Written by Aka Akasaka and drawn by Mengo Yokoyari, [Oshi no Ko] began in Weekly Young Jump on 23 April 2020 and ended on 14 November 2024 at chapter 171, collected in 16 volumes. A fan of the idol Ai Hoshino dies and is born again as one of her twins, which moves him from the audience to the far side of the industry.

[Oshi no Ko] cover art
Cover art, AniList

The series does not stay with idols. It works through reality television, stage theatre, drama production and the filming of a manga in turn, and at each layer it shows who makes the decisions and which person those decisions grind down. Lying well is treated as a professional skill here, so the reader is repeatedly put in the position of deciding what is performance and what is not.

It moves quickly and grows darker as it goes, and the ending divided readers. Sixteen volumes, complete, with animated and live-action adaptations. If you want a story that uses the idol business to question the feeling of supporting someone, this is a reasonable place to start.

Kana Arima character art
Kana Arima, AniList
Ai Hoshino character art
Ai Hoshino, AniList
Akane Kurokawa character art
Akane Kurokawa, AniList
Aquamarine Hoshino character art
Aquamarine Hoshino, AniList