Nogizaka Haruka no Himitsu

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Nogizaka Haruka no Himitsu
Nogizaka Haruka no Himitsu logo.
乃木坂春香の秘密
Genre	Romantic comedy
Light novel
Author	Yūsaku Igarashi
Illustrator	Shaa
Publisher	ASCII Media Works
Demographic	Male
Published	June 18, 2004 – ongoing
Volumes	7
Manga
Author	Yūsaku Igarashi
Illustrator	Yasuhiro Miyama
Publisher	ASCII Media Works
Demographic	Seinen
Serialized in	Dengeki Moeoh
Original run	August 26, 2006 – ongoing
Volumes	1
TV anime
Director	Munenori Nawa
Studio	Studio Barcelona
Original run	July 2008 – ongoing
Game: Nogizaka Haruhi no Himitsu: Cosplay Hajimemashita
Developer	Vridge
Publisher	ASCII Media Works
Genre	Visual novel
Platform	PlayStation 2
Released	Summer 2008

Nogizaka Haruka no Himitsu (乃木坂春香の秘密, Nogizaka Haruka no Himitsu^? lit. Haruka Nogizaka's Secret) is a Japanese light novel series by Yūsaku Igarashi, with illustrations by Shaa. The series originally started serialization in volume thirty of MediaWorks' now-defunct light novel magazine Dengeki hp on June 18, 2002. One more chapter was published until the first bound novel of the series was released, though more chapters were later serialized in the magazine. The first novel was released on October 10, 2004, and as of December 10, 2007, seven volumes have been published by ASCII Media Works under their Dengeki Bunko label. A manga adaptation by Yasuhiro Miyama started serialization in the seinen manga magazine Dengeki Moeoh on August 26, 2006, also published by ASCII Media Works. An anime adaptation was announced to start broadcast in July 2008 produced by Studio Barcelona. A visual novel for the PlayStation 2 is planned for release in Japan in summer 2008.

Contents 1 Plot 2 Characters 2.1 Main characters 2.2 Classmates and teachers 2.3 Nogizaka family 2.3.1 Nogizaka family maids 3 Media 3.1 Light novels 3.2 Manga 3.3 Audio dramas 3.4 Anime 3.5 Visual novel 4 References 5 External links

[edit] Plot

Nogizaka Haruka no Himitsu is set at the private high school Hakujō Academy in Japan and centers around the male protagonist Yūto Ayase and his classmate Haruka Nogizaka. While Yūto is rather ordinary, Haruka is very attractive, intelligent, and rich. Due to this, she is the school's most unattainable girl and is so idolized that her classmates give her the French nicknames "Nuit Étoile" (The Silver Star of the Night) and "Lumière du Clavier" (The Shining Princess on the Piano). One day, Yūto's good friend Nobunaga Asakura asks him to return a book to the school library, and when he goes to return it, Yūto stumbles across Haruka and her darkest secret — she is a diehard fan of anime, manga, and the otaku culture. Yūto promises to keep her secret hidden and in return he becomes her confidante of sorts as he accompanies her to Akihabara, and visits her home often.

[edit] Characters

[edit] Main characters

Yūto Ayase (綾瀬 裕人, Ayase Yūto^?)

Voiced by: Wataru Hatano

Yūto is the main protagonist of the story. He is an ordinary student who attends the private high school Hakujō Academy and is in his second year of high school. One day, he stumbles across his classmate Haruka in the library and discovers her hidden secret — she is a major otaku and loves anime and manga. Following this revelation, Yūto starts to hang out with Haruka more which causes his fellow classmates and those in school to give him wicked glares. Yūto lives with his parents and older sister Ruko, though his parents are always working and thus are generally absent from home. He behaves bluntly and generally likes to be left alone. He has an average determination to study for school.

Haruka Nogizaka (乃木坂 春香, Nogizaka Haruka^?)

