Oshi No Ko Volume 2 was one I was waiting to read. After the first volume blew me away, I could not get the second volume soon enough. The series is like a peek behind the curtain of the entertainment industry. After the first volume’s epic prologue, the series enters the familiar terrain of a murder mystery. Yet it still highlights the inner workings of the industry. With revenge on the mind, Oshi No Ko Volume 2 is where things kick off, and new friends and connections happen.
Written by Aka Akasaka and illustrated by Mengo Yokoyari, the second volume has Ruby and Aqua as young teens enter high school. Translated by Taylor Engel and lettered by Abigail Blackman, the Yen Press manga shows Aqua’s determination to find his father. After all, the father’s responsible for their mother, Ai’s death. Aqua’s been working with the independent director, Taishi Gotanda, helping him edit movies. Despite this, Aqua’s no closer to discovering his father’s identity. That changes when they arrive at Youtou High. The school two sections. It has general education for regular students and a section for those in the industry. It’s there that they reunite with Kana Arima.
In Oshi No Ko Volume 2 Aqua’s More Like A Kid, Then An 30-Something Adult
Maybe it’s because he spent so much time in this new body, and he’s learning new things like editing, but Aqua, in Oshi No Ko Volume 2, seems less like an adult. Instead, he’s more like a withdrawn, moody teenager. His actions don’t feel out of the realm of possibility for the average kid fitting that description. It’s not a criticism of the series but an observation because Ruby and Aqua’s being fans of Ai reborn as her twin offspring is less of a focus. Perhaps it comes into play in later volumes. But aside from Ruby briefly mentioning that she keeps that and her identity as Ai’s daughter a secret from her friends, little happens on that front.
An Industry With a Steep Price
People like Ruby and Kana want to be in the entertainment industry, but there’s also a cost. That’s especially true for idols. They are not allowed to have a private life: no relationships or children. Interestingly, though Aqua doesn’t see the similarity, he’s not much different than the stalker who murdered Ai. That man felt entitled to dictate Ai’s life, which did not include kids. Even if it comes from a place of concern, Aqua interferes with Ruby’s opportunities.
Oshi No Ko Volume 2 continues giving a peek inside an industry few know. Showcasing how sometimes manga adaptations want attractive teenagers like models who lack acting skills. Kana even breaks down, much like Taishi in the first volume, how there’s one cast member chosen based on their acting to elevate the series. Even Aqua, though he believes he’s talentless, brings his awareness of people and the set to his brief role as a stalker. His performance is creepy.
This series doesn’t solely focus on idols but looks at various aspects of entertainment. It feels like a live-action series already, given the subject matter realism. Oshi No Ko Volume 2 opens up the path for Aqua’s vengeance, but it plays second fiddle to the industry Ai thrived and died in. With Aqua finally stepping aside for Ruby to pursue her dream and browbeating Kana Arima into joining the idol group, it’ll be fascinating to see where this series heads. Payback against Dad might need to take a backseat to whatever’s coming next.
That includes reality television! Oshi No Ko Volume 2 preps readers to see every aspect of the bright and seedy industry through the eyes of siblings entering it for different reasons.
