The Winter 2023 anime season is coming to an end, and fans are eager to get started on the Spring 2023 season, which features some truly remarkable new anime series. Several popular manga series, including the drama idol manga Oshi no Ko, written by Aka Akasaka and illustrated by Mengo Yokoyari, are finally making their way to the airwaves as brand-new anime.
The author of Kaguya-sama: Love Is War is at the helm of Oshi no Ko, but Akasaka's newest manga/anime franchise is a completely different beast than Miyuki and Kaguya's romantic battle of wits. Oshi no Ko is a fascinating, emotionally charged, honest, and at times brutal inside look at the world of Japanese pop idols and acting, told from a partial isekai perspective.
The Plot of Oshi no Ko
Oshi no Ko is a drama series that takes viewers behind the scenes of Japan's vast and ruthless world of pop idols and acting, including child actors. In fact, Oshi no Ko is a collection of stories expertly blended together to create a distinct narrative style in modern manga/anime. The story's emphasis on pop idols merely sets the stage for more personal plot threads involving a quest for vengeance, teens struggling to find their own identities, and even partial isekai elements.
Dr. Gorou, a rural doctor, is reincarnated as Aqua Hoshino, the newborn son of his favorite pop idol, the super-popular Ai Hoshino. However, Gorou's new life with his favorite pop idol mother quickly takes a dark turn, and he and his twin sister Ruby must decide which is more important: building their new lives or seeking vengeance for what is about to happen to their family. Along the way, both Aqua and Ruby must navigate the entertainment industry, where tricky romances, clashes with producers, and all manner of angst are the norm – a deft deconstruction of the seemingly perfect, colorful world of pop idols.
Oshi no Ko's Official Teaser
The most recent trailer for Oshi no Ko promptly introduces the hapless protagonist, Dr. Gorou, who fawns over his hospital's newest patient, Ai Hoshino the pop idol herself. The trailer begins on a cheerful and innocent note, focusing on the outwardly wholesome and lovable side of the idol industry, all while cleverly hiding the darkness underneath. The trailer doesn't spoil any of the major plot twists that set the story into motion, but given how Kaguya-sama's famed writer Aka Akasaka wrote Oshi no Ko, even new fans can be sure that this anime won't be as innocent and straightforward as it seems on the surface.
The Oshi no Ko trailer also sets up the Hoshino family, including the twin brother and sister Aqua and Ruby, who appear as infants and as toddlers, along with the child actor Kana Arima, who's around their age. The trailer concludes on an exciting note, showing Ai the young idol mother in the middle of a dazzling performance, while a hooded figure gestures dramatically in the moonlight, hinting at how this series will strongly contrast the mingled light and darkness of the idol industry.
Oshi no Ko's Anime Release Date
The Oshi no Ko anime was announced months ago, but a release date was only recently confirmed: April 12, 2023, midway through the Spring 2023 anime season. Doga Kobo will animate the Oshi no Ko series, which will be available in the West on the HIDIVE platform. The anime will feature the song "Idol" by the musical superduo Yoasobi, which is fitting.
Fans who are interested can also read the Oshi no Ko manga, which is currently being updated with new chapters. The entire series is available on the Manga Plus app/website, with the first six chapters and the six most recent ones available for free reading. All subsequent chapters can be viewed once on the app. The Oshi no Ko manga is also available for purchase at online retailers, with the first print volume available in the West and Volume 2 set to release on May 23, 2023. The first volume of Oshi no Ko is available in both print and digital formats at retailers such as Barnes & Noble.
