Oshi No Ko is a seinen anime that is both comedic in nature and yet critiques the harsh world of Idol Culture. With its somewhat realistic takes, it’s easy to forget that the show does have some supernatural elements to it. I mean, the idea of reincarnation and ‘Deities’ is pretty out there for what is basically a murder mystery come to life. But it’s these hints of otherworldly specters that give the series so much nuance.
So, while they haven’t claimed to be Gods outright, there are mysterious forces at play here. The deities in Oshi No Ko are basically pulled from Japanese mythos, with each character being implied to be a representation of a specific God. I mean, this theory has a lot more credibility thanks to the Crow Girl in chapter 77 of the manga, who is clearly a tie in for Yatagarasu, or the ‘Eight Span Crow’. The others include Amaterasu, Tsukiyomi, Susanoo, and even Izanami, with each of these deities having an equivalent in Oshi No Ko.
Now, the reason this makes sense is because the author of Oshi No Ko, Aka Akasaka, has always been very inspired by folklore, and managed to incorporate traditional tales into her own works. I mean, just look at Kaguya-Sama: Love Is War. It’s common knowledge by now that Kaguya-Sama pulls heavily from the The Tale Of The Bamboo Cutter, a well known folktale in Japan. So, it isn’t that out there to consider that Oshi No Ko might also have some legends hidden in it’s subtext.
Especially when you consider the imagery and symbolism going on with its character designs. But that divine terminology is exactly what we are here to dissect in today’s segment of Lore Analysis. Because if there is anything legends of old have taught us, it’s that history repeats itself. And who knows, maybe the parallels between the divine deities in Oshi No Ko and it’s characters might be foreshadowing how the story will end. So, let’s dive right into it!
The Bittersweet Love Story Of Izanagi And Izanami
To be fair, these names, such as Susanoo and Amaterasu, aren’t all that unfamiliar to veterans in the anime viewing community. They aren’t just made up Jutsu in Naruto Shippuden. They are sacred Gods in Japanese culture, and the story of their existence starts out something like this.
Izanagi and Izanami were a God and Goddess pair married to each other. They are central deities, or Kami, which are very important in Shintōism, born after the Heavens and Earth split due to the chaos. Together, they laid the foundation for the first land mass. In their marriage, they often tried to have children but something would always go wrong. After a particularly grueling childbirth, Izanami died and went to Hell. Izanagi tried to free his wife from Hell, but to no avail, as she was already rotting away.
To purify himself, Izanami bathed himself in the sea, and from this came forth his future children. From his left eye, Amaterasu was born. And from his right eye came Tsukiyomi. There was a third child as well, Susanoo, formed from Izanami’s nose.
Divine Deities And Their Counterparts In Oshi No Ko:
So, bringing up Izanagai and Izanami was not for show. The parallels between them and Ai Hoshino and Hikaru Kamiki are interesting, to say the least. It isn’t just about a 1:1 ratio of what is similar and what isn’t. There’s a lot of little details to consider here.
In a way, Ai and Hikaru were beloved to many, thanks to being in the media industry. Just like some people worship Gods, many put Idols and actors in high reverence. Ai was the top idol in the industry for a fair bit, following B-Komachi’s success. And from what we know about Hikaru, he is an extremely talented actor who was able to manipulate mnay thanks to his immense charisma. Of course, there’s also the Star Eyes that the two share.
But that aside, the most damning comparison between the two is betrayal. If you follow the manga, you know Ai’s murder was indirectly done by Hikaru, her ex boyfriend and father to her children. Just like Izanagi left Izanami behind in Hell, Hikaru actively did nothing knowing he coerced a murderous stalker to Ai’s home. And the ones left of their legacy are their children, Ruby Hoshino and Aquamarine Hoshino.
And the Star Eye symbology keeps coming up. Ruby has a Star in her right eye, whereas Aqua has a Star in his left. And that could hint at their personalities. Considering that Ruby has always been the sunnier, more outgoing twin of the two, she could be a tie in for Amaterasu, the God of the Sun. Hell, she even claimed this in the manga, back when the two were babies trying to intimidate their caretaker.
Likewise, Aqua could be a manifestation of Tsukiyomi, the Goddess of the Moon, due to his personality being much more subdued and darker. But then there is the case of the brother, Susasnoo. Of course, even that works because apparently, Hikaru had a child with another woman. His name is Taiki Himekawa, and he is Ruby’s and Aqua’s half-brother.
The Crow Girl Is One Of The Deities In Oshi No Ko:
See, all the above stuff is interesting to note. But the one sure mysterious being we have encountered in the manga is the crow girl that led Ruby and Akane Kurokawa to a major plot twist, which was the remains of Dr Gojou Amemiya. You know, the guy that Aqua was in his previous life who happened to be Ai’s gynecologist.
To this day, his missing persons report was a cold case.No one should’ve known where he was, or even recognized his body considering he fell from a cliff in a forested area. By all means, it was the perfect crime. And yet, this strange girl surrounded by crows knew where to direct Ruby and Akane? Well, that may be because she is secretly Yatagarsu, a God that is often depicted with crows. She is also known as the ‘Eight Span Crow’, with the crows themselves symbolizing rebirth or reincarnation.
And guess how many crows appear on the manga page when we meet the mysterious crow girl? Exactly 8, in different stylizations. And while we need more context to fully determine if this girl is God herself or just another ‘representation’ like Ruby and Aqua, there clearly seems to be a lot at play here. After all, Ruby and Aqua’s reincarnation itself is largely unexplained.
So, while the mysterious deities of Oshi No Ko still elude us, there is something to be said about how the Japanese Gods that are being hinted at here. But is it all just a coincidence? Or for shallow purposes? That’s harder to determine.
But with Oshi No Ko, it’s best to expect the unexpected!
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