She was created by Shigenori Soejima, made to be a "sweet and shy" character raised in an affluent family aiming to change her father's ways, as well as to escape a marriage arrangement with her abusive fiancee.
Her appearance in Strikers was more well-received, with critics such as Luke Plunkett finding her significantly improved compared to Persona 5.
During her time at Shujin, she and other students awaken to their supernatural powers known as the Persona and become a group of vigilantes known as the Phantom Thieves of Hearts.
Each member at one point went through an awakening to their Persona, a being that forms in response to the person's desire for rebellion, and they gain an outfit to represent this and assumes a thief name; in Haru's case, she chooses Noir.
[1][citation needed] Game artist Akanye Kabayashi identified Haru as one of her favorite characters to draw due to her bob hairstyle.
[6] Choreographer and scenario writer for Dancing Star Night Teppei Kobayashi felt that she would not fit well with a street style like most of the other characters.
[11] Haru has been generally well-received; despite this, she was the lowest-ranked on a poll of playable Persona 5 characters, which Rock Paper Shotgun writer Kaan Serin attributed to the fact that she had little time for players to get to know her compared to the rest.
Club writer Clayton Purdom, while criticizing how long Persona 5 is, felt Haru's story was "entirely disposable.
"[13] Kotaku writer Luke Plunkett similarly felt Haru was unnecessary, stating what while her story was tragic, it and her personality were not compelling to anyone besides people who are "really into knitwear.
[16] Fellow The Gamer writer Cian Maher similarly found himself enjoying her more thanks to Strikers, calling her "quick, witty, and genuinely funny" while still having a warm personality.
[18] IGN writer Izzatul Razali considered her one of the best female characters in the series, saying that she represents "independence and strength" and that her "kind-hearted and socially awkward" nature makes her "lovable.
[20] Stacey Henley felt that she was an underrated romance option in the game, saying that Makoto and Ann are the positioned as the "obvious choices" due to being complementary designs, with Ann being "blond, beautiful, and feminine" and Makoto having an "aggressive take-charge attitude" with "boyish mousey hair."
She discussed how Haru has similar themes to this archetype, citing how she is initially pressured into an arranged marriage by her father, only for the Phantom Thieves to save her, leading her to go from someone who is "obedient and meek" to someone who is "confident" and "somewhat sadistic."
She noted that while the roles of Haru and the Snake are "slightly reversed," discussing how both are deceived by men, and are then "admonished for acting in a deviant manner" when their "grief and rage" cause them to transform, going against gender norms and embracing a more assertive, bold, and sexually free side of themselves.
[21] Writer Martin Ivančić discussed Haru's language profile, talking about how her dialogue conveyed empathy as well as reflecting her upbringing and how she tends to compliment people who exhibit similarly kind natures, which he argued emphasized that she was a sincere person.