Fulfilling Wish
I think that picture says it all.
Personally, I think Haruka Nogizaka definitely hits. To the degree of variety between fantasies of each adolescent and older male fanboy would allow, anyways. Haruka is not as famous as Belldandy but there’s a lot of promise so far in The Secret of Haruka Nogizaka.
In some ways, different anime female companions focus on differing needs of the male psyche. It can be as repulsive as a doormat and as offensive as straight out loli incest; or it could just be someone to keep you company through times immortal even if she can’t cook (or can she???). Our fantasies do run the whole gamut.
I think Haruka Nogizaka’s pitch is actually similar to Karekano’s pitch–you have this overachieving girl whose underbelly has been exposed. In her moment of weakness she turns to you for help. The difference, of course, is that you get an Average Joe instead of an equally talented, overachieving boy. Still, both male leads here are just doing the same thing–just trodding along until their next moment of self-realization.
But unlike Karekano where mutual suffering leads to mutual understanding and admiration, so far in Haruka’s Secret we have it backwards, sorta–mutual understanding leads to greater understanding? Is it just a story where embracing who we are rather than rejecting our weaknesses leads to a life of happiness? Maybe. If those are not real weaknesses anyways.
It’s much easier to understand a normal girl compared to some freak of nature. And a happy ending is possible.
The other angle, blatant in Haruka’s Secret so far, is the whole societal perspective nonsense. I think I’m setting myself up for major disappointment here by expecting this show to do a proper job explaining how all this works, but who knows? But speaking of freak of nature, it takes some measure of strength to live the way you want, against the grain. It was the case for Yukino Miyazawa, and I suspect the same applies to Haruka Nogizaka, genre conventions aside. It’s quite amusing to think of the Akiba-kei abstraction and the things it stands for as a 2D fantasy come to life, thanks to modern sciences. The similarity to reality is striking, almost uncanny.
Wow, this looks like it has a LOT of potential. I’ma check this out!
I swear you guys are just trying to like this or see too much in it. I just hope it doesn’t turn over and bomb on you - I can already see people calling it ‘wasted potential’ when the potential was probably only in their head. But whaever, it could be great, tell me when it’s over.
It is mostly in their heads, that’s why they call it potential and not actual reality?
I think there’s enough reason that this show’s leading us on this way, to give it a shot.
I just like the hot otaku girlfriend part
Weird Science for you dood.
I liked that song when I was a kid. Never saw the movie, though!