List of Skip Beat! Characters - Supporting Characters

Supporting Characters

Kanae Kotonami (琴南 奏江, Kotonami Kanae?)

Voiced by: Yukiko Tagami (drama CD), Risa Hayamizu (anime), Bianca Bai (live-action)

Kotonami's character, at first glance, looks like she was being set up to be the villain to Kyoko's heroine, but as with all of the female characters in this series, Kanae is much more sympathetic than she appears. While there was fur flying about at the beginning, both girls have a need for a true friend, and ultimately find that in each other (albeit reluctantly on Kanae's part and too willingly on Kyoko's part. After their tag-team effort in winning an audition for a commercial, the two become best friends. Kyoko likes to call her "Moko"). Despite some differences in their personality, both girls recognize that they are in fact very similar, most notably their desperate determination to reach the top of the show-biz pyramid. Both coming from a poor family, they both strive endlessly to achieve their dreams. This, they recognize in each other, thus leading them to become friends. They are both incredible actresses with a great deal of respect for each other's talents. Kanae desperately wanted to be a star and was at the same audition as Kyoko, but although she did better than Kyoko, she also failed. She became the second member of Love Me, and has used that to her advantage. Kanae puts up a strong front, but is very self-conscious and is prone to self doubt. It is later revealed that Kotonami has problem dealing with kids, stemming from the fact that she comes from a large family with an obscenely large amount of younger nieces, nephews, and siblings. Although her attitude towards Kyoko may seem aloof at times, it is clear that she values their friendship, as she reluctantly shares her secret with Kyoko when she fears her unwillingness to share her troubles might drive Kyoko away. She figure outs that Ren is in love with Kyoko and tries to top things that will gain Kyoko's affection against Ren. Recently she has invited Kyoko over her house to make valentine's day chocolate for Hio. Hio helped her get away from the musician so she made chocolates for him. It seems that she has a soft spot for Hio seen as she gives him warm smiles from time to time. She and Chiori hit it off right away and also become really good friends.

Yukihito Yashiro (社 倖一, Yashiro Yukihito?)

Voiced by: Masahito Kawanago (anime), King Chin (live-action)

He is Ren's manager. When first seen he is a serious character, later on he is used largely for comic relief. We get a better understanding of Ren’s subtle emotional shifts from Yashiro’s not-so-subtle reactions to Ren’s interactions with Kyoko. He fully supports a romantic relationship between the two and often needles Ren about his lack of progress in that area. To that goal, he sets up various situations where the two can be alone. (Act. 66 He tells Kyoko to go to Ren's place to make dinner for him.) And tells Kyoko of Ren’s feelings for her (Act. 57, during the acting test when Kyoko got stuck. Kyoko was lost in thought and didn't hear him.) He must use latex gloves when handling any electronics because any electronic device that he touches directly will soon be rendered broken and useless. In particular, he has mentioned that a cell phone will die after about 10 seconds of direct exposure to his skin. (On at least one occasion, Yashiro attempted to coerce Ren into telling him Kyoko's secrets by holding Ren's own cell phone captive with his bare hand.) Kyoko has theorized that Yashiro naturally transmits strong electric waves. He seems to be an extremely dedicated manager, as he has much, if not all, of Ren's schedule planned out about one year in advance (Kyoko learns this when she briefly took over for him as Ren's manager when he was too ill to work). In an extra strip in volume 11, it is revealed that the main reason Ren has never been late to a job, despite the crowds of fans that appear nearly everywhere he goes and clearly wish to mob him, is that Yashiro can stop even the most fervid fans in their tracks with a mere cold glance. He doesn't know how to drive, which is why Ren is always seen doing the driving.

Lory Takarada (ローリィ宝田, Rōri Takarada?)

