Oshi no Ko (推しの子) season 2 will start airing on 3 July, but there was a preview screening of the first episode today, which also included a stage event featuring the voice actors for Aqua (Otsuka Takeo), Ruby (Igoma Yurie), Kana (Han Megumi), Akane (Iwami Manaka), and Mem-cho (Okubo Rumi). I decided to go catch this for the stage event being broadcast live to cinemas nationwide in Japan. (Note: I will try to avoid spoilers in the first part of this post, but the second half, when talking about the stage event, may contain spoilers.)
The first episode of season 2 is officially Episode 12 of the series. Having only 11 episodes in season 1 sounds like a short season, until you remember that Episode 1 is actually a feature-length film. Episode 12, however, is the usual length of 24 minutes, including the opening and ending songs. It opens in a slightly different way, which makes you think you are watching the opening for something else, but then switches to its proper opening song.
This season adapts the Tokyo Blade arc, so the episode included an introduction of who is playing what part in the stage play. Ruby also had a bit of screen time even though she is not one of the actors involved in the stage play (she actually appeared right after the opening song). Mem-cho, however, never appeared in this episode. Yoriko-sensei makes a return (toward the end of the episode), and Melt returns as one of the stage actors, and we also have new characters like Himekawa Taiki, Abiko-sensei, and GOA (the playwright for the stage play).
The opening song is performed by GEMN, whose identities were revealed later during the stage event. The visuals in the opening song also hinted at where this season will take us viewers. The ending song is performed by Hitsujibungaku (羊文学), with the visuals focusing on Ruby. The ending song is also introduced at the end of the episode in a fashion similar to season 1, so we may see it being used for meme... Personally, I think the opening song lacked the impact of YOASOBI's "Idol" and the ending song wasn't as dark as "Mephisto" by Queen Bee.
The entire episode was very well paced, though, and I really wonder how Doga Kobo managed to keep up its high quality while having to work on other great series (like Jellyfish Can't Swim in the Night and the upcoming Alya Sometimes Hides Her Feelings in Russian)
After the episode aired, it was time for the stage event. (Note: May contain spoilers from here onward.)
The stage event touched on several things. There was the reveal of the identities of the people in the group GEMN, in the form of a video message from them, and a video message from Hitsujibungaku too. It also included the usual sales pitch at the end about Blu-ray and CDs. The event actually overran a bit of time as the voice actors were really excited and kept talking...
Some of the things they talked about:
- Okubo mentioned that as Mem-cho did not appear in Episode 12, she didn't receive the script
and thus did not know what Episode 12 covered until recently, when she
saw a screening for staff and cast. This season focuses heavier on Tokyo Blade so those who are not part of the stage play don't really appear much in this season. However, Okubo still gets some air time on YouTube as Mem-cho.
- Iwami pointed out that the opening had a scene of Aqua and Ruby holding hands as they fell together, a hint at where the season will be going. The ending song featured a wider range of Ruby's emotions, unlike her usual cheerful self that is shown to others.
- The voice recording for season 1 was done separately or in small groups, but for season 2, they had much larger groups (mainly because the stage play involved more people) and they had to cramp many people into the recording studio. Han and Okubo talked about sharing a microphone, and how the microphone used by Otsuka was not shared with anyone else because he was much taller than the rest of the voice actors in those sessions.
- The final scene showing Abiko-sensei (voiced by Sakura Ayane), when she asked for a rewrite of the entire script, was done in two takes. Sakura Ayane will be the guest for the next Oshi no Ko Radio show, and Otsuka will ask her more about this during the show.
- The voice actors mentioned that the Tokyo Blade arc felt very realistic to them, showing what happens behind the scenes when something is being adapted into another medium.
Again, I didn't really take notes this time, which explains this short list. 😅
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