Oshi no Ko Rewatch - Season 2, Episode 7 Discussion

**Longtime B-Komachi Fan!**

Kana really shows her ability to anticipate the needs of the cast and the audience when she goes off-script to rephrase the line that got drowned out by their special effects. There's a lot of debate in this episode between acting to support the entire production vs acting to shine as the star of the show, and I think both have their advantages. Good acting probably means knowing which one is needed and balancing both.

[](#justright)

But honestly, it's even more noticeable when I'm watching a second time for my anime/manga comparisons that the *Tokyo Blade* story they're performing has such generic dialogues, like they're talking just to fill the speech bubbles without actually saying anything of value. It's kind of baffling that after major cuts, these are the lines they kept?

[](#tiredaoi)

The real highlight of the episode is the rivalry between Akane and Kana. Akane's childhood memories add a lot of depth to their relationship. We see now that it's not just a bitter rivalry - there was admiration too, and it's interesting that her desire to understand Kana is what led to her ~~promising career as a profiler~~ interest in psychology. Now that she's older, she can look back on that moment and realize that Kana lashes out due to her own insecurities, and that being hired for her name recognition alone by people who couldn't care less about her acting ability was a blow to her pride as well.

[](#missingpiece)

As a side note, it's really sweet to see little Akane's parents encouraging her to try acting. [Future episodes] >!This gentle approach really stands out in contrast to the way Kana's mother pushed her.!<

[](#morecomfy)

And now Aqua has resolved once again, just like during *Sweet Today*, to bring Kana into the spotlight! It's becoming a pattern with him, and as an Aqua x Kana shipper, I love it.

[](#anko)

**Questions of the Day:**

1) Personally, my favorite rivalries are the ones where both sides stand out and can match each other's energy.

2) Unfortunately, no. The Love Now arc did a great job of making each new character distinctive and likeable, but the rest of the Lalalai cast all just seem like "extras" to me at this point. [Future episodes] >!Himekawa turns out to be a cool guy later though.!<

~~Semi-Rewatcher~~ **First Timer**!

You know, Akane might have always been a bit crazy, but you do have to respect the grind of dedicating years to psychoanalyzing someone who pissed you off once as a kid

[](#seasonalshock)

Finally, I'm in new territory, and while it technically seems to serve as a prelude of sorts for the actual climaxes of this arc, this episode already delivered quite a bit! Just to kind of get it out of the way, my general gripes from last episode about Tokyo Blade itself not being the most engrossing watch return for this one. Even if it doesn't take up as much time now, there's *still* just a tad too much of it here, and without too much impressive technical action to back it up this time either. Well, it's not all that bad, and we still do a good job of highlighting the strengths of 2.5D. Most noticeably, one might remember Aqua mentioning that he doesn't like the way the need to play around the changing of physical sets effects the pacing of plays back in episode 2, and I think the start of this episode makes a really cool point of showing you how the unique stage setup for 2.5D entirely solves that issue, allowing for some smoother and creative scene transitions! Again, audience POV for this is appreciated as well.

More importantly, though, this part of the episode gives you two moments that instantly define the upcoming main conflict: [Kana as the always dependable supporter](https://imgur.com/a/a5gEYG6) against [Akane, the current shining star on stage](https://imgur.com/a/hX1dgZ5). The latter, I think, gets across particularly thanks to some great lighting and the incredibly intricate character design that goes into Sayakane here. Like, seriously, she looks amazing in that costume in every scene lol. This is a good point to note that I'd actually been quite anticipating getting to this episode for two reasons. First is exactly because of that core conflict between Akane and Kana, clearly the heart and soul of this arc, starting to unwind. Second, is once more the production, and more specifically, the fact that the episode is directed, storyboarded, and color-scripted by Kuniyasu Nishina. Also, an assistant director for this season, but more importantly, the person who did episode 6 for the first season! Now, I wasn't there for that part of the rewatch, but its emotionally powerful latter half frankly made it my favorite episode of the entire show (Yes, over 1).

