Oshi no Ko's Fast Pacing Drove Its Breakout Success

Since the Oshi no Ko manga is already past its 100th chapter, the creators at Doga Kobo Studios were well aware of the twists and turns that made it such a hit with readers. With an already-concerning blend of controversial tropes, such as idol worshiping and reincarnation, the anime needed a fast pace to give it an extra boost and bring the series' highlights straight to viewers' eyes. While some may not have appreciated the pace being filled with a lot of development and information, the idea was a booming success in the end, blowing up the internet and the anime community.

For Oshi no Ko in particular, a faster pace and cutting certain manga scenes meant diving into the crucial details of Ai Hoshino's central character, the significant connection of the entertainment industry, and focusing on Aqua's relationship with Ai. As a downside, other characters' development is too brief to really flesh anyone out, but with an engaging enough plot and Ai's well-crafted character, audiences were pulled in by the premiere.

Anime about idol stardom have already been made, as have series about reincarnation. But even mixing the two together didn't see a full-blown excitement with Oshi no Ko until after audiences watched it. The anime immediately skyrocketed into the #1 spot on MyAnimeList after its premiere, overtaking the widely acclaimed Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood. Much of this has to do with Oshi no Ko's best qualities being pushed forward thanks to faster pacing. With the initial buzz beginning to die down and episodes panning out at a slower pace, the series is focusing more on the mystery behind the premiere's biggest twist. While the reviews are still high, its ranking is beginning to die down after five episodes, though it remains in MAL's top ten as of this writing.

Oshi no Ko was able to garner respect and awe from viewers by cutting ahead to the most critical details. The faster pacing helped launch it into anime history, as it has for numerous other series in recent years. As more anime come into the world, fans and critics alike will surely be putting a series' pacing into question as a significant plus or minus to its overall success.