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Ossan Idol! #1
Ossan Idol!, Volume 1
Miroku Osaki is 36 years old, unemployed, and unhappy. Having been bullied in his childhood and even into his adult life, he became a shut-in after being unfairly laid off. For a long time, the only thing that brought him joy was online gaming. Then, he tried the popular "Let's Try Dancing!" karaoke style. It was addicting... and transformative! Inspired by his new hobby, Miroku decides to turn his life around. He begins singing karaoke and going to the gym, where he meets Yoichi, the director of an entertainment company who encourages Miroku to pursue his dreams. Miroku only wanted to be good at the game he loves, but when he accidentally uploads a clip of himself singing and dancing, it goes viral! Can he really become an idol, even at his age? Suddenly, it doesn't seem so impossible!
192 pages, Paperback
Published November 3, 2020
107 people are currently reading
139 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 54 reviews
May 16, 2022
I am not much for the idol subgenre (though it's better than giant fighting robots, of which I had my fill early in my anime and manga explorations.) A notable exception is the anime Zombie Land SAGA, which is in a class by itself with respect to both its parent subgenres, zombies and idols.
Ossan Idol! is pretty much the same as any other idol-group tale, except with aged-up protagonists, if persons in their mid-30s can be called "older". Which... actually connects it to ZLS, in the sense of "let's think of the most unlikely possible people to become idols." (Which are Japanese pop music stars, for those just catching up, which seems to be a highly manufactured fame if these representations are anything to go by.)
Our central protagonist is a 30-something overweight shut-in who gets interested in dance via the internet, goes to gym, meets new friends, emerges from larval cocoon as a hottie. Practicing, he records his dance number at a karaoke room, accidentally uploads it to the net when he's trying to save (I relate), and it goes viral. Hijinks ensue. Third member, a failed dancer, is added to the nascent group because he knew the second dude, which injects a needed skills-mentor. They enter a local dance contest, get scouted, and that's about as far as Vol. 1 goes.
I said this wasn't about adolescents, but socially, these guys kind of are; unmarried, with dodgy unrewarding career states, at loose ends and flailing; Protag #1 even still lives at home with his parents and sisters. (One of whom, fortunately for his first public performances, is just trained as a hairdresser.)
I'll read the next three as they surface from my library.
Ta, L.
Ossan Idol! is pretty much the same as any other idol-group tale, except with aged-up protagonists, if persons in their mid-30s can be called "older". Which... actually connects it to ZLS, in the sense of "let's think of the most unlikely possible people to become idols." (Which are Japanese pop music stars, for those just catching up, which seems to be a highly manufactured fame if these representations are anything to go by.)
Our central protagonist is a 30-something overweight shut-in who gets interested in dance via the internet, goes to gym, meets new friends, emerges from larval cocoon as a hottie. Practicing, he records his dance number at a karaoke room, accidentally uploads it to the net when he's trying to save (I relate), and it goes viral. Hijinks ensue. Third member, a failed dancer, is added to the nascent group because he knew the second dude, which injects a needed skills-mentor. They enter a local dance contest, get scouted, and that's about as far as Vol. 1 goes.
I said this wasn't about adolescents, but socially, these guys kind of are; unmarried, with dodgy unrewarding career states, at loose ends and flailing; Protag #1 even still lives at home with his parents and sisters. (One of whom, fortunately for his first public performances, is just trained as a hairdresser.)
I'll read the next three as they surface from my library.
Ta, L.
January 6, 2021
I love this manga's positive vibe. The biggest theme would be: it's never too late to follow your dreams, but it also addresses bullying and self-confidence. I laughed out loud in a few places and enjoyed the story when not taking it too seriously. There are a few light-novel pages at the end that go behind the scenes for a panel sequence. The art is decent, but shortcuts are taken like shading out the eyes or faces, and there aren't many backgrounds. I understand that part of Miroku's charm is in his youthful innocence, but he really looks far too young and, while he does put in the work, they've totally oversimplified losing that much weight after a lifelong struggle. But, it's nice that he has a good support structure in his family and friends, and that he extends that support and friendship to others. Overall, it's a fun manga.
December 21, 2021
3.5 stars
This was a fun read! Very lighthearted, but good themes on self-image!
