Shueisha announced the release of a second novel in the Oshi no Ko series titled Futari no Etude (Etude for Two), launching on 18 December. Written by Hajime Tanaka and supervised by the manga’s creator, Aka Akasaka, this new novel will spotlight the characters Kana Arima and Akane Kurokawa, promising fans a deeper dive into their journeys.

This will be the second novel in the Oshi no Ko franchise. The first, Ichiban Hoshi no Spica (Spica: The First Evening Star), arrived in November 2023 and was also written by Tanaka, follows Ai as she considers leaving the idol industry until a promising offer from her manager, Ichigo, reshapes her future. Additionally, the first novel featured a side story on Sarina and Goro’s first meeting, along with a special bonus story by Akasaka himself that was included as a perk for attendees of the anime’s advance screening.

Oshi no Ko, created by Akasaka (Kaguya-sama: Love is War) and Mengo Yokoyari (Scum’s Wish), began in Weekly Young Jump in April 2020 and quickly became a fan-favourite, with over 17.5 million copies in circulation. The manga began its final arc, “Hoshi ni Yume ni” (Toward the Stars and Dreams), on 27 June and will conclude on 14 November, with the 16th and final volume set to release in Japan on 18 December. The manga is also available in English on Shueisha’s MANGA Plus.

The story of Oshi no Ko centres on Gorou, a gynaecologist and devoted idol fan, who finds himself in an uncanny bond with his favourite idol, Ai, following her sudden career hiatus. The manga’s success brought it to television with an anime adaptation that premiered in Japan in April 2023, starting with a 90-minute pilot. Streaming on HIDIVE, the anime’s launch was a record-breaking success for the platform, followed by a second season in July. With a third season now confirmed, Oshi no Ko continues to expand, even receiving a live-action adaptation set to premiere worldwide on Amazon Prime on 28 November, along with an upcoming sequel film debuting in theatres on 20 December.