Oshi no Ko has returned with its season 2, and it kicks off with kind of an intense episode 1. The season opener introduces the cast of the stage play arc in an epic fashion, setting the stage for an exciting journey ahead. It offers a dramatic spectacle of the play from the audience’s perspective, showcasing the show’s impressive directional choices. This also serves as a brilliant teaser of the actual live performance before taking us back to the early rehearsals, where we get an in-depth look at the creative process behind the scenes. Things are surely heating up, especially with the stars of the last season, Kana and Akane.
The finale of the first season set the stage for an intense rivalry between Kana and Akane, as they were cast as competing characters in the new project. Akane appears to have the upper hand for now, particularly since she’s the one “dating” Aqua at the moment. However, Kana is far from out of the game. Despite her talent, Akane struggles to understand her role. It’s not always easy to play a character effectively when you can’t connect with the script. With the help of Aqua and Goa, everything eventually clicks for her. Goa’s explanation of a scriptwriter’s job in adapting a stage play from a manga was also insightful and I’m pleased that Oshi no Ko continues to deliver these informative and engaging scenes.
Kana on the hand, is on another level. Previously, she held back her acting to avoid overshadowing others and to maintain a balanced playing field. However, this time, she co-stars with top-tier actors and can finally unleash her full potential. The visual metaphor of Kana and Taiki going all out is fantastic and perfectly captures the energy of a truly dynamic performance. The splashes of bright colors against a black-and-white background during rehearsing their roles are insanely mesmerizing. As their performance intensifies, more colors fill the monochromatic backdrop. It simply symbolizes their love for acting and by the end of the scene, the entire screen is awash in vibrant colors, showing that their passion is truly bright and ignited. It was really a creative and visually stunning direction.
Overall, this episode was pretty standard for Oshi no Ko. Don’t get me wrong, it was still good—there were some intense moments and a few insightful scenes scattered throughout, but much of it felt fairly routine. However, there was one standout moment for me: a brief scene with Ruby that beautifully captured the essence of the first season. Her telling her mother’s grave what happened the entire previous season was sweet and endearing. Not only that but it also reminded us of the main plot of the story—finding their father.
While this arc seems to shift the focus more towards the performing arts, and I’m here for it if it stays that way, it’s refreshing to see the show delve into this world. Oshi no Ko has always excelled at exploring the entertainment industry, and I find it jarring if supernatural elements interrupt that focus. If the series continues to highlight the behind-the-scenes drama of the performing arts, I’m excited to see where it goes from here especially when the original creator doesn’t agree with how the script for the stage play was written.
Oshi no Ko Season 2 is streaming on Bilibili and HIDIVE.
© Akasaka Aka x Mengo Yokoyari / Shueisha / Oshi no Ko Production Committee
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