Winter Anime “Oshi no Ko” Episode 27: A Disrespectful Director Sparks Real Fan Fury
The TV anime “Oshi no Ko” aired its twenty-seventh episode (Season 3, Episode 3), titled “Compliance,” on Wednesday, January 28, 2026. The episode depicted a firestorm erupting online due to a director’s disrespectful treatment of a cosplayer, and in a meta twist, actual social media exploded with comments like “It’s your fault!” and “This is seriously crap,” mirroring the in-show controversy.
“Oshi no Ko” is a manga series originally serialized in Weekly Young Jump, with the story by Aka Akasaka and art by Mengo Yokoyari. The story follows Gorou, a gynecologist in a rural town who attends the birth of his favorite idol, Ai, only to be murdered. He is then reborn as Ai’s child, but tragedy strikes again when Ai is killed by a stalker. The narrative delves into the mystery surrounding Ai’s death, Aqua’s quest for revenge, and the dark underbelly of the entertainment industry.
The series has sold over 25 million copies worldwide. The first season of the TV anime aired in April 2023, followed by the second season in July 2024. Its innovative setting within the entertainment world and shocking plot twists have made it a massive topic on social media, also leading to stage and drama adaptations.
Please be advised: The following text contains spoilers for the discussed episode. Proceed with caution if you have not seen it.
The Episode: A Plan Derailed by Disrespect
Thanks to Ruby’s help, Yoshizumi is relieved that the cosplay segment for their show is back on track. However, Director Urushibara arrives on set, casting a dark shadow. Given his previous power harassment, his mere appearance flooded social media with comments like “He showed up!” and “Please don’t say anything.”
As viewers feared, Urushibara immediately creates another problem. He bombards one of the cooperating cosplayers, Mayer, with a series of questions that show a complete lack of respect, ultimately triggering her anger. Viewers were quick to criticize, with comments flooding in like “He’s such garbage,” “Urushibara is done for,” and “This is truly the worst.”
Following the incident, Mayer took to social media to post about the last-minute costume changes and insensitive questions, calling out the lack of respect. Her post rapidly went viral, igniting a real-world firestorm.
With the cosplay segment cancelled and Yoshizumi scrambling to apologize to all parties, Ruby arrives with a new, bold proposal: to dive deep into the controversy *on their very own show*. Her move to turn the scandal to their advantage, and her expression that almost seemed to anticipate the firestorm, led to fans online reacting with comments like “Ruby is scary!” and “Dark Ruby has appeared.”
A Bizarre Resolution and Lingering Doubts
Ruby’s plan is greenlit, and the show proceeds. It culminates in the ultimate bizarre spectacle: Director Urushibara himself appears on air dressed in a cosplay of “Tokyo Blade’s” Sayahime to apologize to Mayer, who was invited to the studio. Mayer accepts, saying, “As long as you understand,” but viewers met this resolution with a more skeptical, almost sarcastic tone: “What even is this? lol,” “Isn’t this just adding fuel to the fire?”, “Won’t Abiko-sensei be angry?”, and “There’s no way it would go down like this lol.”
Prompted by the segment, Mayer deletes the post that started the firestorm, and the situation appears to be neatly resolved. However, Aqua, who had been feeling uneasy about the whole chain of events, confronts Ruby, demanding, “From what point was this your setup?” Episode 27, “Compliance,” ends on this tense note.
Aqua has noticed Ruby’s change in behavior and suspects someone is pulling the strings behind her. Is the hand of Strawberry Productions’ president, Saitou Ichigo, behind this scandal? Will he make contact with Aqua? The answers we’re waiting for may be revealed in the next episode.
Cast & Staff
Main Cast
| Character | Voice Actor |
|---|---|
| Aqua | Ootsuka Takeo |
| Ruby | Ikoma Yurie |
| Arima Kana | Pan Megumi |
| Kurokawa Akane | Iwami Manaka |
| MEM-cho | Okubo Rumi |
| Ai | Takahashi Rie |
Production Staff
| Role | Staff Member |
|---|---|
| Original Work | Aka Akasaka × Mengo Yokoyari (Shueisha’s Young Jump Comics) |
| Director | Hirumaki Daisuke |
| Series Composition | Tanaka Jin |
| Character Design | Hirayama Kanna |
| Sub Character Design | Watanabe Satomi, Yokoyama Honoka, Sawai Shun |
| Chief Animation Director | Hirayama Kanna, Muroga Ayaka, Mizuno Yuki, Shuri, Morita Rina, Inate Haruka, Nishiki Hiro |
| Main Animator | Sawada Kenji |
| Art Director | Usami Tetsuya (Studio Easter) |
| Color Design | Ashihara Akane |
| Director of Photography | Kuwano Takafumi |
| Editing | Tsubone Kentarou |
| Music | Iga Takurou |
| Sound Director | Takatera Takeshi |
| Animation Production | Doga Kobo |
Broadcast Information
Season 3 began airing on January 14. Below is a list of major broadcast stations and times (all Japan Standard Time). Please note that schedules are subject to change.
- TOKYO MX: Every Wednesday at 23:00
- BS11: Every Wednesday at 25:00
- tvk, Gunma TV, Tochigi TV: Every Wednesday at 25:00
- AT-X: Every Thursday at 22:00 (with repeats on Mondays at 10:00 & Wednesdays at 16:00)
Streaming Information
Simulcast streaming began on ABEMA on January 14, every Wednesday at 23:00. Other streaming platforms started their sequential releases from Thursday, January 15, at 23:00 onward.
(C) Aka Akasaka × Mengo Yokoyari / Shueisha, Oshi no Ko Production Committee
By Hori Megumi
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