r/anime • u/ZapsZzz https://myanimelist.net/profile/ZapszzZ • 29d ago
Rewatch Hyouka 14th Year Rewatch Episode 13
Fan art of the day
(Unless specifically mentioned, count on this being from the old collection of Mery)
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Interest thread Announcement Thread
Welcome to the Hyouka rewatch!
"A Corpse By Evening"
For the interest of any first timer visiting this thread now or later, please use spoiler tags for events not yet played out by this episode.
Spoiler tag format:
[Hyouka spoiler]>!This is most curious!!< (Make sure no spaces between the exclaimation mark and the first letter of the sentence of the spoiler text)
e.g. [Hyouka spoiler]Chitanda's eyes are mesmerising!
Questions of the Day
- Do you think reviews of manga (or any fictional media) has any value? Do you think "masterpieces" are so because of their intrinsic value or is it the result of "survival of the fittest"? If you want to use the lazy way out and say somewhere inbetween, please at least say which way your answer is biased towards
- How many plot threads have you counted so far is in this part of the story? Which one do you look forward the most?
Questions for tomorrow
- [Hyouka spoiler]How do you think you'd go in a cooking competition? What's the most famous (or infamous) product of your cooking?
- [Hyouka spoiler]Did you recognise the subtle development of the "straw millionaire" plot line with Tomoe's broken fountain pen? If so what was your prediction of the highest point it would go?
Remark from yesterday's QoTD answers
- Other shows mentioned with a good "anticipation" sequence are Hibike Euphonium, Eyeshield 21. A couple others commented also going to anime cons.
- Not a lot of distinct answers, mentioned fireworks, anime cons, TTRPG test plays, mini sports competitions. Good and bad
notonly one mentoring of Maid Cafe ;) (was no one until late in the day ;P)
Pinned Content
High quality content to complement this rewatch:
I would love it if you guys watching (first timers and rewatchers alike) would watch this youtube breakdown of Hyouka called "A Rose-Colored Dissection" It is really well done, and will give you insight on the series even more. It is mostly spoiler free if you watch them episode by episode (for some vids) and arc by arc (for some vids).
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u/dontoff 28d ago
First Timer (Dub)
Satoshi Is Putting in the Work
Man, Satoshi has really shot up for me. Dude is such a fun energy to be around, and he’s actually putting in the work to sell those copies. Getting onstage wearing that ridiculous Saturn hat and using the opportunity to advertise the club is exactly the sort of thing I’d expect from him. He looks like he’s enjoying himself, which makes him fun to watch.
But what the hell are some of these quiz questions? Shit feels rigged as fuck, haha.
One little animation detail worth appreciating is how his hat keeps slipping around as he spins during his advertisement, it fits his whole performance so well. There’s something very Satoshi about putting that much enthusiasm into promoting a club anthology while dressed like that.
And the cut from Satoshi thinking about Oreki to what Oreki is actually doing was perfect. Don’t you worry, Satoshi. Hotaro is definitely hard at work. It’s just a question of how you define work.
Apparently, examining Chitanda’s cosplay photos requires his full attention.
Chitanda Actually Holds Back?
Glad we didn’t have to sit through a fortune-telling reading. Tarot, star signs, all that stuff is bullshit to me, so I was perfectly happy moving on from that.
What did catch my attention was Chitanda actually putting her curiosity aside. Wait, we can do that now?
She was already trying to resist distractions last episode, but a mystery being put directly in front of her feels like a much bigger test. You can tell she wants to get involved, yet she remembers that they have copies to sell and responsibilities to deal with. I like seeing her make that choice without suddenly becoming a completely different person. The curiosity is still there. She just has something else she cares enough about to hold it back for once.
It’s also funny having that happen in the same episode where Oreki struggles to leave those photos alone. Chitanda is trying to stay focused while he’s finding his own reasons to get distracted, haha.
Their embarrassment over the photos was adorable too. These small, awkward interactions are doing a lot for me.
The Manga Club Argument
“The fact is all manga is the same.”
Yeah, you lost me already.
I wasn’t particularly impressed with Mayaka’s rebuttal either, but the argument she’s responding to feels so exaggerated that the whole exchange becomes difficult to take seriously.
The whole back and forth felt unrealistic to me. I can imagine someone being this smug and dismissive, but as a discussion about manga, I wanted better arguments from both of them. Mayaka clearly feels strongly about the subject, but I didn’t think she explained her position particularly well.
There is a character angle here that interests me more than the debate itself, though. We’re seeing Mayaka in a place where something she cares about is being openly dismissed, and she can’t just let it go. That gives us a different situation to see her in beyond getting irritated with Oreki or dealing with Satoshi.
I also don’t think bringing in a manga she loves automatically settles anything. She can show Kouchi what impressed her about it, but she can’t guarantee the same reaction. I’m interested in hearing what makes that particular work so important to her, because that would tell me more about Mayaka than the argument has so far.
The scene near the end with her looking for the book gave me Yuru Camp vibes. I think it was mainly the background track. There was something really familiar and comfortable about the mood, even though she was still caught up in what had happened earlier.
The Festival So Far
So far, I’m really enjoying this arc. The multiple perspectives are doing a lot for it, and the pacing feels good. We can go from Satoshi making a spectacle of himself to Oreki sitting around in the clubroom, then over to Chitanda getting sidetracked or Mayaka having a miserable time with her club. Everyone has their own experience of the same festival.
Having the quiz broadcast reach the different rooms helps with that too. Even when we’re following someone elsewhere, the rest of the school still feels active around them. It makes the changes in perspective feel natural.
There’s a relevant production detail in the official KyoAni staff notes for Episode 13: the compositing staff mention adding 3D CG background characters, alongside filters, to make the festival feel livelier. The sense of a busy school with things happening everywhere is definitely coming through.
These first two episodes have managed to feel calming and hectic at different times without those moods clashing. I’m enjoying spending time here, even when there isn’t some major development happening.
But I do feel like there’s been a lot of teasing around the four of them, both individually and in their relationships, and I hope we get further into that soon. Satoshi is out there performing, Mayaka is getting drawn into an argument over something personal to her, and Chitanda is having to manage her own curiosity. There’s plenty here that could lead to us learning more about them.
I’m still unsure how far the arc will take all of that. A really enjoyable slice of life and a solid mystery would be good, but I’m hoping the things being set up between these characters lead somewhere that sticks with me. The foundation is definitely there, and right now I’m having a lot of fun watching it come together.
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u/Holofan4life 28d ago
The way you feel about this show is how I feel about Fruits Basket. That's been fun to see.
2
u/Second_Cour 28d ago
Yeah I've noticed that too! I also assumed everything is a 10/10 for you, and it's been fun to see another side to you.
1
u/Holofan4life 28d ago
Oh, I still like Hyouka very highly. Like, the way things are shaping up it's probably going to be in my top 30 or so favorite anime of all time.
There are definitely shows that I'm critical of. But I like putting my energy in the elements of the show I enjoy.
2
u/Second_Cour 28d ago
Oh wow surprised, maybe I was thrown off by you saying your favourite part is the closing credits haha, and you've been saying that episodes are just ok/decent, so thought it's more of an 8/10 for you (which would probably translate to a 6/10 for me haha).
