Crunchyroll has become one of the biggest streaming services thanks to its devotion to the anime world, but this doesn’t mean that the platform doesn’t have major competition. While platforms like Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, HBO Max, and Hulu have jumped in on the anime wars, there has been one streaming service that has seen success in focusing entirely on anime. HIDIVE made a name for itself by hosting many anime exclusives that Crunchyroll wasn’t privy to, but it appears as though the latter is looking to one-up the former by grabbing its top exclusive series.
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Oshi no Ko became one of the biggest anime exclusives for HIDIVE when the series first premiered in 2023, with the second season also landing on the platform. In a surprise twist, Crunchyroll will not only house the third season of this dark idol tale, but it will also act as the exclusive place to stream the continuation of the anime adaptation. Arriving in January of next year, Crunchyroll released both a new visual and the trailer for the third season, proving that the streaming service is taking the “anime wars” quite seriously. With the manga ending its story late last year, it will be interesting to see if season three acts as the grand finale or if Studio Doga Kobo will have an additional batch of episodes on the way for a fourth season.
What Will Oshi No Ko Season 3 Be About?
Along with the surprising announcement, Crunchyroll also released a breakdown of the upcoming third season set to arrive in January of next year. Oshi No Ko describes its next season as such: “The story enters a new stage. It’s been six months since “POP IN 2″ was released. Thanks to MEM-Cho’s hard work, B-Komachi is about to get their major break. Aqua is a multi-talented entertainer, and Akane’s career as a talented actress is going smoothly. Meanwhile, Kana lost the cheerfulness she once had. To track down the truth behind Ai and Goro’s deaths, Ruby keeps rising in the entertainment world… Using lies as a weapon.”
Oshi no Ko, as a series, treads some dark territory, routinely examining aspects of being a popular musician while also injecting some dire scenarios into its storylines. Not only did the franchise from creator Aka Akasaka see success in both its manga and anime, but it also received a live-action television series in Japan, along with a live-action feature-length film. Without diving into spoiler territory, the manga’s finale doesn’t hint at a story that could continue in the future, but this fact doesn’t stop the story from being a gut punch to fans worldwide.
In the past, HIDIVE has had its fair share of anime exclusives in a bid to become the top anime streaming service. Alongside Oshi no Ko, the platform has housed big titles like Call of The Night, Is It Wrong To Pick Up Girls In A Dungeon, Dark Gathering, The Eminence in Shadow, and Ragna Crimson, to name a few. Still, the loss of this dark anime idol comes as a shock to anime fans worldwide and it will be interesting to see what ramifications this might have on the platform.
What do you think of Crunchyroll snagging the HIDIVE exclusive next year? Leave a comment below and join the conversation now in the ComicBook Forum!
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