Hi Score Girl (ハイスコアガール, Hai Sukoa Gāru) is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Rensuke Oshikiri that ran from October 2010 to September 2018. The story revolves around the life of gamer Haruo Yaguchi, the arcade game scene of the 1990s (particularly fighting games), and his relationship with quiet gamer Akira Ono, as we follow the characters from about age 12 to about age 17. Known as a 1990s arcade romantic comedy, the series is notable for its unique art style, and very precise depictions of the multitude of gaming software and hardware featured. An anime television series adaptation by J.C.Staff and SMDE aired from July to September 2018. A second season aired from October to December 2019.
Contents
Plot
Haruo Yaguchi, a loner elementary school student in 1991, finds refuge in video games, particularly arcade games. Having no friends in school, he barely has relationships with anyone. This begins to change when, one day, he sees his classmate Akira Ono playing Street Fighter II at an arcade. Having only known Akira as a rich girl of few words, he is shocked to see her not only playing games but also being good at them. After challenging her to multiple games of Street Fighter, where she wins 30 times, he vows to beat her one day. However, after the incident, the two polar opposites find themselves becoming close friends, with the two finding a shared interest in gaming despite their differences.
Characters
Haruo Yaguchi (矢口 春雄（やぐち はるお）, Yaguchi Haruo)/Haruo (ハルオ, Haruo)
Voiced by: Kōhei Amasaki (Japanese); Johnny Yong Bosch (English)
A young man with an affinity for gaming, nicknamed "Beastly Fingers Haruo". He met his match during a fateful encounter with Akira Ono while playing Street Fighter II. Undeterred after losing, he still sees her as an opponent he must challenge and eventually beat. While he starts as a snarky brat with an ego, he eventually grows out of it. However, he never abandons his dedication and love for gaming, which almost borders on unhealthy obsession. On the bright side, this pure passion for gaming is what leads him to find some of his closest friends.
Akira Ono (大野 晶（おおの あきら）, Ōno Akira)
Voiced by: Sayumi Suzushiro (Japanese); Christine Marie Cabanos (English)
A daughter of the Ono Zaibatsu, Akira is rich, popular, and multi-talented – the polar opposite of Haruo. To escape the strict educational regimen she faces at home, she sneaks away to play in arcades where she showcases her exceptional gaming ability. She initially encounters Haruo during a match of Street Fighter II, and bonds with him over their love for gaming. She never talks and communicates solely through gestures and facial expressions. She also appears as a guest support character in Million Arthur: Arcana Blood.
Koharu Hidaka (日高 小春（ひだか こはる）, Hidaka Koharu)
Voiced by: Yuuki Hirose (Japanese); Erika Harlacher (English)
Introduced as a junior high classmate of Haruo, Hidaka was introverted, lonely and mainly studied. However, during the years when Ono is forced to be overseas by the Ono family, Hidaka begins spending time with Haruo after Hidaka's family store adds arcade machines. Hidaka's natural instinct for fighting games proves to be almost as remarkable as Ono's. As the third person in the love triangle, her battles with both Haruo and Oono are eventually realized as fateful video game battles. Nikotama, leader of the local gaming team, mentors Koharu. In Hi Score Girl Dash, a spinoff manga, we meet Hidaka as a mature woman who has become a middle-school teacher.
Video game characters
Various video game characters were credited for redubbing for the television series, except for Phobos/Huitzil, Driver, Hell Chaos, EDI.E, Holmes, Watson, and Geese.
Guile (ガイルさん)
A USA fighter introduced in Street Fighter II: The World Warrior. The voices of 'Sonic Boom' and 'Faneffu' were dubbed for the television series.
Zangief (ザンギエフさん)
A Soviet Union fighter introduced in Street Fighter II: The World Warrior, and Akira's favourite character.
Gouki (豪鬼さん)/Akuma
A hidden character from Japan, introduced in Super Street Fighter II Turbo.
Edmund Honda (エドモンド本田さん)
A Japanese fighter introduced in Street Fighter II: The World Warrior.
Dhalsim (ダルシムさん)
An Indian fighter introduced in Street Fighter II: The World Warrior.
Blanka (ブランカさん)
A Brazilian fighter introduced in Street Fighter II: The World Warrior.
Chun Li (春麗さん)
A Chinese fighter introduced in Street Fighter II: The World Warrior.
Vega (ベガさん)/M.Bison
A fighter from the Thailand stage, introduced in Street Fighter II: The World Warrior.
Gaming machines
Game Boy (ゲームボーイ君)
Sufami (スーファミ君)
PC Engine (PCエンジン君)
Haruo's video game devices.
Media
Manga
Oshikiri launched the manga in Square Enix's Monthly Big Gangan on October 25, 2010, and ended its serialization on September 25, 2018, in the tenth 2018 issue of the magazine. The series has been published in ten tankōbon volumes, with the first volume released on February 25, 2012, and the tenth and final volume released on March 25, 2019.
Square Enix Manga & Books licensed the manga in English, with the first volume released on February 25, 2020, and the last on January 17, 2023.
A spin-off, titled Hi Score Girl Dash, focusing on Koharu Hidaka, now a middle school teacher, started in Monthly Big Gangan on December 25, 2019.
Hi Score Girl Dash
Anime
Monthly Big Gangan announced in December 2013 that an anime adaptation was green-lit. In March 2018, the anime adaptation was confirmed to be a television series animated by SMDE, with production by J.C. Staff. It aired from July 13 to September 28, 2018. It is directed by Yoshiki Yamakawa and written by Tatsuhiko Urahata, featuring character designs by Michiru Kuwabata, and music by Yoko Shimomura. The series runs at 60fps (mainly for the game footage, due to having a 60hz rate) in selected scenes, as opposed to 24fps (although it was encoded at 30fps). The series' opening theme song "New Stranger" was performed by Sora tob sakana, while the series' ending theme song "Hōkago Distraction" was performed by Etsuko Yakushimaru. Netflix streamed the anime on December 24, 2018, with an English dub. The series received three OVA episodes titled Extra Stage that premiered on March 20, 2019.
A second, nine episode long season aired from October 25 to December 20, 2019, with the staff and cast reprising their roles. The second season's opening theme song "Flash" was performed by Sora tob sakana, while the second season's ending theme song "Unknown World Map" was performed by Etsuko Yakushimaru. Season 2 premiered on Netflix on April 9, 2020, outside of Japan and China.
Reception
Hi Score Girl won the Tokyo News Services' TV Bros magazine Bros. Comic Award 2012. It was number two on the 2013 Takarajimasha's Kono Manga ga Sugoi! Top 20 Manga for Male Readers survey. It was also nominated for the 6th Manga Taishō and the 17th Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prize. It was number nine in the 2013 Comic Natalie Grand Prize.
As of December 30, 2012, volume 3 has sold 59,016 copies and as of July 7, 2013, volume 4 has sold 103,734 copies.
Legal issues
On August 5, 2014, Osaka District Police searched the offices of Square Enix, the publishers of Hi Score Girl, acting on an IP violation claim by SNK Playmore stating that the manga allegedly features over 100 instances of characters from The King of Fighters, Samurai Shodown, and other fighting games. In response, Square Enix voluntarily recalled all printed volumes and temporarily suspended publication of future volumes and digital sales. However, the manga continued its run in Monthly Big Gangan.
In August 2015, it was reported that Square Enix and SNK Playmore had reached a settlement, cancelling the lawsuit and enabling the manga to be sold again in different formats.