DESCRIPTION

CAST

MANGA Drama[Oshi no Ko]
MUSIC PsychologicalIdol
ANIME Drama[Oshi no Ko] 2nd Season

REVIEWS

• 

  Xcile

  99/100
  The Good, the Bad and the Ugly.

  Many people depicted that Anime are the shows fondly about unique drawing and many amounts of fan-service that has hypes all around to their favorite series. And I do get to see many amounts of boorish shows that it suppresses you of not liking the anime because of how common to the other titles are; in that many people says, “This has better than that anime, or that is better than this anime”. We do have ourselves struck esteem on opinions of the shows.
  But one of which in this Spring Season have brought shining stars and glimmer of hope to the new age of anime.

  To begin with, we have to start the good part of [Oshi no Ko].
  Where the entertainment industry centers around Show-biz & Idols that lies around the people who you love watching on your big screen.
  Ai Hoshino, the stardom’s biggest Idol that beloved by many fans that caught their attention with her cheerful act, vibrant personality, and a maiden voice. And one last of them all that many fans do not know that she’s an endearing mother.
  With all the actors/actress that we’ve known and love, its good that us fan have to keep supporting their back since that’s what pushes them to be better at their job and many more fans will accompany them for their success. Ai pushes to be one of the greats in her generation since she has the vigor in her charm and with an outstanding innovation as she ranks up to the leaderboard of followers.

  "Stories are lies meant to entertain and idols lie to fans eager to believe. This is Ai Hoshino's story. It is a lie, but it is also true."

  With so many possibilities to become the very best in the film/idol industry, but there is also the bad part to not to be into.
  In speaking of followers, it is suspected to see that there's these so called "Social Media" and it has many fatal flaws. Which it comes the people in the internet. Internet is an amazing tool to use of however you like it, and knowing that there are also people who loves to abolish things that would end up shaming everyone. [Oshi no Ko] also centered around the Internet's fanbase of how they love Ai so much and they would continuously supporting her. And another hand is to discriminate, calling her that she has a bad personality and a selfish girl who wants to stand out for herself. You can never withdrawn the fact that there are people like that loves destroying the images of the people just to seek enough attention for themselves and not even showing who they are.

  That's the only bad part. And the worse part is the Ugly truth.
  There are numerous news about young Celebrities have left their lives in the face of the Earth. On April 19, 2023. In Korea, a Korean pop Idol, Moon Bin have died.
  Cause of Death? Suicide.
  What made him Suicide? "His decision are still not known at the moment."
  Here hoping that is not another cyberbullying.
  But you can see the pattern here that we live in a modern day that countless of Celebrities have died due to Media. And the most common site that many people does not take it slightly is Twitter. And to keep it extra, there are more people have died because of Internet in the past. Setting outside than Japan. Here are 3 great examples:

  1.Hana Kimura was a pro wrestler. On her debut on a "Staged" show called Terrace House, there was a part of her that the producers wanted Hana to act violently towards her co-star(Kobayashi), and told her to slap him. She refused and settled on knocking off the hat instead. Producers wanted her to be obnoxious and play uphill character to help the ratings and later confirmed by Kobayashi that the moment was staged. And when the episode aired, people were ranting and started calling things to her that she should kill herself.
  5 days later, after receiving many comments. Hana Kimura has passed.

  2. Haruma Miura was a singer/actor. He was a great singer and actor, knowing his live-action works like as Eren Yeager in Shigeki no Kyojin(AoT) and Shouta Kazehaya in Kimi ni Todoke(2010). Knowing that he has passed away because of censurer people. His agency even has the audacity to spread misinformation that he was targeted by CIA.
  So not only there are piece of sh*t people that caused himself to death, but his agency had the balls to tell a false rumors to his loving fans.
  
  Last but not least. (Warning: i dont want to say this much, but you may find this disturbing to read. you've been warned)

  3.Back in May 2016, a 20 y/o singer and actress Mayu Tomita was stabbed in the neck and chest multiple times by an online stalker after rejecting his gifts to her for months. Before anything that happened, Mayu already feared for her safety then she contacted the authorities that an online stalker could potentially approach her, but the police dismissed the case since his motives are not big of a deal. Sooner than later, 12 days after contacting the police. The stalker found Mayu and stabbed her 61 times with a pocket knife.
  Luckily, there were no signs of hitting the vital organs, but received 34 stab wounds, partially blind on her left eye and having PTSD. She is still in fact alive today, but she will never forget that day.

  Being in the Entertainment Industry or even being an Online Personality is a 50/50 in my opinion.
  The half of it is just straight down to the rabbit hole.

  As an enthusiast of myself watching films from time to time. There are many movies and tv shows that centered around the show business and they are quite intriguing to watch. But it never surpasses the beyond beliefs knowing [Oshi no Ko]’s story.

