Learn Japanese with Oshi no Ko

Anime by Japanese level › N3 to N2

How hard is the Japanese in Oshi no Ko?

Ikkimi rates Oshi no Ko at N3 to N2 (faster talk with more unusual words). What sets its level: show-business words, fast monologues. Of the 192 anime Ikkimi rates by hand, 112 are easier and 53 are harder.

Levels follow the Japanese Language Proficiency Test, from N5 (easiest) to N1 (hardest). They are Ikkimi’s estimate of how hard a show’s Japanese is to follow, from how fast people talk, how many unusual words there are and how clear the voices are. They are not official JLPT ratings.

Format, episodes, year and genres are from AniList’s entry, which may cover only the first season.

The words in the title

The Japanese title, 【推しの子】, is a first lesson in itself. Its 2 words, as a dictionary lists them:

How to learn Japanese with Oshi no Ko

Ikkimi lists Oshi no Ko on Netflix. What each service carries varies by country. Ikkimi does not stream anything: you watch on your own account, in Chrome on a computer, and Ikkimi adds a Japanese line you can click on top of the player.

On Netflix

On Netflix, turn on Japanese subtitles in the player, where your country’s Netflix has them for this title, and Ikkimi makes the line clickable. If there are none, open the Ikkimi popup, choose Find Japanese subtitles, and search Jimaku’s catalogue or load a file from your computer.

1. Add Ikkimi to Chrome

   Get the extension from the Chrome Web Store and sign in.

2. Play an episode

   Open Oshi no Ko on Netflix. The Japanese line appears on top of the video.

3. Click the words you keep hearing

   The video pauses and the word opens: kana, romaji, meaning, JLPT level and a recording by a native speaker where one exists (never a computer voice; otherwise the line from the show plays again). At this level, turn on the English line under the Japanese at first, and keep only the words that come back.

4. Review them later

   Kept words come back as flashcards on the Ikkimi website, with the scene and the line they came from, just before you would forget them.

Easier and harder shows

Shows within a level of Oshi no Ko, with the most genres in common first.

Easier

• N3The Promised Neverland約束のネバーランドchildren talking, plans explained step by stepCrunchyrollNetflix
• N3Mob Psycho 100モブサイコ100casual speech, one fast talkerCrunchyroll
• N4 to N3When Marnie Was There思い出のマーニーa film, quiet speech, two girls talkingNetflix

Also N3 to N2

• N3 to N2Tokyo Ghoul東京喰種トーキョーグールdark inner monologue, invented termsCrunchyrollNetflix
• N3 to N2Rascal Does Not Dream of Bunny Girl Senpai青春ブタ野郎はバニーガール先輩の夢を見ないquick banter, some science wordsCrunchyroll
• N3 to N2BEASTARSschool talk, long inner monologueNetflix

Harder

• N2Mushishi蟲師quiet, old-fashioned and nature wordsCrunchyroll
• N2ODDTAXIオッドタクシーnatural adult conversation, comedy-duo banterCrunchyroll
• N2PLUTOpolice and robot words, serious speechNetflix

See every N3 to N2 anime or all 192 anime by Japanese level, and read how to learn Japanese by watching anime from zero.

Questions

Is Oshi no Ko good for learning Japanese?

Not as a first show. Ikkimi rates it N3 to N2 (faster talk with more unusual words). What sets its level: show-business words, fast monologues. It is harder than most beginner shows. Watch it for fun from the start if you like, but learn your first words from an easier one.

What Japanese level is Oshi no Ko?

N3 to N2, on Ikkimi’s scale from N5 (easiest) to N1 (hardest). Of the 192 anime Ikkimi rates by hand, 112 are easier and 53 are harder. The level is Ikkimi’s estimate, not an official JLPT rating.

Where can I watch Oshi no Ko with Japanese subtitles?

Ikkimi lists Oshi no Ko on Netflix. What each service carries varies by country. On Netflix, turn on Japanese subtitles in the player where they are offered, and Ikkimi makes every word clickable.

What does the title 【推しの子】 mean, word by word?

推し (oshi) means “one's favourite (member of an idol group, character in an anime, player in a team, etc.)”; 子 (ko) means “child; kid; teenager”.

How many episodes does Oshi no Ko have?

AniList’s entry lists 11 episodes of about 24 minutes, first aired in 2023. Later seasons may be listed separately.

What should I watch before Oshi no Ko?

Shows a little easier than Oshi no Ko, with genres in common: The Promised Neverland (N3), Mob Psycho 100 (N3) and When Marnie Was There (N4 to N3).

Sources: show details from AniList; meanings from JMdict (EDRDG, CC BY-SA 4.0); readings and word splits from kuromoji.js with IPADIC; JLPT word levels from Jonathan Waller’s unofficial lists. See Credits. Spotted a mistake? Tell us at hello@ikkimi.app.