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Nogizaka Haruka No Himitsu
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Or simply "Nogizaka Haruka's Secret", this summer 2008 anime is based on a series of light novels by Igarashi Yuusaku.
Ordinary High School Student Ayase Yuuto happens to be in the same class as the eponymous character Nogizaka Haruka, an Ojou with lots of high class qualities: she's athletic, smart, graceful and a champion of martial arts and piano competitions. Not to mention she's so cute that Even The Girls Want Her, with a tally of refused suitors said to be in the triple digits...wow, talk about a Mary Sue, eh?
But after a chance encounter at the school's library, Yuuto learns her terrible secret: she's been a closet anime and manga otaku for years. Haruka's terrified people will reject her when they find out, but Yuuto accepts her and promises to keep her secret, even though he doesn't understand the whole point in the otaku culture. Talk about a Knight In Shining Armor. As the series progresses, the two grow closer and Yuuto learns more about Haruka, her past, and her family — as well as the otaku world and lifestyle.
The show's light in romance, with plenty of comedy throughout. It's also extremely moe and one of the few series to highlight the actuality that diehard anime otaku are mostly scorned in reality.
A second season entitled Nogizaka Haruka No Himitsu Purezza is currently airing.
This show contains examples of:
- Accidental Pervert - Yuuto with Shiina more times than should be possible. Also that little incident with Hazuki at the hot springs
- Almost Kiss - The kiss nearly happens in a secluded shed in episode six of Purezza, until a mop hits Yuuto on the head.
- And Knowing Is Half The Battle - Each On The Next in Purezza features a pair of characters letting the viewers learn a new piece of otaku terminology related to the next episode.
- Badass Adorable - Haruka dosen't have a personal team of maids as she has a personal squad of very skilled (and cute) bodyguards, including the Token Loli
- Crouching Moron Hidden Badass - Given her personality, it is very easy to forget that Haruka is an accomplished martial artist with a black belt in Aikido. Demonstrated when she over-the-shoulder throws a guy harassing Yuuto before Yuuto can even start telling him off.
- Badass Family - The Nogizaka
Crime Family.
- Beware The Nice Ones - Akiho, Haruka and Mika's mother, tends to cow husband Gentou into submission with either threats or direct violence; it helps that she has a Battle Aura.
- Big Damn Heroes - Akiho's preferred type of entrance.
- Bird Run - Briefly used by Hazuki when she's about to leap across roofs.
- Blade On A Stick - In the light novels, Shiina's a naginata enthusiast.
- Bottle Fairy - Namely Ruko, Yuuto's sister, but Yuuto's homeroom teacher Yukari is just as equally drunk, exactly like another, well-known, Yukari.
- Brand X - PDS (Portable Dream Station), which looks like a possible lovechild of the Sony PSP and Nintendo DS.
- Bunny Ears Lawyer - Haruka sees herself as this, and tries very hard to hide the ears.
- Butt Monkey - Gento's overly strict Knight Templar Parent tendencies seems to bring him nothing but hilariously Amusing Injuries, courtesy of his exasperated wife.
- Catch Phrase - "Ara ara!" for both Akiho and Nanami.
- Celebrity Paradox - Nanami distracts Nobunaga in episode 4 by telling him she saw voice actress Kana Ueda not far from where they were. Take a wild guess who voices Nanami.
- In the first episode of Purezza, it's heavily implied that Yuuto and Haruka see Mamiko Noto at a special anime event.
- Chainsaw Good - Hazuki, who literally pulls it out of nowhere.
- Christmas Cake - Judging by Hazuki's teenager appearance in Haruka's flashbacks to her own early-childhood, Hazuki would probably be around this age bracket by now, but likely under 30. In any case, she is still cute as a girl 10 years younger than her.
- Cool Old Guy - Yuuto meets one on the beach during episode 11. Turns out it's Ouki Nogizaka, Haruka's grandfather.
- Cool Shades - Nanami and Gentou both sport them.
- Crash Into Hello - Once An Episode (or more) for the first few.
- Cross Popping Veins - On occasion, usually with Yuuto.
- Crowning Moment Of Awesome - Gentou and his private army bust into Yuuto's house, has them literally pin down Ruko and Hazuki, and levels a katana at Yuuto's face, blaming him for "corrupting" his daughter via their exploration of the otaku lifestyle. Yuuto. Does. NOT. Back down, and figuratively gives Gentou the finger for not letting Haruka persue her hobbies. This triggers a power-up for Ruko and Hazuki and gets them ready for the next attack...until Akiho arrives.
