[Spoiler Review] Oshi no Ko Season 3 Episode 27 (Season 3 Episode 3) "Compliance"

Episode 27, aired January 28, 2026. This was an episode that made it painfully clear that the innocent "Ruby-chan" of the past is gone for good -- a chilling yet exhilarating installment in its own way.

Overall Impressions: A Black Star in Her Eyes, and a "Calculated" Rescue

This episode masterfully depicted the cold, calculated adult strategies swirling behind the glamorous world of cosplay.

Faced with a disrespectful director disrupting the set, the old Ruby might have simply been outraged. But the Ruby of today is different. She weaponizes even her anger -- using it as content, as a "piece" to establish her own standing. Through the potent influence of the once-vanished Ichigo, she has learned the true art of navigating the entertainment industry. The terrifying depths of her transformation were cemented by Aqua's line at the episode's close.

Episode 27

The story begins with a cosplay feature shoot for the internet show "Dig Deep! One Chance." On set, director Urushihara's insensitive behavior creates an irreparable rift with cosplayer Meiya. Last-minute costume changes, a complete lack of respect for the source material. Even in an era where compliance is constantly preached, the depiction of how workplace dysfunction falls hardest on the powerless carries the signature realism of this series.

However, it was Ruby who brilliantly "cleaned up" this worst-case scenario. She seized control of the emotional dynamics on set and maneuvered strategically to decisively elevate her own value within the show. Her deftness was no longer that of a rookie idol -- it was more like that of a seasoned producer.

Behind it all was former Ichigo Productions president Ichigo Saitou. The "methods of battle" learned from Ichigo -- who shares her dark passion for revenge -- had transformed the latent talent within Ruby into something sharper, more dangerous. Watching her turn lies into truth and use even trouble as a stepping stone, the black star glowing in her eyes, sends a chill down the viewer's spine.

The most striking moment was the conversation between Aqua and Ruby after the show.
Aqua, who has walked the path of revenge alone until now, senses something unsettling in his sister's meticulously calculated maneuvers and confronts her:
"How much of this was -- no, where did your setup begin?"
These words are proof that even Aqua realized Ruby has stepped into a darkness "as deep as his own, or perhaps even deeper," and it frightened him. Behind that sun-like smile, just how much of everything was within her calculations? It was a tension-filled conclusion that foreshadowed Ruby's transformation beginning to erode even the bond between siblings.

Next Episode Predictions

In Episode 28, Ruby's rise will likely accelerate further, but at the same time, the magnitude of what she's losing will become increasingly apparent. Will Aqua try to stop his sister's descent into darkness, or will he resonate with it? With Ichigo as her mentor, who will Ruby "use" next on the battlefield of the entertainment world, and what stage will she ascend to? The ripple effects of Ruby's transformation demand our undivided attention.