  Continue on AniList
• 

  rice

  90/100
  A Show That Will Change The Way You View Entertainment.

  spoilers ahead

  ---

  _"In the world of showbiz, lies are weapons."_

  If you’re reading this essay, chances are you watch anime. Like countless others, we are part of an audience whose role is simply to enjoy what is produced by the entertainment industry, without having to worry too much about what happens beyond the screen. We and the people who make the shows we watch are in two separate spheres, and that’s fine. That’s how most go about it. That’s how it’s meant to be. But perhaps, it’s not as simple as just enjoying what’s given to us. Perhaps there is more that we, as an audience, should be more aware of about the industry we rely on so much. Because in the world of showbiz built upon lies, we don’t know what it is that we don’t know. Oshi no Ko is a show that puts it all in perspective: everything you might not be aware of, and everything you might have turned away from.

  Oshi no Ko itself is a show that, just like Aqua and Ruby, was birthed from within a well-established position in its industry. It comes from the pens of two of the biggest names in manga: Akasaka Aka (Kaguya-sama: Love is War) and Yokoyari Mengo (Scum’s Wish) and lives up to the prestige held by those two names, stringing together a strikingly emotional and insightful narrative matched perfectly by the passionate team at studio Doga Kobo. By exploring the ugly side of show business, Oshi no Ko is a show that will change the way you view entertainment, and in turn, a show that all who enjoy entertainment should watch. If at this point you haven’t yet completed the Oshi no Ko anime, I implore you to close this review and finish the show, as we will be delving into heavy spoilers. Now, let us begin.

  

  What makes Oshi no Ko such a compelling story is the fact that it’s told from the perspective of entertainers; the people across the lake from us, the audience. It’s set in a world that’s detached enough from the general public to spark curiosity, yet relevant enough in peoples’ lives to feel grounded. That is show business: a lucrative industry that is everywhere yet remains elusive. We see entertainers as superstar personalities, forever out of reach for mere fans like us. As they take on role after role with unwavering professionalism, they seem untouchable and unshakable, almost godlike.

  Yet when Oshi no Ko discusses these celebrities, they feel so real, so human. Because, at the end of the day, that’s what they are. With how brightly they shine, it can be easy to forget that they are also people. The brilliance in Oshi no Ko’s writing is that it doesn’t need to explicitly draw attention to this fact; by simply telling its story through the lens of these superstars, we are able to connect with them because, fundamentally, we’re all the same. We all struggle, and we all dream. Though our ordeals may look different due to the difference in our circumstances, the truth is that we all can feel the same way.

  Take, for example, Hoshino Ai. The series’s poster girl was a rising idol who seemed to have everything going for her: good looks, a devoted fanbase, and an incredible work ethic. What most people overlooked, however, was that all of it was a lie. Hoshino Ai never knew what it meant to love, though she dreamed she someday would. Growing up an orphan, she was inexperienced, unprofessional, and airheaded. Yet the industry demanded her to be a perfect idol; the type that loves her fans wholeheartedly, and continues to sing, dance, and bring hope to those around her no matter what. Hoshino Ai was none of these things, and so she lied. Every action is manufactured to the millimeter in order to be exactly what the fans want to see.

  
  

  All the fans see is Ai’s persona. To them, Ai is not a person, but rather a marketable product. They haven’t seen the countless hours that go into perfecting every detail, nor have they seen the struggle for her to make ends meet. All of that is hidden in order to provide them with the best possible entertainment. And when a product doesn’t meet your expectations, isn’t it natural to complain? It’s only natural that an idol shouldn’t have kids, right? How dare they prioritize their own happiness over providing for their fans! Shouldn’t they be happy enough being an idol?

  This kind of rhetoric seems all too evil, but this is way more common than you’d think. Only because we have seen the struggles and hard work of Hoshino Ai can we recognize just how selfish the fanbase is. Hoshino Ai’s murder is the culmination of all of this, as we finally see Hoshino Ai the person confront her audience. This scene is so powerful because, for the first time, Ai takes off her mask in front of a fan, admitting all her insecurity, her struggles, and her hopes. Ai knows that she isn’t completely faithful to her audience. So she pretends to be, and in this way, expresses her love for her fans. It’s an extremely personal moment; unbefitting for an idol, who is made up of lies; but extremely human, the side that the public does not see.

  Another example of Oshi no Ko providing insight through a different perspective is in the story of Kurokawa Akane. Online criticism and cancel culture have become an all-too-familiar part of our lives, and spreading hate now, unfortunately, has become all too easy. When we make comments online, it's rare to consider the feelings of the person we’re directing our criticism to, especially when they’re a high-profile celebrity or someone of the sort. Actors have a layer of protection from this as hate is often directed at the character they play, not the actors themselves. But what happens if you are the character? I’ve never been a fan of reality TV for this very reason. Yet, the industry calls for it, and the effects can be crushing.

