- Aquarius -

Aquarius is one of those much talked about and little understood signs. The Flower Power generation, as immortalised in the song by Hair, awaited for the astrological Age of Aquarius (which, by the by, doesn't happen untill 2160) as a time for peace and ideals. Aquarius does rule ideals, or more appropriately, idealogies, and a desire for peace. But, as current events have shown, ideologies carry a sinister air when it conflicts with other ideas of what peace and ideals are.

Enter the Joker, Jun Korosu's alter-ego. He makes wishes come true; so that everyone can live in their own ideals. Great. Terrific. What a wonderful world, right? Wrong. In turn, people are drained of their energies, appropriately called "ideal" and turned into "shadows".

What of Aquarius people? The traditional humanitarian and compassionate principle applies to them. But they also have a tendency to be a bit cold, unemotional, and unconcerned with people. Jun may appear nice and soft spoken, but it's said that he quite cooly unleashes his persona on any bully that approaches him, leaving them half dead. Those two aspects needn't be contradictory- it's all about Aquarius' view of the world. It's been said jokingly that Aquarius likes humanity, just not people. And as such, their personal skills is a bit lacking.

Jun's seemingly innocent way is compensated by the Joker, another side of the complex sign. To drive a point home, Aquarius rules humanitarian ideals. Which need not always be a good thing. George Orwell's 1984 was a humanitarian ideal, after all, and a very potent Aquarian symbol. Because the sign is generally concerned with the collective the ideals could come off as being actually anti-human. The best picture of that is in the bonus CD anime trailer in Eternal Punishment, where facless shadow people stand in line  in a mass, with the grinning Joker declaring "I will guide you, the ignorant".

The other side of Jun also shows the better qualities of Aquarius. According to Maya, his geniune wish is to show people what their ideals are. And behind the cold exterior is the more compassionate, nicer, traits shown with his friends (the eleventh house, ruled by Aquarius, is concerned with friends). The planetary ruler of Aquarius is Uranus which, for reasons not too clear, has become the bishounen planet in anime circles. Uranus also rules inventions, which Jun apparently got awards for, and eccentricity. The Aquarius, Uranus, so concerned with ideals and social reform, may come off as unconventional. How appropriate, then, that Jun's alter ego took the guise of a jester, the most unconventional and eccentric member of the court. Paradoxially, Uranus also rules over Individuality, which conflicts with Aquarius' impersonal guise. A sort of "I" within the Many. That is to say, even if concerned with society, the Aquarian still has an individual identity and sense of self.

Junko Korosu's actions seem contradictory to Aquarius' ideals. Trophy husbands, abandoning the family, and being addicted to an acting career isn't typical of the Aquarius stereotype. But remember the whole joke about liking humanity but not people? That's Junko. The stage life is the epitome of the impersonal, where everything is governed by social conventions and the pleasing of the masses. Junko pursues her career at the expense of the family, which is the epitome of the "personal" relationships along with friends. Liking humanity, just not people.

Along with Uranus, Saturn co-rules Aquarius. This planet is, out of many things, concerned with society and workings within society. The more impersonal side to Uranus' individuality. Junko marries the famous teacher and feels satisfied of the envy of the people around here. And joins the Kamentou in wish to reverse age and become young again- a vital importance in the impersonal, socially constructed stage life.

Repression of emotions (or a appearence of that) and impersonality is the most extreme end of Aquarius' hall of mirrors. There is no more ideals or social reform, just following social conventions and showing a face with no real individuality behind it. According to the Xibalba manifestations, Jun's greatest fear is his mother, symbolised by Metal Mommy. Could the fear be of becoming like that?