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Is it possible to harmoniously fuse two genres having polar paradigms such as 'Mystery' and 'Slice of life'? As difficult as it seems to imagine, Hyouka manages to pull this off without a hitch.With the help of realistic and relatable characters,the show manages to devilishly do a good job of immersing the viewer into the high school world of Oreki Houtaro who is an energy conservationist(a.k.a lazy) and won't do anything until he has no other choice(Sounds familiar does it not?).

For the most part you will find yourself simply enjoying and relaxing to Houtaro's simple lifestyle and his interactions with his friends.But all the while ... there are seemingly harmless details or elements stealthily incorporated which can be simply mistaken as just a part of a highschooler's life.When these elements begin to come together and take shape towards the end,you are assured to get Goosebumps every single time.In that sense I would not relate Hyouka's mystery aspects to that of a single puzzle coming together(like conventional mysteries) but rather an assemblage of Lego pieces which leave you with a satisfied and fulfilled feeling no matter how it is built up and manages to give you chills.

Characters and character development is at the core of the show while everything else is built around it.While the show may feel episodic at first,it is actually slowly and steadily developing the main character through the usage of interactions with friends,mysteries and other circumstances.The way it accomplishes this is very interesting and you may look back and wonder 'How did we end up over here?' even if you saw it coming.Hyouka is not a one man show and the side characters and their development is just as important and without which the story would not make sense and is actually necessary for the protagonist to relate to and advance in his own development.

The show starts of with an intense and an engrossing initial arc until episode 5 which in it's own right can be considered as the main highlight of the show and has the potential of being a separate season or a movie.After drawing your attention, the story proceeds to operate in a similar setting until we reach the ending which also ends with a Bang and leaves you wanting for more.Add in some good artwork and sound design and the result is a show which does not really lack in any department.Nothing feels wasted and out of place and everything converges together synchronously to produce this lovechild called 'Hyouka'.