{"id":52374,"date":"2023-11-27T15:17:21","date_gmt":"2023-11-27T15:17:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wrongeverytime.com\/?p=38141"},"modified":"2023-11-27T15:17:21","modified_gmt":"2023-11-27T15:17:21","slug":"oshi-no-ko-episode-1","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gamefootballmobileanimeiphone.com\/index.php\/2023\/11\/27\/oshi-no-ko-episode-1\/","title":{"rendered":"Oshi no Ko \u2013 Episode 1"},"content":{"rendered":"

Hello folks, and welcome back to Wrong Every Time. Today we\u2019ll be exploring the megasized first episode of a fresh production, as we check out the premiere of last spring\u2019s Oshi no Ko. To be honest, I was perfectly happy to let Oshi no Ko come and go without any significant commentary on my end; the show\u2019s premise felt too contrived and insular to really appeal to my interests, and beyond that, \u201can idol drama that\u2019s also a critique of the idol industry\u201d just feels unnecessary for me personally.<\/span><\/p>\n

Not that the idol industry doesn\u2019t <\/span>deserve<\/span><\/i> a takedown; on the contrary, \u201cthe idol industry is a predatory vessel that ruins the lives of its participants and trains its fans to treat artists as property\u201d feels as provocative a statement to me as \u201cwater is wet,\u201d an obvious, clear-eyed assessment of a self-evidently malevolent industry. My impression was that I\u2019d be agreeing with the show\u2019s negative statements while rolling my eyes at every \u201cand yet, there\u2019s something <\/span>to<\/span><\/i> that idol industry\u201d concession, all while listening to music that I have failed to find interesting across a decade covering the genre\u2019s most esteemed productions. Considering that \u201cPerfect Blue is my favorite idol anime\u201d is basically the anime version of \u201cDie Hard is my favorite Christmas film,\u201d it didn\u2019t seem necessary to add my predictable commentary to the flood of Oshi no Ko reactions. Nonetheless, I\u2019m sure I\u2019ll find some points of interest within this unique production, and I always appreciate having a clearer impression of anime\u2019s breakthrough successes. Let\u2019s get to it!<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

Episode 1<\/b><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\u201cThis story is a work of fiction. Actually, most everything in this world is fiction.\u201d Our narrator starts off with an immediate rundown of the artifice inherent in the idol industry – \u201cthey lie, exaggerate, and thoroughly conceal anything inconvenient.\u201d I suppose it\u2019s just a matter of preference, but this insincerity is a major part of why idol music or culture just doesn\u2019t interest me. I like my art to be raw and immediate and almost painfully sincere, and if it\u2019s going to be light and upbeat, I\u2019d still prefer that lightness to be reflective of something authentic as well<\/span><\/p>\n

Of course, beyond that, I just don\u2019t find the art produced by the idol industry particularly interesting. The lyrics seem generic and superficial, the musical backdrop fits into routine pop structures, and the whole ensemble has an overall \u201cdesigned by committee\u201d feel to it that feels antithetical to my relationship with music. It\u2019s not just idols; I basically don\u2019t listen to any music by artists who don\u2019t write their own songs, because they\u2019re simply not the artist\u2019s thoughts and emotions being realized – to set aside the fact that lyrics designed for radio play by another performer generally lack any sort of intimacy or poetry in the first place<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

So yeah, you can probably see why I thought I\u2019d be too much of a downer to offer people relevant commentary on this show. I can enjoy Idolmaster because the animators and directors are putting skilled work into realizing the characters\u2019 experiences – it is <\/span>them<\/span><\/i> I am appreciating, not the fact that what they are applying their skill to happens to be an idol drama. But anytime a character starts waxing philosophical on the magic of idoldom, I emotionally tune out; that\u2019s why I had to drop Love Live eventually, as it basically takes for granted a communal sense of awe at the majesty of idols<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe idol fan is one who wants to be skillfully lied to.\u201d I can also totally appreciate some forms of media serving as feel-good comfort food; I just feel like the reality of how the sausage is made when it comes to idols is too bleak to ignore, and the output too simplistically saccharine to offer me any sense of validation anyway. I value lyrics, formal inventiveness, and authenticity in music very highly, and idol music simply does not, while the things it <\/span>does<\/span><\/i> value (dance performances, a committed stage persona) have no appeal to me<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Apparently this group\u2019s center is Ai, the sixteen-year-old leader of B Komachi. That\u2019s another thing – idol performers are often so young that it\u2019s clear they\u2019ve been designed by producers, and why would a sixteen-year-old\u2019s music resonate with me in the first place? I\u2019m not really sure how I\u2019d identify with or be inspired by a child singing about shining hearts<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s been four years since they started, and now it seems like they\u2019re really taking off!\u201d I suppose I can understand this sort of sports team-style appeal, where you\u2019re rooting for your favorites to shine. It seems like for the dedicated fans, it\u2019s often less about the music itself than seeing a character you find endearing gain success<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Our protagonist is apparently playing this concert in a patient\u2019s room. He\u2019s a doctor at a small practice in the countryside<\/span><\/p>\n

