Name: Haruko
Grade: 1
Height: 163 cm
Weight: ?
Position: Later on Haruko becomes the assistant to the team manager, Ayako ^_^
Distinguishing Characteristics: Err..nothing too distinguishing about her...except she's quite pretty in a simple, innocent kind of way ^_~ ...brown hair and blue eyes... hehe..
Likes: Basketball, Rukawa... [^_^" Gotta clarify one thing: I'm not jealous of her at all..haha..hontou..]
Dislikes: .....I don't really know .. -_-" ..Haruko's pretty nice and doesn't seem to dislike anything! hehe...erm...I guess she dislikes unsportsman-like attitude...?? ^_^"
More: Haruko is a really nice and friendly girl who loves basketball and goes to watch practically every b-ball practice (^_^" I always wonder, doesn't she have better things to do? But oh well...). Though they bare absolutely no resemblance whatsoever, Haruko is in fact Akagi's younger sister (-_-"), and is also Sakuragi's object of affection and motivation - but being more than a little slow at noticing things, Haruko is oblivious towards Sakuragi's rather obvious feelings towards her. Instead, Haruko's obsessed with Rukawa, but being the shy and innocent anime female that she is, she never gets down to actually doing anything solid about it - and even if she did, Rukawa probably still wouldn't even notice (^_^" hehe). Anyway, Haruko is a fervent supporter of the Shohoku basketball team and gets along well with Sakuragi and his gang - ignoring the fact that they are reknowned delinquents (maybe it's 'cause she's slow and naive...but still, it shows she's a pretty nice person ^_^). Haruko has girlish and clumsy movements when actually trying to play ball herself, but while watching it, she concentrates well and can pick things and tips up quickly from Ayako, the team manager, making her a good choice for manager's assistant - which she becomes later on in the manga.
Personal Opinion: ^_^" I am very aware that there are many SD fans out there who hate Harukos guts...for various reasons (one being the theory of her being the thorn between Rukawa and Hanamichi in the yaoi versions of SD..hehe...-_-"), but still, I think Haruko's a really nice and sweet girl ^_^. I don't hate her at all! ..hehe...she's just a typical anime female though, you know - pretty, shy, dim, quiet, innocent ,..etc.... You see her crying during matches for no apparent reason..which is one thing I don't exactly understand ^_^" but oh well... I see no reason to hate Haruko's guts..hehe...but if you give more respect to the stronger types, she's not the type of girl you would see much in...Ayako's more of the strong, feminist type,,if you know what I mean ^_~
