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I just finished Hyouka. I don't think I need another season.

Last night, I finished the last episode of Hyouka. And it did not disappoint at all. It actually exceeded my expectations, above and beyond. To be honest, my expectations were very low. Because I kept telling myself, "this is not a romance anime," like I know this series is a mystery/slice of life anime. So I'd just be silly to expect romance out of this show.

So tell me why after watching to the end, my conclusion was that the romance was such an important part to the whole story? It's just so obvious that they ... are in love with each other. The whole show's driving force was ultimately the feelings Eru and Houtaro had for each other. Change my mind.



[SPOILERS UPCOMING]

[LONG CRAZY ESSAY AHEAD]

The ending blew me away. It was so future-oriented. It was truly so sweet, I had no idea. I mean I sort of had a feeling on what the ending would entail, seeing all the random ppl on the internet talk about how Houtaro's "confession" was just an imagination in his head. So i'd prepared myself for a lukewarm ending, i figured it'd be one of those. Like ok, whatever. (I think that's why my expectations were so low). But the fact that his imagination was taking care of the business side of things for her estate is crazy. Like this dude was considering marriage XD And ERU IS THE SAME. Her inviting him to constantly do stuff for her and be this person to assist her with her familial duties... She always invites him over for those and introduces him to Her World.... That's her telling him that she wants him in her life, and in her future. That's a straight up confession right there on her part if u ask me (if not more). And she explains it really perfectly too. She speaks on her duties and says she doesn't find her life special, but she doesn't find it terrible either. She just tells him how it is. She just lays it out for him that she knows this is what she has to do and she's gonna do it. But she tells him because for some reason she wants him to know.. Because she genuinely like, loves him man, idk what else.



I also really admire that aspect of this series. In a way it's so anti-Material world. And I really like that. There's something to be said here about the soul and this life. It's not about all these worldly things, but it's moreso about the simplicity of life and the moments u create with it and the relationships you cultivated with it. And uncovering the Truths of everyday life, as trivial as it may seem. And it's just so beautiful. It just brings a whole new meaning to Slice of Life anime. And I'm just in awe because i find a new layer of meaning the more i think about this anime. It's overwhelming honestly i don't even know how to write this review. It's a lot to be said so i may need to mull it over a bit more.



So basically, i just love it, it's the perfect ending. It's honestly fulfilling AF and i have no idea what everyone else is talking about. They're saying it's a terrible ending and too open ended and non-satisfying. Yes, It's not explicit in that the anime blatantly shows u how they end up together. But it's just so much more realistic. It shows that these developments DO take time and u see the character progressions very SLOWLY throughout the series. That's the beauty of it. And at the same time, to me the romance was honestly so OBVIOUS, like from the start. Even when Eru and Houtaru met in that first scene, their dynamic was IMMEDIATE. Oh my stars i'm so in love with them! But yes it's just so obvious!! And always has been. They really do love each other and I feel like we may have even underestimated them. Since this is labeled as a Mystery / Slice of LIfe anime i feel like we underestimate just how much they love each other and impacted each other and how much they help each other grow and can fulfill each other's needs and complete each other.



The ending as obvious as it was as to what direction they're heading, it provides that 1% for the viewer to fill in the gaps. It's just perfect. I've never seen an anime like this. I've never seen an anime so perfect in a visceral sense. It gave a whole new meaning to Slice of Life and it redefined Romance genre for me. Now I don't think i can ever watch those fan-servicey, trying-to-be-romance-just-for-romance-sake, hyper dramatizations again. With Hyouka, you just have a pure, platonic setting where the characters are just living everyday life in this slice of life mystery style, and you just SEE how well they work with each other, and push each other to contemplate Truth and live a more colorful (beautiful?) life. Or more "Rose colored.."



The concept of a rose-colored life is mentioned quite significantly in this series. I honestly didn't fully understand where they were coming from with that. I guess the definition of "rose-colored life" here would be a life with more purpose? more joy? and direction perhaps. Because the "gray life" in contrast would be where everyday is kind of the same, and there is no real desire for life. And for example just go day by day trying to conserve energy for yourself. But that begs the question: What are you living for then? Like are you just living to die? Like to me i just didn't understand that perspective i guess from the start. Obviously it seems to me that everyone would want a rose-colored life, like how can the contrary could even be an option. So i just sort of passed this off like ok i guess the author just wanted to portray a depressed teen in his nihilistic phase. I never understood the severity of this tho until right now as I'm contemplating this series as a whole. I now understand this was Houtaro's coming-of-age and ultimately changing his perspective on life, which is not an easy thing to do.

