'High Score Girl' Is Delightfully Nostalgic and Touching

Set in the 90’s, High Score Girl is about a boy named Yaguchi Haruo who loves all things involving gaming.  In school, he’s not popular and he doesn’t get high grades, but he doesn’t really mind.  He only cares about video games, up to the point of obsession, and thus, he’s gotten extremely good in playing them.  Because of his tremendous skills, he has dominated the arcade scene, earning himself the nickname “Beastly Fingers Haruo.”

One day, to his shock, he gets beaten in Street Fighter II.   But more shocking to him is the fact that the one who has beaten him is Oono Akira – the richest, smartest, most talented, prettiest, and most popular girl in his class.  Apparently, on top of those things, she’s also secretly excellent in playing video games.  With his pride hurt, Haruo continually challenges her to battle in video games, and to his frustration, he’s unable to beat her.

From then on, Haruo would consider Oono his ultimate rival.  But, at the same time, they begin bonding over games, and the two develop an unlikely but special friendship.

Right from the very start, I’ve immediately adored this anime series.  Since I grew up in the 90’s, I find the show delightfully nostalgic because it features tons of games and hardware from that era.  Moreover, when I was in elementary, I usually spend my weekends in local arcades.  Hence, I find the premise highly relatable.

But more than the nostalgic and gaming elements, this anime series also delivers a sweet, touching story.  The 12-episode debut season covers a couple of years, exploring the development of Haruo and Oono’s relationship as they go through elementary, middle school, and high school.  And witnessing their story unfold, one would really get invested in them deeply.  One would be moved by how video games have become the means of communication for them, especially in getting across hard-to-express emotions (especially with Oono, who doesn’t talk); how this common hobby allowed two socially awkward individuals to find, probably, the first-ever real and meaningful friendship of their lives; and how one is inspired by the other to improve himself/herself for the better, and vice versa.  And, yes, romance is heavily hinted between them.  But this really comes secondary to the striking distinctiveness of their gaming-sparked friendship.

Haruo and Oono may be the central characters, but the show also has a roster of supporting characters that are worth liking.  Foremost is Hidaka Koharu, who completes a love triangle with Haruo and Oono.  She is Haruo’s classmate in middle school whom he influences in gaming.  She starts out as an introvert who focuses on studying, but she becomes more sociable after Haruo befriends her.  She becomes fascinated with video games, partly for the sake of Haruo whom she develops feelings for.  However, she soon begins to genuinely enjoy playing them, and even becomes really great in doing so, that in high school, she has even become better than Haruo.

Season one ends with a game-changing cliffhanger that implies that the next season will be more romance-oriented.  However, I don’t mind, because the show has slowly and rightfully earned it.  Moreover, most surely, the gaming aspect won’t be neglected.  In fact, a gaming-themed romantic arc sounds intriguing.

In closing, if it isn’t clear yet, High Score Girl is a worthwhile watch.  It’s a funny, thoughtful, and heartwarming anime series that not only celebrates old-school gaming, but also the bittersweet themes of youth.