  Unlike some of the more fiery characters in Oshi no Ko, Kurokawa Akane is lacking in her self-confidence. However, personal feelings are a secondary concern in the entertainment industry, and Akane is expected to carry the burden of her agency’s success. It doesn’t matter that she’s struggling, it doesn’t matter that she’s inexperienced, she has to do something. And as every teenager does at some point, she happens to screw up. It’s a fact of life that kids will mess up. It’s part of growing up, and everyone accepts that. But Kurokawa Akane isn’t just a “kid,” she’s also an actress. And suddenly, because of that fact, it’s unacceptable.

  

  When we talk about celebrities, it’s easy to forget that they too are human beings with human feelings. After all, they seem almost superhuman with their immense star power and influence. It seems like to them, what someone like you says won’t affect them at all. Right? The truth is, when faced with a barrage of death threats and insults, any person–celebrity or not–will suffer because of it. It’s easy to discredit these big names because of their immense success, but people too often forget that for most their success was earned through their own hard work. Oshi no Ko does an exemplary job of highlighting the difference between public opinion and the truth behind a celebrity’s efforts by juxtaposing belittling comments made by the internet about Akane with a montage of Akane’s hard work and practice. Perhaps the most crushing feeling is when someone else discredits your hard work, but it’s something that celebrities must deal with all the time. Further adding insult to injury in the form of public slander is quite literally a lethal combination, especially for younger stars.

  After all this, the attempted suicide of Kurokawa Akane–an already slightly insecure teenager as she is–shouldn’t have been a surprise. But to the people making these comments, Akane isn’t the insecure teenager we know her as. To them, she’s just a part of their own entertainment; a product that, if gone faulty, should be removed. We’re only able to see Akane as a human because we can see all the things that are hidden from the public: the hours of work, the pressure of the industry, and her spiral into depression. Oshi no Ko is reminding us that, even though we may be able to see the effects of our words, they are very real. Oshi no Ko is once again reminding us that entertainers, like everyone else, are human and fragile.

  The idea that performers are simply reduced to products in the entertainment industry is an idea reinforced quite often in Oshi no Ko. For example, Hoshino Ai’s death made headlines in the days following its occurrence, yet after that time it seemed as if the entire world had moved on from it. The story had run its course, and Hoshino Ai’s usefulness as a selling point had expired. Thus, it wasn’t mentioned again. A similar fate met one Arima Kana, an actress that Aqua had become acquainted with when he was a child. Known as a child prodigy, once past her prime she quickly found her job offers drying up. The industry has a cruel indifference towards those who have outlived their usefulness as a profitable asset, leading Kana to take on a variety of unsuccessful ventures that ultimately formed her cynical, self-deprecating mindset. Show business may seem dazzling from a distance, but the truth is that it’s a harsh place unfit for its young stars.

  

  One final thing we may glean from Oshi no Ko, which is quite relevant to the anime fandom in particular, is the subject of poor adaptations. Aqua’s first acting job since becoming a high schooler is in a TV drama adaptation of the popular in-universe shoujo manga Sweet Today along with acquaintance Arima Kana. The catch, however, is that the goal of this adaptation wasn’t to be the best show it could be, but rather simply to provide some exposure to some upcoming male models. As such, when provided with subpar talent, the show obviously suffered. What Oshi no Ko shows us, though, is that it’s not any one person’s fault that the show ended up bad. Show business is, once again, a profit-driven business. Oftentimes actors or directors will be blamed for the poor outcome of a show when in reality, they had no control over the circumstances in which the show is produced. It’s unfair to pin the blame on the people who are simply doing the best they can with the cards they are dealt.

  

  So finally, when assessing Oshi no Ko as a whole, aspects of the show such as its intriguing characters, stellar art, and enthralling mystery certainly shine bright, but what sets Oshi no Ko apart for me is what I’ve discussed throughout this whole essay. I’ve always firmly believed that the best entertainment will change how you think through its message. What Oshi no Ko is able to provide is a new perspective in the arcane world of entertainment, where we can see the humanity in an industry largely thought of as just a product. This can help us all be a better audience by remembering that on the other side of the screen are real people, just like us, who are just trying their best to survive in a rotten industry.

  After all, recognizing the humanity in others is fundamental to being human itself.

  ---

  _thanks for reading. this is the first time I've written something like this so I would appreciate any feedback. if you liked this review, feel free to check out my [others on Anilist.](https://anilist.co/user/ericz1/reviews)_
  Continue on AniList
• 

  Mcsuper

  90/100
  A Mirror of Grim Realities, But Not Without Some Dumb Fun

  There is no doubt that Oshi no Ko was one of the most popular anime this season, and it’s easy to see why. There is some realistic commentary of the idol and entertainment industries, especially the dark side, which made for an interesting watch. Through all the mystery and dark subject matter, there was also a bit of comedy mixed in, which I will admit was hit or miss at times, but it all boded well for me in the end, perhaps due to the high production standards of this anime.

