Episode 20 – Oshi no Ko Season 2

Yo dawg, I heard you want performs, so how a few play about your play? On the identical time that Oshi no Ko wrapped up its 2.5D Stage Play arc, information broke that will probably be receiving a stage play in regards to the play. Satirically, for an arc that dealt so closely with the variations between a stage play and a 2.5D play, this one will probably be produced on a daily stage. And that is not the one curveball this week relating to Oshi no Ko“Dream” provided a glimpse of a greater world that would have been: a symphonic soundtrack, acrobatic CG animation, and an surprising vocal efficiency, all of which got here collectively to create a devastating reminder to Aqua and the viewers of what that is all about.

It has been 20 episodes now Oshi no Ko‘s beautiful premiere, the place it did the unthinkable and killed off its most charismatic character. Ai has by no means stopped being a protagonist, haunting Aqua, Ruby, and the viewers ever since, however she’s solely performed so by echoes. That modified this week when voice actor Rie Takahashi recorded a couple of new strains for a couple of model new scenes. The second, set solely in Aqua’s psyche, was devastating: it portrayed an alternate actuality through which AI survived. It was simple to consider Ai’s reassuring strains as a result of I wished to consider them, and that is an indication of a narrative that actually grabs you. “What if, like in a narrative, a handy miracle occurred?” Aqua muses. It is a actually contrived subtitle, however the sentiment stays. In fictional tales like Tokyo BladeThere needs to be a loophole that ensures everybody lives. As an alternative, we get Ai trying straight into the digital camera and mocking our hopes. There’s dramatic irony within the distinction: viewers know full properly that Oshi no Ko just isn’t actual and Or Akasaka has actually created an idol for us that we could be unhappy about.

For optimum heartbreak, this episode makes use of a refrain of the identical mournful music that performs as Ai is stabbed. Solely this time, the music performs as Touki and Blade cross swords. Aqua was electrical on this scene, from the graceful CG choreography to the clear devastation in his voice. The star in his eye just isn’t solely black, nevertheless it’s additionally flickering. That is the primary time I’ve ever seen it flickering, as if charged with some unusual energy. It’s a cool uplifting element from the manga (which couldn’t present this for apparent causes), and a visible callback to Goro-sensei’s shadow, which sparkles in the identical halting rhythm. It’s clear how a lot Aqua is suffering from having to re-enact what is basically his mom’s dying scene onstage. As if that wasn’t apparent sufficient, Kana displays on Akane’s efficiency as Princess Saya as if she’s “possessed by one thing,” the picture of Ai rising from the ground is projected onto Akane’s physique – it could not be extra direct. Akane’s potential to channel Ai, a lady she’s by no means met, is the rationale she continues to arouse Aqua’s deep affections, even when he would not appear all that eager on relationship Akane in actual life. (In different phrases, Kana did not have to tug that hilariously jealous face through the applause as Aqua carried Akane down the steps.)

Again in the actual world, the actors go from lamenting their dangerous performances (Akane: “I am not a genius actor, Kana is.” Kana: “I am not a genius actor, Akane is!”) to celebrating a job properly performed on the pub. Kana will get fully wasted on ginger ale whereas Aqua cozys as much as Lala Lai’s founder in hopes of digging up the previous. A change of venue, after which Aqua drops a bombshell on Taiki – he is performed DNA checks and it seems they’re half-brothers. The drums that herald the ending music have by no means been so unwelcome. Taiki, ever the mannequin actor, is stone-faced at this revelation, however there are such a lot of issues he might be considering, the least of which is “who gave you permission to do a DNA take a look at on me?”

One main change the anime created from the manga: a literal curtain name. Each function the two.5D stage has to supply is on show, each one among these characters we’ve seen develop and alter so dramatically over the previous 9 episodes stands up and bows. This arc is wrapped up, however there’s no time to relaxation with that cliffhanger in thoughts. I can solely hope the totally uncared for Ruby and Mem-Cho get extra display time sooner or later.

Judgement:

Oshi no Ko Season 2 is at the moment streaming on
CONCEALED.

Lauren writes about mannequin constructing kits on Gunpla 101She spends her days educating her two little Newtypes learn how to deliver peace to the area colonies.

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