Kana and Akane’s Complicated Rivalry, Explained

Key Takeaways

• Akane idolizes Kana, pushing her to enter showbiz and chase after her despite their rivalry.
• The rivalry is complex, driven by admiration and compassion rather than outright dislike.
• Kana feels dejected as her position and crush diminish, while Akane fails to bring out Kana’s true potential.

Kana and Akane are Oshi no Ko’s rivals in love and in showbiz. What was previously considered a love triangle between Aqua, Kana, and Akane was more than just a simple case of competitiveness between the two actresses. In the series’s second season, it is revealed that the rivalry between Kana and Akane is much more complicated than it may have seemed.

Though it may have been thought that the two were vying for Aqua’s attention, Akane was revealed to be a die-hard fan of Kana, pushing her to enter the entertainment industry and chase after Kana. Though it’s traditionally believed that rivals often try to one-up each other, Akane has diligently attempted to reignite the fire that made Kana shine.

What Was the Basis for Kana and Akane’s Rivalry?

There Is More to This Rivalry Than a Simple Love Triangle

At the start of the series, Arima Kana and Kurokawa Akane have a complicated relationship that would dictate how they behave during work and after hours. Arima Kana is a genius child actor who can capture her audience’s hearts and cry on demand. Due to this, Kana’s popularity quickly skyrocketed, making her the go-to child actor for various commercials and programs. This quickly fed Kana’s ego, leading her to mistreat others to stay in demand. She also had an acute knowledge of what producers sought from her during her performances, thus making her a flexible actress, which was an attractive trait for the producers.

However, as Kana matured, her popularity also began to decline. This is also when Akane begins to notice Kana, awestruck by her charm and acting. Kana and Akane’s rivalry is complicated for several reasons. Kana and Akane had met several years before at an audition, and at that point, Akane had idolized Kana and her genius acting. Akane chose to become an actress because of Kana and her mesmerizing performances. Her idolization was so great that she would cut her hair in the same fashion as Kana.

I wanted to become like Kana-chan, so I worked really hard. Getting closer to Kana-chan was my goal… I really loved her… That is, till the very day I met her for the first time.

Unfortunately, Akane learned the dark secrets of the entertainment industry’s match-fixing and was disappointed to learn Kana had claimed the role without auditioning. During this interaction, Akane learned what has become of Kana, her beloved actress who the industry has swallowed up.

At the start of the series, Kana meets Hoshino Ruby and Aqua on a television drama set and insults Ai, their mother, which leads to Aqua outperforming her on set. After this, she meets the twins once again at their performing arts high school and develops a crush on him after meeting him once more several years later; this crush on Aqua is one of the reasons for their rivalry.

Unfortunately, Aqua also met Kurokawa Akane during his time on the reality dating show LoveNow, and the two began dating. Aqua recognized Akane’s talent and detective skills and thus used her to find his mother’s killer. As mentioned above, Kana developed a crush on Aqua and grew agitated at learning about their developing relationship, further driving a wedge between the two girls.

As Kana continued to develop feelings for Aqua, she would often remind him of his fake dating life and correct co-stars on Aqua’s and Akane’s relationship, demonstrating her dislike for their relationship status.

What Makes Their Rivalry Complicated?

Akane Genuinely Cares for Kana and Wants to See Her at Her Best, Although Unbeknownst to Kana

Kana had a deep dislike for Akane. Although she recognized her acting skills and talent, she disliked her relationship with Aqua. This led to a fierce rivalry between the two. Although Kana disliked Akane and her relationship with Aqua, Akane had always admired Kana and her talents.

As you are now Kana-chan, I hate you. I really hate you.

Although it had always seemed that the two actresses had been competing, Akane had consistently done her best to draw out Kana’s true potential and free her from her insecurities. Kana is an exceptional actress; however, to become more valuable within the industry and hold onto her position, Kana had chosen to match her pace with others, ensuring they shine in their roles while diminishing hers, making her the perfect buffer for the main protagonists within the drama’s she’s been cast in. However, many close to Kana know she’s much more selfish when acting on stage.

This rivalry is so complicated because of the feelings of the two actresses. Kana felt Akane had stolen her crush, and her talents had lifted her position in the industry, whereas hers began to fail. Thus, her self-esteem began to plummet. Kana consistently tried to gain an advantage over Akane without much success.

She shines the brightest when she’s drawing all the attention to herself.

However, Akane truly liked Kana and wanted to unleash her true potential. The rivalry between the two girls was never about their dislike for one another but rather Akane’s wish to unleash the real Kana and win against her while she was at her best. Although Akane is very much aware of this rivalry while still trying to get back the old Kana, she fails in various ways.

• Akane knows Kana’s crush on Aqua and continues to date him, knowing it hurts Kana.
• Akane excels as an actress and wishes to draw out Kana’s talent. However, Kana is too aware of the circumstances in showbiz to allow herself to shine brighter.

It was previously thought that the rivalry between the two was clear-cut, as Akane continued to date Aqua while Kana watched from a distance. However, in Season 2 of the anime, Akane’s true feelings about Kana are revealed, showcasing a rivalry based on admiration and compassion. While the two are not outright mean to one another and have shown to be civil, Kana continues to feel dejected as her position as an actress and crush slowly diminishes.

Oshi no Ko is available to stream on Hulu.