History Manga / HighScoreGirl

In late December of 2019, the spin-off/sequel ''Manga/HighScoreGirlDASH'' began serialization, focusing this time on Hidaka. Roughly ten years later, 29 year old Hidaka is a middle school teacher who loves video games [[spoiler:but has remained single]] in the time since the original series.

* TetrisEffect: Milked for all its worth. It's mostly played straight for the main trio, Hidaka begrudgingly so once she takes it as a sign that she's ''helplessly'' in love with Haruo. Its effects on Haruo is both a detriment and a benefit, as the game characters ''do'' have sagely advice, but often interfere when he's actually trying to take his studies seriously. Why Namie Yaguchi, who rarely if ever plays video can belt out [[VideoGame/FinalFight Guy's infinite combo]] on Haruo as corporal punishment is never explained, however. [[spoiler: Makoto Oono]] tries making this work for Haruo in his relationship with Akira by having him play VisualNovel/TokimekiMemorial, with mixed results.

In late December of 2019, the spin-off/sequel ''Manga/HighScoreGirlDASH'' (Page now under construction) began serialization, focusing this time on Hidaka. Roughly ten years later, 29 year old Hidaka is a middle school teacher who loves video games [[spoiler:but has remained single]] in the time since the original series.

* AManIsNotAVirgin: Mayu-Mayu from Shibuya specifically cites Haruo's especially boyish naivete as why she wants to claim his virginity for herself.

[[quoteright:320:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/hsg1.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:320:''"The world wavered in [[Main/TheNineties 1991]]...and a bond with that girl began."''[[note]][[TheHero Haruo Yaguchi]] (left) and [[{{Deuteragonist}} Akira Oono]] (right)[[/note]]]]

* TheVamp: Mayu-Mayu from Shibuya wants Haruo's virginity for herself ''specifically'' because Haruo comes off [[AManIsNotAVirgin as an especially naiive virgin.]]
** This in turn forces Koharu to play the role of TheVamp herself while in Shibuya, thanks to [[{{Yandere}} her own competitiveness.]]

* {{Mondegreen}}: InUniverse while Haruo is playing VideoGame/MortalKombat1 as Raiden, he and Hidaka try to guess what Raiden's saying in his torpedo attack.

** ''[[{{Mondegreen}} "Fani-foom!"]]''

* Main/TheNineties: The story begins in 1991 and skips forward only a few years, covering the Arcade Renaissance, the latter days of the Third Console Generation, and the fourth and fifth-generation Console War eras.

* NotSoDifferent: A crucial plot device in the series; characters who appear to be {{foil}}s to one another often share traits that make them more identical than they would like to admit.
** While Haruo and Akira appear to be worlds apart in terms of prowess and family background, they both tend to gravitate towards video games as a means of escapism.
** Both Haruo and Hidaka are described as being quite unmotivated and lacking ambition, despite the latter initially deriding the former for "being an idiot who only loves video games". [[spoiler: Later on Hidaka herself becomes infatuated with gaming due to her attraction towards Haruo.]]
** In a hilarious example, Haruo's junior high homeroom teacher Reiko tends to warn her students from getting addicted to video games and even confiscates the PC Engine Haruo snuck into his bag for their Kyoto field trip. An Omake reveals that she actually used it to play VideoGame/{{Bomberman}} with the other teachers--and shows just how poor of a sport she is after losing, just like Haruo.

* {{Tsundere}}: Amazingly, both Haruo ''and'' Akira are this ''towards each other''. It's just as awkward as it sounds. Hidaka is also this toward Haruo, [[RealityEnsues which doesn't work out well since he only views her as a friend.]]

** Even Akira isn't exempt from receiving a scolding from ''Haruo'' of all people [[spoiler: after she runs away from home and into a distant city without thinking to bring any pocket money besides spare change, even noting that the neighborhood she decided to hang out in is a dangerous place especially at night. Repeated later after they check into a nearby hotel and Haruo brings up the possibility of the authorities mistaking their plight to be [[RealityEnsues that of attempted kidnapping on his part]], which gets Akira [[MyGodWhatHaveIDone thinking]] about her deed.]]

* UnfortunateNames: the owner of the [[GashaDokuro Giant Skeleton]] Arcade starved to death some time in the late 1980's in poverty while waiting for the next wave of mega hit arcade games.

In late December of 2019, the spin-off/sequel ''Manga/HighScoreGirlDASH'' (([[NeedsWikiLove page now under construction]]) began serialization, focusing this time on Hidaka. Roughly ten years later, 29 year old Hidaka is a middle school teacher who loves video games [[spoiler:but has remained single]] in the time since the original series.

In late December of 2019, the spin-off/sequel ''High Score Girl DASH'' began serialization, focusing this time on Hidaka. Roughly ten years later, 29 year old Hidaka is a middle school teacher who loves video games [[spoiler:but has remained single]] in the time since the original series.

* PaperTiger: Numata-Sensei only ''looks'' like a martial artist. In reality his constitution and immune system is garbage and his only onscreen attempt at disciplining rowdy gyarus harassing his students fails and ends in a RingOut to boot.

* WorldOfCardboardSpeech: Haruo goes to congratulate Koharu on a good match after [[spoiler: his]] victory over her [[BestHerToBedHer ultimatum match]] and expresses his wishes to grow stronger as a player. [[spoiler: He gets a slap in the face, [[TheReasonYouSuckSpeech a crying tirade]] and an implied gang beating from Koharu's white knights for his trouble.]]

* ShipTease: played for angst on Koharu's end, as most arcade passerby tend to assume out loud that she and Haruo are a couple.

* ActorAllusion: In the English dub, Creator/ChristineMarieCabanos voicing a GamerChick. [[VisualNovel/Danganonpa2GoodbyeDespair Where have we seen that before?]]

* OrwellianRetcon: Out of necessity since [[{{Creator/SNK}} SNK Playmore]] threatened legal action over the use of their [=IPs=] through the manga. The ''Continue'' versions of volumes 1-5 reduce these refefences while rearranging the beats of some chapters. One example is in volume 2 when Koharu shows concern for Haruo over him playing with the arcade cabs in her parent's shop [[SkewedPriorities in the middle of a blizzard]].

* ActorAllusion: In the English dub, Creator/ChristineMarieCabanos voicing a GamerChick. [[VisualNovel/SuperDanganRonpa2 Where have we seen that before?]]

* CutAndPasteTranslation: The Netflix subtitles, while serviceable enough for the main story, often misses the small details like video game history essentials, or bits of Rensuke Oshikiri's bizarre sense of humor [[FreezeFrameBonus sprinkled throughout the arcade message boards, signs and T Shirts]]. At one point, the subs even forget to fully explain exactly what VisualNovel/TokimekiMemorial is despite Haruo's Japanese VA taking time to explain it.

** Haruo's Shibuya misadventures bring all kinds of annoying baggage along with it, from him being accused by Miyao and Doi of becoming a Shibuya delinquent, to everyone assuming the absolute worstwhen it becomes clear he [[spoiler: , Akira and Koharu]] all took the same train home together.

'''''WARNING!!''''' For those unfamiliar with the manga before the anime came out, there are '''major spoilers ahead.'''

** Haruo's Shibuya misadventures bring all kinds of annoying baggage along with it, from him being accused by Miyao and Doi of becoming a Shibuya delinquent, to everyone assuming the [[YourCheatingHeart absolute worst]] when it becomes clear he [[spoiler: , Akira and Koharu]] all took the same train home together.