How would you rate Episode 7 of
No matter how unbelievable it is Aqua To be able to find Akane in the typhoon and hold her in his arms when she is about to do the unthinkable. No matter how much it draws from the real Japanese entertainment industry, it’s still a work of fiction, so I’ll allow that dramatic coincidence to slip by. Honestly, it’s time for our boy to win after dealing with the multiple deaths he couldn’t avoid. “People die easily,” Aqua said later, and he would know. His own life as Dr. Goro was snuffed out in an act of violence, as was Ai Weiwei’s. This was almost enough to soften his cold demeanor, but the Aqua we are familiar with flashed by, with a touch of black humor: “I will collect Akane’s fare later.” Funny joke, but I can’t imagine it serving its purpose in any other on-air show.
Although Aqua is no longer a hero, Miyako, Ruby and Kana have a somewhat reluctant conversation about the rising suicide rate among reality TV stars. Kana’s words seemed sincere, and her eyes darkened as she admitted that she sometimes felt like dying when she was heavily criticized by fans on Twitter. But as the conversation went on, it became clear that this discussion was a lecture to the audience. Akasaka Chi Not just has the ax to grind; he’s smashing it to pieces. As he said in an interview with ANN, the way “the fan’s voice is heard directly” and “how people should… treat this talent” are his main inspirations. The dialogue feels a bit like an after-school special, and for those of us who have the self-control not to bully reality TV stars (and I really hope the wider audience does!), it feels more than a little didactic.
To the police in Akane, this The “Fixed Fiction” section of the episode officially begins. Akane’s tearful reunion (including Yuki’s dramatic, eye-closing slap of relief) is something some suicidal reality star has never experienced. She eventually decided to return to the show, though Aqua’s sober assessment of her choice was likely based on the actual entertainment industry. If it came down to the underage contestant facing real harm, I’m sure any company would want to do the right thing and put her in breach of contract – at least because of the optics. This is also the shot where Aqua convinces the director to let him use Yuki embracing Akane immediately after she slaps her.
wait a minute…there is that lens? Does Yuki know? That cunning devil. That made her statement last week that Sue should believe her apology because the “cameras weren’t rolling” undercut her sincerity. That said, just because Yuki is savvy doesn’t mean she doesn’t really care about Akane. Her words at the police station were not captured. She featured in Aqua’s Operation Restore Akane’s Image video. With the help of his co-stars, Aqua successfully uses the video to take responsibility for leaking Akane’s suicide attempt to the press, and then some. Only this program can make a group of people sit in front of the computer and count the number of retweets on Twitter, turning it into a scene of suspense. It’s one of the show’s more escapist moments, but seeing the cast come together and seeing Sissy’s eyes fill with happiness as she sees what her co-stars have done for her is so heartwarming Emotionally.
before things get too merry , Aqua reluctantly confesses to his ideal woman, which brings out a weirder side of Akane. We’ve seen Akane at her baseline (timid, studious, laptop in hand) and Akane at her lowest point, but this episode shows us a third side of her – an almost pathologically talented actress . As she methodically studies Ai Weiwei’s every movement, she hangs notes and photos on the wall of her darkened room, uncomfortably parodying the “Who’s Pepe Sylvia” meme. She pursues Ai single-mindedly like a serial killer until she spouts monotonous statements about Ai like facts that even Aqua doesn’t know. The beat in the closing song is perfect, and Akane opens her starry eyes—a mirror image of Ai Hoshino and her genius. Aqua looked like hell; what must he be thinking? Unfortunately, we’ll have to wait two weeks to find out, as next week seems to be a special recap episode. Again, unraveling the layers of mystery, lifting the curtain a bit, left me wanting more.
PS Don’t miss the exclusive interview with ANN Oshi No Ko co-creator Mengo Yokoyari! As she did with Akasaka, Kim asks Yokoyari what she thinks of Kana’s “Baking Soda-chan” nickname, which transcends borders and languages.
Rating:
Currently playing hidden.
Lauren blogs at Otaku Journalist and models at Gunpla Suite . She spends her days teaching her two little new humans to bring peace to the space colonies.