The nurse informs him that Ai is going on hiatus due to poor health<\/span><\/p>\n

It was a patient he met during residency who changed his perspective on idols<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cShe\u2019s about my age, but she\u2019s so grown-up looking and great at singing and dancing!\u201d See, this is a charming and relatable relationship with idols. I can perfectly understand how young people might find hope in seeing other people their age shine, and how watching them might serve as a reprieve from their own difficult circumstances. Earnest stuff like this is why I feel guilty getting into it regarding the idol industry in the first place<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\u201cHaven\u2019t you thought about what it\u2019d be like if you were born as a celebrity\u2019s child?\u201d Really seeding our twist here<\/span><\/p>\n

And thus our protagonist started following Ai\u2019s career in his patient Sarina\u2019s stead<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAren\u2019t you just using Sarina-chan as an excuse to pursue your own desires?\u201d I\u2019m still siding with the nurse here. And yeah, the sexually tinged ownership aspect of idol culture is definitely another thing I can\u2019t really get past. I suppose stories like this will become more universal and essential as we move forward in this era of streamers fusing popular media with parasocial intimacy, but frankly, the whole endeavor seems to me unhealthy for both artists and audiences. We are an increasingly lonely people, but believing your favorite youtubers are your friends is not going to fix that – it\u2019s only going to create friction because you\u2019re not actually connected, and thus as you or your obsession grow and change, you\u2019ll likely foment a mutual sense of resentment. Works of art are fixed points that cannot be hurt by rejection; living people are ever-mutable, and vulnerable to the jeers of the crowd<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

There\u2019s also the unfortunate side effect that this era of media by children, for children means people are exposed to less and less work of genuine professional merit. There are people just ten years younger than me who I can\u2019t really talk to about art because they haven\u2019t read anything, haven\u2019t watched anything, have only spent time hanging out with their peers via youtube. It feels like the promise of no barriers to production is ultimately an ouroboros that will devour all quality art, replacing it with increasingly amateurish reflections of the amateurs young artists take as inspiration. The light novel industry already seems like a fine example of what the blind leading the blind for a generation will construct. Their prose is atrocious!<\/span><\/p>\n

The doctor cannot deny that he would date Ai if she asked him. I feel like we\u2019re supposed to see him as \u201crelatably flawed,\u201d but he\u2019s not proving particularly endearing so far<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Ai then shows up at his clinic, about twenty weeks pregnant with twins<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIf it gets out you got pregnant at 16, your career and my agency are finished.\u201d It\u2019d be nice if this were a unique toxicity of the idol industry, but in truth this is par for the course across all sorts of entertainment industries – women are expected to be pure and available for their audience\u2019s fantasies, simultaneously innocent to sex and objects of sexual worship<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWait, if I die now, there\u2019s a chance I\u2019ll be reborn as an idol\u2019s kid, right?\u201d A distressing number of people in this world fantasizing about being birthed by their favorite idols. Kinda figured only Mr. Boop dreamed of such things<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\u201cStill, can you really stan an idol who has a husband and kids?\u201d So does the fantasy really only work if you\u2019ve got some hope of the idol hooking up with you personally? It feels like such an inherently unhealthy, possessive perspective – that in spite of ostensibly cheering for this performer, your support is entirely contingent on them maintaining this fantasy of loving you specifically. If you\u2019re genuinely touched by an artist, you should want that artist to succeed on their own terms, not just remain a plaything for your fantasies. And this awful possessiveness extends beyond just idol drama – it\u2019s one of the reasons so few anime are willing to actually commit to their characters being in relationships, particularly queer relationships, because it\u2019s apparently essential to retain some ambiguity regarding whether these fictional characters would want to shack up with the lustful viewer or not. It\u2019s frankly a pathetic, inherently art-averse perspective<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

The doctor at least seems to have a more reasonable perspective – he\u2019d still support Ai even if she found love elsewhere, but he understands that having these kids would undoubtedly negatively impact her career<\/span><\/p>\n

Ai never had a family of her own, and is thus looking forward to creating one with her children<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIdols are objects of worship, you know? They sparkle through the magic of lies. Lies are the most exquisite love!\u201d Yeah, here\u2019s where I figured the equation would lose me. A show about the magic of idols that accepts their appeal is built on lies must necessarily see something alluring or worth pursuing in that subterfuge, and I just don\u2019t. I\u2019ll be interested to see what argument the show makes in its favor, though!<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Ai wants both the fabricated happiness of a stage smile and the authentic happiness of motherhood<\/span><\/p>\n

