Dating Reality Show[]
Being a quiet and reserved girl, she decides to sign up for the Reality Show "We're About to Fall in Love for Real" along with other teenagers, including Aqua.[1] Seeing that she does not stand out much in the program, she decides to develop a false enmity and rivalry with the fan favorite Yuki. In an impulse of emotions, she ends up scratching the face of the model, who immediately knows that Akane did not do it on purpose and forgives her.[2] However, the viewers and internet users did not take it the same way and began assaulting the young girl with hateful messages and flaming her on many different social networks. From death threats to insulting her character and even wishing that she would die.[3]
Akane unable to handle the hate comments she received.
After reading all the comments, she has reached her breaking point and resolved herself to commit suicide. However before she jumps off a bridge onto the highway, she is grabbed and saved by Aqua, who gently embraces her and promises that everything will be alright.[4]
After the near-incident, all her colleagues join together to prepare a PV to the social networks of the program with different scenes that were never broadcasted but show Yuki anda Akane being friendly with each other to alleviate the hatred towards Akane. Aqua takes charge of the operation and the plan works out as public opinion sways back in favor of her.[5]
Akane imitating Ai Hoshino
Knowing how Aqua saved her life and reputation, she becomes grateful to him. In the final episode of the reality show, Aqua kissed her and the two became the “official couple” of the show. Off camera, Akane asked Aqua why he decided to pair up with her and he told her that the reason was due to his interest in Akane as an actress (this was a lie, as Aqua's real intention was to use Akane's incredible talent to get more information about Ai [6]) That answer seemed to satisfy her, as she agreed to have a business relationship with Aqua.
Later in the story, it is revealed that Akane always knew Aqua was lying. However, because of the gratitude she felt towards him, she decided to say nothing and let Aqua continue with his plan to use her. In the end, Aqua himself never went through with it, as he and Akane became very close during their time together and a true bond was formed between them.
The First Concert[]
Akane and Aqua on work date
After the new B-Komachi's first performance, Akane and Aqua meet up for a work date and start discussing about Tokyo Blade, a popular manga which is going to get a 2.5D stage-play adoption. Akane asks Aqua if he would take the job or not, Aqua replied with a "yes" and continues to say who is he cast as.
Suddenly, Kana appears and interrupts their date. She proceeds to teach Akane not to post pictures on social media in real-time, as it can indicate their current location which can cause trouble.
Akane, enraged over Kana's sudden appearance
After Kana leaves, Aqua suggests Akane to get along with Kana, but Akane refuses due to long-term animosity between the two of them. She stated that she won't lose to Kana, and she just got her chance to do so in the Tokyo Blade stage play.[7]
2.5D Stage Play[]
Akane shows a different side compared to usual
After an initial meeting where the everyone involved in the Tokyo Blade stage adaptation introduce themselves. Akane decides to lend Aqua a hand as performing on the stage is her main job, and she feels the need to return his favor for what he did during their time on LoveforReal. As the script-reading progresses, Akane cannot help but notices Kana's performance and tries to work out why Kana's performances has become "sharper" then usual.[8]
"Kill every last one of them. Those shinjuku bunch."
On the third day of the Tokyo Blade rehearsal, Akane notices that Aqua has also seemingly focused on Kana's performance, and asks if that is what he is doing. Aqua acknowledges with a "yes", and informs Akane that if she performs as she has done so up to this point, she is going to lose by a wide margin. Upon hearing Aqua's comments, she decides to take on his suggestions and begins rehearsing her dialogues.
When Akane begins to rehearse, the director stops her, telling her to match the atmosphere around her. Heeding the direction, she attempts on the line again. This new attempt leaves the director satisfied but Akane believe performing in such a way is entirely different from source material. However, she understands some of the changes are unavoidable since the manga series are basically different than a stage-play adoption and the original author of this series has also approved the script, so she has no choice but to continue acting this way.[9]
Later on, Akane has the opportunity to ask the scripwriter Goa about the differences of the character she is portraying compared to the source materials, and received explanation from both Goa and the director Toshirou Kindaichi about the need to truncate the nuance of said character for the benefit of the play itself since they have limited runtime. She also greets Abiko Samejima, the original author of Tokyo Blade as she visits the set, and witness her outburst as she demands the script to be rewritten in its entirety.[10]
Due to Abiko's demands, the rehearsals are cancelled for the time being, which troubles Akane since she wanted as much rehearse time as possible since they're performing on a stage-around. An offhand comment by Aqua made Akane realize that Aqua is not aware of the differences between normal stage and stage-around, and she invites Aqua to join her in watching a stage-around show with her in guise of a date. After the show finishes, Akane is elated to find out that Aqua finds the stage-around enjoyable. As they discuss about the strengths of the stage-around, they are approached by Sumiaki Raida who is in charge of the show they just watched, and they talk about the current Tokyo Blade script situation.[11]
