Review of Hyouka

Hyouka has been sitting in my "Plan to Watch" list for some time, and I can report that I'm very glad to have gotten around to watching it. I was originally allured by the beautiful animation and reputable ratings, and I was definitely not disappointed. Story: 8/10 Art: 9/10 Sound: 8/10 Character: 7/10 Enjoyment: 8/10 Overall: 8/10 Story (8): Hyouka is centered around four charming students in the Classics Club and their desire to dive into the subtle mysteries of the world around them. The main character Oreki has committed to his "energy conserving" lifestyle, as he does not want to stand out, waste energy, or do things that aren't required of him.Upon joining the Classics Club, the club president Chitanda discovers that Oreki has excellent deduction skills and can solve simple mysteries that spontaneously spark her curiosity. Oreki develops into the group's lead detective as they discover the world around them.

The story itself is a charming and simple one focused around development of the Classics Club, as we watch the personal growth of the members during their first year of high school. A rather uncomplicated story work in its favor, as the the episodes develop "moment-by-moment", which engages the viewer into the story excellently. I regularly found myself getting lost in the episode that before I knew it, they were over. That's an impressive feat for a slice of life anime. However from a critical standpoint, the story was sometimes inconsistent and hard to follow, seeing that a lot can happen in a short amount of time.

Art (9):
This is definitely Hyouka's most impressive element. The art was almost flawless. Chitanda's sparkly purple eyes, the flow of the hair, the beautiful resolution, the stunning scenery. You'll definitely want to watch this in at least 720p, or you're not fully appreciating what this show has to offer. Throughout the series I was consistently impressed with the animation. The only thing holding this back from a 10 is some of the little things. Sometimes the hands lacked detail along with things like faces in the background etc. If it was just a little more detailed it would be a total 10. Still can't complain.

Sound (8):
Never sure of what to say in this section, sound seemed good, nice and HQ but nothing that stood out as impeccable.

Character (7):
I really found myself relating a lot to the main character Oreki, as I too have been accused of not caring, being lazy, can't put effort into things, is never excited or smiling, etc. Some of the jokes the supporting cast say about his personality are things that have been actually said to me, even.

The characters have great, unique personalities and each had some growth in themselves throughout the series. However, this is also my lowest score for all the elements of the show (though a 7 is still good). I was hoping for a bit more development in the supporting cast and the relationships between them, as most of the development seemed to focus around Oreki. He is the mc, but regardless this could have been a very strong category otherwise.

Enjoyment (8):
I never thought I would watch a slice of life anime this fast. Episode after episode is completely packed with story and meaning and the series seemed to fly by. The innocent curiosity of the Classics Club kept me engaged and entertained, as I practiced by deductive skills and honed in on the world in front of my eyes. Especially through the great animation, falling into the story was easy.

Overall (8):
Hyouka is a great example of a slice of life / mystery done right. Beautiful art and story from beginning to end, engaging and curious. Can't believe I waited so long to watch this! if you're looking to get lost in a cute and charismatic story, Hyouka is definitely the way to go.