Audience reviews
20 · Sample from the first available page, separate from the total number of ratings.
nakama222
9/10 – A Heartfelt Journey About Kindness and Healing
I went into Higehiro expecting a fairly typical romance, but it turned out to be so much more than that. By the end, I wasn't thinking about the romance as much as I was thinking about the people and the emotional journey they went through.
The first thing that drew me in was the chemistry between the two main characters. Their relationship feels genuine from the very beginning, and that's what makes the series work so well. Instead of relying on forced misunderstandings or over-the-top drama, Higehiro focuses on healing, trust, and how a simple act of kindness can completely change someone's life.
The emotional side of the story is definitely its biggest strength. It tackles loneliness, low self-worth, regret, and the need to feel l…
Read at the sourceAR550
Higehiro is a romance anime that handles the themes of family conflict, harsh decisions made under social pressure, trauma, and addiction very well—all woven into a story that mixes two people from completely different realities who are united by the same fate. And it is precisely from this contradiction that the anime allows us to experience both the best and the worst of humanity.
The animation, soundtrack, opening, and ending are all of excellent quality. The pacing of the work is pleasant for those who want to binge-watch it as well as for those who follow it sporadically: neither too rushed nor too dragged out.
Both the main and supporting characters are well explored. Their internal conflicts and personalities are well written and developed, and it becomes clear how each one impact…
Read at the sourcearie_s
This was not what I expected and the common descriptions don't do it justice.
For those seeking harem anime, I think you may end up disappointed.
Some of the elements and concepts in this series are as follows:
Trauma regarding suicide, bullying and familial abuse physical/psychological
Self Image regarding self worth, self awareness and physical behavior consequences Communication and honesty.
Mentorship relationships between male and female
Romantic relationships with age/maturity gaps
Distinguishing true desire from emotional confusion
Distinguishing kindness from romantic affection
Anyone familiar with these things in their real life may get hit a bit hard by this.
The relationship structure is similar to a foster situation. While the female protagonist wrestles with their s…
Read at the sourceNazmus____Sakib
"Higehiro: After Being Rejected, I Shaved and Took in a High School Runaway" starts with a premise that could have been a heartfelt slice-of-life story about loneliness and unexpected companionship. The animation is passable—nothing exceptional, but serviceable for this genre. The sound design is similarly minimal, fitting the laid-back atmosphere but not adding much. However, the story quickly derails due to extremely questionable writing choices.
**Problematic Characterization of the High School Girl**
The main issue is how the female lead is portrayed. Instead of a complex runaway with understandable reasons for her choices, she’s depicted as someone who has slept with multiple men for money, essentially turning her into a stereotype of a “whore.” This portrayal is not only offensive b…
Read at the sourceHisname
Pop quiz: What is the similarity of this show and a hypothetical Youtube video titled "I ate 10 different kinds of red mushrooms" ?
Answer: They are both "I tried it so that you don't have to" kind of shows.
More on that later.
Hige wo Soru, Soshite Joshikousei wo Hirou is a story about the life of Yoshida, a 26y.o. man, who let Sayu, a runaway high school girl, temporarily stay at his home. Despite the initial decision made under the influence of alcohol, Yoshida ultimately agreed to her staying because he felt that the value of Sayu, who had been seducing men for a place to stay, needed to be corrected.
The story focuses on the main (non-romantic) duo and their struggle to adapt each other into their own daily life instead of the risk of letting an underage person stay at their home w…
Read at the sourceryuu_no_yoake
Different. This is the sort of story one can see more often in the form of a manga, but it's a surprising choice for an anime adaptation. The closest thing to it that I've seen is "After the rain", but they are still worlds apart. The overall topic here is quite dark and contentious, although they mask it with elements of a lighthearted harem.
I think the true nature of the story becomes evident around the 4th episode. The main topics are connection, surpassing trauma, and figuring out what the right thing to do even is, especially against both personal and social prejudice. It's a complicated theme and the anime itself is not at all realistic, in real life something like this would be so much more messier and dangerous. But one should focus on the message and on their own feelings on the…
Read at the sourceFranqitoH
Ok, here we go for the twentieth time:
Characters:
-Principals: They're not perfect, but I like how MC always keeps her principles without letting herself be manipulated by the situation.(6/7).
-Secondary: The vast majority only fulfills one role, at least I highlight here the mentally ill Yaguchi who gave that dark touch to the series that made it objectively more good.(2/3)
Logic:
I love Higehiro, but kind of in the last episodes you realize some inconsistencies (6/10).
