, and welcome back to Wrong Every Time. Today I’d like to take a stroll back to the delightful drama of Skip and Loafer, as our two charmingly mismatched leads muddle their way through the school festival. Through the combined pressures of Mitsumi’s self-assigned responsibilities and Shima’s participation in the class play, the two are each essentially revisiting their childhood dreams, seeing how their old ambitions fit them, and where their new feelings might lead.

This process has prompted some good, productive friction for both of them, as Mitsumi reaches the limits of what she can do alone, and Shima grapples with his complex feelings regarding stage performance. But regardless of their personal journeys, what has been made abundantly clear is just how much they care for each other, and desire to keep each other from harm. Shima expresses this concern through his attempts to shield Mitsumi from disappointment, while Mitsumi pushes Shima to embrace uncertainty, knowing he is strong enough to pick himself back up. Let’s see how their dance continues as we return to Skip and Loafer!

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Hello folks, and welcome back to Wrong Every Time. Today I’d like to settle down to enjoy a cozy new episode of Skip and Loafer, and see how Mitsumi is faring with festival preparations. Our last episode offered one of this production’s most enchanting tone pieces so far, vividly realizing the nostalgic, lackadaisical atmosphere of Mitsumi’s summer vacation. You could practically feel the sun and taste the watermelon as Mitsumi reunited with her old friends, with this gentle romantic comedy demonstrating its command of boarding, pacing, and sound design can compete with the best slice of life productions in the business.

Now that we’ve returned to school, the race is on to prepare for the upcoming school festival. But while Mitsumi is prepping for the trials ahead, Shima is still bound by the past, unable to embrace his high school life in the wake of his prior transgressions. That’s somewhat understandable given he’s literally got an old friend shouting “how dare you embrace high school in the wake of your prior transgressions” right in his ear, so my current hope is that Ririka and Mitsumi actually meet and hash things out, prompting Shima’s childhood friend to perhaps lighten up and embrace forgiveness. Regardless, I’m sure we’re in for some thoughtfully written and altogether charming shenanigans, so let’s not waste any more time hypothesizing. Onward to the festival!

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Hello folks, and welcome back to Wrong Every Time. Today the rain is casting a dreary scene outside my window, and giving me a craving for something upbeat and energetic to brighten my day. As such, we obviously have no choice but to return to Skip and Loafer, and check in on the continuing adventures of Mitsumi and her companions. Mitsumi’s earnest cheer is so contagious it actually extends beyond her own friends; it’s hard to watch this show and not feel warmed by her endearing presence.

Granted, we’re currently mired in some uniquely thorny territory as far as Skip and Loafer is concerned. The introduction of Ririka has brought Shima’s unhappy history to the forefront, as he is condemned anew for derailing her route to stardom. It’s easy enough to see why this experience would prompt Shima to withdraw from both celebrity life and earnest, vulnerable engagement with the world, but in truth, my own immediate response to Ririka’s “you think it’s okay now that four years have passed” was an unconditional “yes, absolutely.” Ririka is holding an unreasonable grudge against a boy who no longer exists, and I can only hope Mitsumi is able to help Shima forgive himself. Let’s get to it!

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Hello folks, and welcome back to Wrong Every Time. Today I’m eager to dive back into Skip and Loafer, for an episode that promises some of our most intense drama so far! I know, honestly not the biggest threat for this charmingly mild-mannered production, but I’m nonetheless excited to see Shima confront some of the lingering aspects of his past, and for Mitsumi to grapple with what exactly Shima means to her.

So far, Mitsumi has been enjoying a lighthearted high school life by virtue of her own personal buoyancy, being able to both draw people towards her and rise above her own insecurities through her earnest positivity and relative maturity in pursuit of her life goals. She has avoided friction by not imposing herself on others, but love is necessarily an imposition: a hopefully positive one, yes, but nonetheless a request to meaningfully insert yourself into the life of another, and act with their feelings in mind with the understanding that they’ll be doing the same.

As Shima’s old friend noted, our boy has already unconsciously begun this process, but introducing a rival for his affections will quite likely force him to make his connection with Mitsumi explicit, which would go against the carefree persona he’s adopted as a shield against painful consequences. Shima had gotten very close to the point of successfully shrugging his way into a relationship with Mitsumi, but Ririka’s arrival seems poised to force him into actively committing to his desires, with all the unwanted responsibility that entails. Let’s see how our lovebirds fare as we return to Skip and Loafer!

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Hello folks, and welcome the heck back to Wrong Every Time. Today I’m eager to stop back in with Mitsumi and the gang from Skip and Loafer, and see what those crazy kids are getting up to now. After half a season of largely warm and fuzzy adventures, last episode saw Mitsumi and Shima experiencing their first genuine fight, which was ultimately a healthy exercise for both of them. I don’t expect massive changes in the wake of this personal reorientation, but I am looking forward to seeing them navigate this new level of comfort in expressing their feelings.

