Review of [Oshi No Ko]

Oshi no Ko is one of the best introspective critiques of the Japanese entertainment industry ever. It handles topics like the toxicity of the industry in a way that we haven’t seen before and is a must watch. Often, foreigners have conflated perceptions of Japan, due in large part to the success of anime as a cultural export. They see Japan as this ideal haven full of advanced technology and waifus. The reality of the matter is that like all countries, Japan has its issues. One of the biggest, being the virulent nature of the entertainment industry. Whether it be obsessed fans or abusive talent agencies,there’s a lot of issues here.

Despite the bright character designs and cheery visuals, Oshi no Ko gives us an unprecedented view of the struggles of actors, idols, content creators and the dark underbelly of the industry. It takes us through situations inspired by real life events and deals with topics like cyber bullying, stalking, depression, suicide, anxiety, insecurity and others in a very realistic and tasteful manner. While some things are played up for the sake of entertainment, these are very real issues that affect many people on a day to day basis and I’m happy with the job Doga Kobo did bringing it to life and even surpassing the manga in many instances.

While it may have gained its initial popularity from Aka Akasaka’s reputation, Oshi no Ko has charted its own course and carved out its own legacy thanks in large part to its phenomenal story, great characters and relevant subject matter. This isn’t just riding on Kaguya’s coattails. It’s genuinely a master class in its own right. From voice acting to art direction, this is truly Doga Kobo’s finest work.

It has to be stated, this is not an idol show. Despite how much you may see people going around talking about it being a subversion or reinvention of the idol genre, they’re wrong. This is a drama focused on the Japanese entertainment industry and it’s truly one of a kind.

I’d argue this is a must watch, not just for the artistic merits of the show, but for the message. The advent of the internet brought with it many great things. But, it also created opportunities for harassment and bullying, and seeing how that affects people is really important to ensuring you don’t fall into that category of person.

As I touched on earlier, the art direction is stellar in this adaptation. As a manga reader, I already knew all the big twists and plot points coming into the season. So my biggest point of evaluation was the quality of the adaptation and how the studio would handle the big emotional set pieces. As expected of DG, they did an awesome job. Admittedly even better than I could’ve hoped.

In many situations, the cinematography amplifies scenes allowing viewers to truly feel the weight of the moment more than a manga ever could do. The voice acting from both industry stalwarts like Han Megumi(Kana) and newcomers like Igoma Yurie(Ruby) is incredible. Love the more muted and subtle voice acting style for the main characters. Adds a level of immersion to keep you focused on the subject at hand. Art style of course is great too. Great work all around.

You don’t get a number 1 song on billboard 100 without having a fervent fanbase behind you. The Oshi no Ko fanbase is extremely passionate about this series and for good reason. It’s got some of the most loveable characters/waifus in animanga, a gripping story, pertinent topics and emotional moments that hit you like a truck. Not only is it one of the best anime of the season, it’s one of the best anime in recent memory and it deserves all the hype.

Oshi no Ko gets 10 stars, out of 10.