Oshi no Ko perfectly captures the dark reality behind the glitz and glamour of the entertainment industry. So, if you want to go deeper into Aqua and Ruby's story, here are all of Oshi no Ko's arcs in chronological order!
Oshi no Ko is not an ordinary idol anime that focuses solely on the industry's positive aspects. It's not just about the cute costumes and upbeat performances.
Instead, it depicts the hardships that aspiring idols and artists face behind the camera.
Spoiler Warning: This article contains spoilers from the Oshi no Ko manga.
All Oshi no Ko Arcs in Order
As of writing, Oshi no Ko has nine story arcs with over 100 chapters. The story begins with a prologue that introduces Ai Hoshino to the reader.
She was a talented up-and-coming idol who, unbeknownst to her fans, hid a secret that no one should know about except the people she trusted the most.
So far, here are all of Oshi no Ko’s story arcs in order:
- Prologue
- Entertainment World
- Dating Reality Show
- The First Concert
- 2.5D Stage Play
- Private
- The Main Story
- Scandal
- Movie
Read more about Oshi no Ko’s story arcs below:
Prologue Arc
The Prologue Arc tells the story of Ai Hoshino, an up-and-coming idol, and how she met Gorou Amamiya, a rural OB-GYN doctor who was actually her biggest fan.
There was also a young and frail girl named Sarina Tendouji who influenced Gorou to rethink his perspective on idols.
At a very young age, Ai found out that she was pregnant with twins. But due to her flourishing career as an idol, Ai had to hide her scandal from the prying eyes of the public to maintain her position in the industry.
Thanks to Gorou’s assistance, Ai managed to deliver her healthy babies without any problems at all.
Or so she thought it was—Gorou Amamiya was stabbed to death by one of Ai’s problematic fans.
Ai returned to the spotlight, but little did she know that her babies were reincarnations of Sarina and Gorou!
Entertainment World Arc
While the Prologue Arc focuses on Ai Hoshino's story, the Entertainment World Arc lays the groundwork for her children's success.
This is when Aqua and Ruby start at Yoto High School, a prestigious institution for students pursuing professions in the entertainment industry.
Aqua enrolls in the general education program, whereas Ruby gets admitted into the performing arts program.
They were also reunited with Kana Arima, the "has-been" child actress who was also Aqua’s former co-child actor.
This also marks the beginning of Aqua's search for their father, whom he blames for the tragic end of Ai Hoshino's career.
He meets with the producer, Masaya Kaburagi, and even appears in an online drama based on a popular manga with Kana.
Dating Reality Show Arc
The Dating Reality Show Arc, as the title suggests, covers the narrative of Aqua's involvement with a dating reality show called Love Now.
In exchange for some personal information about Ai Hoshino and the men in her life, he accepted Kaburagi's offer to join the dating reality show.
In Love Now, Aqua gets acquainted with his fellow cast members like Akane Kurokawa, Sumi Yuki, Mem-Cho, Nobuyuki Kumano, and Kengo Morimoto.
Love Now unexpectedly became such a sensation that people began speculating about the potential pairings on the reality dating show.
During the filming of Love Now, an incident occurred that would send Akane Kurokawa over the edge.
This will force Aqua to pull some strings and do everything he can to revive Akane's career.
The First Concert Arc
In this arc, Ruby Hoshino comes out of his brother's shadow to demonstrate to the world that she, too, is capable of becoming an idol like her late mother.
Ruby, together with Kana and Mem-Cho, worked tirelessly to prepare for their first official performance in front of a large crowd.
They were set to take the stage at the Japan Idol Festival, which would make or ruin their careers.
With the assistance and advice of YouTuber Pieyon, the newest B-Komachi idol group will go to any lengths to reclaim its place in the idol industry.
Sumiaki Raida, an event management firm representative, and Mana Suzushiro, a former idol, are also introduced.
2.5D Stage Play Arc
This is one of the most thrilling story arcs in Oshi no Ko, as Aqua, Akane, and Kana are all together to collaborate on a theater production.
They will appear in Tokyo Blade, a theatrical version of a well-known manga by Abiko Samejima.
This arc also sets the stage for Akane and Kana's acting showdown. They are not only competitors in the profession but also in Aqua's heart.
They have various personalities, not to mention different acting skills, which will show their audience what they are made of.
Private Arc
Oshi no Ko's Private Arc contains numerous revelations about the identity of Aqua and Ruby's father, as well as the discovery of Gorou Amamiya's remains in Miyazaki.
This is where Sarina and Gorou’s lives ended, but it is also the beginning of Ruby’s revenge plot.
B-Komachi's career is also thriving, and they were going to release an original song, not to mention a music video made possible by some influential people in the industry.
Aqua, on the other hand, chose to abandon his revenge plan after discovering the enigma surrounding his father's identity.
He wants to start living again, and what better way to do it than to start dating?
The Main Story Arc
While Aqua leads a life free from hatred for his father, Ruby goes down a completely different path.
She will do everything she can to carve her way to stardom, even going so far as to go solo from her idol group.
This is now or never, and Ruby is hell-bent on finding their father for the sake of revenge.
Her name will be known as she joins the variety show called Dig Deep! One Chance, where she will use anyone or anything to be famous!
Unbeknownst to Aqua, the real identity of their father is still shrouded in mystery! Will he be able to find out the truth, or will Ruby be the first to do it?
Scandal Arc
Since Ruby is busy with her individual gigs, Kana is contemplating the direction of her career. Will she continue becoming an idol, or will she go back to her acting career?
At the same time, Kana is struggling with her feelings for Aqua. They were not the same anymore, as Aqua began to distance himself for the sake of Kana's idol career.
With everything Kana is going through, another controversy strikes. She was photographed with a film director late at night in a hotel.
Worse, the movie director is married, and Kana will have to deal with the fallout from her actions.
As a result, Strawberry Productions will take extraordinary measures to correct the situation, even if it involves dragging Ai Hoshino's name into the spotlight once again.
Movie Arc
The Movie Arc is still ongoing, and it is the beginning of the movie production of 15 Years of Lies. The movie will tell the life story of Ai Hoshino, and various actors and actresses will audition for the roles.
The lead actress for Ai Hoshino will face intense competition as Ruby Hoshino, Akane Kurokawa, and Frill Shiranui are eyeing the role.
Who will be able to get the role?
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