REVIEW: ‘Oshi No Ko’ Episode 14 — “Rewriting”

With the production of Tokyo Blade stalled, Akane (Manaka Iwami) took Aqua (Takeo Otsuka) to the theatre so he could experience a play like the one they are working on. Seeing the unique properties of a play that utilizes modern techniques and innovations, Aqua is shocked by how good it is. He also is certain that Samejima won’t properly adapt the work from her original manga. But how to steer the production back on course is the problem the duo faces in Oshi No Ko Episode 14 “Rewriting.”

Adaptations are hard. While many people think that all you have to do to make a great adaptation is stick to the source material, it’s never that easy. Different mediums possess different strengths and weaknesses. Expectations in pacing, dialogue style, or descriptive moments can vary widely. In print, a battle may take a paragraph while a dialogue runs for pages. Make a movie of it, and those focuses become reversed. Not because the movie omits the dialogue but because it can do so much with the battle the original couldn’t.

As Aqua departs the theatre he and Akane have just visited, he realizes Samejima is doomed to fail at his attempt to rewrite Tokyo Blade because she has no comprehension of the medium of stage plays and the opportunities they possess. Due to the creator’s stubbornness, however, it is initially unclear what they should do. Deciding that a direct approach would never work, Aqua concludes that they should approach Yoriko Kichijoji. As a colleague of theirs and Samejima’s senpai, they hope she can bridge the gap and help both sides find a satisfying solution.

When the couple, accompanied by Kana (Megumi Han, Vampire in the Garden) and Narushima arrive at Yoriko’s home the group settles in for a lively discussion. This is where the meat of Oshi No Ko Episode 14’s narrative lies. When the group requests Yoriko’s help, she tries to make the kids understand Samejima’s point of view.

Not only does Samejima possess a concern and connection to her creation shared by most creatives, but she’s also under tremendous stress. As the creator of a weekly release manga, she always has an imminent deadline looming. Just visiting the set for the recent read-through took a herculean amount of schedule juggling. On top of that, Tokyo Blade is also being adapted into an anime, which demands new art for promotional purposes and other requirements of Samejima. Not only is she personally invested in all this, but there is another universal constant with all these projects: If the fans don’t like any of them, she will be one of the people to hear about it. This adds another layer of pressure that no other single person has on them.

This series of explanations helps the viewer further understand the coldness that Samejima shows towards the cast and the writer’s efforts in the previous episode. While Yoriko does acknowledge that Samejima’s handling of the situation was wrong and harsh, she also professes an understanding of Samejima’s desire to protect her creation. As their discussion comes to a close, Aqua asks Yoriko if she can take a package over to Samejima. She accepts, and Oshi No Ko Episode 14 follows her as she pays a visit to the mangaka.

When she enters Samejima’s apartment, what she finds is thoroughly concerning. Her former student is sitting, haunched over a page, with no illumination in the room save the one desk lamp illuminating the page in progress. It seems Samejima has fallen behind on her deadlines despite only sleeping two hours a night. She’s even forgotten about rewriting the script in all the other demands of her time.

The artists at Doga Kobo do a fantastic job of etching the strain and stress Samejima is under in every line and movement of her body. Seeing her friend’s abysmal state, Yoriko steps up to an empty drawing station to help Samejima finish up her pages.

As the pair work, Yoriko chastises Samejima for not having a helper. The calm, measured tone that has prevailed throughout the episode gives way to a shouting match of titanic proportions. Yelling at each other over their shoulders as they push through the remainder of the deadline, the pair lets out all of their thoughts and feelings.

This sequence feels like a massive release of the tension Oshi No Ko Episode 14 has been building up to this point. While much of what the arguing pair says is pointed and impactful, the sight of their comical expressions lends the overall tone a lighter air. As the pair finishes their task, we see them lying on the floor side by side as they catch their breath after the whirlwind of work they just accomplished.

As Oshi No Ko Episode 14 comes to a close, we learn that the package Aqua wanted Samejima to have is a ticket to the theatre performance he and Akana watched at the start of the episode. What the creator will take away from this experience is left unstated, leaving viewers a reason to anticipate the following episode.

Like much of the series before it, Oshi No Ko Episode 14 fixes a spotlight on the struggles, strains, and often ridiculous expectations that are placed on those seeking success in the entertainment industry. It is poignant and understands the struggles of its cast. Hopefully, any fans of manga and adaptations will walk away with a better understanding of the demands of making both, prompting a bit of compassion from them the next time their favorite story doesn’t go exactly how they want.

Oshi No Ko Episode 14 is streaming now on HiDive.