Oshi No Kois ananimeadaptation of Aka Akasaka’s manga series, illustrated by Mengo Yokoyari. Ever since the release of its first episode, it has beentopping the chartsand even surpassingFullmetal Alchemist.Fans were quick to get attracted to its to-the-point but twisted storyline. What came across as a wholesome story about an idol and her children, turned into something dark and unique.
Amemiya Gorou is an OB-GYN, known for his cool personality and love for Hoshino Ai, a famous idol, who comes across a series of unfortunate events that leads to big changes in his life. Gourou unexpectedly passes away, only to be reborn as Hoshino Aquamarine, Ai’s son. He and his twin sister Ruby grow up as one of the biggest secrets in the entertainment industry.
The Animation Is Eye Candy
Being the center of the group, B-Komachi, Ai Hoshino has won the hearts of millions. Her eye-catching personality and positive attitude have led her to be a fan favorite, with some even claiming her to be the reason for their addiction. In just one episode, she manages to capture the attention of viewers and leaves a lasting impact. However, it’s not just her aloofness that is attractive, but also her strong will.
Stunning Animation and Visuals
From alluring backdrops to each of the characters’ appearance,everything is illustrated perfectly- even better than the manga. One such example is the animation of Ai’s star-studded eyes. The studio did well to depict awhole universe in her eyes. Meanwhile, her children have one eye similar to their mother, which are the shades of pink and blue.
Apart from the stunning appearance of each character, the breathtaking scenery is also breathtaking. For example, the hospital which is surrounded by beautiful mountains, the scene of Ai covering the moonlight or even the camera angles are made to look seamless.
Backstory of the Children
Gorou Amemiya is an OB-GYN who becomes Hoshino Ai’s fan because of one of his past patients named Sarina, another fan of Ai. Through a weird twist of fate, he gets assigned to become Ai’s doctor. After months of caring for her, he gets killed by an obsessive fanright before the delivery of her children. However, unlike normal people who pass away, Gorou is reincarnated as one of Ai’s twins, next to her twin sister, the reincarnated Sarina.
Sarina Tendoji was a child patient under the care of the hospital where Gorou worked. She was a die heart fan of Ai, which rubbed off on the former. Sarina appeared to be an energetic girl despite, her illness and inability to move because of it. It feels like a dream come true for her when she is reborn as the daughter of her favorite idol named Ruby Hoshino.
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Discusses Reincarnation and Second Life
The first episode sets up the concept of reincarnation and the second life, which is an intriguing twist that is uncommon in anime series. After being murdered by a stalker, Gorou is reborn as his favorite idol’s son named Aquamarine. It is a baffling situation for him to accept, since he did not believe in reincarnation before the incident.
Unlike Gorou, Sarina seems to accept the situation pretty fast since she got a second chance at a healthy life which is distant from her past one. Sarina is named Ruby by her lovely idol mother, whom she worshiped in her past life even more than Gorou. Watching the interaction between them results in chuckle-inducing situations. Like doing fan dances in perfect sync or out talking to some of the surrounding adults.
Incredible Voice Acting
Ai’s voice is like the melodious kind which puts one heart at peace. The actor behind her voice is Rie Takahashi. Her voice is perfectly balanced while portraying different kinds of emotions that Ai goes through. While her tone is usually soft and low, during the scene of her murder, the voice actress greatly captures the depiction of suffering, regret and love.
In contrast to her voice, Gorou’s voice is versatile and provides a wide range of personalities. The difference in his pitch is evident. For instance, his voice is high-pitched when he is fangirling over Ai compared to when he is consulting his patients.
Has Wholesome Moments but Turns Dark Quickly
From Ai’s interaction with her children to the gradual personal development of characters, the anime has been wholesome. Ai helped her daughter Ruby to stand on her own feet without falling. In a scene, the audience witnesses Ai teaching Ruby how to dance without falling, which touches on a deeper aspect of Ruby’s past life.
However, the audience doesn’t get to enjoy the happy, wholesome moments for long. The series takes a dark turn when the twins’ mother is murdered by her stalker. Not only does the series reveal the dark side of celebrity life, but also the heartbreaking story of their mothers’ death and how it has affected her son to walk down the path of revenge.
Reveals Darker Side of Celebrity Life
The anime explores anuncovered side of the entertainment industry. On stage, the celebrities are portrayed as stars who are always shining bright. But behind the stage, those idols are losing their shine. Ai who shined brighter than anyone and was adored by so many people was the first one to lose her shine through her murderers’ knife.
Moreover, how Ai was able to hide her pregnancy and children from the entertainment industry explains that viewers never know what takes place behind the camera. A takeaway from the anime would be that the celebrity life is not to be worshiped or hated.
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Unconventional Take on Revenge Story
By the end of the first episode, the audience witnesses the start of something new, revenge. After the death of Ai, the sensational idol, everyone mourns her death. While there is one person who is planning to avenge her, her son Aqua. Aqua ends up putting the pieces together of his mother’s death and reaches the conclusion that the culprit is his father.
From that point onwards, Aqua sets on a tiringjourney to take his revenge. To accomplish this goal, he steps foot into the same entertainment industry which killed his mother. This portrays how strongly he was determined to get justice.
More to the Anime Than What Meets the Eye
One of the themes of this anime is how everything which seems perfect is not in reality. One of Ari’s lines,‘lies are the most exquisite love!’tugged onto the strings of viewers. Not only she but other idols also concealed their true self behind their smiles just to satisfy the fans.
To the viewers, Ari may come off as a clumsy teenager, but in reality, she is a fulfilling mother like any other. As Ari drew her last breath, she expressed her love to the twins in meaningful words. Ari finally expressed her true love asshe withered away.
Character-Driven Narrative
Each character in the series is displayed in a unique light. The personality and emotions of each individual are expressed in a kind manner. The story focuses on their struggles, growth, and relationships as they navigate through the challenges.
For Aqua, avenging and bringing justice to his mother might be the most important struggle. While for Ruby, debuting as an idol in the industry by following her mother’s footsteps might be the most important. The differences between each character are highlighted in a manner that is easier for the viewers to comprehend.
