The Telephone Game「伝言ゲーム, Dengon Gēmu?」 is the forty-fifth chapter of the Oshi no Ko manga series. It is written by Aka Akasaka and illustrated by Mengo Yokoyari. It was released in Weekly Young Jump on June 3, 2021.[1]
Summary[]
At the rehearsals, everyone is astonished as Abiko requests the entire script to be rewritten from scratch. Producer Raida points out that there is not much time left and they are only rehearsing because she has given her approval for the script. However Abiko points out she requested rewrite on numerous occasions but every time she was told she would understand upon seeing the performance but she is still unsatisfied and therefore demands a rewrite. Goa immediately apologizes for not being able to deliver a script to her satisfaction would like fix whatever he can. Abiko looks at him disdain, questioning if he has even read the source material. She points out that his script have characters saying things that are out of character and these changes have made them unrecognizable. She continues her tirade but is stopped by Yoriko. Given the situation, some of the cast, such as Taiki decides to leave.
As she tries to calm Abiko down, Yoriko reflects on the process of getting a piece of media getting adapted. Disputes is common between the original author and the script writer as is the case here. Yoriko deduces that Abiko was probably furious upon receiving the script and sent back a list of changes with angry remarks. Due to the number of intermediaries involved, it becomes a game of telephones. Abiko works om instincts, her editor probably fail to fully grasp what her wanted. Her request is then passed on to the rights manager and the producer etc. However everyone has their own considerations, so by the time the comment reaches the scriptwriter, Abiko's original instructions would have lost all of its original meaning. By the time Abiko received the revised script, she probably felt she was being ignored, therefore her outburst just now was not completely unexpected. As Abiko continues to vent her frustration, she insists on writing the script herself or she will rescind the approval for the adaptation.
Goa, Yoriko and Aqua have been overhearing the conversation next door. When asked how he felt about the situation, Goa admits that there is nothing he can do. His role as scriptwriter is a replaceable one, if they do a bad job, they get flamed and if they do a good job, only the original author gets the credit. Later, Raida comes to Goa to apologize about the situation and while he does not mind being taken off the project, he requests his credits to be removed as well. However since it has already been announced and the promotional material have been printed, it would be an expensive endeavor. Raida tries soften the blow by saying that he believes the script was good and takes the current situation as it is. With reluctance, Goa agrees. Back at home, Goa reflects on the effort he put in but cannot help but feel frustrated by Abiko's criticisms.
Characters[]
