[Oshi No Ko] Season 1 Review | The 90-Minute Episode That Changed Everything

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"Lies are the ultimate form of love."—By the time 90 minutes have passed, these words will pierce straight through your heart.

As a Japanese anime fan who watched this premiere live when it aired in April 2023, I can tell you: the hype was real. The TV anime [Oshi No Ko] Season 1 shocked viewers with its 90-minute first episode—equivalent to 3-4 regular anime episodes. Reincarnation, childbirth, and tragedy unfold in rapid succession as the series ruthlessly exposes the light and darkness of the idol industry. While YOASOBI's "Idol" became a global phenomenon, the story's true essence lies in its revenge plot and entertainment industry survival drama. The impact of Episode 1 is undeniable. However, opinions differ on what follows. Here's my honest review of what worked and what didn't.

🎬 Official Trailer

📌 This Title in 3 Lines

📖 Synopsis

Goro, an obstetrician working in rural Japan, is an obsessive fan of Ai Hoshino—the center of the rising idol group "B-Komachi." One day, Ai arrives at his hospital for a secret pregnancy. A twist of fate allows him to deliver his favorite idol's baby. But on the day of the birth, Goro is murdered by Ai's stalker. When he awakens, he has been reincarnated as "Aqua," one of Ai's newborn twins. His twin sister Ruby also retains memories from her previous life.

As Ai begins her comeback as an idol, tragedy strikes again—she is murdered by an unknown assailant while Aqua and Ruby are still young. Convinced that a mastermind lurks behind the killer, Aqua enters the entertainment industry himself to hunt down his mother's true murderer. Meanwhile, Ruby pursues the same idol dream her mother once had. Revenge and dreams intertwine in this brutal journey through Japan's glittering yet merciless entertainment world.

✨ What Makes This Title Special

The 90-Minute Gamble That Paid Off

The most distinctive feature of this series is its 90-minute premiere—equivalent to 3-4 standard anime episodes. Reincarnation, an idol's secret childbirth, and a mother's death all unfold in one sitting, completely immersing viewers in this world. If the first episode had ended after 30 minutes with "he reincarnated, to be continued," many viewers would have dropped it. This was a bold decision by the production team to help audiences accept an outlandish premise.

Episode 1 was even screened in theaters as a standalone film—and it deserved that treatment. The 90 minutes carefully establish Ai's radiance and fragility, creating a foundation that supports everything that follows in the series.

A Raw Look at the Entertainment Industry's Dark Side

What sets this series apart from typical idol anime is its unflinching portrayal of the industry's darkness. Behind-the-scenes reality TV manipulation, social media harassment campaigns, child actor struggles, power dynamics within agencies—the cruelty lurking behind the glamorous stage is depicted with brutal honesty.

Particularly striking is the arc where Akane Kurokawa becomes a target of online harassment. Japanese fans often point out that the line "Reality shows are popular worldwide, but nearly 50 people have lost their lives to them" echoes real-world tragedies. You can enjoy it as entertainment, but something will feel unsettling—and that discomfort may be exactly what this series aims to provoke.

Emotions Told Through "Stars in the Eyes"

The most distinctive visual element is the "star" that appears in characters' eyes. When filled with hope, their eyes sparkle like stars. When consumed by despair, that light fades away. This wordless emotional expression is uniquely suited to animation and works brilliantly throughout the series.

In Episode 7, when Akane Kurokawa fully channels Ai's persona, the moment filming begins, stars ignite in her eyes. Both Aqua and the audience are left breathless by her transformation. Combined with voice actress Manaka Iwami's stunning performance, it became one of the season's most memorable scenes.

The Overwhelming Popularity of Kana Arima

While the series features many compelling characters, Kana Arima stands out as a fan favorite. Once celebrated as a "genius child actress who could cry on cue in 10 seconds," she lost her place in the spotlight as she grew older. Sharp-tongued but hardworking, unable to hide her complicated feelings for Aqua—her endearing awkwardness has won hearts worldwide. Japanese fans affectionately call her "Juso-chan" (Baking Soda Girl), a nickname that emerged from social media and became a beloved meme in the anime community.

In Episode 11, during the new B-Komachi's live performance, Kana is nearly overwhelmed by anxiety on stage. Then she declares, "I'll become your oshi"—a line that serves as both a title drop and a crystallization of her determination and love. Voice actress Megumi Han's performance brings out every nuance of Kana's charm.

🎭 Memorable Scenes

"I love you."

These are Ai's final words, squeezed out to her twin children as she lies dying. Having grown up in an orphanage, Ai never knew what "love" truly meant. As an idol, she performed "fake love" for her fans. She couldn't even tell her own children "I love you"—because she feared it might be a lie, and she didn't want to hurt them with false words. That's why her final "I love you" was the first genuine expression of love she ever spoke. Watching the stars fade from her eyes as she says it—there's no holding back the tears.

"I'll become your oshi."

Episode 11, the new B-Komachi's debut concert. Kana notices there's no one in the audience waving a white penlight for her—she's about to be swallowed by anxiety on stage. Then she spots Aqua in the crowd, the only person holding up a white light for her. Her expression transforms. This declaration of determination brings the title's meaning full circle in a scene that Japanese fans consider one of the season's best moments.

