【Oshi no Ko】 - Vol. 16 Ch. 166.5 - Volume 16 Extras

[Toxin45]

Some people have suggested that this was written after the attempts to revive Aqua, but then it makes even less sense because it basically turns LN into another bait and switch and completely devalues buying/reading it because then the extra tells you the consequences of things already “a couple of minutes” after LN just started teasing it. So it's likely that Akane actually became even more obsessed. Unless you like the idea of Aka reaching a new peak of poor planning and writing even after the finale.


After the live action and Taiki's words, it was as if Aka himself signed that the ending was crap and Aka just wasted our time trying to justify it. But yes, Aqua's act actually romanticizes suicide as a radical solution to supposedly "unresolved" situations. Moreover, the way it was written seems to motivate suicidal people to break off all social contacts and rush through it without thinking about anything, because “don’t worry, your relatives will deal with it in time.”

Then the novel on Akane and kana are there too

 

[SuperOniichan]

Then the novel on Akane and kana are there too

What did you mean?

 

[Toxin45]

What did you mean?

we got more info on them after the ending akane is into necromancy and kana being a sucessful actress in the us still not moving on from aqua

 

[SuperOniichan]

we got more info on them after the ending akane is into necromancy and kana being a sucessful actress in the us still not moving on from aqua

Ah, well, yes. You responded to a comment where I discussed the content of LN, lmao.

 

[RandomReader2023]

After seeing the ending I'm glad I decided to skip this manga until it was completed to check if its worth investing my time or not.

Since tragic endings (and tragic stories) aren't my cup of tea, I will skip.

 

[phil777]

This ending felt rushed. I didn't like it. Finished reading it in French today.

 

[hsun]

If Aqua somehow survive falling off a cliff into the sea with a near fatal stab wound, he should not be able to work in entertainment industry. He's still studying and even has a side plan to become a doctor. Why not make him a doctor after his career in entertainment industry? so Ruby's show could make a (not) cameo of him in a hospital setting. Super low chance it's going to happen, huh?​

 

[hsun]

Lol, that Abema screenshot.

 

[hsun]

People were obsessed with the idea that Aqua's death made this ship the only one possible (to such an extent that any illustrations with two, even just next to each other, were marked with the name of the ship)

SS Kanakane yuri

 

[SuperOniichan]

SS Kanakane yuri

Last LN is still focused on their feelings for Aqua. Especially Akane, who actually goes even further than we could expect.

 

[hsun]

Last LN is still focused on their feelings for Aqua. Especially Akane, who actually goes even further than we could expect.

It's a joke, since the word ship is mentioned.

 

[gundulgondrong]

that ending made the entire manga a shit-tier tragedy porn. peak nihilsm. poor aqua even your authors dont love you.

 

[gundulgondrong]

aqua is both the most impactful and most unexplored main character in this manga. he and the story had that potential to keep peaking. but no, i dont know what happened, but they decided to end it. i dare to say that this manga can be put in AXED/CANCELLED category

 

[xBruno_]

"The manga has ended, but continue supporting this work" - Nah, i'm done. i will keep me miles away to the 3th season

 

[PhantomXTrinity]

So this one branded as the worst ending of 2025, Aight then

 

[Quackingbean]

BRO YOU CANT JUST SAY "yeah this is the moral of the story" AFTER MAKING THIS BS ENDING RETCON THIS SHIT RN

 

[elescarlatabarato]

should have had Aqua straight up kill Kamiki and do a G-Senjou no Maou true end style shit

 

[Thyme.Minister]

There is no need to think particularly “deeply” here. This is literally the embodiment of “they will all be better off without me” and other suicidal experiences when a person feels like a problem that prevents others from living. In terms of storytelling and developments, I think just because there are topics like these in the industry doesn't mean they'll be relevant. It's like saying that the ending where Freeren is killed by a random arrow during a fight is completely appropriate, because in the Middle Ages you constantly saw people killed at the wrong moment by a random arrow.

