The Japanese anime industry offers an incredible array of heartfelt romance anime in various styles. Some romance anime are heart-wrenching dramas filled with tears and angst, while others are lighthearted rom-coms that remind fans that love can be fun. Among several rom-com hit titles, Kaguya Sama: Love is War stands out the most in the community.

Kaguya and Miyuki in Kaguya-sama: Love Is War. [Credit: A-1 Pictures]

Not to mention, Kaguya Sama‘s Season 3 has left fans unsatisfied and craving more. Unlike other romantic titles, this one incorporates a psychological element to its constant knee-slapping comedy.

While fans eagerly await Season 4, few know the creator’s original narrative could have turned the beloved series’ cute moments into bloodshed and included more mature themes.

Kaguya Sama: Love is War Was Originally Darker with Themes of Bloodshed

Since the anime released back in 2019, Kaguya Sama: Love Is War has been a smash hit among romance and comedy fans alike. The anime follows the psychological warfare between two high-ranking student council members, Miyuki Shirogane and Kaguya Shinomiya.

Kaguya and Miyuki in Kaguya-sama: Love Is War. [Credit: A-1 Pictures]

Both of them refuse to confess their feelings for each other first, believing it would demonstrate weakness. This battle was drawn out for three seasonal anime, and at the conclusion of the third season, Miyuki finally confessed his feelings to Kaguya with an adorable surprise at the Cultural Festival.

Kaguya responded to this confession with a kiss, seemingly sealing the deal between them and finally bringing the dream couple to life fans had long awaited. Indeed, fans have been asking for another season after the wholesome and fascinating ending of the show.

Kaguya and Miyuki in Kaguya-sama: Love Is War. [Credit: A-1 Pictures]

While the adorable moments and Season 3 finale enthralled several viewers, Aka Akasaka originally had very different plans for the series, diverging from the romantic genre.

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In an interview, Aka Akasaka revealed that his original plan was to create a darker, bloodier series, but his editor recommended a different approach. He revealed:

Yes, it actually was a fantasy story like Instant Bullet, people dying one after another, like a hellish game of death. However, my editor asked me to write something more “mainstream”. At the time, YJ did not have a casual romcom series, so I reworked my story and created Kaguya-sama. I have never written a rom-com before, but I didn’t dislike the genre, so I gave it a try.

It’s interesting that despite having no prior experience with the rom-com series, Akasaka successfully crafted a captivating and adorable story that has become the face of the Japanese romance anime genre.

Kaguya-sama: Love Is War. [Credit: A-1 Pictures]

Besides its amazing humor, Kaguya-Sama: Love Is War is also known for being semi-realistic and mundane. Apart from Kaguya Sama, Aka Akasaka is also renowned for his other popular title, Oshi no Ko.

Aka Akasaka Sheds Light on the Harsh Realities of the Idol Industry with Oshi no Ko

Oshi no Ko has taken the anime community by storm, and it’s not difficult to see why. Aka Akasaka’s manga reveals the darker side of the popular Japanese idol industry while balancing it with impressive humor and compelling characters.

Aqua and Ruby in Oshi no Ko | Credits: Doga Kobo

Oshi no Ko leaves fans stunned by the harsh and challenging journey of young idols who goes an immense amount of mental suffering. On top of that, Akasaka makes sure to highlight the hierarchy and nepotism in Japanese idol culture, which often goes unnoticed.

Related “This was the right time”: Kaguya-Sama: Love is War’s Live-Action Adaptation Gave Aka Akasaka the Push She Needed to Start Working on Oshi no Ko

While the fandom applauds the author of his intriguing dark narrative, Akasaka shared he had planned the beginning and end of the series in advance. The end of Season 1 set up a delightful love triangle between Aqua, Kana, and Akane, and Season 2 skillfully weaves this love triangle into each character’s stage play roles in Tokyo Blade.

Kaguya-Sama: Love Is War and Oshi no Ko are both available to stream on Netflix
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