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u/Holofan4life 28d ago
No, when I said the outro was my favorite part, that wasn't damning with faint praise. The outro has visuals that are among some of the best I've ever seen.
Hyouka is one of the most consistent anime I've ever watched. All the episodes have basically ranged from good to really good. I believe I've mentioned this before, but it's like if Spice and Wolf was set in high school and it had four main characters instead of two.
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u/Holofan4life 28d ago
Yeah, I feel the multiple perspectives has really helped this arc out a lot. It's hard to compare it to the first arc because that one was so great, but I find myself more sucked into this one. It's just a lot of fun.
2
u/Second_Cour 28d ago
While I'm 1000000000% with you on tarots, fortunes and all that jazz (sucks living in Asia for that haha), I think that the tarots are a pretty big part of this show (I heard that they're even used in the novels). Given this is a fairly 'left brain' show in terms of the mysteries, I think it's more of a framework approach, and a way to analyse characters around those more as personality types.
1
u/Holofan4life 28d ago
Thoughts on Satoshi participating in a quiz show to try and spread the word of the Classic Lit Club?
What are your thoughts on Eru gonna ask the Wall Newspaper Club if they can cover the Classic Lit Club?
What are your thoughts on Kochi saying all manga is basically the same?
What are your thoughts on Eru and Ibara agreeing to help Satoshi with the upcoming cooking contest?
What are your thoughts on Ibara not being able to find the manga for manga class?
5
u/Shimmering-Sky myanimelist.net/profile/Shimmering-Sky 28d ago
First-Timer, subbed
Funny for this to come up at the same time I’m watching Hikaru no Go.
That’s certainly one effective way to advertise the anthology.
Another instance of things being stolen. Yeah, this is a full-on mystery now.
That’s rather perfect, huh. – I can’t say I was expecting Oreki to be given a water gun in exchange for it, though!
1
u/Holofan4life 28d ago
Thoughts on Satoshi participating in a quiz show to try and spread the word of the Classic Lit Club?
Thoughts on Tani, member of the Go club?
What are your thoughts on Eru gonna ask the Wall Newspaper Club if they can cover the Classic Lit Club?
Thoughts on Hotaro being tempted by Eru tummy, or Erummy if you will?
Thoughts on Kaho?
Thoughts on a thief that puts things back?
Thoughts on the Go stones being stolen?
Thoughts on Kochi?
What are your thoughts on Kochi saying all manga is basically the same?
What are your thoughts on Ibara getting really annoyed by Kochi?
Thoughts on Hotaro being given a water pistol?
What are your thoughts on the Classic Lit Club selling 14 copies of Hyouka?
What are your thoughts on Eru and Ibara agreeing to help Satoshi with the upcoming cooking contest?
What are your thoughts on Ibara not being able to find the manga for manga class?
3
u/Fools_Requiem https://myanimelist.net/profile/FoolsRequiem 28d ago edited 28d ago
Rewatcher
We learn 2 things about Chitanda in this episode:
1) Chitanda has a friend named Kaho that is so close with Chitanda that she calls by her given name, Eru. No one else in the cast so far has done that. 2) It seems she's always had a thing for mysteries. The second one is probably an obvious one, but this episode all but confirms that this has been a long time interest for Chitanda. If she lived in the US, she'd probably be obsessed with Nancy Drew and maybe the Hardy Boys.
We all know what Oreki is curious about.
I don't know about anyone else, but if I had something that I considered to be a "masterpiece", I'd never lose track of it. Even when I was a kid, I knew where my favorite things were, so it seems kinda odd that Ibara lost something she considers to be a masterpiece. I haven't watched the series since our last rewatch in 2023, so I've forgotten some things, but I'm pretty sure that Body Talk manga is important to this conflict that Ibara has.
| Episode | Chimes | "Watashi Kininarimasu" | "Chi-chans" | Goofy Satoshi Outfits | Bonus | --- | Episode | Chimes | "Watashi Kininarimasu" | "Chi-chans" | Goofy Satoshi Outfits | Bonus |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4 | 3 | 0 | N/A | Flower animation | --- | 12 | 0 | 0 | 1 | GALAXY!!!! | Chitanda Costumes |
| 2 | 4 | 1 | 0 | N/A | Ibara Chimes - 1 | --- | 13 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Galaxy+Hat | Crystal Ball effect |
| 3 | 0 | 0 | 2 | Sunflower | Gameshow Nerds | --- | 14 | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD |
| 4 | 0 | 1 | 5 | N/A | N/A | --- | 15 | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD |
| 5 | 0 | 0 | 2 | N/A | Yoko dropping books | --- | 16 | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD |
| 6 | 4 | ∞ | 8 | N/A | One of my people! | --- | 17 | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD |
| 7 | 2 | 1 | 2 | N/A | “I want to go” | --- | 18 | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD |
| 8 | 2 | 1 | 1 | N/A | X ;o | --- | 19 | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD |
| 9 | 0 | 1 | 1 | N/A | Chi-chan has a concussion now. | --- | 20 | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD |
| 10 | 0 | 0 | 1 | N/A | N/A | --- | 21 | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD |
| 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | N/A | Short | --- | 22 | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD |
| OVA | 2 | 1 | 2 | N/A | Watermelon or beach ball? | --- | Total | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD |
Wanted to include an image of the gameshow with the cool question mark hats (which you might have seen in episode 3 (see the bonus), but also show the girl looking like she's suffering from constipation as well as the hat all the way on the top of Saturn.
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u/Holofan4life 28d ago
Thoughts on Satoshi participating in a quiz show to try and spread the word of the Classic Lit Club?
Thoughts on Tani, member of the Go club?
What are your thoughts on Eru gonna ask the Wall Newspaper Club if they can cover the Classic Lit Club?
Thoughts on Hotaro being tempted by Eru tummy, or Erummy if you will?
Thoughts on Kaho?
Thoughts on a thief that puts things back?
Thoughts on the Go stones being stolen?
Thoughts on Kochi?
What are your thoughts on Kochi saying all manga is basically the same?
What are your thoughts on Ibara getting really annoyed by Kochi?
Thoughts on Hotaro being given a water pistol?
What are your thoughts on the Classic Lit Club selling 14 copies of Hyouka?
What are your thoughts on Eru and Ibara agreeing to help Satoshi with the upcoming cooking contest?
What are your thoughts on Ibara not being able to find the manga for manga class?
4
u/Second_Cour 28d ago
Haven't seen the ep yet, as a lot of great sports were on, and I ended up bingeing School Days. But a random thought I had today - Hyouka is one of the only shows I've ever watched where the mysteries are actually solvable. I've watched a crazy number of detective/crime/mystery live action shows, and I can't even think of one, where the solution doesn't have to be a guess made from very limited information. You always have to guess who the killer is based on a relatively incomplete picture, and the fun comes from the guess. Here, I've realised that if you pay close enough attention, a solution is possible.
That's really tough to do, as solving the mystery before the characters would usually be boring but this show really rewards putting in the effort. I really can't stop thinking about this show, even when I'm away from it (like today). Was sipping my coffee and replaying scenes in my head ,cataloguing all the parts of the previous episode which could prove to be useful.
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u/Holofan4life 28d ago
Any immediate thoughts on School Days?
