The following contains spoilers for Oshi no Ko Season 2 Episode 8, “Trigger,” now streaming on HIDIVE.
Summary
- Kana Arima turns to honest acting to reclaim her true self in episode 8, which is cathartic for her.
- Thus, the subversive character Kana subverts his subversive ways.
- Aqua Hoshino's dishonest behavior is in the service of a selfish pursuit, in stark contrast to Kana's emancipation.
It is interesting to note that the Oshi no Ko anime hasn't emphasized its subversive elements much so far in the Summer 2024 anime season. In fact, some characters involved in the Tokyo Blade the play had shonen-style underdog story arcs, including Melt Narushima and Akane Kurokawa, which were almost like a subversion of a subversion. Now, episode 8 brings back Oshi no Kooriginal subversion of through two characters: Kana Arima and Aqua Hoshino. Both act dishonestly, but have completely different reasons for doing so.
Episode 8, “Trigger,” focuses primarily on Kana Arima and her efforts to reclaim her true, powerful method acting and unlearn her habit of holding back to please the other actors around her. It shows what some performers have to do to keep getting roles, and she can't stand it, but at least she has friends to help her break free. The other subversive plot thread follows Aqua and her renewed determination to act without any love for the art in order to get what she wants: to kill her mother's murderer. One of these two subversive arcs is inspiring and thought-provoking, while the other serves to counteract the first and push the plot forward.
Kana Arima Embraces Honest Acting and Finds Joy in Her Work
He no longer has to use fake acting to fit in

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Episode 8 focuses mainly on Kana Arima herself, one of the most important actresses to have taken part in the Tokyo Blade stage production and part of the love triangle in Season 2. It's not uncommon for Episode 8 to spend the majority of its screen time exploring a single character; in fact, this is the third time Season 2 has done this, and to good effect, too. Episode 6 focused on Melt Narushima's desperate quest to catch up to the stronger actors around him on opening night, and Episode 7 was all about Akane Kurokawa and her determination to not only surpass her rival Kana, but to defeat Kana while Kana is at her best. As Akane said, Kana is a powerful and radiant performer, and Akane wants to defeat her fair and square on stage. Naturally, after that Akane episode, Oshi no Ko It was necessary to balance things out by giving Kana Arima her own deep dive, hence the events of episode 8.
Melt, Akane, and Kana all deserved their own depth in season 2 for roughly similar, yet still distinct, reasons. Melt Narushima and Akane Kurokawa got their own solo episodes because they’re both underdogs in this production, with Melt facing mockery for her weak acting and Akane still feeling like she’s falling behind industry darling Kana Arima, so their underdog stories were highly compelling as shonen-style narratives. Kana Arima, meanwhile, gets a vaguely similar yet still distinct narrative here in episode 8. Like Melt and Akane, Kana has personal issues and obstacles to overcome in order to reach her true potential, and that makes her likable, but the difference is that Kana isn’t trying to overcome a deficit. As her reputation would suggest, Kana already has what it takes to be a theatrical superstar, but she’s hesitant to fully utilize her formidable talent and razor-sharp skills.
As other episodes have hinted at, and as episode 8 fully demonstrates, Kana's problem is that she can't always afford to use the full power of her radiant, scene-stealing acting, even though she enjoys acting in her various roles that way. Kana has the potential to overwhelm her fellow actors and can't easily afford to lose work as a former child actress, so Kana has learned to hold back her acting to ensure she gets roles. Kana has held back and adjusted her acting to fit and adapt to what the performers around her are doing, and while this strategy has produced results, it's not what Kana truly wants. She's been lying to herself and others about her true potential and acting style, and as of episode 8, she needs to decide once and for all whether this cautious strategy is still worth it.
Kana Arima's personal arc in episode 8 is inspiring and motivating because Kana's decision is clear: her deceptive restraint is no longer worth it, especially not with her admirer/rival Akane Kurokawa right there, giving it her all as the character of Princess Saya. In particular, more than Melt or Akane, Kana represents the subversive elements of Oshi no Koand the most recent example is his reluctance to act as he wishes. It is easy to imagine that artists use their honest skills and methods to interpret characters on their own terms, giving the impression that acting is a rather liberating profession, where anything goes.
As Kana Arima proves, however, actors may have to adapt in ways they don't like and give everyone the wrong idea about who they really are as artists and people. Now Kana is done with that, and she's the bright sun that Akane always wanted to compete with, and it's a moment of glorious catharsis for Kana in episode 8 as she breaks free of her personal constraints. Now she's roaring at full blast as the character Tsurugi as Tokyo BladeThe story continues and everyone is shocked when the real Kana finally makes herself known.
Kana is a subversion of a subversion in episode 8
Only by deconstructing the genre could he have arrived at this cathartic moment.

