Hyouka Discussion Thread

[ndm]

Originally Posted by bear

Though I did want more, I was ok with the story stopping with just the two cours , but then they did the last episode(sigh). Eru's soliloquy/confession was beautiful and so moving. If Okeki had confessed that would have been ok, but leaving it like that...

If you didn't already know, there is an OAD episode coming in January as well.

[Damius]

- Wait…wait…wait… WHAT???? Satoshi’s refused Mayaka’s chocolate because it is not homemade enough??? He really did that???? How could he???
- Epic reactions from Mayaka!
- He better accept it this time…
- Mayaka asks Eru if she likes someone… we don’t hear the answer but… we know it!
- Houtarou’s older sister gives Houtarou chocolate “With warm and tender pity”.
- Eru just said that she didn’t bring Houtarou chocolate… and declare at the same time that she….
- Houtarou… it obviously can’t wait until tomorrow.
- Eru feels so guilty she left the door open… ;_; since Mayaka’s chocolate was stolen.
- Satoshi really acts guilty…
- Yeah… Houtarou found out it is Satoshi.
- And Mayaka enters the room… she probably knows what is really going on.
- Eru sure is depressed…
- In the end, only Eru won’t know who really stole the chocolate.
- Yeah, why did you do that Satoshi?
- So that’s why… but because of his issues, he hurts Mayaka… I feel so bad for Mayaka…
- Yeah, Mayaka knows… and now Eru knows the truth as well.
- Well, Satoshi called Mayaka at the end of the episode; this is a step in the good direction.

This show is truly amazing, it is at another level. Well, I'm looking forward to the day where Eru will be able to find some of the answers by herself and be able to convince others her answer is the correct one.

[Damius]

And now… it’s the turn of Hyouka to end… ;_;

- Houtarou will hold the umbrella for Eru. I can’t wait to see Eru…
- Eru will be the Empress. Like she can have any other role.
- Well, the bridge will close sooner than they thought…
- Eru is already in her role. She speaks differently. Even Houtarou asked “That’s Chitanda… right?”
- Eru is truly perfect as an Empress… I’m out of words…
- Houtarou said it… KININARU! He wants to see Eru in all her grandness.
- And we get quite a nice scene between Houtarou and Mayaka.
- Eru can’t hold it anymore, she had to control herself all day, but now she is way too curious to hold it any longer.
- Oh that’s great, Eru and Houtarou thought about the same person.
- The scene between Eru and Houtarou is truly amazing. And now Houtarou proposes to take care of the business side for Eru. But, then he didn’t say it for real, it was his inner voice… I really thought it was for real.

I have to say it again; the ending scene was truly beautiful. I’m out of words. Even if he didn’t said it for real… I love so much to see Eru and Houtarou together, I would truly love to see them as a couple…but that will probably never be animated unfortunately. I think they are able to overcome the fact that they live in two different world; they are definitely on the right path. And when they will be able to confess to each other, they would be able to convince others to accept them as a couple.

Well, he couldn’t say it for real because they deal with an unfinished work. But, I think they deal with it amazingly well taking that in consideration. This show was wonderful. I love this show so much.

[ultimatemegax]

Originally Posted by something

Waiting for the BDs. ;_; But hey, here's your ep 11.5 subthread then, if any of you are crazy enough to sit through this version.

Well, the manga volume this episode was released with came out on Saturday in Japan, so I guess this should be bumped up.

One of the problems watching an episode like this which occurs mid-way though the series is that you have to remember what happened before and after it. This episode really delves into how depressed Houtarou felt after the "Baka" incident and what needed to happen prior to the Kanya Fest.

Of course fanservice would sell a singular episode of Hyouka like this, but I felt it was quite touching. After finding out that Houtarou would be working, Satoshi called the girls and they went to the pool to try and brighten his workday. Each of them reminded him that he was fine the way he was prior to Irisu's use of him to finish the movie. Eru's comment that he was special to her really warmed my heart considering what we'll see later during the Dolls short stories. Satoshi and Mayaka had their own ways to tell him to shape up, and of course this was all orchestrated by the master onee-chan, Tomoe! Houtarou is really lucky to have so many caring people around him.

