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「愚者のエンドロール」 (Gusya no Endo Rooru)
“End Credits of The Fool”
While I may have been partially right about Fuyumi using Houtaro for her own personal gain, I didn’t expect the ending that this week’s episode had in store for us. Besides being a little different in terms of the approach, I was shocked throughout most of the episode from just how much crap Houtaro was taking for his amazing solution.
In any other world, Houtaro would probably be praised by all his peers for the amazing conclusion that he brought to the camera with his skills of deduction. But in the world of Hyouka where his biggest critics are also his closest friends, it almost became unbearable listening to everyone express their discomfort with his solution. Especially when both Satoshi and Mayaka let some of their emotions slip out. Since how often do we see the former with an angry face toward Houtaro and the latter actually trying to sympathize with him? But the most surprising had to have been Chitanda’s reaction to the whole situation. Who would have even fathomed she was interested in Hongou’s character and not the characters she was trying to create? Because ever since Chitanda’s introduction, I’ve never seen her as more than an airheaded person who gets pulled around by her curiosity. But as I listened to her express what she truly wished to learn, I was swayed with just how caring and thoughtful Chitanda really is.
For Houtaro, it was quite the shock to watch him get tripped up. In hindsight, it’s probably not fair for everyone to be giving him all the flack they did since he was intentionally setup by Fuyumi. However, it did make for some really, really interesting scenes where he was acting completely out of character. Be it from the embarrassment from letting his own wants blind him or the rage he felt from being manipulated, I was loving every moment of it — the best part being when he solved the true mystery and confronted Fuyumi about her treacherous behavior. Something about those eyes filled with rage combined with Nakamura Yuuichi’s sexy angry voice really give the whole scene a surreal feel. It’s almost as if you can feel Houtaro’s rage and disappointment in himself even though you’re watching a simple anime!
While I’d like to know just who Fuyumi was chatting with (Hongou?), I’m super content with how things finally ended this week. We got to see a different side to a group of characters who I thought I knew everything about — something that’s always fun to watch when executed properly. And we also got to watch our super detective stumble a bit but still make up for his mistake with a grand finish! What more could you ask for?
P.S. Man, those words at the end of the episode are like a slap to the face aren’t they? Not only did I not pay attention to “Why didn’t she ask EBA?” at the end of each episode but can you imagine how different things would have played out had somewhat actually asked Eba, Hongou’s best friend, for some of the details?
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I actually was worried that Hongou possibly was so desperate about her story being sacrificed on the altar of “ratings”, that she used the rope to try and commit sucide, hence she was unavailable for help.
The person the Empress was net-chatting with was presumably Oreki’s sister on the other side of the world…
yeah, I also had that feeling but I can’t bring myself to agree with it. Her sister probably graduate more than three years ago(from what it sounds like) so how did she met Fuyumi. Moreover she she was in the Classic club, so how can she be related to Movies club?
It’s not a movies club project. IT’s a class project
I re-watched the intro to this arc again after the ending an in it. Fuyumi was first texting with Hongou, then this Sempai, then Chitanda. What I found interesting was this Sempai was the one to recommend using the Classic Club and to “pull there strings” to do Fuyumi bidding. So the reaction at the end by the Sempai to call all the negitive reason Fuyumi pulled this stunt was shocking, I almost feel like Fuyumi was set up as well.
I think the people Fuyumi were chatting with are Hongou and Houtarou’s sister (it’s hinted when she said “I’m also at the other side of the world”, plus Fuyumi called her “Sempei” too. And the only character that we knew that’s out of country is Houtarou’s sister.)
PS. Takaii, I bet you already know this, but the ending sentences at the end of each episode (You can’t escape / The niece of time, Why didn’t she ask EBA?, Welcome to KANYA FESTA! etc.) are the names of Hyouka novel (of each volume).
I dont know what it is but somehow I really disliked this weeks episode. Its almost like the whole “hype” and overall feeling that was building up over the last 6-7 episodes is gone.(at least for me) :/ Or to say it with other words the series has to win me all over again in the second half.
Blame the angst.