Oshi no Ko, on the contrary, strived, seemingly outwardly, to be and be perceived by people as an inspiring story about second chances and overcoming the dark aspects of show business. Especially considering how the characters developed and the problems they faced. An ending in the style of Fincher or Tarantino not only cynically destroys this and drives people into depression instead of any motivation, but also clearly greatly shifts the emphasis and vibe of this work. You can even test this for yourself by trying to read old arcs after this ending.

I mean even Tarantino's most acclaimed movies had satisfying endings (Django, Inglorious). It made you feel good that the heroes triumph.

As you say, the previous arcs feel pointless and hollow, because A) these characters' journeys all feel wasted. and B) we barely get to see how all the other characters move on, its one funeral and then time skip where Ruby just becomes Ai (the point established that she was supposed to avoid).

The tone took a heel turn once Aka started incest-baiting us for NO reason because it never went anywhere. I guess he wasn't mature, patient or interested enough to tackle that subject of the relationship dynamic between Sarina/Ruby and Goro/Aqua.

The tone took such a heel turn once MORE when Nino (whom we never met before) is introduced as the "final big bad", but then WAIT, Hikaru was the big bad... again, all along! This was extremely sloppy. Akasaka "planned" for Aqua to die from the beginning, new developments be damned.

IMO this is Akasaka vindictively ending a story bc he was either bored with the concept or bitter at the fact that Love Agency got axed.

 

[Thyme.Minister]

BRO YOU CANT JUST SAY "yeah this is the moral of the story" AFTER MAKING THIS BS ENDING RETCON THIS SHIT RN

i mean its not even a retcon, its just a feeble attempt to wrap a sloppy bow on a botched story.

 

[SuperOniichan]

I mean even Tarantino's most acclaimed movies had satisfying endings (Django, Inglorious). It made you feel good that the heroes triumph.

As you say, the previous arcs feel pointless and hollow, because A) these characters' journeys all feel wasted. and B) we barely get to see how all the other characters move on, its one funeral and then time skip where Ruby just becomes Ai (the point established that she was supposed to avoid).

The tone took a heel turn once Aka started incest-baiting us for NO reason because it never went anywhere. I guess he wasn't mature, patient or interested enough to tackle that subject of the relationship dynamic between Sarina/Ruby and Goro/Aqua.

The tone took such a heel turn once MORE when Nino (whom we never met before) is introduced as the "final big bad", but then WAIT, Hikaru was the big bad... again, all along! This was extremely sloppy. Akasaka "planned" for Aqua to die from the beginning, new developments be damned.

IMO this is Akasaka vindictively ending a story bc he was either bored with the concept or bitter at the fact that Love Agency got axed.

Yeah. You can always write a story where a tragic or emotionally difficult ending only adds to the depth and meaning of the story, leaving you with a difficult but pleasant impression. For example, Romeo and Juliet does a pretty good job of conveying the message of how blood feuds are detrimental to our heirs. Here, you literally feel like all your investment in the story was wasted, because Aka seems to deliberately ignore any opportunity to resolve the ending more safely or wisely, simply killing Aqua for shock value. And judging by the change of the ending in the live action or some retroactive changes in the bonus chapter, he himself realized this, albeit very late.

For me, I think he was too brainwashed by the hype surrounding Ai's death, and while he could have easily changed the ending after the manga went in a completely different direction (like when he left Akane alive despite his previous intention to kill her after her suicide attempt, when that scene caused a scandal), he just tried to repeat it in an even bigger form, expecting to get an even bigger hype around the ending than Ai's death did. He even teased it in interviews. But in the end, he simply overestimated his writing skills and the level of emotion fans would get from it. It's no wonder people started attacking him during the final arc itself, and he even ended up temporarily leaving Twitter during the publication of the final chapter. If you look at his current manga, it goes into twist after twist and shock value even further.