As Oshi no Ko continues to delve deeper into the entertainment industry, the mystery drama also tackles cyberbullying in its latest episode through Akane Kurokawa's storyline. So, how did Oshi no Ko portray cyberbullying, and what is the supernatural anime's message to its viewers?
Spoiler Alert: There are spoilers for the Oshi no Ko anime in this article.
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Who Is Akane Kurokawa?
In Episode 5 of Oshi no Ko, a new set of characters was introduced as Aqua decided to join a reality dating show in exchange for information about Ai Hoshino. He believed that doing so could help him find her killer.
Aqua was joined by different types of celebrities, from streamers to models, but the key character in that episode was Akane Kurokawa, an excellent actress under the Lalalie Theatrical Company.
Unlike some of the pro celebrities on the set, Akane struggled a lot to be seen (with added pressure from her company).
She tried various ways to get the spotlight, up to the point of ending up in a controversy after an incident on set.
This triggered fans of the show to comment badly about her, resulting in cyberbullying.
She could not take the harsh words she received online and attempted to jump off a bridge. Luckily, Aqua saved her just in time.
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How Oshi no Ko Portrayed Cyberbullying
After Ai Hoshino’s death scene, viewers expect things to get even darker as Oshi no Ko progresses. This is why when the series delved into cyberbullying, it was portrayed realistically.
Akane is a hardworking actress who puts 100% in everything she does. So when people started describing her as a brat or someone who does not work hard for her career, it affected her mental and emotional health deeply.
The episode's pacing is perfect in showing the criticisms Akane received versus how she is in real life.
It depicts how different she is during that specific incident and how she is when she is at home or during training.
By creating a character as devoted as Akane, her bashers' words truly hit the core, showing how powerful words are when used against other people. And as a result, it came to a point when she wanted to kill herself.
Oshi no Ko, as expected, did a splendid job of depicting cyberbullying. It was relatable and scary at the same time.
It makes viewers pause and think before they post something online, especially if it is about other people.
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