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It is now widely accepted that overall, Oshi no Ko is a subversive anime series that deconstructs the idol genre in shocking ways. This anime has shown that artists don't always love their fans as much as they claim to, and hard work and passion don't always pay off for aspiring artists because true power lies in name recognition, inside knowledge, doing favors behind closed doors, and more. The rules are dishonest, ruthless, and totally different from what fresh-faced youngsters like Akane Kurokawa would expect, and Kana Arima knows all about it. More than any other character in the second season, Kana understands and benefits from the twisted and dishonest ways of this industry, setting herself apart from serious underdogs like Melt and Akane. However, Kana's dedication to deconstructing the genre doesn't have to mean she's doomed to misery or a dead end in her story arc.
Episode 8 proves just the opposite. While Melt and Akane have linear underdog stories as relatively honest people trying to succeed through hard work alone, Kana feels good about herself because she's finally done with the subversive rules of the industry and is reclaiming her honest nature as a radiant actress and performer. She's not trying to make up for a deficit or catch up to the titans of the industry like Akane is: Kana is trying to reclaim what she once had, something she once willingly sacrificed to stay relevant in her field. It's not as universally resonant as Akane's underdog story, but it does have some contrast to what Akane and Melt are doing, providing a much-needed distinction between those arcs. But even though Kana's arc is different from Akane's, it still has similar vibes, with both girls striving to tap into their full potential and make something of themselves with all their passion as Tokyo Blade production continues.
In this sense, Kana Arima is subverting subversion, rejecting her use of the unfair and dirty rules as an industry favorite so she can fight with raw and honest passion like the underdog Akane. This doesn't make Kana a full-fledged underdog like Akane, but by Kana's standards, it's enough to make her likable and give her a moment of sweet release and satisfaction. Kana is giving up her unfair advantage over Akane so she can compete with that girl on fair and equal terms, and that flatters Kana's character greatly.
Aqua Hoshino takes full advantage of her dishonesty to pursue her selfish pursuit
He and his admirers go in opposite directions

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Episode 8 juxtaposes Kana's uplifting arc with Aqua Hoshino's dark and disturbing narration in the final minutes. Like Kana, Aqua is perfectly willing to use dishonest acting to get ahead, but he does so for different reasons and in slightly different ways. While fans already know that Aqua is lying to everyone about who he is, hence his star power in the Hoshino family, he is also deceiving others about why and how he acts as an artist. Few people know the truth, and it's unlikely that Aqua will share this secret with many others around him. And while this plot thread may seem like it was simply thrown in in episode 8, it balances the tone and reminds fans that no matter how shiny he looks, Oshi no Ko It is a dark subversion where lies, misery and intrigue are the rule.
In this case, Aqua once again subverts the entertainment industry by deliberately taking the passion out of what he does. The problem is that tapping into his emotions and enjoying acting reminds him of Ai Hoshino, which can trigger panic attacks, hence the episode's title. That, and Aqua has never cared about acting on a personal level, only using it as a tool to rise through the ranks and find his mother's killer. For these reasons, Aqua actually acts inversely, basically convincing himself to hate acting and just go through the motions as a means to an end. While Kana is rediscovering her passion and personal authenticity, Aqua is doing the opposite, and this may lead him to experience misery.