Oshi no Ko Animator Discusses the Anime’s Distinct Style

The world loves an underdog, and this season, the anime fandom proved as much with Oshi no Ko. The title was overshadowed by giants such as Demon Slayer ahead of its release, but now Oshi no Ko stands as one of this year’s most promising series. At just three episodes in, fans globally are obsessed with the anime’s dramatic turns, and now one of its animators is opening up about how its distinct style was made.

Recently, Kanna Hirayama spoke with fans about their work on Oshi no Ko, and it was there the character designer dove into some nitty-gritty details. They discussed the challenges of animating such a vibrant show, and of course, the characters’ colorful eyes were brought up.

“The stars needed to be done right [in their eyes], but what else… the eyelashes. I was very particular about the eyelashes and the color of them too,” Hirayama shared. “When you color in animation, it becomes one color. The amount of information from the manga to the anime gets reduced. So by increasing the number of colors, you can achieve a similar effect to the manga.”

As you can see, Hirayama was incredibly thorough when designing the looks of Oshi no Ko’s characters. They wanted to bring the manga’s iconic art style to life, but that is always easier said than done. Judging by the results on screen, we can say Hirayama and their team nailed their vision. After all, the Oshi no Ko anime is like a living version of the manga, and it perfectly envisions the art first made by Doga Kobo in ink.

If you are not caught up with Oshi no Ko, you can binge the anime on HIDIVE right now. You can get more information on the anime courtesy of its official synopsis below:

“Gorou is an ob-gyn with a life far removed from the glitz and glamour of the entertainment industry-the world of his favorite idol, rising star Ai Hoshino. But when the two are unexpectedly brought together, their fates become intertwined in ways that defy all reason. For the good doctor, it’s time to stan(d) and deliver!”

What do you think about Oshi no Ko so far? Do you think the anime is a contender for Show of the Year? Share your thoughts with us in the comments section below or hit me up on Twitter @MeganPetersCB.