If you never fight with someone, it generally means not that you agree on everything, but that you simply don’t care enough about changing their opinion or behavior to challenge them on it. It is easy to be indifferent to the opinions of a stranger or acquaintance (well, unless you’re Larry David), but if you genuinely care about someone, there will undoubtedly be times when you question their wisdom. It is only because Shima has grown to value Mitsumi’s feelings that he was hurt by her challenging him – a key shift for the boy who responded to premature fame by retreating from investment in the world altogether. And with Shima’s confession of concern stoking some of those dangerously fuzzy feelings in Mitsumi, I’m looking forward to the shoe being on the other foot, and Shima poking Mitsumi in some particularly ticklish emotions. Let’s get to it!

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Hello folks, and welcome on back to Wrong Every Time. Today I’m thinking we’re due for a return to the charming drama of Skip and Loafer, wherein Mitsumi has most recently adopted her most prickly companion so far. In spite of initially distrusting Mitsumi’s sunny disposition, Mika eventually found it impossible to resist sheltering our guileless little duckling, and even training her for the big field day volleyball tournament. And for her own part, Mika also added some welcome friction into this altogether cheerful narrative, emphasizing how many people simply lack the natural disposition to succeed in the ways Mitsumi has. Mitsumi navigates the invisible social minefield of high school by largely ignoring it; to someone like Mika, who had to change her look, her interests, and even her personality to fit in, it’s understandable that Mitsumi’s success would feel “unearned” in some way. 

Of course, the truth is that sincerity simply works. Some people will scorn you for being simplistic, some people will doubt your intentions, but if you stick to your own truth, you’ve a good chance of finding people who actually like you for who you are, and appreciate your earnest embracing of life’s pleasures. Most of us don’t have such instantly winning personalities as Mitsumi, but we’re not monsters; all we can do is speak as honestly as we can, share what compassion we can offer, and accept that we can’t please everyone. And fortunately for people like Mika, the Mitsumis of the world will always be there to lend a hand, if only we can keep ourselves from resenting them for being so dang upbeat and likable all the time. Let’s get to it!

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Hello folks, and welcome back to Wrong Every Time. Today I’m eager to check back in on Mitsumi and the gang, as we charge through another delightful episode of Skip and Loafer. Last episode saw Mitsumi adding yet another foundling to her rapidly growing collection of confidants, this time pulling student council superstar Takamine into her inner circle. Having joined Takamine on her extracurricular errands in order to learn from her studious example, Mitsumi instead found herself serving as an inspiration to Takamine in turn, convincing her of the necessity of slowing down and smelling the roses from time to time.

Of course, that’s little surprise to us in the audience. Mitsumi has proven herself a quiet inspiration to her peers time and again, drawing characters like Shima and Suzuki into her orbit through her earnest, curious, and eminently considerate personality. Through their interactions, Skip and Loafer demonstrates how thoughtful character dramas need not be centered on those whose lives are defined by psychological torment; the trials of Mitsumi and her friends catalog the scope of human interaction in gentler form, offering a story that is no less poignant or insightful for its fundamental warmth of perspective. Let’s see what awaits our crew next!

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Hello folks, and welcome back to Wrong Every Time. Today I figured we’d stop in on the eminently charming Skip and Loafer, and see what stray child Mitsumi ends up adopting this time. So far her straightforward nature, positive spirit, and can-do energy have successfully charmed a varied array of foundlings, from the reserved but socially savvy Yuzu to the ball of screaming anxieties that Kurume. In the sea of insecurities that is high school, Mitsumi represents something rare and powerful: a person who knows who she is and who she wants to be, whose earnest pursuit of friendship and career goals assures others that they too might find such comfort in their own skin.

It’s been a delight watching Mitsumi integrate into her new school, as understandable anxieties have melted into her being the nexus of a new social group. Skip and Loafer’s articulation of warm friendships and veneration of everyday pleasures position it alongside the best slice of life productions, while its careful study of interpersonal dynamics offer the depth and insight of a dedicated character drama. It’s an altogether lovely combination, and I’ve wasted enough time already rambling about its effectiveness, so let’s get back to school!

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Hello folks, and welcome back to Wrong Every Time. Today I’m delighted to be returning to the charming and quietly thoughtful drama of Skip and Loafer, as Mitsumi continues to integrate into life in the big city. After receiving some contrasting advice from her new classmates regarding Sousuke and Mika, Mitsumi soon realized that second-guessing the motives of everyone simply isn’t for her; she is happy to be herself, and the classmates who can appreciate her earnest, exuberant personality will naturally congregate around her. Her first group karaoke outing was thus a roaring success, as she fostered new bonds and solidified old ones through her selection of a classic childhood anthem.

It’s frankly refreshing to watch a character drama that takes so much care in articulating the nuances of someone like Mitsumi, who is fundamentally a pretty normal, well-adjusted person. Anxious and neurotic people tend to spend a whole lot of time actively stressing over their emotions, which leads to a whole lot of fiction about anxious and neurotic people – but the fact of it is, anxiety and self-doubt don’t inherently make for any richer of an internal emotional life, they just tend to make their bearers more likely to scream that emotional life from the literary rooftops. I always appreciate when shows like Oregairu celebrate characters like Hayato, and I’m thrilled to be following Mitsumi as well. Let’s see where her journey leads next!

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