Cat☆☆

RUBY IS SO BADDIE LIKE A BAG OF TAKIS in season 3!! shes actually my favvvvv soooo <3

However, the story heavily treats Gorou and Aqua as two distinct "roles" or "personas" that exist within the same individual. This is not just fan theory — the manga itself (especially in the final chapters and a key conversation with Tsukuyomi) explicitly frames it this way.

Gorou Amamiya = The past-life identity (the 30+ year old doctor). This side represents:

Nostalgia and guilt (especially toward Sarina and failing to save people)

The "big brother / protector" instinct

Kind doctor who wanted to save people

Aqua Hoshino = The current-life identity. This side represents:

The present-day trauma of being Ai’s son

The cold, calculated revenge drive

The "true Aqua" that Akane draws out (the one capable of happiness and equal relationships)

The genetic influence of Ai and Hikaru -revenge-obsessed, emotionally shut down, willing to die for his goal (which makes him more emotionally complex and darker than Gorou ever was)

In his dying moments and in conversations near the end, Aqua himself questions “which part of me is the real one?”

Tsukuyomi basically replies:

"You carry Gorou’s memories, but you are genetically Ai and Hikaru’s child. This created two roles inside you — Aqua and Gorou. But in the end, it doesn’t matter, because what you truly wanted was to help others."

So the manga leans into the “two roles / two personas” idea quite strongly, especially in how different people bring out different sides of him:

Kana → draws out Gorou (昔のお兄ちゃん — the old big brother, protective, nostalgic, tied to “fun / 楽しい”)

Akane → draws out Aqua (本来のアクアくん — the “true” or original Aqua of this life, tied to “happiness / 幸せ” and forward-looking equality)

Ruby → draws out the deepest protective love that blends both (fulfilling the promise he couldn’t keep as Gorou)

1. With Kana Arima → Strongly pulls out the Gorou persona (昔のお兄ちゃん)

Kana consistently draws out Aqua's past-life Gorou side: the protective big brother, the nostalgic doctor who wants to support someone’s efforts even when they’re not number one.

This is why their dynamic feels warm but stuck in "big brother / little sister" territory. He recruits her for B-Komachi, praises her uniquely, cheers with lightsticks, and protects her from scandals — all classic Gorou protective instincts (the same way he cared for Sarina).

Even when he calls her “special” in Season 3 Episode 10, it’s the Gorou side speaking — easy, nostalgic validation that makes her melt because it reminds her of being seen for her effort.

Problem: This side cannot give her romance. Gorou’s guilt and protective instinct make him terrified of “tainting” or endangering Kana the way he failed Sarina and Ai. So he keeps giving her just enough warmth to keep her orbiting, but never crosses into equality or romance. This is why their interactions feel regressive and safe for him.

2. With Akane Kurokawa → Strongly pulls out the true Aqua persona (本来のアクアくん)

Akane is the only one who consistently draws out the present-day Aqua — the version of him that exists beyond revenge and past-life guilt.

She brings out his capacity for happiness (幸せ), emotional vulnerability, teasing, and the desire for an equal relationship.

In the bushes scene in Episode 10, we see this conflict clearly: the Gorou/Aqua mix wants to keep her close under his conditions (distant ally), but the real Aqua side is frustrated when she refuses and walks away on her own terms. His sharp expression isn’t just anger — it’s irritation that she won’t stay inside the framework he created, because deep down he actually wants the equality she demands.

This is why his biggest romantic regret in his dying moments is specifically about Akane: “I wanted to build an equal relationship with Akane.” That line only makes sense if the true Aqua (not Gorou) is the one speaking.

3. With Ruby (Sarina) → Blends both personas into pure protective love

Ruby is the only person who makes both sides of Aqua align completely.

As Gorou, he failed to save Sarina and fulfill her idol dream.

As Aqua, he wants to protect his little sister and see her achieve that dream in this life.

