Oshi No Ko Season 2 Episode 2 Review: Shut Down Everything!

The 2nd episode of this highly acclaimed manga is back. Let us see how this episode turned out.  

Oshi No Ko Season 2 Episode 1 Recap

The episode opens with Aqua, Kana, and Akane being confirmed as cast members for the live-action adaptation of the popular samurai manga “Tokyo Blade,” set in the Edo period. Aqua, though not the lead, plays a crucial role as the love interest of Saya Hime (played by Akane) and Tsurugi (played by Kana).

What immediately grabs attention is the seamless transition from the live stage production to the actors’ rehearsals. The perspective shifts to the audience’s point of view before rewinding to show the meticulous rehearsal process, providing insight into the actors’ preparations.

In the rehearsal room, a professional atmosphere prevails. Unlike dealing with novices, the cast comprises seasoned stage actors. Kana, initially downplaying her character, is paired with the play’s star, Taiki, prompting her to unleash her full potential. Her performance not only matches Taiki’s brilliance but also threatens to overshadow Akari, a known prodigy. However, this competitive spirit doesn’t concern Aqua, who has his own distinct objective.

Oshi No Ko Season 2 Episode 2 Review

Today’s episode was another very strong and impactful one that dives deep into the adaptation industry of manga. Right in the beginning, it gets established that the original creator of Tokyo Blade, Abiko Sensei, hates the script and wants a total change in it. But she does not stop there. She goes full-on ballistic and absolutely rips the scriptwriter to shreds with her cutting remarks and blatant insults.

We even see that before coming to this rehearsal, she talks to her previous mentor, Yoriko Sensei, a bit about her expectations for the adaptation of her manga. Here, we understand how weird and eccentric Abiko Sensei is in real life when she starts to brush her teeth with two brushes as she must clean her teeth after eating. This kind of behaviour, plus the way she hides behind people while talking, solidifies her nature as a shy and introverted person. However, she almost becomes a completely different individual when her work gets involved. Her displeasure made her complain about the whole setup and accuse the scriptwriter of being incompetent right in his face in front of all the actors.

This is when Yoriko Sensei helps us, the audience, understand how this sort of misunderstanding between the scriptwriter and the original creator is very common. Most of the time, when adaptations take place, there are many individuals in between these two people, like sub-editors and assistants. Usually, whatever the mangaka says or criticises does not directly go to the scriptwriter, as it is, but becomes filtered heavily by the middlemen. Thus, it is not actually the fault of Goa that the script turned out that way. Plus, there is also the fact that a manga that comes in a book will have a very different narrative than something that will be enacted on a stage.

Hence, this whole commotion becomes quite big and results in very surprising outcomes. You do feel bad for Goa, because most of the time, the scriptwriters do not get much of the credit and are also held accountable if that adaptation turns out to be bad. His frustration and despair were shown pretty nicely, and I liked that they explored more on this topic that is not talked about often.

Verdict

I liked this episode a lot and appreciated the in-depth look we were given at this industry. I did not mind that we were not actively hunting for Ai’s killer at this moment. The romance part is again at a standstill, with Akane and Kana both vying for Aqua’s attention.

Must Read: Oshi No Ko Season 2 Episode 1 Review: The Best Of This Season?