Tear Jerker / High Score Girl

• Grade school aged Akira and Haruo saying their goodbyes in an airport is a major heartbreaker in as early as the end of the first volume. Once Haruo offers her a plastic ring he won from one of their arcade visits together as a parting gift, Akira dives straight into Haruo and begins bawling in his arms. Akira's so desperate to hold Haruo for a little while longer that she ends up accidentally clawing him in the face as she's being dragged away and directed towards her flight. No doubt overcome by a wave of new emotions and the sting of Akira's nail's across his face, Haruo can't help but chuckle awkwardly.
• Akira's pout at the thought of Zangief and Haggar feeling rejected by arcade regulars during her flashback chapter where she skips out on Moemi's classes to visit an arcade for the first time. Her sad face combined with the silent weeping of both those big guys really sell it.
• In chapter 45, Koharu fails to seduce Haruo with her sexually charged Hail Mary in the form of a onesided surprise date in Shibuya, fresh from an equally onesided tourney she just emerged victorious from. At the end of it all she forces him into a hug in front of the Hachiko statue, pouring her heart out to him in desperation all the while.
  • Koharu, completely heart shattered after Akira spots them both and Haruo calls out to her, tries to run off. Akira stops her by catching her arm so the three can take the train home together. Despite having every reason to be angry, Akira has a gentle disposition, as if empathetic to Koharu in her heartbroken state.
• If you buy into the theory that Akira is coming to terms with the fact that she's probably never going to see Haruo again after she moves once again to Los Angeles, a lot of her actions during the second half of the manga come off in a much more bittersweet light as she seems to make it her job to make as many happy memories as she can with both Koharu and Haruo.