The very idea of two series such as Oshi no Ko and A Couple of Cuckoos coming together for a collaboration is unfathomable. Not only are they published in two different magazines (Weekly Young Jump and Weekly Shonen Magazine), but these magazines are also put out by two different publishers who have long since been considered rivals: Kodansha and Shueisha. And yet, here we are: Oricon describes the collaboration as a ‘miracle,’ and I have to agree.
Last week’s issue of Young Jump already revealed that Oshi no Ko and A Couple of Cuckoos would be teaming up for a collaboration, but we didn’t know much more than that. This week, a campaign was launched via Twitter to give 100 lucky people the chance of winning a special collaboration clear file until 28 February. You can see the draft design below:
More joint ventures are planned, but for now, it is worth asking: why is it that Oshi no Ko and A Couple of Cuckoos have teamed up for this collaboration? The color page actually explains a bit as to why: it describes both series as ‘stories where men and women are mocked by fate,’ so there’s a fair bit of thematic cohesion.
Of course, there’s also the fact that both series are proving very popular, as evidenced by their high placement on Hon no Hikidashi’s highest selling first volumes of 2020 list. If Oshi no Ko and A Couple of Cuckoos can use their respective popularity to boost each other’s sales, then this might offer a point of reconciliation for Shueisha and Kodansha to come together and endorse this collaboration. Indeed, this’d be similar to Cuckoos’ previous campaign with Kanojo mo Kanojo.
Regardless, this is hardly the last we’ll see from this Oshi no Ko and A Couple of Cuckoos collaboration, so make sure to follow the series’ respective Twitter accounts to keep up to date. Oshi no Ko isn’t available yet in English, but Cuckoos is. Check it out via Kodansha Comics.