  Now, I know the reincarnation subplot has some people up in arms, and I do understand that can be the weak link of the show, but anime in the end is a medium that has a lot of goofy ideas in it, and this was one of them. I would also agree to some extent it wasn’t a particularly strong way to start the show, but that didn’t really hamper my enjoyment too much.

  Like I mentioned earlier, the real hook of the series is the commentary on the entertainment industry. Streamers, vtubers, actors, models, idols, and many other people in the online sphere face a lot of the issues that this anime talks about. The idea that the entertainer has to be “pure”, especially if they are a female, can bring about a lot of online hate once said entertainer is found to have a relationship. Viewers feel betrayed and hurt, so they try to cancel them, threaten them, and that can cause major ramifications to the entertainer’s mental state. If there’s one thing to take away from this anime, even if you don’t like it, is to be wary on the Internet, and to simply be a kind person, to not be so desperate for the one moment of Internet clout. Unfortunately, cyberbullying due to these events is very common, and to be honest, unlikely to ever go away, but does that mean we should stop trying to stop the behaviour? Definitely not, but in this day and age, one also has to have thick skin to handle such toxic words. People, just remove likes/retweets on replies to tweets or Youtube videos, not the dislike button entirely.

  I did appreciate the comments on the industry a lot, and it’s clearly issues that the author, Aka Akasaka is trying to point out to people, but I do think there wasn’t really enough of that throughout the series, as the series shifted its priorities quite often, with other themes like the mystery and idol performances taking over. Not to say that wasn’t a good thing, as the other parts of the anime have their own respective charms, but I did enjoy the industry talk the most.

  The characters offer a variety of personalities, and I think it’s fair to say that many viewers may find themselves relating or resonating with a certain character, and for everyone, that might be a different one. The cast is solid overall, and it was clear to me how much the production staff love Kana Arima, the famous child actress that struggled as she grew up. I found myself resonating with her character the most, and having fun watching her interactions with the rest of the cast. She has a foul mouth with snappy comments, but in the end, she cares about the people around her a lot, and wants them to succeed, to not face failures like she did after her child actress days were behind her. A lot of the time, I felt she was the voice of the main message of what the author, Aka Akasaka wanted to convey, with the information around the industry and how people have to act. For many, I’m sure that Akane Kurokawa, the actress who had her fair share of struggles in this series to say the least, will be their favourite character. While her character moments led to much discourse among viewers, I feel her arc was resolved a bit quickly, though it was still very impactful. Mem-cho, the Vtuber/Youtuber had some humorous moments as well, and had some relatable things to say. The supposed two main characters in Ruby and Aqua felt like the weakest in the show, especially Ruby, who didn’t have much to do after the first episode, though her positivity and naiveness about being an idol had me a little scared, and Aqua just didn’t feel like a very strong protagonist, as his traits are being manipulative, and having the mind of an adult, not much else. I get that you’re not really supposed to think he’s a good guy or anything, but he didn’t really give me anything to cling on to or relate to. I hope that improves with future seasons.

  (One of my favourite "character animation moments)

  

  (Probably my favourite shot in the series)

  The production behind this show is definitely something to be admired, with splendid directing, compositing, and beautiful scenes throughout. Props to all the staff behind this, as I could tell this was quite the passion project, with some bias toward Kana, which I have absolutely zero complaints about since she’s my favourite character in the show. The darker moments were handled well to really emphasize how eerie and uncomfortable it felt, especially in Episode 6, while the lighter moments had their charm to it as well. The soundtrack was fine, though mostly highlighted by the popularity of the OP and ED, and especially YOASOBI’s music video on the opening, Idol, which topped the Billboard charts outside the United States. There were various records that this anime broke, and it is just so overwhelmingly popular, and when I went to Japan for a vacation a couple months ago, I saw and heard a lot of things related to Oshi No Ko everywhere, including merch, and the music.

  

  (Yeah, that's my poorly taken picture when I went to Shibuya)

  Overall, this show provides a solid, and perhaps relatable look at the entertainment industry, while mixing in themes of mystery, and more light hearted moments as well. If you’re curious and want to watch this show, you’ll know if you like it after the 90 minute premiere, which sets the stage very well. Not everything was perfect, as I did want a deeper look at the industry, but what we got was still an excellent product that will resonate with a lot of anime fans, and also myself, for some time to come.

  Remember to be kind to others, especially online. It’s not that difficult to do.

  Continue on AniList

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