Quick Links
Major spoilers ahead for released episodes of Oshi No Ko
(Don’t worry, no manga spoilers here)After their mother’s death at the end of the first episode ofOshi No Ko, Ruby and Aqua Hoshino were left without anyone to take care of them. Two people stepped in to take over where their mother left off in very different ways.
RELATED:Oshi No Ko: Why Doesn’t Aqua Want Ruby To Be An Idol?
One of them was Taishi Gotanda, a director Aqua encountered while visiting Ai on set for a drama show. Aqua asks the director to take him under his wing after his mother’s passing, and the director (though surprised) agrees.
First Introduction
Taishi Gotanda is anaward-winning director. Aqua Hoshino first meets him on set for a drama his mother, Ai, is filming. While there, Aqua and Taishi have an extremely frank discussion about what it takes to make it in the entertainment industry. Taishi is well aware that it’s difficult for young starlets to make it in the business. He breaks the actresses before him down intothree categories: The ones who are cast as main characters because they’re attractive and have a major following; the ones who have actual acting talent but are relatively plain and are cast to carry the show itself; and the newcomers trying to make their way into the business.
These categorizations come into play later when Ai’s role iscut from the dramaentirely. Aqua calls the director, demanding answers. He tells Aqua that the main actress’s agency thinks that Ai is too attractive and that her presence on screen detracts too much from the main actress, so Ai’s role is cut almost entirely. However, Taishi is willing to offer Ai a role in the upcoming indie movie he’s filming on one condition:Aqua has to appear in it, too. Though nervous, Aqua accepts to further his mother’s career.
Encouragement Of Aqua’s Acting
Aqua finds out that the role in question is as a creepy child in anindie movieTaishi is filming. He doesn’t understand why the director wanted him at first, but it soon becomes clear: The fact that Aqua is so young and can speak so eloquently is creepy enough that he doesn’t need any real acting experience to play the part well; he simply has to play himself. So that’sexactly what Aqua does— and he knocks it out of the park. He performs so well, in fact, that the actress alongside him has acomplete meltdownover the fact that his performance is better than hers.
RELATED:Oshi No Ko’s Pilot Gave Me Whiplash In The Best Way
Later, Taishi tells Aqua that part of being an excellent actor is one’sability to understand subtext. Some things just can’t be communicated between the director and actor, and it’s up to the actor to understand those things as well as they possibly can. Aqua has an inherent ability toread peoplethat lends itself to his acting skill, and Taishi encourages him to continue to hone that ability. He truly believes that Aqua could have a future in the entertainment industry, despite the fact that Aqua questions himself and his own ability constantly.
Aqua’s Mentor
At his mother’s funeral, Aqua comes to the determination that the only person that could have tipped her killer off to her location ishis father. He deduces that his father must be someone in the entertainment industry, and to make sure he keeps his finger on the pulse of the business, heasks Taishi to mentor him. Though surprised, Taishi accepts.
RELATED:Oshi No Ko: Who Is Ruby Hoshino?
By the time Aqua is getting ready to enter high school, he’sTaishi’s assistant, helping him edit his work and read through scripts. He often spends his free time with Taishi in his editing room (which doubles as his sleeping quarters since the award-winning director stilllives with his mother). Taishi still encourages him to pursue acting, though Aqua repeatedly refuses, saying he doesn’t have the talent to make it in the business. Aqua’s primary frame of reference is his mother’s memory, and since she died while he was young, he clearly still has her up on apedestalin his mind. He thinks that because he’s nothing like Ai, he must not have what it takes to be a successful actor.
Taishi disagrees. He assures Aqua that just like there will only ever be one Ai,there will also only ever be one Aqua; he’s capable of doing things that she couldn’t, and vice versa. Time and time again, Taishi expresses his support for Aqua and encourages him to take on acting roles again. He seems to believe his protégé is capable of much more than just helping him edit.
Taishi Gotanda may not have expected to become a father figure to Aqua Hoshino the first time he spoke to him on set, but throughout the many twists and turns of Oshi No Ko, it was perhaps one of the easiest to see coming. I can’t wait to see more about Taishi’s involvement with Ai’s backstory — who knows, maybe he’s known more than he lets on all along.
