Toei Teams With Amazon To Produce Live-Action ‘Oshi No Ko’ TV Series And Film
As production begins on the second season of the series’ Doga Kobo-produced animate adaptation, Toei and Amazon are joining forces to bring two separate live-action adaptations Oshi no Ko to screens worldwide.
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As announced in an official January 24th press release (translated via Deep L), the live-action project will see two studios work together to translate Akasaka and Mego Yokoyari’s popular manga into the world of live-action by way of both a television series, as set to be aired by Amazon Prime, and a live-action film, as set to be distributed by Toei.
Alongside this news, the studios also released the two projects’ shared cast cast list, which will include Japanese idol Nagisa Saitō as Ruby, Keep Your Hands Off Eizouken! live-action film adaptation star Asuka Saitō as Ai, I- live-action Ao Haru Ride actor Kaito Sakurai as Aqua, Suzume lead voice actor Nanoka Hara as Arima Kana, Master’s Daughter star Mizuki Kayashima as Akane Kurokawa, and pop star Ano as Mem-cho.
Based on the original manga penned by Kaguya-sama – Love is War mangaka Aka Akasaka and illustrated by Scum’s Wish artist Mengo Yokoyari, Oshi no Ko follows the story of countryside gynecologist Gorou Amamiya as his world gets turned upside down following a sudden visit from the patient of his dreams: his favorite idol, the rising 16-year-old sensation Ai Hoshino (Saito).
Unfortunately for Gorou, his excitement is short lived as, just moments after delivering Ai’s new children, he is brutally murdered by one of the idol’s more fervent stalkers.
However, instead of passing on to the afterlife, Gorou instead finds himself reincarnated into his dream life as one of Ai’s new twins, Aqua (Sakurai ).
But he’s not alone in this transformation, as little does he know, his new fraternal twin Ruby Hoshino (Saito) is the reincarnation of his terminally ill patient and fellow Ai enthusiast Sarina Tendouji, whose health failed her in his clinic on that very same night.
But in more cruel twist of fate, Gorou and Ruby’s second chance at a happy life with Ai is cut tragically short as shortly after their birth, the twins bear witness to yet another killing – that of their own mother.
Seeking to avenge his mother, Aqua/Gorou then vows to enter the Japanese entertainment industry as an aspiring actor to find any clues to solve the mystery behind Ai’s murder.
Meanwhile, Ruby/Sarinates chooses to follow her mother’s idol footsteps, even going so far as to form her own version of Ai’s original group, B-Komachi
As can be surmised from that brief recap, Oshi no Ko explores the darker aspects of the Japanese entertainment industry – including the topic of manga-to-live action adaptations.
Commenting on this slightly ironic note to Toei, the aforementioned Akasaka recalled, “Oshi no Ko is work that makes various references to the world of entertainment. It also touches on the live-action adaptation of manga works. I am not saying only good things. It also says critical things. So, I thought that maybe Oshi no Ko would never be made into a live-action movie. When I heard that they were going to do a live-action version, I wanted to ask both the cast and the production team, ‘Are you sure you are okay with this?’ Can’t thank you enough for accepting the project.”
“I’m very interested in wha it’s like to create Oshi no Ko, which is set in the entertainment industry, not from the manga artist’s point of view, but from the real scene of the entertainment industry, and what the finished product will be like,” they added. “I am sure you are interested in the same thing. I hope you will join me in seeing the answers to these questions.”
As of writing, the live-action Oshi no Ko series is currently set to hit the Amazon Prime Video main stage sometime during the Winter 2024 television season, with the film version following sometime after that.
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