Oshi no Ko Artist Breaks Silence on Controversial Ending: "I Put My Heart and Soul" Into It (2024)

With Aqua and Ruby's saga officially over after the conclusion of Oshi no Ko, fan reception wasn't exceptionally strong to the final chapters. Due perhaps to expectations of a happier ending and more pleasant epilogues for its male lead, the seinen manga still captivated public manga discourse with its poignant commentary on the entertainment industry. As the manga's artist, Mengo Yokoyari, took to X (formerly Twitter), she addressed the difficulty of having a nuanced and frank discussion after Oshi no Ko's conclusion, especially with how hard she worked on it.

Oshi no Ko doesn't need to qualify itself, though. According to Oricon's November 2024 update, it has 20 million copies in circulation and is a massive hit anime series. The seinen manga explored themes of revenge and renewal as two tragically lost souls were reincarnated as the children of their favorite idol, who would soon witness her murder. Love it or not, Oshi no Ko was a powerfully compelling series with biting commentary on show business that's a tough act to follow.

Mengo Yokoyari Doesn't Wish to Feed Negative Discourse

As spotted on X, Mengo Yokoyari issued a crucial tweet with her stance on commenting on Oshi no Ko's divisive ending. The manga has a poignant conclusion, which, as Yokoyari's illustrations indicate, deserves to be appreciated for its joyful and vibrant conveyance of Oshi no Ko's hopeful final message. Yokoyari issued her statement, refusing to comment on the series to prevent negative discourse, instead focusing on how the series was a labor of love. Yokoyari has restricted replies to her tweets to only those she follows or mentions.

Given how Yokoyari even took the reins for the series with Oshi no Ko -Interlude- in the summer of 2023, it's clear how much it meant to her. Nothing else truly needs to be said, as she helped accomplish a massive feat and an impressive collaboration with Aka Akasaka, creating a buzzworthy seinen manga and groundbreaking anime to follow. But Akasaka himself remarked on Yokoyari's contributions to Oshi no Ko.

Mengo-sensei has made a hit with Scum's Wish, which isn't based on an existing story or a separate writer's script. She is capable of writing interesting manga without me.

-Aka Akasaka

In a May 10, 2023 interview with Anime News Network, Akasaka-sensei pointed out Yokoyari's strengths as a mangaka and her value as a collaborative partner. He mentions her work on Scum's Wish, its status as a hit, and how valuable she was in the creative process of bringing Oshi no Ko to life. With Yokoyari's previous work helping form the basis of Akasaka's entertainment industry drama, the Oshi no Ko artist doesn't need to say more, as her collaborative partner and body of work speak for her contributions immensely.

Sources: Mengo Yokoyari on X, Oricon, Anime News Network

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8.8/10

Oshi No Ko

TV-14

Animation

Mystery

Supernatural

Oshi no Ko is an animated supernatural mystery series that follows a gynecologist named Gorou, a big fan of an idol whom he is caring for as she prepares to deliver her children. After an obsessive fan of the idols murders Gorou, he is reincarnated as her newborn son - but along with him, a terminal patient he knew is reborn as his twin sister. Years later, after yet another seemingly related murder, Gorou (now known as Aqua) decides to enter the idol world and find the culprit.

Cast

Manaka Iwami , Jeremy Gee , Jack Stansbury , Alyssa Marek , Savanna Menzel , Natalie Rial

Release Date

April 12, 2023

Seasons

1

Streaming Service(s)

HIDIVE

Writers

Jin Tanaka

Directors

Daisuke Hiramaki