The 2.5D Stage Play Arc was by far not my favorite Oshi no Ko Manga movies Arc. I felt like the focus on a different character each week was stretched too thin. Fast forward, and the anime adaptation of this arc has become my weekly highlight. This arc’s alternating character-driven stories are enhanced by powerful voice performances, an evocative soundtrack, and beautiful animation, making the material a brand new experience. This week’s take on the origins of Akane and Kana’s rivalry, weaving their years-long cold war into the conflict of the piece. The result is a deep dive into the psyches of both girls, portraying their different approaches to acting while also making them likable to audiences.

The title of the episode is “Sun,” and indeed the very first image shows a white-hot spotlight – a motif that the episode returns to at crucial moments. It is a premonition of what is to come: an episode that is all about who occupies that space and who gets to shine brightest in its warmth. When the Tokyo Blade The game continues, with Kana and Akane far outperforming their roles, as noted by Abiko-sensei and one of the producers. When they finally face off in the one-on-one battle between Princess Saya and Tsurugi, the two actresses each carry a lot of baggage. In this episode, Akane is in charge. Akane recalls her first attempts at acting, inspired by her childhood role model Kana. But Akane didn’t heed the old adage, “Never meet your heroes.” By the time she and Kana meet at an audition, Kana is already a diehard cynic who has some harsh words to say about the film industry. As Kana’s acting jobs dwindled, Akane realized that Kana had begun parroting the cynical adults around her and had lost her verve.

This “spark” is a visual cue that is Oshi no Koparticularly in this episode, and constantly revolves around the depiction of light and darkness. In one of Akane’s memories, Kana closes the door on Akane, leaving her in a dark room—yet for a shimmering moment, the light filtering through the crack in the closing door creates a starry glow. Back in the present, as Akane strengthens her bond with the role of Princess Saya, her eyes light up with starry glow, similar to Ai’s. Imagery and dialogue about the sun and stars are threaded throughout. When Akane’s eyes are twin suns, there’s another beautiful moment where Kana is depicted with galaxies in her eyes. “Stars can’t shine on their own,” she later says in a TV interview, justifying her supportive acting style. But it’s not support that Akane hopes to get out of her; it’s an intensity that matches her own. Akane goes through a stylistic transformation sequence into a magical girl, first as Saya, then as herself, and then as her child self with her hands outstretched – it is a gentle and inspiring scene that is captured in a Studio Ghibli Film.

Everything in Kana’s body language and vocal performance suggests that Akane’s wish is getting to her, but then there’s a moment where the record scratches as Kana remembers her childish self—in the spotlight, but tearful and all alone. There are downsides to shining as bright as the sun, too. Instead, Kana retreats into herself. The music changes as she stands in front of a grayed-out slideshow of her past, vowing to shed her ego and support Akane rather than join her. It’s a brilliant moment of contrast: while Akane remembers and draws strength from her past experiences, Kana’s reminiscing about her childhood saps her drive.

At the end of the episode, there’s another dream-like sequence where Akane as Princess Saya seems to occupy the world of the play, complete with widescreen movie proportions, as Aqua as Touki enters the scene and starts talking about Kana. While up to this point the blending of the actors’ drama and the play felt cohesive, this was confusing. Is this happening in the film, onstage, backstage, or in Akane’s head? It didn’t quite work for me, but I can forgive Studia Doga Kobo for his experiments. These remixes have made the anime a fascinating experience that is different from reading the manga, and changes come with risks. I’m looking forward to seeing Akane and Aqua team up to get Kana to try something new herself.

Evaluation:

Oshi no Ko Season 2 is currently streaming on HIDIVE.

Lauren writes about model kits at Gunpla 101. She spends her days teaching her two little Newtypes to bring peace to the space colonies.

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