You know, despite Oshi No Ko not being a Shojou manga in any way, the question of who Aqua Hoshino will end up with is brought up a lot. Hell, just as much as the murder mystery he is currently embroiled in. But that’s the appeal of the series, isn’t it? With how it can balance relatively light hearted topics such as teen romances with the much darker themes of Idol culture and harassment, Oshi No Ko is doing brilliantly. But how does the romance here fare?
If you’re a manga follower, you already know that Aqua Hoshino is kind of, sort of, in a relationship with Akane Kurokawa. Yet, the most likely candidate for who Aqua Hoshino would end up with after everything is said and done? That has to be Kana Arima. Of course, this isn’t set in stone but all the hints we have had between Aqua and Kana, are just so convincing. Even if they haven’t been in a formal relationship together, their bond is too intriguing to ignore.
Of course, there are other girls in the series that could be shipped with Aqua. I mean, the guy happens to be the son of a former idol, so his attractiveness isn’t an issue here. But the thing is, Aqua’s personality leaves a lot to be desired. And couple that up with his plans for revenge over his mother’s killer? Yeah, his options feel a little more narrowed. But that’s not to say they don’t exist at all! Just that they take a backseat to his ultimate goals.
However, let’s say you weren’t interested in Oshi No Ko for the thriller aspect of it. And instead, you’re a waifu enthusiast that loves a little bit of romance. In that case, your main concern is who Aqua Hoshino ends up with. Well, that’s what we are here to break down in another segment of Waifu Wars. Is it going to be Akane? Or Kana? Or therapy aka the thing Aqua genuinely needs, desperately? Let’s get right into it!
Akane Kurokawa: A Lie Come True
Look, no matter what you think about Akane, she does have the upper hand here. Akane Kurokawa starts out as a fake girlfriend for Aquamarine Hoshino, while participating in a reality show known as LoveNow. And after their trip to Miyazaki Prefecture, they even end up entering an actual relationship.
While Akane herself might be a shy individual, she is a brilliant actor. And to honor Aqua, she bases her stage persona after Ai Hoshino, the late idol and Aqua’s mom. She ends up doing such a great job of it, that both Aqua and Ruby Hoshino, his twin sister, are left in awe. From then on, it was easy to see what Akane would go on to mean to Aqua, as one of the only people who is aware of his secrets. Akane is very closely tied to the plans that Aqua has put forward to catch the killer, so of course she ends up connecting to him a lot.
Even if Aqua was only using Akane for his own means, there is still a bond there. Especially when Aqua started having his PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder) breakdowns, something Akane could acutely understand following her own suicidal ideation prior to Aqua saving her. It feels like nothing Aqua does could deter her from supporting him, not even revealing his plans to kill a person.
And, to an extent, Aqua understands that is a lot. Not only is Akane agreeing to go along with anything he does, but actively helping him throughout it all, of her own vocation. The thing is, she fundamentally understands his motives and just wants to be there for him. And even after he let’s go of his goals, he wanted her around. So they started dating for real.
However, that relationship doesn’t end up lasting. Then again, we never know with these two because of the ‘will-they-won’t-they?’ thing they have going on.
Kana Arima: The First Person To Bring Aqua Out From His Shell
Maybe I’m just a sucker for a good Tsundere character. But Kana is more than just a feisty red-head. After all, she’s the only other person that knew Aqua before his mother’s death. In a way, she has an understanding of him before he became obsessed with the murder of his mother, which is the ‘real’ Aqua.
Kana might not be in an official relationship with Aqua, but the two have a bond that’s really unique. After all, it was seeing Kana be an actress that sort of inspired Aqua to give the field a try himself. And in turn, Kana was motivated to go out of her own comfort zone and become a better actress. And for a while, they don’t meet until they become teenagers. But soon, they have a lot more interactions, thanks to the B-Komachi revival project, of which Kana is made the center. From there on, Kana becomes a major part of Aqua’s life.
Kana has never been able to hide her huge crush on Aqua, even falling for him when he was disguised as Piyeon, a fitness influencer. But the thing no one really discusses is how Aqua is always fixated on Kana, even while he is dating Akane. He worries about Kana becoming an idol due to what happened with his mom, but intentionally goes out of his way to protect her. And none of this is mentioning how Kana happens to be the one person that gets under Aqua’s skin and manages to make him smile.
If anything, she represents what Aqua can be if he fully lets go of what holds him back.
Winner: Rooting For Kana!
At this point, Akane and Aqua have gotten together, broken up, and gotten together again with lingering feelings of distance. I’m not saying they won’t be close, with Akane still being in love with him, but the bond isn’t as romantic as it was at first glance. However, with Kana, there is still room for growth.
Kana represents some of the best aspects of Aqua, and he inspires genuine emotion in her. Even when Aqua was trying his best to avoid Kana, he would always come back to her in concern. And, really, I just find their coupling better. It feels much more organic and less one-sided, than it does with Akane.
But of course, the true maiden that can save Aqua from himself is therapy. That’s who we really ship him with. Get that boy a therapist, because after recent chapters? Bo, does he need one.
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