It’s been about a year since I first watched High Score Girl*, and it’s been about half a year since Extra Stage first premiered. Hey, what can I say, better late than never. This was the perfect time to finish the show’s final episodes, seeing as I needed a pick me up after a series of increasingly negative reviews.

It’s a given, but since Extra Stage picks up right where the season proper ended, only those who watched the rest of the season will get something out of it. In case you’ve forgotten, Haruo is dealing with being able to see Akira Oono less and less. Haruo also must meet the challenge of Koharu Hidaka, who declares if she wins in a fighting game competition, then the two must date, deciding to Settle it in Smash four years before Settling it in Smash was a thing.

I still have my qualms about the love triangle, specifically with one vertice: Hidaka. I was compelled to say she feels like an afterthought, but upon rereading my review and seeing that I specifically say she isn’t an afterthought, I need to make my point clear. While it’s true that her character thought out, her friendship with Haruo is made realistic and her growing feelings are feasible, she just doesn’t hold a candle to Oono. And that’s not just me saying that because I think Oono is cuter (which I totally do), but her getting with Haruo isn’t as narratively compelling as Oono getting with him. More than ever, we see how strict and stifling Oono’s life is and how Haruo is the light shining in the dark, the one person she can truly connect with. Simply put, Oono needs Haruo while Hidaka simply does not. Oono still feels like the endgame because she’s been so built up and I’m so happy when they’re together because it gives the poor girl a bit of respite by her overbearing teacher. I really do think the story would be a lot stronger without the love triangle aspect because Hidaka just doesn’t offer as much as a character as Oono.

Love triangle gripes aside, I really enjoyed these three episodes. I didn’t imagine I’d get so emotional, but I suppose that’s to be expected: High Score Girl can be heartwrenching and heartfelt and it doesn’t take long at all to pick up steam. We’re shown how Oono is punished by pursuing her interests and it’s truly heartbreaking. On the other end of the spectrum, due to this, we get to see how much her butler and Haruo mean to her. Helping create these emotions is the score, which is very good, with swelling strings and lovely pianos. At times it may be easy to forget that this is at times a glorified advertisement due to just how emotional it is. At times, it’s easy to forget how the characters are somewhat stilted CGI. The OP and ED are still amazing.

And of course, this show’s a nostalgia trip sure to be a treat for anyone interested in video games. I love the attention to detail in terms of retro gaming and I learn something new about Japanese video games every time I watch. Since this is ‘95, they even snuck in an Evangelion reference! My blood was pumping during Haruo and Hidaka’s competition, and they weren’t even games that I played, yet I was very excited either way. I’m not sure if you’d get much out that part if you don’t play games but if you do, I’m sure you’d love it as much as I did.

I was surprised to see that I gave Extra Stage a higher score than I did the season proper, but thinking about it, it’s plain to see why. Extra Stage is essentially an abbreviated first season. The lows weren’t terribly low, there were just a lot and it made it a bit of a slog. The highs are nigh-soaring and with the show compressed, I was reminded of just how cute, how sad, how intense this show can be. With the love triangle miraculously not being front and center, I was able to focus on the parts I loved: the gaming and the romance between Oono and Haruo.

When first got word that there would be a second season, I was wary of watching it. I liked the first season well enough, but I wasn’t sure I liked it enough to watch an entirely new season of it. I thought the story would be wrapped up in Extra Stage.

Well, I was wrong. The story hasn’t concluded and Extra Stage showed me that I don’t mind that much.

8.6/10

B+

▶ *I only realized nearly a year later that I referred to the show as "High Score Girl" in my review while Anilist lists it as "Hi Score Girl." To be fair, Myanimelist refers to it as "High Score Girl." I've continued referring it as "High Score Girl" for consistency's sake.