Now i'm thinking of how much Eru and Houtaro seriously liked each other and it grows the more i think about it (in my opinion it was love at first sight). They truly were attracted to each other in perfect mutuality. And Eru would START it!! This girl took initiative, always clinging to him, asking him to do things for her, etc. And i don't think it was that she really needed him to do certain things for her, I think she was just genuinely interested in seeing how his mind worked. She was attracted to him just as much as he was. She wanted to pull his true potential out. Side note: I love the scenes where you see them reflected in each other's eyes. So good.



I also like the cultural/societal message of Hyouka. Idk. Re: the Jun Sekitani arc i know the students were protesting against the school authority and all. But it was shitty how they threw Jun under the bus and used him as a scapegoat. It's like showing how sometimes the heirarchy itself is not the problem. Sort of like "it be your own". And life is unfair. Sometimes there are merits to hierarchy like maybe there's nothing wrong with that at the end of the day, maybe if u change the focus, it's pointless. It feels again a bit anti-material world here again and it's speaks more on the individual soul. There's also something to be said here about Tradition. Like sometimes there are merits to it. Not everything has to be a rebellion against whatever authority. I like that they choose to live a more lowkey life. And with Chitanda Eru deciding to just continue her family tradition and follow it. It's the journey of the soul, they can't care less about the material world. I love that. I feel like both Eru and Houtaro live in the abstract with their heads in the clouds more than other normies. They don't care about these ppl and these clubs, they're really just outsiders entertaining themselves observing the world thru a sort of looking glass and and discussing it for fun and finding their meaning in it. Idk, that just tickles me because i can relate to that too as a fellow outsider with their head in the clouds.



This anime is so tasteful. It doesn't feel like it drags on nor does it feel rushed, it's so unpretentious, it's so simple, and yet so profound. It's a slice of life, and yet it's so romantic. I honestly believe that pure romance is at the heart of this series, only for those that can see it and understand it and appreciate it for what it is.

I was wondering why they chose to play Bach's Air on G string so much. Maybe it was to portray the blossoming of something new, an opening of the heart, or they just wanted an air of hope and peace idk. Then i thought maybe it signals the concept of spring in general. It also signals SPRING literally in the end. When Chitanda smiles and says “No, it’s spring now.” Beautiful. Anyways, i love this song. I realize this song is the embodiment of the phrase "rose-colored life" so now i understand why they used it so much for the Eru and Houtaro scenes!!! So heavenly and dreamlike, provokes something of that nature. Nonetheless i like that it's still grounded in reality for Eru and Houtaro because their love for each other is so real and productive. Not just a dream, like at all. Quite far from it. That's why i feel so secure and fulfilled with the ending i think.



There's just so much to say. Sorry, I wish i had a more linear review. But this is just all over the place i feel like this was all just word salad i don't know how to make it all connect lmfao. But i'll give this a 10/10 masterpiece rating. It's just so special I've never seen an anime like this. This genuinely changed my whole perspective on anime. Also, this series feels sort of like a dopamine cleanse. It's refreshing, it feels so different from those hyper-romantic and action packed animes, it's a lot more toned down. Even the color palette! It uses a lot of browns, neutrals, and earthy tones. Almost monochrome but not.



This series just captures something really timeless. And i don't think this anime will ever get old. I think this anime will always remain fresh; it's eternal. That's why I'm more excited to rewatch it than I am when I first watched it. Because i feel like this anime is just gonna get better with time. It's gonna age like fine wine. I'm just so excited to rewatch it 10 years later. Oh, i don't even want to get a 2nd season. This did it for me, the ending could not have been more perfect. It sets up the future perfectly; it's so obviously telling you that they are endgame. It was honestly a lot more in-my-face than i had expected. Like dang. It was like a marriage proposal. Surprisingly not even in like a naive teenage way, but so seriously and practically thought out, in classic Houtaro fashion. Yes, it was his imagination but it was so grounded in reality. Like looking forward to MARRIAGE type of deal. This is hilarious. Why r they so cute?

