Concept better than the execution
6 / 10jdoramadotcom · 2011
It'a a promising concept: Haruka is fresh from college, but seems more capable at studying than finding job in Japan's stalled economy. Her last interview is successful, however: without knowing it, she's recruited to be an idol.
Haruka 17 works best as an idol comedy, with pokes at TV dramas, and the lighthearted mood makes for a pleasant enough time. But the individual episodes are, generally speaking, fairly predictable, and cliche'd situations don't stand up to close scrutiny. Some of the more slapstick moments are more humorous than amusing, and some sequences are so tired than you may be tempted to fast-forward.
If Haruka 17 had sharper writing, it might have transcended its 13 to 17 audience focus. Still, its story of an idol in the rough has its attractions, and even one or two surprises along the way.