Voiced by: Mamiko Noto

Haruka is the female main character, and is Yūto's classmate. She is idolized at school due to her beauty and intelligence, and is regarded as the school's most unattainable girl. In fact, at school she is known by the French nicknames "Nuit Étoile" (The Silver Star of the Night) and "Lumière du Clavier" (The Shining Princess on the Piano). She is very skilled at playing the piano and has taken overall victories in international contests. She also has a gentle personality, is a natural airhead, and is quite clumsy. Her deep hidden secret is that she is a major otaku and loves anime and manga. In middle school, her secret was exposed and she received a certain amount of prejudice towards it which caused her to keep it a secret once she entered high school. When Yūto finds out about it, Haruka is relieved that he does not tell anyone or harass her about it. She also comes from a rich family and privileged upbringing, so her interest in the otaku subculture is looked down upon due to her status in society, which is another reason why she keeps it a secret.

[edit] Classmates and teachers

Nobunaga Asakura (朝倉 信長, Asakura Nobunaga^?)

Voiced by: Reiko Takagi

Nobunaga is a childhood friend of Yūto who attends the same private high school, though is in the class next to his. He has a cheerful and openhearted personality, gets very good grades, and is considered a bishōnen by the female students. However, he is a hardcore otaku and is familiar with the layout of Akihabara. He is extremely famous in various place in Akihabara. Due to his enormous amount of purchases, he is known as "Emperor Caesar" at the Animate store, and is one of three people who possesses the golden Animate card. At a maid café where Haruka once worked part time called "@Home ~Café", there is a picture of him shaking hands with the manager of the café, framed in gold with the caption "Welcome home, our greatest master" hung in the center of the café.

Ruko Ayase (綾瀬 ルコ, Ayase Ruko^?)

Voiced by: Hitomi Nabatame

Ruko is Yūto's older sister. She works as a private secretary to a company president. She is skilled in karate and is a 2-dan. She is a hard worker, though she drinks a lot at home and is unable to do any housework which makes Yūto in charge of all the chores. She generally has a rough attitude and will often speak in a brutish manner. Since her parents are absent so often, Ruko takes up the position as the highest person in the house with her brother. When first meeting Haruka, Ruko was very pleased with her, though Yūto regarded this as unusual.

Yukari Kamishiro (上代 由香里, Kamishiro Yukari^?)

Voiced by: Miyu Matsuki

Yukari is the homeroom teacher to Yūto's class and is an old friend of Ruko. She is referred in the story by Yūto as the "sexual harassment teacher". She is constantly smiling, though she enjoys teasing trouble makers. She likes spending a lot of time over at the Ayase house, and is unmarried though wants a boyfriend. At school, she is in charge of teaching music. She is twenty-three-year-old, though refers to herself as "eternally seventeen".

Shiina Amamiya (天宮 椎菜, Amamiya Shiina^?)

Voiced by: Rina Satō

Shiina is a girl who participated in the London Piano Contest with Haruka; Shiina ranked second before Haruka who ranked first. She transfers into Yūto's class at school. Her hobbies include playing the piano and the marital art of naginatajutsu. She always has a positive and cheerful personality and has a sociable personality which makes her transition as a transfer student very easy. She used to live in Otaru, Hokkaidō, Japan, though does not speak much of those days.

Tōka Tenōji (天王寺 冬華, Tenōji Tōka^?)

Tōka is a student at Yūto's school, though she is in her first year, class three. She is known by the nickname "Princess Blizzard" at school due to her domineering and arrogant personality. She comes from a very rich family that is rivaled by that of Haruka. Her family is known as "The East Nogizaka's House and the West Tenōji's house". After the head of the family died, she became the third in line to inherit the family fortune. Her ultimate goal is world conquest.

Mai Asahina (朝比奈 麻衣, Asahina Mai^?)

Mai is a girl in Yūto's class. She generally has a quiet personality, though is vice-chairman of the naginatajutsu club. She is close friends with Shiina.

Nagai, Takenami, & Ogawa (永井・竹浪・小川, Nagai, Takenami, & Ogawa^?)

Negai, Takenami, and Ogawa are a group of male students in Yūto's class. Everyone refers to them as the "three idiots" because they always get into idiotic discussions.

Mahiro Asakura (朝倉 真尋, Asakura Mahiro^?)

Mahiro is Nobunaga's younger sister. She is referred by her brother as a hopeless person with a poor sense of direction. She views Nobunaga as an idiot older brother, though she does like Yūto. She dislikes her brother's otaku hobbies.

Keiji Sendai (千代 啓二, Sendai Keiji^?)

Keiji is Yūto's classmate; he is known as "mad dog". He calls himself a "natural enemy of Akiba-kei, though Yūto has seen him in Akihabara and at Comiket. He originally comes from Shaa's other manga series Kyōhaku Dog's.

Setsuna Yatsusaki (八咲 せつな, Yatsusaki Setsuna^?)

Setsuna is a girl in Yūto's class; she is known as "faithful dog Hachikō". She is considerably clumsy. She has been seen by Yūto together with Keiji in Akihabara and at Comiket. Like Keiji, she originally comes from Kyōhaku Dog's.

[edit] Nogizaka family

Mika Nogizaka (乃木坂 美夏, Nogizaka Mika^?)

Voiced by: Mai Goto

Mika is Haruka's younger sister in her second year of junior high school. Her hobbies include playing the violin, and playing squash. She has a personality that is exactly opposite her sister, who is naïve. She enjoys Yūto's company and she often calls him "Onii-san" (an affectionate word meaning brother) or sometimes she calls him her brother-in-law. When Haruka is with Yūto, however, Mika likes to tease them. In contrast to her airhead older sister, Mika is very stable. Even at her young age, she is more knowledgeable about sex than Haruka, although she will get shocked or stunned mentally if exposed to H-rated material just like her sister. She is deathly afraid of ghosts.

Gentō Nogizaka (乃木坂 玄冬, Nogizaka Gentō^?)

Gentō is Haruka's and Mika's father. His last name is adopted from his wife's family. His speech and conduct makes him seem like a member of the yakuza, though he is a loving parent who dotes on his daughters. He even bought an entire island for Haruka's birthday. He is against Haruka hanging around Yūto so much, though he does not mind having Yūto around when he is alone.

Akiho Nogizaka (乃木坂 秋穂, Nogizaka Akiho^?)

Akiho is Haruka's and Mika's mother. Despite having given birth twice, she appears youthful and beautiful; Yūto originally thought she was Haruka's older sister or cousin when he first met her. She is a principal of a cooking school. She has a quiet and intellectual demeanor but has the strength to overcome her husband; in fact, she is referred to by Yūto and Haruka as "Nogizaka house's ultimate weapon". In contrast to her husband, she thinks it is good that Haruka and Yūto spend time together, and she likes to watch the development of their relationship.

Ōki Nogizaka (乃木坂 王季, Nogizaka Ōki^?)

Ōki is Haruka's and Mika's grandfather on their mother's side. He has a sociable personality and is a good-natured old man. Although he is retired from his original position as the president of the Nogizaka's organization and became the consultant, he is still a very powerful man in the economic and political world. If he wants, all great leaders in the world will gather at one place for a high level conference within three hours. He has a shadow warrior name Heizō Sebastian Sakurazaka, who is Hazuki's grandfather.

[edit] Nogizaka family maids

Hazuki Sakurazaka (桜坂 葉月, Sakurazaka Hazuki^?)

Voiced by: Kaori Shimizu

Hazuki is the head maid of the Nogizaka family. She is mainly in charge of looking after Haruka and Mika, particularly Haruka; Hazuki acts in the way of an older sister towards her. She is generally very reserved and expressionless, but sometimes speaks of bombshell announcements. She adores cute things and even has a collection of stuffed animals. She often appears out of no where holding a chainsaw.

Nanami Nanashiro (七城 那波, Nanashiro Nanami^?)

Voiced by: Kana Ueda

Nanami is the third-highest ranking maid of the Nogizaka family, and she usually helps Hazuki with her work. She has a friendly personality and smiles a lot, though also has a wicked tongue. She is seen wearing sunglasses often. Like Hazuki, she also often appears out of no where, though holding a large hammer.

Maria Yukinohara (雪野原 鞠愛, Yukinohara Maria^?)

Maria is the fifth-highest ranking maid of the Nogizaka family. She does general work around the house, though she is also on the medical treatment group for the family.

Koayu Nagikawa (凪川 小鮎, Nagikawa Koayu^?)

Koayu is the sixth-highest ranking maid of the Nogizaka family, and is the head chef. She is extremely shy, and does not appear often.

Ayame Rokujō (六条 菖蒲, Rokujō Ayame^?), Sara Rokujō (六条 沙羅, Rokujō Sara^?), Juri Rokujō (六条 樹里, Rokujō Juri^?)

Ayame, Sara, and Juri are three sisters who are all equally ranked the seventh-highest maids of the Nogizaka family. They are in charge of being chauffeurs to the family. The eldest sister Ayame flies an eight-passenger airplane, which is comfortable to ride. Sara, the middle sister, is very speedy when flying her plane, or driving her limousine, or her stealth fighter plane. Juri, the youngest sister, also flying a plane.

Alister Rein (アリスティア＝レイン, Arisutia＝Rein^?)

Alister, otherwise known as Alice, is the eight-highest ranking maid of the Nogizaka family, and is in charge of security. She looks like a grade school student, and has blonde hair, and blue eyes.

[edit] Media

[edit] Light novels

Nogizaka Haruka no Himitsu began as a series of light novels written by Yūsaku Igarashi, and drawn by Shaa. The series originally started serialization in MediaWorks' now-defunct light novel magazine Dengeki hp with the release of volume thirty on June 18, 2004.^[1] A second chapter was published in volume thirty-one of the same magazine on August 21, 2004.^[2] Less than two months later on October 10, 2004, the first bound volume of the series was published by ASCII Media Works under their Dengeki Bunko publishing label, and as of December 10, 2007, seven volumes have been published. Additional chapters have also been published in Dengeki hp volumes: thirty-four, thirty-five, forty-one, and forty-seven. The Mainichi Shimbun reported that as of January 2008, over 700,000 copies of the first seven volumes have been sold.^[3]

[edit] Manga

A manga adaptation started serialization in the Japanese seinen manga magazine Dengeki Moeoh on August 26, 2006, published by ASCII Media Works.^[4] The manga takes its story from the light novels that preceded it, and is illustrated by Yasuhiro Miyama. The first bound volume went on sale on November 15, 2007 under ASCII Media Works' Dengeki Comics publishing label.

[edit] Audio dramas

A four-episode radio drama, which first aired on October 27, 2007 aired on ASCII Media Works' radio program Dengeki Taishō. An hour long drama CD which adds to the story from the second episode of the radio broadcast was released on January 10, 2008.^[5] The voices provided for both dramas were the same, and the same cast was used for the anime adaptation.

[edit] Anime

An anime adaptation directed by Munenori Nawa will be produced by the animation studio Studio Barcelona and will air in Japan in July 2008.^[3]

[edit] Visual novel

A visual novel based on the series for the PlayStation 2 is being developed by Vridge and will be published by ASCII Media Works for a release in summer 2008 entitled Nogizaka Haruhi no Himitsu: Cosplay Hajimemashita (乃木坂春香の秘密 こすぷれ、はじめました♥, Nogizaka Haruhi no Himitsu: Cosplay Hajimemashita^?).^[6][7]

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• ASCII Media Works' official Nogizaka Haruhi no Himitsu website (Japanese)
• Anime official website (Japanese)
• Visual novel official website (Japanese)
• Nogizaka Haruka no Himitsu (anime) at Anime News Network's Encyclopedia