10 Anime Like Oshi no Ko, Ranked by MyAnimeList Score
Oshi no ko is a seinen manga written by Aka Akasaka and drawn by Mengo Yokoyari. It has been published in the Weekly Young Jump since April 23, 2020, then in bound volumes by the Japanese publisher Shūeisha. Ten volumes have been released since April 2020. An anime adaptation produced by the Doga Kobo studio was announced for April 12, 2023, premiere. For all of you who’ve enjoyed the series, in this article, we are going to give you a list of the ten best anime like Oshi no Ko which you absolutely need to read.
10. Kakegurui – Compulsive Gambler
MyAnimeList Score: 7.25
What it’s about: Kakegurui is set at the private school Hyakkaou where only children of very rich and influential parents are taught. And since these have already learned the most from their private tutors, they are trained at school in strategy, cunning, and seeing through their opponents, above all through gambling.
According to the wins and losses, their standing in the school changes. Student council president Kirari Momobami added another element: those who gamble too much money and cannot pay their dues to the student council become slaves to the other students, which is called pet status.
Why it’s like Oshi no Ko: While we have to admit that Kakegurui, a series about gambling, might not be the best pick at first glance, the characters in the series struggle with the same kind of pressure to succeed as those in Oshi no Ko, which is why we think that you could enjoy this series as well.
9. Smile Down the Runway
MyAnimeList Score: 7.58
What it’s about: Since her early childhood, Chiyuki Fujito, daughter of the director of a modeling agency, has had the ambition to appear as a top model during Paris Fashion Week; unfortunately for her, she has stopped growing, and her short stature now fails her to pass the agency’s auditions. Although those around her repeatedly tell her to give up, she does not give up and does her best to achieve it from the height of her meter fifty-eight.
Why it’s like Oshi no Ko: Smile Down the Runway talks about the world of fashion and shows the same perils and troubles as in the world of idols, but from a somewhat different perspective. It is a truly intriguing story that features some brilliant fashion designs but also a convincing slice-of-life story.
8. THE iDOLM@STER
MyAnimeList Score: 7.61
What it’s about: The series follows the story of thirteen aspiring idols of the Production 765 talent agency, managed by the good-natured Junichirō Takagi, and their climb to success and notoriety, which they will be helped by a young and thoughtful newly hired producer eager to make of his best and by Ritsuko Akizuki, earnest ex-idol.
The group of aspiring idols will have to deal not only with the initial difficulties of finding engagements but also with the petty machinations of the rival agency, 961 productions, managed by Takao Kuroi, a former colleague of Jun’ichirō Takagi.
Why it’s like Oshi no Ko: As the title reveals, THE iDOLM@STER is a series that focuses on aspiring idols and their endeavors to become professional idols. It is much lighter in tone with a lot of humor, but it will still satisfy fans of Oshi no Ko.
7. Blue Period
MyAnimeList Score: 7.82
What it’s about: Yatora Yaguchi is a well-liked student who does well in his schoolwork but frequently struggles with loneliness and difficulties on the inside. He was once so enthralled by a picture in his high school art club that he decided to give it a go. He eventually joined the art club, got more engaged, and tried to apply to the Tokyo University of the Arts as his institution of choice after being encouraged by his friend Ryuji.
Why it’s like Oshi no Ko: Blue Period talks about art and not about idol life, but like the protagonists of Oshi no Ko, the protagonists of Blue Period are also under enormous pressure to succeed and go through various daily troubles to achieve perfection.
6. Classroom of the Elite
MyAnimeList Score: 7.86
What it’s about: A few years ago, the Japanese government founded the Tokyo Metropolitan Advanced Nurturing School with the aim of offering future managers the best possible training and a guaranteed place to study or work after successful completion. The school, a boarding school, offers its students the greatest possible freedom to simulate real working life as best as possible.
A promotion and relegation system within the school allows classes to be promoted to the next higher class or to the next lower class in certain circumstances. This can be achieved when the class community outscores other classes in terms of points by accumulating class points.
