INTRODUCTION
So, with season 1 we are remained with an incredible adaption and with an incredible 1st episode that has shocked many people. We had an incredible episode with really important themes, like Akane's attempted suicide.
Of course, for those who do not read the manga, it was fair to ask: would the second season manage to surpass the first season in terms of plot and adaptation? Well, now we can confirm that the answer is “Absolutely yes”. Now, let’s talk about this season, of his quality and his flaws.
PLOT
With the finale of the 1st season, we remain with the start of production of the stage adaptation of Tokyo Blade. So now is the starting point of the Tokyo Blade Arc (manga chapters: 41-66).Tokyo Blade Arc (episodes 1-9)
This is the first long arc of the series, but in spite of this, the question of revenge is put on hold momentarily and introspection on the characters is preferred, preferring to let us get to know the protagonists better with their fears, strengths and weaknesses.
We can know even more in deep the world of entertainment industry in its different forms. Focus in this Arc will be placed on theatrical adaptations and what they entail, with all the issues that come with them. We will learn more specifically about all parts of the production, who works behind it and their interactions. The actors, who have to play the roles on stage, will be able through acting to convey their emotions. Emotions that they will use to understand their own feelings and thus be able to mature. The Tokyo Blade Arc is not a story of revenge, but a story of feelings, which will bring joys, sorrows and sufferings to those who have to act.
Private Arc (episode 9-13)
A fairly short arc but one that will bring with it many changes to the story. Although the story arc is short, the number of twists and turns will follow one after another, inexorably bringing the story to a turning point.
Some will be freed of their pasts after years of suffering, while others will begin their fall into the vortex of despair and hatred. Some will decide to deceive themselves, while others will discover the reality behind their pain. Despite the path they decide to take, their future will continue to be intertwined with their past from which they seek to escape. Only the passage of time will tell whether the path they have chosen is the one that will lead them to success or destruction.
CHARACTERS
In this season we have an important character’s development for all of them. In the first season we only got to see their introduction, but now we are finally able to peer deeper into their souls and appreciate them more, both the primary ones but also some of the secondary characters. Each of them tells of their worries, hopes and sorrows in such a way that they can convey emotions to us.Aqua Hoshino
In the first season we can know Aqua as someone who is calculating and manipulates people in order to achieve his goal. Now in this season this characterization remains, However, unlike many other anime where the protagonist is shown as someone perfect and emotionless, here we are shown his emotional and human side, under the mask he has imposed on himself after the death of his mother.
His personality, his emotions are not statics, quite the opposite. After the Akane understand who is his mother and she decides to be on his side (ep.4) his mask will slowly begin to disintegrate, giving us a glimpse of what lies beneath. Not a cold calculator, but a wounded boy who cannot overcome his traumas and fears. With all his soul, he would like to move on, to be a normal person, but he cannot. The pain of his wound is too deep. The suffering of that day will never pass. And THIS is what he is. The regret that he could not save his mother and the unattainable desire to be able to go back and change things is what characterises him.
Akane Kurokawa
In the first season she doesn’t appear so much, but it has certainly left its mark with his attempted suicide. Now, however, we will no longer see an unsafe and needy Akane. We have seen his darkest period, now his time to shine has come. Now is she who help other people.
Now it is Aqua who needs help. Now, however, he must not save him from others, but from himself, from his own demons that are slowly consuming him. Understanding the boy's pain and suffering, she decides to help him, decides to stay by his side. Finally, someone has managed to break through the boy's mask. In spite of his lies, in spite of his deceptions she will be able to understand Aqua's true nature. She will decide to shoulder his burden together with him.
Kana Arima
Since the themes of this character are the same as in the first season, I don't want to go into too much detail.
Kana is the character who was given the most space in the first season, and here we can see the continuation of her story. The story of a young girl and the entertainment industry. A girl that is set aside and now is finally returning to shine on stage. Now that others have put her at the center of attention, she can no longer remain in the shadows to let others shine.
Melt Narushima
Few probably thought that a secondary character like Melt could have such a development. An arrogant guy, who the only value is to have a handsome face decide to change.
A man who decides to change himself, someone who has finally realized his pathetic acting performance and decides to change, not only to improve his acting, but also to change himself.
A side character, but whit a fantastic story and probably with a best animated scene of this season (final part of episode 6), really wonderful.
Ruby Hoshino
Ruby is the character who has had the least space of all so far, a protagonist is in theory but not in fact. Even in the Tokyo Blade Arc, she hasn't played practically no relevant role. This is probably the main problem of the OnK story on the first and most of the second season. But this change with the Private Arc.
Finally, is Ruby's time to shine, or it would be more accurate to say that it is the beginning of her slow descent into darkness, where nothing can reach her soul. Such darkness and despair that even her brother never managed to reach. This is where Ruby Hoshino's story really begins.
ANIME ADAPTION / ANIMATIONS
This is the first long arc of the series, and in the manga fanbase there are 2 types of opposite way of looking at this arc: either as the best arc in the series or as a very boring arc. Although it may have come across as heavy for some of the manga this was not the case in the anime. This I consider to be a great merit of the series, since by adapting the same things, it managed to maintain such a pace that it never got boring.
The animations are of high quality, especially in the climactic scenes. The anime does not just take panels from the manga and animate them; it offers a version that is a mix of scenes taken from the manga and original anime scenes. These additional scenes serve to make the adaptation better, without distorting the work but also not bringing it back the same as the manga version (lol that's literally what they talk about in the anime). To give an example, just look at the highlight scene of Melt's recitation. In the manga, it doesn't have anywhere near the same impact that was achieved in the anime.▶ VideoUnfortunately, this method of animation could take away space from some beautiful manga plates that one can't wait to see animated. This happened in episode 7. It's not a bad scene at all, but personally this is the only episode that I consider superior in the manga. Really a shame.
(For example, Akane's scene in the manga is better).
Perhaps for me the worst thing about this adaptation is the timing of Chapter 65 (Aqua and Ai scene). The scene itself is spectacular. The problem though is the timing: WHY was it put at the beginning of the episode? Doga Kobo please explain me this. It would have had a much greater impact if it had been placed in the finale of the episode. Personally, this is the only thing I really dislike about this adaptation.
Nevertheless, I consider the method by which they decided to animate the series to be right. Doga Kobo really did a wonderful job.
CONCLUSION
The studio managed to take the manga is to improve it in their adaptation (and the manga also has wonderful drawings). Whether one likes the story or not, the studio's commitment to making Oshi no Ko is unquestionable. As a big fan of the manga, I am really happy about it.
I am also glad that they have already announced the third season, as a reader of the manga I can say that we are going to see some good things.
I thank everyone for reading my review, I hope you enjoyed it.P.S. I am not a native English speaker, so I apologize for any grammatical mistakes
