Following the poignant ending ofOshi no Koand the recent latest fight finishing with Round 10 ofRecord of Ragnarok, extraordinary talents from both series collaborate in an upcoming new manga. As news already broke of Aka Akasaka and Azychika’s collaboration, the series, currently known as “A love story between a prince and a princess”, was recently featured in anOriconarticle detailing its announcement. Along with this confirmation, the series gave an enticing and charming first glimpse into Azychika’s characteristically beautiful character designs, teasing Akasaka’s characteristically saccharine yet deceptively deep seinen writing.
Akasaka and Azychika’s new seinen manga wasofficially announced in the same issue ofWeekly Young Jumpasthe final chapter ofOshi no Ko, with the publication reminding fans that its writer will return in Spring 2025. With the latest glimpse at the series being only surface-level, fans will have to wait until the manga’s upcoming release, while others can enjoy Azychika’s artwork on the ongoingRecord of Ragnarokmanga. With the series marking a departure from typical modern-day settings for Akasaka and from action for Azychika, this collaboration marks a special development manga fans will want to see.
Oshi no Ko and Record of Ragnarok Creators Working on “A Fairy Tale Romance”
A Love Story Between a Prince and a Princess
As the Oricon article and previous leaks suggested,Aka Akasaka and Azychika are working on a fantasy manga forWeekly Young Jump, sharply contrasting withOshi no Ko’sdrama andRecord of Ragnarok’sdeath game action. The series is set for release in the Spring of 2025, and the glimpse showcases Azychika’s wonderful artwork depicting its expressive male and female lead against a medieval castle backdrop. Eagle-eyed fans will notice exceptional detail in the lead characters, such as the prince’s snaggletooth resembling Buddha’s fromRecord of Ragnarokand sweet yellow eyes, and the princess' elegant depiction.
The result is a clear mixture of Akasaka’s visions for charming lead characters, especially with the princess a far cry from the usual fanservice in many ofRecord of Ragnarok’swomen. Given the powerful romantic subplots ofOshi no Koand the genre-defining romantic comedy ofKaguya-sama: Love Is War, expect a sweet and likely highly cerebral romance featuring these two characters. Even the featured artwork, in this case, resembles some of thebest modern romance manhwa,a sure sign of appeal to seinen and josei readers.
Oshi No Ko Officially Shares a Universe With Another Fan-Favorite Anime
As Oshi no Ko continues to expand on its setting, episode 3 reveals a new detail that puts the series in a shared universe with a hit anime rom-com.
But for now, fans will have to settle for this as the only glimpse at Akasaka and Azychika’s collaboration. While their projects continue to be adapted, withOshi no Kobeing regarded as a seminal anime icon andRecord of Ragnarok’smore troubled anime reputation, with a long wait for season 3 of either, fans will want to mark Spring 2025 on their calendar.Weekly Young Jump,through this collaboration, may have the next huge seinen hit on its hands, following the contemporary successes ofOshi no Ko, Golden Kamuy, Kingdom, and more.
Oshi No Ko
Cast
Oshi No Ko is a 2023 Japanese series that follows a small-town doctor’s encounter with a popular teen idol leading to an entanglement in the cutthroat entertainment industry. The narrative explores themes of ambition, identity, and the hidden realities behind fame as the characters navigate complex personal and professional challenges.
