Summary
The real villain of Oshi no Ko is Ai's idol Nino as opposed to Hikaru Kamiki. Nino is hinted to be the real mastermind behind Ai's death. Nino's lack of screen time and lack of development makes her a disappointing villain in the final season.
Warning: Contains spoilers for the final plot of Oshi no Ko. After years of building up the plot for the confrontation between Aqua and Hikaru Kamiki, Oshi no Ko The conflict resolution is rather disappointing. Aqua reveals that Ai kept Kamiki away from her and their children because she feared it would be too much of a burden for him, and when Kamiki understood that Ai truly loved him, he changed his mind and decided to atone for his crimes.
While the conflict with Kamiki may have been resolved, the story of Oshi no Ko is far from over. Oshi no Ko was quick to confirm that there was still one person left to deal with before Ai could be properly avenged, and surprisingly, the final villain of Oshi no Ko was portrayed as a greater threat than Kamiki and The real mastermind behind Ai's murder: Nino.
Unfortunately, the pacing of the series, along with many other factors, doesn't allow for that to be a satisfying twist, so it's hard to imagine most fans will accept it as the final arc of Oshi no Ko continues.
Oshi No Ko's True Villain Explained
Nino is the mastermind behind Ai's death.
The final and true villain of the manga Oshi no Ko is Fuyuko Niino aka Nino, a former member of B-Komachi who is obsessed with Ai. Nino was Kamiki's accomplice, and after Kamiki was dealt with, Oshi no Ko heavily hinted that Nino was the one truly responsible for Ai and Goro's murders, with her possibly pushing Ryosuke Kaihara to kill them instead of scaring them. Added in chapter #158 ending with Nino stabs Ruby as Kamiki wants them to confess, and it becomes clear that Nino is at the center of the final conflict in Oshi no Ko.
Why the Real Villain of Oshi No Ko Is So Disappointing
Oshi No Ko's Big Reversal Could Ruin the Final Arc
Nino is the final antagonist of Oshi no Ko, but The change has drawn criticism from fans for the way it was implemented.. Although Nino has a few cameos in the series, she isn't formally introduced until the penultimate arc, and the only way to get any insight into her character before this is through a web story released exclusively in Japan. In short, Nino has had much less focus on playing a villain.and a more generic character in Oshi no Ko than Kamiki, and that makes it hard for us to invest in her as a villain.
Everything surrounding the revenge plot is focused on the ensuing confrontation between Aqua and Kamiki, and as such, Nino as the ultimate villain of Oshi no Ko has far less emotional weight than Kamiki. Her conflicts with Ai and, by extension, Aqua and Ruby, are far less personal and say far less about Ai, as a person. Because of all this, it's hard to feel invested in Nino as Oshi no Kois the real villain, but hopefully the series will do something to promote her properly in the final chapters.