Oshi No Ko 7 turns up the play, expands on Aqua’s struggle to act, and circles to the murder mystery—Aqua’s reason for entering the industry.
Oshi No Ko 7 continues the Tokyo Blade play and the competition between Kana and Akane. The last volume had one of the most beautiful panels ever in manga with Akane’s performance that devours everyone around her. But it’s all to compete against Kana and draw her out. It won’t be so simple. Oshi No Ko 7 turns up the play, expands on Aqua’s struggle to act, and circles to the murder mystery—Aqua’s reason for entering the industry.
Created by Aka Akasaka and Mengo Yokoyari, with translation by Taylor Engel and lettering by Abigail Blackman, it starts with Akane and Kana onstage. Between the two stars, it’s evident that Akane wants to compete with Kana. Unfortunately, because of her time in the industry and treatment from those around her, Kana shifts to back up. The Yen Press manga perfectly captures this in the panels while showing the damage child star parents create when they live vicariously through their children’s success.
Oshi No Ko 7 Shows the Tightrope of Team Player And Shining Bright
People often talk about not dimming one’s light so others can shine. While true, it’s slightly different in the acting industry, even more so with stage performances. As such, Kana dims herself so Akane can stand out more. The volume does not make it right or wrong. For some watching, they see and understand that Kana’s working to make the play successful—even if she doesn’t stand out. But it also stems from a place of trauma.
So, the series goes back to Kana’s star days and her mom’s obsession with her success. As that faded, her mom clung harder. Sadly, she even starts taking it out on Kana before leaving her alone. As many repeatedly point out, the folks at the top of the industry are not necessarily the best. It favors convenience over talent more often than not. Using actual spotlights in the panels emphasizes this point and ties in with their profession.
Aqua’s Discovery Makes Sense
The revelation of why Aqua struggles with acting is not surprising but heartbreaking. Given his guilt over Ai’s death, even though he was a child when someone murdered her, he feels he deserves to suffer. Acting becomes an issue when he enjoys it. So, the only way to survive in the industry is to lean into the pain and avoid having fun. Oshi No Ko 7 shows how much Aqua sacrifices for his revenge. The volume juggles so much but touches on trauma, informative tidbits about the industry, and YouTube, and maintains so much excitement and stress about what’s to come.
Oshi No Ko 7 is an outstanding volume, seamlessly transitioning from one thing to the next. It builds excitement and laughs as Kana and Akane compete, shock when Aqua reveals a secret, grief for his struggle, and dread as Aqua and Ruby return to where it all began. The secret of their previous lives remains, but the volume teases readers in a “we didn’t forget about this” manner. Oshi No Ko 7 pushes the mystery forward while building relationships and showcasing the struggles with careers in the public eye.