His strongest and final regret before dying is wanting to see Ruby perform at the Dome. This is the one desire that feels completely unified — both Gorou’s atonement and Aqua’s brotherly love merged into one.

The order of regrets in his last moments is very telling:

Becoming a surgeon again (minor Gorou carryover)

Not properly responding to Kana’s feelings (Gorou-side guilt / protective failure)

Beach with Himekawa (family he never fully claimed)

Not calling Miyako “mom” (present-life family regret)

Wanting an equal relationship with Akane (true Aqua regret — the deepest romantic one)

Wanting to see Ruby at the Dome (the heaviest — unified Gorou + Aqua desire)

This order shows the emotional weight: Gorou’s protective regrets come first, but the deepest, most painful ones belong to the present-day Aqua who wanted a real future.

Aqua doesn’t have two separate souls or entities fighting inside him.

He has one soul carrying two very different roles/identities that were never properly integrated:

Gorou = nostalgia, guilt, protection, “fun” (楽しい)

Aqua = present trauma, revenge, capacity for happiness (幸せ), and the desire for equality

Kana keeps him locked in the Gorou role (safe but stagnant).

Akane tries to pull him into the true Aqua role (risky but potentially healing).

Ruby is the only one who makes both sides feel whole.The real tragedy is that Aqua spent most of his second life letting revenge suppress the “true Aqua” while only letting the Gorou side out in limited, protective ways. In the end, both sides died with regrets.

Aqua manipulates, doesn't mean he does not care.

Aqua cares, doesn't mean he does manipulate.

fighting with everything she can

Fern:

fighting with everything she can, too.

Frieren:

Aqua and Akane started their business relationship with a kiss at sunset. Later, Aqua ended their relationship at sunset. In the world of movies, sunset is the "magic hour" for acting. This suggests that the breakup was just a performance. It wasn't from his heart; it was a fake breakup to protect Akane from his revenge.

Their genuine, deep relationship started at night after they found Gorou’s body. At the very end, when Aqua is facing Hikaru and thinking about his biggest regrets, he realizes he wanted to build a real, equal relationship with Akane. The night is when Aqua is most honest.

When Aqua thinks back on his memories in Season 3, 

With Kana, he is a spectator. He is watching her from a distance like a fan. He feels like Gorou, the obsessed fan who is looking at his idol 

With Akane, He is a participant. They are standing side-by-side. With Akane, he isn't a fan or a ghost—he is the person he was always meant to be. He doesn't have to wear a mask.

Aqua didn't leave Akane because he stopped loving her. He left her at sunset to play the "hero" and keep her safe. But in his heart, especially in the dark of the night, he knew she was the only one who truly stood by his side as an equal.

Thank you for the question.

I feel like an important nuance of Japanese confession culture is being completely missed here.

Kana asked Aqua to give her an answer to her indirect confession on the day of the concert.

Now, look at the panel:

Kana does not look like Ruby, who is clearly focused on the concert. Instead, Kana looks distracted, like she is searching for something, or someone.

This is the narrative reminding you that Kana is waiting for Aqua’s answer, the answer she explicitly asked for that same day.

Aqua cannot ignore Kana’s request for an answer.

If Aqua is a decent person, he also cannot pursue a romantic relationship with anyone else until he gives Kana a clear response.

Let’s look at two examples of this in other manga.

I’ll start with the gentler example, and then move on to the Kaguya-sama one… I think people who have not read Kaguya-sama have a very mistaken idea of Aka…

First, Hina in Blue Box:

Hina knows that Taiki likes someone else, and yet she confesses to him. She explicitly tells him that he does not need to give her an answer right away. She even makes it clear that he is free to continue pursuing the other girl.

The whole situation affects him badly, even during his matches.

Taiki is told by others to consider her as an option, despite the fact that he likes someone else.

In the end, he gives her an answer (despite her asking him to keep thinking about it) because he cannot properly pursue the person he truly wants while leaving her feelings unresolved and when he considers them.