I really liked the main character, Miroku, but found I enjoyed all three guys. I think they make a really good team and like how they are supportive of one another as well as there for one another even if they haven't been a "trio" for very long.
I thought the art was great! Yoichi is probably my favorite character design, but I enjoyed the way the characters looked. There are more "lines" in the art style it seems, which gives it more of a personal feel if that makes sense. Not that other manga series aren't! But it's maybe more soft, which fits the characters? I don't know exactly what it was, but I liked it!
I would definitely be interested reading more of this story! I'm unsure if I would want to buy more volumes (mainly because of the price), but if they were on sell, I would! Hoping I can see if my library will get more volumes because this is a good series to read when you want to chill!
This was a fun read! Very lighthearted, but good themes on self-image!
I really liked the main character, Miroku, but found I enjoyed all three guys. I think they make a really good team and like how they are supportive of one another as well as there for one another even if they haven't been a "trio" for very long.
I thought the art was great! Yoichi is probably my favorite character design, but I enjoyed the way the characters looked. There are more "lines" in the art style it seems, which gives it more of a personal feel if that makes sense. Not that other manga series aren't! But it's maybe more soft, which fits the characters? I don't know exactly what it was, but I liked it!
I would definitely be interested reading more of this story! I'm unsure if I would want to buy more volumes (mainly because of the price), but if they were on sell, I would! Hoping I can see if my library will get more volumes because this is a good series to read when you want to chill!
April 10, 2022
Miroku Osaki is a 36-year old, fat, unemployed shut-in. He had a sales job at a health food company 10 years ago, but he was let go due to "unsatisfactory performance," which everyone knew was really code for "a fat salesperson makes our company look bad." He's finally starting to come out of his shell, though. He decides he wants to try dancing and joins a gym, where he meets Yoichi Kisaragi, the director of an entertainment company. Yoichi supports and encourages him, and before long Miroku is fit, attractive, and turning heads. However, he has no clue how charismatic he's become - all he knows is that he enjoys dancing, singing, and cheering people up. This volume follows his first steps towards becoming a middle-aged idol.
Ehhh. I generally try to avoid Tokyopop's post-resurrection releases, but this caught me during a late-night impulse shopping mood. It was not a great decision on my part.
Ossan Idol! wanted to be a heart-warming read. Although it made several attempts to smooth over the more problematic aspects of its premise, it didn't really manage it. For example, even before Miroku's weight loss, Yoichi noticed how kind and charming he was...and told Miroku "if you can slim down a bit, you'd definitely be a hunk" (21). The moment with Fumi was a bit better (she witnessed him shut down an aggressive drunk prior to his weight loss, and he became the definition of "cool" for her), but I spent the entire scene distracted by how awkwardly Miroku was drawn. In general, Ichika Kino had problems with overall body proportions and hands (lol page 108 and Yoichi's weird hand lump) - the problems were just most noticeable during Miroku's fat scenes.
Half of this volume was pretty much just Miroku wandering from one "accidentally a naturally amazing idol" moment to another. Training at the gym magically allowed him to lose weight, become hot, and gain better lung and diaphragm strength/control. He also magically became awesome at singing and dancing almost entirely due to karaoke and playing dancing/singing video games. It's like he suddenly burst into the world as a fully formed idol, and everyone started noticing him.
It's rare to see anyone in manga or anime who's over 28 depicted as being attractive and appealing to characters, so one of the draws of this series should theoretically be that Miroku is 36 and the two men who join him on his road to stardom, Yoichi and Shiju (an unemployed former host who used to love dancing), are probably at least a few years older than him. However, other characters kept mistaking Miroku for a college student, and he'd spent that past 10 years living at home with his parents and playing video games, so it was easy to forget he was entering his late 30s. I could at least believe that Yoichi and Shiju were older, but Miroku was the focus, so it felt a little like the author was already fudging the series' hook.
There were signs that Miroku would eventually end up with Yoichi's niece. I assumed they had at least a 10-year age difference, but again, it didn't really feel that way. Miroku just seemed so...shiny and young. There was this one weird and awkward scene in which a gay coded producer asked Miroku to sit in his lap, and Miroku did it, no questions asked and no indication that he thought it was an odd request. I could just barely, with some effort, believe that a dumb young guy would do something like that, but again, we're supposed to believe that Miroku is 36.