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u/Second_Cour 28d ago
Have you watched it before? (Asking so I can tailor my comments appropriately)
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u/Holofan4life 28d ago
I mean, I haven't but I already know the plot. It is notorious for being regarded as bad. Personally, I think it works as a deconstruction of the harem genre. Like, it answers the question of "What happens if the main character makes all the wrong decisions?"
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u/Second_Cour 28d ago
Hating on it is a bit of a Western circlejerk - if you look at the scores on CrunchyRoll for example, it's basically either 1 or 5/5. It's a bit of a Mushoku Tensei. In Japanese reviews sites, where it wasn't subjected to this circlejerk, it's actually fairly well regarded - the score split is massive.
I came into it blind without knowing about its reputation (or rather knowing about what makes it bad). It's pretty decent. I do think that a lot of people who don't like it question: "how can there be a guy who gets all the girls" "he's such an asshole, that's unacceptable" "the characters are so dumb". It was fairly engaging, a lot of fun, and the ending is great. The length is also perfect for what it was trying to do. I imagine if I had watched other harems, I probably would have enjoyed it more, and seen the satire elements more. The writing is plain, and the animation is terrible though. But I gave it a decent enough score (for me) of 6.9/10 (no pun intended). Which is above my average rating across every anime I've watched. I'n glad I watched it and it was very bingeable, especially with its shorter length. It's important to watch it in the right way though: as entertainment. If I critiqued every element, and tried to over intellectualise it, it wouldn't do well.
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u/Holofan4life 28d ago
The idea of you potentially giving School Days a higher score than Fruits Basket amuses me while also annoys me more than it should lol
I assume when I end up inevitably watching it, I'll like it more than the average person. I could see myself going 8 out of 10.
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u/Second_Cour 28d ago
That's why I initially deflected the question haha. There's also recency bias for School Days though, and I hadn't seen anything within this sub-genre, so it gets novelty points. This also combines with that it's a short and punchy show, and while it may not be the right way to grade shows, I do admit that I graded it for what it is. If School Days was a drama/shoujo without the twists, and 25 eps/season, it'd score way lower than FruBa. But as a pure piece of entertainment, SD fit the 6.9 score. A large component of my scoring is consistency and overall enjoyment, and purely by virtue of having 2 seasons and 50 episodes that we've almost gone through, I'm harsher on it.
One note on my scoring (think I said it during S&W) is that anything at a 7 or higher has to be something that had I not watched it, my life would be worse off: or said differently, it needs to have a life impact. So School Days could never get an 7 in my books. And back to my point on length, that's typically why I don't score longer-running anime as highly, as I need to be confident that the time investment was worth it.
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u/Holofan4life 28d ago
Yeah, I'm kinda of a similar mindset. Like, I only have 5 or so anime at a 10 out of 10 and those are anime I feel my life is better having seen it. It's easier for me to give an episode a 10 out of 10 because certain shows which are otherwise nothing to write home about can have certain things about it that are just absolutely incredible.
The one show that immediately comes to mind that's like this is A Centaur's Life. That's a show that's at best a 7 out of 10 but then [A Centaur's Life] There's an episode that's an allegory for World War II and racism and Japanese Internment Camps and it's like "Woah, what the fuck? Where has this show been?"
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u/Second_Cour 28d ago
Yeah totally agree about the episodes thing. Though I don't really rate episodes, with FruBa there are certainly episodes that I've felt were incredible and I'd rate very high, but my series score is going to be about my overall enjoyment of each season
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u/Holofan4life 28d ago
Understandable. And also there were some of the later episodes you weren't high on. I don't think I've really been down on an episode since the season 2 premiere.
2
u/Holofan4life 28d ago
Yeah, Hyouka has a way to stay in your mind long after the fact. It's really like Haruhi Suzumiya in that regard though the characters in Hyouka are more likable.
4
u/Eth_02 28d ago edited 28d ago
First time watcher.
Another really good episode. Satoshi is definitely putting in work this episode, almost as much work as his neck is putting in holding that thing up. Eru doesn't do too much here, but she still gets a couple of fun moments.
Oreki here has some good moments. My man looks at a stack of books and pamphlets, and his eyes immediately lock in on a tiny sliver of Eru's leg. Oreki truly has good perception, he just can't resist. Hard to blame him. Maid and penguin Eru are cute. Oreki also displays his own database capability in this episode, by immediately identifying a glock 17, I guess basic gun knowledge can be added to his list of skills.
Perhaps the weakest part of the episode for me was the Ibara section. I like Ibara, and I like the manga club overall. The conflict here however was so fundamentally dumb that it feels a little unbelievable that no one else aside from Ibara called out how silly it is. The older girl is just really dumb and her argument about reviews having no value is stated in such an absolute manner. I feel like this could have had much more depth if instead, Ibara and the older girl disagreed on how a review should be handled, or on how much consideration they should be given. A bit of a more nuanced debate on how some people let reviewers dictate their opinions for them for example, could have been had. Instead it feels very surface level and a bit silly. Still a really enjoyable episode overall though. I'm really enjoying this arc so far. It feels really relaxing and cute, and it just has a lot of feel good vibes, which I enjoy!
Question one. Yes reviews have value. To what extent a person should outsource opinion making is highly arguable, but saying they have no value at all is silly. The masterpiece thing on the other hand is kinda tricky. I guess it depends on what that word means to you. To me, it's a personal term. Everyone will have different works of art that they view as a masterpiece.
Question two. It depends a bit on how you break them up, as some of them bleed into each other a bit. We have the effort to sell Hyouka copies. I include the quiz and cooking competition in that. We have Satoshi's one sided rival scenario. The manga club stuff. Some people might list Ibara's missing manga as a separate plot line, but I'm including it here. Then the mystery of stuff being stolen.
So I guess that's four, but again some of them could be broken down further.
Edit: Also, that picture up top with mini Eru is really cute!
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u/ZapsZzz https://myanimelist.net/profile/ZapszzZ 28d ago
Also, that picture up top with mini Eru is really cute!
OMG the first time I got a reaction from people about the fan arts :D although another acknowledged that old Reddit interface doesn't show them (although that implies people know and can tell).
My reason for picking that today is his little sneak peek of Chitanda's photo shoot results certain leave him a little something to carry around with him in his mind ;)
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u/Holofan4life 28d ago
For the record, I'm a big fan of all the fanarts. It reminds me of what the Toradora rewatch used to do back in the day.
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u/Holofan4life 28d ago
You say the Ibara section is dumb, but I've been a part of fandoms where it seemed like they actively shown disdain for the thing they were supposed to like. Like, it's surprising but it's very much a real thing.
It's even a running joke amongst the ok movie cinephile subreddit that the people who participate don't actually watch movies. And yet you interact with some and you'd get the impression that that was true lol
2
u/Eth_02 28d ago
I'm not necessarily saying it's unrealistic. People being dumb isn't unrealistic, it's still dumb though. I'd have a very hard time taking that conversation seriously if it were between real people too.
1
u/Holofan4life 28d ago
But isn't that Ibara's frustration is? It's so narrow-minded a viewpoint. It's like those people who say all animation is for children.
1
u/Holofan4life 28d ago
Thoughts on Satoshi participating in a quiz show to try and spread the word of the Classic Lit Club?