Now, in Kaguya-sama: Ishigami and Tsubame.

Ishigami confesses by accident, and Tsubame becomes extremely stressed over how to turn him down.

It is problematic because it is also a heartfelt confession, and he is a good person and a good friend to her.

As usual, she is asked by others to consider dating him:

He tells her that she can give him an answer by spring and that she does not need to worry.

After that we see her trying to sleep with him as a way to “thank” him for liking her because she doesn’t feel she can just reject him.

He still asks her to think it over.

She even tries to go on dates with him.

She tries to fall in love with him and gives him a genuine chance. She truly believed that if she gave him a chance, she would, but she simply couldn’t.

In the end, all of this leads to her finally giving him an answer.

* Btw she begs him to stay friends with her and tells him how much he means to her, and he agrees. And… their friendship is completely over. Later, he even says that he cannot remain friends with someone who rejected him.

So this was meant to stress an important point:

You cannot ignore someone’s confession, and you certainly cannot ignore someone who explicitly asks for an answer.

If they are a good honest person and a good friend of yours, you are even expected to seriously consider the possibility of dating them, even if you currently have no feelings for them, sometimes even if you like someone else.

So while Kana is assigned to “love” and Akane to “obligation,” Aqua’s words here suggest the opposite. He treats Kana’s confession as an obligation, while his true desire lies with Akane.

And for those familiar with Japanese tropes, Aka is probably playing with ninjo vs. giri here.

This is another point I think many people miss:

The real question here is not who Aqua would date if he were alive. The question is where his true desire lies, where his heart is, and what he actually wants.

*My guess is that if he were alive, the usual pattern would repeat, just like with Tsubame. He would not be able to lie to himself or to her, and would eventually end up rejecting her.

Even in Kaguya-sama, there is a couple who starts dating despite the girl having no romantic interest in the boy at first, simply because he confessed to her.

With Kana, it is even worse, because she does not simply say, “I like you, please go out with me.” She tells him her dreams, dreams that only he can fulfill.

And we see that Aqua cannot give her those dreams, because he looks at Akane, and Ruby is also his oshi (or at least Gorou’s).

So everything becomes a mess.

In any case, the situation here is extremely complicated, which is why the only thing that truly matters is Aqua’s own words.

I have not seen enough situations like this in manga where I can say with 100% certainty why he chooses these exact words, but what stands out here is that his words express a lack of desire, and that part is what matters most.

Does he want to honor her courage after knowing she felt this way all those years?

Does he feel guilty about not being able to fulfill her dreams, and so at least considers dating her?

Does he want to avoid ruining their relationship if he rejects her?

I cannot tell which of these it is, and there are probably more possibilities that I have not thought of. My guess would be the first or the second.

But one thing is clear: he does not want to date her.

As for the order in which Kamiki says these things, it is not accidental. Aka wrote it that way because it’s a monologue, which builds upward.

We can see Aqua’s desire grows step by step:

someday → might → want → definitely want.

* again, about Kana being assigned to fall in love: because Aqua needs to give her an answer, he cannot put anyone else in that position.

About the 3th party:

Mem Cho- obsessed :

*Neither actually uses the literal Japanese word for “obsessed” (執着). But, they use words with very similar meaning to each other’s.

Akane- was attracted to 「惹かれてた」:

* not in a sexual sense, but emotionally. It more like being pulled toward/drawn in by them.

Ruby: his old self.

This is Aqua’s old self. It is Gorou being close to his oshi, Ai:

I don't think that these panels, Aqua's own final wishes, get talked about enough. There are so many characters who point out towards Aqua liking Kana–Memcho, the director, even Akane herself. But then again, these are their POVs, not Aqua's.

In the given panels, Aqua himself tells his wishes out loud."It might also be a good idea to respond to Arima's feelings."—I believe this picks up from their 'date' in chapter 151 or so, which ends with Kana telling Aqua her dream to be 'his star'. The chapter ends with a... shocked or maybe surprised panel of Aqua. The statement of "might also be a good idea" does not imply any sort of romantic rejection or acceptance. Also, the use of "might also" shows a mere possibility, not certainty.

