Oshi no Ko faces criticism for being too otaku
Oshi no Ko faces criticism for being too otaku, “disgusting,” “grotesque,” and other names due to its incorporation of elements such as reincarnation and adult male fans of underage idols…although the latter is a reality in Japan and the anime is simply portraying it.
The first episode of Oshi no Ko had a 90-minute runtime and adapted the entire first volume of the manga so that the entire prologue could be covered in the story’s introduction and Oshi no Ko could truly begin.
The anime is achieving great success both in the West and in Japan, with people constantly talking about it, which is leaving some others quite irritated.”
They Complain about Oshi no Ko for being a ”disgusting anime for otakus”
The criticism of the anime Oshi no Ko has garnered an article on the Japanese website Nifty and sparked discussions on anime portals in Japan. According to the publication, the anime is considered “disgusting” and “otaku-oriented,” and will not appeal to the general public.
Maybe it’s a site that just gathers negative opinions on the internet and them write a article for clicks, but let’s see what they said anyway. Here’s what the Nifty article says:
The article highlights that, although the idolization of underage youth is something that happens in Japan, Oshi no Ko is still being criticized for portraying this theme.
The Nifty article cites that some people are labeling the anime as “boring.” Meanwhile, otakus have been praising the production, which has “caused discomfort among other groups.”
Oshi no Ko faces criticism for being too otaku, but some fans already consider it the Anime of the Season!
After the premiere of the 90-minute first episode, many people were genuinely moved by the whole story, and many enjoyed the anime. Here are some comments made on social media by fans of the anime:
“This is already the definitive anime of the season.”
“If Kimetsu no Yaiba and SPYxFAMILY can be social phenomena, then Oshi no Ko can be too.”
“If Oshi no Ko becomes a social phenomenon, I think it can change the foundation of the entertainment industry.”
“The general public will end up knowing about Oshi no Ko.”
“The marketing for Oshi no Ko was focused on Shibuya, not Akihabara or Ikebukuro, they want a broader audience.”
Note: An anime is considered a “social phenomenon” when it manages to break out of the otaku bubble and reaches a very large audience, as happened with Kimetsu no Yaiba, for example. Regarding the marketing, check out the video below for the commercials that were made promoting the anime, the Production Committee went all out.
Some also complain about Oshi no Ko not reaching the general audience
Despite the expectation that Oshi no Ko may reach beyond otaku fans to the general audience, some doubt that it is possible: “It’s impossible. First of all, the idea of reincarnating as the child of an idol you were a fan of in your past life is very repulsive. At this point, anyone with common sense would turn off the anime. And furthermore, the jokes about otaku and babies are only appreciated by otaku fans.”
When the film “Your Name” was released and captured the general audience, the film “Fireworks” attempted to follow the same formula, but failed miserably because it was made in a “style for otaku fans”, with a story, tone, and characters that did not appeal to the general audience.
The same happens with Oshi no Ko, which lacks elements that can attract the general audience, both in the story, characters, and tone. Additionally, there is an internal dispute among otakus who watched the anime, as episode 1 contains a scene “repugnant to otakus.”
Thus, otakus are divided into two factions: those who understand and those who resist and argue (and also complain about Oshi no Ko). However, this “battle” ends up being just another fight between otakus, where each one tries to prove their superiority.
“Those otakus who claim to be moved or who think they have the correct answers are not used to watching live-action works frequently.”
Japanese reaction to the article complaining about Oshi no Ko for being too Otaku
As the Nifty article was shared on some anime-focused otaku discussion sites, these were some of the reactions they had:
“It’s hard to accept because it’s a reincarnation story.”
“Setting that aside, am I the only one here who doesn’t think Kimetsu no Yaiba and SPYxFAMILY are particularly great?”
“It’s disgusting to talk about ‘ordinary people’ in the first place. Do they think otakus are different from normal people?”
“Are they really writing an article about this?”
“I saw a scene in a commercial where the babies were doing wotagei and it was cringey.” Referring to this scene:
Conclusion
In the end, the story is always the same: when an anime is released and many people end up liking it, hype starts to build around it. On the other hand, there are always people who are bothered by the success of anime and start to criticize them, saying they are “garbage” or “overrated”.
Right now, there are complaints about Oshi no Ko, but this has already happened with animes like Kimetsu no Yaiba, SPYxFAMILY, Kaguya-sama, Bocchi the Rock (which I believe was more of a Bocchi x Chainsaw fight) and now it is happening with Oshi no Ko. You can find videos, comments on social media, and other places of people talking about “how bad Oshi no Ko is”, while those who watched and liked it just want to enjoy the anime in peace.
Now, if you find it “disgusting”, “repugnant” for a 30-year-old man to be a fan of an underage idol, the anime is just portraying a real fact.
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