Oshi no Ko ended with chapter 166 on November 14, 2024, and fans have not been the same ever since. Not because life is impossible without the manga, but because the ending had disappointed a majority of the fandom.
Of course, the author gets to choose the plot and ending of their creation, regardless of what fans think about it. And from the looks of it, Akasaka is quite satisfied with the finale of Oshi no Ko.
Oshi no Ko‘s Ending was Exactly What Aka Akasaka Had Planned
In an interview with Shueisha, it was revealed that Aka Akasaka had planned the general plot of Oshi no Ko from the very beginning. The author admitted that the ending went exactly how it was expected. While a majority of the plot was clearly decided on at the beginning, the mangaka also left some plot points to gradual development.
According to Akasaka, he used to be the type of writer who would decide everything from the very beginning and then move forward with his plans, but he changed after the serialization of Kaguya-sama: Love is War. He admitted that sometimes the inner world of a character is suddenly revealed, and it can even surprise the author. Thus, he wanted to be an author who could cherish the personality of a character and develop the plot likewise.
As a result, it has become almost impossible to decide everything from 1 to 10. So although the ending of “Oshi no Ko” was already decided, I think it’s a manga that also took great care in drawing the characters, and I think that’s what has become my own personality.
-Aka Akasaka
All in all, it seems like Aka Akasaka has no regrets about the ending of Oshi no Ko, especially since his pre-decided plan and the development of characters aligned to create the tragic end of the franchise.
Aka Akasaka’s Upcoming Serialization Might Hinder His Plans for a Calm Life
The life of a mangaka is hectic, to say the least. Apart from extremely strict deadlines and reviews from editors, there are many medical problems involved due to the long work hours and bad posture while drawing. Aka Akasaka, the famed author of Kaguya-sama and Oshi no Ko, suffers from the same problems that plague the rest of the mangaka community.
In the interview, the author admitted that during the serialization of Kaguya-sama: Love is War, he wasn’t living a human life. But after the debut of Oshi no Ko, things got a bit better. This time around, he was able to focus on the work little by little and also wanted to put more emphasis on his own life. In fact, the author is already eager to get involved with some farm work now that Oshi no Ko has ended.
But will Akasaka really be able to rest? According to leaks, the Oshi no Ko author is already onto his next project which might debut sometime during spring 2025. It is a fantasy manga project with princes and princesses whose details have not been officially announced yet. With another original series debuting soon, it is doubtful whether Akasaka will be able to focus on himself for much longer.
Oshi no Ko manga is available to read on Viz Media, and the anime is currently streaming on Crunchyroll.
