Oshi no Ko Season 2 Episode 2 centers around the miscommunications between Tokyo Blade’s manga author, Abiko Samejima, and the scriptwriter, Goa, regarding the script for the stage play. Abiko is initially unhappy with the script Goa has written, and despite requesting several revisions, the process is far from easy. On the other hand, despite his passion for the title, Goa finds his role as the show’s scriptwriter challenging and far from enjoyable.
Being a scriptwriter isn’t all fun and games, even when you have existing material to work with. Understanding the narrative the author is trying to convey is crucial. Simply copying and pasting dialogue or transcribing the text word for word won’t do the story justice. If everything unfolded exactly like the source material, there’d be no need for scriptwriters in the first place. As such, scriptwriters are there to highlight the essential elements of the story and adapt them in a way that best fits the medium.
Despite the weight of this role, it remains highly underrated. If the show isn’t entertaining, the scriptwriters receive all the criticism from fans. If it is entertaining, the original creator receives all the credit. Additionally, their scripts still need approval from the mangaka to move forward, and a lot of revisions are needed to be made which is often where many problems arise.
In Oshi no Ko Season 2, Episode 2, we see just how challenging the communication between a mangaka and a scriptwriter can be. The process involves a game of telephone, with multiple people passing messages along, often leading to misunderstandings.
Yoriko, a fellow mangaka, describes Abiko as belonging to the more eccentric group of creators. Because she rarely socializes, her feedback can be brutally honest, sometimes crossing into destructive territory. This harshness gets softened by intermediaries before it reaches Goa, leading to frequent miscommunications. Abiko’s bluntness and the intermediary process create significant hurdles for Goa, making their collaboration a frustrating one.
Much like last week the episode wasn’t action-filled but was drama-heavy and Oshi no Ko Season 2 did a fantastic job showcasing the behind-the-scenes disputes between different parties. Goa was particularly admirable in this episode. He gracefully accepted all the harsh criticism from Abiko. He also showed his willingness to step down and even remove his name from the credits as the scriptwriter for the play. Meanwhile, we got to see Abiko’s true nature. Despite her shy appearance, she has a sharp tongue and doesn’t hold back. However, at the end of the day, no one is really at fault here. Everyone just wants the best for the final product.
If there’s a lesson to be learned from this episode, it’s to appreciate the staff more, especially the scriptwriters. Writing is already a difficult skill to master, and rewriting can be an even more demanding creative endeavor.
Anime Corner had a chance to check out Oshi no Ko Season 2 episode 2 early, courtesy of HIDIVE, which hosted a North American premiere event at this year’s Anime Expo in LA. Screenshots were taken from HIDIVE which is currently streaming both seasons of the series.
© Akasaka Aka x Mengo Yokoyari / Shueisha / Oshi no Ko Production Committee
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