Kurodate Haruna from Blue Archive is the president of Gehenna Academy's Gourmet Research Society. At 163cm tall, she wears a uniform that elegantly accentuates her figure. Her coat, draped over her shoulders like a cape, gives her a particularly dignified air.

Honestly, though, Haruna didn't stand out to me at first, at least by the standards of anime-style games.

But the more I learned about her, the more I found a character full of thoughtful detail and unexpected charm.

I'm fairly timid and find it hard to say things people might not want to hear, so there was something vicariously satisfying about watching Haruna act without hesitation. It even made me want to be a little more like her. With that in mind, I'd like to share my thoughts on her story.

First Impressions and Their Early Relationship

At first, there was nothing particularly special about Haruna's relationship with Sensei.

Haruna saw Sensei as little more than someone she could use, and she made no secret of her distrust: "I'm sure you got caught doing something strange again."

She also all but forced Sensei to come along on her gourmet research outings, treating Sensei however she pleased.

Feelings Begin to Grow

The turning point comes in her Relationship Story.

When Haruna eats cup noodles with Sensei, they taste unusually good, leaving her thoroughly satisfied. Yet when she later prepares them alone under exactly the same conditions, she cannot recreate that flavor.

The reason is simple: food tastes better when you share it with someone you like. Without even realizing it, Haruna has developed deeper feelings for Sensei.

The lobby scene where Haruna makes a point of telling only Sensei that taiyaki is her favorite food reflects this shift in her feelings, too. Her official profile says she likes rich, fatty foods, yet with Sensei, she deliberately singles out taiyaki.

After Recognizing Her Feelings

In the Valentine's event, Haruna makes matcha chocolate with Sensei. When Sensei says, "It tastes even sweeter knowing how much of your heart you've put into it, Haruna," she becomes visibly flustered.

Through this event, Haruna realizes that simply sitting face-to-face with someone she likes and exchanging impressions can be sweet in itself—no sweet food needed.

The New Year version of Haruna is more mature and more open with her emotions. Dressed in a furisode, she approaches Sensei on her own initiative, even taking Sensei's arm. In effect, she behaves just as a romantic partner would, without a moment's hesitation.

A Change Within

The biggest change in Haruna is how she thinks about gourmet food. This is someone who once believed that restaurants serving bad food deserved to be blown up with bombs.

Through her relationship with Sensei, she gradually comes to see the enjoyment of food as something rooted in eating and sharing it with someone she likes. Her once-extreme outlook gives way to something warmer.

That growing maturity shows in her actions, too. When she discovers a good restaurant, she helps keep it from closing, and she apologizes for kidnapping Fuuka. Moments like these make the change in her feel real.

Closing Thoughts

▲Still no news of Haruna since her 2024 tracksuit version… I'd love to see a swimsuit version!!

Haruna is easy to overlook at first, but somewhere along the way, as you follow her story, you realize she has left a lasting impression. For me, the best part was discovering those subtle emotional layers beneath her bold, confident exterior.

This kind of characterization is one of Blue Archive's strengths. It's also why, whenever a new character is added, my first thought is to wonder what their story will be.

I'm also really looking forward to meeting the armed versions of Rio, Himari, and Toki on May 26.