“Oshi No Ko” is a new anime series on Netflix that released a roughly 1 hour and 25-minute prelude to the actual series. As a non-manga reader, this episode is shocking to watch. For starters, unlike what the poster gives off—an idol life—the first episode is packed with emotional scenes: reincarnations, murder, childhood trauma, the harsh reality of the entertainment industry, and so much more! While watching 25-minute cute anime episodes is the norm, there is never a dull moment in “Oshi No Ko,” episode 1. Apart from us noobs, the anime community, too, has been entirely taken by storm by the perfect adaptation of the beloved manga and how detailed the last few scenes have been, making it a super hit with a prologue episode. Let’s get into understanding “Oshi No Ko” Episode 1.
Spoilers Ahead
What Happens In Episode 1?
“Oshi No Ko” follows Ai, a 16-year-old idol who has just begun to get popular in her career when she suddenly becomes pregnant and goes on a hiatus. In the eyes of the public, she’s just unwell. In Japan, it isn’t normal for idols to have love lives, children, etc.; if they do, they lose their status as idols who are untouchable and become ordinary people. Ai hopes to have her babies in the country and bring them back to Tokyo to be raised in secret and have a family of her own.
So, Who Is Ai?
Ai, a child who was raised in a children’s home after her mother abandoned her, was recruited by her CEO as an idol because of her cute appearance and charm. As someone without a family, Ai never even dreamed of being an idol because she thought that nobody could love a person like herself. Even her own mother abandoned her, so how could someone like her receive love from strangers and also return that love? Ai suspects she’s incapable of giving love as well and tells the CEO that she will be lying to her fans if she ever says “I love you” to them. The CEO argues that it’s not wrong to speak white lies, and in fact, she has thick skin and a back story that would make a lot of people sympathize with her. He then says that somewhere along the line, the lies could turn into truths, and that convinces Ai to become an idol. In a group named B-Komachi, Ai is the center. The center position of a group is the idol that grabs the most attention, gets the most lines, and is a fan favorite. Within a few years of becoming an idol, at the age of 16, Ai decides to have children without consulting the CEO. Surprisingly, he supports her actions and takes her to a remote town in Japan where she can have her baby. There she meets Dr. Gorou.
Who Are Gorou And Sarina?
Gorou happens to be a big fan of Ai, possibly too much of a fan, and even gets made fun of by a nurse who calls him a “Lolicon” for following such a young idol. Gorou, who is a gynecologist, then tells the woman that he is a fan of Ai because of a cancer patient from a long time ago. Her name was Sarina, and she told Gorou that she was a big fan of Ai because Ai was cheerful, beautiful, and essentially everything that Sarina herself wasn’t or couldn’t be. She told him she wished she was born into an idol family or as the child of a celebrity so that she too could become a star. Gorou tells her that she’s cute too, and Sarina is so ecstatic that she asks him to marry her. At the time, Sarina is only 12; to evade the question, Gorou tells her to wait until she’s 16. Sarina died a few months later. So Gorou became a fan of Ai in memory of Sarina (it’s just an excuse).
As you can suspect, Ai comes down to Gorou’s hospital to have her baby. She comes with her CEO, who worries for her because she’s so young and also because if anyone found out about the child, she would not be an idol anymore. Gorou assures them that he will take good care of Ai and notices she’s already 20 weeks along in her pregnancy. Gorou is overjoyed to see his idol but also disappointed with the reason for their meeting. After some contemplation and interaction with the real Ai, he realizes he will support her no matter what. Ai is pregnant with twins, so Gorou suspects it will be difficult to have a natural birth. Ai is very optimistic all the time and tells him she trusts him. Gorou is convinced and promises to help Ai give birth naturally to two healthy babies.
Rebirth And Faith
On the day of the expected delivery, Gorou leaves Ai for a few hours to head home and rest. On his way, he is met with a strange man who asks him what Ai’s status is. He’s able to say her full name, which is strange because fans don’t know it. Gorou realizes this is a worrisome situation and begins to chase the man. He ends up at a cliff with no sign of the man until… Gorou is pushed off the edge by the man. The man is under the delusion that Ai belongs to him because she is his idol. He is an obsessed fan who can’t fathom the idea that she would have babies and hide them. The man is delusional. Gorou dies that night, unable to help Ai give birth.
To Gorou’s surprise, he is reborn as Ai’s little son Aqua, but he is able to remember everything from his past life. He also has the same maturity as his previous self. His twin, Ruby, too, is the same. He quickly realizes they were both huge fans of Ai in their past lives. When Ai has to work and perform, the CEO’s wife takes care of the kids. She’s insulted by the idea at first and decides to expose Ai. To stop her, the twins come up with a plan to scare her by talking like adults in their baby bodies. She’s spooked immediately and agrees to do anything they say. That’s how they decide that they were reborn to protect their favorite idol, Ai.
