After more than four years of serialization, the Oshi no Ko manga has come to an end. With the conclusion of Oshi no Ko, fans are left utterly disappointed by Aka Akasaka’s storytelling. The mangaka is facing harsh criticism for the rushed ending, sacrificing the emotional depth that initially captured readers.
Oshi no Ko fans are already speaking out about boycotting Aka Akasaka’s upcoming manga series following the disappointing finale. Akasaka recently announced that he would be teaming with the artistic collective Ajichika, responsible for much of the artwork in Record of Ragnarok, to draw his new series. This pre-release boycott reflects frustration and a lack of confidence in the mangaka, casting a shadow over his upcoming project even before its release.
Oshi no Ko Backlash May Impact the Reception of Akasaka’s New Series
Owing to Season 2’s immense popularity, Oshi no Ko stands out as one of the best returning anime for Summer 2024. What makes Oshi no Ko a huge hit is its unique storyline and compelling characters.
Aka Akasaka’s Oshi no Ko is a splendid manga series that revolves around revenge and music idols. Sadly, it failed to leave a lasting impact and arguably delivered the most disliked finale, surpassing Jujutsu Kaisen and My Hero Academia in the community.
Aka Akasaka’s manga is revolutionizing the way fans view the idol industry, raising awareness about its darker side. The mangaka has openly acknowledged his effort to portray the harsh truths and struggles of the industry.
First Look at the new Fantasy Romance Manga by Aka Akasaka (Kaguya-sama, Oshi no Ko) starting in Spring 2025 in Weekly Young Jump!
Art by Aji Chika (Record of Ragnarok) & Series Composition by Aoi Kujira.
Fantasy Romance in a Fairytale-like World about the Love of a Prince & a… pic.twitter.com/ROuLJkSzFA
— Manga Mogura RE (Anime & Manga News) (@MangaMoguraRE) November 13, 2024
Following Oshi no Ko‘s controversial conclusion, Aka Akasaka has dropped some new details on what is to come. Akasaka’s new project will be a fantasy romance manga. It will be set in a fairytale world, and it will focus on the love between a prince and a princess.
No wonder OnK ending was so dogshit he was already focused on his next project. Akane was the only good thing to come from that mess.
— 優木 せつ菜 🇯🇵 | Love Live Superstar S3 SZN (@Nljigakulive) November 13, 2024
While I do believe that it is a wrong habit to rush the ending of their previous works just so they could just start a new one.
But we can’t forget that sometimes we just lose interest. While this doesn’t put much confidence in readers, there isn’t much we can do about it.
— VowedPrinciple (@VowedPrinciple) November 13, 2024
Oh I can’t wait for a really good series to be be absolutely bent over and fucked in the end
— Wild Willie (@TheWild_Willie) November 14, 2024
Undoubtedly, Oshi no Ko‘s disappointing conclusion has left the fandom scared for life. Furthermore, their frustration is at an all-time high, with many fans calling for a boycott of Akasaka’s upcoming project and questioning his storytelling abilities.
If the ending for this one is anything like his last one I’m not going to read it
— Steakdriven 🇺🇲⚔🐉🥃🍖🎸🚗 (@steakdriven) November 13, 2024
You’re not gonna fool me Aka, I’m not gonna read this
— Wilczek7 (@konsumenttlenu_) November 13, 2024
This is because the series’ ending was far from satisfactory and effectively ignored many important plotlines it had been building for the past four years.
After the harrowing conclusion of Aqua’s revenge against Hikaru Kamiki, which led to their mutual death, those left grieving in his wake, especially his twin sister Ruby, choose to live and not despair in the Oshi no Ko ending. Many fans believe that Aqua’s plan that led to his own death ignored the emotional buildup and disregarded the other characters.
The final chapter becomes a heartfelt montage of the friends and colleagues Aqua made over the years as they continue their lives. Ruby achieves this by telling herself lies about not being sad. It was not impactful enough to satisfy fans, making them feel disconnected from the characters and losing confidence in Aka Akasaka’s upcoming project.
Akasaka Carefully Planned Oshi no Ko Finale Before Publication
During an interview, Akasaka revealed that he originally planned the beginning and ending before outlining the entire plot. The mangaka also shares how the change in the entertainment industry promoted his interest.
He talks about how fame and popularity are no longer bound to the entertainment industry, as YouTube and the internet have taken over the industry. He said:
Today, however, the entertainment industry has changed dramatically. Talents [entertainers who frequently appear on TV in Japan] can no longer ignore the internet, YouTube has become super popular, movies are watched with subtitles, plays are increasingly based on anime and manga, and there has been an instance of a suicide stemming from a reality show. Considering all those facts, I then decided to take a contemporary subject.
The end of Season 1 set up a delightful love triangle between Aqua, Kana, and Akane, and Season 2 skillfully weaves this love triangle into each character’s stage play roles in Tokyo Blade. Do you believe Oshi no Ko Finale lived up to fans’ high expectations? Let us know in the comments.
Oshi no Ko is available for streaming on Netflix