I appreciate the inherent rebelliousness of Ai being unabashedly an idol and unabashedly pregnant; given how idols are generally portrayed, even this seems like a welcome pushback against their alleged permanent available youthfulness<\/span><\/p>\n

The doctor chases a stalker outside of the hospital, and is ultimately pushed off a cliff. A field that promotes a sense of personal connection and ownership of artists will naturally lead to a whole lot of violently possessive fans. I feel like you\u2019ve already embraced an unhealthy relationship with art by the time you consider yourself \u201cloyal\u201d to one or another artist or franchise – art can inspire us, but it should never stand in for our own independent identities. I don\u2019t see anything worth celebrating in any form of stan culture<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

And thus he is reborn as Aquamarine Hoshino, bearing one of Ai\u2019s star pupils<\/span><\/p>\n

I actually appreciate that we just sort of handwave the mechanisms of reincarnation. So many isekai immediately get bogged down in the specific worldbuilding details of their scenario – you get the impression their authors would rather be designing games than telling stories. In contrast, great stories are generally more about people and ideas than worlds, and it\u2019s clear Oshi no Ko is more interested in using this scenario as a vehicle for exploring other topics<\/span><\/p>\n

His sister\u2019s name is Ruby<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve always been bad at remembering names and faces.\u201d I get you, Ai<\/span><\/p>\n

Ai begins her comeback, with her producer Saitou\u2019s wife taking care of the kids in the meantime<\/span><\/p>\n

I like the inherent absurdism of this baby matter-of-factly keeping tabs on Ai\u2019s professional revival<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve listened to their performances, and they\u2019re neither good nor bad, just average. Well, this is the sort of stuff that sells.\u201d Feel like I\u2019m relating to this stage crew more than anyone else in the production<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\u201cThat goes for the big shots too. They act like they\u2019re making something great, but they only look at the numbers.\u201d Of course, this goes for a lot of creative professions. The main reason I never pushed any further into working with the big anime production and streaming companies is that I just couldn\u2019t stomach this idea – that my work would now be composed of scripting flattering, enthusiastic lies about productions I actually found routine or actively lousy. Most anime isn\u2019t particularly interesting art, so if you want to secure a full-time position within the industry, you either have to get accustomed to lying or simply not possess discerning standards in the first place<\/span><\/p>\n

This is also a big part of why youtube has replaced the bulk of anime criticism; general audiences aren\u2019t interested in critique, they just want their feelings repeated back at them by an allegedly authoritative source, and so fans who would be happy with just about anything have largely replaced critics who push back against fandom\u2019s unconsidered assumptions. Basically the only critique modern audiences will allow is \u201cthis is insufficiently loyal to the source material I already love,\u201d and so that\u2019s the only thing their preferred commentators will forward as criticism<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Sorta funny that the only criticism audiences want isn\u2019t actually meaningful criticism at all; after all, given how different mediums have different strengths, overweening loyalty to source material isn\u2019t actually an artistic virtue<\/span><\/p>\n

See, this is why I didn\u2019t plan on writing about this show! It\u2019s hard to reflect on a show about the cynicism of anime-adjacent showbiz without pushing into further cynicality myself, and I was thus quite happy to stick with the \u201cif you can\u2019t say something nice, don\u2019t say anything at all\u201d policy until now<\/span><\/p>\n

Damn, some nicely painted highlights for Ai\u2019s return performance. This is one of the tricky things about idol shows, or music shows more generally – if you want the big performances to land, you can\u2019t just have audiences look stupefied by routine craft, you have to actually go the distance and animate a genuinely impressive performance<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Doubly so for idol dramas, I should say, since the actual music component is never particularly impressive. Look, if we\u2019re here we\u2019re here, and I\u2019m saying my piece!<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI just had a diaper change, but I feel like I\u2019m going to wet myself!\u201d Aquamarine\u2019s sister is apparently a similarly precocious idol enthusiast<\/span><\/p>\n

Aquamarine learned his sister was a similar reincarnation when he caught her yelling at people for being wrong on the internet<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThat baby just talked!\u201d A very good punchline<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\u201cYou liar! Why would you go and make babies!? You tricked me!\u201d Our killer\u2019s still in attendance to represent \u201cthe dark side of idol fandom,\u201d or as I like to call it, \u201cidol fandom\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI feel like, as an adult, being breastfed by an idol would indeed be crossing the line.\u201d Our protagonist displaying laudable restraint relative to some recent anime heroes<\/span><\/p>\n

