Round 4

**Round 4** is the fourth episode of the Hi Score Girl (anime).

## Netflix Synopsis

*Haruo invites his classmate Hidaka to play a game of Street Fighter II Dash when she's caught in a snowstorm on her way home from school.*

## Summary

In the year 1992, Street Fighter II Champion Edition/Dash, Puyo Puyo, Street Fighter II Turbo, Fatal Fury, Street Fighter II New Challengers are released. Within December of 1993, the popular fighting game Virtua Fighter is released.

Haruo now a 2nd year Junior, plays the Virtua Fighter game in an arcade center with some friends until the guidance counselor Numata makes his rounds. A girl in Haruo's class named Koharu watches him and his friends flee the scene and innerly chastise them for their aloof attitudes. Eventually, Koharu reaches her father's shop and said father just finishes up setting up a few arcades by his shop. When asked if she wants to try one of them out, she flatly refuses.

That night, Koharu spends her time studying in her room. As she studies, she notes how it's close to winter break, meaning Christmas and New Years will be coming up. Furthermore, she notes her inability to have fun, unlike Haruo who always appears to be having fun.

The following day at school, snow starts to fall, and Haruo is forced to stay after class and write a letter of apology. A classmate named Kōtarō tries to get Haruo to hang out with him, but is denied and is sequentially lead out by a trio of female classmates. Believing he's alone in the classroom, Haruo pulls out his TurboExpress and starts playing it. Unbeknownst to him, Haruo was being watched by Koharu who calls him out. After a brief discussion between the two, Haruo leaves the classroom without finish writing the letter.

As Koharu heads home, a blizzard is storming outside. Eventually, Koharu is called over by Haruo who's at his favorite candy shop. Inside the shop, Haruo convinces Koharu to play some Street Fighter II Champion Dash. Koharu chooses Zangief and Haruo notes she plays like a typical amateur, however, as she continues playing she shows some superb moves. Once the game is finished, the blizzard finally settles and they start to head home. While walking home, the two talk about how the old lady will soon close her shop for good due to her age. In light of this, Koharu mentions that her father has set up a few arcade games outside of his shop and delighted by this, Haruo vows to visit every day during winter break. Hearing this excites Koharu, much to her surprise.

That night, Koharu has a dream that she's trapped in a video game world with Haruo. When she finally wakes up from the dream, she blames Haruo for influencing her with his gaming shenanigans. At school, Kōtarō mentions to Haruo that his favorite candy shop has closed which has him in a slump. Therefore, Kōtarō offers Haruo over his house to play some SNES games, but Haruo refuses.

Afterschool, Kōtarō invites him to a Christmas party, where Haruo finally agrees to attend it. On the other hand, Koharu is pestered by three friends of her including, what her plans are going to be during the winter break. At her father's store, her Koharu's father notes that his investment in the arcade games was a wise one, since it's attracted a lot of young costumers. He even offers to let her play the arcade games for free, which triggers a memory of Haruo.

In the afternoon, Koharu checks a couple of times from her window to see if Haruo is at the arcade machines, but he wasn't there. Right as Koharu was going to go to the Christmas party, she finally sees Haruo playing Renegade High. When Haruo is done with the game, they were intended to head to the Christmas party, but Koharu's father rushes to the scene with the newest Street Fighter II game. Bedazzled by the SF II game, Haruo stays so he can play and Koharu decides to stay behind and watch him play. Finished playing, Haruo and Koharu exchange gifts before they separate.

The morning after, Koharu catches a cold.

## Characters

* Yaguchi Haruo
* Numata
* Hidaka Koharu
* Koharu no Chichi
* Tōno Reiko
* Miyao Kōtarō
* Onizuka Chihiro
* Koharu no Haha