The tag “Why didn’t she ask Eba” isn’t really just a poke at how they could have likely solved things sooner by asking Hongou’s best friend, it’s a Christie reference to the story “Why didn’t they ask Evans”.
The story is about a will that is forged by an imposter and the fact that the imposter went out of their way to get someone other than Evans to witness the forgery because Evans knew the person that was being impersonated.
You have Oreki being set up as the imposter, a “forged” ending for the movie and Eba being avoided by Irisu in the first place because she’s too close to Hongou.
So would you kindly plz explain “the niece of time” and other arc words they showed tht I missed?
I would imagine it would be Josiphine Tey’s “The Daughter of Time”.
It’s the story of a detective trying to deduce the true nature of King Richard III which had been obscured by the propoganda of the Tudor’s that overthrew him. The detective see’s a picture of Richard and believes him to look like a kind and wise man who was unjustly accused of murder by those that wanted an excuse to seize the throne.
Oreki is again the detective, the uncle (King Richard III) is set up by the other students (The Tudors) who wanted to have their full festival without getting in trouble (to rule england).
So it turns out the sweet ojou is actually a manipulative *****. Its pretty much a classic “The culprit got awaay” plot albeit in a more down-to-earth in setting. At least she got owned by Oreki’s sister (assuming that was her in the chat).
No wonder Oreki is so anti-social, when he gets criticized he does NOT take it well. The real kick in the nuts was that it came from the people he was closest to. I can relate, being really confident with your skills and then being completely wrong can really hurt one’s ego.
Yep, Irisu was bitch for raising Oreki’s hopes that he’s special and then leaving him doubting himself. But I have to think that Oreki’s sister is a bit of an ass, too, for letting Irisu jerk him around like that; his sister seemed to have already known that that was what Irisu’s intentions had always been. And here I was hoping that Irisu would break the “manipulative ojou-sama” archetype…
I really liked this episode, especially how Houtaro reacted to everything. Made me see even more of myself in him. 🙂
But some reason I had a feeling Fuyumi was actually manipulating things from the start. Guess I was right. 😀
For the persons she was chatting with… I’d say Hongou and Houtaro’s sister.
The first is obvious since they we’re talking about the script.
The second, well not only because of the whole “other side of the world” thing, but also the way they talked about the recent events. Seems to me Houtaro’s sister pointed Fuyumi in his direction to get him to help with the script. Wouldn’t be the first time she got him to do stuff, right? XD
Why rope been used in final solution even it theory been throw out of windows (=fail) since episode 9?
My understanding was that the rope theory was tossed out based on the fact of the locked room’s window being too difficult to open. It would require a lot of effort and time to suspend from the rope and open the window before the victim noticed. The building being so old probably wouldn’t be able to support her weight for such an extended period of time either. So, the theory where she had dangled from another point in the building and just slid down with ease to a room with an opened window would work.
Poor Houtarou, it would seem he is destined to be “tamed” by the whims of gentle women. It was quite sad but also amusing at the same time to see his idealized version of his world turned upside down by his very own friends, realizing for the first time that he too is not immune to being a pawn in the grand scheme of things. (“Grand” as in ensuring a movie gets made)
One thing Kyo-Ani excels this episode over the novel is its portrayal of a myriad of emotions for all the characters involved, something which paragraphs of texts was unable to portray fully.
First, there’s of course Houtarou’s indignant rage at Irisu, and subsequent depression at being used in such a way, and to find out it’s his friends of all people that had to expose his shortcomings makes it all the more bitter for him to swallow. Chitanda must be applauded for cheering him up again by happily acting as the “Fool” at the end so that even if he fails at being a proper detective, he may still regain his confidence by being Chitanda’s detective at least.
Second, Ibara feeling sorry for Houtarou, and Satoshi feeling frustrated that Houtarou screwed up so badly despite all his talents.
Third, and this was so subtle that I did not even notice it when I read that passage in the novel, was Irisu’s indignant reaction by ragetyping on the keyboard to respond to the quite apt accusation by “A-ta-shi” (surely it must be Houtarou’s sister, as discussed by many above) that Irisu wasn’t actually doing it for Hongou, but was merely finding an excuse to reject Hongou’s crap script in a polite way, so that she may use a new script without Hongou losing face.
