spoilers ahead In the world of showbiz lies are weapons. If youre reading this essay chances are you watch anime. Like countless others we are part of an audience whose role is simply to enjoy what is produced by the entertainment industry without having to worry too much about what happens beyond the screen. We and the people who make the shows we watch are in two separate spheres and thats fine. Thats how most go about it. Thats how its meant to be. But perhaps its not as simple as just enjoying whats given to us. Perhaps there is more that we as an audience should be more aware of about the industry we rely on so much. Because in the world of showbiz built upon lies we dont know what it is that we dont know. Oshi no Ko is a show that puts it all in perspective: everything you might not be aware of and everything you might have turned away from. Oshi no Ko itself is a show that just like Aqua and Ruby was birthed from within a wellestablished position in its industry. It comes from the pens of two of the biggest names in manga: Akasaka Aka Kaguyasama: Love is War and Yokoyari Mengo Scums Wish and lives up to the prestige held by those two names stringing together a strikingly emotional and insightful narrative matched perfectly by the passionate team at studio Doga Kobo. By exploring the ugly side of show business Oshi no Ko is a show that will change the way you view entertainment and in turn a show that all who enjoy entertainment should watch. If at this point you havent yet completed the Oshi no Ko anime I implore you to close this review and finish the show as we will be delving into heavy spoilers. Now let us begin. https://files.catbox.moe/oozgsv.png https://files.catbox.moe/oozgsv.png What makes Oshi no Ko such a compelling story is the fact that its told from the perspective of entertainers the people across the lake from us the audience. Its set in a world thats detached enough from the general public to spark curiosity yet relevant enough in peoples lives to feel grounded. That is show business: a lucrative industry that is everywhere yet remains elusive. We see entertainers as superstar personalities forever out of reach for mere fans like us. As they take on role after role with unwavering professionalism they seem untouchable and unshakable almost godlike. Yet when Oshi no Ko discusses these celebrities they feel so real so human. Because at the end of the day thats what they are. With how brightly they shine it can be easy to forget that they are also people. The brilliance in Oshi no Kos writing is that it doesnt need to explicitly draw attention to this fact by simply telling its story through the lens of these superstars we are able to connect with them because fundamentally were all the same. We all struggle and we all dream. Though our ordeals may look different due to the difference in our circumstances the truth is that we all can feel the same way. Take for example Hoshino Ai. The seriess poster girl was a rising idol who seemed to have everything going for her: good looks a devoted fanbase and an incredible work ethic. What most people overlooked however was that all of it was a lie. Hoshino Ai never knew what it meant to love though she dreamed she someday would. Growing up an orphan she was inexperienced unprofessional and airheaded. Yet the industry demanded her to be a perfect idol the type that loves her fans wholeheartedly and continues to sing dance and bring hope to those around her no matter what. Hoshino Ai was none of these things and so she lied. Every action is manufactured to the millimeter in order to be exactly what the fans want to see. https://files.catbox.moe/uhygus.png https://files.catbox.moe/uhygus.png https://files.catbox.moe/1t47te.png https://files.catbox.moe/1t47te.png All the fans see is Ais persona. To them Ai is not a person but rather a marketable product. They havent seen the countless hours that go into perfecting every detail nor have they seen the struggle for her to make ends meet. All of that is hidden in order to provide them with the best possible entertainment. And when a product doesnt meet your expectations isnt it natural to complain? Its only natural that an idol shouldnt have kids right? How dare they prioritize their own happiness over providing for their fans Shouldnt they be happy enough being an idol? This kind of rhetoric seems all too evil but this is way more common than youd think. Only because we have seen the struggles and hard work of Hoshino Ai can we recognize just how selfish the fanbase is. Hoshino Ais murder is the culmination of all of this as we finally see Hoshino Ai the person confront her audience. This scene is so powerful because for the first time Ai takes off her mask in front of a fan admitting all her insecurity her struggles and her hopes. Ai knows that she isnt completely faithful to her audience. So she pretends to be and in this way expresses her love for her fans. Its an extremely personal moment unbefitting for an idol who is made up of lies but extremely human the side that the public does not see. Another example of Oshi no Ko providing insight through a different perspective is in the story of Kurokawa Akane. Online criticism and cancel culture have become an alltoofamiliar part of our lives and spreading hate now unfortunately has become all too easy. When we make comments online its rare to consider the feelings of the person were directing our criticism to especially when theyre a highprofile celebrity or someone of the sort. Actors have a layer of protection from this as hate is often directed at the character they play not the actors themselves. But what happens if you are the character? Ive never