 Sora Harukawa |
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Because he possesses synesthesia, Sora perceives the colors and scents of everything in the world. He loves games and is a quick-learner, able to do things dexterously with ease. He is sunny, innocent, and owns high flexibility thanks to his relaxing, carefree upbringing. He includes a sense of being different from others into his magic that is his performance. He has singing voice that seems to bounce, and his performances are free and agile.
Sora is a member of Switch at NEW DIMENSION. As the person who brings Switch together, he aims to take on new challenges everyday. He is trying both things he likes and dislikes.[2]
HaHa~♪ This is Sora Harukawa from NEW DIMENSION! Sora is a member of the magician unit called Switch♪ Lately, Sora has been tasked with planning live performances more often. Everyone, please come watch a Switch show at least once! We'll bring you some fun magic that'll make you smile a lot♪[3]
NatsumeSora is an important and indispensable member of SwitCH. He brings healing and smiles to everyoNE, and just talking with him makes you feel hapPY... A person like him is rare to come bY. Whenever Senpai or I find ourselves at a standstiLL, he has the strength to take the lead and pull our unit forwarD. Be sure to keep an eye on Sora's growTH...♪[3]
Appearance
Sora is a fairly short boy with a small build. His hair is a bright yellow with lime green streaks on the right side and is tousled with his bangs long and curved upwards while the rest of his hair is of average length. He has aqua eyes.
Sora is a fairly short boy with a small build. His hair is a bright yellow with lime green streaks on the right side and is tousled with his bangs long and curved upwards while the rest of his hair is of average length. He has aqua eyes. He also wears yellow stud earrings.
He wears a pale yellow hoodie with two side pockets beneath his unbuttoned blazer.
Personality
Sora is an energetic and extroverted boy who loves parkour and video games. He goes at his own pace and loves to hang out with others, but dislikes crowds due to his synesthesia (meaning he can smell, hear, and feel emotions as different colors). As a result of his synesthesia, he often references the "colors" of other people. He gets overwhelmed in crowds because of too many colors of people being present, and usually doesn’t carry a phone due to there being so many things working inside of it that it overwhelms him.
Sora is extremely emotionally aware, but due to his unusual way of verbally communicating, he cannot communicate emotional support in an "understandable" way, and expresses by describing colors. This “strange” behavior caused him to be bullied as a kid and become a shut-in (hikikomori in Japanese), but when attending Yumenosaki, he felt much more loved and cared for, especially after joining Switch.
Not much of Sora's past has been revealed, but there are parts in stories that imply he's had a history of abandonment or attachment issues due to isolation because of being alienated when he was younger, similar to Leo Tsukinaga, but he did it "intentionally".[4] He has expressed his worries that others won't like him if he reveals his "full self" because of judgement he's received in the past. [5]
He aims to learn the "magic" that Natsume Sakasaki and Tsumugi Aoba used on him that made him more appreciative of those around him and saved him from feeling alienated. Thus, he values happiness and appreciates his unit members for teaching him what is "normal" to others. Despite this, Sora has stated he feels like he doesn't have to try to be normal in Yumenosaki, because everyone is a bit different and everyone treats him fairly.
Sora has been known to interact with almost all of the cast, and is known for acting natural around even the "weirdest" of characters, such as Nagisa Ran. He's described as abnormal, but very easy to talk to.
Etymology
The name Sora means "sky", whereas the kanji (宙) means "space, midair". It is also the kanji found in uchuu (宇宙), that means "space, universe". Sora's surname Harukawa means "spring" (春) (haru) and "river, stream" (川) (kawa), which fits his cheerful personality and character.
Synesthesia
In the story, Sora is mentioned to have synesthesia, a neurological condition in which certain sensory stimuli trigger several of a person's senses. However, Sora's synesthesia appears to work closer to fantasy-genre aura sensing, allowing him to see the colors of people's emotions.
This synesthesia can overload his senses and tire him out when he's in crowded places, especially during lives like Switch's Halloween live where both students and fans from outside the school pour in to view performances.[6]
Sora says that because of his synesthesia, he can't carry a phone on him. This causes others to worry and go look for him when he gets lost.
Family
- For more information, see Sora Harukawa/Family.