To add to that, I normally wouldn't care enough to mention that color scripting bit, but Nishina also did the first episode for this season, y'know, [the one that looked like this](https://www.sakugabooru.com/data/89b25b7d92e772a82a5763443de7aaf3.mp4)? So that's also just an aspect I was intently looking out for in this episode, and you certainly see use of color and lighting applied really well here! Feeling very intrinsic and important to a lot of its thematic strength. And for good reason, this is, after all, an episode about striving to become bright shining stars and taking the spotlight. Indeed, [Akane's appeal to the bright light, to *Kana*](https://imgur.com/a/87jqcwk), before her flashback, is not incidental. And I will say, the nature of that flashback genuinely kind of surprised me! I mean, the teasing we'd seen back in episode 5 obviously suggested this'd be a reflection of the adage about never meeting your heroes, but what gets me here is *why* Akane ended up disillusioned with her hero, because it wasn't *really* the obvious case of Kana being mean and egotistical as Aqua and Ruby would recall.

Surprisingly, it's actually the opposite! Akane's long-held grudge lies in being disappointed with Kana for entirely *dropping* that shining, egotistical element of hers and growing a very cynical view of acting. [And I really love the separated framing on their exchange over the rigged audition](https://imgur.com/a/VXNwrPK). Even though they're actually directly facing each other, not only do you get those black spaces to accentuate their divide, but the way their physical positions are reversed in order with those spaces (Akane is standing in the left and Kana in the right, but Kana gets the left facing space and Akane the right one) is some very strong framing to already tell you Akane's side is the forward one here.

It's all something we've obviously explored before with Kabna as well; it's why she has to tell herself she's "Rookie idol Kana Arima" and all that. Turns out we didn't entirely resolve it back then; rather, we use her spark there to make a point about her problem here. Kana goes over the line of just having an understanding of the business, and into drowning in its implications. The issue here isn't even really a practical acting one; as our directors separately mention, Kana really is the perfect supporting actress! Nothing inherently wrong with that, but then, is that really what Kana wants to be? Is that really the extent of Kana's talent? Aqua, Akane, probably the audience, and Kana herself internally say no. Kana *wants* to shine, but once more, past experience makes her afraid to step over the line and face rejection, so she takes the path that allows her to continue but puts herself down.

[](#therethere)

Akane's backstory here does feel like a real dynamic changer, honestly. Not only does it reframe Akane's side of this conflict in a very cool way, but it enhances Kana's *a lot* as well. I mean, Kana's goal here was to prove that she's not just a bygone famous child actress by beating that current genuine interest in Akane. But, ironically, that "Acting that just screams I'm right" that Kana dislikes so much from Akane and initially aims to supplant, is straight up her own acting! As a genius child actor, anyway. So, it turns out that Kana is fighting off her past more than she actually realizes, which also makes her concession by the end feel even more impactful. It's also a small detail, but the fact that Akane's short haircut came from imitating Kana, and she's grown it out for this season, is just a [perfect](#scrumptiouslymoe) little case of a character-development haircut(Growth?) lol.

The lighting there is also pretty phenomenal, [a really strong sense of that murky, cynical darkness, over the starry light that Kana's road leads to](https://imgur.com/a/AY8c5dk). Of course, Akane won't have it that way, though! [The light from the door Kana closes on her own star becomes Akane's](https://imgur.com/a/jsmsmzC), as she pushes herself forward and also wants to inspire Kana to find that quality again. Not coincidentally, that light is the same old star Ai/Aqua/Ruby have, [and the one Akane goes on to embody in front of Kana in the play](https://imgur.com/a/5brJvvI) (The double star with her sword *and* eyes is so cool), it is, for lack of a better term, our representative for capturing *star power* and talent. As the episode's title would have it, what Akane wants is not for Kana to help other stars shine; it's for her to try and be the brightest star herself, to be *the sun* on stage. [Something Akane helpfully and beautifully shows by example](https://imgur.com/a/v2h4aw6).