This could potentially improve in later volumes, but I don't think I'll be reading more.
Extras:
A four-page bonus story (text only) in which the guys go out to celebrate after their dance competition, an afterword by the author, and a four-page bonus comic about the cover art. I didn't know until I read the afterword that this was a manga adaptation of a light novel series. There's no sign of it on Goodreads, and it doesn't appear to be licensed and translated into English.
(Original review posted on A Library Girl's Familiar Diversions.)
Ehhh. I generally try to avoid Tokyopop's post-resurrection releases, but this caught me during a late-night impulse shopping mood. It was not a great decision on my part.
Ossan Idol! wanted to be a heart-warming read. Although it made several attempts to smooth over the more problematic aspects of its premise, it didn't really manage it. For example, even before Miroku's weight loss, Yoichi noticed how kind and charming he was...and told Miroku "if you can slim down a bit, you'd definitely be a hunk" (21). The moment with Fumi was a bit better (she witnessed him shut down an aggressive drunk prior to his weight loss, and he became the definition of "cool" for her), but I spent the entire scene distracted by how awkwardly Miroku was drawn. In general, Ichika Kino had problems with overall body proportions and hands (lol page 108 and Yoichi's weird hand lump) - the problems were just most noticeable during Miroku's fat scenes.
Half of this volume was pretty much just Miroku wandering from one "accidentally a naturally amazing idol" moment to another. Training at the gym magically allowed him to lose weight, become hot, and gain better lung and diaphragm strength/control. He also magically became awesome at singing and dancing almost entirely due to karaoke and playing dancing/singing video games. It's like he suddenly burst into the world as a fully formed idol, and everyone started noticing him.
It's rare to see anyone in manga or anime who's over 28 depicted as being attractive and appealing to characters, so one of the draws of this series should theoretically be that Miroku is 36 and the two men who join him on his road to stardom, Yoichi and Shiju (an unemployed former host who used to love dancing), are probably at least a few years older than him. However, other characters kept mistaking Miroku for a college student, and he'd spent that past 10 years living at home with his parents and playing video games, so it was easy to forget he was entering his late 30s. I could at least believe that Yoichi and Shiju were older, but Miroku was the focus, so it felt a little like the author was already fudging the series' hook.
There were signs that Miroku would eventually end up with Yoichi's niece. I assumed they had at least a 10-year age difference, but again, it didn't really feel that way. Miroku just seemed so...shiny and young. There was this one weird and awkward scene in which a gay coded producer asked Miroku to sit in his lap, and Miroku did it, no questions asked and no indication that he thought it was an odd request. I could just barely, with some effort, believe that a dumb young guy would do something like that, but again, we're supposed to believe that Miroku is 36.
This could potentially improve in later volumes, but I don't think I'll be reading more.
Extras:
A four-page bonus story (text only) in which the guys go out to celebrate after their dance competition, an afterword by the author, and a four-page bonus comic about the cover art. I didn't know until I read the afterword that this was a manga adaptation of a light novel series. There's no sign of it on Goodreads, and it doesn't appear to be licensed and translated into English.
(Original review posted on A Library Girl's Familiar Diversions.)
January 29, 2021
World watch out! These middle-aged men will take the stage and woo your hearts!
I recently requested and got accepted on the 2nd volume of this manga. Of course, that meant I had to find the 1st volume before I could start the 2nd one. Thankfully, it was easy to get!
I love idols. Most stuff I read or see is about girl idols though, with the occasional guy idol group in the mix. However, most these boys are either teens or early twenties with a couple that are maybe close to thirty. However the boys in this group are all well into their 30s. So this is a fresh new look for me at least. And I can tell you that I was enjoying this manga a lot.
This first volume sets the base for the story. We meet the characters, see their motivations, see Miroku become awesome, see them start. I cannot wait for the next volume which I hope will mean some more singing and dancing as that was missing a lot from this one.
