English Dub Review: Harukana Receive “We Don’t Need Aces”

PLOT is a dish best served hot!!!

Overview (Spoilers below)

Haruka Oozora has been ditched by her mom, who went overseas due to men work-related issues, and has arrived at Okinawa to stay with her cousin, Kanata Higa, and their grandmother. Entranced by the beautiful Okinawan beaches Genki Girl Haruka decided to take a swim, stripping down on the spot without a hint of remorse (is there another way?), forgetting to put on her sunscreen on the process.

While Hidden Loli Kanata is changing into her swimwear (shame on you!), GG Haruka encounters Ayasa Tachibana and Narumi Tooi, who seems to be volleyball players, which immediately grabbed Genki Girl’s attention. Things got interesting when Loli Kanata shows up and is immediately evident that there is sexual tension something between the two and sparks flying around.

Entering a volleyball match, the locals served a landslide defeat to the pair of cousins, but Genki Girl took it with grace and got fire up for a rematch when she gets better at playing. Later we learn that the Uncanny Ayasa-Narumi Duo were champion players and that Kanta herself used to play but no anymore.

And with that, everything is set for a memorable summer drama.

Our take

Harukana Receive resulted in being far more likable than it was ought to be. I think that its main forte is in the characters. Haruka’s shiny personality is refreshing and, though all over the place at times, serves a good contrast with Kanata’s dried shyness. Narumi, on the other hand, seems to have the goal to be the less likable girl in the show, and she doesn’t seem to care. I can dig this, so, Best Girl, anyone? Ayasa is just… likable.

On another note, I was surprised because I was expecting an avalanche of fanservice. While we did get some of that sauce, the episode was quite centered in the character interaction as well as the sport itself. Regarding the technical values, the color pallet is quite good and in tone with the summer setting, but the lack of details, especially in the backgrounds, was glaring. The character designs are cute and charming. On the other hand, the music score was maybe one of the best aspects of the show.