(OTOH if I view this epilogue with my yuri goggles on and thus pairing Irisu and Hongou together, the accusation of “A-ta-shi” striking a raw nerve in Irisu would actually make a lot of sense. Guess she was upset at being accused of using her lover in such a way. lol )
(Personal announcement: Due to some busy school assignments lately, progress on novel translation will be considerably slower than before, meaning the anime will overtake the novel’s progress as of next chapter. Though I promise to make up for it with better translations of scenes and segments not shown in the anime. )
I enjoyed this episode a lot. I liked seeing everyone’s reactions here, especially Houtaro’s anger, much needed character development. I was disappointed in the lack of character development on Eru so far, but with this episode, the series seems to be going in the right direction. Satoshi’s tarot card assignments were right on, particularly Irisu, which Houtaro later realized. Also going to guess that Irisu was talking to Houtaro’s sister, who seems to wish for Houtaro to abandon his “grey” way of living. Probably because she has no regrets about her high school life and wishes Houtaro to not have any either.
So I was wrong about the little mystery movie. I should have picked up on Satoshi’s earlier comment about how “it never seemed like a locked room mystery”. =/
Somehow, I never thought I’d ever read a writer say that, especially not Takaii. o.O
Seeing Houtarou get angry at someone other them himself was a treat actually, his angry usually is much more frustration and belittling himself. I just felt bad for Houtarou at first getting the shaft by his fellow frinds/member of the club but in truth he was missing the key ingredient/information as he wasn’t aware of the WHY the club was chosen to do this. It was a honest mistake as he actually took the whole thing at face value. Although he seems jaded he is still naive to the deceptive nature of people.
You can’t help but admire as Nakamura Yuuichi’s sexy angry voice…. it’s ware forcefully but not at all grating one the nerves when you hear other people get angry. It was a perfect ample of why year hear “I love it when you get angry” from couples. lol
That being said I’m surprised Fuyumi was able to hold her composer so well.
I believe that Houtaro would have noticed the bigger mystery much sooner, had Irisu had not blindsided him with praises. I wonder if she planned that too, especially since it seems that she’s in contact with his sister.
Not going to deny that Nakamura Yuuichi’s angry voice was not sexy, lol. He’s quickly becoming one of my favorite male seiyuus.
I was surprised by the outcome of this episode. So Irisu set the whole thing up by using Houtarou. I’m guessing the sempai Irisu was chatting with is actually Houtarou’s sister, but it kind of escapes me why his sister would want Houtarou to help Irisu?
I also thought that Satoshi and Mayaka overreacted….the theory was indeed not what Hongou wanted but the way they showed their dissapointment was really discomforting toward Houtarou.
It’s interesting that Chitanda said Hongou hid her “screams” in the movie, reminded me of the previous Hyouka arc.
SATOSHI. IS. EVIL.
Yeah, Satoshi reminds me A LOT of Masaomi Kida….. When the next tummy punch coming?
Well played, well punched.
Satoshi reminds me of Dr James Moriarty for some reason because just like him, both are well-connected to the people in Satoshi’s school.
Chitanda on the other hand reminds me of Watson, without her, Houtaro probably would not figured out the more harder cases.
On the other hand, Houtaro’s sister is more akin to Mycroft Holmes in this episode due to her manipulation and such. Thinking back, she also did have a hand in Houtaro’s decision to join the Literature Club.
Now me waits for some mystery like The H.O.U.N.D.S. of Baskerville 😀
Show Spoiler ▼
“I believe in Sherlock.”
“Moriarty was real.”
And finally,
“F*** you, I won a BAFTA!” (BAFTA is sort of the UK equivalent of the Oscars/Emmys in case anyone doesn’t know)
i.e. Sherlock. Great series that was. 😀
Satoshi really is Dr. Moriarty.
http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m6r2qwE4mX1rsratxo3_500.jpg
From the newest Hyouka ED~!!
Chi-chan is Sherlock Holmes, Mayaka is Hercule Poirot while Oreki is…
(drum rolls please)
Arsène Lupin
wasn’t she chatting with houtarou’s sister?? am i missing something?
