When it comes to realistic portrayals of the entertainment industry, Aka Akasaka’s manga Oshi no Ko takes the cake. Compared to his previous work Kaguya Sama: Love is War, this series is an exploration of dark and disturbing themes.
While both manga are popular in the seinen genre, they’re polar opposites in more ways than one. This is especially true with the mangaka’s decision regarding the characters.
In an interview, Akasaka revealed his thought process behind this decision. And while this was crucial to the manga’s ending, it might upset most readers. This also, however, doesn’t negate the series’ haphazard and unsatisfying ending.
Aka Akasaka’s decision regarding the characters might upset most fans
Aka Akasaka is known for his popular seinen manga Kaguya Sama: Love is War. The series was all the rage since its premiere and is one of the bestselling manga. But that is not all, considering the mangaka’s expertise behind his series.
Akasaka is a true professional in terms of his research and storytelling. Besides incorporating psychological tactics and techniques, he studied psychology extensively. This dedication and passion also extends to his other works including Oshi no Ko.
The series focuses on the perils of the entertainment industry and its major pitfalls. But most importantly, it unfolds some of the deepest and darkest realities of the idol spaces. Be it obession or murder, the manga is nothing short of disturbing.
With its official closure, the series left most readers devastated. This is because of its haphazard ending but most of all, it closed with just two chapters. That is not all, considering the mangaka’s brutal decision and thought process behind its ending and characters.
In an interview with Da Vinci Magazine, Akasaka opened up about the series’ ending and characters. He quoted:
We’re nervous about whether we’re capturing the essence of that image in the manga. When I was working on Kaguya-sama, I tended to give each character a proper send-off, but this time I’m not planning to do that. We’re putting in the effort to showcase everything we wanted to show and resolve all issues. Maybe some parts will be different from what I’ve told Mengo.
Mengo Yakoyari, who is known for her manga Kuzu no Honkai ( Scum’s Wish) co authored the series along with Akasaka. While Akasaka’s decision may seem infuriating for most part, it evens out with the manga’s haphazard yet disastrous ending as most readers pointed out.
Oshi no Ko’s haphazard ending
Oshi no Ko is one of the bestselling manga by the author along with his previous work. Unlike Kaguya Sama, Akasaka highlights the pitfalls of the idol industry along with the problematic fan culture.
From corporate politics to murders, it brings out the dark aspects of the human psyche. But that is not all, considering the backstory behind the manga. A passing thought led the mangaka to work on this project. Despite the series’ popularity, it cannot wash away the blot of a haphazard ending in any case.
Like most series, Oshi no Ko got entangled with the problem of a disastrous ending. Since the series established Aqua’s pivotal role in uncovering mystery, Akasaka strips him of a happy ending. He put an end to the vicious cycle but at the cost of his own life.
What’s even more frustrating for the readers is that the ending is crammed between two chapters. This had most fans deeming the closure as rushed and haphazard. However, there’s more to it.
Before its closure, the series has been treading on thin ice. This is especially true with its low ratings and mediocrity as some pointed out. Regardless of that, there are neutral responses when it comes to its ending as well as the overall storyline. For all we can do is hope that the mangaka takes a break and makes a much-needed comeback in the industry.
Oshi No Ko is available for streaming on Crunchyroll. The manga is available for reading on Viz Media.