I loved Miroku and I think it was inspiring and awesome how hard he worked. How he trained hard to get to where he wants to be and to feel better in his body. Yes, on the cover Miroku looks all trained and tight, but believe me, for the first part of the book Miroku is overweight. He struggles a lot with it. Not just when he was at school, but also at his first job. I do feel it was a bit weird at times how he was drawn. I mean, he is 1.90, but for most we don’t really see that he is that big, there is one scene that clearly showed he was tall, but for most he was just small and round.
For most of the book we are following Miroku as he accidentally uploads a singing video, become a model for a day (and also meets up with a certain someone), we see him become friends with the two guys with who will become the other members of the unit, and there are some other things. It was definitely fun to read, though I was just eager to get them together and have them sing and debut (and more than just one performance). Haha, I am just a bit impatient. I am happy with this volume, it sets a good base, but I wanted more.
I am curious how things will continue in the next volume, the guys get a very awesome offer. Which seemed a bit over the top given they only performed once, OK, it was a very OK-looking performance (I so need sound to go with my manga), but still weird. Haha, conflicting though, I am also quite proud of them that they managed to get so far.
The art was OK, I am still not sure how I feel about Miroku’s design, the other two guys look pretty OK, but there is something off about Miroku. Maybe his hair? His eyes. I don’t know.
All in all, I had fun reading this one. Middle-aged idols, yas! dances
Review first posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com/
I recently requested and got accepted on the 2nd volume of this manga. Of course, that meant I had to find the 1st volume before I could start the 2nd one. Thankfully, it was easy to get!
I love idols. Most stuff I read or see is about girl idols though, with the occasional guy idol group in the mix. However, most these boys are either teens or early twenties with a couple that are maybe close to thirty. However the boys in this group are all well into their 30s. So this is a fresh new look for me at least. And I can tell you that I was enjoying this manga a lot.
This first volume sets the base for the story. We meet the characters, see their motivations, see Miroku become awesome, see them start. I cannot wait for the next volume which I hope will mean some more singing and dancing as that was missing a lot from this one.
I loved Miroku and I think it was inspiring and awesome how hard he worked. How he trained hard to get to where he wants to be and to feel better in his body. Yes, on the cover Miroku looks all trained and tight, but believe me, for the first part of the book Miroku is overweight. He struggles a lot with it. Not just when he was at school, but also at his first job. I do feel it was a bit weird at times how he was drawn. I mean, he is 1.90, but for most we don’t really see that he is that big, there is one scene that clearly showed he was tall, but for most he was just small and round.
For most of the book we are following Miroku as he accidentally uploads a singing video, become a model for a day (and also meets up with a certain someone), we see him become friends with the two guys with who will become the other members of the unit, and there are some other things. It was definitely fun to read, though I was just eager to get them together and have them sing and debut (and more than just one performance). Haha, I am just a bit impatient. I am happy with this volume, it sets a good base, but I wanted more.
I am curious how things will continue in the next volume, the guys get a very awesome offer. Which seemed a bit over the top given they only performed once, OK, it was a very OK-looking performance (I so need sound to go with my manga), but still weird. Haha, conflicting though, I am also quite proud of them that they managed to get so far.
The art was OK, I am still not sure how I feel about Miroku’s design, the other two guys look pretty OK, but there is something off about Miroku. Maybe his hair? His eyes. I don’t know.
All in all, I had fun reading this one. Middle-aged idols, yas! dances
Review first posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com/
October 20, 2025
Its a good manga book. Its about a mid 30s man who helps someone when he was overweight but others make fun of him so he decides to lose weight and become healthy. He goes karaoke alone and records a video of him singing and dancing and it goes viral and everyone wants to know who he is. His friend is in trouble so he helps him do a photoshoot as a model and a new agent wants to sign him. Another friend wants to do a dancing competition and all 3 join as a trio to do it together to win.
Contains:
- Bullying
- Weight conditions
Contains:
- Bullying
- Weight conditions
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 2, 2024
04/02/2024 Notes:
May look up the LN. It could be a fun & relaxing read. Simple art and a cast of nice people. Another one for 'hard work can make dreams come true'.
May look up the LN. It could be a fun & relaxing read. Simple art and a cast of nice people. Another one for 'hard work can make dreams come true'.
