ANIME BOSTON 2023 | "Oshi no Ko" US Premiere
One of this Spring’s most-hyped anime is the latest from the creators of Kaguya-sama: Love is War and Scum’s Wish. Oshi no Ko has been called by many as a “controversial” series, and after watching the 90-minute premiere at Anime Boston, it’s easy to see why. However, it’s not for reasons that are easy to explain.
Presented by HIDIVE, the premiere began with a quick video interview with the main cast of Oshi no Ko. The voice actors were already familiar with Aka Akasaka and Mengo Yokoyari’s work, and were quite surprised by the narrative they were telling. In fact, they couldn’t believe the story that they were allowed to tell in this story. After a quick thank you and farewell, the screening truly began. What unfolded next was something that anime fans need to see to believe.
Animated by Doga Kobo (Sleepy Princess in the Demon Castle), Oshi no Ko begins with Dr. Goro Amemiya (Kent Ito), who is a big fan of pop idol Ai Hoshino (Rie Takahashi). One day, he’s surprised to see Ai in his countryside hospital, and pregnant with twins at that! Vowing to keep the pregnancy a secret, Dr. Amemiya tells Ai that he’ll do his best to deliver her kids safely. Unfortunately, a run-in with a crazed fan leaves Dr. Amemiya dead down a secluded mountainside.
That’s where the strangest thing happens: Goro wakes up in the body of one of Ai’s newborn kids, alongside his new twin sister. Now dubbed Aqua (Yumi Yuchimura), he and his sister Ruby (Yurie Igoma) embrace their life living as the children of their favorite idol singer. With assistance from her manager and his wife, Ai aims to keep the kids’ existence secret, in hopes to make sure they have a normal happy life and continue her idol career. However, that’s easier said than done.
This 90-minute premiere goes all over the place when it comes to subgenres. One thinks that you’ll be walking into yet another idol series, only for it to turn into a family comedy. And there’s plenty of sweet moments between Ai and her two children, who looks to be doing her best to be a good mother to Aqua and Ruby. But throughout the show is the theme of “lies”, and the kind that make others happy. After all, most people in entertainment lie for the sake of their fans, even if it’s revolving around the concept of love.
Aqua accidentally getting swamped into the entertainment scene is also filled with great humor. Even as a baby, Aqua already has a way with words, something that Ruby also shares in common. From convincing a director to give Ai a chance in a drama shooting to giving a scary performance of his own in an indie film, these moments show the lengths that the child is going to help his mom succeed in a cutthroat industry. He even gets to get a little acting revenge on a toddler prima done, whose mannerisms feel more teen-like than that of a preschooler.
However, the tone of Oshi no Ko changes drastically near the end, and it’s the reason why this whole series premiere is basically a movie. While I don’t want to spoil what occurred, the sound of the audience gasping over what was happening on-screen will certainly be one of the most memorable moments of Anime Boston 2023. Once again, the genre of the show changes, and the series take a turn towards being one suspenseful mystery. Considering that this is from the same mind of one of the most original rom-coms of the last few years, I shouldn’t be surprised by what he was able to showcase in the premiere episode. But I am.
There’s a big reason why Oshi no Ko is this season’s most anticipated series, and the premiere episode easily showcases why. It’s not an easy anime to categorize, but it will no doubt take many by surprise. How I managed to stay in the dark about this show’s premise, I have no idea. But I’m glad that I did, as practically every moment of Oshi no Ko’s series premiere kept delivering one big surprise after another. Here’s hoping the rest of the series follows suit!
EPISODE ONE RATING:
Oshi no Ko premieres on HIDIVE on April 12th. It has been licensed by Sentai Filmworks. Promotional consideration provided by HIDIVE and Anime Boston.