- Crystal Ball Scheduling — Somehow, Nocture Girls' School Lacrosse Club knows what's going on with Haruka and Yuuto.
- Cute Mute - Alice, another one of the Nogizaka family maids. Doubles as a Cute Bruiser, packing enough strength to crack open the ground armed with a pair of brass knuckles. In episode five, Alice does speak a few words. She's apparently German.
- Dancing Theme - The ending theme "Hitosashiyubi Quiet!", which features a Meido dance party. The second season ending theme also includes more dancing, but it's done in a Super Deformed style.
- Death Glare - Given mostly to Yuuto (and sometimes Haruka), by anyone who's too enarmored at Haruka and jealous at the notion of them being together. Even old men.
- Dojikko - Haruka's a bit of an airhead. Also, the titular character in the Show Within A Show.
- Drop The Hammer - Nanami, who also pulls it out of nowhere.
- Drunken Master — Ruko and Yukari, on booze, can do things thought impossible by the Nogizaka maids.
- Evil Foreigner - Episode 11 introduces Shute Sutherland, who adheres to Screw The Rules I Have Money. Granted, he's not really evil, just a Jerkass Spoiled Brat, but it's the most 'evil' we can get for this kinda light hearted show.
- Fanservice - The opening: every last member of the female cast is momentarily stripped by passing colored bars and placed in sexy clothing.
- Episode 4 hammers it down with Mika and Nanami trying out some undies.
- Mika and Shiina wearing only bathtowels, perhaps?
- Festival Episode — Set on New Years'.
- First Kiss - Apparently done in the finale, but the view's blocked during the event by a sizable eel in a tank placed conveniently in the room.
- The Girl Wearing The Princess Mask - The reason why she hides her hobby. Granted, she doesn't suffer too much personally, as she's good at everything... except drawing.
- Go Nagai Sideburns - Gentou
- Gratuitous Russian - In episode 2, Haruka's able to converse with some Russian tourists in their own language. It's grammatically correct, but prononunced with absurdly thick Japanese accents.
- Henpecked Husband - Not even the fearsome Gentou can stand up to his disturbingly calm and beautiful wife Akiho.
- Hot Mom - Nogizaka Akiho, whom to her delight was mistaken for Haruka's older sister by Yuuto.
- Hot Springs Episode - The first episode of Purezza, with plenty of Censor Steam.
- Censor Steam in such a way that it's only where it needs to be. It has a well defined edge where it doesn't need to be anymore.
- Idol Singer — Milan Himemiya, a star in the background of the show, appears in person in episode six of Purezza
- Idiosyncratic Episode Naming — Every episode is a quote from Haruka, though for some reason or other Purezza's are loaded with a lot more innuendo.
- Innocent Innuendo - Mika, whose mind is questionably dirty for her age, listens in on Yuuto and Haruka behind a closed door and assumes something else entirely when they were making pancakes.
- Then there's the doujinshi drawing scene in Purezza's second episode.
- Instant Fan Club - Haruka, of course, even though she's oblivious.
- I Was Quite A Looker - Gentou during his younger age is... quite a looker.
- Kirk Summation - Yuuto is very fond of this. He delivers it to both Gentou in the first season, and later Shute in the second season.
- Knight Templar Parent - Even when he stops enforcing his views on Haruka's hobbies, Gentou remains endearingly over-protective, but was unhappy enough to try and chop Yuto with his katana when he thought the boy tried to take Haruka's chastity.
- Well, this troper certainly thinks Yuuto was going to take it, and Haruka was more than willing.
- Les Yay - Ruko and Yukari.
- Let Her Grow Up Dear - Even if the fearsome
crime boss businessman Gentou wants his little girl Haruka to stay "pure" forever, his very "convincing" wife Akiho isn't going to have any of that, oh no...
- Love Triangle - Type 4, with Shiina in the "A" spot and Yuuto and Haruka in "B" and "C", respectively.
- Luminescent Blush - Haruka blushes more than most anime characters in recent memory.
- Meido - Haruka's family has a large contingent of maids, but only a select few take the spotlight. Hazuki, Nanami and Alice are the most prominent, and Purezza introduces the top ten maids. The seventh spot is filled by a group of triplets, and the second rank is curiously absent, for reasons nobody wants to go into.