💭 How It Made Me Feel

The moment Episode 1 ended, I felt like I had stumbled upon something extraordinary. Reincarnation × Idol × Suspense—a combination that sounds like a gimmick on paper. But the 90 minutes of careful storytelling transformed that premise into something that felt inevitable rather than absurd.

And the timing of the ED "Mephisto" hitting every single episode? Perfection. Queen Bee's haunting track would begin just as each episode reached its emotional peak, leaving the perfect aftertaste. "I have to watch the next one"—that compulsion was engineered brilliantly by the production team.

Ready to watch? Stream on Crunchyroll (Free Trial).

😅 Room for Improvement

The Main Plot Barely Moves Forward

Episode 1 establishes "find the mastermind who killed Ai" as the central revenge plot. Yet across all 11 episodes of Season 1, this main storyline barely progresses. The reality TV arc and the new B-Komachi formation arc take center stage instead. Each is entertaining on its own, but you can't help thinking, "What about finding the killer?"

This partly stems from the ongoing manga serialization and the series' nature as an ensemble drama set in the entertainment world. If you came expecting a fast-paced suspense thriller, you might feel somewhat let down.

The "Post-Episode 1 Slump"

Because Episode 1 was so devastatingly impactful, the bar was set impossibly high for everything that followed. The reality TV arc is genuinely good, but "Only Episode 1 was serious and compelling" is a criticism Japanese fans often voice, and it's not entirely unfair. Some viewers may feel the series peaks at the premiere and then plateaus.

Compared to Kaguya-sama: Love Is War (by the same original creator Aka Akasaka), which maintains laser focus on one concept, Oshi No Ko packs in multiple genres—idol drama, suspense, romance, entertainment industry exposé—and sometimes feels like it's being pulled in too many directions. There are moments when you're not sure where to invest your emotions.

Aqua's Personality Feels Like a Different Person

Before reincarnation, Goro was a passionate, caring doctor devoted to his patients. After reincarnation, Aqua becomes cold, calculating, and strategically minded. While the motivation—"my idol was murdered"—exists, the personality shift is so extreme he feels like a completely different character, which bothers some viewers.

The reincarnation premise itself—"being reborn as your favorite idol's child"—is essentially an otaku fantasy made real, and opinions are divided on whether this works. Your ability to accept this premise will largely determine how much you can immerse yourself in the story.

🎬 If You Loved This, Watch These 3 Next

Kaguya-sama: Love Is War

A romantic comedy from the same original creator, Aka Akasaka. Fun fact that Japanese fans love to point out: both series actually exist in the same universe. Unlike Oshi No Ko's multi-genre approach, Kaguya-sama maintains razor-sharp focus on its "love as psychological warfare" premise, resulting in a more polished experience. The balance between comedy and emotional moments is masterful, and it's a perfect showcase of Akasaka's storytelling prowess.

Glass Mask (Garasu no Kamen)

Many Japanese fans describe Oshi No Ko as "a modern Glass Mask." This classic manga and anime follows Maya Kitajima, a girl who discovers extraordinary acting talent and fights her way through the cutthroat theater world. Akane Kurokawa's "possession-style acting" clearly has its roots in this legendary series. The themes of talent versus effort, jealousy, and friendship in the performing arts world that Oshi No Ko explores—Glass Mask pioneered them all. If you enjoy the entertainment industry battles in Oshi No Ko, this is essential viewing.

Perfect Blue

The feature directorial debut of the late Satoshi Kon. This psychological thriller follows an idol-turned-actress as murders begin occurring around her. The madness of show business, the disintegration of identity, the blurring line between fiction and reality—themes that Oshi No Ko touches on are taken to their extreme in this film. This is the definitive work depicting an idol's "battle", and it's a must-watch companion piece. Kon's masterful direction influenced countless filmmakers, including Darren Aronofsky.

📺 Where to Watch [Oshi No Ko] Season 1

📊 Streaming Comparison

Service	Availability	Free Trial	Monthly Price
Crunchyroll	Streaming	7 days	$7.99+
Amazon Prime Video	Streaming	30 days	$14.99
Hulu	Streaming	30 days	$7.99+
Disney+	Streaming	None	$7.99+
HIDIVE	Streaming	7 days	$5.99

📝 Final Thoughts

[Oshi No Ko] Season 1 shines with its structurally brilliant 90-minute premiere and its unflinching portrayal of the entertainment industry's light and shadows. The audacious premise of "reincarnating as your favorite idol's child" works because of the show's masterful execution. The animation quality is superb, the characters are compelling, and there's plenty to draw you in.

That said, the revenge plot barely advancing, the perceived letdown after Episode 1, and the somewhat scattered focus from juggling multiple genres are valid criticisms. Compared to Kaguya-sama: Love Is War's precision-focused approach, Oshi No Ko can feel somewhat unfocused. Even so, the impact of Episode 1 is the real deal. Give it 90 minutes and see for yourself. What you think of everything that follows—that's for you to decide.

⭐ Title Characteristics

Category	Comments
Story	Episode 1 is stunning; however, the main plot advances slowly
Visuals	The "eyes" expression and concert scenes are high quality
Characters	Kana Arima, Akane Kurokawa—memorable supporting cast
Music	YOASOBI's "Idol" and Queen Bee's "Mephisto" fit perfectly
Overall	Opinions are divided, but Episode 1 alone is worth your time