Thoughts on Tani, member of the Go club?
What are your thoughts on Eru gonna ask the Wall Newspaper Club if they can cover the Classic Lit Club?
Thoughts on Hotaro being tempted by Eru tummy, or Erummy if you will?
Thoughts on Kaho?
Thoughts on a thief that puts things back?
Thoughts on the Go stones being stolen?
Thoughts on Kochi?
What are your thoughts on Kochi saying all manga is basically the same?
What are your thoughts on Ibara getting really annoyed by Kochi?
Thoughts on Hotaro being given a water pistol?
What are your thoughts on the Classic Lit Club selling 14 copies of Hyouka?
What are your thoughts on Eru and Ibara agreeing to help Satoshi with the upcoming cooking contest?
What are your thoughts on Ibara not being able to find the manga for manga class?
3
u/ZapsZzz https://myanimelist.net/profile/ZapszzZ 28d ago edited 28d ago
Sub Rewatcher & Host
Welcome everyone to the rewatch!
Looks like everyone was really happy with the starting episode of the Cultural Festival arc, even for those who don't normally like these. We are off to a good start then!
By now though, I think it is safe to say that we are not going to be without a mystery afterall ;) That said, purely by proportion is screen time, we are going to spend more time on individual character's dynamics and exploits outside of the club, which I think would be insightful and refreshing.
Another running late day today so please bear with me for the later update(s) to this comment!
Key talking points of the episode
I didn't write up a pile of spoiler tagged rewatcher notes because I was lazy and I ran out of time to not even give any hints of a spoiler for the arc's content, but there are oh so many of them. I'm sure for rewatchers, if you have indeed forgotten some, but this episode you'll start remembering.
Production
Best production moment for me this episode:
- perfect "dwell time" or "soak time" for the amateurs presenters/promoters to over play the drum roll suspense every time before the answer, that includes you Satoshi, even if you replace the drum roll with your pirouette ;)
- the tense atmosphere of the manga club, both before the storm, and during the "girls fight" debate battle
- Oreki gradually getting more comfortable with customer service (read: stopped caring)
Plot
This is where things started to get really interesting with a lot of little bits and pieces separately. Watching how they individually unfold and then how they converge again is really fun.
Rewatchers Fun
Updated
[Hyouka Cultural Festival arc spoiler]We are seeing the gradual build up of the Straw Millionaire development, from the broken fountain pen to the safety pin (on the back of the baskstage pass) then to a water gun. How many first timers are getting that connection and how many would guess where it's going to become plot relevant ;)
[Hyouka Cultural Festival arc major spoiler]The gradual build up of Tani being an annoying self-proclaimed rival of Satoshi, to the later realisation / recognition of himself being a bit like that to Oreki, likewise with the supposed rival didn't even recognise there was a challenge going on, is a big character development moment
[Hyouka Cultural Festival arc major spoiler]Also wonder how many registered/noticed/recognised the subtle dynamic of the "annoying" senpai's glances and gestures were actually meant to setup a "fake" rivalry to pump up attention and hype to get attractions, and wasn't exactly a real argument, hence the position she had was deliberately inflaming (i.e. trolling); plus the president actually deliberately making use of this from the tacit understanding with Kochi.
QoTD
Updated
- This could be quite a substantial intellectual / academic debate here. I'll just be lazy and over-simplify to say that I believe in intrinsic values of writing/stories that the popularity / critical acclaim (not the same thing) and ability to be pass on for generations are separate attributes. A masterpiece is indeed its namesake - a piece made by a master who, by demonstrating one's skill and mastery of the art, shown that by making that piece, one is shown and is proven to be a master. If the attribute happens to be something that can be appreciated by the broader audience, so much better, but that isn't a direct requirement. Directly on topic, a manga review - especially for people newish to the medium and doesn't know or understand as much the mechanics, nuances, and characteristic point of the medium - can be really insightful and instructional for guiding how people can get better appreciation to what is being shown plus the intent and messages behind the work itself. Classic example is that if one doesn't have as much understanding to watch Haruhi S1 broadcast order (or Fate Stay Night the layout of the 3 routes) for the questions and answers the show presented, so much less could be understood and recognised.
- I have 3 spoilered points above, plus the overarching "sell more copies of Hyouka", plus the [Hyouka Cultural Festival arc major spoiler]Juumonji incident, which may be further broken down into the event, why, and the impact on the Kotenbu memebers Further, the "Selling Hyouka" plot line can also be split into "how to get more attention to Kotenbu" by Chitanda.
No new additions again for something I hope I can get to next episode as it's timely:
- the word and meaning of "Kininarimasu" in Japanese (I really need to get on with this one)
- Oreki's protagonist comparison with a few others of "his type"
- the ED visuals
- where would you place Hyouka's dialogue on the scale between "natural conversational" and "told, not shown expositions"
- completed
the use of "puns", or similar sounding words,, in Hyouka. Likely will cover it tomorrow - added the chapter titles
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u/Holofan4life 28d ago
This show is a lot less plot consequential than I was expecting. But also there's enough depth to where you can feel various themes, like Hotaro softening or the bond of the Classic Lit Club strengthening. This show is like the upbeat prep school child to Haruhi’s gothy rebellious phase.
1
u/Holofan4life 28d ago
Thoughts on Satoshi participating in a quiz show to try and spread the word of the Classic Lit Club?
Thoughts on Tani, member of the Go club?
What are your thoughts on Eru gonna ask the Wall Newspaper Club if they can cover the Classic Lit Club?
Thoughts on Hotaro being tempted by Eru tummy, or Erummy if you will?
Thoughts on Kaho?
Thoughts on a thief that puts things back?
Thoughts on the Go stones being stolen?
Thoughts on Kochi?
What are your thoughts on Kochi saying all manga is basically the same?
What are your thoughts on Ibara getting really annoyed by Kochi?
Thoughts on Hotaro being given a water pistol?
What are your thoughts on the Classic Lit Club selling 14 copies of Hyouka?
What are your thoughts on Eru and Ibara agreeing to help Satoshi with the upcoming cooking contest?
What are your thoughts on Ibara not being able to find the manga for manga class?
3
u/bobbyjean_ 28d ago edited 28d ago
The cultural festival continues into its second episode. I think this is the most vivid depiction of one I've seen in anime so far, and there are a lot of them! While the voice acting has generally been more on the subdued side (which I prefer to the overexaggerated voices) they let the announcers' VAs ham it up. And we sadly see the toxic dynamic of the manga club with Mayaka seeing isolated from the rest of them.
Questions:
I think it's mostly intrinsic value that determines a manga's worth. Maybe 10% of it comes down to luck and "survival of the fittest," but I think if something has inherent quality then it can find an audience. Sometimes you might find a gem among axed manga but I think lots of them were not destined to last long for a reason. (I didn't realize mentioning a certain site would trigger the automod so I changed this answer a bit lol)
Hmm, there is the manga club drama, the Lit Club's hunt for publicity/anthology sales, and the mysterious thefts so far. I'm most invested in the manga club and I hope Mayaka can get back at the mean girls by the end of this arc.
1
u/Holofan4life 28d ago
Thoughts on Satoshi participating in a quiz show to try and spread the word of the Classic Lit Club?