Entertainment (Personal): As a drama it was kind of simple, but then I remember that I love dramas.(9/10)
Basics in an anime:
-Animation: Great at the beginning, Good at the end (1/2).
-Music: Personally, when I think of Higehiro this is the first thing that comes to my mind. (2/2)
-Vice: They seem to be looking to c…
Read at the sourceggol
Brief overview: Had a pretty good beginning but quickly became mediocre
Story 6/10
The story is about a runaway girl from home. She has been running away from home due to family issues and sleeping from guy to guy in order to find a home to stay until one day she offers to sleep with the main protagonist Yoshida in exchange for a temporary home to stay. However, Yoshida's approach to this girl is different. He didn't just want to straight up sleep with the girl he wanted to give this girl a chance in the modern world to learn about life and day-to-day manners. It had a pretty good start where the main protagonist is trying to teach her not to do the wrong thing and quit her life through prostitution, but towards mid-way, it just became a day-to-day drama where most of the plot is focused…
Read at the sourceAnimeExplorer21
Higehiro: After Being Rejected, I Shaved and Took in a High School Runaway... This anime is seriously one of the most beautiful things I've ever seen - it's like a masterclass in friendship and relationships.
I mean, Yoshida? He's like the ultimate dude. I'd have lost my cool like five times over if I were in his shoes, but he just keeps on trucking, always looking out for Sayu. And Sayu herself? She's like the most precious thing ever! I just wanted to give her a big ol' hug and protect her from the world.
What really got me was how the series tackled some heavy stuff - like abandonment, rejection, and finding your place - but did it in a way that was so gentle and uplifting. It's like the anime equivalent of a warm cup of tea on a bad day.
And the character development? Yoshida and Sa…
Read at the sourceLivCTaylor
I just wanted to put it out there that I don’t ever write reviews, but that being said, I’ve seen some questionable commentary for this show & wanted to clear the air. This anime breaches a touchy subject & handles it with care, yet also doesn’t beat around the bush with a lot of the complicated emotions & situations that come with it. Sayu’s sexual exchanges for what she regarded as temporary safety were brought out & cultivated by her traumas of never being enough & a deep-seated self-blame for the loss of her friend—the only person who she thought ever cared about her. A young woman’s sexuality is a hard thing to navigate—there is so much disgust & guilt happening in conjunction with a desire to be needed & wanted, & at its very core, loved. It may be “morally questionable” to some, but…
Read at the sourceBakaOtoko
I've had mixed feelings in some parts of this, but ultimately I can say without a shadow of a doubt I recommend it. The topic of a young girl running away from home and living with a complete stranger is not something I encourage nor do I think one should look up to doing at any point and I'm glad to admit that the anime makes that stance thoroughly clear. It clearly has a story to tell and made the best of its runtime.
The story doesn't really strike me as unique, and I'm sad to say it is due to the over-saturation of anime fantasizing the concept of taking in young kids running away. Mind you this is not something that appears in anime depicting the modern setting, but seeing as this one does, maybe thanks to that fact, it managed to handle it with care and proper attention to the feeli…
Read at the sourceMangaBalanga
Overall, it's a recommended Anime because it touches an importat topic of relationships between a parent and a teen. However, the execution of the story left mixed feelings because it was enough to watch the beginning in the 1 and 2 episode as well as the ending in the last 5 episodes. Finally the author failed to deliver in the show any moral to the audience of what is the right behavior in such fictive or real scenario. Therefore, the overall rating is just '5'.
Characters:
- the main one is Yoshida, smart guy but undecided. Lonely workahocolic, moderate drinker and does not know a thing about cooking.
- the second one is Sayu. An impulsive teenager, open, brave and determined. Likes to explore the world.
- the third one is Gotou-san. Corporate boss, who is reasonable and cares about pe…
Read at the sourcegriddyweeb
Enjoyable as you watch it, but has flaws that leaves a bad taste in your mouth. The start was really good, but kinda fell off from the midpoint. At first you can't really tell if it's a serious anime or not, but after the first few episodes it's definitely on the serious side.
The story isn't really unique, but its execution definitely is (for better or worse). The characters are well written despite the clichés, but there's close to no character development on anyone's end which is one of the main issues. It comes off weird when the story itself touches on very serious topics and the whole story revolves around the heroine wanting to change her life around.
The ending is also just wrong. What they build up throughout 13 episodes gets thrown out the window in the ending credits. I had hi…
Read at the sourceRaijin_-_
Hige wo Soru. Soshite Joshikousei wo Hirou. offers a heartwarming exploration of human connections and the complexities of relationships, delivering a wholesome and touching narrative that resonates with viewers. As a fan of character-driven stories, I found myself drawn to the sincerity and depth of this anime.
