Oshi no ko continues to claim to be something far more than it is. Despite claiming to be about revenge, it is largely uninterested in that and gives little insight into the entertainment industry. It postures as critical, but it isn't capable of carrying out an institutional critique on an effective level that would promote change, and can only look at individual problems. The little looks themselves range from very good (season 2) to fine, to quite bad. Overall, this makes the quality gyrate massively based on which (largely unconnected if we are being frank) subplot the show is focused on.
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The package for this season was quite poor, with the Kana subplot being a standout waste of time that went nowhere and didn't reveal much about anyone's character. Kana makes a mistake due to her personal failings, even if the entry into it isn't particularly interesting, and leads into a boring tsundere session. This could be interesting to watch her attempt to squirm out of the situation on her own without Aqua's assistance, but once again, a female character is not given that opportunity. The situation is resolved on its own, and she returns to how she felt before (wanting to quit the group, this time with a bit more confidence). The whole arc is a shame because I think the cliff notes of Kana's arc (A child star trying to stay in the industry) could be interesting, yet the show is continually afraid to do much of interest with her. I will give less recap for Akane's arc, but my feeling is the same: her project was taken away from her in favor of Aqua, and her character is worse off for it. Possible development (anger, rage, some change) is avoided, and she continues to feel the same about him, just with smaller agency.
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The show remains pretty visually, but lacks what made season 2 feel distinctive and breathtaking to me, focusing instead on technically impressive but often by-the-numbers feeling animation.
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The best episode of this season is its last, with the emotional core of its first half engaging me significantly. Unfortunately, it once again went back to everything I dislike about the show, both ideologically and pacing-wise. I will note that I once again find discomfort with the idea that aqua (the masculine) is allowed to ruin his life, but it is completely unacceptable for a woman to do the same. As well, I continue to dislike the positive "follow your dreams" spin the show puts on the idol industry, which I have yet to be convinced is not a vortex of unfathomable evil.
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Oshi no ko remains one of the strangest shows I've ever followed as far as its inconsistency. It's hard for me to reconcile how much I enjoyed season 2 with my large distaste for the first season and third season. I think I often come off quite harshly in these reviews because my views are similar to other shows that purport a novel ideal and deconstruction, which I am interested in, but in the end fail to deliver. What is the point of showing bad things happen to idols if your ending message is that it's still okay to enter into and support the industry? If you truly believe this is a system that churns up and destroys the lives of young women for the satisfaction of men, then it should be destroyed and rebuilt into something that no longer does that. I think maybe I was wrong to think Oshi no Ko was ever able to give a commentary like this, though, despite its claim to a wide view, it's fundamentally focused on characters, and that would be fine. I don't wish to say Oshi no Ko is bad for not doing what I want, but that, on top of failing to live up to the promise it showed, it also fails to deliver on its character drama.
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6/10