Thoughts on Tani, member of the Go club?
What are your thoughts on Eru gonna ask the Wall Newspaper Club if they can cover the Classic Lit Club?
Thoughts on Hotaro being tempted by Eru tummy, or Erummy if you will?
Thoughts on Kaho?
Thoughts on a thief that puts things back?
Thoughts on the Go stones being stolen?
Thoughts on Kochi?
What are your thoughts on Kochi saying all manga is basically the same?
What are your thoughts on Ibara getting really annoyed by Kochi?
Thoughts on Hotaro being given a water pistol?
What are your thoughts on the Classic Lit Club selling 14 copies of Hyouka?
What are your thoughts on Eru and Ibara agreeing to help Satoshi with the upcoming cooking contest?
What are your thoughts on Ibara not being able to find the manga for manga class?
3
u/MishouMai 28d ago
The students at this school sure are eccentric. First there's the punk in the fashion club and then the cowboy at the gardening club. Not to mention Satoshi and some of the other participants of the quiz shows. Props to Satoshi though. He sure knows how to make a pitch.
I forgot Mayaka's sempai/senpai was kind of a bitch. All manga are the same and all long runners are masterpieces? Nah. Mayaka's taking this rather well to be honest.
Not a big fan of the newspaper club dude from episode 2 or 3 coming back either. Yesh he has a point but it feels like he's screwing with the Classic Lit Ckub because he's still upset over getting got by Oreki.
We also have a mystery on our hands now. There's a thief in the loose but who and what is their motive? I think that scene between Chitanda and Oreki is supposed to hint as the Classic Lit Club having been hit but I'm not entirely sure since no card was left. Honestly that conversation between them was confusing in general. Maybe someone else has some insight.
Questions of the Day
- I think reviews are valuable in that they can help sway your opinion if you're on the fence. A well written review, regardless of whether it's accurate or not, can also help you get a feel for a piece of media. I'll give an example. There was a fantasy book I'd already committed to reading called The Priory of the Orange Tree. I checked out the reviews and there was one review blasting the book for being too gay/not having any straight romances (This is untrue by the way.) and for the women in the book being too strong. I was already committed to reading the book and this just made me more excited for it. I ended up enjoying the book in the end. A review doesn't always sway me either way but I like to use them to manage my expectations. I typically don't read anime reviews though. With anime in particular I usually watch whatever looks interesting when I look at the key visuals in Crunchyroll or when they update with new episodes. That and word of mouth is how I choose most anime.
As for masterpieces. I'd say it's somewhere in the middle. Speaking to manga in particular some are masterpieces because the writing or art is just that good from the start. Others I'd argue didn't start as masterpieces but because readers/the magazine gave them a chance they ended up developing into masterpieces over time as the team behind the manga found their craft. Generally with manga I'd argue masterpieces are inherently masterpieces due to the writing and art being overall solid from the start but that's not necessarily always the case.
- So far I think there's maybe four plot lines? You've got selling the anthology as plotline number 1, Satoshi's rivalry with Tani that was introduced this episode as plotline number 2, the thief and their motives as plotline number 3, and Mayaka dealing with the manga club and her sempai/senpai as plotline number 4. Right now trying to sell the anthology is probably what I'd consider the main plotline with the thief being a secondary major plotline. Of the four I'd probably say I'm currently the most invested in Mayaka's story which I can't say was the case the first time I watched this. I suspect Satoshi and Mayaka's storylines will end sooner rather than later though in which case the thief storyline will ultimately end up being the most interesting.
3
u/Holofan4life 28d ago
If I was Ibara, I don't know if I would be able to compose myself hearing this thing I'm passionate about be insulted. I'm already incredibly defensive as is so I'd be like well, why then did you decide to participate?
3
u/Holofan4life 28d ago
We also have a mystery on our hands now. There's a thief in the loose but who and what is their motive? I think that scene between Chitanda and Oreki is supposed to hint as the Classic Lit Club having been hit but I'm not entirely sure since no card was left. Honestly that conversation between them was confusing in general. Maybe someone else has some insight.
Wasn't that scene more about Hotaro looking at the pictures and Eru noticing? Like, I'd be a little bit creeped out knowing someone I know couldn't help himself. It's almost kinda amusing that Eru is the girl who prides herself on being curious and yet she gets flustered over Hotaro's curiosity getting the better of him.
2
u/Holofan4life 28d ago
Hey, guys. Holofan4life here.
Welcome to the 14th(?) anniversary rewatch of Hyouka.
Insert witty motto here.
So, this is rather sudden.
I was originally after prewatching Kanon going to check out Death Note. But between a friend of mine highly recommending this series, multiple people I know participating, and also this getting finished before the Death Note rewatch starts, I figured “Why not give this a go?”
The suddenness of it all kinda reminds me of when I planned the Uma Musume rewatch last year. That was a bit more daunting what with it being over 30 episodes and a whole ass movie. I’m totally doing this purely because people I trust want me to and because I think it would make for a fun discussion.
I guess I’m just a rewatch junkie looking for a fix.
I don’t really have any expectations going in. I know it’s a mystery, and that’s about it. One of the girls I’ve seen time and time again and the show is animated by KyoAni, which coincidentally enough also did 2006 Kanon that I just finished watching. I expect this show to be an 8.5 to 9 out of 10, so perhaps I do have some expectations lol
This is I believe the first rewatch I’ve participated in that I didn’t plan for in real time since I want to say the 2022 Toradora Christmas club rewatch. My life is always in flux so I like to just get ahead. Hopefully this means that my reactions come across as more genuine seeing as how I’ll have no idea what is going.
With that out of the way, let’s begin.
I’m watching the dub, by the way.
Does Sam Altman dream of an AI version of androids dreaming of electric sheep?
Ooh, quiz time
Satoshi is all excited :D
I can't take him seriously in this planet costume lol
Wait, the quiz is being broadcasted over the intercom? That seems a bit intrusive.
Hey, Satoshi is advancing to the next round.
Tani, member of the Go Club
I am a passionate member of The Go Gos Club, myself
I guess this is a form of getting the word out on the Classic Lit Club.
Hotaro with a ton of unsolved Hyouka copies.
If you want to find out the origin of the cultural festivals name, you'd have to buy the anthology.
Hey, that's a good hook
I like Satoshi spinning lol
Eru has returned
I've never seen someone who engaged in so much fun stuff look so unenthused.
Now Eru is gonna ask the Wall Newspaper Club if they can cover the Classic Lit Club.
Hotaro seems distracted by potential Eru tummy
Erummy, if you will
Hey, it's that guy
Aww, the layout is already... well, laid out.
The guy says if Eru can come up with a story that will capture people's interest, he'll personally ask for it to be run.
Is Jun Sekitani's scapegoat nature not enough?
Kaho? Who's that?
Also, she cute
The fortune telling Club
She hands Eru something
Jumonji
Like the Dwayne Johnson movie?
A thief that puts things back
Hos unusually considerate
Kaho wants her wheel of fortune card back.
Thanks for wasting our time, Kaho!
Back with Satoshi
Down to the final four
Does Satoshi not realize being thr only one dressed up like this makes him look like a tool?
This all feels like something that would actually happen at school.
Even Satoshi is annoyed by how drawn out this is.
