Forum - View topicOshi no Ko (TV) (w/ index).
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Tony K.
 SubscriberModerator  Posts: 12058 Location: Frisco, TX |
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[reserved ep. 24]
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ACｘS
 Posts: 1226 |
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S3, 1 (25):
And we're back. Let me get something off my chest. Previously, I said that this show exposes the underbelly of the Japanese idol/entertainment industry. It's still at it this season, and for most parts, it's been educational. But have you ever felt like, rather than the show being enlightening, it feels as though the show is lecturing you about it? And not in a pleasant way, but more like "Erm ackshuallay". Like a teacher telling you about their subject matter while making it clear that they know it more than you do. Mm hmm. Yeah, I'm saying: this show can feel obnoxious at times. Anyway! A slow but good start to the season, but I can see that this season belongs to Ruby. The first two seasons have focused on the Aqua-Akane-Kana love triangle, with Ruby functioning more like comic relief. But toward the end of the second season, we began seeing her mean streak, and now she's becoming a lot more like Aqua. I mean, twins, right? Figures if they're two peas in a pod. Of course, Ruby finding Dr Gorou's body and meeting that mysterious girl at the end of the previous season triggered the change in her demeanor, so it's clear that she's taking charge of this season. Another addition to my watchlist this season. |
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Tony K.
Subscriber Moderator Posts: 12058 Location: Frisco, TX |
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Original discussion started here.
---------------------------------- Episode 25 (S03E01): Down Bad ---------------------------------- Summary: As B-Komachi, Akane, and Aqua continue to grow within their respective industries, Kana grows cold when Aqua discloses his relationship with Akane has become genuine. Kana confides to MEM-cho that Aqua has been avoiding her. Aqua reveals to MEM-cho he is keeping his distance from Kana to ensure her safety and avoid a repeat of the circumstances that led to Ai's death. Meanwhile, Ruby lands a gig for Chase the Impawsible, allowing her to work alongside Aqua. Kaburagi reveals that Ruby approached him with the offer, leaving Aqua stunned with Ruby's sudden calculated nature. Elsewhere, Ruby meets with Ichigo, who has resurfaced since his disappearance following Ai's death. ---------------------------------- Comments: It's kind of weird that this show manages to engross you so much in one thing or the other. S1 was mostly industry and coming-of-age drama with a little bit of the murder mystery stuff in-between. S2 was very much industry-centric, with a flash-bang of murder mystery at the end. But regardless, I still find all the ups, down, and in-betweens very compelling. I also have to remember that pretty much all the main characters, aside from Aqua, still has the mind of a teenager. I would think being subjected to the stress and expectations of the industry kind of warp your mind a little and that a lot of these characters will have their psyches amplified to a greater degree apart from your normal teen. I do sympathize for Kana, though. While its chivalrous of Aqua to "save her by hurting her," I still think Ai's situation was different, because the whole thing was orchestrated. I don't know that Ai's killer is part of some "idol murder club" or something, but I guess the overall message of the series is more about idol/celebrity culture and the unfortunate circumstance of getting the occasional mentally ill "fan." I like Ruby's bump up in initiative. In my paragraph above, I didn't mention Ruby as being mentally past her teenage years. She died in her former life at 12 years-old, and I consider her 16 years as Ruby as still being a teen. They say people don't really reach mental maturity till around 30. Seeing as how Aqua actually went to med school and was a doctor for a few years, I'd say that accelerates the maturity a bit, hence him being the only one I consider "not a teen." But with how calculated Ruby was, I do wonder if her being almost mentally 30 is going to act as a catalyst for something down the road. What great drama. And we still have the actual murder mystery stuff to eventually get to. ---------------------------------- Screen Caps:  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Last edited by Tony K. on Wed Feb 04, 2026 3:19 pm; edited 2 times in total |
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ACｘS
Posts: 1226 |
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S3, 2:
Man, the choreography for the OP is insane. I guess now we're going into the cosplay territory. How about that, My Dress-Up Darling? Of course, they're two different animals altogether: one's purely optimistic and views cosplaying from a hobbyist's POV. This one's cynical to the bone in a dirty business world. By the way, there was a lot going on in this episode alone. Cosplaying is just one thing; V-tubing is another, while the main focus is behind-the-scenes of variety shows. I'm quite sure it's just this show being as habitually pessimistic as always—it has a knack for it—but Urushibara and Yoshizumi are extreme examples of a director and assistant director, respectively. Kinda like Abiko as the original creator, right? Stereotypes of their own kind. But hey, extreme examples make for interesting stories. I just can't help but feel that Urushibara is modeled after a real-life person. Hmm... Another habit of this show? Deus ex machinas. Yoshizumi in the gutter for finding cosplayers at the last hour, but having a sister with a decent following for cosplays and a successful V-tuber in the next room? Yeah, wayyy too easy. C'mon, you can do better than that. |
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Tony K.