Voiced by: Banjo Ginga (drama CD), Kouji Ishii (anime), Allen Chao (live-action)

Lory is the extravagantly flamboyant president of L.M.E. He is one of the first people to recognize Kyoko's potential of being a great star, and created the "Love Me" section because of this. He seems genuinely concerned for Kyoko and wonders what could have happened in her past to cause her to lose the ability to love. He learns in Vol. 4 that Kyoko has never known her father and has a bad relationship with her mother but does not know the details. Later, when he learned that she dropped out of school he arranges for her to attend a high school that is specializes in accommodating students working in show business and their hectic schedules. Lory has a very deep voice, and often has a huge entourage with him to create the world's most striking and sometimes strangest entrances. He also has a granddaughter, Maria, who idolizes Kyoko. He also knows that Ren is really Kuon Hizuri, a secret everyone else doesn't know about except for himself, Ren, and Ren's family. In Act:77 Access to the Blue, it is shown that President Takarada realizes that Ren is in love with Kyoko. He has a son, Maria's father, named Kouki, who is the polar opposite of him. They are similar in their work ethics, however. Lory loves Valentine's day so much he calls it "his spring". It was his idea to give 'Cain Heel' (Ren) a 'talisman' (Setsuka/Kyoko).

Reino (レイノ, Reino?)

Voiced by: Shun Takagi (visual novel)

Reino is the lead singer in his band, Vie Ghoul. When he first met Kyoko he snorts at her and states that she is plain. He was sent by his company to copy Sho Fuwa and take all his fans. Reino seems to have special powers to see ghost and apparitions and becomes intrigued with Kyoko when he catches one of her apparitions. Reino continually stalked Kyoko for a period of time, claiming that she will be his. He argued with both Sho and Ren because of Kyoko. Kyoko also seems to misunderstand Vie Ghoul's name referring to them as the "Beagles". Reino returns in chapter 138 for Valentine's Day expecting Kyoko to give him chocolates as a gesture of her love to him. It is also hinted in that same chapter that he is in love with Kyoko(he tells her that valentine's day is the day men receive chocolate from the women they are in love with which is why he is expecting chocolates from her). Reino also claimed that Ren is tired of Kyoko running to him for help. He once held one of Kyoko's "apparitions" as hostage, affectionately calling it "pet". By using a special bracelet, he can make it visible to everyone, including Kyoko. He later returned it to her after he got the valentines day chocolates. Due to his spiritual powers, he was able to see Ren's past as Kuon and because of this he is afraid of Ren and wants nothing to do with him as he says that he(Ren) is a dangerous person.

Maria Takarada (宝田 マリア, Takarada Maria?)

Voiced by: Hiromi Konno (anime), Frances (live-action)

Maria is the granddaughter of the president of L.M.E. and used to use her cute appearance to get people's sympathy. She did so before Kyoko's audition; however Kyoko recognized this, and called her out on it. While some people would be angry at Kyoko, Maria began to idolize her, and views her as an ultimate big sister. Maria also suffered from a huge guilt complex from her believing that she is the cause of her mother's death. (When she was five years old she called her mom to come see her because she wanted to celebrate her birthday with her mother, since she (and the father) rarely bothered to before. Unfortunately, the plane that her mother took to return crashed, killing her). As a result, Maria was unable to talk or even be around her father, since she thought that he hated her. It didn't help that her father worked far away and never came to see her and that he voiced out loud to Lory at the funeral how he wished that Maria didn't call her mother. He tried reaching out to her in his own way, but it wasn't enough. Kyoko managed to make Maria understand that her father didn't hate her now, or think that Maria caused her mother's death. Maria also loves to dabble with black magic (alongside Kyoko) and has a large crush on Ren Tsuruga. Comically in the Christmas Special chapter, Kyoko's present for Maria was a 1/2-scale doll of Ren with different expressions (this shocking everyone else on how detailed she was).

