Ranked #696

Nogizaka Haruka no Himitsu

Nogizaka Haruka no Himitsu is the most fun and just plain entertaining series I have watched this year. I don’t like to throw out 10s to shows that often and maybe I am rating this show a little high in comparison others. But this is one of the few shows that had me from episode 1 and never let me down through the end. While the overall concept of this anime is not anything new and groundbreaking (though really what is anymore?), Nogizaka does everything exceptionally well.

At its heart, Nogizaka is a romantic comedy with some mild echiiness and a few harem elements. The story starts out with our protagonist Yuuto accidentally discovering the schools most idolized girl Haruka Nogizaka is a closet otaku when he bumps into her in the library with a manga called Innocent Smile. After a bit of an overreaction on Haruka's part, Yuuta promises to keep her secret from everyone else. Personally I thought this was an excellent concept for a story but in one of the few things that this series fails at a bit because it doesn’t quite deliver. By episode 3 she’s already exposed her secret at school herself, but there doesn’t seem to be any consequences or reaction to this revelation. The romance elements then take over as the story becomes more about Yuuto and Haruka developing their feelings for each other than her secret obsession.

The series also features a number of anime and manga references, mostly to Shakugan no Shana. If you have seen that series and especially if you’re a fan like I am you will get some extra enjoyment out of Haruka cosplaying Shana. One of my favorite moments was Haruka saying Shana's trademark "Shut up! Shut up! Shut up!" and replying that she had always wanted to say it (Haruka's voice actress played Hecate in the series). Plenty of other references provided a lot of laughs such as a yaoi doujinshi featuring Inukami! characters Keita and Karina. I also found the cameo by manga loving Japanese prime minister Taro Aso humorous.

As leads, Haruka and Yuuto are very enjoyable and fun to watch. Yuuto reminds me of other anime males I like such as Tomoya and Yuichi from Clannad and Kanon. He feels like a real guy to me, he isn’t perfect but he stands up for his friends and acts like a man. One of the few anime males I would actually want to date myself. Haruka is a bit more stereotypical of anime girls, she is very beautiful and seemingly unattainable on the surface. She’s shy, clumsy, clueless, and very moe. Despite this, I don’t think anyone will not find something to relate with her and she is just so funny and cute that you can’t help but love her. Several of the supporting characters manage to be entertaining as well, in particular Haruka's younger sister Mika. Though she is the most stereotypical of the group as the perverted wise above her years younger sister. The Nogizaka house maids also provide a number of laughs as do the mother and father. Yuuto's sister and her teacher friend are pretty boring though as they are the fairly boring half naked drunkards. Shiina is a classmate who could be considered a rival for Yuuto but she never develops as a serious contender (rightly so I must say). The characters are also kept to a minimum as well so we get to know most of the supporting characters pretty well.

The show really shines in the art and music. The characters are beautifully rendered and the series as wonderfully vibrant colors and detailed backgrounds. The voice acting is stellar and features a great overall cast. I can’t say enough good things about the music. It captured the charm and the tone of the series perfectly. The OP/EN songs as a pair are probably my favorite anime songs to date.

Overall there is little for me to complain about, because I found this show to be exceptional. The length was a bummer because I didn’t want it to end! While not everyone will find this show to be as great as I did, I recommend it to all fans of romantic comedies and Shana lovers.
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Nogizaka Haruka no Himitsu, follows classmates Haruka and Yuuto. Haruka being the popular daughter of a an extremely wealthy and powerful family. Yuuto being......some guy.

The story picks up as Yuuto accidentally discovers that Haruka is a closet otaku, and, not believing it to be a flaw (though others do), he promises to keep it a secret from their schoolmates.
Actually, I didn't think otaku were quite so ostracised in Japan as is shown, but perhaps it's true of private schools. Anyway....

What follows is your typical high-school romantic-comedy fare, but with some storylines having the otaku twist (eg. going to a convention) or the rich-girl twist. There are also some harem elements, but they don't overshadow the main relationship. The show does contain some ecchi-ness, but it's not constant enough to be much of a problem. The show generally moves along at a swift pace, and manages to get quite a bit done in each episode, but it doesn't feel rushed.

There are a fair few characters, though quite a few get swept aside before becoming anything more than a couple of lines of dialogue. The regulars are familiar sorts, including the loud drunks, and the teasing, adult-minded loli.

So yes, it has all the typical elements, but, I often got the feeling that something was different. I don't know for sure, but perhaps the show is focusing that bit more on the central relationship than is usual. Sure, there's a lot of noise, and silliness, but it just doesn't seem to be as overpowering as other shows, leaving more room for the main attraction.

So, the final verdict: Nogizaka Haruka no Himitsu, is a nice, typical, romantic comedy, that just nudges ahead of the pack, thanks to being just a little bit calmer, and more focused. Also, it differentiates itself somewhat via the otaku angle. If you're a fan of high-school romantic comedies, then this is definately worth a look. read more