On Wednesday, Amazon and Toei revealed a collaborative effort for a live-action film and television series adaptation of Aka Akasaka and Mengo Yokoyari’s Oshi no Ko manga. Toei is set to launch the film in theaters, while the television series will be exclusively streamed on Amazon Prime Video globally, scheduled for “winter 2024.” Alongside this announcement, the production team shared a snapshot featuring the cast in their respective costumes.
The ensemble cast features (top row, left to right):
-Nagisa Saitō, former =LOVE idol group member, portraying Ruby, Asuka Saitō, former Nogizaka46 idol group member (known for live-action Tomorrow, I Will Be Someone’s Girlfriend), as Ai, Kaito Sakurai (recognized for roles in live-action Blue Spring Ride, Vivant), taking on the role of Aqua.
(bottom row, left to right).
Nanoka Hara (notable for Suzume’s title role, live-action Wave, Listen to Me!), cast as Kana Arima, Mizuki Kayashima (seen in Saikō no Kyōshi: 1-nen-go, Watashi wa Seito ni ■ Sareta), portraying Akane Kurokawa, ano (known for contributions to Dead Dead Demon’s Dededede Destruction, theme songs in Tiger & Bunny 2, Chainsaw Man), appearing as Memcho.
The Japanese premiere of the television anime adaptation of Aka Akasaka and Mengo Yokoyari’s Oshi no Ko manga took place on April 12, featuring a 90-minute first episode. HIDIVE provided streaming services for the anime during its Japanese broadcast, offering both the original version and an English-dubbed option.
Notably, the anime achieved the status of being the “#1 series launch in the streamer’s history” on the HIDIVE platform. Fans can anticipate the second season scheduled to air later this year.
For the first season, Daisuke Hiramaki (known for Selection Project) and Chao Nekotomi (recognized for Love is Like a Cocktail) served as directors at Doga Kobo. The series scripts were crafted by Jin Tanaka (contributor to The Misfit of Demon King Academy), and character design duties were undertaken by Kanna Hirayama (notable for Rent-A-Girlfriend).
Akasaka (Kaguya-sama: Love is War) and Yokoyari (Scum’s Wish) initiated the manga serialization in Shueisha’s Weekly Young Jump magazine in April 2020. Shueisha’s MANGA Plus service is digitally releasing the manga in English. The manga has surpassed 15 million copies in circulation.
Yen Press acquired the manga rights and provides the following synopsis:
Gorou, a gynecologist and avid idol fan, is left stunned when his beloved star, Ai, unexpectedly goes on hiatus. Unbeknownst to Gorou, he is on the brink of forming an inexplicable bond with her that challenges all logical reasoning! In this audacious manga by Aka Akasaka (Kaguya-sama: Love is War) and Mengo Yokoyari (Scum’s Wish), deceit becomes an idol’s most potent weapon.