April 21, 2024
An unexpectedly cute and wholesome story abt not giving up on your dreams despite your "old" age
May 9, 2022
I got this on a whim while at Lakewood Library. The premise sounded interesting. I don't read a lot of idol focus manga. The only thing close to it is maybe Skip Beat.
I did not start the way I thought it would. And it took me until maybe chapter 5 to understand who was on the cover.
Miroku Osaki is 36 years old, unemployed and overweight. He weight being the target for many jokes as well as losing his job. He becomes a shut in for ten years, but eventually focuses on being himself after playing dance games. This fame started when he accidently uploaded a video of him sing and dancing and the video went viral. It was so funny seeing him read the question, not knowing what it was asking him.
He meets Yoichi (age 40) and Shiju (age 40), who have past experiences with being an idol.
I must admit that reading this gave me the inspiration to turn my own life around with going to the gym and eating healthy.
It is a great feeling knowing that just because you are older, it does not mean that you can't have your dream.
I did not start the way I thought it would. And it took me until maybe chapter 5 to understand who was on the cover.
Miroku Osaki is 36 years old, unemployed and overweight. He weight being the target for many jokes as well as losing his job. He becomes a shut in for ten years, but eventually focuses on being himself after playing dance games. This fame started when he accidently uploaded a video of him sing and dancing and the video went viral. It was so funny seeing him read the question, not knowing what it was asking him.
He meets Yoichi (age 40) and Shiju (age 40), who have past experiences with being an idol.
I must admit that reading this gave me the inspiration to turn my own life around with going to the gym and eating healthy.
It is a great feeling knowing that just because you are older, it does not mean that you can't have your dream.
Read
April 11, 2021 I’ve read “Ossan Idol!” on a traditional paper copy. I chose this book because the summary the cover seemed to have a really nice art style. The genre of “Ossan Idol!” book is fiction and comedy. The main character of the book are Miroku Osaki. This book does not have a specific setting but one of the settings was the gym that Miroku was working out in.
The basic plot points of the book is when Miroku found “Lets Try Dancing” and started working out. He also started singing while he was losing weight and practiced being stable. Miroku also worked on his dancing abilities when he got fit. Next basic plot of the book is when Miroku went on a karaoke room and recorded himself singing and dancing and accidentally posted it on the internet. He got recognition from people and went viral because of his looks and abilities. Another point is when Shiju suggested that him, Miroku, and Yoichi, should enter a dance competition. They agreed to the idea and started preparing for the competition. In the end, their performance was amazing and won. The last plot point of the book is when a major showbiz producer requested a meeting with Miroku after he saw the performance at the dance competition. Miroku agreed to meet up with the producers and went with the other two, Shiju and Yoichi.
The book ended with the three going to the producer’s building and talking about Miroku. The producer announced that he wants to debut Miroku, Shiju, and Yoichi as an idol trio unit. This left the three extremely shocked and freaked out. There are some unanswered questions since it ended with them being shocked about what the producer said, but maybe those questions will be answered in the next volume. The questions that are left unanswered are if they said yes or no to the idea of the three becoming an idol group. Also their opinions on the producers idea and what they each think of it.
I would recommend this book, “Ossan Idol!” to my friend Serene. Serene likes to read some mangas here and there and I think she’ll like this book very much. I believe this book would be suitable for anyone who likes these types of genres and is interested in reading about someone who’s life is turning into a whole different one after working out. Yes, this book is appropriate for middle schoolers and it’s not hard to read at all for a middle school student. I wouldn’t recommend you reading this book since I feel like its not your type of style of genre. Plus, it’s short and to understand the story fully, you’ll have to get the rest of the volumes and I don’t you’ll like to do that. This is all just me guessing so if you like mangas and like the book that I was reading, then go for it.
I believe I did a good job at reading “Ossan idol!” this marking period. Yes I do think I can read books more often. I read this book and updated goodreads this marking period but it was not properly. I will try and update it more often next marking period. What I can do better to improve and become a better reading is start reading books that don't have drawings and has only words.
