The Oshi No Ko manga finale is here. It has been four and a half years since Aka Akasaka released the first chapter in April of 2020. Chapter 166, the finale, released on November 14, 2024.
SPOILER WARNING
If you are anime only or haven’t read the manga finale yet, don’t spoil yourself.
What Happens in Chapter 166: Towards the Stars and Dreams?
As the news of Aqua’s death spreads, Ruby finds herself consumed by grief over her brother’s passing. However, over time, she begins to gather the strength to move forward. Meanwhile, Mem-Cho takes a step back from streaming to mourn, but Kana, also grieving, refuses to accept Aqua’s death. She convinces Mem-Cho to keep going. Together they offer comfort to Ruby, helping her find the courage to return to school. In turn, Ruby encourages Miyako to take charge of Ichigo-Pro again, reigniting her drive. A little while later, B-Komachi holds auditions for new members, while Kana, Akane, Melt, Taiki, and Gotanda all continue to pursue their individual paths.
As Ruby hides her pain she taps into her inner darkness when needed, her public image begins to attract media attention. Before long, B-Komachi is invited to perform at the Tokyo Dome. During the show, a girl in the crowd watches in awe, feeling that Ruby was “born to bring light into the darkness,” and begins to reflect Ruby’s “lying eyes.” The performance moves the audience to tears, deeply touched by Ruby’s song.
One morning, Ruby wakes up for rehearsal, complaining about having to smile and lie for her job, even though she secretly enjoys it. Later, she visits the memorial for Aqua and Ai, surrounded by family photos, and quietly promises to follow the future they hoped for her before heading out.
My Thoughts on the Oshi No Ko Manga Finale
This was one of my favorite ongoing manga, with Blue Box and Kaoru Hana, but I thought the ending wasn’t that great. It was anticlimactic especially because the last couple of chapters had some serious twists. It was a rushed ending in my opinion. We don’t see how Aqua’s death really impacts the characters, we just have some inner dialogue with montage panels.
If you’re a fan of Akasaka you might have seen this coming, since the same thing happened with the Love is War manga. However, overall I think Oshi No Ko was a good manga. The characters, the story arcs, the art were all well done. I think it made up for this ending.
Maybe there’s hope Studio Doga Koba will change the ending or tweak it with the anime. The anime recently wrapped up its second season, and they have already announced a third season. The anime only watchers have a lot of story left, they haven’t even gotten to the climax of the story yet I think. I haven’t seen any of the anime other than the first episode of the first season.