The company president\u2019s wife is understandably upset about being reduced to a babysitter<\/span><\/p>\n

She decides to reveal the scandal. \u201cUh, no good. What should we do? Should we kill her?\u201d Ruby is proving to be a delightfully demented addition to the cast<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

And thus our babies reveal their preternatural intelligence, claiming to be the voices of gods protecting divinely blessed children. The obvious solution, really<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMy future? I\u2019ve never given it any thought.\u201d Seems like we\u2019re seeding the reveal that Ruby is the doctor\u2019s other former patient, which is a little easier to guess given the show hasn\u2019t introduced any other potential candidates<\/span><\/p>\n

Yep, they don\u2019t draw it out any further – the two of them are oblivious, but the audience is swiftly informed that she\u2019s actually Sarina<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\u201cBeing an idol is fun, so I wouldn\u2019t mind going on like this if it was just me.\u201d Ai swiftly slamming into the brick wall that so many artists face – having to compromise on their \u201cstarving artist\u201d ethos for the sake of the people they love. There isn\u2019t any money in art, but you can sort of scrape by if you\u2019re just working to support yourself; however, if you\u2019ve got a family, you eventually have to choose between chasing your dream and keeping your loved ones fed<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cTo give them lots of options, I\u2019ve got to sell better and earn as much as possible, don\u2019t I?\u201d This is refreshingly candid without feeling self-consciously salacious; I find reflections like this more meaningful than the show\u2019s thoughts on the \u201cbeauty of lies,\u201d which feels like a more sophomoric sort of revelation<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Granted, most anime don\u2019t have anything meaningful <\/span>at all<\/span><\/i> to impart, so I suppose I should be grateful – but frankly, my days of cheering for scraps in anime rather than just watching art I don\u2019t have to grade on a curve are solidly behind me<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cB Komachi is one of the better-selling groups, and yet\u2026\u201d One of the most common misconceptions of fans is that artists are all swimming in cash, because anyone with a public profile is assumed to be wealthy by default. In truth, most people in artistic fields are only there because their desperation to create art is far stronger than their desire to live securely; it would be both easier and far more financially lucrative to stick with a normal job, but some of us can only find satisfaction in life through the execution of our creative passions<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Their manager reflects on how idol groups are essentially screwed on both ends financially – they have to share pay as a collective, and then have even more trouble succeeding as solo artists<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBeing first-class as an idol on its own is not enough.\u201d Another common misconception: that if you reach a professional level of quality in your output, opportunity will naturally follow. In truth, professional-quality work is the <\/span>ground floor<\/span><\/i> for finding opportunities, and most people at that level will never see any money for their effort<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m not feeling up to this today\u2026\u201d And so Ai goes online, where some commenter is saying her smile \u201clooks like a performer, not that of a human.\u201d Well of course it fucking does! You\u2019re the shithead who\u2019s desperate for girls on stage to bless you with artificial cheer and smiles!<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

At her next performance, the online comments are superimposed over the cheering crowd. That\u2019s also how it goes – one hurtful comment tends to stand out over any degree of positive reinforcement. But of course, you can\u2019t actually admit to that, or you\u2019ll just be encouraging the hateful onlookers<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re the ones who wanted something calculated.\u201d Yep. They want to be lied to without knowing they\u2019re being lied to; they want an authentic fantasy of being adored for all the nothing they\u2019ve offered and accomplished. Does it really surprise them that these smiles aren\u2019t sincere, that they might just be painted over contempt?<\/span><\/p>\n

And here\u2019s our meme baby dance, just as delightfully strange in its original context<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Ai\u2019s performance is thus energized by something genuine: her authentic love of her children<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSo this is what they want, huh?\u201d Get \u2018em, Ai<\/span><\/p>\n

We jump ahead a year, to Ai\u2019s first TV drama role<\/span><\/p>\n

Aquamarine\u2019s bizarrely confident manner of speaking immediately catches the director\u2019s eye, prompting him to hand his business card to a two-year-old<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\u201cThere are three types of actors. The first is the star actor. Their primary role is to attract an audience. Given they also act as poster children, they garner solid performance fees. Next is those with real talent. Their role is to ensure the quality of the product on screen. Maintaining the programming block\u2019s brand is their job. Lastly, you\u2019ve got newcomer actors. Acting ability isn\u2019t really expected from them. They get a passing mark if they can bring a sense of freshness to the screen. There\u2019s also the goal of giving the next stars some experience. I suppose it\u2019s an investment the entire industry makes.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