The Entertainment Industry And Its Traumas
“Oshi No Ko” focuses on showcasing the dark side of the entertainment industry in Tokyo through three major points of view. For Ai, the idol, there is barely any money if she isn’t able to become a huge star and get commercials, acting jobs, and sell out stadiums. She’s already popular, but she isn’t remotely the biggest idol in the industry, so her company is unable to get her any offers either. Other than that, she is oblivious to the stalker who killed her doctor. Finally, she’s been able to bag a small role in a Japanese drama; by now, the kids are able to walk and talk. The CEO’s wife agrees to take them to the shooting if they behave. Aqua meets the director, who is surprised by the child’s maturity. He immediately takes a liking to Aqua and begins to talk to him as if they were similar in age. Aqua learns the difficulties of being a small-time director, what the different kinds of actors in a series are, and how hard Ai has to work if she wants to become a big star.
The director hands Aqua a card and tells him to call him. When Ai’s scenes are cut from the show, Aqua calls the director immediately. He tells him it is because Ai is too cute, and the lead actress feels overshadowed by Ai. Aqua is irritated, but the director offers him a deal. If he acts in his film, Ai will get cast as well. Aqua agrees. On set, there is one more child actress who is irritated by the fact that Aqua got the role through his connections. Aqua, who is, of course, mature, realizes that all the director wants from him is for him to be himself. The role is that of a creepy child, and Aqua aces it. The other child actress, on the other hand, is absolutely stunned by Aqua’s acting. She is so upset that she begins a tantrum to retake the shot. We realize that the girl, who was arrogant and boastful at first, is also innocent and takes her work very seriously. She just wants to be good at what she does, but her circumstances make her arrogant quickly as a superstar child actress.
Ai’s Hannah Montana Life
For a few years, Ai lived her double life as mom and idol very smoothly. The CEO’s wife takes good care of the children and begins to see them as her own. The teen mother is now almost 20, and the kids, too, have grown up. At some point, Ai notices the children talking about their father. They both wonder who the father is and come up with random conclusions about him. Ai decides it would be a good time for them to meet their father, but he refuses to see them. Ai has become a superstar at this point after a successful movie with Aqua’s friend, the director. She has commercials under her belt, and now the group is set to perform at the Tokyo Dome, the biggest honor for an idol. Ai is feeling her imposter syndrome at the highest level. She wonders why the CEO’s words haven’t come true yet. She hasn’t even said “I love you” to her children, who are now in kindergarten. But she keeps everything to herself because everyone is overjoyed about the dome. Ai doesn’t seem to be happy ever. Even after having the kids she wanted, she still wanted the family she never had.
‘Oshi No Ko’ Episode 1: Ending Explained – What Happens To Ai?
On the day of the concert, Ai is talking with her children when someone rings the doorbell. She opens the door, and it is a hooded man who congratulates her for getting to the Dome, but under his flowers is a knife, and he stabs her in the stomach. Aqua rushes to the door to see everything that has happened. The man tells Ai that the pain she is feeling is how hurt he was when he saw that she was having children. Ai, who is bleeding profusely, apologizes for hurting his feelings, and even now, all she can think about is wanting to love her fans. She even remembers his name, and when he hears it, he is absolutely disoriented. She was not supposed to remember; she didn’t care about him, and that’s why he did what he did. The man runs away, and Ai slumps down to the floor.
Aqua, who had been calling for an ambulance, rushes to Ai. He knows what has happened because he is a doctor, and the realization hits him. He hugs Ai tightly and listens to her final words. Ruby worriedly knocks on the door from the other side, but Ai tells her to remain there. She tells her two children that she wants to see them grow up and have a beautiful life together. She wishes she could dance with Ruby when she becomes an idol and see Aqua act in films as an adult. She apologizes for being a bad mother, and finally, before the light goes out in her eyes, she says the words “I love you” to her children and realizes that they are true.
Aqua realizes that the man who killed Ai was the same man who killed him in his past life. He tries to connect the dots and realizes that other than the CEO of the company, there is only one person who could’ve known Ai’s secrets, and that is the father of her children. Aqua is convinced that he was the one who made the college student kill Ai and even pushed Gorou off the cliff all those years ago. The prologue ends with Aqua making the decision to avenge his mother and idol, Ai. Aqua, who wants to die because there is no Ai left for him to protect, realizes that he can’t die until he solves the big mystery. He concludes that the person he’s looking for has to be in the entertainment industry, and he hopes to get a DNA test someday. The CEO and his wife have adopted the kids, but to get help for his plan, Aqua asks the director if he will raise him. The scene then cuts to their teenage lives as Ruby gets ready to go to school, and Aqua hurries her up. Before they step out of the house, Ruby says bye-bye to their mother, and we see a picture of Ai with her two kids. Aqua’s revenge is what we await.
We get a post-credit scene where Ai talks to her babies on their first birthday. She talks about seeing their future and wonders if they will be idols. Her only wish for her children is that they grow up to be strong, just like their mother.
