Oshi no Ko Season 2 Episode 1 Live Reaction | 'Adapt' [Stream VOD]

Aussie Ravenclaw and Schyph give Episode 1 of Oshi no Ko S2 scores that are way too high. BUT THAT PRODUCTION QUALITY...
We're trialing live stream watch parties so I can catch new stuff and get through anime series faster (WHAT A CONCEPT). Still working through some small things ie. we'll have YT chat overlay/better mic quality for next ep. But if you're here... you're here for the guided rants~
To join future watch parties, join our Discord and head to #anime-emporium for details: / discord .
AND YES I'm still continuing with the deeper dives into Hibike/Fate/Haibane. don't worry!
*SUPPORT* more of this kind of content/recommend a song!
ko-fi.com/ravenclawreacts
NO GUARANTEES I get to song recommendations in a timely manner, but I will add your suggestion to the tally and that will be the list I look at first when considering next reactions.
Follow @Schyph: / schyphrus
0:00 - Thoughts/impressions of S1, normie brain acclimatising to Akasaka style, boobs
6:54 - Mushoku Tensei mention, flawed MCs
8:31 - EP 1 REACTION
35:52 - Author rights, the Witcher problem, adaptation woes, hardcore fans
40:31 - Novel to series/film, HP, LOTR, Hunger Games, can it stand alone?
46:29 - A Certain Magical Index/Scientific Railgun, never become a script writer, respecting source material
49:44 - Promised Neverland rant, Schyph is butthurt, how to handle internal monologues
55:25 - meta is everywhere, Kaguya Sama stage play
58:27 - Final scores for Ep 1, fav moments/characters
*NOTE*
This is a time-synched reaction, so watch along with your own copy of the show!
*WHO ARE I*
I'm double-cursed with an excessively laid back accent and tendency for brain overload. Oh, and I recently discovered a little thing called 'anime'. Cue amazement, and a bad case of playing catch up.
*'WATCHED ANIME' COUNT AS OF UPLOAD*
15
*CURRENTLY CATCHING UP ON*
Aria the Natural
Hibike! Euphonium
Fate/Zero
Haibane Renmei
Find me over on Twitter @ravenclawreacts for random in-between video thoughts.
List of 'to watch' anime: anilist.co/user/ravenclawreac...

[@ace_schtevo6312]

Wow, you posting up VODs of Oshi no Ko s2 watch parties was not on my bingo cards lol. Guess I'll delay watching the eps from now on and wait for your VOD releases since I find your commentary and takes very enjoyable to listen to

[@tfshaman]

As for The Promised Neverland, I have to agree that the internal monologues are difficult to adapt and were not handled in the best way. However, I personally prefer the anime adaptation of the season 1 in this case because of the things it does incredibly well, which are cinematography and soundscape.
The soundtrack is the obvious thing, it does its job well, but it's not something that other anime adaptations lack. However, the sound design is absolutely amazing. There are many long scenes where both the soundtrack and the dialog are completely absent and all you can hear is for example the sound of water, footsteps or breathing. It adds so much emotional intensity and atmosphere to those scenes. I can't think of any other anime that handles the soundscape as well as The Promised Neverland season 1, and it's something I really missed while reading the manga.
Visually, it decided to pretend that it's a movie and uses a wide range of well-known cinematic techniques, like the vertigo effect, but much more interesting and enriching is the combination with the soundscaping, small details like the swinging of the camera synchronized with the ticking of the clock. And they took full advantage of the format, which allows the use of color and the ability to disregard realism, using lighting design to its fullest to convey the atmosphere of the scene.
TL;DR Promised Neverland Season 1 is a great adaptation because it uses the strengths of its own format to tell the same story to the best of its ability, rather than trying to replicate the strengths of the original, which wouldn't work as well in the format of the adaptation. Both the original and the adaptation do the best they can, and it's up to the viewer to decide which one they prefer.

[@megan2661]

Wow did not expect this at all but I am very thankful!!

[@aoironph]

Hibike Eupho RAHH🗣️🗣️🗣️

[@ravenclawreacts]

It's going up.... soon!

[@Schyph]

👀

[@Akira-hx5uu]

yey

[@debajitbhaumik3841]

honestly the best way to consume mushoku is through the novels. the anime adaptation is just passable . skips a lot of characterization and side character povs . overall the novels are decent and one of the better japanese fantasy works . but not among my favorites of world fantasy like Malazan , kubera : one last god , lord of the mysteries etc

[@shimeji_e]

no matter how many times I tried I just can't get into Mushoku Tensei. maybe cuz it's not as "controversial" as people made it out to be. I dropped it halfway through S2 when it bored me out of my mind

[@ravenclawreacts]

hmm interesting that the reason you dropped it was bc it didn't live up to the hype over its controversy..

[@AnniNikaido]

Wow, this came out of nowhere! I'd never have guessed we'd get a S2 reaction for a show that wasn't even in your AniList, especially when it's just started airing! Oshi no Ko is a series I have mixed feelings about. I really liked the beginning of the story, but everything after Tokyo Blade is a blur in my memory, and I have been actively disliking the current manga arc, so I wasn't planning on keeping watching it, but now I guess I will. Following the theme about adaptations, I believe they skipped the setup for the arc, which feels odd, and I find the opening segment questionable, with its numerous character shots, but I've generally liked the rest of what I've seen.
Regarding the other mentioned anime, I've heard a lot of praise for Mushoku Tensei, but even fans of the series tend to go "yeah, understandable" if someone doesn't wanna watch the show because of the MC. Everything I heard about him is... rough, really rough. More than just flawed, he seems to be very uncomfortable to watch. I haven't watched The Promised Neverland in a traditional way, having seen just anime reactions to it, but having read the manga, I'd say that while there is a significant difference between them, I think the anime is passable/enjoyable as its own experience, just likely less so, if you read the manga. One thing I remember, though I might be misremembering, is that the anime has its characters voice out their inner thoughts, which considering the setting, is REALLY stupid, but again, I think it can be enjoyed. Season 2 is just... beyond awful, and this is coming from someone who dropped the manga in the arc that S2 was supposed to cover.
Back to Oshi no Ko, I also enjoyed what I heard from the ending. Unlike you, I don't think I have a musical ear, so you may find these unimpressive, but I'd recommend checking out Kira Kira no Hai from Dungeon Meshi, Wareta Ringo from Shinsekai Yori, and Dear Future from Mawaru Penguindrum. I usually like anime songs, but hardly put them into "wow, these are really good" territory, these three are some of the ones that I actually really like.

[@ravenclawreacts]

ohh another manga reader! I'd be interested in your thoughts on adaptation choices as we go. Yep having live watch parties was somewhat unplanned, but I was convinced to give Season 2 a go. I get the feeling this is the kind of series where someone who hasn't read the original manga will be more forgiving, so that's a win for me.
Re: music, the fact that you have a category of rare songs that you actually really like is already a good sign of having a musical ear!

[@fobib8141]

We need a Mushoku Tensei live reaction. That series has had an amazing adaption and I'm sure you'd have hilarious reactions to it.