We Get to See Aqua Grow in Oshi no Ko Manga Volume 7 

Even though Oshi no Ko is about the twins Aqua and Ruby, a lot of the early volumes of the manga focus on him instead of her. It’s understandable, since he’s penned as the primary protagonist for a while early on. However, with volume 7 of Oshi no Ko we get to see this shift as certain developments give some of Aqua’s story a sense of resolution and Ruby an opportunity to step into the spotlight again.

Editor’s Note: There will be spoilers for volume 7 of the Oshi no Ko manga below. 

Volume 7 of Oshi no Ko begins with the Tokyo Blade stage play we’ve seen coming together over the course of multiple chapters finally running. This is a huge pay-off in many ways. For one, we’re finally seeing the culmination of the rivalry between Akane and Kana. It’s also giving a troubled production a chance to come together, and seeing things actually turn out better than expected is a relief. 

But more importantly, this is a big deal for Aqua and his character arc in Oshi no Ko. We’d already seen leading up to this point that a part of him just won’t let this quest to avenge Ai die. It’s negatively affecting his daily life, with an inner voice that seems like it could also be his past identity chastising him for even considering moving on. So at the climax of this novel, we’re seeing him do what he fears most. He actually acts again. He uses emotional acting after such a long time of running, and in so doing he makes a major breakthrough about himself. 

The way this is handled in the Oshi no Ko manga is stunning, with Aka Akasaka and Mengo Yokoyari shifting between the personal revelation and Aqua’s performance. We can see how his tapping into those memories influences his behavior on-stage. Likewise, the insights he’s gaining as he does so offers this reveal into what he’s dealing with and allows him to perhaps address the issue in a way that could make his life different going forward. 

This, followed by a meaningful conversation with Toshiro Kindaichi and Taiki Himekawa, really makes Oshi no Ko volume 7 feel like it’s constantly giving the reader valuable insights into the characters. We’re finally learning more about Aqua. We’re seeing him grow. We watch as he learns more about his past. 

At the same time, Akasaka and Yokoyari do a great job of pivoting to the next part of the Oshi no Ko plot at the end of volume 7. Following the performance of Tokyo Blade, we see that Ruby was in the audience the whole time. She noticed how far everyone, Aqua and Kana included, have come as she watched the show. With that seed planted, the end of the volume takes the opportunity to shift the focus back to her and new B-Komachi. Seeing the group start to make some decisions, as well as a choice to return to her former roots, paves the way for growth on her part as well. 

Oshi no Ko volume 7 really feels like one of the more important volumes of the manga, in part because of the development it offers for Aqua. We see him embrace his pain and deal with the trauma he’s experienced for years. We watch the stage play finally come together. We see people like Kana and Akane stand out. Most importantly, we also witness a fantastic transition that shifts the story back to Ruby. It’s all handled incredibly well.

Oshi no Ko volume 7 will be available on August 27, 2024, and Yen Press will release volume 8 of the manga on November 19, 2024. The anime is streaming on HIDIVE.