In short, High Score Girl feels like the fantasy of a lonely 90s gamer: you’re there at the arcade, focused on your game, and suddenly BAM, two beautiful girls are fighting for your heart.
Jokes aside, the animation might look weird at first, but after the second episode you get used to it. The soundtrack is great, the story is simple but it works, and the characters are well done, they’re either goofy and over-the-top or serious and empathetic, which makes them feel pretty real.
I really like this anime, I’ve watched it about three times already. Seeing the characters play and talk about games is just fun, it’s got that contagious energy of people who genuinely love gaming. Personally, I even enjoy those gaming scenes more than the romantic ones.
All in all, High Score Girl is a fun, nostalgic anime with a lot of personality, though it’s not for everyone. And if you end up liking it, there’s also High Score Girl Dash, which follows Hidaka’s life and is a really nice read too.