Hello! Welcome back to our Oshi No Ko recaps. Between episodes seven and eight, we had a week-long gap. Have you been dying for the new episode after that last cliffhanger like us? Get in here; today, we’re discussing everything that went down in episode eight, “First Time.” And don’t forget to check out our episode seven recap.
Last time, Akane was ready to get back to the reality TV dating show after taking a break. After surviving her cancellation, she seems stronger and more determined than ever before. To prevent herself from getting hurt again, she has decided to play a character at the suggestion of her crewmates. What kind of character is she playing, though? Aqua’s type, of course, which also happens to be his late mother from his reincarnated life, Ai Hoshino. Eh, still not sure how I feel about this.
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Akane’s commitment as an actress shines through as she perfectly adapts Ai’s persona. Instead of cutting back to the cliffhanger, we get to see Kana and Ruby watch the newest dating show episode and hear some of their perspectives. We hear narration from Kana, explaining that Akane, a top-class actor, can play any role perfectly.
Akane startles her co-stars with her personality change and horrifies Aqua with how uncannily close the act is to Ai. Akane, or Ai-Kane at this point, focuses her on-screen time talking to Aqua. While deep in thought, Mem-Cho and Yuki notice that not only is Akane acting differently, but so is Aqua. Aqua ignores requests, as he is so deep in thought, but will do something Akane asks immediately.
Almost unable to ignore anything Akane says. Subconsciously Aqua is starting to show weakness for this version of Akane, and the other girls on set count it as a success for her. The performance is so good that even Ruby, still watching at home, notices how close Akane is acting to Ruby’s late mother. We hear Ruby utter, “Mama?”
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Mem-Cho and Yuki tease Aqua about him now liking Akane, and he gets frustrated at the thought. Though there is no denying that he blushes when they tease him. He exits quickly, and the girls ask Akane about her plan. Akane gets so flustered that she reverts to her old self momentarily. She is obviously head over heels for Aqua after he saved her in episode six, “Egosurfing.”
Later, Aqua continues to conduct research on Ai late at night. While doing so, he begins to question his feelings for Ai from his past and current life. Was he a fan, a son or could there have been other feelings he wasn’t aware of?
The following day, we see Kana walking down the street while listening to others talk about the dating show. She seems visibly upset when she hears people talk about the new fan-favorite pair, Aqu-Aka (Aqua and Akane). All of the colors in the scene seem a bit faded, and we watch her walking slow down as a crowd walks past her.
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Aqua calls out to Kana, and the colors return to the world when she turns to him. Aqua asks her to skip school with him, and he agrees. Odd behavior by the girl who is so focused on her acting studies, but it seems like she’d do most things if Aqua asked. Kana looks excited to act like a delinquent, and the two head off to a field to … play catch.
Yes, that’s right. They play catch with gloves and everything. Kana looked as disappointed as I was once they got there. Kana doesn’t seem to want to be there at first. She asks Aqua why he didn’t invite his sister instead, and Aqua responds, “What kind of brother would make his sister cut class?” Smooth Aqua, real smooth.
Seizing her alone time with Aqua, Kana switches the topic to the dating show. He says it is just a job to him several times and that he isn’t serious about anyone. She asks if he likes girls, and the conversation suddenly gets deep.
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Aqua goes on about stuff that only we, the viewers, would understand in an internal dialogue. Like how his mind catches up to his age and the line between him and Aqua Hoshino vanishes. Toward the end of his monologing, he accidentally vocalizes some of it. To an ignorant Kana, this just looks super cringe. As expected, she asks if he is delusional and tells him he is being cringey.
Aqua realizes he was sounding off and states he’s a high schooler and likes girls. Specifically, older ones. Kana counts this as a victory, remembering she is a year ahead of Aqua. That is until she remembers that Akane is also a year ahead. Ooopsies. They wrap up their game, and Akane is actually better at catching now.
On the set of the dating show, Aqua decides that he doesn’t have feelings for Akane but just for Ai’s ghost that Akane puts on as a character. When Aqua sees Akane, he asks her how she managed to pull off Ai so perfectly. It turns out Akane has researched profiling and could get into character based on her assumptions.
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Curious, Aqua asks what the assumptions are, and they are uncanny. Akane can guess that Ai had a child in secret and asserts she can also guess what kind of guys Ai would be into. Bingo. Aqua quickly realizes he can use Akane’s profiling/method acting to figure out what kind of guy Ai would be into and who the possible murderer was all those years ago.
As the final scenes of the dating show flash by, Aqua narrates his new plan. Use Akane to further his investigation into Ai’s death. As he says that, we see a kiss scene shared between the two. As the scene finishes, we see a depressed-looking Kana watching it on her phone.
After filming, we see all the cast from the show at a party. Mem-Cho and Yuki ask about how the relationship between Akane and Aqua will go now that the show is over. At first, Akane isn’t sure about the relationship. The cast discusses how hard it is for stars to date because the relationship could become a scandal. Eavesdropping, the director chimes in, stating that they could continue dating. Since the dating show just aired, it wouldn’t be a scandal. The director leaves the choice to Akane, and we return to Aqua, who has left the party.
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Aqua is outside the venue talking to the producer who promised to hand over information about Ai if Aqua were to come onto the show back in episode four, “Actors.” The producer scolds Aqua for making the video in the last episode that took the ease off of Akane because it was breaking the rule of posting raw footage. The director says it could have resulted in Strawberry Productions, Aqua’s agency, being in hot water. Aqua is unphased and explains that the contract wasn’t broken, thanks to a loophole about posting candid bonus media on the show’s social media accounts.
Sadly, the conversations between the two ended with plans to meet again, but no real information was given to us. C’mon! I waited all week not to find out what that guy knew about Ai.
Aqua gets dragged back inside by his co-stars and ends up conversing with Akane. She wants to define their relationship and see where the two are. Aqua wants them to continue dating since the show just aired, but he states he doesn’t have feelings for her. Ouch. Akane seems hurt, but Aqua says that while he isn’t interested in her romantically, he is interested in her acting skills. The mood quickly shifts, and Akane goes from defeated to excited. Who doesn’t want to be complimented on what they’ve worked their whole life to be good at? The two decide to start dating, and the party ends.
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Everyone splits to head home, and Mem-Cho and Aqua walk home together for a short while. They talk, and Mem-Cho teases Aqua about liking Akane’s Ai persona. Aqua asks Mem-Cho about her love for B Kamochi and Mem-Cho tries to brush it off. It turns out Mem-Cho originally wanted to be an idol.
Suddenly, Aqua suggests Mem joins Strawberry Productions and gets in on the new B Komachi group. Mem thinks he is joking, but she is left speechless when she realizes he is serious. We cut to credits before we can hear a response from her, but I think we can guess it is a yes.
Welp, it looks like B Komachi got their third member in the most unexpected way. As far as cliffhangers in Oshi No Ko go, today was pretty tame compared to the ones we have had in the past. I almost can’t believe it.
RELATED: Check out our recaps for Oshi No Ko here!
Are you excited for next week’s episode? Will Aqua manage to get any info from that producer? And what is going to become of that relationship between him and Akane? Will she end up being a better source of information?
Let us know what you think in the comments below. And don’t forget to binge-watch the rest of the series on HIDIVE today.
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