I got the behind the scenes read-in-between-the-lines, with Houtaro’s sister truly being the mastermind behind this case (i.e. knowing Fuyumi’s true intents, and playing her brother like always). What I didn’t like was how Houtaro’s friends (with the exception of Chitanda) were all like, “Yo bro, why you got this all wrong.” I didn’t feel like they had ANY right to criticize Houtaro’s conclusion if they couldn’t come up with something better, not to mention the fact that they’ve been relying on Houtaro a little too much. I really have to hand it to Kyoani and its seiyus for really fleshing out the characters to the point that it allows the audience to empathasize with them.
Fuyumi was chatting with two people since the beggining of the arc. The first one was Hongou, as she was trying to make her be aside of all this. The other one is Houtatou’s sister, which basicly told Fuyumi “use the Classics Club, especially my little brother, but don’t let him know we’re using it”. If Houtarou would’ve found this, not only he could’ve choke Fuyumi, he could’ve resign from the Classics Club and told her sis to “F**k off”.
And yes, the rest of the party was at it’s worst in whis mess. I didn’t expect Satoshi, Mayaka and Eba to be such selfish people that not only didn’t help Houtarou at all through this whole arc, but the moment Houtarou acts independant, they came to berate him for something that wasn’t even his fault.
F***ng pricks…
I expect that this is the only arc that we have to witness humanity at it’s worst.
Maybe it was just me, but I didn’t find them selfish at all. I found their reactions quite befitting of their characters, and I certainly don’t think they all intended to berate Houtaro for his solution. They never once denounced Houtaro’s newly realized skill/talent, only tried to ask him to explain. It was only Houtaro who felt as if he had been beaten down by each one of them, and they certainly didn’t mean to.
Mayaka knew that the movie was missing a rope. She asked Houtaro in private, a hint there that she wasn’t trying to humiliate him. Also, once she saw how distraught he became after she questioned about the rope, she immediately humbled and apologetically slipped away. She did not want to hurt his feelings or ego, just wanted to see if he had some explanation for the rope’s absence.
Satoshi, from last episode, showed a glimpse of jealousy (possibly) at Houtaro’s deductive skills. He always reiterates how he’s a database, and it seems that every time he says it, he’s just belittling himself. He knows he can’t be like Houtaro and piece together a solution. As another Sherlock Holmes fan, I can understand why he might feel jealous toward Houtaro and aggravated by Houtaro’s solution. When Houtaro insists that it was Hongou’s intended solution, Satoshi lost his temper. Knowing all the clues in front of him but unable to put them together, Satoshi disliked Houtaro’s answer. He knew it was wrong but could not offer an alternate solution, which probably frustrated him the most. If anything, I saw it as Satoshi being more mad at himself than Houtaro.
Chitanda/Eru was the most timid of the three. Houtaro asked her outright if she was asking about the movie. Noticing his mood, she did not even answer right away. He basically asked for her opinion, and she tried to be as delicate as possible.
Irisu, on the other hand, was doing everything for her friend’s reputation, or so she thought. She was the selfish one for deciding that Hongou’s script was not good enough when Hongou probably came to her for help and for manipulating other people to help her finish the movie. It was rewarding to see Houtaro unleash his anger at being used/manipulated on her. After she told him about his skill as a detective, he felt quite elated with himself for discovering something that he excelled in, a unique skill that he had and could use. Knowing that your benefactor said those things just to make you dance for her was a blow to his rising confidence and pride. In my opinion, Irisu was selfish and very inconsiderate.
I smell future romance for oreki and chitanda especialy in the last scene
I remember back to episode 6 and Houtarou’s little inner monologue at the end. How could he possibly hope to understand the complexities of human personalities? To think otherwise would be Pride.
WIth this in mind, Irisu played Houtarou very well. Subtlely, she misrepresented exactly what the problem Houtarou had to solve really was. Prompted by Irisu, Houtarou instinctively intellectualised the problem. He had a set of facts. He worked out an optimised solution. Houtarou’s solution was consistent with what he saw in the movies. He’s right; in a good narrative little details don’t really matter that much. It’s good. It works. It’s an intellectually satisfying solution. He could have been presented a chess puzzle and figured out mate in five.