- Sora mentions that his parents want to meet Natsume after hearing about how much Sora loves and respects him.[7]
- Sora says that his family is used to his "questionable and strange actions".[7]
Trivia
- Sora is the youngest and shortest member of Switch.
- During the "Ensemble Stars!" era, Sora was one of the additional definitive main characters introduced into the game and storyline.
- Sora made his "Ensemble Stars!" game debut in the company of Natsume Sakasaki and Tsumugi Aoba, presenting to audiences as Switch for the first time on August 18, 2016.
- His late entry to the series makes him one of several characters to be revealed after the game's release, also notably including the idols belonging to Valkyrie, MaM, and Eden.
- Sora often ends his sentences with "na~".
- Sora usually refers to himself in the third person.
- Sora has noted that "He himself doesn't know what color he is.[8]"
- Thanks to Sora's outstanding physical abilities, he is often found climbing on walls or trees. He's talented at parkour.
- Tomoya helped teach him how to swim.[9]
- Sora often calls people with nicknames similar to the ones Natsume Sakasaki uses.
- Sora can play video games with both his hands and his feet. [10]
- He believes in Santa, and he thinks that Christmas Eve is the most exciting day of the year.[11]
- Due to his synesthesia, he's able to easily tell when people are lying. He also struggles to lie himself, outside of when he's playing games.[12]
- Sora is the event and activities manager of Switch. [5]
- Sora has said that he doesn't wanted to be treated like a baby because he's almost a professional idol and an adult. [5]
- Sora struggles with overstimulation, therefore he doesn't use phones because they're too overwhelming. He has also passed out on stage before as a result of overstimulation. [5]
- Sora's live stream username is "@SoRaHaHiHuHeHo".[13]
Commentary
Voice Actor Comments
"Sora Harukawa-kun and I share a lot in common, such as our love of online games and rhythm games, so I felt a sense of affinity with him as I performed his role. He's very cheerful and does things at his own pace, but find him to be someone who will always earnestly respond to your feelings. He has a charm point where you'll want to smile warmly when you're with him, so please do get along with him." (Enstars!)[14]
"Sora-kun is hard to grasp. I wouldn't generally consider him a "cheerful character", and there are times he watches over things objectively and indifferently as an outsider. It's a fluffy type of cheerfulness." (Cast Interview: Switch (12/2016))[15]
"As for Sora-kun, we don't know much about his past yet, and he might be somewhat difficult to grasp, but if you talk to him you'll know he's a good kid, and he'll open his heart to you. He might have a brand new form of social impairment (laughs). When interacting with others, he might act too close or suddenly act too distant, but that's just the natural progression of things for Sora-kun. Maybe that's why it's so difficult for other people to grasp him. But he seems to be having fun, so when I watch I can't help but chuckle (laughs)." (Cast Interview: Switch (12/2016))[15]
"I look forward to watching Sora-kun grow in to a splendid magician with his beloved Shishou and Senpai by his side!" (Enstars!!)[16]
Voice Actor Interviews
Main Scenario Writer's Comments
"This kid has synesthesia. I don't want to name specific colors such as light blue or yellow, and I write it with similitudes, like "a color like the [blank]". We're the "weird" ones from Sora-kun's perspective, so even if a name of a color is given, there'll be a difference in how it's perceived (these similes help make up for the difference)." —Akira (Official Works, Artbook)[17]
 Sora Harukawa
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| Sub Story • Management Story • Mini Event • Intimate Event • Greeting Event • Produce Course | ||
| Switch | Natsume Sakasaki • Tsumugi Aoba • Sora Harukawa | |
References
- ↑ "DREAM LIVE 4th Tour Prism Star!" Character Interview and Dialogue Pamphlet
- ↑ Official Profile
- ↑ Official Profile
- ↑ Blue Filament
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 Magic Lantern
- ↑ Magical Halloween
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Summer Flowers - Chapter 1
- ↑ Sora Harukawa Sub Story 1
- ↑ Pool - Chapter 6
- ↑ Fortune Banquet - Chapter 2
- ↑ MerryXmas - Chapter 4
- ↑ Werewolf - Chapter 1
- ↑ 2025 Birthday Campaign
- ↑ Enstars! Official Profile
- ↑ 15.0 15.1 B'sLOG - Cast Interview: Switch (12/2016)
- ↑ Commemorative Release Message
- ↑ Ensemble Stars! Official Works vol. 1