Oshi no Ko is a deceptively dark series, with not every character making it out alive by the final chapter. While the manga and anime adaptation promotes the series as a colorful, fun time with a beautiful idol with star eyes front and center, the story is anything but. The series pulls the rug under fans’ expectations with an opening death, leaving readers and viewers with an uneasy feeling of dread throughout the narrative. Oshi no Ko goes into great detail about the dark aspects of the entertainment and idol industry, which includes the stress of keeping up with appearances and dealing with outside pressure. The series also covers the dangers of stalking fans and how vicious obsession and revenge can be.
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However, the series does go over the amusing aspects of the entertainment, and it’s not completely bleak. There is a fun side to the industry, and the story covers how people bond over their shared professions in entertainment. As fans got to know the cast of Oshi no Ko, it became difficult to imagine any of the characters being offed. Nonetheless, one of the main themes of the manga is about the destructive nature of obsession and how that can lead to a tragic end.
Warning: Spoilers Ahead for the Oshi no Ko Ending!
Who doesn’t make it out alive in the Oshi no Ko Finale?
The manga and anime shocked people when Ai Hoshino, the character in all the promos and advertising for the series, perished in the early parts of the story. The story instead swifts to Ai’s twins, Aqua and Ruby, who are both reincarnations of people who knew Ai in a previous life. Aqua spends the majority of the story attempting to find his mother’s killer, with his obsession getting him dangerously close to self-destruction. The manga’s final chapters featured one last death that surprised fans once again.
[Related: Oshi no Ko Will Expand Two Key Characters’ Endings]
Aqua ultimately confronted the man responsible for his mother’s death, his biological father Hikaru Kamiki. Realizing his father will target his sister, Aqua sacrifices himself by dragging Hikaru off a cliff and into the waters. While it was a tragic death, Aqua and Hikaru were fortunately the only major causalities in the finale. The rest of the main cast, including Ruby, Kana, Akane, Mem-cho, Miyako, and the remaining recurring characters, survived the end of the series. Ruby is left in despair after losing her brother, yet she can persevere because of help from the rest of the cast.
The manga hammers home the idea that entertainment and art are viable ways of self-expression and can make a difference in people’s lives. The industry can be grueling and exploitative, yet the manga offers a kernel of hope to those who choose to continue to be part of it. There’s a genuine sweetness in the camaraderie that is formed between Aqua, Ruby, and their friend group. Even though the industry can be a difficult place to thrive, a community can help people endure it. Oshi no Ko’s final chapter has the characters come together to support Ruby’s idol career, who decides to continue despite losing her family.
