The third season of the TV anime series "Oshi no Ko," based on the popular manga serialized in "Weekly Young Jump" (Shueisha), is currently airing on TOKYO MX and 36 other stations nationwide. In the first and second seasons, Aqua lived for the sake of revenge against the murderer who killed the genius idol Ai, but at the end of the second season, it seemed like she had reached a turning point in her revenge. However, in the third season, it becomes clear that her revenge was not over. We spoke to voice actor Takeo Otsuka, who has been playing Aqua since the first season began airing in April 2023, about his thoughts on Aqua and what goes on behind the scenes at the recording studios.
◇Aqua's kindness never changes
"Oshi no Ko " is a popular manga created by Aka Akasaka , the creator of " Kaguya-sama: Love Is War, " and Mengo Yokoyari , the creator of " Scum's Wish ," and was serialized in "Weekly Young Jump" from April 2020 to November 2024. It tells the story of a twin brother and sister left behind by a genius idol named Ai, who suddenly dies.
Otsuka said that up until the second season, Aqua "was obsessed with revenge. It was difficult to play her." At the end of the second season, she learned that the person she thought she was seeking revenge on had already passed away, and she reflected, "I think the moment the black star disappeared from Aqua's eye was a turning point." What were her thoughts as she approached the recording of the third season?
"First and foremost, I wanted to follow in the footsteps of the second season, and as Aqua, I'm trying to live happily in the present. But even so, I still felt like I hadn't completely come to terms with it, and that there was still some lingering resentment and a lump in my heart. As was the case with the second season, the third season also had a variety show as a new setting, which created a slightly different atmosphere, so I wanted to listen carefully to the acting of the people around me and receive direction so I could adjust accordingly."
Despite the various changes in the situation, Otsuka says that what she has valued in playing Aqua since the first season is her "kindness at heart."
"I've come to think, 'Is it okay to seek my own happiness?' But somehow I still think about those around me more than myself, and I care about others more than myself. I think that kindness never changes, no matter what."
In the third season, Aqua and Akane Kurokawa become lovers, and she delicately described the changes, saying, "Aqua was conscious of doing what normal lovers should do, so her interactions with Akane make her seem more like a lover, and although it's a really small change, she now shows a slightly wider range of emotions than before. This was something I changed while receiving direction. However, suddenly becoming brighter wouldn't be quite right, so I guess it's more like she has a slightly brighter tone to her voice."
◇Back on the path of revenge, cherishing Aqua's true feelings
In episode 28, "Blindness," Aqua, feeling uneasy about Ruby's change, goes to meet Ichigo Saito, the former president of Ichigo Productions, and realizes that the "revenge" she once thought was over is not over. Otsuka feels that for Aqua, the desire for revenge in seasons 1 and 2 and the one that is rekindled in season 3 are "slightly different."
"Once her revenge was over and she thought, 'It's okay to truly pursue happiness,' a different kind of pain arises when she takes revenge again. In the anime, part of the direction was 'how I want to portray Aqua,' but as Aqua moves towards revenge, the emotions she expresses and the colors of her words become more strongly mixed with not just revenge, but also her own pain and hesitation. It feels more like she's telling herself to let go of her happy days once again. As a director, I wanted to make Aqua's complex emotions more visible."
Furthermore, in order to help Kana Arima, who has been hit by a scandal, Aqua decides to make it public that she and Ruby are Ai's children, leading to a tumultuous development.
"When I read the original work, I also felt that this was a really big turning point. Something that had been hidden up until then is made public to the world. I'm sure Aqua didn't think about Ruby when it came to this, but she still decided to make it public. It's the point where everything really changes. After that, at the end of episode 31, Aqua has a monologue where she says, 'My happy days are over,' and 'I have no choice but to continue on this path...!' From this point on, I tried to act as if she was shaking off her own inner conflict, mixing in some pain as well. In a slightly different sense from the ruthless Aqua in the first and second seasons, I think she has gone in a more dangerous direction than before."
However, even though Aqua is once again on the path of revenge and is unyielding towards those around her, "during the recording, we, along with the staff, tried to value what she really thinks," he revealed.
"At her core, Aqua has kindness and conflict, so I tried to cherish the words that come from that, and I received direction every time I did it. I think there's also an atmosphere that there's no other way."
◇The tension that only "Oshi no Ko" can provide
Since the first season, Otsuka has played Aqua, who has come into contact with various women and has had different relationships with each of them, and he says that along with her kindness, he also feels her ``troublesome'' side.
"Aqua may not realize it when she's with Kana, but I think she feels thrown off her pace. With Akane, they're both so smart that they can understand each other without her having to say everything, so I think they don't really speak their true feelings. With Ruby, there's a different kind of "understanding without her having to say it" to Akane, but even though they're family, they're also like strangers. I think there's a family affection between them, but they don't reveal their true feelings and try not to touch on Ruby's dark side. Seeing her like that makes me think that maybe Aqua herself is a difficult person."
During the recording, "As we interact with each other, the atmosphere of each character naturally develops," and she is also aware of the accumulation of experience gained over the past seasons. She also mentioned that there are difficulties and fun unique to recording "Oshi no Ko."
"There's nothing wrong with the flow of emotions, but sometimes they want, 'I want this emotion in this scene,' or 'I want this impression.' It's like lying in a way with the expression. It really stands out and makes for a good scene. Even a slight change in the tone of the voice can change the impression. I really learn every day how to present this in anime. I think that kind of direction is only possible because the direction is firmly set, but it also requires the ability to adapt to it. Of course, that's true on any set, but I think that with ' Oshi no Ko' in particular, it's a set that is carried out with a lot of concentration and a good sense of tension."
The anime "Oshi no Ko" will reach a major turning point in its third season. Otsuka says, "There are some difficult developments, but there is a message that says, 'This is what's important.' I think the content delves deeper into questions like, 'What is a human?' and 'What is an adult?'" We will continue to watch Aqua and the others' future with great interest. (Shiroinu/MANTANWEB)
