The Spring 2023 anime season was dominated by the release of Oshi No Ko. Aka Akasaka's drama shed light on the true nature of the entertainment industry while telling a compelling revenge story that draws fans in. Much like Mr. Akasaka's other popular work, Kaguya-Sama: Love Is War, the characters who make up Oshi No Ko's cast are complex and intriguing.
What truly makes Oshi No Ko's lineup shine is how real its characters and their struggles feel. It's hard not to root for both Ruby and Aqua, even when their journeys take them to dark places, and each side character has their own mini-arc to deepen both their character and fans' connection to them.
Update on September 9th, 2023 by Louis Kemner: This article has been updated to match CBR's current publication standards and includes five more of the best Oshi no Ko characters in the manga and anime.
15 Ichigo Saito
Ichigo Saito doesn't do much to endear himself to fans as one of the minor Oshi no Ko characters, though he still has an important role to play. It was Ichigo who recruited the tragic idol Ai Hoshino years ago, which gives him a meaningful connection to the anime's co-stars, Aqua and Ruby. Ichigo is one of the few remaining connections they have to their late mother.
Ichigo cares deeply about idols and helping them succeed as musicians, though Ai's death hurts him deeply, discouraging him from working anymore in this industry. Thus, it falls to Miyako to run Strawberry Productions and serve as the twins' foster parent.
14 Yuki Sumi
Yuki Sumi is a fairly minor Oshi no Ko character who appears early on as a cast member of The Beginning of My Love With an Idol alongside major Oshi no Ko characters like Aqua Hoshino and Akane Kurokawa. Yuki doens't say or do much to stand out, but if fans pay close attention to her, they will see that she is a moderately likable teenage girl who's simply trying to do her best.
Yuki Sumi admits that she didn't have a personal interest in dating boys, but she does so for the sake of her acting career. Despite that, she eventually gets a genuine boyfriend named Nobuyuki Kumano, someone she can like for real. Yuki is also competitive but has a strong sense of fairness and empthy to balance it out.
13 Yoriko Kichijouji
Yoriko Kichijouji is introduced in Episode 4 as a minor but intriguing Oshi no Ko character, a manga artist who writes the popular I'll Go With Sweet Today shojo series. Yoriko's character allows Oshi no Ko fans to explore Japan's entertainment industry from a new angle, with Yoriko being a passionate manga artist who disappproves of sloppy live-action adaptations of her work.
Yoriko is an earnest and generally innocent character who takes her art seriously, which makes her a respectable person compared to the shady and sinister characters in this series. She also mentors Abiko Samejima, the manga author behind Tokyo Blade, which gives Yoriko a connection to Oshi no Ko's main characters when they join a theater production of Tokyo Blade together.
12 Taishi Gotanda
Taishi Gotanda is an award-winning director and one of the few characters who knows the truth about Ruby and Aqua's lineage. It's thanks to Taishi that Aqua is able to enter the acting scene as he gets older, and he's both aware and in support of Aqua's plan to seek revenge against Ai's killer.
Taking on the role of mentor to Aqua, Taishi also raises him after Ai's passing. He doesn't look it, but Taishi can be extremely supportive when necessary, helping Aqua to regain his confidence after a few setbacks have him questioning whether he can achieve his goals.
11 Frill Shiranui
Oshi No Ko's anime hasn't explored much of Frill Shiranui's character yet, but she's a multi-talented performer proficient in acting, dancing, and singing. Ruby is a big fan of hers and becomes very excited to learn that Frill attends the same school as the twins.
Frill Shiranui is a quiet yet personable girl. She comes off as aloof but has a sharp memory when it comes to other actors and their careers. Shiranui's overall presence in Oshi No Ko continues to grow as the manga progresses, though anime-only watchers will have to wait to grasp the true depth of her character.
10 Dr. Gorou Amamiya
Aquamarine Hoshino's original identity is Dr. Gorou Amamiya, a gynecologist working in a remote rural Japanese hospital. In Oshi no Ko's earliest scenes, Dr. Gorou is seen providing emotional support for Sarina Tendouji as both her doctor and as a fellow Ai Hoshino fan. That makes Dr. Gorou and Sarina close as fellow fans, and it may be why they, of all people, got reincarnated together.
The anime doesn't show much of Dr. Gorou's original life and identity, but it's still clear that he is a hardworking and caring doctor whom any patient can feel comfortable around. He also has a dry, witty sense of humor and knows how to separate his goofy love of idols with his medical duties if need be. This comedic dual nature helps make him one of the best Oshi no Ko characters, even if he only appears briefly before being reborn as Aqua.
9 Pieyon
The enigmatic character Pieyon makes a strong impression in Oshi no Ko as a musclebound performer with a Tweety Bird-style mask on. Kana and Ruby aren't sure what to make of him, but they do learn from him and boost their physical endurance under his tutelage. Interestingly, some fans believe Pieyon is actually a Kaguya-Sama character whose presence might confirm a shared Oshi no Ko-Kaguya-Sama universe.