The basic plot points of the book is when Miroku found “Lets Try Dancing” and started working out. He also started singing while he was losing weight and practiced being stable. Miroku also worked on his dancing abilities when he got fit. Next basic plot of the book is when Miroku went on a karaoke room and recorded himself singing and dancing and accidentally posted it on the internet. He got recognition from people and went viral because of his looks and abilities. Another point is when Shiju suggested that him, Miroku, and Yoichi, should enter a dance competition. They agreed to the idea and started preparing for the competition. In the end, their performance was amazing and won. The last plot point of the book is when a major showbiz producer requested a meeting with Miroku after he saw the performance at the dance competition. Miroku agreed to meet up with the producers and went with the other two, Shiju and Yoichi.
The book ended with the three going to the producer’s building and talking about Miroku. The producer announced that he wants to debut Miroku, Shiju, and Yoichi as an idol trio unit. This left the three extremely shocked and freaked out. There are some unanswered questions since it ended with them being shocked about what the producer said, but maybe those questions will be answered in the next volume. The questions that are left unanswered are if they said yes or no to the idea of the three becoming an idol group. Also their opinions on the producers idea and what they each think of it.
I would recommend this book, “Ossan Idol!” to my friend Serene. Serene likes to read some mangas here and there and I think she’ll like this book very much. I believe this book would be suitable for anyone who likes these types of genres and is interested in reading about someone who’s life is turning into a whole different one after working out. Yes, this book is appropriate for middle schoolers and it’s not hard to read at all for a middle school student. I wouldn’t recommend you reading this book since I feel like its not your type of style of genre. Plus, it’s short and to understand the story fully, you’ll have to get the rest of the volumes and I don’t you’ll like to do that. This is all just me guessing so if you like mangas and like the book that I was reading, then go for it.
I believe I did a good job at reading “Ossan idol!” this marking period. Yes I do think I can read books more often. I read this book and updated goodreads this marking period but it was not properly. I will try and update it more often next marking period. What I can do better to improve and become a better reading is start reading books that don't have drawings and has only words.
October 16, 2021
Ossan Idol! is the first idol manga I’ve read but I’ve seen and adored my fair share of idol anime. I quite enjoyed this volume.
Miroku is so kind and gentle and innocent! He is a ray of sunshine in this story and I love how inadvertently infectious his personality is. He is definitely the center of the group that forms.
I like the friendship that forms between Miroku and Yoichi as Yoichi helps Miroku turn his life around. Yoichi sees Miroku for the great guy he is, recognizes his worth, and doesn’t judge him for his appearance.
This is shaping up to be a delightful and funny story. I’m looking forward to the next volume. It’ll be interesting to see what Miroku, Yoichi, and Shiju do next towards their goal of becoming idols.
Miroku is so kind and gentle and innocent! He is a ray of sunshine in this story and I love how inadvertently infectious his personality is. He is definitely the center of the group that forms.
I like the friendship that forms between Miroku and Yoichi as Yoichi helps Miroku turn his life around. Yoichi sees Miroku for the great guy he is, recognizes his worth, and doesn’t judge him for his appearance.
This is shaping up to be a delightful and funny story. I’m looking forward to the next volume. It’ll be interesting to see what Miroku, Yoichi, and Shiju do next towards their goal of becoming idols.
February 5, 2022
Middle-aged Male Moe Manga
I randomly picked this up and was pleasantly surprised. I think my only complaint is the character/relationship developments feel a bit too quick, but I suppose that's to keep up pacing and the lighter humorous tone. Of the trio, you have the pure-type innocent airhead, the caring professional, and the veteran with a traumatic history as archetypes which were managed without feeling too cartoonishly forced. A fun, funny, cute story, with no romance in this vol. but I can't say if that will continue. Despite having most of the trappings of a BL lite work, it seems pretty het. That may seem an odd comment, but a lot cutesy platonic series seem to run disproportionately single-sex in characters and interactions while this felt more balanced.
I randomly picked this up and was pleasantly surprised. I think my only complaint is the character/relationship developments feel a bit too quick, but I suppose that's to keep up pacing and the lighter humorous tone. Of the trio, you have the pure-type innocent airhead, the caring professional, and the veteran with a traumatic history as archetypes which were managed without feeling too cartoonishly forced. A fun, funny, cute story, with no romance in this vol. but I can't say if that will continue. Despite having most of the trappings of a BL lite work, it seems pretty het. That may seem an odd comment, but a lot cutesy platonic series seem to run disproportionately single-sex in characters and interactions while this felt more balanced.
