DISCLAIMER: This recap of Oshi No Ko season 1 episode 5, “Reality Dating Show,” contains spoilers. Continue at your own risk.
Who is ready for the fifth episode of Oshi No Ko? This is a long-awaited episode amongst hardcore Oshi No Ko fans who’ve heard about the anticipated “dating show arc” in fandom spaces. In this episode, we cover the start of Strawberry Production’s newest idol group and Aqua’s journey in reality TV.
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We start with Ruby stalking-er I mean, scouting out Kana to be a potential member of her new idol group. After following Kana around, Ruby determines she would be a great addition to the group and has Aqua reach out to Kana via text. Because Aqua is someone Kana highly respects and she thinks is good-looking, Kana instantly gets the wrong idea about his text. Assuming there are romantic intentions in the invitation to talk, Kana cleans up a bit before going to meet him.
When Kana heads to the meeting and sees Ruby also there, she instantly gets moody with them. Ruby does her best to ask Kana to be in her group, despite Kana’s rudeness. Initially, Kana is against the idea. Kana doesn’t want to mix acting with idol work.
After persistent pleas by Aqua, who Kana obviously has a crush on, she agrees and heads over to their place to sign paperwork. After finishing the paperwork, both Kana and Miyako are shocked that Aqua was able to persuade her. Though given the fact that Aqua is a master actor and liar like Ai, are we surprised?
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Looking on the bright side of the mess she is in, Kana is excited to at least work in the same agency as Aqua now. However Aqua is busy with a dating show that already has its first episode airing. Ruby shows her the first episode, and the two girls hate-watch it. Seeing Kana’s love interest flirting with other girls is upsetting enough, but he is also using a character-type personality.
Aqua’s character is almost unrecognizable. He puts on a charming smile and openly flirts with the other contestants. Miyako tries to remind the two girls that most reality TV isn’t real and that Aqua is just acting, but the two can’t shake their disgust. Especially when Kana remembers shows like this have kissing with the people that couple up.
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The reality TV show consists of six high schoolers, all entertainers. There is a bubbly youtuber, a dancer, someone in a band, an actress and a fashion model. On set, the “contestants” are really acting like actors. Constantly considering camera angles, asking the directors for guidance and flirting with no intentions of actually coupling up. Once again, Oshi No Ko does a great job of showing us what really goes on behind the curtain of the entertainment world.
While Aqua openly chats with Mem-Cho the YouTuber, he is actually extremely bored with their conversation. He maintains his character throughout several conversations. He accidentally drops the act when another contestant, Yuki, chats with him, thinking it is a genuine conversation. By the end of the convo, Yuki reminds him not to look at a certain camera to keep the shot looking natural, and we realize the chat was all for the show. Truly, nothing real about this reality program.
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That night, Ruby lectures Aqua about the show, showing her protective sister side. Ruby tells Aqua she has picked out the girl for Aqua to couple up with. She explains that Yuki seems the most pure of heart. Seeing that Ruby is a bad judge of character, Aqua tells her to steer clear of dating and the scene transitions to school the next day.
The school day doesn’t last long, and we are back at Strawberry Productions. Ruby and Kana talk about their new idol careers when Miyako comes in with a camera. Strawberry Productions mainly works with online personalities now, and Miyako thinks growing an online following will be the key to their success. Kana is skeptical, but Miyako brings in an expert YouTuber.
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Who else do we know in the series that is a YouTuber? That’s right, Yellow-haired Mem-Cho from that dating show! Miyako calls the YouTuber in and it is no other than a yellow-masked muscle man! Wait what?
Obviously, I was expecting Mem-Cho to be the one helping the girls out, as she is in the theme song and also in this episode. Instead, we get a bodybuilder wearing a chicken mask. His name? Pieyon! Ruby already follows his content, but Kana has reservations. Not wanting to accept help from him, Kana criticizes him. That is until Pieyon tells her that he makes 100 million yen a year. Well, it looks like Miyako does know what she is talking about after all.
To get the idol group followers fast, Pieyon offers to include the girls in his upcoming video. All they have to do is keep up with his exercises for an entire hour, while masked. The deal is that if they keep it up, they take their masks off at the end and advertise the group. And so they dance. To the most ridiculous metal-esque music I’ve ever heard, and while wearing ridiculous chicken masks.
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By the end, the girls are literally trembling with exhaustion from keeping up with Pieyon for an entire hour. But they did it and get to reveal their faces to the world! As well as their new idol group name, named after the late Ai’s group, B Komachi.
Ok, I have said in every recap that Oshi No Ko keeps things interesting and never stops with the surprises, but I never expected the Pieyon dance. It was the exact comedic relief we need amongst all of the drama. Seeing the difference between Aqua, who is constantly seeing the dark side to Ruby who is just living her best high school life is jarring. However, I appreciate them including both of these points of view in the show. It shows the good and bad of the entertainment world, letting us be just as dazzled by it as Ruby is while also being depressingly aware of things like Aqua is.
What were your thoughts on that last episode? And do you think Aqua will go for Yuki like Ruby wanted? Let us know in the comments below!
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Oshi No Ko is currently streaming on HIDIVE.
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