Pieyon is always entertaining whenever he appears, but he doesn't have to be there in person to train his young apprentices. At one point, Aqua puts on that bird mask and trains Kana and his sister further as "Pieyon," and when Kana discovers the truth, she is happy rather than upset. That's one of the few times in Oshi no Ko when a lie is well-meaning and actually helps someone.
8 Mem-Cho
Oshi No Ko dives deep into the entertainment world, covering much more than just the idol industry, with Mem-Cho giving viewers a glimpse into the internet influencer world. Mem-Cho originally wanted to be an idol but gave up her dreams in order to support her family.
Mem-Cho instead becomes an online influencer, gaining popularity through her TikTok and YouTube channels. Mem-Cho understands the ruthlessness of the entertainment industry and acts much younger than she is in order to draw in more fans, refusing to let her age stop her from pursuing her dreams in a hyper-competitive environment.
7 Miyako Saito
Miyako Saito originally comes off as self-centered, as she contemplates exposing Ai's secret for profit and mainly seems concerned with finding a rich, attractive husband. After Ai's passing, Miyako shows a responsible and nurturing side of herself, adopting the twins and ensuring their secret is kept safe from the outside world.
Not only that, but Miyako keeps Strawberry Productions afloat even after the disbandment of B-Komachi by switching to supporting independent creators. Although she's afraid Ruby could suffer the same fate as Ai, Miyako loves her like her own daughter and allows her to pursue her dreams, despite her fears. Miyako is one of the best characters in Oshi no Ko for all these reasons and more, especially in recent manga chapters when she pushes herself even harder as Ruby's foster mom/manager.
6 Akane Kurokawa
Introduced in the Reality Dating Show arc, Akane Kurokawa is shy and soft-spoken but studious and hard-working, so she's fairly likable among all the best oshi no Ko characters. Internet backlash regarding her performance and personality almost drives her to take her own life, but she's saved by Aqua, becoming indebted to him.
Akane has an incredible ability to get into the mind of whoever she's performing as, analyzing and uncovering personal details about them the public might not even know. She's the first character apart from the Hoshinos to have the trademark starry eyes, symbolizing her ability to make lies seem like truths.
5 Ruby Hoshino
Ruby Hoshino is the daughter of Ai and the reincarnation of Sarina Tendoji. She possesses her mother's good looks, confidence, and charm and isn't afraid to pursue her dreams of being an idol despite the tragedy that befell Ai. Ruby is also friendly and sociable, quickly making friends after entering high school.
Able to move past the trauma of losing Ai, Ruby wholeheartedly throws herself into keeping her mother's dream alive. Her indomitable spirit allows her to bounce back after rejection and revive B-Komachi, unwavering despite the risks and likelihood of failure.
4 Aquamarine Hoshino
The reincarnation of Gorou Amamiya, Aqua is deeply scarred from failing Ai not once but twice. He dies before birthing Ai's children, and then as Ai's reincarnated child, he is helpless when a stalker fatally attacks her. Aqua internalizes this much deeper than Ruby, devoting his existence to identifying and enacting revenge on Ai's killer.
To this end, Aqua becomes a cold, manipulative person who's willing to use those around him as pawns. He has a talent for acting, despite claiming the opposite, and Aqua still possesses a tender, caring side. This is shown through his support for Kana and his willingness to take action to save Akane's life.
3 Sarina Tendoji
Before being reincarnated as Ruby Hoshino, Sarina Tendoji lives life stuck in the hospital due to her condition. Essentially abandoned by her parents, the two things that keep Sarina's spirits high are her love of the famous idol Ai Hoshino and the interactions she has with her doctor, Gorou.
Despite being weak and falling every time she tries, Sarina still practices Ai's choreography and tries to refine her dance moves. She keeps her spirits high despite her circumstances and jumps at the chance to fully pursue her dreams of being an idol once she's reincarnated.
2 Kana Arima
Child prodigy Kana Arima is known for her ability to flick a crying switch on command. She has a foul mouth, with Kana's attitude being especially sour in her younger years, causing her to lose many job opportunities as she gets older.
Kana becomes more adaptable after this, learning to get along better with others while taking lesser opportunities to continue getting work. Even in the face of adversity, Kana constantly strives to better herself and her abilities, though she does suffer from low self-esteem due to feeling like she peaked as a young child. Kana is also a delightful and sympathetic anime tsundere, which greatly boosts her appeal and makes her one of the best Oshi no Ko characters in the eyes of many fans.
1 Ai Hoshino
Though Ai Hoshino is only alive for most of Oshi No Ko's first episode, her presence and impact are felt throughout the entire series. Due to Ai's past, she's never experienced true love in any form, performing as an idol in the hopes that she can love her fans and truly feel it.
Ai fully embraces motherhood alongside her idol work, confident she can juggle both while keeping the former a secret from the public. Her life is tragically cut short by an enraged stalker, but Ai is finally able to tell her children she genuinely loves them in her final, gut-wrenching moments. Ai Hoshimo embodies all that makes Oshi no Ko such a compelling and emotionally impactful story, all while being a terrific mother and pop idol. That secures her position as the greatest of all Oshi no Ko characters.