August 6, 2023
This was an interesting start! The concept of allowing idol groups to debut when they're over 20 is still heavily debated. Way too many are debuting teenagers and it's nice to see a story starting characters in their late 30s. It's nice to see the theme of it "never being too late" to follow your dreams pushed here.
I was a bit wary of the discussions about body image. Glad they pushed finding an exercise one actually likes and focusing on building muscle over dieting. In the end, there's still a comment bout Miroku needing to lose weight to be a "hunk", but time will tell if that's the ultimate message considering he became Fumi's hero before he started going to the gym.
I'm interested in learning more about the other members of the group, as well.
I was a bit wary of the discussions about body image. Glad they pushed finding an exercise one actually likes and focusing on building muscle over dieting. In the end, there's still a comment bout Miroku needing to lose weight to be a "hunk", but time will tell if that's the ultimate message considering he became Fumi's hero before he started going to the gym.
I'm interested in learning more about the other members of the group, as well.
October 20, 2024
Eh. I liked the premise, but I wasn't particularly invested by the end of Vol 1. I normally like idol/popstar stories because it's such a rich setting for internal and external drama, but there just wasn't much to this. There's no great internal conflict or drive, no great character growth or overcoming. The hook, that these guys are all too old to be normally scouted, doesn't seem to make much difference to the story's progression.
The art is serviceable, but I was often a bit confused about who was who because they look similar, and the panels weren't always cohesive. The story seemed to jump a bit from page to page with lots happening in the gutters.
Overall, there was nothing too terrible, but nothing great either. I was just a bit bored, and probably won't continue on to Vol 2.
The art is serviceable, but I was often a bit confused about who was who because they look similar, and the panels weren't always cohesive. The story seemed to jump a bit from page to page with lots happening in the gutters.
Overall, there was nothing too terrible, but nothing great either. I was just a bit bored, and probably won't continue on to Vol 2.
December 28, 2021
Miroku is out-of-work and overweight and spends most of his time gaming. He's a nice enough guy, a real heart-of-gold fellow, but real life has gotten him down. Things turn around when he gets interested in a dance-themed video game. He winds up going for lessons, and his coach/trainer becomes a real friend. One happenstance leads to an unforeseen chance to become an idol, which is unheard of, given the fact that Miroku is thirty-six. Hence the title Ossan (old man) Idol.
Looks like these three "over the hill" idols are going to prove that they're in their prime. Fun idea. Continuing with this series.
Looks like these three "over the hill" idols are going to prove that they're in their prime. Fun idea. Continuing with this series.
April 5, 2025
Ossan is a middle aged man in Japan. So this is about a story of middle aged men becoming singing idols.
I'll admit, I thought this was BL, but I don't think it is. There is no hint of it in here. I think it's justj eye candy. It looks BL. Jokes on me. Oh well.
It was good. An out of shape guy, really kind guy, goes to the gym and gets fit and ripped. He's making a karaoke video of himself that goes viral and all the sudden, he's the it guy. He meets some guys who want to dance and they are going to be an Idol group.
That's as much as happened in Volume one.
I find the story difficult to follow and I had no clue who was saying what.
I'll admit, I thought this was BL, but I don't think it is. There is no hint of it in here. I think it's justj eye candy. It looks BL. Jokes on me. Oh well.
It was good. An out of shape guy, really kind guy, goes to the gym and gets fit and ripped. He's making a karaoke video of himself that goes viral and all the sudden, he's the it guy. He meets some guys who want to dance and they are going to be an Idol group.
That's as much as happened in Volume one.
I find the story difficult to follow and I had no clue who was saying what.
November 3, 2021
It's So Much Fun!!!
What a great surprising start! Miroku, is as a hero as well as an inspiration to all who's been rejected and felt in their lowest in life. A lot of us, or maybe most of us had been there, or even much worse (stuck in a rut). Perseverance, dedication, sacrifice, patience, and hard work can get us there no matter what (a dream, a job, a wish, anything really). If we listen to our hearts and follow our dreams, then I think we're almost halfway into making it into a reality. KEEP ON DREAMING AND AIMING HIGH!!! I can't wait to start the next one!
