"High Score Girl" review: A bittersweet story of retro gaming and youth

High Score Girl - A story of games and youth

Set against the backdrop of the arcade game boom of the 1980s and 1990s, the anime "High Score Girl" depicts the growth and romance of a boy and girl who are passionate about games. The work is based on the manga of the same name by Rensuke Oshikiri, and was broadcast as a TV anime series in 2018. Below, we will take a deeper look at the appeal and details of this work.

■ Public Media

TV anime series

■ Original Media

comics

■ Broadcast period

July 14, 2018 - September 29, 2018
0:30～

■Broadcasting station

TOKYO MX, BS11

■Frequencies

half an hour

■ Number of Episodes

Episode 12

■Original Story

Rensuke Oshikiri

■ Director

Yoshiki Yamakawa

■ Production

Animation production: JCSTAFF

■Works

©Rensuke Oshikiri/SQUARE ENIX・High Score Girl Production Committee

■ Story

Haruo Yaguchi (nicknamed Haruo) is a sixth grade elementary school student who is not good at studying or sports, but shows extraordinary passion and effort when it comes to games. Today, he defeats opponents one after another at the arcade's battle machines. Then, in his sanctuary, his classmate Akira Ohno appears. She comes from a wealthy family, is a beautiful girl with excellent grades, and is even better at playing than Haruo! Haruo is deeply moved by her, who can control characters that are difficult to control and inferior machines that are constantly broken. This encounter was the beginning of a fate that connects the two of them...

■Cast

・Haruo Yaguchi/Kohei Amasaki・Akira Ohno/Sayumi Suzushiro・Koharu Hidaka/Yuuki Hirose・Kotaro Miyao/Kazuyuki Okitsu・Genta Doi/Daiki Yamashita・Chihiro Onizuka/Dahlia Mido・Namie Yaguchi/Satomi Arai・Moemi Narita/Shizuka Itou・Uncle/Cho・Makoto Ohno/Chinatsu Akasaki・Elementary school teacher/Tomokazu Sugita・Mr. Numata/Yuichi Nakamura・Mr. Tono/Kana Ueda・Koharu's father/Taketora・Narration/Yochu Otsuka・Guyle/Hiroki Yasumoto

■ Main staff

Original work: Rensuke Oshikiri (published in the monthly "Big Gangan" published by Square Enix)
Director: Yoshiki Yamakawa Series Composition: Tatsuhiko Urahata Character Design: Mitsuru Kuwabata (SMDE)
CG Director: Yusuke Suzuki (SMDE)
Character Model Director/Eri Sekido (SMDE)
Art Director: Akira Suzuki Color Design: Miho Kimura Director of Photography: Shingo Fukuyo Editing: Kentaro Tsubone (REAL-T)
Sound Director: Jin Aketagawa Music: Yoko Shimomura Sound Production: Magic Capsule

■ Main Characters

・Haruo Yaguchi
Born June 1, 1979, blood type O.
He calls himself a "strong Guile player." He's no good at studying or sports, but his passion for games is unmatched. He goes to the arcade almost every day to hone his skills.

・Akira Ohno
Born on October 10, 1979, blood type O.
She has excellent grades and is beautiful. She is the picture-perfect young lady, but her true identity is that of an accomplished arcade gamer. She comes from a strict family and is busy practicing every day, so gaming is her only way to relieve stress.

・Koharu Hidaka
Born April 4th, 1979, blood type A.
A girl who becomes Haruo's classmate in junior high school. Due to her modest personality, she admires Haruo's free-spirited personality.

・Koutaro Miyao He is a good friend and sensible person who met Haruo in middle school. He is a perfect superhuman with no flaws in appearance or personality, and is abnormally devoted to Haruo.

Genta Doi is Haruo's classmate. He has a good look, but he is small-minded, so he is not popular with the girls.

Chihiro Onizuka is the most proactive of all the heroines. She went to the same elementary and middle school as Haruo.

Namie Yaguchi Haruo's mother is sometimes strict and sometimes gentle, and she supports her son. She is small and looks strangely youthful, but her age is unknown.

Moemi Gakida: She is the instructor in charge of training at the Ohno household, and imposes a rigorous schedule on the students in order to ensure that they acquire all kinds of knowledge.

・Jiiya is the butler of the Ohno family. He takes care of Akira's daily needs, such as driving him to and from school.

・Maaki Ohno's older sister. She dotes on Akira very much.

-Elementary school teachers are high-strung and tend to be irritating in the way they behave.

・Numata Sensei The middle school student's life guidance teacher, Numata Sensei. He looks like a fighting game character.

・Tono Sensei A middle school teacher. At first glance she seems like a cool beauty, but...

Koharu's father Koharu's father runs a liquor store. He places an arcade machine under the eaves of Hidaka Shoten.