Oh my stars I’m so glad I liked it, ending and all, i was scared ngl. But it did not disappoint. I LOVE HYOUKA. DEF IN MY TOP 3 NOW. GOD, THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THIS ANIME INTO MY LIFE! 🙏😭🧸🙌🌸

Also, shout out to Mery lmfao!! They're singlehandedly carrying this fandom to this day, even after 10 years.

I saw the first episode for the first time a few days ago: All I knew prior was that there was a house full of magical(?) men and this one girl protagonist. I never really picked this anime up though it seemed very popular -I just never thought it would be anything special.

Off the bat, I loved the opening song. It pulled some heartstrings for some reason, even without me knowing the story at all. I cried so hard when I heard Tohru talk about her mom's death. I especially started crying when I saw her mother tell her the bedtime story and Tohru ... cried over a silly thing like feeling sad for the cat. It reminded me of my mom and aunt telling me stories or singing me to sleep and me silently crying because I felt so loved. This show truly gets me realizing how grateful and blessed I am. I think this episode totally caught me off guard; I was expecting something cutesy and silly. Instead, I got something so emotional and heart-warming! Tohru is such a beautiful soul. I look up to her so much! She's my favorite! The beauty of life and the strength + hope we can get even from suffering is so inspiring to me from this anime.

In the beginning, I loved Yuki's strangeness and kindness. It was funny at first how weird he seemed. I really liked how much he cares for Tohru, and I could tell he was moved by her ways. It was so good to see! I was excited for the progression, and him falling for Tohru's beautiful heart. That scene when it was raining and they were in his garden, it took it to another level! Omg! When he turns into a mouse, and looks at her as she talks so sweetly, his eyes are so so so cute!!! I wanted to cry. Anyways, I met Kyo in the next few episodes but didn't really care much for him at first. He seemed very immature and fiery yet 2 dimensional. However: I really like him now. I think he is very cool! And I admire his strong considerations for Tohru! It is so much fun to see him slowly opening up and always becoming kinder(?) when it involves Tohru. There's something refreshing and true about him. I am unsure of whether it should be Kyo or Tohru as of now, since Yuki is so gentle and pleasant with Tohru, but Kyo is also whipped for Tohru in his own chaotic way. Yuki does seem a bit too self-pitying for my taste, however, and I like how Kyo is manlier and sort of the opposite of Tohru. I did not like how he was mean to her in the beginning. However, I feel I do not know enough about Kyo to say much about him as of yet. I look forward to seeing the relationships continue to develop. Kyo is somehow more of simple guy in a way (where I am at now at least) that's transparent and easy to read, and it's refreshing. At this point in time, I think both Yuki and Kyo are great with Tohru. I just love everyone!

I love that I'm not looking much into it as romance (for once) which is so interesting to me. I am someone who is all about shipping. However, this anime feels very well made in that it is very emotionally intelligent. I'm so invested in the emotions and heartwarming aspect that I don't care for romance as much (FOR ONCE), I genuinely just love the relationships for the kindness and warmth produced from the characters. It feels so genuine. It is so universal too, the way Tohru sees the beauty in everybody, no matter WHO. Her empathy is so beautiful and honestly I'm taking notes with each episode. Tohru is always so thankful and telling herself how blessed she is, even for the little things. I relate to Tohru as I matured, I sympathize for her and want her to be happy. She deserves everything good!! It makes me so happy that the Sohma boys are there for her. I be crying so much... I never thought an anime called Fruits Basket would change my perspective on life, instantly grounding me and always helping me realize the beauty of everything in my life. The joy of existence itself. Wow. The way Tohru navigates through life is truly an inspiration. So much to learn from!!

I'll probably rewatch this anime after I'm finished, honestly. And I'll probably write an essay about all of the things I've learned from Fruits Basket. I am going to read the manga after I finish this original season! I don't know if I'll watch the second adaptation yet, but I truly love this anime so far. It is actually pretty funny too at times. I'm not a fan of the loud fighting scenes because they get pretty repetitive and boring. Shigure was my favorite character off the bat. He's hot to me idc sorry and also he is SO FUNNY XD probably the funniest to me in the whole series. I also love Hatori so much, his story made me ball my eyes out!!!!! Sir.............