Some of the Go stones stolen by the room.
Wait, is it over?
Satoshi says he's doing the cooking club tomorrow.
Tani takes this as a challenge
Hotaro, hard at work?
He's certainly hard at work, alright
Hotaro selling another Hyouka copy, this time to... a Vietnam soldier?
Oh, gardening club. Right.
He gives Hotaro a glock 17
You know, like you do
Don't worry, it has water
I'm surprised they allow fake guns at school. Especially ones that look that realistic.
Back with the manga club
They are experiencing low sales
Kochi is being sassy
Manga reviews was Ibara's idea, I take it.
"All manga is basically the same."
I've never heard such bullshit before.
Kochi is kinda being annoying
Ibara now getting all defensive about manga.
Masterpieces are a matter of personal experience.
Ibara bringing up A Corpse by Evening being sold last year.
This gets Kochi to shut up
I think Kochi may have had a hand in it and got jaded due to low sales.
Ibara is going to bring A Corpse by Evening with her to the manga club tomorrow.
Oh shit. People are now here.
The Classic Lit Club all together
They sold 14 copies
Not bad for the first day
Eru is curious about something
But she drops talking about about it.
Satoshi surprised hearing about three person teams.
Meanwhile, Ibara won't talk about how the mangs club went.
Satoshi asking Eru and Ibara to enter the cooking contest with him.
Asking Eru and Ibara? Why, because they're women? How sexist can you be? /s
Eru is in if it will help with publicity.
Bell ringing
Eru seeing an envelope
She knows Hotaro looked
Hotaro and Eru both are all flustered.
Hey, penguin Eru gives the soul sustenance.
Ibara at home
She's looking for the manga she was going to bring with her.
There it is? Maybe?
She seems transformed
She still can't find out
But she won't give up just yet
Her room seems really cluttered
Overall, this was a continuation of the last episode. It was more comedic and had a heavier emphasis on Satoshi and Ibara, which I feel was a nice chance of pace. The most interesting part to me was the manga discussion and hearing Ibara get so passionate about it. It shows how much she takes her interests seriously.
This episode really pumped up the cooking competition so I guess that will be the focus next episode.
This was fine for what it was. Wasn't a bad episode, but also wasn't one you would necessarily point to as being blow away. I really do enjoy seeing the main characters all be featured in ways we haven't seen previously. Honestly, it's like Hotaro has taken a backseat, which isn't the worst idea in the world to give some of the other characters more shine.
2
u/Second_Cour 28d ago
yeah exactly like ur comment on dontoff's post, it's interesting how we are coming to very different appraisals. the elements that you have been very consistent on liking most, aren't that strong in this show (and the converse is true for me), so i respect your judgement of it. if anything it made me realise why our takes on FruBa are so wide apart
2
u/Holofan4life 28d ago
I'm very big on character writing and seeing the characters react to the situations they find themselves in. I think a big reason for that is that I grew up loving shows like Seinfeld and The Simpsons which are big on character consistency and the humor coming from various character quirks.
2
u/Second_Cour 28d ago
I watched the black mirror parody of the Simpsons the other day, probably my first Simpsons ep in something like 24 years haha.
1
u/Holofan4life 28d ago
I need to maybe get back into watching The Simpsons. I've heard it's gotten better. I still watch like the first 10 seasons from time to time.
2
u/Malipit 28d ago
Rewatcher, french fansubs
Second time attracting customers with a heated argument about how people percieves mangas as a medium
The first day of the Kanya Festival comes to a close. There is still an awful lot anthologies to sell. Chitanda realized Oreki has seen her in a cute penguin outfit plus some others. Fukube have to deal with a rival he didn't want while assembling a team in a rush for the cooking conquest tomorrow. Ibara can't take back the words she spat at her pesky sempai. And Oreki is now a (water) gun owner. Everything is going well for the classic literature club.
Although we got a small hint about a potential future mystery with the card theft, I liked how the episodes focused on the two club members that usually follow the main couple duo.
Fukube got some contradictions in him. Wanting to be seen with his fancy Galaxy Suit but hiding his feelings behind sunglasses. And searching fun events to do while quietly complaining about the Quizz Host antics. The very thing that turn this event into a fun moment to follow. Besides, him having a hard time to recall his self-proclaimed rival from the Go club (and forgetting the cooking contest is team based) shows that the Human Database may take time to restitute informations he supposedly memorized. So, that extravaguant suit and joyful behavior could be a mean to deflect others to see the true Fukuvbe hiding behind.
Meanwhile, Ibara failed at repressing her true self from resurfacing with her sempai and her nasty quips. That scene at the manga club booth is an excellent Show, don't tell moment. Giving the audience the visual clues and small thoughts from Ibara needed to understand what's wrong. With a bashful club president that doesn't have what it takes to keep two strong headed members in check. Leading them to torn the club apart without someone in the middle to bring some stability..Even their cosplay have a signification, with Ibara chosing an obscure character from a niche title to prove a manga fading into obscurity doesn't means it became bad. While Nakoruru sempai and her gang chose popular characters from well-known series that aren't even mangas. As if to tell that the audience doesn't care about the medium as long as they enjoy representation from their favorite characters.
At least we could saw how Ibara has mastered the art of plastering a fake smile on her face to hide her personal issues from other. Now let's hope she find where she stored the manga she promised to show to Nakoruru sempai.
Questions of the day
Do you think reviews of manga (or any fictional media) has any value? Do you think "masterpieces" are so because of their intrinsic value or is it the result of "survival of the fittest"? If you want to use the lazy way out and say somewhere inbetween, please at least say which way your answer is biased towards
Reviews can have value to pick your next reading. But you have to keep in mind the reviewer may have been biased regarding their own beliefs and tastes.
As for what makes a manga a ''masterpiece'', I do believe popularity and hype have nothing to do with it. For me it all comes down to the author talents. Hence why we have words such as hidden gem and overatted to express how a masterpiece could have gone unoticed or a mid title being branded as the next big thing due to several factors such as marketing, anime adaptation or just dumb luck. And it's get more complex in the manga medium since a title with enough popularity can be forced to continue past the point where the author planned to end. Or being unceremoniously axed mid-way if there is not enough readers. Giving stories that could have been good but got either a dragged out or rushed conclusions.
How many plot threads have you counted so far is in this part of the story? Which one do you look forward the most?
But I want to see the cooking contest.
2
u/Holofan4life 28d ago
I don't blame Ibara for getting mad at what the girl said. She was being so objectively false.
2
u/Holofan4life 28d ago
Thoughts on Satoshi participating in a quiz show to try and spread the word of the Classic Lit Club?
Thoughts on Tani, member of the Go club?
What are your thoughts on Eru gonna ask the Wall Newspaper Club if they can cover the Classic Lit Club?
Thoughts on Hotaro being tempted by Eru tummy, or Erummy if you will?
Thoughts on Kaho?
Thoughts on a thief that puts things back?
Thoughts on the Go stones being stolen?
Thoughts on Kochi?
What are your thoughts on Kochi saying all manga is basically the same?
What are your thoughts on Ibara getting really annoyed by Kochi?
Thoughts on Hotaro being given a water pistol?
What are your thoughts on the Classic Lit Club selling 14 copies of Hyouka?
