REVIEW: ‘Oshi No Ko’ Season 3 Episode 3 — “Correctness”

Oshi No Ko Season 3 Episode 3, “Correctness,” sees the cosplay episode’s recording play out. However, things take an unexpected turn when the director asks one of the cosplayers some rather inappropriate questions. Coupled with the last-minute changes to the event’s themes, one of the cosplayers decides to speak out against the TV show before the episode airs. 

The multifaceted narrative surrounding the interview and what went wrong brings a whirlwind of concepts and situations. While some elements, like the condescending and off-color questions asked of a cosplayer, are simply wrong, other elements of the scenario come to be far more nuanced than they first appear. This adds complexity to the resolution, highlighting how many small mistakes can lead to one big one. One that no single person can solely be held accountable for. 

This nightmare of numerous errors plays out as Oshi No Ko Season 3 Episode 3 explores why the episode’s original cosplay theme, Tokyo Blade, was cancelled at the last minute. When the change was first revealed in the previous episode, it seemed to be solely due to the director’s nonchalant attitude toward obtaining the permit to use the IP in the segment. However, it turns out there was far more at play than that. 

Oshi No Ko Season 3 Episode 3 takes an uncomfortable situation and explores it with nuance and care.

The show’s licensing department and Tokyo Blade employees also made their own mistakes, leading to the negative outcome. As each piece of this puzzle is showcased, we see someone explain the situation through their lens, as if they know what they are saying is right. Only to have it soon corrected by the next person to speak.

All of these misperceptions of an admittedly complex situation are explored in a brisk but easy-to-follow fashion. Oshi No Ko Season 3 Episode 3 keeps every beat moving quickly, allowing what needs to be known to be presented, and then moving along to the next point. This keeps the episode’s energy up despite the vast majority of it being explanations and apologies. 

The other major element the narrative addresses is the origin of the inappropriate questions. The fact that they come largely because it is known that the cosplayer in question has done NSFW content is used to highlight how creatives who work in such fields are often viewed. Because a woman shows a bit more skin, she can be viewed as less than other artists, even if her work is just as skillful and creative. 

The pacing remains smooth, even when there’s a lot of talking and activity going on.

While the exploration of this side of Oshi No Ko Season 3 Episode 3‘s primary conflict doesn’t break any new ground, it presents it well. It digs into the foundations of the cultural perception of such individuals and makes a strong statement about the unfairness of it. 

Bringing all the exposition and discussion to a strong close is an excellently implemented finale. It shows Ruby (Yurie Igoma, Chained Soldier) presenting the director as the one at fault for cosplaying one of the female characters from Tokyo Blade, so he can make his feelings clear. While it is obvious Ruby’s motivations are to ridicule the man, the aggrieved cosplayer takes the opportunity to address the clearly homemade cosplay of the director and to drive a few, softly worded but direct, points home. 

The finale of Oshi No Ko Season 3 Episode 3 wraps things up beautifully.

The observations made by the cosplayer and how she draws the director into a place of understanding with why she was so upset over everything that transpired are elegantly handled. How she delicately lays out the ways she was hurt and presents them in comparison to what she is able to deduce happened with the director’s attempt at cosplay creates a powerful character moment for both parties involved. 

As Oshi No Ko Season 3 Episode 3 closes and the situation has resolved itself, we get a final scene with Ruby and Aqua (Takeo Otsuka, To Be Hero X) as the pair walks home. Aqua confronts Ruby about her involvement in the whole affair, rightly suspecting that his sister had a strong hand in the entire event. However, the motivations for her actions remain unknown, as Aqua’s request for answers is met only with a mockingly playful smile. 

Oshi No Ko Season 3 Episode 3 digs into what felt like a straightforward situation and applies an impressive level of nuance to the scenario. What’s more, it manages to do this without excusing the inexcusable elements of its central incident. 

Oshi No Ko Season 3 Episode 3 is streaming now on Crunchyroll.

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