Anime and manga enthusiasts are constantly on the lookout for hidden gems that push past conventional genre tropes. In this installment of our manga spotlight, we examine Aruno Hanakage’s deeply resonant series Onni tte Yonde mo Ii desu ka? (Can I Call You Onni?), a work that captures both the agonizing realism of K-Pop fandom and the sparkling serendipity of an impossible romance.
Originally launched on Kadokawa's Kadokomi platform in August 2025 as a planned one-shot, the poignant psychological insights struck a chord with readers, prompting overwhelming fan support and a full serialization. Following the release of its first collected tankobon volume in April 2026, the series has continued to captivate readers with its nuanced exploration of adoration and personal identity.
The narrative follows Natsuki, a 15-year-old K-Pop veteran who finds herself adrift after Sora, her absolute favorite idol, abruptly retires. Prompted by a coworker, Natsuki tries a matching app only to encounter a woman who bears an uncanny resemblance to Sora. On the surface, the series operates as a charming yuri romance between a former idol and her devoted fan, carefully chronicling the transition from starry-eyed reverence to genuine human intimacy.
However, what sets Hanakage's work apart is its deliberate inclusion of characters who exist outside traditional romantic frameworks. Natsuki's closest confidante, Kanae, is explicitly written as aromantic and asexual. Rather than serving as a token narrative device, Kanae actively participates in Natsuki's emotional world, validating her feelings without reducing them to simple romantic metrics. Through Kanae, the manga expands its thematic vocabulary, asking readers to reconsider the boundaries between idol devotion, platonic friendship, and romantic attachment.