What a refreshingly frank breakdown of the Japanese TV drama landscape. I knew the TV drama and low-level film industries were more or less fully integrated into the pop celebrity ecosystem, but I hadn\u2019t seen the overall balance of productions laid out like this before. I\u2019m most used to engaging with the \u201cmedia mix\u201d approach to content (for once, \u2018content\u2019 seems the more appropriate term than art) in terms of anime franchises crossing into gacha games, musical releases, and other mediums – but I suppose it makes perfect sense that the same system applies to live-action stars, who are attempting to sell their faces and personalities more than whatever project they happen to be appearing in<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\u201cIt would be a great success if even one of the newcomers here today makes it into the industry.\u201d Yeah, this whole approach seems to involve a lot of throwing stuff at the wall and seeing what sticks<\/span><\/p>\n

I suppose the closest American equivalent would be the reality TV circuit, or perhaps Disney\u2019s method of growing their own stars from TV to film via the Disney Channel. We don\u2019t really have a similar low-rent TV drama ecosystem with potential stars constantly passing through<\/span><\/p>\n

Impressive trick of animated redraws as the camera \u201czooms in\u201d on Ai during the screen test. This show is very good at always flexing its animation to ensure Ai\u2019s moments on screen pop like they should<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\u201cUp on stage, I need to look cute from every angle. Here, I just need to look cute for one person – the camera.\u201d It\u2019s certainly refreshing to watch an anime drama about the idol industry that actually engages with the substance of working in that industry. I was worried the show would settle on the self-satisfied revelation that the industry has a dark side in the first place, but the show is fortunately moving beyond that to frankly grapple with the day-to-day concerns of life in showbiz<\/span><\/p>\n

In the end, Ai\u2019s screen time is cut to a small introduction in a single scene. Calling the director, Aquamarine learns that the lead actress\u2019 agency demand Ai\u2019s screen time be cut, as she was drawing too much focus from the actual star. \u201cThe screen time a performer receives tends to be dictated by the power balance between companies, so just see it as an unexpected misfortune and accept it.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Talent are seen as interchangeable, every product is simply a promotional opportunity for the next product, and the on-screen end result is an afterthought. All of this makes it close to impossible to make genuinely compelling work within the celebrity culture ecosystem – the more collaborative an art form, and the more it requires the collaboration of a major culture industry\u2019s scaffolding, the more it will be beholden to the collective needs of the industry over the vision of its creators<\/span><\/p>\n

In anime, the only way you can really escape this is if you own the production yourself, or if one of the relevant \u201cbrands\u201d is so key to the work\u2019s pitch that they\u2019re able to retain creative control – so like, either the KyoAni method or all-star directors like Watanabe and Yuasa<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s fine to dream about the entertainment industry, but it\u2019s best not to have illusions about the entertainment industry.\u201d Excellent advice, and a necessary counterbalance to how often success in such fields is framed as a matter of just keeping at it and nurturing your talent<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThis isn\u2019t a place for art, but rather one for business.\u201d Yep. If you want to create something reflective of your untarnished personal vision, you\u2019re better off avoiding the entertainment industry ecosystem<\/span><\/p>\n

The director agrees to give Ai a film part, just so long as Aquamarine also appears. This director\u2019s relationship with Aquamarine is a graceful way to integrate our protagonist into the industry as well<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\u201cCasting is mostly determined by the higher-ups. The bigger the budget for a project, the less it can afford to flop.\u201d Which is why you only see challenging or experimental work on a smaller scale, or from a name that has already proven to be a reliable draw. But even successful indies have to mind their reputations; one flop can sink either a company or a creator\u2019s reputation as a bankable commodity<\/span><\/p>\n

The director admits he only has casting authority on this film because it\u2019s a low-budget project in the first place. The less risk, the more freedom<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIn the industry, we call this bartering.\u201d If you\u2019ve ever wondered why someone who\u2019s clearly not the equal of their peers in terms of talent is appearing in a production, you can probably count on some kind of deal behind the scenes ensuring their presence<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

We meet another child actress with a role in the film: Kana Arima<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cEveryone says the way I cry in dramas is amazing! Because it is amazing!\u201d She seems fun<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBack when we did the script reading, you and that idol didn\u2019t have parts at all!\u201d So it seems the director really is fascinated by Aquamarine, and is thus making a serious bet on him<\/span><\/p>\n

Aquamarine correctly intuits that the director hired him because his natural adult-like behavior is creepy, and thus doesn\u2019t attempt to feign any sort of performance independent of his usual manner. I\u2019m enjoying both Ai and Aquamarine\u2019s \u201cstrategy of acting\u201d embellishments, as they attempt to step beyond the theoretical immediate needs of the performance to gauge the desires of their actual audience<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Kana puts those tears she\u2019s so proud of to work in asking for a reshoot, determined not be outshined by Aqua<\/span><\/p>\n

