The following is a discussion of suicide and self-harm. It also contains spoilers for Oshi no Ko Episode 6, “Egosurfing.”
The recent episode of Oshi no Ko has caused mixed reactions among viewers in Japan for the same reason it has received a positive reception.
Since the broadcast of episode 6, “Egosurfing,” many viewers have compared what happened to Akane Kurokawa in Oshi no Ko to the real-life tragedy and death of professional wrestler Hana Kimura because both were was a victim of cyberbullying after participating in a reality show. As reported by Yahoo! In the Japanese article, Kimura’s mother, Kyoko Kimura, was upset, not because of the story itself and the fact that it had aspects similar to what happened to Hana, but because of the way the comments were defamatory. used in the episode appears to have stemmed from earlier Tweets aimed at her daughter. She died. Kimura’s mother said she despised the fact that her daughter’s death was seen as a source of material to sell anime. She also noted that the timing of the episode, as it aired on May 17, coincided with Kimura’s death on May 23, further exacerbating the pain for those close to her daughter. Miss.
Oshi no Ko fan criticizes Hana Kimura’s mother
Some fans defended the episode, saying that the mangaka drafted the chapters months before Kimura’s death and that the topic of cyberbullying was an industry-wide problem. Mangaka never said that he was inspired by Kimura’s death. However, others took issue with Kimura’s mother’s concerns and did the very thing that led to Kimura taking her life. Fans vilified Kimura’s mother, saying, “What if the author is depressed and commits suicide?” and “What if the anime gets canceled because of you?”
Kimura’s mother has made it clear that she does not blame the mangaka and is not calling for the anime or manga to stop airing and serializing. She has stated her desire to support works that illuminate the dark side of the industry, but not if it is done in a way that only adds to the pain of those being bullied online. In a preliminary translation, Kimura’s mother said she would contact the producer to talk to them, although she wasn’t sure if they would listen.
Who is Hana Kimura?
Hana Kimura, a professional wrestler, became a cast member of the reality TV series Terrace House: Tokyo 2019-2020. On an episode that aired in January 2020, Kimura argued with another housemate for shredding her wrestling outfit in the washing machine and snatching his hat. Viewers flooded Kimura’s social media platforms with malicious hate comments, which eventually led to her suicide on May 23, 2020, at the age of 22.
While Episode 6 of Oshi no Ko makes it clear that the show is a work of fiction and therefore has no connection to any real-life incidents, this message appears at the end of the episode after the season ends. End attribution is released. The only time Oshi no Ko made this announcement was at the beginning of Episode 1. The production team from Oshi no Ko as well as the mangaka made a statement.
If you or someone you know is contemplating suicide, get help from the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline by dialing 988.
Source: Twitter, via Tweet Soku and Yahoo! Japan