Of course, that’s not the real question. It’s just like with previous mysteries?: the explanations that Houtarou figures out are but narratives that fit the evidence. The question was something more human; why did Chitanda cry? Because her uncle’s story was tragic. Should Chitanda have gotten angry? It was actually just a human error.
The way Irisu presented the question though was by showing the movie and letting Houtarou work from there. She never did volunteer the script. She never does volunteer Eba as Hongou’s friend. It’s not really Houtarou’s fault; he was, to continue the previous analogy, just shown the board position in the chess puzzle. The problem is that this was real match, with real players, and he can’t possibly know what they would have played, just what they should have played.
The problem–and the reason that his friends got worked up–is that he had somehow convinced himself that he was answering the right question. When his friends asked him whether it was Hongou’s solution, Houtarou automatically answered in the affirmative. Only it was not. For Houtarou this was very jarring. His solution made a good movie. It was intellectually satisfying. But he had managed to handwave or trivialise a lot of Hongou’s personal circumstances. He had supplanted what Hongou had done with what she should have done. TO declare that his solution was Hongou’s script was Pride.
Only Chitanda, near the end, gave us a glimpse of what could have been the real solution. And she only did so by considering Hongou’s character the entire time, by putting herself in Hongou’s shoes, and assuming (correctly or not) that Hongou was very much like herself. Is it correct? We might never know. Perhaps they could ask Eba. But even if she knew, something tells me she wouldn’t tell.
I thought the results of the poll for the movie were pretty interesting… especially the rejected proposition for 100 people.
All in all a very good episode. I just felt the emotions were over reacted a little.. N i too didnt like the fact how his vry own frnds were reactin lik ibara felt sorry for him n especially satoshi who got mad at nothin but i liked chitanda in this episode most of all it was interestin to watch houtarou at how he raged at Irisu.
I just loved the whole last scene at how he repeats chitanda s words ‘watashi kininarimasu’ n then she asks like the usual n he tells wat was actually supposed to happen in the movie. Actually i m really hopin to see some romance b/w them
I lol’ed at this week’s exaggerated facial expression. I mean, it’s like Oreki pinpointed an innocent bystander as a murderer and that person would be hanged. He just got the answer wrong! Especially Satoshi’s expressions, oh boy.
Oh my gosh. Houtarou was so hot in this episode. I couldn’t.
But, it was so sad to see his friends be unsatisfied with his conclusion– Oreki looked so unsure what to do with himself… it probably felt so discouraging…
Can’t wait for the next episode!
[q]But as I listened to her express what she truly wished to learn, I was swayed with just how caring and thoughtful Chitanda really is. [/q]
It’s not really all that surprising. We’ve seen much of Chitanda’s kindness before. People suggest that she’s an airhead at times, and I would fair say that Chitanda herself would agree with that assessment, but I would have to say that it was not an entirely accurate one. As Satoshi pointed out in the first episode, Chitanda was well known for her test scores, and while she might downplay it as knowing a few tricks, if that were really all it were, the tests wouldn’t really matter at all.
But there are other telling signs of her innate kindness. For example, while some have criticized the “mystery” in episode 6 about why Chitanda got angry, the simple fact was that she herself was concerned about that outburst of anger. And while any one of us might recognize it as justifiable under the circumstances, it bothered Chitanda that she would be so openly angry. Also, in the same episode, we see Chi-chan trying to get Ibara and Satoshi to quit fighting, even gesturing to Oreki for his aid (which, you’ll note, is when he actually did help quell the fight.)
And during their stay at the bathhouse, Chitanda’s deep concern for others showed again, as she was clearly concerned for Oreki after his little fainting spell (if only she knew the cause XD), and she had a gentle, easy way of dealing with the children in that episode.
