Aqua continues further along his dark path and seems to take even more unsympathetic turns for his revenge scheme in Oshi no Ko. At this point, he has manipulated several people along his way, family included, in order to find Ai Hoshino’s killer and exact his personal justice. But whether he’s taken a bridge too far while burning his bridges, it’s exciting to discuss what’s happened recently and what to expect. Read on for my Oshi no Ko Chapter 117 Recap, but be warned, spoilers are ahead!
Oshi no Ko Chapter 117 Recap and Spoilers
Kana Arima is leaving the idol scene, giving a heartfelt message to her fans, leaving them visibly devastated. She isn’t leaving show business behind, however, and intends to take on the role of Ai’s resentful fellow idol.
Related: All Oshi no Ko Arcs in Order
Aqua, spending time with Kana, consoles her with a story, comparing her to a panda. He refers to the early sightings by Western explorers of the Red or Lesser Panda, being referred to as “bamboo eaters” and jokingly points out that Kana, eating bamboo shoots, is technically a panda. This leads to a comparison between pandas and celebrities, with the truly successful ones being referred to as the Giant Pandas, while Kana strives not to be a Lesser or “inferior”, wishing not to fade into irrelevance.
Kana sees the opportunity to star in this film as a way to boost her profile but fears that doing the role justice might mean speaking ill of Aqua’s mother. Aqua, however, soothes her essentially by flirting, leading her on in the process; Kana runs off in a frenzy, wondering what he meant by saying she’s special to him. But Aqua, in what’s becoming more upsetting with every chapter, is clearly viewing this friend as a pawn in his scheme.
The chapter ends with a glimpse at Ruby’s side of the story again, with her star power brought into question. Frill Shiranui and Akane Kurokawa not taking on the role come across as a loss, but there’s a shot for Ruby. She has potential, but she’ll need to be truly engaging for the crowds to connect with her.
Oshi no Ko Chapter 117 Impressions
In my Oshi no Ko Chapter 117 recap I noted Kana’s story in particular because it was given prominent focus. She’s a great character and is not going to waste despite leaving B-Komachi. She still is seen as a love interest for Aqua, even if the truth is he’s more an object of her desire rather than a two-sided affair.
This is both good and bad: Aqua was a 30-year-old adult in his previous life and it’s a complicated situation for him, but Kana being led on like this, strung along, is simply cruel at this point. But what’s more interesting is the potential backlash Kana’s departure might have. Will this result in a similarly disgruntled fan attacking her as they did Ai? The initial panels certainly seemed to suggest it.
Meanwhile, Ruby’s position in this arc is going to be highly prominent, with her brother also taking center stage, which is not always a given in Oshi no Ko arcs. But it remains to be seen whether this brings them a step closer to catching their mother’s killer.
Where to Read the Oshi no Ko Manga and Watch the Anime
You can read Oshi no Ko Chapter 118 as it releases for all regions on Shueisha’s free Manga Plus app. You can typically read the earliest 3 and latest 4 chapters for free, but anywhere in the middle is often a limited, one-time-only option, so you should consider physical editions when possible!
The Oshi no Ko anime is also available to stream exclusively on HIDIVE, and releases new episodes simultaneously when new chapters come out, for an 11-episode first season!
This latest release was viewed on the Manga Plus app on my Android mobile device (Google Pixel 7 Pro) as well as its site through the Google Chrome browser. All information is confirmed via official Shueisha sources.