What a great surprising start! Miroku, is as a hero as well as an inspiration to all who's been rejected and felt in their lowest in life. A lot of us, or maybe most of us had been there, or even much worse (stuck in a rut). Perseverance, dedication, sacrifice, patience, and hard work can get us there no matter what (a dream, a job, a wish, anything really). If we listen to our hearts and follow our dreams, then I think we're almost halfway into making it into a reality. KEEP ON DREAMING AND AIMING HIGH!!! I can't wait to start the next one!
August 2, 2024
Excellent manga version of the light novel. It's so great to get an idol origin story with characters in their 30's! The art also plays with different male styles, including one that wears makeup. There is a lot of fat body-shaming and bullying, and a very narrow definition of attractive bodies, though. So I wouldn't characterize this as inclusive, but at least there is some more inclusion than most manga. You might want to go check out the light novel, too! A short story included at the end of this volume gives a good sample of the novel's style, and it's both descriptive and an easy read.
June 9, 2021
I cannot tell you how much I adored this book!! This is definitely one Inuyasha's Miroku. Miroku is a sweet baby Cinnabon who must be protected at all costs. He's so pure and adorable. His smile just lights up the page. Shiju and Yoichi provide such a nice balance to Miroku's utter pureness. The three fit together perfect and their dynamics are well matched. I cannot wait to read volumes 2 and 3!
March 6, 2022
Found this book by surprise at a bookstore and given the concept I thought I should give it a read. I liked the message of not being afraid to go for your dreams even as you get older. I also liked that the protagonists weren’t twenty-somethings which is refreshing in a medium that focuses on 20s and younger leads. The lead in this is so charming and easily carries the story. It would be interesting to see where this goes.
April 23, 2023
It’s ok, though the characters act rather younger than their ages. The main character is unbelievably pure and naive. Supposedly he has all this charm, but where was the charm when he was getting fired? He was a shut in for a decade and just…stopped? It’s mildly entertaining but don’t expect a deep story.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 27, 2020
3.5
NGL, older men dancing, finding their calling, and baby-faced, buffed at times? Yeah, this manga has me intrigued. I really like the art work and think that the mangaka could even push it further.
NGL, older men dancing, finding their calling, and baby-faced, buffed at times? Yeah, this manga has me intrigued. I really like the art work and think that the mangaka could even push it further.
June 16, 2021
Another very cute manga I dove into. Overall, incredibly charming, sweet and funny. A definite high recommendation for anyone just wanting to turn their brain off a little and look at handsome men.
aka me.
aka me.
November 5, 2021
I didn't like this. But I really wanted to. There's a lot of things that felt rush and so fell flat. There's potential, for sure, but I don't think I'll be continuing this series to see where it leads. The tropes were basic and the plot line obvious. But at least the art was pretty.
April 19, 2022
So pure and fluffy! Except, wow, is it hard to buy into the fact this guy is really in his thirties. Or how hot and talented he ends up being once he finally puts some time in at the gym – if only it were that easy in real life.
May 6, 2022
I like the idea of a bunch of over 35 year olds forming a j-pop group but the execution was a bit lacking.
The art style was meh and the storyline was a bit choppy. But will I read the next one? Um yes.
The art style was meh and the storyline was a bit choppy. But will I read the next one? Um yes.
August 15, 2022
Cute Characters
If you like a cute Manga with fun characters this is a must read. Kpop and Jpop typically consists of idols that are young, but this manga proves age is only a number when it comes to talent and of course looking the part.
If you like a cute Manga with fun characters this is a must read. Kpop and Jpop typically consists of idols that are young, but this manga proves age is only a number when it comes to talent and of course looking the part.
October 8, 2022
Honestly, I wasn't sure what to expect from this, and I ended up really enjoying it.
The fact that the main character goes from obese to an idol just by having fun working out and singing is kind of fantastic and I'm here for the positivity.
The fact that the main character goes from obese to an idol just by having fun working out and singing is kind of fantastic and I'm here for the positivity.
December 2, 2022
Not a huge fan of the idol genre, but I don't mind this one too much. I like the characters and their relationships and the art has a clean but detailed look to it. Glad for an older group of protagonists, too. Shakes things up a bit.
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