TV-Series
Description
Haruyuki Arita is the main protagonist of the series. He is a student at Umesato Junior High School, beginning the story as a first-year student. Haruyuki is physically short and overweight, a condition that was not present in his early childhood; it is suggested that his body type changed following his parents’ divorce. He has brown hair and dark eyes, and typically wears the standard school uniform. His shy, insecure, and passive nature stems from being a frequent target of bullying by his classmates. Despite his struggles in social situations, he possesses exceptional reflexes and is highly skilled at video games, particularly first-person shooters.
At the beginning of the narrative, Haruyuki has very low self-esteem and avoids conflict. His life changes dramatically when he meets Kuroyukihime, the student council vice president, who is impressed by his high reaction speed. She offers him the Brain Burst program, which grants the ability to accelerate conscious perception, making him a Burst Linker. Through his involvement in the accelerated world, he begins to grow more confident and assertive, finding a sense of purpose and the will to protect those he cares about. While he remains somewhat indecisive and prone to self-doubt, he demonstrates a persistent and strong-willed nature when fighting for his friends and his ideals.
In reality, Haruyuki’s primary motivation becomes helping Kuroyukihime achieve her goal of reaching Level 10 in Brain Burst to meet the game’s creator. He harbors deep romantic feelings for her, which serve as a significant driving force throughout his journey. A core motivation for him is preserving his precious relationships, particularly the childhood friendship with Takumu Mayuzumi and Chiyuri Kurashima. He initially encourages the two of them to date, believing it is the best way to keep their trio together, even though he feels jealousy.
His relationship with Kuroyukihime is the most pivotal in the series; she acts as his mentor, his “parent” in the accelerated world, and the object of his affection. His bond with his adoptive sister, a younger Burst Linker named Yuniko Kozuki, also provides him with a strong sense of responsibility and care. Haruyuki’s relationships with his two childhood friends are complex and tested throughout the story. He deeply values his friendship with Takumu and is determined to help him overcome his own inner demons, even when they become enemies in the accelerated world. His dynamic with Chiyuri is that of a close, protective friend who struggles with his own feelings of inadequacy compared to Takumu.
Haruyuki’s character development is centered on his transformation from a powerless victim into a hero. Overcoming his bullies, with Kuroyukihime’s help, is the first step in his journey. As the story progresses, he is forced to confront increasingly dire threats, such as the Dusk Taker who steals his abilities and the corruption of the ISS kit. In a notable low point, he temporarily succumbs to the corrupting influence of the Disaster Armor, becoming the sixth Chrome Disaster, a berserk avatar of immense power. He ultimately overcomes this darkness and manages to purify and seal the armor, demonstrating significant growth in mental fortitude. His journey continues as he masters the Incarnate System, a technique that materializes willpower, and learns advanced abilities from other powerful Burst Linkers like Sky Raker.
As a Burst Linker, Haruyuki’s duel avatar is Silver Crow. Contrary to his real-world appearance, Silver Crow is a tall, slim, silver-colored metallic avatar. It is classified as a metal color, granting resistance to slashing, piercing, and heat-based attacks, but making it vulnerable to blunt force and electric attacks. Silver Crow is unique in the accelerated world as the first and only avatar with the genuine ability to fly, an ability named Aviation. He can sprout wings from his back and take to the skies, a power that directly reflects his initial wish to escape his miserable reality. Due to his flight, his combat style relies on speed and aerial maneuvers rather than brute force. He fights barehanded since his avatar possesses no built-in weapons, with a basic headbutt serving as his default finishing move.
After losing his flight ability to an enemy, Haruyuki receives training from Sky Raker and learns to use the Incarnate System. This allows him to project his will as a weapon, most notably forming a Laser Sword from his armaments. Later, he obtains the Metatron’s Wings, a powerful enhanced armament that greatly boosts his flying speed. He also learns defensive incarnate techniques like Light Shell and offensive variants like the Laser Lance, showing his progression into a more versatile and powerful fighter. His real-world avatar is a Pink Pig, which was originally forced upon him by bullies. He continues to use it because Kuroyukihime mentioned she liked it.
At the beginning of the narrative, Haruyuki has very low self-esteem and avoids conflict. His life changes dramatically when he meets Kuroyukihime, the student council vice president, who is impressed by his high reaction speed. She offers him the Brain Burst program, which grants the ability to accelerate conscious perception, making him a Burst Linker. Through his involvement in the accelerated world, he begins to grow more confident and assertive, finding a sense of purpose and the will to protect those he cares about. While he remains somewhat indecisive and prone to self-doubt, he demonstrates a persistent and strong-willed nature when fighting for his friends and his ideals.
In reality, Haruyuki’s primary motivation becomes helping Kuroyukihime achieve her goal of reaching Level 10 in Brain Burst to meet the game’s creator. He harbors deep romantic feelings for her, which serve as a significant driving force throughout his journey. A core motivation for him is preserving his precious relationships, particularly the childhood friendship with Takumu Mayuzumi and Chiyuri Kurashima. He initially encourages the two of them to date, believing it is the best way to keep their trio together, even though he feels jealousy.
His relationship with Kuroyukihime is the most pivotal in the series; she acts as his mentor, his “parent” in the accelerated world, and the object of his affection. His bond with his adoptive sister, a younger Burst Linker named Yuniko Kozuki, also provides him with a strong sense of responsibility and care. Haruyuki’s relationships with his two childhood friends are complex and tested throughout the story. He deeply values his friendship with Takumu and is determined to help him overcome his own inner demons, even when they become enemies in the accelerated world. His dynamic with Chiyuri is that of a close, protective friend who struggles with his own feelings of inadequacy compared to Takumu.
Haruyuki’s character development is centered on his transformation from a powerless victim into a hero. Overcoming his bullies, with Kuroyukihime’s help, is the first step in his journey. As the story progresses, he is forced to confront increasingly dire threats, such as the Dusk Taker who steals his abilities and the corruption of the ISS kit. In a notable low point, he temporarily succumbs to the corrupting influence of the Disaster Armor, becoming the sixth Chrome Disaster, a berserk avatar of immense power. He ultimately overcomes this darkness and manages to purify and seal the armor, demonstrating significant growth in mental fortitude. His journey continues as he masters the Incarnate System, a technique that materializes willpower, and learns advanced abilities from other powerful Burst Linkers like Sky Raker.
As a Burst Linker, Haruyuki’s duel avatar is Silver Crow. Contrary to his real-world appearance, Silver Crow is a tall, slim, silver-colored metallic avatar. It is classified as a metal color, granting resistance to slashing, piercing, and heat-based attacks, but making it vulnerable to blunt force and electric attacks. Silver Crow is unique in the accelerated world as the first and only avatar with the genuine ability to fly, an ability named Aviation. He can sprout wings from his back and take to the skies, a power that directly reflects his initial wish to escape his miserable reality. Due to his flight, his combat style relies on speed and aerial maneuvers rather than brute force. He fights barehanded since his avatar possesses no built-in weapons, with a basic headbutt serving as his default finishing move.
After losing his flight ability to an enemy, Haruyuki receives training from Sky Raker and learns to use the Incarnate System. This allows him to project his will as a weapon, most notably forming a Laser Sword from his armaments. Later, he obtains the Metatron’s Wings, a powerful enhanced armament that greatly boosts his flying speed. He also learns defensive incarnate techniques like Light Shell and offensive variants like the Laser Lance, showing his progression into a more versatile and powerful fighter. His real-world avatar is a Pink Pig, which was originally forced upon him by bullies. He continues to use it because Kuroyukihime mentioned she liked it.