"I want to build an equal relationship with Akane and repay her for all the kindness she has shown me."—while this statement does not look romantic at first glance, let's consider the way it is phrased. The "equal relationship" part is a direct repetition of what Akane told him in the chapter of their breakup (98-ish). She used these words to refer to their relationship they had built over the year—their relationship as boyfriend and girlfriend. The part of "I want" shows a firm desire; a "Yes, this is what I want."

Something apart from this which caught my eye is how these panels are detailed. The one with Kana and Aqua is light hearted with Kana clinging to him, him looking over his shoulder at her. Their silhouettes are outlined by a soft grey cloud-like design with tiny sparkles. But in the one with Akane and Aqua, Aqua directly faces Akane, with a more... 'set' expression. The scene also has the cloud, but the sparkles themselves are more detailed and not just limited to the background, but rather having a presence in the foreground (overlapping the characters) as well.

Because of this, Aqua is at least obligated to give her some kind of answer. However, his specific word choice in Japanese is even more telling, especially the particular “might” that he chooses to use.

He also adds のも, which means that this is one option he is considering (with the other option clearly rejection). This is layered on top of his already very weak “responding to feelings” which again mean it’s something done for the other person’s sake rather than from his own desire.

This stands in sharp contrast to his clear words toward Akane and the way he sees her through the pentagon filter- symbolize strong clear feelings.

Edit: I am adding another example of the pentagon filter, because I think people are not sure what it is:

Many people argue that when Aqua told Akane “I want to protect you” (which is considered romantic in Japanese) at the start of their real relationship, it sounded like he was acting out of obligation. But what he says to Kana here is actually the clear example of how obligation-driven behavior looks like:

When someone confesses their feelings (especially in Kana’s case where those feelings are very strong- no less then her dream) honoring those feelings and the courage it took means the other person feels compelled to at least consider them.

There is also the contrast with Kana asking him to “only look at me,” while here he is directly looking at Akane. This becomes even more striking when we remember that Aka defines love as trying to bring happiness to the other person:

And when did Akane ever tell Aqua that she was happy? During their relationship that she believed was between equals.

So despite not knowing what Akane wants now, Aqua wants to try to make her happy.

and despite knowing exactly what Kana wants, he cannot give it to her.

So what about chapter 150?

Many people claim that the Kana/Ai parallels disappear at some point, but they actually land very precisely in chapter 150.

Gorou, who only ever had parasocial relationships in his life with his oshis, Serina and Ai, and who understood his feelings toward Ai as romantic, now interprets Aqua’s feelings for Kana as romantic - It is the same kind of feeling Gorou himself had toward Ai.

Gorou’s feeling for Ai were also not feelings that are appropriate for his age (30+, 16) and even the people around him interpret those feeling as romantic… (sounds familiar?)

*In Spica, Gorou’s feelings for Serina are also interpreted by someone else as romantic

So Gorou has never known actual romantic love, let alone been in an age-appropriate romantic relationship.

We then get a direct callback to the oshi panel, the anime panel in which Kana is visually paralleled with Ai.

Gorou states this very clearly: “You always liked her strong straightforward gaze.” I am not sure why anyone tries to argue otherwise, when the panel is literally focused on Kana’s gaze, and the speech bubble on the right ends with a subject marker. The subject of the sentence is explicitly the gaze itself.

Maybe in another manga liking someone’s gaze would automatically be romantic, but in onk we have a character whose most noticeable trait is her eyes, and that character also happens to be Aqua’s mother and Gorou’s oshi.

Aqua’s feelings for Kana are those of an oshi. It is not an equal relationship, and it is not one in which both sides show their true selves and mutually understand and accept each other.

This is not only the opposite of Aqua and Akane, it is also the opposite of Kaguya and Miyuki: