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Character Study: Haruhara Haruko
Haruko is a 19-year-old alien not just in character, but in how she relates to Naota as liminal Japan as well. Everything she is and everything she has it foreign to Japan. With her tall stature, her green eyes and pink hair, she rides a Vespa - symbol of Italian domination of Roman streets, and carries an electric bass guitar, symbol of American popular youth culture..
With the introduction of Haruko, Naota finds himself pulled in yet another direction. Similar to Tasukus influence, and even physically reminding Naota of his brother at one point, Haruko represents not only American influence, but the influence of everything non-Japanese. Tasuku is still a Japanese citizen going out to see what the world has to offer, while Haruko embodies that entire world invading Japan and even Naota's own bedroom!
The invading influence of Haruko is not always unwanted or unneeded by Naota. His initial impression of her, as she runs him down with her Vespa and follows up with a guitar shot to his head (which produces their robotic offspring), is not a good one. With a little time and interaction, Naota becomes intrigued with what Haruko represents. She is the shining beacon of hope for the world outside his gloomy, muted hometown. Naota is never quite sure how he should feel about Haruko, at varying times despising her, having his first crush and inserting her into the role of surrogate mother.
Haruko also has mixed feelings about Naota during the course of the series. First, he was only supposed to be her means to a crucial goal. Upon realizing that her goal was not going to be met as easily as hitting him in the head, she decides to stick close by and see how things progress. She runs down Naota's father in effort to gain access to the Nandaba household and ultimately becomes their housekeeper. Haruko eventually ends up sleeping with Naota's father even though she knows that it hurts Naota. He does eventually grow on her as she does on him and they develop a loving relationship which the audience does not know whether will end sexually or familially.
Though Haruko is the anime babe of this series, she is definitely not typical in that characterization. Her voice is harsh and awkward, never sounding remotely like the shojo girls of much anime. Haruko is also not burdened with the large breasted image common in anime babes today. She is lean and attractive, but also quite alien in her colorations and ability to fight any adversary who steps in her way. She is Tsurumaki's ultimate left-hander who has never run across a rival she cannot defeat or a man she cannot seduce. Character Study: Eri Ninamori
The third of Naotas trio of women showing interest in him for one reason or another is his classmate Ninamori. The daughter of Mabases controversial mayor, Ninamori has a crush on Naota that she is not afraid of showing. As class president, she fixes the voting for roles in their class play to ensure she and Naota play the leads together.
Ninamori comes from a higher class family than Mamimi and is therefore more respected in the Nandaba household, even being asked to stay for dinner and sleep over by Naotas father when things are rough at her own house. She does stay and that night confesses her feelings to Naota only to be interrupted by the seemingly jealous Haruko.
Haruko asserts her influence and sexual control over Naota blatantly in front of Ninamori, completely disrupting any mood that may have been forming between the two classmates. This battle for Naotas liminal Japan can be seen as the choices between the vast and interesting world outside of Japan and the proper and expected choice of upper class native Japan. There is no risk in choosing Ninamoris path while nothing but risk is possible through Haruko.
Ninamori also becomes the only person sharing in Naotas fate of birthing these robots from his head. During the course of one of many times when Haruko runs him down with her Vespa, the now airborne Naota crashes head-to-head into Ninamori, transferring his unique ability temporarily to her. The resulting mecha fight serves to further drive a wedge between the two potential lovers. After OVA 3 tells her story, for the remainder of the series, Ninamori, while still attracted to him, serves only as a supporting character in the story of Naota's coming of age.
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