Hyouka’s fifth episode opens with one more of the series’ most iconic sequences (directed and storyboarded by Yoshiji Kigami, in what would be his single largest contribution to the series – though he’s done plenty of other excellent work). Oreki and Satoshi head back from Chitanda’s in the rain, with Satoshi once again needling Oreki about his inconsistent actions. “You had your chance to escape,” he says, this time moving beyond “you’ve made a mistake relative to your persona” to “you really are interested in Chitanda, aren’t you?” And as the rain begins to stop, Oreki turns back to Satoshi, and for once doesn’t disagree.
Category Archives: Episode Writeup
The Perfect Insider – Episode 11
And so The Perfect Insider comes to an end. This episode was pretty much of a piece with the last one – more meaningless pseudo-philosophy from our resident pseudo-geniuses, more glum reflections on how this entire show has essentially been yanking my chain. There were definitely nice moments here, though – the whole thing looked perfectly nice (I’m still totally cool with this show’s subdued color palette), and the long conversation between Moe and Souhei was actually pretty great. But basically every Magata moment was a chore, and there were a lot of Magata moments. Congratulations, Perfect Insider. You really had me going there.
You can check out my full review over at ANN, or my notes below.
Hyouka – Episode 4
Episode four opens with another idyllic after-school scene. Classes are out, kids are leaving the gate, and Chitanda and Oreki are walking home in that classic sepia light.
It’s not a particularly climactic moment, but it’s reflective of something I find kinda generally interesting about Hyouka – in comparison to most shows, it feels like Hyouka uses shot transitions almost as “paragraph breaks.” A sequence of shots sets a scene, and then a couple jump transitions move into a conversation. Two characters reach some agreement in a conversation, and then the shots reset for their next engagement.
Beautiful Bones – Episode 11
Just let this show end. Let it end. Let it die. Set me free.
Here are some pictures of Hector. Hector is good. This show is bad.
Hyouka – Episode 3
Hyouka’s third episode opens with one of the most iconic scenes of the whole series, an intimate back-and-forth between Oreki and Chitanda that consumes the entire first half of the episode. Storyboarded and directed by Taichi Ishidate (who’d later get his first full series as director for Beyond the Boundary), it’s a stunning sequence, one that goes far above and beyond the original material through acuity of character acting and direction. The overt text of the scene is “Chitanda finally feels comfortable enough with Oreki to make a request of him regarding her missing uncle” – but the execution is a constant negotiation of comfort and misunderstanding and growing mutual engagement. It’s…
Eh, to hell with it. Let’s start at the top.
Owarimonogatari – Episode 11
And Shinobu Mail pulls out its first perfect episode. Well, I guess “perfect” is never really the right word for Monogatari. But seriously, this episode was incredible. The conversation between Kanbaru and Shinobu that consumed the second half was one of the best exchanges in the series so far, simultaneously acting as a great showpiece for both of their personalities and a strong reflection of the themes both in this arc specifically and the show overall. Monogatari is looking as strong as ever moving into the final stretch of Owari.
You can check out my full review over at ANN or my notes below!
Hyouka – Episode 2
The light mysteries and other assorted treasures continue in Hyouka’s second episode. A month has passed since Oreki joined the classics club, and we feel the passage of that time. This episode opens with a sequence of lazy establishing shots, all of which emphasize the lovely but very specific color palette of Hyouka. Like Chuunibyou’s purple sunset colors, Amagi Brilliant Park’s bright pastels, and Euphonium’s deeper browns and greens, Hyouka has a very specific visual personality – auburn and yellow gold, the browning light of the late afternoon.
The Perfect Insider – Episode 10
Good lord was this episode ever silly. Perfect Insider’s mystery has always been silly, but this episode just completely leaned into its “reveals” as if it was expecting them to come off as either compelling or profound, and noooope. Like Souhei and Magata’s philosophy, it’s just total nonsense. I guess I got taken in on the long con by this show, but I don’t really mind – there were plenty of strong elements throughout (even this episode was very pretty), and I’d rather be optimistic about shows than not. Sometimes a show knows its characters are ridiculous, and sometimes it’s just as ridiculous as they are.
You can check out my full review over at ANN, or my notes below!
Hyouka – Episode 1
It’s interesting returning to a show like Hyouka after all this time away from it. Particularly given the unique circumstances of this return, and how different I am as a consumer now than I was then. Back when I first watched Hyouka, it was the second anime I’d ever watched as it was airing, with the first being Toradora several years before. I was just getting back into anime then, over the spring and summer of 2012 – playing through Katawa Shoujo that winter had prompted a renewed interest in anime-style media, and so I’d been catching up on shows like Madoka and Mawaru Penguindrum. Hyouka was less aggressive than those shows – in fact, its incredibly low-key execution first led to me dropping it only halfway through the first episode, before being convinced to continue by a friend with much better taste. And I watched through it, and I enjoyed it, and it became one of my favorite shows; but even then, I likely didn’t get out of the show what I’m guessing I’ll get now. Hyouka embodies KyoAni’s mastery of tiny moments – it is the studio, and anime itself by extension, at their best.
Beautiful Bones – Episode 10
Welp, this was definitely another episode of Beautiful Bones. I’m guessing I’m talking to myself at this point, because I can’t imagine anyone else has stuck with this show through ten tedious episodes. Not really sure what I can talk about even in that case, though. I went to a Get Up Kids concert on Tuesday – that was pretty great. I’d expected more of a balanced setlist covering their whole career, but I can’t really complain about them heavily favoring Four Minute Mile and Something to Write Home About, considering those are their big second wave emo hits. A good time overall.
Welp, looks like I’ve written enough words that people will assume are about Beautiful Bones. You can check out my full review over at ANN, or my notes below!