The 90s was a formative time for many a gamer. The decade began with booming arcades and the original Nintendo still on the shelves–and ended with polygons reigning over sprites and the PlayStation 2’s release on the horizon. But if you want to know what this time was like for young gamers in Japan, then there is no better anime to watch than High Score Girl.
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The story begins in the early 90s and follows Haruo, a hardcore Japanese gamer. As a sixth grader, he spends his days thinking of nothing but games–sneaking off to arcades as soon as the school bell rings each day. Though young, he is somewhat famous in his local scene, especially when it comes to Street Fighter II.
But one day, he comes across a player who outclasses even him: Oono–a quiet, rich, and popular girl from his class. The pair quickly form a rivalry that takes them from game to game, with Haruo constantly in awe of Oono’s skill–even as he tries to surpass her.
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As High Score Girl is an in-depth look at the Japanese gaming scene of the 90s, episodes follow Haruo and Oono as they immerse themselves in the games and gamer culture of the era. They go to smoke-filled arcades and deal with tantrum-throwing adults. They attempt to hide from the rain in a candy store by making a single credit of Final Fight last as long as possible. They go in search of a mythic 10 yen (about 10 cent) arcade where they can play their fill on what little pocket change they’ve managed to gather. They even play games in Haruo’s room when he is forced to stay home sick.
Later on, the show even jumps a few years to the era of polygons–when Virtua Fighter exploded into arcades and the Sega Saturn battled the PlayStation for home supremacy. It shows everything from what it was like to enter into the gaming scene to what early tournaments were like.
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Best of all, this isn’t a series full of fake game made-up to avoid copyright issues. When the two play Street Fighter II or Ghosts and Goblins, we see actual gameplay from those games. At the same time, the show highlights what aspects of those popular titles most affected the Japanese gamer consciousness of the era. It’s an amazing look at the evolution of gamer culture in the classic era.
But what makes it a great anime and not just a great history lesson is how the gaming history sections are woven into the story. Far from a throwaway tale with no purpose but to show off each of the games, the plot of High Score Girl is an excellent coming-of-age romance crossing the better part of a decade.
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Haruo begins the story as a selfish little shit. Games are his only talent–his one refuge from his boring school life. Having a girl beat him–let alone a girl that has all the money and popularity that he lacks–angers him greatly. It makes him question who he is. But soon he starts to realize that having someone to chase after–to aspire to surpass–is a treasure.
While little more than “the gaming obsessed kid” at school, with her he finds someone that sees, likes, and understands his passion for gaming. And little by little, he begins to understand her. After all, they share the same passion.
The self she shows at school isn’t the real her–it’s the her that she’s expected to be. Only when she’s with him can she be who she really wants to be–who she would be without all the responsibilities placed on her by her family. In a very real sense, he is her one and only friend.
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On its most basic level, High Score Girl is the story of how gaming helps two people express themselves–how it gives them a hobby and a way to deal with the stress of their normal lives. It shows the best of gamer culture–while at the same time making fun of its worse bits. If you’ve ever wondered how your favorite classic games affected Japan and how gamer culture became what it is today, High Score Girl is certainly worth a watch.
High Score Girl is currently scheduled for release outside of Japan on Netflix.
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