The director reveals that the most important thing for an actor is communication skills. If people don\u2019t like you, they won\u2019t want to work with you – networking is your most essential talent, and that demands awareness and humility. This isn\u2019t just true for actors; basically all creative industries are driven by networks of personal connections, not necessarily because people only want to hire their friends, but because the guarantee of \u201cthis person is easy to work with\u201d is a much stronger assurance of a productive work environment than any resume could be<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\u201cI was just being the way I always am.\u201d \u201cEven so, I never once instructed you to do that. Reading someone\u2019s intentions is one part of communication skills.\u201d Yep – the less a director has to specifically articulate their intent for a performance, the more swiftly and naturally the production will progress<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cPrecious is the actor who can read intent that can\u2019t even be put into words.\u201d This is part of why directors frequently establish stables of actors they consistently work with, people who understand and gel with their artistic intent<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cRather than amazing acting, become an actor who can act just as envisioned.\u201d So an excellent character actor – able to completely embody unique roles, rather than offering their own personality every time<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Three years have now passed since the rebirth<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe film the director shot was reasonably well received.\u201d Also appreciate all these reasonably sized victories – breakout successes are one in a million, mostly you\u2019re just hoping for enough positive press to secure funding for your next project<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cTo sum up Ai now, she\u2019s a major up-and-coming idol\/media personality.\u201d And yeah, even a talent like Ai\u2019s doesn\u2019t experience \u201covernight success.\u201d What seems sudden from an audience perspective is pretty much always the end result of years of unnoticed labor<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

They\u2019re apparently practicing for a preschool dance, a perfect opportunity for our stars-to-be to show their talents<\/span><\/p>\n

Ruby\u2019s frail body from her previous life prompts her to flee from this opportunity. Nice use of progressive split screens here to emphasize the all-consuming nature of her prior frailty, the camera lingering over the limbs that she cannot will to work properly<\/span><\/p>\n

Her old body language is limiting her new body – because she\u2019s so accustomed to falling, she\u2019s always bracing rather than leaning into movements<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

This sequence is nice, but feels quite abrupt; Ruby\u2019s been pretty much entirely a gag character so far, so while her being inspired by Ai\u2019s dance moves makes hypothetical sense, it doesn\u2019t feel like we\u2019ve earned this emotional payoff. Because of that, the luxurious animation feels a bit out of place as well – like the animators are flexing for a random incidental moment<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOn a whim, I decided to contact the guy I\u2019d broken up with.\u201d Yeah, I can sense some clear chapter breaks within this mega-episode structure. Just goes to show how important using the natural break points of both these sequential art forms is for maintaining dramatic flow; if this sequence came after an episode break or even a mid-episode eyecatch, it would feel significantly less abrupt<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Ai\u2019s fortunes continue to improve, and the family soon move into a fancy high rise apartment<\/span><\/p>\n

The president\u2019s wife helpfully explains the distinct significance of a group getting to perform at a dome, as they present massive logistical hurdles that demand a significant degree of attendant infrastructure and trust in the artist\u2019s pull. I suppose it makes sense that stadium performances are approached so differently from club shows that they\u2019re essentially a different category of live performance<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBefore even thinking, I say whatever fits the situation. Even I can\u2019t distinguish my real feelings from the lies.\u201d A life of constant self-promotion sorta demands that; you need to be \u201con\u201d at all times, to the point where it comes naturally, and there\u2019s no visible sign of strain indicating a feigned performance<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\u201cI have no memory of ever loving someone or being loved. I wouldn\u2019t be able to love the fans, and they wouldn\u2019t be able to love me either.\u201d Ai thinks this disqualifies her from being an idol, but it\u2019s exactly the opposite. Getting personally invested in your relationships with fans is the threat here, as it naturally leads to hanging too much of your self-worth on the whims of a fickle audience. In contrast, being able to convincingly fake intimacy and love without any genuine emotion behind it is precisely what this job requires – it\u2019s the only way to maintain a healthy emotional distance, and the only way to maintain the one-dimensional fa\u00e7ade of perpetual cheer and thankfulness that fans desire. True intimacy would involve vulnerability, would require revealing the uglier parts of yourself, and thus would break the spell that idols are intended to cast<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cPretty lies are what people want.\u201d Growing up in a foster home actually seems like ideal training for Ai, as she presumably has already spent time \u201cperforming\u201d a perfect image for prospective adopters<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you continue say \u2018I love you all,\u2019 the lie might become the truth.\u201d Though this of course failed to come about, prompting her to start a family as her next attempt at genuine love<\/span><\/p>\n

She realizes how much she cares for her kids only when the stalker returns, intent on \u201cpunishing\u201d her for having them<\/span><\/p>\n