I think the best showcase for their dynamic kind of comes from the two standout sequences for this episode. First, is [this one of Kana where Akane describes her course in acting](https://imgur.com/a/izhJQ1X), showing Kana growing older and moving from the dark towards the light (Of talent her friends stand in) via her supporting method. That sequence, with its beautiful surging music [gets very harshly cut off by Akane, of course](https://imgur.com/a/kKyzhuU). Together with the intent lighting after the cut, Akane's message to and desire for Kana becomes very clear to the viewer. Now compare [Akane's stunning little spotlight moment](https://imgur.com/a/1KwGMam) (Which, given the discussion last episode, feels super magical girl-coded lol). The stage turns into starry lights enveloping Akane, whose appearance actually *regresses* in age now! A warm and powerful appeal for Kana to embrace that older side of hers. It's a strong dynamic the two of them have; there's a feeling of genuine respect and rivalry here, rather than just animosity. Funnily enough, very battle shonen in nature haha.

Unfortunately, Akane's appeal still falls through. The darkness innate to Kana's past, both emotional and representative of her style of acting, is too overpowering for now. [Taking the spotlight opposite that scares her, and brings her back to her painful past](https://imgur.com/a/8SXeDGP). She concedes the spotlight entirely to Akane, back to that supporting role. [She pushes herself to "be in the dark" lighting the spotlight for others instead](https://imgur.com/a/LOfxmH4). And well, [that rejection of taking hold of her star power, that light, is frustratingly overpowering for Akane](https://imgur.com/a/Um8jgRt). It frustrates Aqua as well, noting she shines best when she embraces that part of herself, and again, [you get a lovely use of color to represent that](https://imgur.com/a/qkNPjgH). Beautifully drawing herself in with a splash of color and then intentionally graying all that color out... Thankfully, Aqua wants to change that, and Akane isn't content with beating her like this, [so once more towards the light of talent and star power we go](https://imgur.com/a/wriCgj9), and hopefully this time, Kana comes with and really gets her moment to shine!

[](#hypeeyes)

**Rewatcher/Manga Reader - Subbed**

* A bit off topic relating to the little description - I can name a former example that was so much worse
* (Something I should had brought up last episode) And it's nice seeing Akane fully glowing now at this point in Season 1 she was near rock bottom and needed some friends to get her back to the spotlight
* And back to the Akane vs Kana situation - While I may hate rivalries but seeing the 2 sides show admiration feels nice

**First Timer, Subbed**

They really got the ball rolling in this episode, and I couldn't wait until tomorrow to see the continuation, so I kept watching through the end of the play.

[](#concealedexcitement)

Though the only thing I wanted to add was that the music has been great, serving both as the fantasy-themed music for the play and as the backdrop for the actors' behind-the-scenes drama.

**Rewatcher**

We finally learn the depth of Akane's admiration for Kana - and why she is ticked off so severely by Kana - that it is the disappointment of a scorned fan, the annoyance of someone who watches their favorite fail to live up to their potential. They do say love and hate are two sides of the same coin.

We once again see a clash in philosophies here. Kana suppressed her innate star to stick around in the industry, and [being such a responsible, utility actor](https://imgchest.com/p/pg73ox52v7r) did grant her longevity, and as such if you were to compare Kana and Akane side-by-side, Kana obviously has had the better achievements so far. However, Akane argues that this compromise is the very reason that Kana's career is going downhill, and that she'll never be able to be the star again if she doesn't act like it. This is consistent with what we've seen with Akane so far, when she turns it on, she absolutely steals the show (such as in the reality dating show), struggles when the script clashes with her read of the character (such as the earlier draft of the play) and has absolute belief in [the integrity of her own method](https://imgchest.com/p/9p4nzdjbz4n) - and Akane argues that this is why she is [now having her breakout moment](https://imgchest.com/p/qe4gq65zo7j). There is every possibility that in the future, an experienced Akane will become the same kind of jaded that Kana is, but for now Akane asks why they do what they do if [not for the passion](https://imgchest.com/p/dl7pnmdo6yo).