The soundtrack makes everything 100x better btw! I am a very sound-sensitive person and even if something is sh!tty, if there is the right soundtrack to it, I'll see it in a beautiful way and feel it in a whole new mood! However, the content itself here is absolutely beautiful. Paired with a simple, yet genuine soundtrack makes it all the more beautiful. This OST is beautiful, dreamlike, sad yet hopeful, and just so pure and ethereal, yet down to earth. Can't explain it! I'm in love with the opening, the ending, and the various instrumentals. One of them reminds me of the night sky with shooting stars and it's slightly windy but you're wrapped in a blanket. I need to find that one.

I am currently on episode 14. I will come back to edit this review once I complete it!

UPDATE: Tonight I finished episode 26. It was an abrupt ending, very unexpected events took place. However, I think for the most part, it worked. It wasn't perfect, but this anime had all of the correct elements. I am so emotionally entranced by this anime, I've been listening to the soundtrack as I do my chores and stuff. It's making me cry randomly and see the world in such a beautiful light -just by listening to the soundtrack and reminiscing on some of the events in this anime.

I had no idea Kyo was this tormented. And it was heartbreaking. I cried a lot in the last episode.
I don't know why I was fully expecting Tohru to end up with one of them romantically, but I think I like that this anime didn't do that. The ending was just good enough, it had all of the elements that made it nice to end. It made me personally look forward to reading the manga to see what happens next, but this 1 season in itself was still a good close nonetheless for what it was. It was very clear with the life messages it wanted to present, and I really enjoyed the fact that this director focused on the messages and the emotions first and foremost. The choices for framing and pacing were quite smart.

Contrary to seemingly popular beliefs, I really enjoy this 2001 version, way, way more than the reboot. I started it tonight and could NOT finish the first episode of the 2019 version. There was something very important missing, that I could not quite put my finger on. It was pretty, but I preferred the art in this original season 1000000x more. This version feels all the more real, down to earth somehow. I feel like the pacing was good too (at least before the abrupt ending). It kept me interested. It was sensible and exciting. Sure, it may have left out some details in the manga (I'm probably less affected by this fact because I haven't read it yet) but it worked really well by being cut to the point. I think the director did a great job with timing, framing, and the characters. It wasn't all spelled out for us, more room left for us to think.

The soundtrack. The soundtrack. It is absolutely magical. The soundtrack truly made the anime for me. It made me fall in love with the story a lot more too. This is one reason why I prefer this version over the reboot as well.

Overall, this was a phenomenal anime. I really was touched by it. It changed my perspective on life, and listening to the soundtrack is always instant serotonin. It makes me grateful for a lot of things and helps me see more beauty in everything. The story was so emotional and beautiful. It touched on many important themes about relationships, the importance of love and empathy, hope and strength, the joy of life, appreciation and gratitude, and much much more, all through this art of amazing storytelling. Now..... I read some people on here say that the themes are outdated and misogynistic, but I do not see it that way at all. But if I tried, I could see what those people are perceiving. But the thing is, these situations/relationships are not ideal in the first place, it is vastly far from it. However, I just choose not to see it, because it doesn't really hold much value to me to perceive it that way. There are still so many beautiful things to learn from it. I don't think gender roles was the point. This anime was so rich with lessons about warmth, human connection and empathy, and how having an all around beautiful soul brings good things. I feel like i'm rambling now but i just feel like i have so much to say about this anime.

It was awesome 10/10 but make it 9 because the ending was a bit abrupt and sort of unfitting to the prior episodes (though it was still pivotal and lead to the necessary conclusion),,,, it left a lot sort of hanging. I was however impressed by how it somehow did touch on everything it needed to, like a bit of Akito's emotions in the last episode. Even though it was just a glimpse, it was somehow a glimmer of hope. Still, it was slightly unfulfilling for a huge fan like me who absolutely loved it. Well, the ending definitely made me hungry for more. So I am going to read the manga now for where it picks up. Not watching the reboot because it is everything I do not like in an anime, I'm just gonna read the manga for the story, while listening to the original 2001 soundtrack.