Oshi no ko primarily tackles the dark themes and lies of the entertainment industry, but it also has a revenge story. In this review, I will only be talking about the revenge side and the characterization of Hoshino Aquamarine.

Is revenge a good thing? It is a very difficult question to ask someone, but most would say that revenge will only bring more pain and probably make things worse in the long run. However, some people see revenge as a good thing because they believe they have the right to reclaim what has been taken from them. This is similar to vengeance, where one invests everything into a pursuit that ultimately offers no benefit. I believe that only those who have lost something valuable in their lives, those who have been robbed, torn apart, and had their cherished possessions destroyed, hold the right opinion on this matter. If we don't have anything that gives us purpose in this world other than harboring anger in our hearts, what would be the point other than seeking vengeance or revenge?

The anime explores many different stories, besides the entertainment industry, it explores the concept of revenge, the experiences of characters who have suffered loss, the motivations behind seeking vengeance, and the potential impact it can have on one's life. Most revenge stories have a very simple premise. An evil act, the search for retribution, and a main character with an understandable motive for vengeance. We've all seen it in anime and film, for example, the Vinland Saga, Dororo, and more, as well as in films, the most well-known of which is the Vengeance Trilogy (This is my inspiration for this review). Oshi no ko doesn’t go too deep in the revenge story, but it is more like a side story in the anime for our character Aqua. The first episode is a very quick turn of events, which is probably why a lot of people think highly of it, and it is also the main factor why people are invested in the anime, besides the main plot. I think it is also because watching revenge stories is satisfying for some individuals because witnessing a character who seeks justice and revenge for what he has lost and the protagonist overcoming obstacles and achieving their retribution can create a satisfying story.

Before Aqua, we meet Amemiya Goro, a normal doctor who is responsible for caring for Ai Hoshino’s baby. Initially, he didn’t like idol groups, but one patient changed his views, and he became an idol fan later on. On the surface, he doesn’t appear to be a supporting doctor, but observing his actions, it becomes evident that he tries his best to support the dreams of Sarina (Ruby) and Ai's child, which in the end leads him to his death. After his death, he is reincarnated as a child of Ai. As for the mystery surrounding it, he still retains his memory as Goro and is relatively normal, like his past self, but when he is acting, he shows his talent and intelligence even though he has no experience in acting whatsoever. Before the tragedy, he didn’t seem to think much of the person who killed him, but later on, it would have a huge impact on his life.

After the tragedy, he transformed, totally becoming a separate person. He who saw his mother get killed with his eyes became nothing but hollow inside, but after a while, he came to the realization that everything that just happened to him now, why he died in his past life, and why Ai was killed is because someone is behind all of this and they’re connected. That’s when he swore for his vengeance and said, ‘I can’t die yet. Not until I find him and kill him by my hand.’ He became cold, cunning, and somewhat egoistic in the series. This became his drive to live, and that was to hunt that man and kill him. It is the starting point of the story to progresses into a chase for the person behind all of this in the entertainment industry, for being an actor and having only one reason in mind.

Some people see Aqua as an emo who only looks down on everyone and can be almost overpowering, and I somewhat agree with that. However, I think it’s just also looking at his surface level and not understanding his character. I can also see similarities between Aqua and Ice Kaguya, as Akasaka Aka tends to write characters with these traits. Regardless, Aqua is willing to do whatever it takes to achieve his goals, and if ever he forgets his goals, he is reminded of the pain he underwent that day. Despite the cold nature that we see in him, he does genuinely care for those around him, although it may not be evident at first glance. For instance, he doesn’t want his sister to become an idol because he is reminded of his pain, and he doesn't want her to suffer the same fate as their mother. So he secretly destroys any option for his sister to become an idol, and he knows that this doesn’t entirely stop Ruby, so there's no safer option than to have their own company, so he agrees with the idea of it. Aqua’s passion and madness are also seen in Episode 3, where he spends 4 years trying to crack the passcode to look for clues in Ai’s cellphone, and this is the sacrifice he makes for this vengeance to happen. Despite being a very manipulative person, the actions he takes in helping the B-Komachi improve and being Pieyon, because they have a drama between Kana and him, and he can’t talk to her, so instead he goes undercover, and that is where we can kind of see his old self as Amemiya Goro, that he still tries to support and help others without seeking recognition, because for him, it’s better to do it alone, to take care of it alone, even to suffer alone.

To love hurts, to love kills, and to love conceals. It means that love can cause suffering, lead to actions that might compel us to take someone's life to satisfy our love, and also require us to hide that love in our hearts to protect the ones we care for. This line is not entirely fitting for this anime, but I kind of think about it looking at Aqua’s character, because vengeance is also the search for justice, and it can be our justice, but what happens after you’ve had your revenge? Will that pain emerge again in him, revenge is something that will draw us in and perhaps transform us into what we are supposed to be fighting for. Since the first season has minor problems in my opinion, it still manages to show the dark side of the entertainment industry and also has a good revenge story that I am waiting to unfold.

If you have any feedback, feel free to do so. Thanks for reading.