The following features a discussion of suicide and self-harm. It also contains spoilers for Oshi no Ko Episode 6, "Egosurfing."
Oshi no Ko's recent episode has caused mixed reactions among viewers in Japan for the same reason it has received positive reception.
Since the airing of Episode 6, "Egosurfing," many viewers have drawn parallels between what happened to Akane Kurokawa in Oshi no Ko to the real-life tragedy and death of pro-wrestler Hana Kimura as both have been victims of cyberbullying after participating in a reality show. As reported by Yahoo! Japan article, Kimura's mother, Kyoko Kimura, was upset, not at the story itself and how it had similar aspects to what happened to Hana, but at how the slanderous comments used in the episode seemed to take from the Tweets directed at her daughter before she died. Kimura's mother said she despised how her daughter's death was treated as source material to sell the anime. She also noted the timing of the episode, when it aired on May 17, coincides closely with Kimura's death on May 23, exacerbating the pain for those close to her daughter.
Oshi no Ko Fans Criticized Hana Kimura's Mother
Some fans have defended the episode, saying the mangaka drafted up the chapters months before Kimura's death and the topic of cyberbullying is an industry-wide issue. The mangaka has never stated he drew inspiration from Kimura's death. However, others have taken issue with Kimura's mother's concerns and have done the very thing that led to Kimura taking her life. Fans have slandered Kimura's mother, saying, "What if the author gets depressed and commits suicide?" and "What if the anime gets canceled because of you?"
Kimura's mother has made it clear she does not blame the mangaka and is not calling for the anime or manga to stop airing and serializing. She has stated her desire to support works that shine a light into the dark side of the industry, but not if it's done in a way that only adds to the pain of those who have suffered from cyberbullying. In a rough translation, Kimura's mother said she will reach out to the production to talk with them, although she is unsure whether they will listen.
Who Was Hana Kimura?
Hana Kimura, a professional wrestler, became a cast member of the reality TV series Terrace House: Tokyo 2019-2020. In one episode aired in January 2020, Kimura had an argument with another housemate for shrinking her wrestling costume in the washing machine, and grabbed his hat. Viewers flooded Kimura's social media platforms with malicious hate comments, eventually leading to her committing suicide on May 23, 2020, at the age of 22.
While Episode 6 of Oshi no Ko made it clear that the program was a work of fiction and therefore had no ties to any real-life incidents, this message came at the end of the episode after the ending credits have rolled. The only other time Oshi no Ko made this announcement was at the beginning of Episode 1. The production team from Oshi no Ko nor the mangaka have made a statement.
If you or someone you know is experiencing suicidal thoughts, get help from the National Suicide Prevention Hotline by dialing 988.
Source: Twitter, via Tweet Soku and Yahoo! Japan