Oshi No Ko
a review by Jaffin
a review by Jaffin
(Disclaimer: all things I deem spoiler content are hidden along with the episode its a spoiler for listed, I'm pretty anal about spoilers)
Before we get into the meat and bones of this review, I think it’s important to provide some context. I'm 21 and an Actor (although it mightily cringes me out to call myself one as it sounds really egotistical, I prefer 'actor in training' tbh, but I basically am). Also I have not read the manga either so nothing beyond season 1 will be discussed without being speculation.
In this review I am going to analyse the show in the same way of a typical review, i.e, discuss whether it’s good or not, but also its accuracy in depicting the Entertainment Industry. Oshi No Ko is about Acting, Idols, and all the industry has to offer, along with its impact on the young people who live in it. As someone who lives in an all too similar world, one which is frequently not discussed, I think it's important to address where it fails, or more so where it succeeds.
I had very little understanding of what Oshi no Ko was going to be, and I was never expecting to give so much praise to a show that on face value is about Idol groups. No show that I have ever watched has depicted the Entertainment Industry so accurately to the degree where this watch was a little bittersweet, as certain things cut a little too close to home.
(Lots of details about the industry come under characters and spoilers, so if thats what your here for, go there and to the industry section)
The first episode of Oshi no Ko is 1 hour 20 minutes long and to be honest practically feels like a film in its own right. The first episode serves the purpose of setting up the story with what is basically a 'prologue' for the series. This 'prologue' makes up all of Volume 1 of the manga and is quite different to the rest of the series. They decided to essentially bundle 4 episodes into 1 to focus on creating one tailored experience to witness the beginning of the story and boy is it a fantastic choice. Trying to think of a place to pause the first episode to split it up into 4 is very difficult because it flows perfectly as one entity. Allowing the viewer to become totally immersed before they get slapped around the face by its conclusion. Although I worried episode 1 was so good due to potentially having a film like budget and would therefore drop off in quality massively (like the latest Demon Slayer season) it doesn't at all and stays remarkably consistent throughout. The situation of Idol Hoshino Ai hiding her pregnancy from the world sets up a story that depicts the horrible reality of what the Entertainment Industry is like specifically in Japan. Perfectly paving the way for this show to air out the dirty laundry of Showbiz. Episode 1 is best experienced blind and with little to no prior knowledge so a more detailed breakdown is behind the spoiler tag below. But as a TLDR for episode 1, it is absolutely fantastic, heart-wrenching and pretty much perfect.
Ep 1 Spoilers:
The rest of the show centres around Ruby's dream of becoming an Idol and Aqua's 'mission' (ep1 spoiler) that leads him to pursuing a career in Acting. The twins join the leading Performing Arts High School in the country/city meeting lots of other performing arts teens along the way, the standouts chasing their own dreams. The show does a great job of highlighting all the colourful, obnoxious, and sometimes disgustingly plastic personalities of these young people running the gauntlet to achieve fame, which from personal experience is really quite accurate. Oshi No Ko generally focuses on the nicer characters, after all you'd go insane if every character was a fake narcissistic prima donna. Aqua ends up getting his first acting role after a recommendation from Arima Kana (a detail I'll discuss later), which is then followed with him (ep 3/4 spoiler):
The season also has a great conclusion, reaching a satisfying point in certain characters progressions and setting up the future of the story. When it comes to the end of a season, I always feel as though the final episode should in some way mirror the first. Afterall going full circle is the best way to address a character progression and themes set out from the beginning. The final episode harks back to the first in a way that feels very satisfying with characters directly referencing the events of the first, but more importantly touching on the feelings, desires, and goals they had when we first met them, and how they differ now. It's not just about having a character undergo a fundamental change, but the reassertion of their desires after undergoing turmoil or challenges. Seeing characters reaffirm their belief in what they want to do, whether that be finding new motivation, or deciding to do something else plays a big factor in what makes Oshi No Ko's characters feel real. In general, the show also finds a great balance between being serious and finding the right moments to be funny. Making sure your show isn’t just 100% serious is important to keeping people from burning out and it seems to nail this balance.
The characters in this are great. The attention to detail taken to meticulously craft what feels like almost every character is impressive. I'm overjoyed to say that not just the supporting characters, but the side characters seem to have had considerable effort put into them. Whether that be the bratty model who can't act that Aqua deals with at his first shoot, or the various adults’ Aqua encounters over the course of the season. Each one feels as though they have their own purpose for existing and more importantly their own desires. The co-stars in 'Love Now' were also great (the boys not at much), but Sumi Yuki really stood out. I have no idea if she becomes a bigger character later but for someone who plays a reasonably small role her character was handled very well. She feels as though she has more depth than some leads in other anime. She not only effects the characters around her but ends up making a noticeable impact and then reacting to it. Most side characters are barely given the screen time to show their reactions, so this is a really nice inclusion.
Aqua and Ruby are both great, having distinct differences from their sibling that lead to interesting clashes. Both seem to be dealing with the events of their childhood differently and it's explored fantastically. Aqua's personality stands out from the rest of the cast. He comes off as one of these cold sociopathic characters and most people would assume this to be down to one reason (spoiler) which it most likely is. He makes use of his acting talent and superior life experience to manipulate people to get what he wants (although he clearly does have a big heart, and this is his main motivator). Ruby juxtaposes this by wearing her heart on her sleeve, being a bubbly energetic teen.
Ep 3 Spoiler:
The standouts though are these two:
"Sometimes I wondered why I was trying so hard. I even considered retiring multiple times."