What are your thoughts on Eru and Ibara agreeing to help Satoshi with the upcoming cooking contest?
What are your thoughts on Ibara not being able to find the manga for manga class?
2
u/Malipit 28d ago
Thoughts on Satoshi participating in a quiz show to try and spread the word of the Classic Lit Club?
At least he didn't forget the initial plan
Thoughts on Tani, member of the Go club?
Why don't he challlenge Satoshi to a game of go ?
What are your thoughts on Eru gonna ask the Wall Newspaper Club if they can cover the Classic Lit Club?
She may have forgot how their last encounter went
Thoughts on Hotaro being tempted by Eru tummy, or Erummy if you will?
Why be tempted by a tummy where there is the clearly superior penguin outfit righ there ?
Thoughts on Kaho?
She looks like a female Oreki, being hidden in her little tent
Thoughts on a thief that puts things back?
At least they're polite
Thoughts on the Go stones being stolen?
Are we sure they weren't just misplaced ?
Thoughts on Kochi?
What are your thoughts on Kochi saying all manga is basically the same?
What are your thoughts on Ibara getting really annoyed by Kochi?
Go get her girl !
Thoughts on Hotaro being given a water pistol?
He started an item exchange quest just like in Zelda
What are your thoughts on the Classic Lit Club selling 14 copies of Hyouka?
186 to go
What are your thoughts on Eru and Ibara agreeing to help Satoshi with the upcoming cooking contest?
We have a dream team material here
What are your thoughts on Ibara not being able to find the manga for manga class?
Was it stolen as well ?
2
u/Holofan4life 28d ago
Thoughts on Satoshi participating in a quiz show to try and spread the word of the Classic Lit Club?
At least he didn't forget the initial plan
A man of his word
Thoughts on Tani, member of the Go club?
Why don't he challlenge Satoshi to a game of go ?
It's a no go?
What are your thoughts on Eru gonna ask the Wall Newspaper Club if they can cover the Classic Lit Club?
She may have forgot how their last encounter went
Probably lol
Thoughts on Hotaro being tempted by Eru tummy, or Erummy if you will?
Why be tempted by a tummy where there is the clearly superior penguin outfit righ there ?
That's a good question
Thoughts on Kaho?
She looks like a female Oreki, being hidden in her little tent
Tis a cute tent
Thoughts on a thief that puts things back?
At least they're polite
Kinda reminds me of The Secret World of Arrietty.
Thoughts on the Go stones being stolen?
Are we sure they weren't just misplaced ?
Mayhaps
Thoughts on Kochi?
What are your thoughts on Kochi saying all manga is basically the same?
I'm feeling extra salty right about now
What are your thoughts on Ibara getting really annoyed by Kochi?
Go get her girl !
Thoughts on Hotaro being given a water pistol?
He started an item exchange quest just like in Zelda
Don't know why he needs a water pistol when the Erummy makes him plenty wetWhat are your thoughts on the Classic Lit Club selling 14 copies of Hyouka?
186 to go
What are your thoughts on Eru and Ibara agreeing to help Satoshi with the upcoming cooking contest?
We have a dream team material here
That we do
What are your thoughts on Ibara not being able to find the manga for manga class?
Was it stolen as well ?
Mayhaps
2
u/Second_Cour 28d ago
Why was that quiz so engaging. I like that they didn’t rush it, allowing us to play at home. Not only do we get a mystery, but also a quiz show.
The visual style felt different for the quiz. I’m not sure if it’s because I’m watching it through my TV, but it felt a lot brighter, more vibrant, more colourful. Just checked and it was partly my TV settings.
Who would have thought Satoshi would become the MVP. Chitanda who I thought was the MVP arriving back on the top floor is poetry. Interesting comparing the effect she has on Houtarou vs., other guys.
Tarots again. This isn’t just a coincidence. And to make matters worse, Juumonji has lost the Wheel of Fortune card from the tarot deck. Oh noes. It’s been replaced with something resembling a name card, with a floral-ish pattern in the corners. They certainly know Kaho’s last name/family. We also have a post-it. The thief is Robin Williams! We also get a club guide book clue, opened to the last page. We do know that The Classics Lit Club is dead last.
We do have a thief - Go Stones have been stolen too, and worst of all a juice box. And the ‘killer’ always leaves a note. This reminds me of a Christie or Holmes mystery that I can’t quite put my finger on. Who stands to gain the most, from taking some of the club’s resources. Perhaps someone working on an exclusive article, or that club that Chitanda visited.
Houtarou is certainly hard at work. I was shocked that he pushed the sale, guess he does care about protecting Mayaka’s mental state.
Then we get the mystery of the broken zipper. Easy mystery to solve. Subs and dub massively differ for broken zipper guy. At least we know that this means it’s not important for the mystery. Houtarou knows his guns.
I quite like the manga reviews idea. I got your back Mayaka. Preach Mayaka - I do have friends that subscribe to the popular = good theory, and that’s actually a pretty fair assessment of how taste is formed for a lot of people (I recently brought up a lot of references in another rewatch proving this point). But because I’m a snob, I do believe that while we all have preferences (so I agree with her rival’s point there), there is a hierarchy of taste.
Mayaka did get baited though - attendance via a showdown between The Priestess (link to the tarot) vs., The Hermaphrodite. Mayaka been done dirty. Pretty good idea to attract attention, though. Go hermaphrodite, go!
“I did hear something that I’m kinda curious about” “of course you did” LMAO.
Separating the characters is such a great tool - when they’re together they’re forced to continue playing their roles, whereas apart we see far more range.
Incredible closing with another 'mystery' of the missing manga, but beyond that seeing Mayaka's room in great detail, made me like her a lot more. She's such a kid at heart: something I didn't realise.
Superb episode - damn I’’m so bought in.
2
u/Nickthenuker https://anilist.co/user/Nickthenuker 25d ago
Questions:
Considering I've been a juror for the awards on this very subreddit for a couple of years now, I don't think I can in good faith say anything other than "yes". As for whether it's survival of the fittest or intrinsic value, yeah my answer really is the cop-out "both" option. Sometimes you stumble across a diamond in the rough, but other times what everyone says is good really is good.
Too many...
1
28d ago
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1
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7
u/Slntreaper https://anilist.co/user/Slntreaper 28d ago
Rewatcher, EN TL
This chapter (Chapter 2-2, "Quiz Trial") and episode both cold open with the Quiz Club's Quiz Trial. ♣ In the novel, there are roughly 200 contestants, which Fukube observes is around 20% of the Kamiyama High School student body. He ponders that with this large number, the Classics Club "could have sold the anthology in no time". Additionally, in the novel we learn that an advertisement for the Quiz Trial was broadcasted over the PA system and that Quiz Club members are not allowed to participate. A similar advertisement was put up by the Day 1 Noon edition of the Wall Newspaper Club. After the opening, the novel rejoins the anime and continues apace throughout the rest of the first quiz scene.
♦ We get a brief intermission of the quiz club with Ibara's perspective at the Manga Club. During this intermission, Ibara muses that she knows what a "real doujinshi festival" (editor's note: Doujinshi just refers to self-published works of all kinds) is like and that this school cultural festival is a bit of a bust. She also hints at her discovery of Ashes at Dusk by remembering that last year, she "discovered that treasure" at a similarly empty Manga Club exhibition while she was in junior high. She also reasons that it's likely that "darui" comes from the English word "dull" because "saboru" comes from "sabotage".