Kuu Hizuri (Shuhei)

He is Ren's father and Julie's husband. He currently lives in America. He acted as Katzuki in the original series of Dark Moon which coincidently is the role Ren plays 20 years later. Kyoko is assigned to take care of him as a Love Me member. At first glance, Hizuri's character appears to be harsh but it is later revealed to be an act to get Kyoko to complain to Ren so that Ren will see him. Hizuri's goal is to get Ren to make a video of him as his "alter-ego", so to speak. Hizuri takes an instant liking to Kyoko and gives her very helpful acting advice. When Kyoko wanted to decline the roles that were "Mio" type roles because she didn't want to stick to just one role, Hizuri was the one who stopped her from doing so. He challenged her to do the role of his son "Kuon", giving a great number of adjectives to describe him (when Kyoko asked for only one). Kyoko's portrayal the role of "Kuon" stunned Hizuri and his son Ren. Kyoko grew closer to Hizuri in the time she spent "taking care" of him. Hizuri "adopts" her as his own child when she tells him her wish to continue being his "student". Kyoko shouted "Father" when Hizuri was departing to America and Hizuri embraced her and called her "Kuon". He received an appreciative glance from Ren which surprised him. His manner seems very similar to Ren's character.

Hiroaki Ogata (緒方啓文, Ogata Hiroaki?)

Voiced by: Chang Shao-huai (live-action)

He is the director of the Dark Moon drama. He was in the shadow of his father and believed that all his works were like copies of his father's work. His father is a famous director, who directed the original Tsukimori. Ogata was using Dark Moon to get rid of his father's shadow. Both Ren and Kyoko help him to accomplish this. He knows that both Ren and Sho are in love with Kyoko and wonders who Kyoko will choose.

Kyoko Apparitions (怨霊キョーコ, Onryō Kyōko?)

Also known as Kyoko's demons. These vengeful ghosts were always with her, however they were kept at bay by her extreme love and devotion to Shō. When Shō's true impression of her came to light, so did these apparitions. The demons often scare everyone around her, which Kyoko uses to her benefit. They also help keep Kyoko's drive going, as she sometimes questions her motives for stardom. Most of the time, the demons are held back by Kyoko's remaining pure feelings whenever the "pure Kyoko" feels that the anger is getting out of line. The demons give Kyoko a dark aura that is frightening to passersby. She has also used them as kanashibari to trap Kanae Kotonami. Reino held one of these demons hostage in order to force Kyoko to give him chocolates for Valentine's by threatening to adore it from the bottom of his heart if she refused, much to Kyoko and the demon's horror. ("I'll hug it and nuzzle it and sleep with it.")There also were angels who looked like Kyoko from beginning of the serie, but they were ultimately defeated and banished bz demons, who looked like Kzoko with makeover and new hair-style.

Chiori Amamiya (天宮千織, Amamiya Chiori?)

The third member of the LoveMe section. Unlike the first two members, Chiori volunteered herself to be placed in the department in order to find back the joy of acting. She thinks of Mogami Kyoko as an "Eternal Butterfly", the kind of actress that is able to immerse herself into any role she wishes to. Chiori has very little patience for people who do not earn their positions, and considers it an affront when someone (usually an actress) gains a role or popularity merely on the basis of their looks, especially when they have no talents to speak of. Chiori was once a child actress of amazing skill, but a very dark role as Akari in "The Scarlet Dice" combined with an on-set accident that left her scarred typecast her into very dark and scary roles as a young girl, which in turn made her into a depressive and internally violent character. Because of this, she left acting for a while, eventually returning to the business after shedding her childhood stage name, Tendou Akari, in an attempt to escape her dark past and the typecasting. Her first impression is one of extreme vitriol, and she's been known to scribble threats and excessive criticism of colleagues in her "poison notebooks". She initially hates Kyoko, and actually attacks her by pushing her down the stairs once. As time passes, Chiori seems to be letting go of her bitterness from her childhood and maturing as she becomes a better actress. She respects Kyoko greatly and is good friends with her. Her and Kanae also get along very well and share similar points of views. This is surprising since Kanae originally decided not to have any friends.

Hidehito Kijima (貴島秀人, Kijima Hidehito?)

Potrayed as a playboy, he has a noticeable interest in Kyoko since her makeover. He badgers Ren to give him details about her like her birthday but realizes Ren is in love with her.