First Impressions / Hyouka

「正体見たり」 (Syoutai Mitari)
“The Ghost, When Examined”

Sometimes, it feels like Hyouka just can’t decide on what kind of show it wants to be. And as negative as that statement sounds, I think that it’s one of this show’s greatest strengths. By luring us with the promise of a solution to a weekly mystery, Hyouka takes the opportunity to attack our minds with these slice-of-life type events that when witnessed in analysis mode somehow changes the normally uneventful into something really, really interesting.

Let me get one thing straight though, I love the mysteries that this show feeds us every single week. While some of them might not be the most thought provoking, they tend to have a strong climax that usually end with Houtaro delivering the final blow with something he conjured from his amazing intuition and deduction skills — something that I wouldn’t change for anything. But the point I was trying to make earlier is that during episodes where the mystery isn’t terribly deep, I love how other aspects of the show get a chance to shine while the mystery is being solved. Be it the relationship between characters or the inner working of their minds, there’s always something there to provide the extra bit of sustenance to make a good story, great.

Using this week’s mystery as an example, the whole sibling aspect that the episode kept focusing on came through clearly. Between Chitanda’s idealistic view of what siblings should be like to the stark differences of what actually exist, I loved how this week’s solution managed to touch on both. And while I would have preferred the episode to end on the dark note that Houtaro tried to end things on, it was a nice surprise to see the genius get upstaged by fate. Because honestly, who doesn’t love to see two siblings who presumably have issues with one another get along in such a touching way?

In true Kyoto Animation fashion, a lot of little things they decided to animate really stuck out to me. Besides their creative use of censoring, I want to point out that this is perfectly normal for any guy who’s ever had a sleepover. Because no matter what you do, that position seems to be the most common to end up in. But the other big thing I noticed was that Houtaro seems to have a legit pervert mode. While I normally don’t catch these things, I doubt anyone could miss just how hard he was pushing that brain of his while trying to picture Chitanda nearly naked. Ha. ha.

I know I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again — why are Hyouka’s previews so damn vague? Not only does it not pump me up for the next episode but what in the world could our group be in store for? I guess we’ll have to wait till the next episode to find out.

P.S. The T-Shirt winner will be announced soon! I’ve been having one hell of a battle with the company who was going to make it and will announce it as soon as I get a clear answer from them.

 

Preview

43 Comments

  1. Convenient censoring haha!

    I enjoyed this episode more than the previous 6, found the sibling issue very interesting (I want a sister NAO).

    who doesn’t love to see two siblings who presumably have issues with one another get along in such a touching way?

    I agree! This episode was simply adorable! :]

    Stereoman
    Reply

  5. Kyo-Ani showed once again why they’re the masters of adaptations – their ability to subtly enhance character interactions which the original material merely gives a brief description is done so well, that it surpasses the original sometimes.

    The novel chapter for this merely gives a few lines about Houtarou hearing Chitanda take a dip, and before long, he fainted. But now we all know why.

    Whereas Houtarou’s hormones may be finally awakening, Chitanda still remains adorably clueless as she continuously makes unintentional advances to him.

    Besides the Houtarou x Chitanda vibes, Kyo-Ani is also poking fun at the Houtarou x Satoshi BL innuendo here:
    https://randomc.net/image/Hyouka/Hyouka%20-%2007%20-%20Large%2024.jpg

    And who can forget the creative censoring? lol

    Kinny Riddle
    Reply

  6. Ahahaha definitely strategically placed miscellannous objects and persons did well when it comes to censorship.
    Being an oldest sibling of 4 of them, I definitely posit not all is roses when it comes to sibling relations, but there is few more heartwarming feelings like true sibling love.
    I am strongly convinced any RC T-shirt should have a picture of Chitanda in her “random curiosity” mode! Sadly I am completly untalented when it comes to drawing…

    ewok40k
    Reply

  7. Guest appearance this week include Toyosaki Aki as older sister Rie, and Ogura Yui as younger sister Kayo.

    Toyosaki had her Yui-mode turned on to the max, while Ogura is lately being pigeon-holed into these little-sister loli characters.

    Now for the rest of the Houkago Tea Time cast to cameo in Hyouka as well (Ritsu is of course the voice of Chitanda) .

    Kinny Riddle
    Reply

    1. I’ve been a bit lazy in the comment department, but I wanted to say thanks for all the meaningful comments you always post, especially in my Hyouka posts.

      I don’t know how I forgot about including the amazingly Toyosaki Aki — haha ;__;

      Takaii
      Reply

  8. Code L: Obey Chitanda-sama Absolutely LOL

    http://www.nicovideo.jp/watch/sm17809777
    http://www.nicovideo.jp/watch/sm17979986

    Synopsis: Houtarou finds himself constantly ensnared by Chitanda due to her “Geass” of “Absolute Command”. Though unlike Lelouche, Chitanda gets to use it on the same person more than once, or at least a maximum of 3 times per day.

    Nakamura Yuuichi who does Houtarou, really has a wide range of characters suitable for parodies like these, from the serious and savvy: Gundam 00, Inu x Boku, to the downright comedic: Clannad, OreImo.