- Moe Ojou - Haruka
- My Name Is Not Durwood — During his temporary stint as a butler, Yuuto ends up with the name "Rodriguez".
- Name That Tune - In episode 7, while cooking breakfast, Haruka hums the show's ending theme.
- Names To Know In Anime - To drive home the fact the Nogizaka family is a Badass Family,
- New Transfer Student - Shiina.
- Ninja Maid - Hazuki, who can roof hop and knock down Gentou's men with ease.
- Not What It Looks Like - Used for drama in episode 10.
- Obfuscating Stupidity - Nobunaga seems to know far more than he should....
- Ocular Gushers - Gentou during episode 12.
- Oddly Named Sequel - Season two is titled Nogizaka Haruka no Himitsu Purezza♪. Yes, the musical note is part of the title. Curiously, though the second season's subtitle translates to "purity" in Italian, it's more sexually-charged than the first.
- Official Couple - Yuuto and Haruka, and it can't fool anymore
- Oh Crap - Episode 5. That is all.
- Ojou - While Haruka's the one the audience sees most often, Purezza introduces Touka, who's exactly what people think of when they recall the likes of Louise and Shana. She even makes a direct reference to another familiar character.
- Otaku - Aside from Haruka, Nobunaga, though he's much more open about it.
- Overprotective Dad - Gentou, to the point he has his private army hunt down Haruka whenever she's not where he wants her to be.
- Panty Shot - Shiina always lands in the right position to create these whenever she and Yuuto have a Crash Into Hello.
- Post Episode Trailer - Borrows On The Next Episode Of Catch Phrases from various other series, such as Neon Genesis Evangelion, Gao Gai Gar, Martian Successor Nadesico, Gunbuster, Onegai Teacher...
- Proud To Be A Geek - Nobunaga
- Rape As Comedy - End of Season 2, Episode 2. Shiina, poor Shiina.
- Relationship Voice Actor - Gentou (Haruka's dad) is Fumihiko Tachiki and Akiho (Haruka's mom) is voiced by Aya Hisakawa. Now, this troper wants to know whether the Captain of the 11th Division Kenpachi Zaraki is scared of Captain of the 4th Division Unohana Retsu
- Rich Bastard - Shute. Think of him like a male Eliza Reagan. Except he's less 'monstrous', and always get his comeuppance for his Jerkassness. He got his own group of Boy Posse too!
- She Is Not My Girlfriend - Invoked several times in episode 2 and continues to appear more from then on. No one buys it.
- Shout Out - Haruka dresses up as Shana in episode 4, and even does the "Urusai, urusai, urusai!" catchphrase. The Comiket episode includes more Shana references with Nanami dressing up as Wilhelmina and Mika as Hecate. Hazuki is Dokuro-chan. Inukami also makes a brief appearance and the second episode features the opening theme to Strawberry Marshmellow's OVA playing in the background.
- Ship Tease
- Show Within A Show - Dojikko Aki-chan.
- Purezza introduces Nocturne Girls' School Lacrosse Club, which borders on Visions Of Another Self, considering that the leads resemble Nogizaka's own main characters.
- Sibling Yin Yang - Haruka's naive and quiet, while little sister Mika's more forward and easygoing.
- Sound Only Death - Though Shuuto is not killed in this case, we do however get to hear his screams of terror as the dozens of maids and butlers he has spat on and insulted walk ominously towards him, eyes glowing angrily....
- Speak Of The Devil: Maid Number 2, whose very mention sends the rest of the Nogizaka-Family maids into an uncontrollable fit of terror. Subverted that she doesn't appear right off bat.
- Spoiled Brat - Shuuto, through and through.
- The Stoic - Hazuki
- Twelve Episode Anime
- Super Deformed - Haruka frequently shifts into this style.
- Unwanted Harem - Yuuto has a small one forming around him, as his matchmakers also seem to be developing crushes on him in addition to Shiina and...maybe Yukari-sensei
- Verbal Tic - Not as overused as a certain Rozen Maiden, but Nanami does occasionally follow up Mika's sentences with desu.
- Yamato Nadeshiko - Namely Akiho, but Haruka definitely inherits some of her mother's traits.
- Yandere - Seems to be the focus of Episode 7. And Shiina might be the one to swing this way.
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