Justin: There were very few works I’ve looked forward to reading more than Hi Score Girl this year. After watching Season 1 of the anime I wondered what publisher would bring this manga over. For my money, it seemed like something Yen Press would license since they publish a ton of Square Enix titles.
Little did I know that Square Enix themselves would publish it directly!
Similar to there being a Kodansha office(s) in the US, Square Enix Japan is now publishing their content themselves by launching Square Enix Manga and Books. It’ll probably be a while before they can publish a ton of content just like everyone else, but it helps to start your catalog strong to make a good first impression. Admittedly, they made some strong hiring moves that at least signaled they’re looking to make an impact. Starting this month off with A Man and His Cat and Hi Score Girl only adds to that notion.
The 90’s were a time for a lot of things — for me, the 90’s is when I was gaming the most. With the NES, SNES, Genesis, N64, and the Game Boy line of systems, I was consumed. The reason why I was looking forward to the anime was because it totally seemed to recall those times, but from perspectives way different from mine. And in Hi Score Girl, we get two drastically different perspectives, but they both end up rallying around one thing: games!
Haruo Yaguchi is bad at just about everything: grades, athletics, the works. The one thing he is good at? Games, and he’s great at it. That’s why for him, his life takes a turn for the worse when he’s defeated soundly not only by a girl, but Akira Oono, who’s from a rich family, seems pampered, and is also athletic — and she’s great at games as well! For Haruo, they seem like polar opposites, and after he decides to get cheap in order to beat her at Street Fighter, this kicks off an unlikely relationship that might involve Haruo getting beat up like he is a Street Fighter…by Akira.
What makes Hi Score Girl great is it reinforcing how it doesn’t matter who you are, you can connect with gaming. It’s established early on how Haruo just isn’t good at anything but games; for Akira, her life is controlled by her family, and that means lots of studying and dealing with lots of responsibilities. While they both are antagonistic to each other at first, it’s their love for games — and different types of them — that allow the two to relax and hang out with each other.
Hi Score Girl also shows just how gaming was perceived back then, and it sure is not the same today! The manga does a great job of emphasizing this through each chapter, while also giving gaming history lessons — from the number of games to game systems — that existed in this time frame.
Not only that, but it also relays the state of where the games were played — from a normal, popular arcade to a shop that has completely busted buttons for Street Fighter II to a game center that mysteriously has the original (and absolutely awful) Street Fighter game and…mysteriously disappears (!) — volume 1 runs the gamut of gaming references. And for me, since this is a manga, I’m just learning the types of games being played in Japan at that time! But showcasing how arcades and games were back then is great. So is some of the things Haruo says (“They’d prolly just laugh If I said I wanted to play games for a living. Is that even a thing?”) that certainly become prescient!
The art is likely the weakest element of Hi Score Girl. It looks somewhat oddly drawn in places and awkward whenever any character ends up talking. But that might be an issue for some people — other issues like Akira only being able to communicate through slapstick violence, or gaming this and gaming that banter from Haruo can also deter some people from checking this out. But from it showcasing how people can connect in a creative medium to all the gaming references, I think this manga is worth your time. So hope you’re ready to understand why the PC Engine is so good!
Justin’s rating: 4 out of 5
Rai: Unlike Justin who was really looking forward to this release, I had never heard of Hi Score Girl before its manga announcement. But after looking it up, I also became excited to check it out. After all, I like video games, cute art, and 90s nostalgia.
So, I decided to review it, and I’m certainly glad I did. I loved it.
Hi Score Girl is about a sixth-grade boy named Haruo Yaguchi who is a “loser” by all accounts. He gets bad grades, is unpopular at school, and has no talent – that is, except for video games. In his spare time, he goes to local arcades to practice his gaming skills and escape from his troubles. He’s considered a beast at Street Fighter II until he gets beaten… by a girl. His rival is Akira Oona, one of the most popular girls at school who has great grades and a wealthy upbringing. They’re polar opposites in practically every way, and yet they have a mutual interest in video games.
Haruo is livid about his defeat and swears he hates Akira. However, he keeps running into her at different arcades and gaming centers. At first, they don’t get along. Not only is Haruo still upset about losing, Akira isn’t exactly social or friendly. She doesn’t speak at all throughout the entire course of the manga. Instead, she shows negative emotions through brunt force, such as punching or hitting people. Or through her facial expressions. My goodness, her facial expressions are the best (more about this later).
To his dismay, Haruo has to figure out what Akira is thinking which isn’t easy most of the time. As the story progresses, they learn to communicate and begin to play co-op even if Akira still doesn’t say a word. It’s a slow process, but it’s fluid and natural. I found the character development to be very balanced and well-written for both Akira and Haruo. Akira gradually becomes more open and less moody, whereas Haruo stops acting like such a brat. Well, most of the time at least (and thank goodness because he was really annoying in the beginning).
Other than the solid character development, I really like the concept of this series. The 90s arcade theme is very sentimental to me. Even the artwork reminds me of the 90s. AND I learned about some old games I had never heard of before. Additionally, I can completely relate to how they use video games as form of escapism. I swear I haven’t spent hundreds of hours playing Pokemon and Legend of Zelda over the years just to cope with my stress…
Anyway, I also believe that, under the right circumstances, video games can bring people together. I met one of my very best friends thanks to my obsession with Pokemon. And just look at the different dorky conventions that attract tons of gamers.
I like how this manga is both funny and heartfelt. I mentioned Akira’s facial expressions earlier, but she isn’t the only one: there’s a treasure trove of hilarious expressions. There’s also my favorite kind of humor a.k.a. slapstick and random chaos. I can’t help but laugh. But going back to the heartfelt elements, I think one of the overall messages of Volume 1 is that winning isn’t everything. It’s the experience that matters, especially when you are having a good time with someone else.
That’s why I think pretty much anyone will like Hi Score Girl. You don’t have to be an avid arcade gamer – or even a regular gamer – to see the underlying themes and enjoy everything else the manga has to offer. It’s a story about being a kid, diving headfirst in your hobbies, and slowly growing up.
Rai’s rating: 4 out of 5