Review of Hyouka

The title Hyouka is the classified works of the Classics Club that is hinted to be filled with mystery that has filled a ruckus in the school's history and past. Is the main plot worth it? If you have to ask me, I don't even know if this really "is" the main genre as the anime's pace was just "too" early that the upcoming episodes turned into some random mysteries and really had nothing to do with the title "Hyouka". An anime that is entitled under the main genre "Mystery" -- with a tang of romance and character development. The anime just didn't mixed well. The seriesin itself was something I've been anticipating during the Spring of 2012. The summary felt weird and a lot of expectations were growing in my head about the Hyouka Mystery... but then my expectations didn't match up and it turned mandatory to watch the last few episodes. The last episodes didn't felt like a Mysterious anime anymore.

Story: 5
Is there really a story in Hyouka? The anime's pacing was just too fast that the main climactic plot of Hyouka was soon finished within 5 episodes. Soon after those episodes, the anime's main mystery was just left aside and the Classics Club started to solve more mysteries -- thus losing the importance of the title "Hyouka". The next few episodes were just inconsistent as the anime takes the "mystery" genre of the anime into a character development by the far end of the series. I also don't get why there is no Romance genre in this anime as I know there is -- for a bit. The whole mystery, character development with a bit of romance just didn't mesh well. It was just all scattered.

"What is the main agenda of the anime? I don't really know."

Art: 9
Despite its deformed story, the animation was flawless. Seeing Chitanda Eru's long hair falling gracefully was spectacular. The animation had a resemblance of K-ON! and Kokoro Connect and it definitely didn't disappoint me. What is much better than the animation? The color combination! Truly one of the best color combinations out there.

Sound: 7
The anime changed it's OPs and EDs during the half of the show -- like every other series. I definitely love the first half OP and ED because of how the upbeat opening song suddenly ends up softly with a good harmonious song. The second half of OP and ED was good but the 1st half was much better. The soundtrack though was something I wouldn't consider a memorable one. The voice actors/actresses have remarkably done well in their positions. The anime picked just the right people for this anime -- most especially Oreki and Chitanda.

Character: 7
Four different people together in one club. I can't seem to hate anyone in the anime. The surprising act of the anime is that they tried to develop the "true" personality of these characters "only" at the last few episodes. It was a risk that failed. They could have done this somewhere in the middle of the anime and still continue with the main genre of the anime -- Mystery.

Enjoyment: 6
I enjoyed solving mysteries with Oreki but then after every episode I would just ask myself -- where's the main plot? If the anime was just something that would solve random mysteries and not on the most important one -- then why can't they just not title the anime "Hyouka" then? It's more mind-bobbling that most of the viewers more highly anticipating about Oreki and Eru's relationship while I was here just waiting for its main idea. What affected me the most about the anime is the drastic change of the mystery anime into a character relationship development that I can't seem to know why they even did that. The ending seems to be perplexed with no mystery at all -- making it look like they ended it into a typical cliché ending. Concluding my enjoyment and expectations at a full drop.

Over-all: 6
Giving a title to an anime is important. It gives the viewers an impression or a curious thought. Hyouka just didn't seem feel right to have the title for this anime.

If the anime has to live up with the title then they should have named this anime "The Classics Club and their Mysterious Adventures". If they titled the anime "Hyouka" then they should have used that title as their basis of the story. The mysterious adventures just went bizarre even to the pointless of things -- everybody just felt curious while I was still holding to the feeling of what's the point of it? Hyouka didn't felt right with my expectations.

This anime is just one of those "Feel Good" animes or just for pure enjoyment. Despite the numerous number of flaws in the anime. Hyouka is one of those take a break and just watch this random anime.