Why it’s like Oshi no Ko: Classroom of the Elite is a hit series based on an equally popular light novel series, and since the anime does so well in adapting the original story, we can only recommend it here, as Classroom of the Elite will bring you all the pressure of Oshi no Ko, but in an academic environment.
5. Skip Beat!
MyAnimeList Score: 8.08
What it’s about: Mogami Kyōko and Fuwa Shōtarō are childhood friends. Kyōko has always known Shō, helps his parents, takes care of him and forgives him everything, like a prince. Also, when at the age of 16, the latter leaves Kyoto, his hometown, to run away to Tokyo, where he has a chance to break into the song. He asks Kyōko to accompany him.
Why it’s like Oshi no Ko: The Skip Beat! anime adaptation is not as good as the manga, but it does it justice. There is some acting involved here and some similarities between the characters, which should be enough for Oshi no Ko fans, as it provides them both with something familiar and something new and refreshing.
4. My Dress-Up Darling
MyAnimeList Score: 8.25
What it’s about: Wakana Gojo, a freshman in high school, wants to work as a Hina doll manufacturer. His well-liked classmate Marin Kitagawa notices him constructing doll outfits in the school’s dressmaking room one day during his first semester. Wakana is asked to make a video game character costume for Marin, who had wanted to cosplay for a while and noticed Wakana’s sewing prowess. Even though Wakana had never created human-sized costumes, he agrees to Marin’s request after being prodded by her intense feelings.
Why it’s like Oshi no Ko: A rare example of an anime series that has a higher rating than the manga, My Dress-Up Darling is about fashion and the struggle to succeed in a very competitive environment, but it is also a great slice-of-life story about adolescence, emotions, and interpersonal relationships you’ll definitely enjoy.
3. Kaguya-sama: Love Is War
MyAnimeList Score: 8.41
What it’s about: Future members of the nation’s elite, who are almost entirely the offspring of the wealthy, complete their education at the famous Shūchiin Academy. In the high school students’ office, the vice-president Kaguya Shinomiya and the president, Miyuki Shirogane, both brilliant exemplary models of the academy, have a unique conception of love: despite being attracted to one another and a semester has passed, they are too proud to admit their feelings to one another.
Why it’s like Oshi no Ko: Well, Kaguya-sama is an anime series based on a work written by the same author, and we think that it is a good enough reference for you to thoroughly enjoy it.
2. Nana
MyAnimeList Score: 8.54
What it’s about: Nana Ōsaki is a punk singer whose only wish is to be able to debut with her group and surpass the band Trapnest, in which her ex-boyfriend, Ren Honjō, works as a guitarist. Nana and Ren were partners in the same band in the past, Black Stones (aka Blast for short), but split up when Ren was offered the opportunity to replace a member of the popular band Trapnest. He left his gang to head to Tokyo.
Why it’s like Oshi no Ko: Nana is without a doubt one of the best slice-of-life anime series in history, and it has become a cult classic for a reason. It deals with the same issues as Oshi no Ko but it focuses on a specific branch of the music industry.
1. Spy × Family
MyAnimeList Score: 8.65
What it’s about: It is the cold war between east and west, and an uneasy peace has been established between Ostania and Westalis. But with this peace fragile, “Twilight,” a brilliant spy sent from Westalis to Ostania, is tasked with carrying out Operation Strix to close in and investigate the target of extremist Ostania politician Donovan Desmond; to do this, he must once again change his identity by creating a family and adopting a child in order to enroll him in the prestigious Eden school that Desmond’s son attends.
Why it’s like Oshi no Ko: The highest-rated anime on the list, Spy × Family may seem like an odd pick since it has nothing to do with idols, but this enormously popular series features similarly hilarious characters and situations, and since it really is a high-quality work, we thought you might enjoy a refreshing new perspective on some of the elements of Oshi no Ko.
