Oshi No Ko – Season 1 Episode 2 Recap & Review

Third Option

Episode 2 of Oshi No Ko begins with Ruby telling her middle school classmates that she hopes she’ll receive a great response to her application. She hopes to become a great idol like Ai. Ruby gives the audience a brief overview of what she remembers from her past as Sarina to her time spent with Ai as Ruby.

At home, Aqua tells Ruby to prepare for the high school entrance exams, but Ruby feels becoming an idol would allow her to bypass her studies for entrance exams. Aqua tells Ruby the hard truth about idols and says she shouldn’t develop illusions about becoming one. Ruby argues that she should be able to steer her life in the direction she deems fit.

Aqua leaves to visit the director, and Ruby discusses how much Aqua’s changed since Ai died and knows he’s hiding something from her. Ruby confirms that Miyako took over the agency after Ichigo fell out of contact.

B Komachi disbanded two years after Ai’s passing. Strawberry Productions no longer had an idol department and chose to expand its operations by managing internet personalities. Ruby asks Miyako to form another idol group, but Miyako refuses. Miyako tells Ruby to wait until she receives a call from that idol agency. Ruby receives a call from the agency, but they reject her. Miyako comforts Ruby. At the director’s studio, it’s revealed Aqua fooled Ruby into believing she was on the phone with the agency just now. The director asks Aqua what he’ll do when Ruby receives a call from the real acting agency. Aqua confirms he sent the agency a fake withdrawal letter and had blocked their number in her settings.

Aqua vows that he won’t let Ruby become an idol because he doesn’t want Ruby to tread Ai’s steps. The following day, Ruby meets a man while walking in the city. She returns home and informs Aqua and Miyako that she got scouted for an underground idol group. She’ll attend the scout’s next concert and receive details concerning the contract afterward. Miyako and Aqua discuss Ruby’s dreams and situations in another room. Aqua borrows one of the agency’s business cards and meets with someone named Lala, who has connections with the underground idol group Ruby got scouted for.

Aqua wants to know more details about this group before Ruby joins, where we learn the agency’s name is Yilibu. Aqua tells Lala Strawberry Productions would like to give her a better deal than Yilibu. Lala explains her job and the benefits of working with Yilibu, and Aqua asks Lala if she has any dissatisfaction with working for the group.

Lala believes Yilibu suffers from favoritism, and she has a hunch some members want to quit. Aqua ends his discussion with Lala and sends her away. He discusses Lala’s qualms regarding Yilibu with Miyako, and she agrees with Lala’s sentiments.

Aqua doesn’t want Ruby to join Yilibu and is thinking of ways to spread these rumors about the organization online. He suggests Miyako hire Lala, but she tells him that Strawberry Productions doesn’t recruit idols. Miyako admits she wouldn’t hire someone who bad-mouths their colleagues.

Ruby shows her new outfit off to Miyako and Aqua and can’t wait to attend Yilibu’s concert. Miyako asks Ruby if she’s ready to pursue the idol life, considering how harsh it can be. Despite the risks, Ruby’s determined to become an idol like Ai. Miyako tells Ruby to abandon Yilibu and work with Strawberry Productions instead.

Miyako plans to put together a new idol group. Miyako hands Ruby a contract, and she’s now an entertainer with Strawberry Productions. Aqua visits the director’s place and performs some editing duties for him as his apprentice. Aqua tells the director he’d like to work behind the scenes and never wants to be in the spotlight again.

Despite trying to enter the same high school as Ruby, Aqua wants to pursue general education instead of performing arts like Ruby. Aqua’s determined to find his father, who he believes is responsible for Ai’s demise. He plans to identify him through a hair or mucosal DNA test. To secure this sample, Aqua must secure a position where he can come into contact with entertainers.

Aqua admits that while acting, he could never pull in an audience and lacks the special qualities Ai had. After several disruptions from his mother, the director tells Aqua that he’ll never be like Ai. He tells Aqua he shouldn’t shy away from pursuing acting.

The next day, Aqua and Ruby visit Youtou High School, a facility with an integrated middle and high school and is among the few to have a performing arts department. Aqua confirms only people with certified documents from talent agencies can apply for its performing arts department. After their interviews, Aqua meets up with Ruby. They chat for a bit and bump into Kana. The episode concludes with Aqua informing Kana that he signed up for the general education department, startling her.

The Episode Review

Many were curious to see how Oshi No Ko would continue after its stellar premiere last week. This episode contains some nice depth and catches us up on everyone’s lives after Ai’s passing. Although the previous chapter hinted at Ruby and Aqua’s plans for the future, it was interesting to learn more about Miyako and Ichigo’s lives after the tragic incident.

It’s unfortunate what happened to Ichigo, but given his connection with Ai, it makes sense for him to fall out of contact with the others. It’ll be interesting to see if he’ll crop up in the story in the future, though. It’s somewhat odd to see Ruby be this enthused about being an idol, though. While it’s great to see her want to become someone like Ai, you’d think she’d be a little more hesitant about idol life.

Near the end of the previous episode, she is shown reading all the distasteful comments people said about Ai after her passing. Nonetheless, I’m looking forward to seeing Ruby strengthen her craft to become an incredible idol. Aqua held my interest the most with his personality and medical knowledge (which stems from his past life as a doctor).

He reminds me of a younger Dr. Kenzou Tenma from Monster. Overall, this episode was a nice follow-up to the previous one. There were some instances where the comedy interfered with the deeper portions of the narrative and perhaps the pacing could have been better in certain sequences too. Nevertheless, I’m looking forward to seeing how things will go in the coming weeks ahead.