These will be just a few fast taught on an anime series that recently had its second season, Oshi no Ko – My Star. The reason I wanted to write something about it and why I find it interesting enough to do so is because the anime manages to combine the murder mystery genre with the so-called Idol one. I know, the idea sounds absurd, but let me explain. The introduction features two characters, a doctor and a patient as well as their fascination for a famous idol; after depicting part of their back story, the doctor is murdered and the patient dies, but they are both resurrected as the new-borns of the idol they adore (while conserving their memories of the past). Here is where it gets even more interesting: after their first three or four years of life, their mother (the famous idol) is murdered, and so starts their journey to get revenge and expose the killer.
The first season concentrates more on their own idol career and their rise to fame; this is mainly because they strongly suspect that the murderer is tied to the entertainment world. This part is well animated and has some sweet moments, but all things considered fails to bring something relatively new to the proverbial table. It is the premise that I mentioned beforehand that really deserves merit. The second season on the other hand has a slightly different approach; it focuses on the 2.5D play arc and provides some interesting insights on the theatre world. While it has some solid moments, what becomes even more compelling than in the first season is the animation. Building on the techniques used in the first one, and polishing them even further, the animation becomes visually stunning.
Now, that is all there is to the anime for now, but since I discovered that the manga series finished last month, I went ahead and read through the sixteen volumes to see how it ends. Here is what I have for you: it is a decent story with good pacing and escalation, leading to a decent conclusion. The ‘big reveals’ are for sure not revolutionary in the second half and I would dare say that the finale was somewhat foreseeable, but that doesn’t make it by any means bad. It is however one of those cases where the animation itself, especially considering that it focus heavily on the entertainment industry, outshines the manga. It conveys the dimensions that the written and drawn pages fail, elevating their quality. The explosive colour palettes, as well as the ‘scenography’ and musical elements, add to layers of the portrayed world and makes it feel even more multifaceted.
At this point, judging by the adaptation pacing between manga and anime, I assume they will make Season 3 and possibly Season 4 within the next years. I would say that if the anime keeps the same quality level it will manage to lead to a good final product, a solid ‘5 out of 7’ if you will.