Review of Hyouka
Who would have thought that a show with such a simple premise could end up being something so vivid and meaningful? Hyouka is another fantastic KyoAni work that truly delivers on all fronts. Houtarou Oreki is an unmotivated and fairly apathetic high school student who is pushed into joining the Classics Club by his sister. With its three other members, Houtarou uncovers and solves the mysteries surrounding the club and its past, as well as the everyday mysteries they come across in their high school lives. By mysteries, I don't mean anything that's considered traditionally interesting or exciting, like a murder case or robbery - Imean things like looking into family history or looking into why a book from the library is being checked out so often. Hyouka is all about taking the mundane activities and occurrences in life and twisting them to make them engaging and intriguing. It's surprising just how invested you can get into something that can appear so dull at first glance. The mysteries are very cleverly crafted, and it's easy to find yourself trying to solve the mysteries alongside the characters, along with the inevitable forehead slaps that come with looking at the clues you missed in the solutions.
Hyouka's delightful mysteries are supported by a lively and entertaining cast of characters who enhance the show to a great degree, being the headstrong Mayaka Ibara, the energetic Satoshi Fukube, and the insatiably curious Eru Chitanda. Rather than simply being side characters who occasionally pop in now and then, they're fleshed out and have unique personalities and motivations, as well as genuine development and struggles with challenges that really make you root for them. Even minor side characters are relevant and have something to contribute in their own way.
In a very subtle way, it's this character development that truly makes Hyouka shine, especially when it comes to Houtarou. Just as the viewers learn to draw excitement out of the little things in life, so too does Houtarou. Through the many mysteries he solves, he comes to understand the value and meaning of the things closest to him and the amazing things that can happen if you just put a little bit of energy into pursuing something. Through the encouragement of his friends and his blossoming relationship with Chitanda, he slowly reaches the "rose-colored life" he had been searching for. There's no exact turning point, no revolutionary change, but there's a genuine difference in his character from beginning to end, a beautiful end at that.
The animation for Hyouka is simply gorgeous. It's one of the most beautifully animated shows I've seen, better than most movies. You can feel the passion and effort put into every frame, and it creates a true treat for the eyes. The music doesn't lack in any way either.
As for complaints, I suppose that some scenarios were maybe a bit contrived or overly speculative, but it's very consistent overall. There are also your typical slice of life lulls where it's definitely not super exciting sometimes, and there are moments that feel somewhat pointless/dragged on, but that's more dependent on the viewer. It's very much captivating for the most part.
Hyouka is one of those shows where you enjoy it in the moment, but you truly learn to appreciate it once you look back on it when it's over. I think it's something that everybody can find some form of enjoyment and meaning out of.