Unlike other recent anime hits, Oshi no Ko's title hasn't been officially translated into English. Instead, it's best known by its Japanese name. So, what does Oshi no Ko mean?
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What Is the Meaning of Oshi no Ko?
Oshi no Ko is a fitting title because of its double meaning which represents Ai Hoshino's double life as an idol and a mother.
"Oshi" means to support or admire in Japanese.
"No" is a particle that has many uses. It's most commonly used as a possessive particle.
"Ko" means child, but in some cases, it means "girl" and it's often the ending particle of Japanese female names.
Together, the phrase most commonly means "the girl I support," or, in a less direct but more accurate translation, "my idol."
Given that the anime is largely filtered through Aqua's perspective and supporting Ai is his main motivation, this title is fitting, but it isn't the only possible interpretation.
Based on the context and the true focus of the story, Oshi no Ko's title meaning is meant to double as "the children of the girl I support" or "the children of my idol," namely Aqua and Ruby.
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Why Wasn't Oshi no Ko's Title Translated?
Originally, it was thought that since Oshi no Ko didn't have an official English translation, it didn't have an English title due to that.
However, the English translation of the manga is now coming out in print as Oshi no Ko, which means not giving it an English title was a conscious choice.
The publisher's exact reasons for this aren't known, but we can think of a few possibilities.
Avoiding Isekai Tropes
First of all, Oshi no Ko's first chapters -- and the anime's first, 90-minute-long episode -- thrive on deception.
If you simply read a blurb without knowing anything at all about the plot, it's easy to think that Oshi no Ko is just another bad isekai with problematic undertones.
But Oshi no Ko is much more grounded and realistic, using the reincarnation trope as a vehicle to explore femicide, revenge, and the darkest aspects of the idol industry.
While Oshi no Ko wants you to start watching without knowing what to expect, a title like Reincarnated as My Idol's Son could make viewers dismiss it as one of those isekai without giving it a chance.
If anything, we almost dismissed it as another isekai, and that without an absurdly long title.
Keeping the Original Ambiguity
Of course, the title of Oshi no Ko could have been translated into something simple like My Idol, or My Idol's Children.
However, we can't really think of an English equivalent that encapsulates both these meaning the way Oshi no Ko does.
Convenience
Ultimately, most manga and anime titles are translated for marketing reasons.
This is to ensure that a title will be easy to remember and reach the target audience in the West.
Oshi no Ko is pretty easy to remember even for those who don't speak any Japanese, so perhaps the publisher saw no reason to change it.
After all, if the manga was already popular in the West as Oshi no Ko before its official translation, giving it an entirely new title would probably hurt its chances rather than ensure further acclaim.
Oshi no Ko works really well as an ambiguous title; as unique as its subject matter.
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