Remarkable panning cut as Aqua steps out into the hall, with both the shifting angle and backward pan of the frame undoubtedly necessitating a preposterous number of redraws. The animation doesn\u2019t <\/span>quite<\/span><\/i> sit convincingly within the CG backdrop, but it\u2019s still an impressive effort<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\u201cYou lured us with your constant \u2018I love you\u2019 crap. It was all a lie from the start!\u201d Believing performers \u201cowe\u201d you anything as fans, that you have some genuine personal connection that comes with a certain level of obligation to value your feelings, is a profoundly toxic mentality that can only lead to disappointment or abuse. And I feel like this sense of entitlement is only getting worse in our current era – fans constantly speak of how they are \u201cowed\u201d a certain level of fealty or accommodation, talk in terms of \u201cbetrayal\u201d when artists don\u2019t cater to their whims, and assume a level of presumed intimacy with their parasocial fascinations that only fosters entitlement, invasive behavior, and disappointment<\/span><\/p>\n

This is in some ways the natural result of growing up with the internet; even the current generations\u2019 actual personal bonds are frequently mediated via online performance, so it becomes easy to blur the line in both directions, seeing your personal bonds as performance and your fan enthusiasm as a personal bond. But it\u2019s an exceedingly dangerous line to cross, and I feel we\u2019re only beginning to see the consequences of raising a generation to see the artists they respond to as genuine extensions of their social group. The very idea that an artist is \u201cbetraying\u201d fans by not providing what they want is fundamentally ridiculous and toxic, yet it\u2019s essentially the bedrock belief of modern fandom<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

And he wasn\u2019t even correct here! Ai actually did remember this fan from her early events, but there is no reasoning with this sense of ownership. He actually flees when she gets too real with him, as he\u2019s unprepared for anything that doesn\u2019t further validate his feelings of grievance and entitlement<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAw, I\u2019d like to see you with your school backpacks\u2026 and on parents\u2019 day\u2026\u201d The specificity of Ai\u2019s regrets really sells her feelings. It\u2019s an odd truism of character writing that the more specifically you articulate a character\u2019s feelings, the more human they seem, and thus the more universally their emotions translate<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIf an idol gets a romantic partner, it\u2019s hardly surprising if she\u2019s murdered!? Huh!?\u201d It\u2019s a sick culture, Ruby<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re just taking out your anger about not having a girlfriend on women!\u201d Remarkable to think how much of the otaku media sphere has to dance around and validate this sense of ownership<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSo if you\u2019re famous, people can say whatever they want about you?\u201d You don\u2019t even have to be actually famous, just considered \u201cunfairly visible\u201d relative to whoever decides to hate you<\/span><\/p>\n

The muffled sound design and dulled color design, combined with the emphasis on this early winter snowstorm, are doing an excellent job of conveying the sense of listless, flavorless disconnection that accompanies overwhelming grief<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Aqua begins to wonder precisely how Ai\u2019s stalker got such accurate information. So will we be moving in a murder-mystery revenge direction now? To be honest, that sounds a lot less interesting than the drama so far, more procedural than character-driven<\/span><\/p>\n

Ooh, some more terrific paint-evoking cuts of animation for Aqua\u2019s vow of revenge. Apparently this cut\u2019s by amoji, a very new animator whose only non-Oshi no Ko credit I can find is a brief cut in Megumi Ishitani\u2019s new One Piece OP. Clearly a talent to keep an eye on!<\/span><\/p>\n

The stinger offers one last intimate moment in Ai\u2019s early life with her kids. Glad to have the episode end on that note – on their undeniable love, not revenge<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

And Done<\/b><\/p>\n

Whew, that was quite a gauntlet of a premiere! Well, even though I still can\u2019t relate to the \u201csparkling brilliance\u201d of idols on stage, I also can\u2019t say this episode went too easy on the industry – we really dug into not just the inherent insincerity of idol stardom, but more importantly the profoundly toxic mentalities that such parasocial forms of engagement often provoke. I also quite appreciated the sequences ruminating over how the sausage is made, with Aqua and the director\u2019s discussions proving some of the most satisfying moments of the episode. Aqua and Ruby\u2019s situation is so fanciful that I frankly don\u2019t feel particularly compelled by them as characters – they\u2019re more devices than people, so while I felt sympathy for Ai, I\u2019m significantly less engaged by her children\u2019s trials. Instead, it was this episode\u2019s general exploration of shapeless, entitled fury and loneliness that felt most resonant; a prayer for connection that leads us either to shine on stage or fall in love with those who do, a deeply human instinct that nonetheless prompts frequently tragic results. Sharing your passion with the crowd has always been a fraught, uncertain prospect, but the modern binding of appreciation and ownership has created a truly frightening artistic world.<\/span><\/p>\n