This character, along with Akane, basically feel real to me. So much of her character is scarily accurate and I find myself relating to her more than I have any real person I've met. Kana is a child actress who at least to me clearly has an inferiority complex. She was dropped from her agency as she grew older and subsequently has lost a lot of confidence. She feels as though she peaked as a child. In the acting world confidence is king, and necessary for success, hence her seemingly frantic need to feign self-belief. All actors go through this stage at one point, been there myself, which is why I can sympathise with her so much. So her growth is about finding her footing to climb up again. She also seems to be hung up on Aqua, whether this is because she thinks he's buff or a good actor idk. But she clearly wants to work with him as all actor’s love working with good actors, brings out the best in you and makes your life soo much easier.
She is full of all these tiny little details that are unbelievably relatable to actors and can easily go over most people's heads:
Ep 5 Spoiler:
Ep 11 Spoiler:
Ep 10-11 Spoiler:
Akane is another actress with an inferiority complex. Wow it’s almost like that all actors are. But yet again her’s plays an interesting role in her characterisation. You see her franticly asking for advice non-stop and incessantly taking notes. Although she boils down to having the same core problem as Kana, they are both impacted by it in totally different ways. Whereas Kana puts up this cold facade, Akane is very emotionally open and vulnerable.
Ep 6 Spoiler:
Ep 11 Spoiler:
Overall Oshi No Ko is fantastic at depicting the real industry in a way that any and every performer will find relatable. It’s so accurate its almost painful. It does a much better job than the horrible attempt of Osomake Romcom. I was in the middle of doing my drama school auditions when this show started airing and it was quite crazy how many things are just bang on. Whether that be characters with recognisable traits or sympathising with situations it’s all there. For example, in episode 10 we see a hall cram packed with easily 100s Idols preparing to perform at a festival, rehearsing and getting changed. This scene really did give me an existential crisis knowing only a few weeks prior I was in a room filled with 200 auditionees standing shoulder to shoulder taking up the whole room. I touched on some parts of the industry while analysing Kana and Akane but here are some other notable parts worth scrutinizing.
Ep 1 Spoiler:
During Kana and Aqua's TV shoot we are presented with yet another harsh reality of the acting world which is that raw acting talent isn't everything. The show is entirely promo for their models and couldn’t care less about the acting. Of course, money matters but this is an example of when the people with real talent aren't given a chance. Yet again another harsh truth. Sadly, things like appearance factor in heavily in the industry (an even bigger issue in Asia than the West). It might seem like a small thing but it's nice to see this acknowledged.
Ep 2 Spoilers:
The one thing that I think is missing or an interesting omittance is that we do not see a single audition once. Auditions are a part of everyday life for performers, just like eating and sleeping. So, it struck me as interesting that it’s not there, although I think there's a reason. Almost every role we see any of the actors get, they get it by recommendation. One of the most frustrating realities of the industry is that the biggest roles are given to people by recommendation due to reputation/fame and favouritism, with most actors forced to fight over the scraps at the bottom (aka the side characters). The entertainment industry is heavily gatekept by money. Only wealthy people can afford enough acting lessons and auditions for drama school to make it. For context an audition for drama school costs anywhere between £30-£100 per audition including recalls (2-3 recalls per school). I spent around £500 this year alone on these fml. A 6-week acting course at one of the best schools in the UK also cost me £2000. Anyone in the industry knows it’s built from the ground up to benefit the upper class who are 'privileged enough' to afford it. Let’s not forget, Kana can afford to live on her own and the Hoshino's have Ai's Idol money along with agency backing. It feels like an intentional comment is being made here about the lack or 'fairness' in the industry. Looking back to Kana and Aqua's TV show, the cast were models picked to promote their brand, not good actors.
I'm gonna keep my comments on animation and directing brief as there isn’t much to say. The animation in this doesn't have any crazy motion or anything, after all its a slice of life that doesn’t remotely warrant it. But the art direction of this show in my opinion is top notch. Some of the drawings in this are stunning. The general variety of facial expression in this show makes me very happy. It looks beautiful. The visual composition is also good, so this show feels well directed and is very well drawn. Not to mention paced very nicely.
The VA performances are exactly what you would expect from a show about acting. No surprises here, it’s very well acted. One interesting detail is that most of the leading roles are played by actors with a lot less experience than what is common. Normally its always the same people, but for this show they picked people who have not as much experience, mainly starting voice acting in anime around 2017-18. Of course, there are exceptions, but at the same time the VA for Ruby, Yurie Igoma, is incredibly inexperienced. Not only this being her first leading role, but her first non-background role in seemingly anything (in total 4 anime appearances, 3 of which are extras, and also one audio drama). From her performance this is impossible to tell, and I love that chances are being taken on newer performers. Also, Megumi Han as Kana was also brilliant, I could write a whole essay on why, so I'll spare you. Manaka Iwami yet again pulls out another great performance as Akane.
Ep 6,7 and 8 Spoiler:
Essentially what you have here is a show that does something that seemingly very little shows have managed to do before. Tell the reality of the Entertainment Industry in a way that people outside of it can empathise and relate to the people who live in it. This is a show which delivers in every single area. I worried a show about the industry I live in could be patronising or not understand me, but it feels almost like this writer has been watching over my shoulder. Watching this show while doing my auditions did drive me slightly insane for a period forcing me to take a break but I always planned on coming back. At the very least watch that first episode. Take that chance and you'll be hooked. Safe to say I am.
Thank you for making it all the way to the end this is hella long, so I appreciate you reading this. Hopefully my incite was useful or at least interesting and maybe changed your perspective on this wonderful piece of fiction.
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