■Subtitle

・Episode 1/ROUND 1
・Episode 2/ROUND 2
・Episode 3/ROUND 3
・Episode 4/ROUND 4
・Episode 5/ROUND 5
・Episode 6/ROUND 6
・Episode 7/ROUND 7
・Episode 8/ROUND 8
・Episode 9/ROUND 9
・Episode 10/ROUND 10
・Episode 11/ROUND 11
・Episode 12/ROUND 12
・Episode 13/ROUND 13
・Episode 14/ROUND 14
・Episode 15/ROUND 15

■ Related works

High Score Girl Season 2

■ Theme songs and music

・OP1
7~9
・New Stranger
・Lyrics: Junmasa Terui ・Composition: Junmasa Terui ・Arrangement: Junmasa Terui ・Song: sora tob sakana

・ED1
・7~9
・After School Destruction ・Lyrics by Tika a
・Composer: Tika a
・Arrangement: Etsuko Yakushimaru, Motoki Yamaguchi ・Singer: Etsuko Yakushimaru

The appeal and reputation of High Score Girl

"High Score Girl" is a story that depicts the growth and romance of a boy and girl who are passionate about games, set against the backdrop of the arcade game boom of the 1980s and 1990s. For those who know this era, it is a story that combines nostalgia and freshness, and even those who are not interested in games can enjoy the bittersweetness of youth, friendship, and romantic drama.

The fusion of games and youth

The greatest appeal of this work is the fusion of games and youth. The main character, Yaguchi Haruo, is not good at studying or sports, but his passion for games is unmatched. His passion for games strongly resonates with viewers. The story begins with an encounter with classmate Ono Akira, and depicts friendship and romance through games, giving a taste of the bittersweetness of youth.

Character Appeal

The characters of Haruo and Akira are particularly appealing. Haruo's immersion in games is realistic, evoking sympathy from viewers. Meanwhile, Akira is a beautiful girl with excellent grades and good looks, but she is just as passionate about games. Her attitude towards games, contrasted with her harsh home environment, leaves a deep impression on viewers. Additionally, supporting characters such as Hidaka Koharu and Miyao Kotaro are also unique, adding excitement to the story.

Recreating the historical background

The game is set against the backdrop of the arcade game boom of the 1980s and 1990s. It realistically recreates the gaming culture of that era, featuring game cabinets and game titles from that time. This will bring back memories for people who know the games of that time, and provide a fresh surprise for those who don't. In addition, the game controls and battle scenes are also depicted realistically, making it especially enjoyable for game fans.

Animation and Music

JCSTAFF, the animation production company, has realistically depicted the game's battle scenes and character expressions. The music is also by Yoko Shimomura, and effective background music is used to liven up the atmosphere of the game. The opening theme "New Stranger" and the ending theme "After School Destruction" also match the atmosphere of the story and capture the hearts of viewers.

Ratings and Recommendations

"High Score Girl" is recommended not only for game fans, but also for those who want to enjoy a youth drama. It has been highly praised for many elements, such as the fusion of games and youth, the charm of the characters, the reproduction of the historical background, and the quality of the animation and music. In particular, for those who are familiar with the game culture of the 1980s and 1990s, it is a work that will evoke both nostalgia and freshness at the same time. Also, even those who are not interested in games can enjoy the bittersweetness of youth, friendship, and romance drama.

Further information and recommendations

Differences between the original and the anime

"High Score Girl" is based on the manga of the same name by Oshikiri Rensuke. The original manga is published in the monthly magazine "Big Gangan" by Square Enix. The anime version is based on episodes from the original, but has some arrangements and additional scenes. In particular, the game's battle scenes and the depiction of the characters' facial expressions are more realistic in the anime version. The anime also makes effective use of the game's background music and sound effects, giving it a different appeal from the original.

Information on the second period

A second season of "High Score Girl" was also produced. The second season was broadcast in 2019 and continues the story of the original. In the second season, the relationship between Haruo and Akira deepens further, and more elements outside of the game are added. New characters also appear, expanding the story even further. The second season is also recommended for game fans and those who want to enjoy a youth drama.

Recommended points

The reasons why we recommend "High Score Girl" are as follows:

• A fusion of games and youth: This story depicts the growth and romance of a boy and girl who are passionate about games, and is recommended not only for game fans, but also for those who want to enjoy a youth drama.
• Appealing characters: The characters of Haruo and Akira are particularly appealing and strongly resonate with the audience. The supporting characters are also unique and add excitement to the story.
• Recreating the historical background: The arcade game boom of the 1980s and 1990s is realistically recreated, providing a sense of nostalgia for those familiar with the games of that time and a fresh surprise for those unfamiliar with the games.
• Animation and Music: The animation by JCSTAFF depicts the game's battle scenes and character expressions realistically, while Yoko Shimomura's music is effective in enhancing the atmosphere of the game.
• The existence of a second season: A second season is also being produced, which continues the story of the original. The relationship between Haruo and Akira is further developed, and there are more elements outside of the game.

Conclusion

"High Score Girl" is a work that has been highly praised for many elements, such as the fusion of games and youth, the charm of the characters, the reproduction of the historical background, and the quality of the animation and music. It is a work that is recommended not only for game fans but also for those who want to enjoy a youth drama, and since a second season is being produced, you can enjoy an even deeper story. Please watch this work and feel the bittersweetness of games and youth.