Quite the opposite is Irisu. She used Oreki and company out of necessity. She knew that Hongou’s intentions wouldn’t be in line with the class vote. She knew that the proposed endings of the others would not suit the film as it was shot. She was guided to the Literary Club by (presumably) Oreki’s older sister. Sis may have considered it a good chance to show Oreki what he was capable of. Irisu herself said that the description of Oreki as a “special person” were not her own. They, therefore, likely came from his Sis. Irisu didn’t believe those words, and she only saw Oreki as a means to an end, callously and casually using people as it suited her. However, we can assume that her technique didn’t sit well with Oreki’s sister, either, as she chose not to offer Irisu any sort of comfort over the choices she made.
Well despite manipulating Houtaro it seems Fuyumi got her share of karma after all when she ended up getting ignored when she spoke of responsibility with that mysterious friend whom she obviously held in extremely high regard. But yeah watching those two just let out on Houtaro without any consideration was bad, but it led to Houtaro making a rebound and redeem himself on a satisfactory note.
Well, I think Fuyumi is sexy, do you guys agree?
Great episode. This arc turned into something really special. I’m glad we got to see more of Oreki’s emotional side. His tarot card was interesting as well, with all that stuff about being influenced by women.
I also enjoyed the development with Chitanda, though it’s more like we were able to see her in a more revealing light. I think that Houtarou has the most to learn from someone like Chitanda, and it’s interesting to see them together. It’s a classic meeting of brain and heart.
Also interesting how the concept of screaming was brought up again during their conversation about Hongou. I feel like that might be a recurring theme throughout the show.
I felt sorry for Houtaro while his friends were clawing at his conclusion but I didn’t think it was wrong. The whole 10 episodes prior were setting up Houtaro as a genius for whom there was no mystery that could not be solved. This episode demolished that idea by demonstrating that he is both able to make mistakes and is in need of his friends to come to his conclusions, as someone has mentioned before. He missed details that his friends didn’t and he forgot to focus on the human element of the problem, which Chitanda reminded him of. Houtaro might be brilliant, but he isn’t perfect and his friends are just as instrumental in solving these mysteries as he is.
Also, I think that the person Irisu was talking with at the end was Houtaro’s sister. The subs mentioned that this person was away, or in another country and through her conversation, she hinted that she knew Houtaro personally, stating that the goof probably didn’t even realize what Irisu had really done. Hongou had never met Houtaro, and Chitanda wouldn’t have referred to him in such a way.
I’ve had this typed out in another text-box three weeks ago and keep forgetting to copy-paste it here. So here it is…
What’s sad is that most of us are Satoshis and not Houtarous. We want to become engaged and passionate and brilliant at something, but more than not, we know it’s impossible and way beyond our caliber of work and mental capabilities. It’s really all on the matter of time, really: everyone can ace a calculus exam, but a baby takes 17+ years, an average high school senior takes three hours, and a math child prodigy may take one. So, in truth, we can all ace something – but who can do it the best, with the least amount of effort and time, and enjoy the process while doing it – is what is most important. That person is usually what is considered a genius. And whether he wants to stay undercover or not is totally up to him. This is also why a lot of straight A+ students who did HW for 6+ hours per night often fail in their adult life, usually starting with college.
On a totally different note, I’m quite amazed but also disappointed in how easily swayed Houtarou is by Irisu, whose bluntness is all too common in LA speech and therefore not at all daunting. I would also feel that he would have naturally taken note or self-reflected that question on being special before the Hyouka phenomenon, as comparing others to oneself usually starts in the second grade. Then again, maybe he always knew he was special but that showing it would have its consequences, so he subconsciously decided to place his brilliance in the back of his head to, according to him, save energy. For the past ten episodes, it has always bugged the daylights out of me that he just can’t say NO. To say: “Sorry, Irisu, I won’t help your dying film club. So let me go home.” would have saved him countless minutes of energy expenditure. Same with “No, Chitanda, I don’t care about your shrilly KININARIMASU, so get your googly eyes out of my face and leave me in peace.” and, of course, “Sorry, onee-chan, your memories are yours and mine are mine, so I’m not joining the Classics club and instead will be following my own passions – starting a hibernation club after school to let students conserve energy.” Since he did not do any of the above, we can most definitely assume that from everything he did do, it is obvious that he’s enjoying working with his chums and burning off calories to solve subtle mysteries that have nothing at all to do with him. But yet, he still wants to give the appearance of apathetic citizen who does everything his authorities and seniors tell him to do because resistance would be tiring. Doushite? Why is it so hard to act as you feel and feel as you act? It’s interesting… so many people do this in the real world but it’s always taken to an extreme in anime/Jdoramas. If you’re good at something, show it to the world and while at it, help others! If you’re good at something but don’t want people to know because it compromises something else you cherish (like sleeping), then please follow your aim and continue to follow it. Please don’t show it to everyone so you can have a moment’s glory when you feel like it and then pretend that it was all a lie when you want to go back under your bedcovers.