The series follows the unlikely bond between Yoshida, a working adult grappling with his own demons, and Sayu, a high school runaway seeking solace and refuge. Through their interactions, the show delicately navigates themes of loneliness, redemption, and the importance of human connection in a world fraught with uncertainty.
One of the standout aspects of the anime is its commitment to authenticity and emotional depth. The characters feel genuine and relatable, each grappling wi…
Read at the sourceOphois19
Been, anime fan for over decade i never wrote any reviews but this anime really touched me deep. Personally, i could relate with this anime totally, the mc and especially Sayu, i have experienced something like this before when i was in Japan. It was nice and memorable experienced i had, i never find any other romance drama anime that i could relate with until i found this gem. If you understand Japanese culture in general (the good side, i would say), it’s hard to explain or put into words but Sayu’s action, if you happen to live in Tokyo, Osaka or any other big city the situation like this anime really happens. I would cut it down on the review, please give it a try and be open minded, or at least watch it to understand Japanese culture a bit, i would say. Well the dark side of Japanese…
Read at the sourceRobRidd
It's been disappointing to see people knock this series and make a big fuss about how it promotes "criminal activity," specifically, relationships with minors. Unlike a handful of other anime/manga that come to mind, this isn't a story that revolves around an inappropriate, lewd relationship with a minor. The plot almost solely focuses on the bond developed between the MCs and how they individually grow as people and improve their lives as a result of their time spent together. More than anything, it's a coming-of-age story that highlights a young man and a teen girl each overcoming their own unique challenges & facing them together. The only two things keeping this from a PERFECT 10 for me are the ending and overall lack of romantic progression (don't worry no spoilers here).
The ending…
Read at the sourceRaidzAnimez
I noticed this TV-Series airing. It was 2021 and I wanted to watch the most recent airing episode, I stubbled open this with a goofy title name. I watched the first episode, and I was like "Wow." I never expected a title but a great episode. The art style was bland, but great to watch. The music is amazing and so is the animation. The female character has an amazing back-story plus a great twist. This show did the impossible than most of the other shows. It's unique and never seen before. The story has drama and captivating you to watch more. Once I had finished the series, it left me with a tear in my eye begging for a season 2. I love this anime so much and I'm holding my hand high and not wanting to read the manga. This company "Project No.9" is known for not releasing too many seasons…
Read at the sourceSimm0ns
"Higehiro: After Being Rejected, I Shaved and Took in a High School Runaway" is an anime series that delves into the depths of human emotions, captivating audiences with its portrayal of compassion, relationships, and societal challenges. While it explores important themes, the series evokes a mix of emotions due to its execution and handling of certain elements.
One of the notable strengths of "Higehiro" lies in its ability to tackle sensitive topics with a level of honesty that strikes a chord with viewers. It fearlessly delves into the emotional turmoil faced by Sayu Ogiwara, a runaway high school student, and Yoshida, a compassionate salaryman who opens his home to her. Their journey captivates hearts and initiates thought-provoking discussions surrounding loneliness, healing, and the…
Read at the sourceQueenOpals
This show was way more than I was expecting. It is not your typical anime romcom. It is a lot deeper, it has some dark moments, but it makes it feel realistic. It’s not just ecchi and bouncing boobs either.
It actually has one of the most extensive plots I’ve ever seen in an anime. The dub actors put on such a great performance it felt so realistic in the emotions that the character would be feeling.
The show concludes in a great way, and just feels so genuine. I recommend it to anyone. Just be prepared to have an emotional ride along the way.
I am one that finds interest in shows that feel like they could be a legit story and not just slapstick humor. This show had enough humor moments, but still keeps the vibe of realism.
Read at the sourceAmorphousAxiom
A show of the caliber of Slice of Life has one fundamental problem. It's either too boring or it can grab your attention and make you watch the whole thing for sitting. This is a good example of how it can be considered a masterpiece, even though it doesn't have any acclamations around.
It doesn't even show any unnecessary fanservice which I find very boring and I tend to avoid this kind of shows.
Women, specifically here, are better written than anywhere else. And it's a really big problem that women in other shows are usually just redundant characters who lack intellect, emotions and perception of the world in general.
The main character does not meet the classic clichés of this type of show. The premise was refreshingly original. That's maybe the thing I find pretty catchy on this.
A…
Read at the source
