Akane Kurokawa's arc is one of the darkest in Oshi no Ko but some fans theorize that Akane might be evil. But why have so many theories popped up, and are they founded? Here's what we think.
Spoiler Warning: We discuss some spoilers about the Oshi no Ko manga and anime below. Proceed at your own risk!
Table of Contents
RELATED: All Oshi no Ko Arcs in Order: Where to Start Reading
Akane's Character Arc
We meet Akane when she's cast for a dating reality show alongside Aqua Hoshino. While she's a skilled actress, she has a hard time being memorable on TV as herself.
Desperate not to disappoint her agency, she resorts to drastic measures. This horribly backfires, resulting in relentless cyberbullying from viewers.
The pressure leads Akane to a suicide attempt from which Aqua saves her.
Realizing the pressure she was under, her co-stars support her. At their suggestion, Akane adopts a persona that looks uncannily like Ai Hoshino.
This, alongside her mutually agreed fake dating with Aqua, gives her some popularity.
It looks like she and Aqua will continue their partnership, as the manga confirms.
Is Akane Evil?
In the reality show, Akane was undoubtedly victimized, so seeing her bounce back makes for a satisfying arc.
This is far from "evil", but some fans have doubts about Akane. Why?
Possible Reincarnation Theory
Akane only adopted a persona like Ai's as a survival tactic in a cutthroat industry, but some people believe Akane is Ai's reincarnation.
Of course, this is only a theory. It's far more likely that Akane's acting skills and keen character profiling helped her shield herself behind a persona.
But since she's so good at this, some viewers and readers aren't sure about her yet, suspecting that she could prove deceitful later on.
However, we must add that this is a bit ironic given how the previous episodes were all about Akane being misunderstood by a fictional fandom, only for her to be mistrusted by the real one.
Relationship With Aqua
Some fans hate Akane simply because she's close to Aqua and they'd rather see him with Kana. But some elements of the relationship itself are deemed troubling by fans.
It's no secret that some viewers think that Aqua is worse than Ai's killer. We wouldn't put Aqua's crimes at the same level as murder, but he isn't a good person.
So, could he and Akane be a perfect fit in that regard?
Those who think so point out that, in the manga, upon learning Aqua's true backstory, Akane casually offers to help him murder his father.
While understandable, Aqua's quest for revenge is all-consuming and it sets him on a dark path.
Akane lacks her own personal motivation. Because of this, some readers think her offer is a bit much and suggests the possibility of descent into villainy.
That being said, Akane is in love with Aqua at that point, and there's no proof that she was speaking literally, so we wouldn't use this element to determine if Akane is evil.
Will Akane Be Evil?
Akane is a complex character who is willing to go to great lengths for her acting dreams, but this doesn't mean she's evil.
Some fans dislike Akane for different reasons. It's totally ok not to like every character we watch.
Fandom wars partly explain some fans' dislike, as there are people who would rather Aqua dated Kana.
There's no way to tell whether Akane will go down a dark path like Aqua by the end of the ongoing manga.
But her character arc is definitely engaging, and some of the hate shows that the media, fictional or otherwise, can be relentless to ambitious female characters.
Discover more anime news and info by following us on Twitter @epicstreamanime.
READ NEXT: The Best Girls in Oshi no Ko, Ranked
Explore new topics and discover content that's right for you!