The anime Hyouka is based on a mystery novel written by the widely acclaimed author Honobu Yonezawa who is a prominent figure in the Japanese literary scene. He has won prestigious awards like Mystery Writers of Japan Award for Best Novel in 2011.
Then, Taskohna started working on a manga adaptation, which began its serialization in the manga magazine Shonen Ace. It accumulated quite a strong fan following, which brought forth an anime adaptation and began airing from April to September in 2012.
It has been well-received within the otaku and weaboo community, as evidenced by the sale of 100,000 copies of volume six of the manga.
1. Quick Review
Watching this anime is a very immersive experience. It does not give us loud and annoying caricatures or ecchi scenes, which are over-employed by many anime. The tone of Hyouka is largely serious and very expressive.
It also has an engaging plot that coerces the viewers to join in on the mystery that the characters are trying so hard to solve. Its art and animation are also very vibrant and vivid, which help boost the beauty of its storytelling.
2. Is it worth watching?
Hyouka is undoubtedly worth watching. It delivers on the plot, visuals, character development and just general likability too.
I. Plot
The plot of Hyouka mainly revolves around the high school student named Hotaru Oreki, who finds many normal day-to-day activities very arduous and strenuous. So he prefers not to do them at all and decides to “conserve” his energy.
In spite of being an “energy-conservationist,” he reluctantly joins the Classic Literature Club at the behest of his sister, who tells him the club will get dissolved due to lack of members.
There, he meets the smart, rich, and aloof Eru Chitanda, the resourceful Satoshi Fukube and Mayaka Ibara. They form a strong and tightknit team and solve many mysteries together to get closer to the 45-year-old mystery that their club room has.
The plot of Hyouka is quite a unique one. It skillfully combines the starkly different genres of romance, mystery, and slice of life. Each episode brings forth a new mystery to unravel and bring viewers closer to understanding the deep mysteries that the universe of this anime has.
The emotional world of the main character of Hotaru Oreki is illustrated and exemplified vividly. His desire to stay a good distance away from people and remain aloof from exhausting day-to-day activities is depicted beautifully.
Also, the art and animation are commendable and praiseworthy for their depth and aesthetic value. The plot development is also shown through multiple perspectives, which serve to broaden the scope of the anime.
The idea of moving into experimental animation whenever any character gets closer in solving the mystery is a noteworthy move. The narration is elaborate and does an exceptional job of getting viewers hooked.
II. Characters
The four main characters of the Hyouka Universe come with their own set of idiosyncrasies, quirks, strengths, and weaknesses. All of them form a team, which is largely cohesive and works well together.
The character development is unraveled. For example, whenever each mystery is solved at the end of an episode, at least one character comes out of the experience as a renewed and as a changed being.
Their moments of personal growth are revealed in a very subtle way in normal day-to-day life. The emotional and psychological depths of the characters are explored and highlighted with a sympathetic touch.
3. Final Thoughts
Hyouka is a beautifully crafted anime that is endearing, exciting, and emotional. Its reliance on both fascinating visuals and narrative to show the plot and character development suitably breathes life into the anime.
While this anime shows elements of slice of life and has a romance at the sides too, the mystery aspect is not compromised either.
Not everyone will like this anime; however, because the anime does get a bit slow for some people’s tastes and has an anti-climactic ending, that is quite disappointing.
4. Grade
Story: A
Cinematography/Animation: A+
Art: A+
Music: A-
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