Haruchika

Haruchika (ハルチカ), also called Haruta & Chika, is a Japanese mystery novel series by Sei Hatsuno. Kadokawa Shoten has published five novels since October 2008. A manga adaptation published by Kadokawa Shoten in Monthly Shōnen Ace began serialization in December 2015. An anime television series adaptation titled Haruchika: Haruta & Chika by P.A. Works premiered on January 7, 2016. A live-action film adaptation of the same name was released on March 4, 2017.

Plot
Haruta and Chika are members of their high school wind instrument club that is on the verge of being shut down because there are only four members. The two are childhood friends that got split up but reunited nine years later, and they spend their days studying and also trying to recruit new members. When a mysterious event occurs within their school, they band together in order to solve the mystery.

The Brass Club

 * Chika Homura (穂村 千夏)
 * Played by: Kanna Hashimoto
 * Chika is a first-year high school student. She was a tomboy girl who wants to changes her image to be a girly girl by joining the Brass Club. She plays the flute.
 * Chika is a first-year high school student. She was a tomboy girl who wants to changes her image to be a girly girl by joining the Brass Club. She plays the flute.


 * Haruta Kamijō (上条 春太)
 * Played by: Shori Sato
 * Haruta is a first-year high school student. He is Chika's childhood friend, but is often attacked by her as a running gag. He lives alone in a small apartment to escape the exploitation of his three elder sisters. Haruta gains a huge popularity, both in and outside the school campus due to his capability of solving mysteries. He plays the French horn.
 * Haruta is a first-year high school student. He is Chika's childhood friend, but is often attacked by her as a running gag. He lives alone in a small apartment to escape the exploitation of his three elder sisters. Haruta gains a huge popularity, both in and outside the school campus due to his capability of solving mysteries. He plays the French horn.


 * Shinjirō Kusakabe (草壁 信二郎)
 * Played by: Keisuke Koide
 * The school's music teacher and club supervisor. He was once a famous conductor, but suddenly retired and became a music teacher instead. He is the center of Chika and Haruta's attention. Like Haruta, Kusakabe is also a capable detective and always solves the problem first before Haruta, but allows Haruta and Chika to discover things for themselves.
 * The school's music teacher and club supervisor. He was once a famous conductor, but suddenly retired and became a music teacher instead. He is the center of Chika and Haruta's attention. Like Haruta, Kusakabe is also a capable detective and always solves the problem first before Haruta, but allows Haruta and Chika to discover things for themselves.


 * Keisuke Katagiri (片桐 圭介)
 * Played by: Koki Maeda
 * The Brass Club's president. He plays the trumpet.
 * The Brass Club's president. He plays the trumpet.


 * Miyoko Narushima (成島 美代子)
 * A second year student. She plays the oboe. She stopped playing for a year following the death of her younger brother, until Haruta completed a supposedly unsolvable Rubik's cube for her and told her that she needs to put the past behind her and keep on living.
 * A second year student. She plays the oboe. She stopped playing for a year following the death of her younger brother, until Haruta completed a supposedly unsolvable Rubik's cube for her and told her that she needs to put the past behind her and keep on living.


 * Maren Sei (マレン・セイ)
 * A first year student. He plays the alto saxophone. He is a Chinese-American and was born in China, but due to the country's one-child policy, his parents put him up for adoption with the intent of giving him a better life elsewhere. He was briefly a member of the drama club, but he joined the brass band club after being defeated by Haruta in an acting challenge.
 * A first year student. He plays the alto saxophone. He is a Chinese-American and was born in China, but due to the country's one-child policy, his parents put him up for adoption with the intent of giving him a better life elsewhere. He was briefly a member of the drama club, but he joined the brass band club after being defeated by Haruta in an acting challenge.


 * Akari Gotō (後藤 朱里)
 * She is a lively girl who leads the first-year members. She plays the bass trombone. She first met the brass club in order to solve a mystery involving her grandfather. She later joins upon entering high school, when Haruta, Chika, and the rest of the first-years became second-years.
 * She is a lively girl who leads the first-year members. She plays the bass trombone. She first met the brass club in order to solve a mystery involving her grandfather. She later joins upon entering high school, when Haruta, Chika, and the rest of the first-years became second-years.


 * Kaiyū Hiyama (檜山 界雄)
 * Played by: Hiroya Shimizu
 * Naoko's childhood friend who plays percussion. He had withdrawn from school for a year during which he was a radio announcer on the indie radio program "Frequency 77.4 MHz," where he and a group of senior citizens give out advice to listeners.
 * Naoko's childhood friend who plays percussion. He had withdrawn from school for a year during which he was a radio announcer on the indie radio program "Frequency 77.4 MHz," where he and a group of senior citizens give out advice to listeners.


 * Naoko Serizawa (芹澤 直子)
 * Played by: Yuri Tsunematsu
 * A first-year student. She is a clarinet player who dreamed of playing professionally until she started losing her hearing. She has completely lost the hearing in her left ear and is partially deaf in her right ear as well. She was the only main character who didn't actually join the brass club, only being a supporter of the group and one of Chika's music mentors. However, she eventually joins after watching them at competition.
 * A first-year student. She is a clarinet player who dreamed of playing professionally until she started losing her hearing. She has completely lost the hearing in her left ear and is partially deaf in her right ear as well. She was the only main character who didn't actually join the brass club, only being a supporter of the group and one of Chika's music mentors. However, she eventually joins after watching them at competition.

Anime-Exclusive Characters

 * Kae Asahina (朝比奈 香恵)
 * A second-year high school student and Sae's older twin sister. She plays the clarinet.
 * A second-year high school student and Sae's older twin sister. She plays the clarinet.


 * Sae Asahina (朝比奈 紗恵)
 * A second-year high school student and Kae's younger twin sister. She plays the bass tuba.
 * A second-year high school student and Kae's younger twin sister. She plays the bass tuba.

Print
The Haruchika series of mystery novels are written by Sei Hatsuno. The first novel in the series was published by Kadokawa Shoten on October 29, 2008 in a tankōbon format; five volumes have been published in this format as of September 30, 2015. Kadokawa Shoten has also released the series in bunkobon format starting on July 24, 2010 featuring cover illustrations by Yoko Tanji for the first three volumes, and Hiko Yamanaka for the subsequent volumes. The Taiwan print version features illustrations by Rum.

A manga adaptation illustrated by Būta, with character designs by Namaniku ATK, began serialization in Kadokawa Shoten's Monthly Shōnen Ace with the December 2015 issue, published on October 26. The first tankōbon was released on December 26, 2015.

Anime
An anime television series adaptation titled Haruchika: Haruta & Chika (ハルチカ 〜ハルタとチカは青春する〜), produced by P.A. Works and directed by Masakazu Hashimoto, premiered on January 7, 2016 on Tokyo MX. Namaniku ATK provided the character designs. The opening theme song is by Fhána, and the ending theme is  by ChouCho. The series is licensed by Funimation in North America and the British Isles, and is simulcast on their website. Madman Entertainment licensed the series in Australia and New Zealand, and the series is simulcasting on AnimeLab. Anime Limited is releasing the series for Funimation in the United Kingdom and Ireland.

Film
A live-action film adaptation of the same name starring Shori Sato of the idol group Sexy Zone and Kanna Hashimoto premiered on March 4, 2017.