Broken Anime

Director Munenori Nara and Studio Barcelona bring to you Nogizaka Haruka no Himitsu, a promising series about love, acceptance, and being an anime nerd.

Cute. Smart. Talented. Rich. Hella Otaku.

Nogizaka Haruka no Himitsu is tender and sweet. I just wish an image of Kouta from Kanokon didn’t pop up every time Haruka talks…

So Kazeryu, whom I get 90% of my anime from, shows me this show “Nogizaka Haruka no Himitsu” one day, telling me it’s about a cute princess-like female closet otaku. Watching a bit of the first episode with him, nothing really hit me as that interesting or unique. The story appeared to be about your usual high school romance - I didn’t get to the part about Haruka secretly being in love with anime yet, though. As I watched more of the series later, I became more endeared to both the traditional yet otaku Haruka, and her probable love interest Yuto, an honorable yet normal guy. This show seems like it has enough romance, moe, plot, and Haruka to keep me watching for a while.
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Episode 01 - Relatively Detailed Synopsis (to see a much shorter summary, skip below)
At the start we see a bit of a show called Clumsy Girl Aki-chan reminiscent of A Little Snow Fairy Sugar…don’t be confused like I was…it’s just a show that our hero Yuto Ayase is watching grudgingly, after his otaku friend Nobunaga recommended it to him. Enter onee-san and sensei, who are partying it up like no tomorrow downstairs. OP: “Tomadoi Bitter Tune” by Miran Himemiya and Chocolate Rockers

After escaping the crazy older women, Yuto heads to his private school where he is met by some of his classmates. He expresses his lack of interest in women (due to the crazy antics of the aforementioned women). OooOOooo…don’t speak so soon - enter Haruka Nogizaka, the school’s uber rich, refined princess, is playing a sweet melody on a piano, surrounded by admirers. Haruka is a masterpiece of good breeding - flawless and popular. We gonna need a montage of Haruka:

As Nobunaga bothers Yuto with the details about Clumsy Girl Aki-chan, Haruka overhears some of this, and suddenly excitedly stands up, to the astonishment of all. Later, at the end of the school day, Yuto bumps into Haruka at the library while returning an issue of an anime magazine for Nobunaga. Haruka drops an issue of Innocent Smile, the same anime magazine Nobunaga had…Uh oh.

The next day Haruka avoids Yuto like SARS…and the whole school notices. In a rooftop reconciliation, Haruka expresses her utmost fear of being identified as an otaku, while Yuto assures his acceptance of it, and pledges to keep her secret anime obsession safe. Yuto and Haruka head back to the library at night to return the issue of Innocent Smile that Haruka didn’t get a chance to return earlier (or else her name and overdue item would be announced on the intercom!). The two bond a bit, and decide to call each other by their first names. ED: “Hitosashiyubi Quiet!” by the show’s seiyus.

SHORT SUMMARY - Episode 01
Nogizaka Haruka no Himitsu episode 01 introduces the audience to the protagonist, Yuto an average high school boy who finds out the secret otaku interests of the angelic Haruka - a special secret that bonds them together.

How long can the secret be kept? And would it not be better for Haruka to accept herself? Being an otaku should not be a shameful thing…especially if you’re also very talented, smart, yet humble.

IMPRESSIONS
The Good
Fairly good artwork, though nothing outstanding. The prospect of an adorable female otaku makes my heart beat…for a bit. The fact that Yuto is not a jerk like so many other male protagonists in high school romances is a good thing. Also, the amount of otakudom is balanced out by Haruka’s modesty and popularity, as well as Yuto’s relative ambivalence towards anime. Yuto’s acceptance of Haruka’s anime interest and the impending romance between them will be sweet and warm.

I suspect a lot of the show will be about Haruka’s admirers trying to get Yuto away from her. I dunno really, I haven’t read the light novels…

The Bad
I wish I had not watched Kanokon…Haruka would be 3 times cuter without the Kouta-i-have-no-balls voice. Yes, Mamiko Noto (the seiyu) was Kotomi from Clannad and Mitsuki from Kimikiss…but once you go Kouta - you don’t go back. Also, with the relatively simple premise of the story…how long can this story go? Will it devolve from a romance(with a bit of comedy) into a slice of life…?

Who’s more of a girl? A: Kouta; B: Haruka

MORE SCREENSHOTS

Hella 5 Cm Per Second

sigh…it’s not good to assume things so quick…

Nobunaga: more otaku than first imagined.

who brings their figures to school…

Obligatory fanservice. Ero-po-po!

One time this drunk chick started hugging me…then she asked if I was a Jew…………… h’noooo……….

~And I would walk…a thousand miles…~

No, you look!

Girl, I know what you’re tryin’ ta say…

awwwww

Pelvic Thrust