been a fan of reality TV for this very reason. Yet the industry calls for it and the effects can be crushing. Unlike some of the more fiery characters in Oshi no Ko Kurokawa Akane is lacking in her selfconfidence. However personal feelings are a secondary concern in the entertainment industry and Akane is expected to carry the burden of her agencys success. It doesnt matter that shes struggling it doesnt matter that shes inexperienced she has to do something. And as every teenager does at some point she happens to screw up. Its a fact of life that kids will mess up. Its part of growing up and everyone accepts that. But Kurokawa Akane isnt just a kid shes also an actress. And suddenly because of that fact its unacceptable. https://files.catbox.moe/ewvkd1.png https://files.catbox.moe/ewvkd1.png When we talk about celebrities its easy to forget that they too are human beings with human feelings. After all they seem almost superhuman with their immense star power and influence. It seems like to them what someone like you says wont affect them at all. Right? The truth is when faced with a barrage of death threats and insults any personcelebrity or notwill suffer because of it. Its easy to discredit these big names because of their immense success but people too often forget that for most their success was earned through their own hard work. Oshi no Ko does an exemplary job of highlighting the difference between public opinion and the truth behind a celebritys efforts by juxtaposing belittling comments made by the internet about Akane with a montage of Akanes hard work and practice. Perhaps the most crushing feeling is when someone else discredits your hard work but its something that celebrities must deal with all the time. Further adding insult to injury in the form of public slander is quite literally a lethal combination especially for younger stars. After all this the attempted suicide of Kurokawa Akanean already slightly insecure teenager as she isshouldnt have been a surprise. But to the people making these comments Akane isnt the insecure teenager we know her as. To them shes just a part of their own entertainment a product that if gone faulty should be removed. Were only able to see Akane as a human because we can see all the things that are hidden from the public: the hours of work the pressure of the industry and her spiral into depression. Oshi no Ko is reminding us that even though we may be able to see the effects of our words they are very real. Oshi no Ko is once again reminding us that entertainers like everyone else are human and fragile. https://files.catbox.moe/den0n0. The idea that performers are simply reduced to products in the entertainment industry is an idea reinforced quite often in Oshi no Ko. For example Hoshino Ais death made headlines in the days following its occurrence yet after that time it seemed as if the entire world had moved on from it. The story had run its course and Hoshino Ais usefulness as a selling point had expired. Thus it wasnt mentioned again. A similar fate met one Arima Kana an actress that Aqua had become acquainted with when he was a child. Known as a child prodigy once past her prime she quickly found her job offers drying up. The industry has a cruel indifference towards those who have outlived their usefulness as a profitable asset leading Kana to take on a variety of unsuccessful ventures that ultimately formed her cynical selfdeprecating mindset. Show business may seem dazzling from a distance but the truth is that its a harsh place unfit for its young stars. https://files.catbox.moe/cd3zrr.png https://files.catbox.moe/cd3zrr.png One final thing we may glean from Oshi no Ko which is quite relevant to the anime fandom in particular is the subject of poor adaptations. Aquas first acting job since becoming a high schooler is in a TV drama adaptation of the popular inuniverse shoujo manga Sweet Today along with acquaintance Arima Kana. The catch however is that the goal of this adaptation wasnt to be the best show it could be but rather simply to provide some exposure to some upcoming male models. As such when provided with subpar talent the show obviously suffered. What Oshi no Ko shows us though is that its not any one persons fault that the show ended up bad. Show business is once again a profitdriven business. Oftentimes actors or directors will be blamed for the poor outcome of a show when in reality they had no control over the circumstances in which the show is produced. Its unfair to pin the blame on the people who are simply doing the best they can with the cards they are dealt. https://files.catbox.moe/3v1v09.png https://files.catbox.moe/3v1v09.png So finally when assessing Oshi no Ko as a whole aspects of the show such as its intriguing characters stellar art and enthralling mystery certainly shine bright but what sets Oshi no Ko apart for me is what Ive discussed throughout this whole essay. Ive always firmly believed that the best entertainment will change how you think through its message. What Oshi no Ko is able to provide is a new perspective in the arcane world of entertainment where we can see the humanity in an industry largely thought of as just a product. This can help us all be a better audience by remembering that on the other side of the screen are real people just like us who are just trying their best to survive in a rotten industry. After all recognizing the humanity in others is fundamental to being human itself. thanks for reading. this is the first time Ive written something like this so I would appreciate any feedback. if you liked this review feel free to check out my others on Anilist.https://anilist.co/user/ericz1/reviews