Oshi no Ko’s original manga ended in November 2024, but the series lives on with its ongoing anime adaptation and the recently completed live-action show on Prime Video.Released on June 11, 2025 worldwide, the live-action series followed a streamlined version of the events of the manga, before adapting the final arc into a feature-length film, released on December 20 in Japan. The movie is currently being met with glowing reviews from fans and critics alike, and the creators of the original manga serieshave finally shared their feelings regarding the adaptation as well.
Written by Aka Akasaka and illustrated by Mengo Yokoyari,Oshi no Koran for 166 chapters in Shueisha’sWeekly Young Jump,concluding only weeks before the live-action series premiered. As reported by Japanese media outlet,Natalie, the two creators finally took the time to share their thoughts on the adaptation,and both are extremely pleased with the production.
Oshi no Ko’s Original Creators Are Satisfied With the Live-Action Series
Oshi no Kowas elevated to the forefront of the anime and manga world when the first season of its anime adaptation premiered in April 2023. By then, the original manga had already been in publication for nearly three years and was nearing its final arc, causing fans to rush the shelves of bookstores in order to find out how the story progressed.This popularity inevitably led to Prime Video’s live-action adaptation, which took advantage of the attention that the manga’s ending was receiving.
Live-action adaptations of anime and manga have a spotty reputation, butAkasaka and Yokoyari are fully on board with the latest version of their series. Akasaka, who wroteOshi no Ko’s story, commented, “I feel respected,” before adding, “in the series, there is a line that says, ‘I have no choice but to believe and entrust,’ and I feltOshi no Kowas made with such respect.”
Mengo Yokoyari, who illustrated the series, was also complimentary towards the series,while sharing some concerns she had about the adaptation. She said, “I wondered if it was okay to doOshi no Koin live action as I thought that my art style and character designs were not suitable for live action,” adding, “I was worried that it would be difficult to reproduce them, but I believe that was all completely unfounded.”
Oshi no Ko: The Final Act Is Meeting a Better Reception than Its Manga Counterpart
Oshi no Ko’s Original Manga Ending Was Controversial
Oshi no Ko: The Final Actis receiving favorable early reviewsfrom fans and critics on several online platforms, who praise the film for its attempts to touch on the more disturbing aspects of the entertainment industry. Ironically enough, the original manga’s ending, on which the live-action show is based,was incredibly divisive among fans and readers of the series, who believed it was simply not a satisfying conclusion.
Oshi no Ko Artist Breaks Silence on Controversial Ending: “I Put My Heart and Soul” Into It
Mengo Yokoyari provided wonderful characters and a powerful aesthetic to Oshi no Ko, but the manga’s ending has prompted mixed reactions.
This phenomenon is not new, however, as the titanically popularAttack on Titanalso received harsh criticism for its manga ending, before anime viewers praised the series' finale endlessly. WhetherOshi no Kowill meet the response upon the anime’s conclusion remains to be seen. Nevertheless, the live-action adaptation’s accompanying film has finally been released,and it has the glowing approval of the story’s original creators.
Oshi No Ko
Cast
Oshi No Ko is a 2023 Japanese series that follows a small-town doctor’s encounter with a popular teen idol leading to an entanglement in the cutthroat entertainment industry. The narrative explores themes of ambition, identity, and the hidden realities behind fame as the characters navigate complex personal and professional challenges.