Akane later joins Aqua, Kana Arima and Melt Narushima to visit Yoriko Kichijouji, to help with Aqua's plan to help Goa and resolve the situation with Abiko and the script. She talks with Yoriko about her work and her friendship with Abiko, and at the end, she asks Yoriko if she can help by talking Abiko out of firing Goa. However, due to their long-standing friendship, Yoriko cannot agree to help, and Akane watches as Aqua ask her to give something to Abiko.[12]
As the situation resolves, and the script finished being rewritten, Akane can be seen happily reading the new script.[13] She is delighted to see that her character, Sayahime, now matches perfectly with her interpretation. At some point during the rehearsal, Kindaichi demands Aqua to have an emotional acting to fulfill his character. Akane tries to help him by leading him on, but Kana interrupted her. She and Kana has a disagreement regarding emotional acting, and she looks surprised as Aqua fell down to the floor.[14]
Akane attends to Aqua as he takes a minute to recover, and she calls Taishi Gotanda to pick him up. Taishi is surprised to learn that Akane is his girlfriend, and explains about Aqua's situation to her, stating that he has not recovered from a deeply painful trauma he received during childhood. As Akane watches over a sleeping Aqua, she heard him mutter Ai's name. She connects the dots and realizes that Aqua is Ai's secret child. Akane cries as Aqua wakes up, and she hugs him, stating that she will always be his ally no matter what, and share his pain.[15]
Private[]
As another showing of the Tokyo Blade stage play is over, the cast plans to have drinking party to celebrate. Akane excitedly search for bars that can reserve on the same day, and can be seen enjoying herself on the party.[16]
Akane hugs Aqua from behind
After a while, the Tokyo Blade stage play finally ended, and Akane and Aqua has another date where they talk about Aqua's trip to Miyazaki, and Aqua invited her to join as he wanted to talk to her about something. Akane deduces that Aqua wants to break up with her during the trip, and asks him to talk about their relationship right now instead. They walk around, talking about the nature of their relationship, until they reach the same bridge where Akane almost jumped off from. Akane then reveals that she is aware that Aqua was trying to use her, but her feelings for him has now grown to the point where she is willing to kiss or even have sex with him, as she hugs him from behind. Aqua is unsure that what Akane has for him is a romantic feeling, but he is also unsure about his own feeling for Akane.[17]
Akane unsure about her feelings
They discuss a bit more regarding their feelings, and Aqua finally opens up about the recent developments in his life, and how his revenge is over as he found out recently that his father is supposedly dead from his half-brother Taiki Himekawa. Akane however notices something off from his explanation, before excusing herself from the conversation. As she walk away, she pieces together a possibility that the father Aqua thought is dead is not the same person that he is looking for. Akane worriedly debate with herself over telling Aqua about her deduction, even though she doesn't want Aqua to live for revenge again, as he is now free from that burden.[18]
Mainstay[]
Akane over the phone, giddy
Six months after the trip to Miyazaki, Akane's career took off as she becomes a lead actress in an upcoming movie along with roles in several TV dramas. It is also revealed that Aqua and Akane are now in a real relationship.
When Akane and Aqua officially started dating, Akane became much more open. She asked Aqua to pamper her after a busy day and thanked him for all the little actions he did to show his feelings. Aqua would fetch her with an umbrella on rainy days, respond to her text messages as soon as possible, and praise her for her hard work. All these small actions made Akane feel grateful and satisfied.
When Aqua found out that his father was still alive, he ended his relationship with Akane, fearing that she would get into dangerous situations because of him.
Scandal[]
Akane musing about Aqua's plans
As the news about Aqua and Ruby's connection to Ai Hoshino is revealed to the world, due to Aqua bartering the information in exchange of burying the scandal involving Kana, Akane looks on in silence, and mused that Aqua, and whatever he is planning, now cannot be stopped.[19]
Movie[]
Akane arriving at the audition
The casting of The 15 Year Lie involves Akane as she is invited to meet up with Frill Shiranui and Ruby and have a three-way interpersonal audition for a lead role in the movie. Akane is suspicious of Frill's intention to have this audition, and at first refuses to be involved in such matter after an unsatisfactory answer by Frill to her questions. Frill however reveals that Aqua is involved in the production as an actor, and Akane agrees to be involved in the audition. As the audition starts with Frill's performance on the theme of "lies", Akane gives a silent praise to Frill's talent and acknowledge her pull as an actress.[20]
After watching Ruby's performance and give a small praise, Akane takes on a performance by pretending to be Ai Hoshino, and accused Frill of rigging the audition to favor Ruby, because she's guessing that this is an audition to determine who's going to play Ai Hoshino in the movie, which surprised Ruby.[21]
References[]
- ↑ Oshi no Ko Manga: Ch. 21.
- ↑ Oshi no Ko Manga: Ch. 24.
- ↑ Oshi no Ko Manga: Ch. 25.
- ↑ Oshi no Ko Manga: Ch. 26.
- ↑ Oshi no Ko Manga: Ch. 27.
- ↑ Oshi no Ko Manga: Ch. 30.
- ↑ Oshi no Ko Manga: Ch. 40.
- ↑ Oshi no Ko Manga: Ch. 42.
- ↑ Oshi no Ko Manga: Ch. 43.
- ↑ Oshi no Ko Manga: Ch. 44.
- ↑ Oshi no Ko Manga: Ch. 46.
- ↑ Oshi no Ko Manga: Ch. 47.
- ↑ Oshi no Ko Manga: Ch. 49 (p. 18).
- ↑ Oshi no Ko Manga: Ch. 50.
- ↑ Oshi no Ko Manga: Ch. 51.
- ↑ Oshi no Ko Manga: Ch. 67.
- ↑ Oshi no Ko Manga: Ch. 71.
- ↑ Oshi no Ko Manga: Ch. 72.
- ↑ Oshi no Ko Manga: Ch. 106.
- ↑ Oshi no Ko Manga: Ch. 114.
- ↑ Oshi no Ko Manga: Ch. 115.