Review of Horimiya

Horimiya is turning its back on its essence. Horimiya is a simple yet functional work, it serves almost as a mirror of reality; a great basis for a romantic comedy show. When I was first discovering the manga, I was thinking about how those little details, of Miyamura making a mental note that Hori doesn't drink lattes, were an essential part of Horimiya. It was those small, day-to-day steps that shaped its development. The premiere of its anime has been, perhaps, one of the great news of the year for that very reason. And yet, there is something that does not fit. A puzzle with blank piecesthat prevent that connection, so natural and clean, from working. Despite CloverWorks' efforts in an adaptation with a distinct character of its own, the little details are no longer part of its formula.

- Different spaces, different formulas.

The reasons for this dissonance between media can be understood in a small glossary that ranges from production terms to script decisions. A fact not exactly isolated and one that we have branded so many and so many times with the "book or movie?" discussion.

But even so, the effect it has on Horimiya is especially remarkable. Precisely because, as I was saying, it is a work that needs those little moments that serve as structure first and justify its evolution later. And it is a point that is especially noticeable in its first episode, which moves at a sweeping speed and draws a relationship between its protagonists almost spontaneously.

Beyond that, more than a few voices have pointed out the idea that Hori is presented in a negative way for simply taking care of her home and family, while Miyamura's stigmatization represents him on the opposite side. It is something that -without ignoring that the differences between both roles are still present- in the manga is approached as the impossibility of socializing due to her responsibilities and not for fear of showing a different facet from that of high school.

- Different, but not that different.

If the lack of these small details is the reason why Horimiya's adaptation loses part of its magic, the truth is that the way in which panels and scenes are transcribed denotes an affection worthy of a quality adaptation. The differences between manga and anime are practically nil.

In fact, even the evolution of the characters turns out to be almost as fast in the anime as it is in the original work, even though its adaptation seems accelerated. And that's because the key moments are maintained, but they are not everything. A bet that, while it keeps all its important scenes as an almost perfect reflection of its original source, it also forgets other fragments in full that serve the times of necessary pieces to build its story. The original sixth chapter, the trip to Kyoto, has no place or mention in its adaptation, thus eliminating one of the first collective stories with which to connect with its characters.

Yuna, Sota's friend, is almost non-existent in her adaptation. A character with little relevance that, however, serves as a bridge to shape some of the relationships in the story. Not only are elements eliminated, of course, it also affects the way in which they are altered. In the anime, we learn about the relationship between Remi and Sengoku in one of its early installments, when we have yet to become familiar with any of their characters. However, the manga delays this revelation to a much more distant point, when a point of no return has already been reached with the characterization and assimilation of the entire cast. That same scene leads to another in which Miyamura protects Hori from the rain to end up sleeping next to him later on. They are, I insist, small details that, little by little, help to build their relationship.

Another notable example is how the original episode 13 - the moment when they hold hands - is completely adapted. However, this is accompanied by two very short chapters with great importance for the development of their relationship that disappear in their adaptation to move to the sixteenth episode and adapt only the final pages of the next one. The result? That Shindo barely has a logical space in the anime and the effects of the fight between Hori and Miyamura seem to be summed up to her jealousy and not to that very natural fear that settles at the beginning of a relationship, as seen between the pages of the manga.

- Small gaps, big losses.

Far from being an exalted fan attack -let us remember that it is logical that an adaptation cannot deal with the same material as an original work-, the truth is that the cuts in Horimiya feel a hard change for a story that stands out, precisely, for its way of playing with the times. The fact that in just six chapters, six volumes have been adapted speaks a lot.

Horimiya has all the points to become one of the great anime of the year. And no wonder. It is a warm embrace at a time when entertainment displays of affection are an even sweeter incentive. That coupled with the skill of a studio like CloverWorks and the genuine innocence of the work make it a precious recommendation. Even when much of its magic is lost along the way, Horimiya still has a most remarkable charisma.

Still, that doesn't obviate the fact that the work has lost much of those little details that allowed us to get to know its characters better. An element that Daisuke Hagiwara captures to perfection in this need to give life to each of the scenes he takes from the original story of HERO. Far from being a bad adaptation, Horimiya's anime is a brief idea of what the series is really about. A window into this tender slice of life that serves as a summary but invites you to delve into the original story to discover how much a work as magical as this one has to offer.