[Next episode] >!Of course, there is the strong differentiating factor of the two girls' home lives. We are shown that [Akane's parents are entirely supportive](https://imgchest.com/p/o24a6e8ogyl), as is her manager, and she is able to have more security about her own career development, whereas we'll see next episode that Kana's support and motivational system is less than ideal, and she learns at a painfully young age to adopt a risk-averse approach, and [try to read and adapt to the feelings of the adults around her](https://imgchest.com/p/9249kbp5vyn)!<

Nevertheless, once Kana again takes the utilitarian choice to cede the stage to Akane's star power, [Akane is pricked with her personal insecurities](https://imgchest.com/p/lqyel5g534d) - that of failing to read the room despite her skill at reading a person (as she perhaps did on the reality dating show). However, Aqua agrees with her assessment, and shares that he is also annoyed at Kana. His feelings might stem from the fact that Kana has the star power that he finds himself lacking, but she won't use it, to ask to take the stage the way [she truly wants to](https://imgchest.com/p/ljyqk3rpoy2). They decide to work together now to pull Kana back into the light.

1. There are times when the script will ask for other actors to drop as one of them takes the pivotal focus. In fact, Kana is right here on a technical count, as Gotanda also notes. And of course, working agreeably with fellow actors and people behind the scenes is important. Problem with Kana is she does this **all** the time, even when the script can allow her to take centrestage (as in *Sweet Today*)- [over her childhood fears of being overbearing and unneeded](https://imgchest.com/p/ljyqk3r3oy2). Here in this script - they are all young actors, putting on a stage adaptation of a shounen manga, and her own character of Tsurugi is the opposite of subtle. This gives her an opportunity to express herself that she hesitates to take that others like Himekawa, Akane and even Melt are grabbing with both hands.

2. Like Aqua said last episode, I can't stop reading more into Melt's acting and trying to recognize if and where he is turning it on. I'm also impressed at the sword choreography, must've been the hardest part of the two-ish weeks they had to practice. [There's also these two good looking men in the background and I would like to ask who they are](https://imgchest.com/p/m9yxna8pm7q)

Some things to note-

- [Kana is intimated by, and struggles to keep up with, how bright Akane is shining](https://imgchest.com/p/wl7lwj2864x), and we see it from Akane's perspective and imagination, giving us an idea of how much it *disgusts* her how her idol has fallen

- Kana [does take some pride](https://imgchest.com/p/9ryd286dd4k) in her ability and reliability

- [Akane's heart eyes](https://imgchest.com/p/qb4zpv8bgyj) as she sees Kana for the first time

- Akane's hair progression - [She cuts it short as a kid](https://imgchest.com/p/wl7lwj2bp4x) of course, looking up to Kana. After her interaction with Kana though, she still keeps it short as Kana is probably still the person she aspires to emulate, but there is this [one scene of her surrounding herself with books while her hair is longer](https://imgchest.com/p/ej7meqlobyd) - perhaps signifying her disillusionment with Kana? Of course, after the events of the reality dating show and having found a strong model in Ai, [she has started keeping it similarily long](https://imgchest.com/p/9ryd286bw4k)

- [The exact moment where Akane *blocks* Kana, and all others, and lets her star power take centrestage](https://imgchest.com/p/na7kklvgk78)

- More obvious detail, but Akane's feeling of guilt at having seemingly hogged the stage matches up nicely with Princess Saya's feelings of guilt at [having launched into full scale war](https://imgchest.com/p/m9yxna8bm7q)

- Director Gotanda was right, [Aqua looks fully creepy here lol](https://imgchest.com/p/bp45ob5rx75)

- Stage 101, as the group has to [face the audience](https://imgchest.com/p/qe4gq65ko7j) while delivering their lines. I guess there are some limitations to stage even 2.5D can't patch

I think in the anime and manga that kana is demotivating herself pretty often but it’s not really a bad think tbh because she doing it with knowing that other people will shine more and she will just be a side Character for herself. Btw who do you guys ship more kana and aqua or akane and aqua ?

And so back to the play.

Yep she's good.

Guess the author didn't cut _everything_.

Right. It's now Akane's time to shine.

So, that's what got Akane into acting.

So, that's how she met Kana.

Yeah... That was rigged.

Yeah she's trying to copy her a bit _too_ close with that hat.

Psychology?

That was a bit abrupt...

And so they're going to face off.

And so they're all going to step back and let her have her moment.

Even though that's not what Akane wanted.

Time to make Kana give it her all too.

Questions:

1. They realised it's her moment to shine.
2. So far definitely a very impressive performance.