Subscriber Moderator Posts: 12058 Location: Frisco, TX |
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Original discussion started here.
---------------------------------- Episode 26 (S03E02): Calculating ---------------------------------- Summary: Ruby asks for advice on gaining fame to meet the people Ai was acquainted with, and then also meets an assistant director, Shun Yoshizumi. Shun is tasked by his boss to find Tokyo Blade cosplayers to be interviewed, though is distressed when none are available. But Ruby helps by convincing Minami to use the interview to broaden her career, while Shun asks his younger sister and VTuber, Mimi, to be another interviewee. Later, Shun discovers that permissions were not secured, and his superior requests a last-minute change to have the cosplayers be original characters. On the day of the interview, Ruby and the interviewees arrive. ---------------------------------- Comments: So we get to see some of Ruby's rise to ambition. She'll have to "play the fool," but I feel like this will reap some major benefits, later. Her manipulation of Shun is already a step in that direction, and we also get to see more of that industry dirt with poor Shun having to live under constant scrutiny and anxiety from his boss. This reminds me a little of those murder mystery shows where the assistant eventually turns on (and sometimes kills) their superior, because the latter was too much of a meanie that never treated their underling with respect. I don't think this'll go that route, but it'll definitely work in Ruby's favor and probably branch out to something killer-related. What a well-planted seed. I was also starting to think Aqua was being lulled into a false sense of security, since he still thinks Ai's killer is dead, and all he has to "worry" about is which girl to fall for. But I'm sure once he finds out or stumbles into whatever conspiracy that's shaping up to be, he'll get back into hard-ass mode. Although, the initial shock of the reveal will probably weaken his psyche for a bit. I just hope it doesn't turn into one of those scenarios where he mopes around for a while during the downtime. I'm surprised it took this long to start showing Vtubers and cosplayers. I guess we see that enough on a daily basis and have gotten a nitty-gritty behind-the-scenes look at other industry fields in the meantime, but I'm curious to see what they'll "expose" with these. Maybe something similar to all the social media hoopla Akane was going through when she was on that one show? I would think there's even more trash-talking for people in those fields, since the creators are independent of any outside interference, like studios, writers, producers, etc. If a Vtuber or cosplayer messes up or makes a mistake, the onus is all on them. And I believe people feel entitled enough to put all kinds of mean comments out there for this kind of thing. The show continues to entertain, simply by being down-to-earth, revealing some harsh truths about industry glamor, and having strong characters with meaningful drama. ---------------------------------- Screen Caps:  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Last edited by Tony K. on Wed Feb 04, 2026 5:53 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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ACｘS
Posts: 1226 |
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S3, 3:
Educational. See, I like the part where the episode discusses the ongoing conundrum between having the creative liberty over an IP and getting permission from the publisher for it. It is topical as long as cosplayers exist, especially professional ones. The part that doesn't really bode well with me is how conveniently everything falls into place (according to Ruby's keikaku). An obnoxious director who suddenly turns over a new leaf, after all this time? That's what a Sympathetic Villain exactly is. This is the same guy who made lewd comments in front of Meiya, and we're supposed to feel sorry for him because he has a family to feed? That's a lot to take in. I have the benefit of being an outsider watching Ruby's plan play out, but clearly, to have a talk-show make content out of an incident caused by the same people behind the talkshow itself... kinda sounds like them tooting their own horn. I'm pretty sure some cynical audience would say that everyone was in on the drama because "hey, look at how we screwed up (and leave a like, and subscribe)!" That last bit where the director comes out with his own costume (and it's Princess Saya too!) so that he can get his own comeuppance... feels awfully out of pocket. It's the same problem as that time when Abiko had that meltdown over Tokyo Blade's 2.5D stage play: solving the most difficult problems with the simplest of solutions. What was the solution to that impossible Abiko situation? An online meeting! And what was the solution for this impossible Urushibara situation? Him cosplaying for once! If only people step into other people's shoes, then the world will be a better place, ammarite? Uh huh, sure. |
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DuskyPredator
 Posts: 15852 Location: Brisbane, Australia |
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It was making me so angry at the prospect that there was an element of wanting sympathy for the director complaining about being harshly judged after he showed a complete and utter lack of professionalism under an airs of passing judgement on her work. I did like that outside of the in universe show, it didn't feel like there was shaming of the adult entertainer pro cosplayer, nor that it should have been expected that she would need to forgive him. But in the end she apparently did forgive him and take down her post, and the idea that Ruby might have manipulated the events is kind of gross. |
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ACｘS
Posts: 1226 |
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That's why I thought Ruby's idea of having Urushibara cosplaying and making Meiya forgive him was in bad taste. If the story had just ended at Meiya demanding that the same mistake never happen again, that would have been perfect. But no, she wanted the show to leave with a bang. It's clear that this is basically Ruby's villain arc. I wonder what Aqua will do about it. |
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Tony K.
