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Akane Kurokawa and Kana Arima from “Oshi no Ko” are spreading holiday cheer with special Christmas-themed cards and a heartfelt video message for fans.
The official social media platforms for “Oshi no Ko” have shared delightful holiday illustrations featuring Akane and Kana, adding a festive touch to the season. Kana’s illustration depicts her with a cute stuffed rabbit she received as a gift under the Christmas tree. Fans familiar with the series recognize the rabbit’s connection to Ai Hoshino. On the other hand, Akane’s artwork showcases her enjoying a cozy moment, sipping a warm drink in a beautifully decorated Christmas setting.
Moreover, the official “Oshi no Ko” YouTube channel has uploaded a video message from Akane and Kana, extending warm wishes to their dedicated fan base. In the Japanese version, Kana is voiced by Megumi Han, while Akane is portrayed by Manaka Iwami. In the English dubbed version available on HDIVE, Kristen McGuire voices Akane, and Natalie Rial voices Kana. Notably, having both Akane and Kana deliver the holiday message is intriguing, considering their romantic rivalry for Aqua Hoshino’s affection in the series.
The year 2023 marked a significant success for the “Oshi no Ko” series. Its anime adaptation premiered with a 90-minute episode, momentarily surpassing “Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood” as the highest-rated anime on My Anime List. The show also secured the top spot as Japan’s most-searched anime in 2023, surpassing other popular titles like “Hell’s Paradise: Jigokuraku,” “Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End,” and even “Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba.” Additionally, “Oshi no Ko” dominated the Japanese streaming service lists, ranking as the number one anime series for the Spring 2023 season based on viewership data.
The opening theme song of “Oshi no Ko,” “Idol” by Yoasobi, gained immense popularity on a global scale. It emerged as one of Google’s top global search trends and was declared the most-played song of 2023 on Spotify Japan. Both the original and English versions of “Idol” have garnered substantial success on YouTube, with the Japanese version surpassing 390 million views to date.