The staff for the third season of the Oshi no Ko anime revealed a second promotional video on Sunday. The video reveals and previews CHANMINA's opening theme song "Test Me." Oshi no Ko Season 3 second promotional video announcement builds anticipation for the upcoming season, showcasing the new opening theme and providing fans with a preview of the Mainstay Arc adaptation.
The staff also revealed a "Mainstay Arc" visual. Oshi no Ko Season 3 Mainstay Arc visual showcases the new season's focus on the characters as established mid-level figures in the entertainment industry, with Ruby Hoshino taking center stage as she works on the variety show Dig Deep! One Chance!! and becomes more deeply entangled in the mystery of Ai Hoshino's death.
The new season will debut on January 14, 2026, at 11:00 p.m. on Tokyo MX, and will air on a total 36 stations across Japan. The anime will stream in Japan on ABEMA at the same time as the Tokyo MX debut. Crunchyroll will stream the season as it airs in Japan. Oshi no Ko Season 3 broadcast schedule ensures widespread accessibility across Japan through multiple television networks, with international availability on Crunchyroll providing global audiences with access to the new season as it premieres.
natori will perform the ending theme song "Serenade." New cast members for the season include Yuto Takenaka as Shun Yoshizumi and Yōji Ueda as Tetsu Urushibara. Oshi no Ko Season 3 theme songs feature CHANMINA's "Test Me" as the opening and natori's "Serenade" as the ending, with new cast members joining the ensemble to voice characters from the Mainstay Arc.
The new season features a mostly returning staff. The main differences are the chief animation director lineup is now Kanna Hirayama, Ayaka Muroga, Kimiaki Mizuno, Shuri, Rina Morita, Haruka Inade, and Hirono Nishiki; and Kenji Sawada is now the sole main animator credited. Kei Ishiguro is no longer listed as a color key artist. Oshi no Ko Season 3 production team maintains continuity with previous seasons while introducing new talent to the animation director lineup, ensuring visual consistency while bringing fresh perspectives to the series.
The first television anime premiered in Japan in April 2023 with a 90-minute first episode. HIDIVE streamed the anime as it aired in Japan, and it is also streaming an English dub. The company stated that the anime became the streaming service's "#1 series launch in the streamer's history." Oshi no Ko Season 1 broadcast history demonstrates the series' exceptional popularity, with the extended first episode format and HIDIVE's successful streaming launch establishing the franchise as a major anime success.
The anime's second season premiered in July 2024 on Tokyo MX and over 29 other channels throughout Japan. HIDIVE streamed the anime as it aired and also streams the anime's English dub. The second season's story focused on a 2.5D stage play titled "Tokyo Blade." Oshi no Ko Season 2 broadcast history continued the series' success, with the Tokyo Blade arc adaptation bringing the stage play storyline to television audiences and maintaining the franchise's high production values and narrative complexity.
Season 3 will adapt the "Mainstay Arc" (also referred to as the Mid-Career Arc) from the manga. Six months after the "POP IN 2" release, the story centers on the characters as they become established mid-level figures in the industry. It will focus heavily on Ruby Hoshino as she works on the variety show Dig Deep! One Chance!! and becomes more deeply entangled in the mystery of Ai Hoshino's death. Oshi no Ko Season 3 Mainstay Arc story focuses on character development and industry progression, with Ruby's increased involvement in the mystery surrounding her mother's death adding emotional depth and narrative tension to the season.
Aka Akasaka (Kaguya-sama: Love is War) and Mengo Yokoyari (Scum's Wish) launched the manga in Shueisha's Weekly Young Jump magazine in April 2020, and ended it in November 2024. The manga's 16th and final compiled book volume shipped in Japan in December 2024. Shueisha's MANGA Plus service released the manga in English digitally. Oshi no Ko manga conclusion represents the end of a four-year serialization, with the final volume providing closure for the story while setting the stage for future anime adaptations of the remaining arcs.
The manga has also inspired a live-action film and television series adaptation, a stage play adaptation, and a puzzle game that will launch in 2026. A live-action series premiered on Amazon Prime Video in late 2024, followed by a sequel film, Oshi no Ko: The Final Act, which hit Japanese theaters on December 20, 2024, and arrived on Prime Video in the U.S. in June 2025. A smartphone puzzle game developed by NHN Corporation is scheduled for a global release in 2026. Oshi no Ko multimedia expansion demonstrates the franchise's comprehensive approach to content distribution, with live-action adaptations, stage plays, and video games providing fans with multiple ways to engage with the series.
Oshi no Ko Season 3 second promotional video announcement represents a significant milestone for the franchise, bringing this acclaimed idol industry drama back to television audiences with the continuation of Ruby and Aqua's story. The January 14, 2026 premiere date positions Season 3 as one of the most anticipated anime releases of the winter season, promising to deliver intense drama, character development, and crucial revelations about Ai Hoshino's death.
Frequently Asked Questions
When does Oshi no Ko Season 3 premiere?
The third season is scheduled to debut on January 14, 2026, at 11:00 p.m. on Tokyo MX and 35 other stations across Japan.
What is the opening theme song for Oshi no Ko Season 3?
The opening theme song is "Test Me" performed by the artist CHANMINA.
What is the ending theme song for Oshi no Ko Season 3?
The ending theme song is "Serenade" (セレナーデ) performed by natori.