Review of [Oshi No Ko]

How do you piss off multiple fanbases with one review? Well, you compare two shows that have nothing to do with each other and proclaim one show's superiourity. So, I dropped Zetsuen no Tempest after 3 epsidoes. I wasn't invested in the slightest and cared not for any of the characters or the plot. Why am I bringing it up? Because it took Oshi no Ko 2 minutes to get my attention. So, Oshi no Ko, while there are some things that I can mildly criticize, overall it's a great start. I suppose the biggest criticism would be that the whole revenge thing isnot as fleshed out yet but then again, it can't be extremely specific this early on without taking center stage. If the author's previous works are anything to go by, all the elements in play will get their time to shine. That said, it does a very good job balancing those elements for now. From the industry know-how that is not only naturally delivered but also natural in terms of realism and its place in the narrative, to character relationships, this show has something to offer to many a viewer. Comedy, romance, drama, it seems to be doing quite well on all fronts. The small bits of symbolism and visual metaphors add to the experience without demanding focus on it. Production-wise, Doga Kobo did a great job as did the actors. The source material is doing all the heavy lifting but Doga Kobo's contribution can't be overstated.

I will say that the author is probably self inserting quite a bit as Aqua and Shirogane from Kaguya share not only visual simiarities but also some defining features. Speaking of Aqua, his importance to the story is pretty massive and I would've been quite critical of that if not for him being an interesting character as unlike Shirogane he has a darker side and is not afraid of using people. But, at the end of the day he is still the good guy. Ruby, on the other hand, will probably have a big arc later on as right now she is not excatly the focus. All in all I enjoyed what was on offer and want to see more, but my score as of right now hinges on the potential of the story and established achievements of the author.