Warning! Contains spoilers for Chapter #121 of Oshi no Ko!Oshi no KoThe latest heartbreaking chapter just used a brutal flashback to hurt the series’ heroine, Ruby. Series creators Aka Akasaka and Mengo Yokoyari have continuously increased the mental and physical pressure on Ruby in the latest chapters of the manga as she overworks herself to prepare to play the role of Ai’s mother. But in this latest chapter, things finally take a turn for the worse when she realizes a tragic truth about her past life.
In chapter #121, translated by Felicia Sumali, Ruby visits her mother from her previous life, Marina Tendouji, whom Oshi no Ko had just introduced. Upon arrival, she recalls her previous life as Sarina Tendouji, a young girl who died of a terminal illness. To get away from her daughter’s heartbreaking reality, Marina stopped visiting Sarina as her condition worsened. After Sarina passed away, her mother had new children and built a new family, people Ruby sees her smiling with in the present. Realizing that Tendouji never smiles like that when around her, Ruby concludes that her original mother never loved her and that she brought unhappiness to everyone around her. The chapter ends with her breaking down and wondering why she was reincarnated.
Ruby Can’t Handles Oshi no Ko’s Latest Revelation
This is a very dark moment that shows just how much pressure Ruby is under. The main reason Ruby visited her ex-mother in the first place was to better understand how to play Ai in her upcoming biopic. Given how much she idolizes Ai, she has tried to push her limits to both prepare for the role and continue her idol career. This has left her in a fragile state that cannot handle the dark revelation of her former life that she discovered at Tendouji’s house. Unfortunately, the demands of all her various obligations may not give her the time needed to recover.
Ruby’s demise is both a stellar moment of character and yet another dark criticism of the entertainment industry. Much like how it shows how sloppy producers can protect their stars from online bullying during Oshi no Ko’s darkest moment with Akane, the series is showing the pressure right now. too large that the performers set themselves can lead to a similar depressive state. However, it also shows Ruby suffering from her unique circumstances in reincarnation and realizing that her mother has moved on after her death, if she’s even grieving at all. This moment, along with the traumatic storyline that led up to it, is heartbreaking for both Ruby and readers, who now have a deeper sense of what she’s endured.
Ruby’s problem will probably get worse in Oshi no Ko
It is unclear whether Ruby will be able to recover from the events of this traumatic chapter. Her harsh work schedule certainly won’t help, and given Aqua’s own dark mental state at the moment, she probably won’t be able to rely on him. Hopefully this chapter will be her lowest point and Ruby will be able to recover from this blow in the upcoming chapters. But tell how dark Oshi no Ko Ruby will most likely have to endure more suffering before she can truly accept her past.
Chapter 121 Oshi no Ko available to read from Manga Plus.