Now that we've had two different series premiere since Hyouka, it was interesting to return to the "bitter" color palette that Takemoto ordered for this series in comparison to the more "portrait" hue Chuunibyou used and the vividness of Tamako Market. None of them feel off; it's just interesting to see how much of a difference hues can impact your impression of a series.

Overall, it was quite enjoyable and a great return to the Kotenbu series. I'd prefer different use of music at moments, but that's my only complaint for it.

[Ingraman]

Originally Posted by ultimatemegax

Well, the manga volume this episode was released with came out on Saturday in Japan, so I guess this should be bumped up.

Heh... I have this book/OAD as part of my January order, which means that Amazon won't ship it for another couple of weeks. ^^ I was forgetting that it was the pool episode.

[something]

Time to watch a real version of this episode, finally.

Episode 11.5:

- Houtarou, I missed you. And hey, I can actually see what's going on, instead of a series of indistinguishable smudges moving around.
- Mmm, delicious steamy aneki.

- Muahaha, Houtarou's eyes go to all the right places when the others arrive. Wouldn't mind more camera work on Mayaka too though.
- HAHAHHA, that "penalty game". She looks so sheepish and then starts apologizing profusely. God damn I missed Eru even more.
- Satoshi you lucky bastard. Houtarou sits there sweating while you frolic with two beautiful girls in swimsuits.

- Oh Houtarou, stop being so depressed. I know Irisu totally manipulated you but you have an Eru nearby. Nobody can be sad when they're with Eru.
- Now for the most mundane mystery of all.
- Watashi, oppai ni narimasu! A killer combination.

- Damn, they really know how to do some amazing "wet Eru in profile" shots don't they?
- Ah good on Mayaka calling out Houtarou a bit. Cheer up, dude!
- Hahaha, I was hoping Mayaka wouldn't realize what she and Satoshi were doing until it was too late. And reallllllly wish she had let Eru carry her.
- SHE DID! YES! <3 <3 <3
- Silly mystery resolved. The important bit isn't the "mystery" but that they finally got Houtarou out of his funk.
- Hah and they tie it back into "Hyouka" at the end there.
- Yes, Houtarou. There is one other white thing. A very glorious thing. CUE MORE SEXUAL TENSION. Arrrrrrgh it makes me so sad we'll never see a sequel where they explicitly tell each other their feelings.
- Haha, knowing smirk from the other lifeguard.
- And fuck yeah first ED, been too long since I've watched this.

So okay, this episode was not the pinnacle of the series or anything, but it was really cute and, alas, our last opportunity to see these amazing characters together. I'll miss them so. ;_; This isn't my #2 show of 2012 for nothing.

[Draneor]

This episode had more fanservice than the rest of the series combined.

Overall, a cute episode. I especially liked when Eru splashed Oreki.

[Fencedude]

That was pretty fun.

Also, I only just now noticed how tall Eru is.

[bear]

Originally Posted by something

- HAHAHHA, that "penalty game". She looks so sheepish and then starts apologizing profusely. God damn I missed Eru even more.

That was cuteness overload!

- Satoshi you lucky bastard. Houtarou sits there sweating while you frolic with two beautiful girls in swimsuits.

And you know how he loves to torture Houtaru.

- Yes, Houtarou. There is one other white thing. A very glorious thing. CUE MORE SEXUAL TENSION. Arrrrrrgh it makes me so sad we'll never see a sequel where they explicitly tell each other their feelings.

If this wasn't Eru doing a mating dance I don't know what is. I really felt robbed that we don't get to a real confession from Houtarou. Even a half assed one. Damn I want closure. Houtarou is too smart not to understand what she has been trying to say. I'm still blown away by the last scene of the show.

[strangefour]

-Sis is back!
-Wait. Didn't I see this all before? Oh shit is this an Endless Eight crap?
-Oh wait no I saw the cruddy raw...
-Yeah yeah a pool trip some lame mystery. I'm not in the mood to rewatch this now.