    Kinny Riddle
    Reply

  13. akiyama mio look-a-like >> https://randomc.net/image/Hyouka/Hyouka%20-%2007%20-%20Large%2001.jpg

    that bath scene >> https://randomc.net/image/Hyouka/Hyouka%20-%2007%20-%20Large%2011.jpg

    THAT LOOK AND SCENE >> https://randomc.net/image/Hyouka/Hyouka%20-%2007%20-%20Large%2013.jpg

    someone donate blood to me… lost too much of it in this episode

    that aside, i was going “hell yea! chitanda wants a mixed bath! FTW!” now tell me, who wouldn’t want to enter a mixed bath with a girl that pretty and cute

    also, i kinda love the situational puzzles in this show. played it with a couple of friends earlier and it was fun. for this show, i tried to play along with it but oreki beats me to it.

    c2710
    Reply

  14. I liked the mystery presented in this episode more than the previous one, probably because as the youngest sibling, I could relate to the situation presented here. Once they focused on the name on the cup, I knew exactly where they were heading with it. The imagery at the end was a nice touch with Eru in the shadow, while Houtaro in the light, as Eru reflected on the darker nature of sibling relationships, but once she realizes that there is also a warmer side to them as she had hoped, she steps out into the light with Houtaro here leading me to think that Houtaro is not entirely pessimistic about his relationship with his sister as he’d like to lead Eru on. If he really did not get along with his sister, would he maintain such a energy-filled task of writing and sending letters to his sister? I doubt it.

    On a side note, for all of Houtaro’s deductive skills, I find it baffling that he cannot piece together his crush/lust for Eru, believing his fainting has to do with the steam and not his overactive imagination. I hope he realizes it soon, as it’d be interesting to see how he juggles his energy conservation with the tiresome task of trying to win a girl’s affection. Similarly, I wish Eru wasn’t so clueless of Houtaro’s crush, as it’s rather obvious to everyone (probably Satoshi and Mayaka already know), and realistically most girls know when a guy is crushing on them, especially as hard as Houtaro is.

    Lastly, Kyoto Animation, thanks for the Houtaro fanservice. They were all greatly appreciated. 🙂

    Isabel
    Reply

  16. >>Sometimes, it feels like Hyouka just can’t decide on what kind of show it wants to be

    They cab’t decide which audience to target either. This had been an Oreki fanservice episode. With the KyoAni art, I can’t complain sine it’s godly although I do look down on it.

    underMebius
    Reply

    1. Too bad the fanservice is too clinical…. and male.

      Oh come on, the male service is a breath of fresh air from all the mandatory female bath scenes we get in almost every other anime. lol

      Kinny Riddle
      Reply

      2. …Seriously? That’s your complaint? A small bit of fanservice for the opposite side of the aisle makes you feel a tad uncomfortable? You don’t think that all the fanservice directed towards men doesn’t ever make women uncomfortable?

        Look, the average amount of fanservice in anime for men is more invasive than the average pelvic exam at your local gynecologist. The very least you can do is be willing to return the favor to a VERY small degree to female viewers.

        Liberius
        Reply

    1. No, Satoshi, just NO. Keep it with bromance plz. This reminds of tht famous line in L4D2….

      Calling it now: Everyone WANT A BABY FROM HOUTAROU.

      Rei, isn’t you two are partner in crime 4 this? When you guys broke up? (C wut i did thur?)

      D-LaN
      Reply

  25. I love this show. 🙂 It’s working out well and I like the subtle Oreki x Chitanda going on. No complaints~ and that sunlight was an all time high in the animation.

    innerchihiro
    Reply

  26. An hotspring ep that features minimum fanservice….Nice I think? We r only getting a few shots on the girls….And it seems lk the series will go for appropriate chest size.

    Man gotta finish up this episode. I blame bad internet connection. Also, croos, I can haz H-Ka The Abridge Series ep 7?

    D-LaN
    Reply

  29. I adore chitanda’s personality!!! it reminds me of haruhi suzumiya and kotomi ichinose mixed. I also love how she isn’t scared to be who she is regardless of others opinions of her which i know lots of other people would find “bland” and “boring” but to me that’s a very admirable trait in a character. it’s much better than a character hiding behind a facade because other people’s opinions matter to that character.

    ginger
    Reply

  31. I really loved this episode, akin to last week’s, not so much for its mystery but for its examination of the cast – specifically Houtaro. I loved the little hints that suggest he’s not only getting a teensy bit more comfortable with the other members of the club, but that he’s also much more ware of Chitanda as a girl. Using his hearing and skillful understanding of how events unfold for evil envisioning Chitanda in the bath, only to get baked by the hot spring? Brilliant. My favorite part of that little “sub-plot” – if one can call it that – was afterwards when Chitanda came to check on him.

    The way I took the Zennas’ story this episode was that while siblings can fight, be selfish, or oblivious, they still love one another and unless things are very severely askew, they wouldn’t want to see the other harmed. It’s a very human “compromize” in the end, I think. We’re not perfect, but we have familial bonds that are worth preserving.
    I’m curious if this will be foreshadowing to the relationsgip dynamics between Houtaro and his own sister.

    Only time will tell, I suppose…

    Ashen
    Reply

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