Welcome to the Anime Walk of Fame, a series of retrospectives on the many characters of the anime world. You'll see all your favorites along with a few that deserve more than their reputations give.

So sit back relax and enjoy the show.

Hikaru is an Otaku Done Right

It may surprise you that the concept of Otaku is not as well respected in Japan as you might think, especially in the 90s.

Hikaru is an aestavalis pilot recruited alongside Ryoko and Izumi onboard the Nadesico, she's an avid otaku of in-series anime Gekiganger, more so than Akito and Gai, doing everything from shipping characters, drawing doujinshi and building dioramas and models. She's portrayed as an extrovert which fits in well with the straight talking Ryoko and the more sarcastic dry whitted Izumi.
But like everyone on board the Nadesico, it's not so clear cut as she has a deeper back story, while spending time building models with Seiya the resident head engineer, she turns him down when the subject of relationships is brought up, an unresolved history between her and her ex-boyfriend being the cause, it's never made clear what those issues are but the lack of romantic interest in anyone implies that she was hurt emotionally and hasn't gotten over it.
It was often too easy to say that all Otaku are society's rejects back in the day, Japan is no different to the west in that regard, but Hikaru is portrayed in a way that makes her likeable and sympathetic.

Izumi's Strange Behaviour has Tragic Undertones

To keep you guessing as to which characters will go on the top list let's throw a few more here.

Izumi compared to the other members of the Nadesico crew can be seen as probably the most overlooked character in the series, her appearance shouts goth girl, her voice certainly in the dub makes her sound like the type of person who could tell a good ghost story and her presence is felt through terrible singing, groaner puns and very deadpan humour that makes her laughing very strained as if she's forcing it at times.
In most cases you can write her off as just the strange one and move on, but in a mid season episode that has the crew confront their biggest insecurities, it becomes clear as to why Izumi acts the way she does and even why she's not that interested in the crew's men.
She lost her previous two lovers, one to illness, another to an accident, in the episode she came face to face with the image of one of her dead lovers and you can feel her break character in argubly one of the most tragic moments in the anime.
All her personality quirks are just a coping mechanism which I doubt she has the strength to break and return to normal, something which alot of people can relate to, certainly I can with what the pandemic put me through, if we want to admit it or not.