AnimeSuki Forum - View Single Post - Hyouka

Qilin · 2012-09-16, 21:37

This episode really captures some of the things that I love best about Japanese culture.

The subtlety of the execution of the growing romance is particularly noteworthy. The development is often expressed through nothing more than minor visual cues, along with some beautiful scenery. Using nature as a medium for storytelling is nothing new in Japanese animation, but this episode really exemplifies it with the cherry blossoms and countryside landscape. Still, I imagine that none of this would have happened if the construction of the bridge was somehow delayed. Not to mention that the scenery just wouldn't look as stunning. That's something to think about, wouldn't anyone agree?

And of course, this episode outright confirms the similarities between Houtarou and Satoshi, which goes to show that they face surprisingly similar dilemmas even if they live in entirely different worlds.

Come to think of it, a few of these recent episodes has Houtarou slowly being introduced into Eru's personal world. From now on, I believe that the only way he can penetrate that foreign world is by abandoning his "energy-conservation" lifestyle. The history of the two villages really serves as a fitting analogy for the precarious state of their relationship.

Now, this is the last episode of this wonderful series, and I feel sad that I have to part with it. But I still believe that this open ending holds a kind of unspoken beauty in itself. I'm definitely open for more, but I'm not dissatisfied with this ending by itself.

2012-09-16, 21:37	Link #31
Qilin Romanticist Join Date: Aug 2009 Age: 33	This episode really captures some of the things that I love best about Japanese culture. The subtlety of the execution of the growing romance is particularly noteworthy. The development is often expressed through nothing more than minor visual cues, along with some beautiful scenery. Using nature as a medium for storytelling is nothing new in Japanese animation, but this episode really exemplifies it with the cherry blossoms and countryside landscape. Still, I imagine that none of this would have happened if the construction of the bridge was somehow delayed. Not to mention that the scenery just wouldn't look as stunning. That's something to think about, wouldn't anyone agree? And of course, this episode outright confirms the similarities between Houtarou and Satoshi, which goes to show that they face surprisingly similar dilemmas even if they live in entirely different worlds. Come to think of it, a few of these recent episodes has Houtarou slowly being introduced into Eru's personal world. From now on, I believe that the only way he can penetrate that foreign world is by abandoning his "energy-conservation" lifestyle. The history of the two villages really serves as a fitting analogy for the precarious state of their relationship. Now, this is the last episode of this wonderful series, and I feel sad that I have to part with it. But I still believe that this open ending holds a kind of unspoken beauty in itself. I'm definitely open for more, but I'm not dissatisfied with this ending by itself. __________________ "There’s an up higher than up, but at the very top, down is all there is." Last edited by Qilin; 2012-09-16 at 22:23.