High Score Girl

Main characters

Haruo Yaguchi (矢口 春雄, Yaguchi Haruo)

A young man who is dismal in various facets of life: He's not academic, he's not athletic, and he's not very attractive. The only he's got going for him is an insane amount of mad gamer skills. He rules the arcade scene as "Beastly Fingers Haruo", until he meets his match during a fateful encounter with Akira Oono while playing Street Fighter II. Undeterred, he seeks to challenge and one day out play her, considering her his rival. While he starts off as a snarky brat with an ego bigger than any winning streak he could rack up in Street Fighter, he eventually grows out of it. However, he never abandons his dedication and love for gaming, which almost borders on unhealthy obsession. On the bright side, this pure passion for gaming is what leads him to finding some of his closest friends.

Akira Oono (大野 晶, Oono Akira)

The daughter of the Oono zaibatsu, Akira is rich, popular, and multi-talented -- the virtual polar opposite of Haruo. However, in attempt to escape the strict educational regimen she faces at home, she sneaks away every so often to play in game centers where she showcases her exceptional gaming skills. She initially encounters Haruo during a match of Street Fighter II, and from then on bonds with him over their mutual love for gaming.She never talks, so She communicates solely through gestures and facial expressions.

Koharu Hidaka (日高 小春, Hidaka Koharu)

A girl in Haruo's class throughout junior high. Goes to an all-girl school with Onizuka throughout high school. An introverted girl who spent much of her time studying alone. Afterward, she develops into a more sociable person and develops an interest in gaming after spending time with Haruo over a new Neo Geo MVS that gets installed in front of her family's store. She has a natural instinct for fighting games.

Other characters

Haruo's Mom

An energetic lady who raises Haruo as a single mom. Despite his shortcomings, she's very supportive of her son in her own quirky and loving manner. Whenever there's company, she's quick to offer her special stack of "Hotcakes Straight From a Manga".

Akira's Chauffeur

A kind old man who always looks out for Akira's best interests. He is a self-proclaimed pachinko addict, and has a nasty habit of running over Haruo with the family limousine.

Moemi Gouda

Bespectacled official instructor of the Oono household. An totalitarian authoritarian who will stop at nothing to make sure Akira is nothing short of perfect and worthy as an heir to the Oono family name. She is absolutely against any kind of fun within the Oono household, which creates friction amongst its inhabitants. If one doesn't work hard enough, she piles on more work. If one works too hard, she rewards them by piling on more work.

Doi

Haruo's classmate in 6-2, then again in high school. A snobby kid who tries to come off as cultured and suave, his attempts to woo Akira are met with failure. During high school, he begins to hang around Haruo and Miyao .

Onizuka

A girl that went to school with Haruo from elementary to junior high, then seen at the same all-girl high school with Hidaka. A bit grotesque in appearance and crass in demeanor, though she apparently isn't self aware of that.

Numata

A guidance counselor at Haruo's middle school, and likes to play videogames as well. He resembles Lau Chan from Virtua Fighter.

Miyao

One of Haruo's classmates during junior high and high school. Haruo's best guy friend, he also enjoys arcades, though not to the same degree as Haruo. He has a knack for attracting the ladies, and is quick to pick up on the bizarre love triangle formed by his classmates.

Reception

It was number two on the 2013 Takarajimasha's Kono Manga ga Sugoi! Top 20 Manga for Male Readers survey. It was also nominated for the 6th Manga Taishō and the 17th Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prize. It was number nine in the 2013 Comic Natalie Grand Prize.

As of December 30, 2012, volume 3 has sold 59,016 copies and as of July 7, 2013, volume 4 has sold 103,734 copies.

Legal issues

On August 5, 2014, Osaka District Police searched the offices of Square Enix, the publishers of High Score Girl acting on an IP violation claim by SNK Playmore stating that the manga allegedly features over 100 instances of characters from The King of Fighters, Samurai Shodown, and other fighting games. In response, Square Enix voluntarily recalled all printed volumes and temporarily suspended publication of future volumes and digital sales. However, the manga will continue its run in Monthly Big Gangan.

In August 2015, it was reported that Square Enix and SNK Playmore had reached a settlement, cancelling the lawsuit and enabling the manga to be sold again in different formats.