No, he doesn’t. Kazuma blushing while looking at Aqua might have hinted at a possible chance for the two’s romance. However, they eventually made the real score between them clear as the series goes on. They have been through ups and downs and have maintained their relationship even during the hardest days of their lives. This shows that they have developed a bond much stronger than mere friends. Kazuma and Aqua may not be lovers, but they have formed a relationship much stronger than that.
Kazuma and Aqua’s relationship undoubtedly had chances at the beginning of the series. It cannot be denied that the two have an undeniable chemistry that makes them great together. Therefore, it was easy for viewers to assume just by the first episode of season one that Aqua will likely be Kazuma Satou’s love interest in KonoSuba: God’s Blessing on This Wonderful World!
Kazuma Satou may have been surrounded by other girls aside from Aqua. But, it is not that difficult to accept if the two end up together. They have shared a home together, drunk booze together, gone on quests, and basically saved each other multiple times. Since the day they met, they have spent most of their time together and have been inseparable. But, this doesn’t mean that they harbor feelings for each other. In fact, it seems like Kazuma was the only one who got fazed because of the Goddess, but these feelings slowly faded as they irritate and get to know each other more.
How did Kazuma and Aqua Meet?
Kazuma is the supposed isekai hero that gets reincarnated into a fantasy world. Being a Neet has made his life unadventurous due to only spending his days and nights playing video games. If Kazuma is a man hardworking at times but is lazy when rich in the fantasy world. Well, that is definitely a fact because this might have been a personality of his that he got to carry when he got isekaid. Before his death, Kazuma has shown his lack of interest in life, specifically in school, by not attending his classes and choosing to be a complete shut-in who plays video games.
However, his life completely takes a different turn when he suddenly died to save a fellow schoolmate of his. Kazuma Satou being awake for straight three days without any sleep due to playing made him quite hazy that day. When he met the Goddes of Water, Aqua, Kazuma wanted to find out if he had at least saved the girl from the tragic accident. But, instead of becoming a hero minutes after his death, Aqua laughs at him because of witnessing the most ridiculous way that a human could ever die.
It turns out that Kazuma’s death wasn’t that heroic because the girl wasn’t supposed to die in the first place. Isekai animes usually start with the biggest trope of all where the main character gets hit by a truck and will wake up in another world. Well, KonoSuba did something like that, but in the most hilarious way. Instead of confiding to the usual trope, Kazuma lost his life because of a heart attack. Because of his lack of sleep, Kazuma fail to see clearly that truck was actually a non-dangerous tractor being driven by an old man.
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Aqua laughs at him for so-called dying in the most useless way that irritated Kazuma. She even pointed out that no one expects that much from a Neet like him. He did found her attractive at first. In fact. Kazuma even blushed when Aqua got closer to him during their first meeting. However, her cuteness could not surpass how bad her personality was. Therefore, as his sweet revenge, Kazuma chose the Goddess of Water to be his cheat skill in the fantasy world.
Furthermore, Aqua had his useless moments even as Goddess. She is in charge of guiding people to the afterlife or convincing those who died to get reincarnated as an adventurer in the fantasy land. But, she usually gives all the responsibility to her junior Goddess, Eris. Well, not much has changed about her in the fantasy world. Aqua was just Aqua which made Kazuma realized that he may have made the wrong choice because of how much of a burden Aqua is to him. Together, Aqua and Kazuma started their journey to someday defeat the Demon King all in the midst of misery and sometimes fun adventure they go through.
Does Kazuma Secretly Like Aqua?
Again, no. Kazuma may have shown a bit of interest in Aqua at the beginning of the episode; however, that was just it. When the two got transported into the fantasy world, love was not even one of their options because of the severe poverty that welcomed them both. If KonoSuba: God’s Blessing on This Wonderful World! did follow the common plot of isekai animes then having the Goddess of Water, Aqua, as his cheat skill could have made Kazuma an overpowered isekai hero.
But, this is not that kind of anime. Aqua and Kazuma have been through a roller coaster ride since they arrived in the fantasy world. Kazuma instantly felt how different his isekai life is compared to his usual knowledge of people getting reincarnated into another world.
Feeling satisfied with just a few coins [and] taking care of useless goddess. This is not the parallel world life that I wished for!
Kazuma Sato (Season 1: Episode 5)
Aqua and Kazuma’s trials in their lives in the other world have made their bond stronger and deeper. Despite being a Goddess herself, Aqua was penniless like Kazuma. Hence, they had no choice but to juggle their lives first as construction workers before continuing their journey as an adventurer and archpriests. In their early days in Axel, the two had no choice but to live on a stable with animal waste in their room and slept together in a pile of rice straw which they used as their bed.
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Kazuma isn’t the type of guy who would go all out for a girl and act like a complete gentleman. Frankly speaking, he seems to treat all women and men alike, specifically his party members. If you’re familiar with Luffy and Nami’s (One Piece) sibling-like relationship or even Naruto and Sakura (Naruto) then you might have an idea of Kazuma and Aqua’s. However, the big difference is that it is not only Aqua who physically hurts Kazuma for acting dumb but also Kazuma himself.
Kazuma’s character has negative characteristics that have been a surprise for a lot of viewers because of his unusual behavior as the main character of the series. But, what was more shocking is his constant bickering with Aqua which even leads to physically hurting her sometimes. Yes, he also hits Aqua in the head because of her silliness which even caused a bump.
In Kazuma’s defense, this was his negative reinforcement for Aqua’s actions that frequently gets them or herself in trouble. Despite their unstoppable bantering and mockery towards one another, Kazuma and Aqua acted as each other’s protectors. For instance, when Kazuma was chased by a hoard of lady orcs in KonoSuba: God’s Blessing on This Wonderful World! Legend of Crimson, Aqua comforted him because of the trauma he got.
Kazuma even acts as Aqua’s greatest cheerleader and shows excitement whenever she accomplishes something, and vice versa. This goes to show that Kazuma may not have a lovey-dovey relationship with Aqua; however, time and their experience have proven that they got to develop a relationship much stronger than that.
Kazuma and Aqua’s Platonic Relationship
The two see each other as not someone they will end up in an intimate relationship with. One of the common tropes that KonoSuba again refused to follow is regarding the main character and the leading heroine. Viewers assumed and shipped Aqua and Kazuma immediately after one or a few episodes because of this average trope. A fan even shared on Twitter some photos of the two assuming that they are in love:
However, this is not the case for both of them. Kazuma and Aqua have the longest history with each other compared to Darkness and Megumin, but this doesn’t mean that they eventually developed feelings for one another. Kazuma and Aqua did not end up together because what they are showing is not a relationship fans should ship. They show how a real sibling relationship is by protecting and teasing each other every now and then. Though the love and care they have for one another isn’t that obvious most of the time, it does exist.
In addition, another fan shared on Twitter how he or she admires the non-intimate and completely platonic relationship between the two. Because instead of seeing a main character and his heroine falling in love, we see sibling-like protagonists who goof around together all day.
All throughout the series, Kazuma Satou and the Goddess, Aqua, have shown viewers basic signs of love. People assume that these are signs of the deeper and more intimate feelings they secretly hold for each other. However, KonoSuba: God’s Blessing on This Wonderful World! is not your ordinary isekai anime. Therefore, expect the common tropes to be altered in this series, including the thing with Aqua and Kazuma. Platonic relationships are real and possible, and Kazuma and Aqua’s relationship is a testament to that.