REVIEW: ‘Oshi No Ko’ Season 3 Episode 4 — “Blind”

Oshi No Ko Season 3 Episode 4, “Blind,” sees Aqua (Takeo Otsuka, Final Fantasy XVI) learn truths as he confronts the recent events surrounding Ruby’s (Yurie Igoma, Shikimori’s Not Just a Cutie) part in the TV show scandal. But what he learns may send him spiraling as it threatens to reopen a far deeper wound. 

The opening moments of Oshi No Ko Season 3 Episode 4 pick up right where the previous one ended: with Aqua confronting Ruby about her role in the recent controversy surrounding their show. The way Ruby is presented through this opening moment crafts a disturbing portrait of the young star. 

As Ruby explains herself to her twin, Igoma delivers her lines with a methodical delivery that contains just a hint of innocence. It is just enough to leave the viewer wondering if she truly thinks she didn’t do anything uncouth, or if she is putting on a show for Aqua. However, while her words may be trying to lie, her body language is telling harsh truths.

Ruby starts to look really unhinged in Oshi No Ko Season 3 Episode.

Oshi No Ko Season 3 Episode 4‘s visual presentation of Ruby makes it clear that the girl is more than a little unhinged. The way she moves and the frequently desperate look in her star-filled eyes speak volumes to her mental state. Doga Koba’s animators do a phenomenal job of bringing it all to life, crafting an opening that fully grabs the audience’s attention. 

While Ruby’s actions lead to her own star rising, they come at a cost to some of those around her. The other members of B Komachi are driven into the shadows as their idol group’s popularity rapidly shifts to Ruby’s. This leaves the other members struggling to feel important in their roles with the group. 

This brief aside with Ruby’s partners showcases how personal success often comes at a cost to others. Even though we get no indication that Ruby has intentionally done anything to hurt them, it’s clear that she is rapidly leaving the other two behind.

Aqua’s attention shifts to who killed Ai, and questions arise.

Despite Ruby’s obvious talent, Aqua finds it odd how rapidly opportunities are rolling in for her. In his investigations, he discovers her meetings with Ai’s former manager, Ichigo Saitou (Hisao Egawa, Fate/Grand Order Final Singularity The Temple of Time: Solomon).

Despite being there because of Ruby, the scene’s purpose shifts quickly as Ichigo confronts Aqua with a startling truth: the man Aqua had believed killed Ai couldn’t have done it. This sees Aqua spiral as he struggles with what this means for the happy life he had just begun to build for himself. 

Much like the opening scene with Ruby, Oshi No Ko Season 3 Episode 4‘s visuals lean into Aqua’s emotional state hard. His internal conflict over whether to renew his quest for vengeance or leave it buried in the past skillfully conveys the character’s struggle. The hallucinations that harass him, along with an unfortunate encounter with Kana, all create a painfully powerful image of the young man’s fracturing mind.

A dramatic moment is both overly convenient and full of tension.

In an overly convenient follow-up moment, the narrative jumps to Akane (Manaka Iwami, Guilty Gear Strive: Dual Rulers) as she attends an award celebration. During her time there, she notices someone who looks oddly like Aqua. After some brief digging, she discovers that the individual had a close connection to Ai and could potentially be the father of Ruby and Aqua. Given that Akane has previously accepted Aqua’s need for vengeance, it seems likely that she will come clean about this discovery.

While the intensity and drama that infuse this moment of revelation are wonderfully executed, the timing undercuts it. Between listening to Akane deduce many of the details that were just revealed by Ichigo and the sheer timeliness of the discovery, the scene feels a bit contrived in nature, regardless of the skillful handling of the moment. 

Oshi No Ko Season 3 Episode 4 delivers some twists and turns that are always powerfully implemented, even when they don’t coalesce with the rest of the episode. Emotional voice acting and dramatic visuals power the episode through its faults, as the narrative prepares to embark on a familiar path for its stars. 

Oshi No Ko Season 3 Episode 4 is streaming now on Crunchyroll.

Previous Episode | Next Episode