Review of [Oshi No Ko]

the first episode was excellent. it's not often i feel so strongly about a piece of media, especially when it comes to anime, but oshi no ko opens up brilliantly with a feature-length episode definitely worth watching. unfortunately, i feel like things started to fall off after that, and the show instead took the route of an ordinary but decently made highschool drama with some commentary on idol culture here and there. there's a weird mishmash of the anime trying to be a comedy while also trying to take itself seriously on occasion. it's not terribly done, but i would prefer if the show took itselfseriously more often because it definitely shines this way, akane's storyline being a great example and a major high point for the anime. there's also the attempts at 'idol culture critique' which feel a bit half-baked. i never walked away from an episode feeling like my perspective on idol culture had been massively changed. i appreciate the attempt though, and it'll probably be an eye-opener for people who aren't aware of the ugly side of the entertainment industry.

visually i thought it was great. there's a lot of vibrance and appealing colours as well as dark and more subdued tones for the scenes that need it. there are some very love-or-hate characters that can be irritating at times (kana gets on my nerves lol) but for the most part everyone is likeable and well-written. music and voice acting is also great, although i expected nothing less from rie takahashi.

due to the series getting a bit too weird for my tastes in a recent manga chapter, i probably won't be checking out the manga or picking this back up when season 2 drops. it was fun while it lasted though, and i think anyone who likes dramas will have a good time with this or at least enjoy the first episode.