Subscriber Moderator Posts: 12058 Location: Frisco, TX |
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Original discussion started here.
---------------------------------- Episode 27 (S03E03): Correctness ---------------------------------- Summary: Ruby and the interviewees meet each other, during which Ruby introduces racy cosplayer Meiya. During the interview, Meiya becomes offended with Urushibara's disrespectful and objectifying attitude towards cosplayers. She publishes her complaints online, stirring controversy and forcing Dig Deep! to issue an apology. Shun languishes on his uncertain future, when Ruby offers an episode pitch that investigates the process of Dig Deep!, while also inviting Meiya to set standards between cosplayers and production committees. ---------------------------------- Comments: Pending ---------------------------------- Screen Caps:  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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ACｘS
Posts: 1226 |
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4:
I actually like Aqua's part in the episode. Just when Aqua's finally got a grip on his life, it came crashing down when Ichigo told him about what could have happened with Ai. You could say that it was partially Aqua's fault for not being clever enough to think of other possibilities, but it's also because part of Aqua just wanted to move on and not be so bent on finding Ai's killer. In that sense, Ichigo was being harsh on him for calling him dense. And you must remember: Aqua's still sixteen. Sixteen-year-olds don't think like Aqua, and Aqua clearly isn't an average sixteen-year-old. Akane's detective work? Didn't like it as much. Sure, this is Akane's "power of method acting" and how she can imagine other people's feelings through empathy and whatever. I said it before: I call this convenience. Is Akane the only person in the universe who thinks, "hey, this Kamiki kid looks just like Aqua..."? No one else at Lalalai connected the dots and thought the same, too? Really? Her train of thought really reminded me of Inspector Runge from Monster: both imagined themselves in the culprit's shoes and imagined what he would do. But Runge's train of thought was driven by pure logic, and he still came to the wrong conclusion because he was clouded by his own beliefs and biases. Akane did some internet sleuthing, and suddenly, she ended up reading the entire script. That's too much for me to swallow. |
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Tony K.
Subscriber Moderator Posts: 12058 Location: Frisco, TX |
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[ep. 28]
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ACｘS
Posts: 1226 |
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5:
I have a feeling that Kamiki isn't your regular sociopath. I'm calling it: he's also like Aqua and Ruby, where he was influenced by external forces in some way. Ruby was wondering (in her head) whether she should consult with Miyako on her rendezvous with Shima. And then, out of sheer coincidence, Miyako gave a full lecture on talent agencies' management of their talents, including Strawberry Production. Nah, she didn't need to ask; this damn show will just do it for her. It's actually laughable. A paparazzo getting hold of Kana? Nothing surprising. What I want to know is, why did Mako rat Kana out to one? Might be over a grudge. Or she has a thing for Shima. Hmm. |
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Tony K.
Subscriber Moderator Posts: 12058 Location: Frisco, TX |
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[ep. 29]
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ACｘS
Posts: 1226 |
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6:
So... Mako ratted Kana out because that's how the industry works? That's it? Hmm, no. I get how scummy the industry is—the whole show is literally built on that premise from day one—but don't tell me Mako doesn't have any grudge against Kana. There has to be one. Please, don't be lazy with the storytelling. I won't comment much on how the idol industry is built on lies and toxic, parasocial fandom. That's literally what Ai spelt out in the very first episode. I do appreciate that the show came back to its roots this time. Kana being "nasty"—as how she worded it herself—is a boon; it's the very thing that's helping her get out of this situation (I hope). Akane had a similar situation during her time on the reality show, and she needed Aqua to save her. Kana didn't, and for that, I will give props to her. |
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Tony K.
Subscriber Moderator Posts: 12058 Location: Frisco, TX |
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[ep. 30]
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