PeakIncompleteOshi No Ko
9.7avg
A deconstruction of idol culture (parasocial contracts), showing the dark and taxing life of being under public scrutiny. I never know where the series is going, multiple characters are layered in complexity and it takes seasons to unwrap, and the art is often stunning and breathtaking. I was surprised at how much I enjoyed this show.
The show starts with a lot of what I call "Japanese BS", or in other terms "random wild stuff that seems cringe and crazy that appears in lots of Japanese media." But by season 2, even the most wildest parts I have simply accepted as having an emotional impact on the characters.
One thing I wish the localizers would do is translate the music to English. There are multiple songs that could be bangers, but songs in languages I don't know are basically instrumentals.
One specific Japanese BS thing that setups the series is the idea that the main characters are reborn as their favorite idols children. By the end of the second episode, I think it makes sense for one character and had me puzzled for the other. It felt like the story as a whole could be told without it. By the halfway point of season 2, I think its really set in to be an important background for the characters.
To me, an American, it does seem like Japanese BS. But after watching some reviews, it seems like the premise is actually based on a common desire/joke of obsessive idol fans. They wish they could be reborn as their idols children. So the series is exploring "what if that actually happened?"