REVIEW: ‘Oshi No Ko’ Episode 18 — “Sun”

As the play unfolds, the onstage drama shifts to Akane’s (Manaka  Iwami) performance as Princess Saya. As the play draws both her and Kana (Megumi Han, Vampire in the Garden) onto center stage, Oshi No Ko Episode 18, “Sun” dives into Kana’s part in Akane’s inspiration as an actor, how she failed her when they first met, as well as what Akane hopes to accomplish for her idol.

Intentions. They are the fuel that propels our actions. But how important they are is a matter of long-standing debate. Do our intentions play a part in the goodness and quality of what we do, or is the result the only thing that matters? Is it better to do the wrong thing for the right reasons, or is it better to ultimately falter while staying true to the ideal one aspires to? It is this nuance that Oshi No Ko Episode 18 sets its sights on as it explores Kana’s performance in the play, Akane’s memories of her, and what Kana sees as her role on the stage.

As the episode opens, we find Kana helping one of her fellow actors out of a tough spot. As the performer delivers an important line of dialogue, a slightly off-cue sound effect drowns out some of his words. Realizing instantly what has happened, Kana ad-libs a line, reiterating the information in a way that makes sense for her character. As the scene plays out, her compatriot admires how skillfully she adapts to circumstances, acknowledging that he’d never shared a stage with someone so easy to act with.

Oshi No Ko Episode 18‘s opening is critical to balance out the entry’s resolution. Here, we see Kana’s focus on the production’s success as a positive thing. Any actor whose central focus is ensuring they shine as brightly as possible wouldn’t pick up on this detail in time. This external focus is shown here in the commendable light one would expect. As we move through the narrative, questions arise concerning Kana’s motives for being this way.

After this opening, the episode takes a few minutes to hit a couple of the play’s story beats. This sequence is utilized to great effect in several ways. Firstly, it keeps the general narrative of the play flowing for the viewer. While the full story isn’t Important for Oshi No Ko Episode 18‘s primary purposes, allowing the viewer to have a broad outline of what’s going on helps to inform the actors’ performances in the scenes the narrative focuses on.

Lastly, it looks amazing. The animators at Doga Kobo continue to deliver visuals that awe the audience. The grandeur and scope of the play’s setting feel momentous. Equal to the stage they perform on are the actors themselves. The animation makes combat and dialogue moments seeth with intensity. The voice crew leans into this energy, ensuring every line builds on the moment’s focus.

The final two-thirds of the episode settles its focus squarely on Akane and Kana. As the pair face off on the stage in a duel, we learn about the influence Kana had on Akane’s early days as an actor and why there seems to be such resentment from Akane toward her rival.

Taking the form of a flashback, Oshi No Ko Episode 18 shows how a young Akane is spellbound by the powerful acting of then-child prodigy Kana. Seeing how much she loves Kana’s performances, her parents encourage her to take acting lessons and follow in her idol’s footsteps. A well-crafted montage follows Akane as she learns the ropes, all while admiring her star from afar.

This sequence culminates when Akane meets Kana for the first time. Both still very young, the pair have entered the same audition for an upcoming part. When Akane is mistaken for Kana, she learns that the audition is a shame and that Kana already has the role. While Akane is shocked to learn this, she is left even more heartbroken when she discovers that Kana is well aware of and perfectly okay with the situation. It gets Kana a part, and that’s all she cares about.

Seeing her hero not concerned with the fairness of the situation or wanting the best person for the role to win delivers a gut punch to Akane. Like many who harbor idealized versions of real people in their mind’s eye, the reality leads to far less than she hoped for.

Jumping from the past to the present, Oshi No Ko Episode 18 delivers the pair’s duel on stage. As Princess Saya, Akane commands the moment. The character’s elegance and confidence are magnificently portrayed in every movement performed and word spoken. However, Akane feels disappointed with the situation as Kana does not elevate her performance to meet her. Rather than making their duel multi-level, sparring with both swords and performances, Kana opts to bolster Akane’s performance.

This choice is presented as the “right” move on Kana’s part. Having a central figure in a pivotal scene can stick with a crowd, giving them a focus to rave about later to friends, building up the recognition of the show. The revelation of Kana’s motivations makes the moment feel like less of a success.  We see her choices here are fueled not by a desire to elevate Akane but out of fear if she doesn’t. She sees the only way she can succeed in acting is to play the supporting role. If she tries to shine again, she may lose all that she has.

As the episode draws to a close, Akane has a brief meeting with Aqua (Takeo Otsuka), where the two discuss Kana and what they should do about her current state of mind. Agreeing that she is always at her best when she is shining and fighting for the spotlight, the duo resolves to draw Kana out of her shell.

This moment once more draws us back to the matter of intentions. While wanting to see an inspiration shine as you know they can is a noble goal, we get the impression that is not entirely what we are dealing with. While Akane does want Kana to shine, it’s more so she can shine brighter than her. So it’s not really for Kana, but for herself. Whatever happens, these motivations will color the outcome for many viewers, even if it ends up being a good thing for Kana in the end.

Oshi No Ko Episode 18‘s look at Kana and Akne is nuanced and excellently crafted. Paired with the gorgeous visuals that deliver the actors’ emotions and the play’s pageantry, you have a phenomenal entry with which few could find complaints.

Oshi No Ko Episode 18 is streaming now on HiDive.