Oshi no Ko Interlude Chapter 3 Recap: Akane and Kana’s Rivalry

The Oshi no Ko manga written by Aka Akasaka went on hiatus on August 7, 2023, and in its place a short-spin off titled Oshi no Ko Interlude began running in Weekly Young Jump. Interlude is written and illustrated by manga artist by Mengo Yokoyari and began publication on August 10, 2023. Interlude will run for four chapters and highlight different supporting characters in each chapter. Chapter 4 of Interlude will release on September 6, 2023.

Editor’s Note: There will be spoilers for Oshi no Ko Interlude chapter 3 below.

In Chapter 2 of Interlude, the story focuses on Melt Narushima and his calling as a pretty boy. Chapter 3 of Interlude highlights Akane Kurokawa and Kana Arima’s rivalry.

Akane Kurokawa is an actress in Oshi no Ko who worked as Aqua Hoshino’s co-star in the reality dating show LoveNow. Kana Arima is also an actress and idol in Oshi no Ko. Kana started her career as a child actress and is a childhood friend of Aqua and Ruby Hoshino.

What Happened in Oshi no Ko ex Interlude Chapter 3?

Interlude chapter 3 begins with the director of the commercial shoot praising Akane and Kana’s performances in Tokyo Blade. He informs the actresses that the commercial’s sponsor’s daughter is now a fan of theirs due to their performances. The director also requests autographs from Akane and Kana after the shoot. The two actresses smile brightly and tell the director “we’re honored”. Impressed by how in sync Akane and Kana are, the director believes that the rumors about the two hating each other are false. The two actresses laugh in sync, responding with “of course it is.”

While in their shared dressing room, Akane and Kana are giving each other the cold shoulder. Kana states that the director does not like to do reshoots, so they should get the shoot over as quickly as possible. Akane retorts back by saying “That’s my line.” The makeup artists in the room can sense that Akane and Kana are on bad terms. Kana begins to reflect on how Akane is a pain in the neck and feels uneasy around her as she gets made-up for the shoot.

As the shoot begins, Akane and Kana step out into the spotlight wearing pirate outfits. Kana mentally expresses that Akane can call her “whatever name” she wants because her life is all about the “play.” Kana’s character exclaims “put the sails up” so she can go to an unexplored land. Akane responds with “I won’t let you” because her character claims that only one person can claim the treasure. As the scene unfolds, Kana continues to think to herself about the process of acting. For Kana, acting triggers electrical signals from head to toe, controlling her movements. That electric energy clashes against Akane’s own energy. As the two actresses clash on screen with their swords, Kana calls their shared energy “fireworks.”

The two actresses hold out a product in their linked hands. The commercial shoot ends with the Akane and Kana exclaiming the tagline of the product. Kana scoffs at the idea that Akane would be a “worthy opponent” of hers and claims Akane has a long way to go. Akane calls her “Kana-chan” and tells her she was also excited. Kana tells Akane to not call her “Kana-chan.” Akane gets upset and calls Kana a meanie. As the chapter ends, Kana mentally repeats that that Akane can call her “whatever name” she wants to. Kana refuses to call Akane anything special because she believes it is dumb.

The Oshi no Ko anime is available on streaming services such as HIDIVE. Yen Press is releasing the manga volumes in English, with Volume 4 coming out on November 21, 2023.