Yaguchi Haruo

**Yaguchi Haruo** is the main male character of *Hi Score Girl* series.

He was born on June 1, 1979, with blood type O. He proclaims himself as a "Guile specialist." While he may acknowledge that his academic and athletic abilities are lacking, his enthusiasm for gaming knows no bounds. Haruo frequents the arcade (almost) daily, tirelessly honing his skills to become a formidable force in the gaming world. His dedication to gaming sets him apart, and his unwavering determination to improve his gaming prowess is truly commendable. [source]

## Profile

### Appearance

Haruo is a young boy with black hair. He doesn't care at all about clothes or fashion. He wears everything his mom bought for him. Most of his usual clothes are described as "lame-looking clothes" by his friends.

The only time he cares about dressing is the period of time during high school that he frequently visits game centers in Shibuya, where he starts dressing in black clothes that were popular in the area.

### Personality

Haruo is good for almost nothing. Studying, sports, arts, he does it all poorly. His grades are among the worsts. Playing video games is his only "talent" that he jokingly said will be something he does to make a living. He can work very hard for school when he wants to however, as he studied very hard to get into the same high school as Akira.

For a boy his age, even during his elementary school days, he understands what Akira thinks and wants, most of the time just by reading her facial expressions. The only thing he doesn't understand and is very dumb at it is "love". For Koharu, however, he doesn't seem to understand her feelings for him, which just fuels her drive to make Haruo view her the same way she views him. It's very obvious he has eyes only for Akira.

In the manga however, his jerkiness and even his lack of care of Koharu feelings are toned down, He is more straight forward and carefree with not only video games, and according to Koharu, he is also unexpectedly kind and indirectly caring of her well being when they hang out together, as he enjoys her company. Despite not viewing her romantically, he still considers her feelings as he doesn't want to hurt her. As he's quite clueless as to just how much she loves him.

### Gaming

Haruo prefers almost every genre of video games, but his most favorite genre seems to be fighting games such as *Street Fighter*.

Haruo likes using characters he feels confident in which usually ends up being lightweight characters and would sometimes use unfair techniques that can quite be spammed such as Guile's "Guile Turtling", however, he doesn't use the method as much ever since his first encounter with Akira.

#### Gaming consoles owned by Haruo Yaguchi

* NEC PC Engine
* NEC PC Engine GT
* Nintendo Famicom
* Nintendo Super Famicom
* Nintendo Game Boy
* SNK Neo Geo CD
* Nintendo Virtual Boy
* Sega Saturn
* Nintendo AV Famicom

## Dash Spin-off

While he doesn't make an appearance or even is called by his name but he is briefly referenced by Hidaka, when she was looking back when she was in high school, thinking about her "unrequited love", being Yagchi, and remembering when she was "smack-dab in the middle", the love triangle they and Ōno were in and how Hidaka felt like a roadblock.

He is also referenced once again in the opening artwork of 7-Credit (Dash) with the text "In the days of my youth, I chased the person I loved and spent all my time at popular hangouts-" This references how Haruho showed Hidaka the "gaming world", this caused her to began to love video games and him and how to went to popular arcades to hang out and see him.

## Relationships

### Ōno Akira

Haruo's relationship with Akira was rocky at first, due to her ability to seem perfect in every way. It wasn't until he was beaten by her in Street Fighter II that he considered a rival. Over time, as they played games together, their relationship grew stronger. Eventually being considered friends.

Due to Akira's violent personality, their ability to communicate accurately was always difficult, her being a mute not helping either, but as they continued to meet at arcades and compete against each other to be better, their friendship only grew. In episode 3, "ROUND 3", we see our first glimpse at how much both care for each other. As Akira was at the airport, preparing to leave for the states, Haruo ran to the airport to see her one final time. Haruo decided to give her a parting gift, a ring he won from a claw machine the day before. Akira, overwhelmed with emotion, ran into his arms, crying, which she then had to be pulled off to leave. Ever since then, she wore that ring around her neck on a chain, showing she never forgot about Haruo.

It is hinted that they both have feelings for each other, as made obvious by Haruho looking for her whenever he goes to arcades and Oono keeping the picture they took together, where she headbutted him. Haruo has said he does find himself caring deeply for Akira. Akira does show, through facial expressions and actions that she trusts Haruo, and cares for him, as they've hugged and held hands a few times.

The final chapter of the manga confirms his love for Oono. Haruo states that he will ask for her hand in marriage, after getting a passport and traveling out of the country to meet and find her after she leaves.

### Hidaka Koharu

Haruo met Hidaka through school and ever since they have met they have been good friends. He even showed Hidaka the "gaming world" and from this, she began to love video games.

In the manga, the two seem to be fairly close, as he stated, they get along as they are both gamers. He is unexpectedly kind and indirectly caring towards her well-being when they hang out together. Despite her feeling towards him, he doesn't view her that way, but still tries to considers her feelings as he doesn't want to hurt her as well. Despite this, he doesn't really care for said feeling's. Haruo also seems to be comfortable enough to share to her how Akira is going to head overseas again, their match and how he lost and even confesses his love for Akira.

In the anime, he doesn't understanding Koharu feelings or even caring about them, acting somewhat cold towards her usually not thinking about how she feels or just ignoring her. Though he still see's her as a friend and a rival, as their both gamers and could relate and talk about them with each and even as a friend feeling comfortable enough to share to her how Akira is going to head overseas again, their match and how he lost and even confesses his love for Akira.

Instead of taking advantage of the situation and trying to go out with him, she slaps some sense into him saying that she give him back the ring so he would go look for her, she also pours out her heart on how she loved him and how he needed to go for Ono, unconsciously calling defeat to Ono. Later, like the other game characters, Phobos appears, symbolizing Hidaka's help and real love for Haruo, helping him with the traffic and later guard blocks him to stop him from crashing into the glass doors and getting decapitated after crashing his scooter. and lasting Phobo is there at the airport lobby celebrating the farewell of Ono and Haruo and her embracing each other.

As of Dash, it's unknown what happened after that fateful day and if their even still in contact like Hidaka is with Miyao and Doi.

### Yaguchi Namie

Haruo gets along very well with his mother. It almost looks like they're friends or siblings. His mother gives him the freedom to do whatever he wants, but she still gets mad if he has poor scores in school tests. His mother always supports him during his hard times, like the time he tried studying for the Jōran Kōkō entrance exam and even helping him to advance his relationship with Akira. She also teases him for being popular with the ladies, and embarrasses him quite frequently.

### Ōno Makoto

As Makoto supports the relationship between Haruo and Akira, Haruo and Makoto get along very well. Makoto is also a casual gamer so it's not hard for them to hang out at game centers and even at his house. Makoto can tell that Haruho cares very deeply about her sister, Akira, and respects him for that.

## Etymology

Haruho's name means 'man of spring', or a 'springtime man', which references the fact his parents fell in love during spring. It could also refer to the fact that Haruho is constantly motivated, and does his best, as he springs forward towards new challenges. 'Yaguchi' could mean 'arrow mouth' or 'arrow opening' which could directly refer to how sharp his mouth always is, or how he's 'straight as an arrow' (as referred to by his mother).

"春" (Haru): "spring," referring to the season.

"雄" (O): "male" or "manly."

"矢" (ya): "arrow.

"口" (guchi): "mouth" or "opening."