Was Fuyumi really that bad a person? I didn’t read the original novel so, I’m not sure (might not even be clearly stated in the novel). Was the conclusion Houtaro came up with when he confronted Fuyumi false? What I’m curious is whether Houtaro’s speculation that the movie diverged from the writer’s intention because of the ad-libs an accident or by Fuyumi’s design.
If it was all an accident, the fact of the matter is that they still needed to have a new script writer that could connect all the discrepancies into an acceptable result. Though it ended hurting him, Houtaro is the only one with the ability to do this even though he was manipulated into doing it. There was no way Houtaro can make the script match with the original writer’s intention anyway. She praised and manipulated him into thinking he’s a detective, when in reality he’s the new script writer. Hongou herself seemed okay with the whole thing, based on her chat with Fuyumi.
However, if Fuyumi wasn’t satisfied with the original script and purposely instigated the others to unknowingly diverged from the script, creating the setting where Houtaro has to step in as the new script writer, she really is a master manipulator and name calling her is justified. This was implied by Fuyumi’s chat with Houtaro’s sister.
KININARIMASU!!
The end of this arc really had me by the heartstrings. The shock of seeing Houtaro’s friends “gang up on” him in a sense was very hard to watch, but his later confrontation with Irisu was even more heartbreaking. I felt so much sympathy for him in that moment; the utter betrayal, anger, confusion, and hurt that he felt came through so well it was a bit scary.
That said, as hard as it was to experience (and I agree with you in that it was far more emotionally powerful than merely “watching”) I’m immensely impressed with this series and love it all the more for its guts.
Finding out that Chitanda is more of a thoughtful person than I’d have imagined before this arc was another highlight.
In any other series, what Irisu did would probably not have come off as so terrible, but the way I dissected her actions in Hyouka had her coming across as a very cruel, if well intentioned, individual.
Lastly, my theory for the chatroom stands thus: Since the text was in three different colors, I’d hazard a guess that Irisu was first conversing with Hongou, then afterwards to Houtaro’s sister.
I would like to input a little of my personal opinions, but I tend to have difficulties differentiating and organizing my thoughts.
What is currently plaguing my mind is that the eventual theory does not sit with me.
On one hand, it might be that the eventual theory might not in fact, be Hongou’s intention, and on the other, it might just be an intended suspension of disbelief on Hongou’s part.
If Kounosu did indeed rope down to attack Kaito, how did she know that the window in the room that Kaito ended up in would be locked?
And even if she did, how did she know that the other rooms that Kounosu supposedly roped down to had unlocked doors?
Since Satoshi has debunked the possibility of a narrative trick, I can only assume that Kounosu had the master key in her possession.
If that were the case, Kounosu could have had access to all the doors. It wasn’t explicitly shown, but it seems that none of the other characters beside Sugimura and Kounosu had entered the office. Sugimura might or might not have witnessed Kounosu take the master key with her.
If it were the former, then Sugimura might have also been involved with the crime, since the area he was investigating had full view of the lobby, thus providing surveillance and distraction if the need arose. (I assume this because the theory given by Sawakiguchi shows Sugimura and Kounosu as the surviving hero and heroine, which might have been alluded to her offscreen. Talk about a plot within a plot…)
As the entire group gathered around the door, it shown to be locked. Yamanishi and Kounosu then head back to the office to get the master key. Kounosu might have then managed to dupe Yamanishi into believing that the master key was still in place, then headed back together with the master key to unlock the door.
Well, this is my theory. What do you guys think?
Oh my gosh. This might be a little too late but… MY REPLY CONTAINS SPOILERS! ALERT!