This\u00a0article\u00a0was\u00a0mad<\/a><\/em>e possible by reader support<\/a>. Thank you all for\u00a0all that you do.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n

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Hello folks, and welcome back to Wrong Every Time. Today we\u2019ll be exploring the megasized first episode of a fresh production, as we check out the premiere of last spring\u2019s Oshi no Ko. To be honest, I was perfectly happy \u2026 Continue reading \u2192<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":65,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"site-container-style":"default","site-container-layout":"default","site-sidebar-layout":"default","disable-article-header":"default","disable-site-header":"default","disable-site-footer":"default","disable-content-area-spacing":"default","footnotes":""},"categories":[25],"tags":[61,122,127,129,124,128,125,132,131,133,126,130,123,66,94,88,97,56,64,65,60,112,40,75,95,104,33,120,105,101,98,115,30,29,41,86,70,69,68,72,71,26,118,108,87,46,55,48,52,54,51,50,83,62,58,57,109,35,59,63,85,79,82,96,80,27,81,114,44,42,43,45,38,39,110,117,100,111,116,73,89,90,92,91,93,84,78,37,102,34,36,77,67,74,99,113,119,28,121,32,47,49,53,103,31,76],"class_list":["post-52374","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-anime","tag-airpods","tag-anime","tag-anime-characters","tag-anime-cosplay","tag-anime-edits","tag-anime-merchandise","tag-anime-movies","tag-anime-news","tag-anime-recommendations","tag-anime-reviews","tag-anime-series","tag-anime-streaming","tag-animes","tag-app-store","tag-app-store-samsung","tag-appgallery","tag-appgallery-oneplus","tag-apple","tag-apple-music","tag-apple-tv","tag-apple-watch","tag-bbc-sport","tag-best-mobile-games","tag-bixby","tag-bixby-xiaomi","tag-champions-league","tag-cyberpunk","tag-cyberpunk-2077","tag-fantasy-football","tag-fifa","tag-football","tag-formula-1","tag-fortnite","tag-free-fire","tag-free-mobile-games","tag-freebuds-pro","tag-galaxy-a52","tag-galaxy-note-20","tag-galaxy-s21","tag-galaxy-watch-4","tag-galaxy-z-fold-3","tag-game","tag-games","tag-golf","tag-harmonyos","tag-how-to-backup-iphone","tag-how-to-factory-reset-iphone","tag-how-to-reset-iphone","tag-how-to-restore-iphone","tag-how-to-unlock-iphone","tag-how-to-unlock-iphone-5","tag-how-to-unlock-iphone-6","tag-huawei","tag-ios","tag-ipad","tag-iphone","tag-live-soccer","tag-lol","tag-macbook","tag-macos","tag-mate-40-pro","tag-mi-11-lite","tag-mi-home-security-camera-basic-1080p","tag-mi-home-security-camera-basic-1080p-huawei","tag-mi-smart-band-6","tag-minecraft","tag-miui","tag-mlb-scores","tag-mobile-game-design","tag-mobile-game-development","tag-mobile-game-marketing","tag-mobile-game-monetization","tag-mobile-games","tag-mobile-gaming","tag-nba-scores","tag-nba-standings","tag-nfl","tag-nfl-scores","tag-nhl-scores","tag-one-ui","tag-oneplus","tag-oneplus-9-pro","tag-oneplus-buds-pro","tag-oneplus-nord-ce-5g","tag-oxygenos","tag-p40-pro-plus","tag-poco-x3-pro","tag-pokemon","tag-premier-league","tag-pubg","tag-pubg-mobile","tag-redmi-note-10-pro","tag-samsung","tag-samsung-pay","tag-soccer","tag-sports","tag-steam","tag-steeam","tag-top-10-anime","tag-valorant","tag-when-do-the-iphone-7-come-out","tag-when-does-the-iphone-7-come-out","tag-when-is-the-iphone-7-coming-out","tag-world-cup","tag-xbox-series-x","tag-xiaomi"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/gamefootballmobileanimeiphone.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/52374","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/gamefootballmobileanimeiphone.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/gamefootballmobileanimeiphone.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gamefootballmobileanimeiphone.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/65"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gamefootballmobileanimeiphone.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=52374"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/gamefootballmobileanimeiphone.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/52374\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":53363,"href":"https:\/\/gamefootballmobileanimeiphone.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/52374\/revisions\/53363"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/gamefootballmobileanimeiphone.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=52374"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gamefootballmobileanimeiphone.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=52374"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gamefootballmobileanimeiphone.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=52374"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}