Oshi no Ko burst onto the scene in the Spring 2023 anime season, a dramatic and dark anime about the predatory ways of the idol industry and the perils of social media. This is a complex and thought-provoking series that juggles many themes, but it's also accessible and fun because those themes are expressed through lovable and fascinating characters.
Oshi no Ko's main characters are all more than they seem to be, and they often get lost in a web of lies, hurt feelings, desperate ambitions, and much more. Already, several of Oshi no Ko's main characters are some of the fandom's favorites of all time, and it features some of 2023's Best Boys and certainly Best Girls. Users on MyAnimeList feel that way too, and they all voted to show who's really the best in this anime.
10 Sarina Tendouji
83 Favorites
Sarina Tendouji was one of the first characters introduced in Oshi no Ko. She was a sickly 12-ish-year-old girl who had been in the hospital for years, and she had nothing but a TV and Ai Hoshino's idol performances to cheer her up. Sarina's doctor, Dr. Gorou, was also a big fan of Ai's.
Oshi no Ko fans like Sarina, even if her time was too brief, because she was a charming and hopeful girl who had a relatable arc. She wanted so badly to get out there and become someone, but she wouldn't do it in this lifetime. Through a miracle—or perhaps a curse—Sarina would be reborn as Ruby Hoshino and totally reboot her life.
9 Gorou Amemiya
118 Favorites
Dr. Gorou Amemiya is another Oshi no Ko character who exists in two different forms in the anime. First, he was introduced as his real self, the dark-haired rural doctor who cared for his young patient Sarina. Like her, Dr. Gorou was a huge fan of Ai's, except he was quieter and dryly funny about it.
Dr. Gorou also met Ai Hoshino in person, and he was shocked to learn of her pregnancy. Ai was carrying twins, and Dr. Gorou did his best to hide that secret until he died. Then, a stalker stabbed and killed Dr. Gorou one evening, and Dr. Gorou got reborn as one of the babies being delivered in his hospital.
8 Taishi Gotanda
150 Favorites
Taishi Gotanda appeared early in Oshi no Ko's story as a movie director who saw Aqua Hoshino's acting first-hand. In Aqua's early career, he and Taishi became a bit closer, and Taishi ended up becoming a father figure for the boy. That made Taishi fairly popular among anime fans.
Several years later, a teenaged Aqua schemed to get revenge on Ai, and Taishi, who was still a father figure to him, supported this idea. Aqua doesn't truly see Taishi as a beloved father figure and the two are known for their verbal jabs, but he's still the closest thing Aqua has as a friend right now.
7 Miyako Saito
262 Favorites
Miyako Saito made her debut in Oshi no Ko's lengthy first episode as the wife of Strawberry Productions' then-president, Ichigo Saito, until she eventually succeeded him as the company's president. She is also the foster mother of Aqua and Ruby, and she even babysat them before Ai's death.
Miyako Saito is a fairly charming and amusing Oshi no Ko character with relatable flaws and vulnerabilities. She also has her serious and cool side, being a highly competent member of the entertainment industry and giving Ruby stern but well-meaning advice throughout the story.
6 Mem-Cho
461 Favorites
Mem-Cho burst onto the scene a few episodes into Oshi no Ko as a major supporting character. Mem-Cho has a strong background in social media, being an expert in not just what kind of content to make, but when to share it to get more views and shares.
Mem-Cho is one of Oshi no Ko's most comedic and innocent characters, a 24-year-old with a youthful appearance and carefree disposition. She's also known for her "cute devil" appearance, with two small horns on her head and sometimes bat-like wings and a tail on her back for visual flair.
5 Ruby Hoshino
1,826 Favorites
Sarina Tendouji was literally reborn as Ruby Hoshino, the daughter of idol Ai Hoshino, and she never looked back. Ruby doesn't identify much with her previous life in Oshi no Ko's anime, since she's excited to use her healthy body and good looks to finally pursue her dream of becoming a pop idol like Ai.
Ruby is the co-star of Oshi no Ko alongside her twin brother Aqua, and she is compelling to watch. Ruby may be a bit bratty and makes mistakes sometimes, but she's also sympathetic on many levels and knows how to steal the spotlight as a wannabe star with everything to prove.
4 Akane Kurokawa
2,944 Favorites
Akane Kurokawa the teenage actress made waves when she appeared in Oshi no Ko's sixth episode. She faced the internet's dark side after slapping another girl on a dating show, then came back from the brink with Aqua Hoshino's help. Now Akane is doing better, and she's absolutely infatuated with her classmate and savior.
Akane has considerable talent and simply needs another opportunity to prove it and gain more self-esteem. She has a lot of promise as a young performer, but her personal life might distract her. Akane is now in a developing love triangle with Kana and Aqua, and it might get messy.
3 Aquamarine Hoshino
4,205 Favorites
Aquamarine Hoshino, usually going by Aqua, is the co-star of Oshi no Ko along with his twin sister Ruby. Like her, he got reborn as Ai Hoshino's child, but Aqua has a much different attitude about it. In Aqua's eyes, Ai is still just Ai Hoshino the idol, not his "mama," and he'd rather avenge her than try to be like her.
Aqua is a classic "cool guy" lead, an aloof and calculating fellow who is distinctly popular with all the girls around him. His personality is a mixed bag, since Aqua can be cold and has mild stalker tendencies, but also saved Akane's life on his own accord and is supporting Kana and Ruby with his Pieyon disguise.
2 Ai Hoshino
5,806 Favorites
Ai Hoshino the music idol embodies Oshi no Ko's central themes more than any other character, even if she didn't stick around that long. Growing up, Ai never knew love and had an unstable childhood, but she did have talent as a singer, so she became an idol. That meant burying her own misery and pretending to be happy and loving to everyone.
Ai was highly successful as B Komachi's star, but after having her two children, she started doubting herself again. She wasn't sure if her love for Aqua and Ruby was genuine, but in her dying moments, Ai realized the happy truth—that she did love them. That allowed her to die in peace, but the darkness of the Hoshino family had only just begun.
1 Kana Arima
10,784 Favorites
Kana Arima started off strong as a popular child actor, but then her career dropped off. Now, as a teenager, Kana has a second chance at stardom with Ruby's new B Komachi group. Even if she is the least enthusiastic member, Kana has the most power with her superior singing voice and name recognition.
Kana is a total tsundere who often loses her temper and denies her warm feelings for others, which helped endear her to Oshi no Ko fans. She also got swept up in a love triangle between herself and Akane, but even if she has a stronger personality than Akane, that doesn't mean she will win—not yet, anyway.
NEXT: 10 Best Anime of Spring 2023, Ranked