♣ And back to the Quiz Trial! Fukube realises that the word "darui" is likely not a foreign loan word because it can be written in kanji (怠い). After being selected as one of the four finalists, Fukube has his quick sidebar with Tani, although seeing how he's not wearing a ridiculous outfit in the novel, the anime's bit about Tani marveling at the planet on his head is original. Fukube also reevaluates Tani, who he previously thought was uninteresting, thanks to his high skill as one of the four finalists. Once on stage, Fukube is picked last in the novel (unlike in the anime, where he is picked third) and does his spiel about the Classics Club (without planets or spinning). ♠ And just like in the anime, Oreki interjects with the same pun (great in quantity) about the anthology.
[185 COPIES REMAINING]
♣ At the end of Fukube's advertisement, he briefly wonders whether he overdid his pitch, before the audience erupts with applause. ♥ Chitanda is the next character we jump to, with her praying for Fukube's success in his sales pitch while she eats lunch. She thinks about how she should pitch the anthology, comparing it to the rice that her family sells; like rice, the anthology is not a hot commodity. She does think, however, of Hyouka (the anthology) as a finished product (unlike rice, which is typically cooked). Therefore, she resolves to advertise it at the Wall Newspaper Club's next special edition. It is important to note that at no point in this scene does link up with Oreki to discuss her idea. While on the way to the Wall Newspaper Club, she hears about the Magic Club's performance and Class 2-F's movie, though she manages to avoid those distractions. Her conversation with Tougaito happens in the novel as it does in the anime.
Upon being rejected for an advertisement in the Wall Newspaper Club's next special edition, Chitanda meets Juumonji Kaho, which novel readers learn is the daughter of the head priest of Arekusu Shrine, a large shrine in Kamiyama City. Juumonji is described as "quite an attractive person, with her silky hair and small glasses." We also learn during Chitanda's conversation with Juumonji that her club, the Fortune Telling Association, is rather unpopular compared to the Charms Association. Juumonji offers to do a crystal ball, bamboo stick, card, coffee grounds, or tarot card divination for Chitanda. Unlike in the anime, Juumonji discovers in real time her missing Wheel of Fortune card. Afterwards, the conversation in the novel continues as it did in the anime.
♣ We resume our perspective of the Quiz Trial, with Fukube tied at 6 points along with Tani and another girl. Fukube recalls that the quiz thus far has had show business, sports, social matters, and trendy stuff, along with local topics and high school education related questions. He laments that the math questions were particularly challenging for him. Important to note here--we don't see Fukube fail to answer the question on the formula for the surface area of a sphere. We instead jump to the last question, which Shimizu (the girl at six points) answers correctly as "Kugayama Muneyoshi" (editor's note: My EN subs have it as Kagayama Moriyoshi, but after listening to it, I'm fairly sure that the novel's version is correct). After their loss, Fukube and Tani resume their conversation from earlier, with both the novel and anime roughly following each other.
♦ With Chapter 2-3, "Yet Another Storm", novel readers find themselves back in the Manga Club. In the novel, Ibara's argument is already underway, and we gain her perspective in media res. (In the anime, Oreki has a conversation with an upperclassman whose fly is down thanks to a broken zipper before we hit this point.) Ibara's argument with Kouchi happens in the novel as it does in the anime, although in the novel she does not get up and physically move towards Kouchi. ♥ The only other difference is that the poster in the front refers to the "Battle of the Maidens" as between the Jiangshi and the Hermaphrodite (as in the novel, Kouchi is dressed as a Jiangshi). We also learn that Chitanda wanted to drop by the Manga Club to visit Ibara.
♠ At the end of the first day, the novel's beats are roughly the same as the anime. There are two differences that I noticed, though. First, Oreki packs up the extra copies into boxes hidden from view. Additionally, as the novel version lacked the photoshoot earlier in the day, there is no awkward moment between Oreki and Chitanda.
[177 COPIES REMAINING]
♦ The final scene of the anime adapts Chapter 3 ("The 'Juumonji' Incident"), subchapter 1 ("The Morning Landscape"). We learn from Ibara that the title of Ashes at Dusk comes from a famous Buddhist priest (Rennyo), who once remarked, "We may have radiant faces in the morning, but by evening we may turn into white ashes." Ashes at Dusk was a 30-page manga containing three short stories which all emphasize the transience of life along a classically dim Showa-style backdrop. The stories also focus on the platonic love of high school girls [Hibike! Euphonium spoilers] presumably not this kind of platonic, although who can know (ok I just wanted an excuse to post Hibike! Euphonium). We also learn that Ashes at Dusk's art style is sensitive and resembles a kabuki theatre, which I'm not sure the anime really captures. Ibara recalls that she found Body Talk, the other manga that she finds in her room, at an unrelated doujinshi event.
Today's production note concerns the seiyuu of Juumonji Kaho. Her angelic voice should be instantly recognisable, but if you didn't catch it, Juumonji's seiyuu is the double threat Hayami Saori. You may remember her from roles such as Yor in "Spy x Family", Yukinoshita Yukino in "Oregairu", or (more recently) Yachiyo in "Chou Kaguya-hime!" I think that Hayamin is a bit underutilized here, as she has not only an angelic voice but also a wonderful singing voice (see this example from "Chou-Kaguya-hime!") and a surprisingly strong command of English.
Do you think reviews of manga (or any fictional media) has any value? Do you think “masterpieces” are so because of their intrinsic value or is it the result of “survival of the fittest”? If you want to use the lazy way out and say somewhere inbetween, please at least say which way your answer is biased towards. I enjoy reviewing and revisiting reviews of manga and other fictional media primarily to help me understand why I enjoyed a certain piece of media so much. Right now, there’s a bit of a running joke on my primary Discord server—we keep rewatching “Chou Kaguya-hime” and “Kamiina Botan, Yoeru Sugata wa Yuri no Hana”. But I really do think that there’s an interesting conversation to be had on why we enjoyed it so much that I personally rewatched the former six times, including once in theatres in Japan. Beyond that, I do think that “masterpieces” are what they are because of their intrinsic value. Although Shoujo Shuumatsu Ryokou is well-known in certain circles, it will never be as popular as, say, Twilight. But I think the values that tkmiz explores in his works are fascinating and constantly force me to reevaluate my raison d’être. I also find this scene quite amusing, as Ibara’s seiyuu, Kayano Ai, voices a critically acclaimed author in another work I just finished rewatching called “Saekano”. Her character in that show also believes that there are masterpieces that stand out, although there’s more to that belief than meets the eye.
How many plot threads have you counted so far is in this part of the story? Which one do you look forward the most? By my count, there are six. This includes the overarching anthology sale plot, Manga Club plot, Quiz/Competition publicity plot, stolen goods plot, Straw Millionaire plot, and Fukube's competition against Tani. I guess you could also include Chitanda's Bizarre Adventures, but that's only really explored in the anime. As for a favorite? I can't say, as [Hyouka Kanya Fest arc spoilers] they merge together, so it would be hard to pick out just one.