Hyouka - General Discussion

[Westlo]

Originally Posted by Archon_Wing

Haven't seen any lately in this thread, but if you're referring to me, then let's just say I speak much less kindly of series I actually hate. You could contrast what I wrote about episode 1 for example. I watched episode 2 with the expectation that I'd like it more, and well... surprise!

I was kidding, I thought it would've been obvious enough considering the last 3 pages before you post was nothing but praise.. but alas it looks like you need to put j/k after even jokes you think are obvious considering your response as well as a few others.

Originally Posted by Shadow5YA

KamiMemo didn't catch on in general.

Also, the difference between choucho and Nagi is supercell. Considering how popular supercell is, just working with them boosts Nagi's popularity far more than just her singing talent itself.

Well it also helps that the first Nagi and Supercell collab was attached to the best selling tv anime series since Evangelion.... anyway I don't think either of the two will ever reach those heights again... they tried enough while still working together and they haven't gone anywhere near it since going their own ways.

[Arabesque]

Originally Posted by TinyRedLeaf

This thread, like that for Tasogare Otome X Amnesia, is so full of references to source material that it's impossible for an anime-only viewer like me to avoid stepping on landmines. I've been avoiding both threads as far as possible, for the sake of my own enjoyment.

I have been following this thread closely so far, and I haven't seen spoilers. Unless you are talking about the observations or speculation we all had been posting about, or references to other source material, but aside from that I think that this thread had been spoiler free so far. (In fact, I think the first novel had only been fan translated recently, so I don't think there had been many in the first place who had read it around here).

Originally Posted by Westlo

Well it also helps that the first Nagi and Supercell collab was attached to the best selling tv anime series since Evangelion.... anyway I don't think either of the two will ever reach those heights again... they tried enough while still working together and they haven't gone anywhere near it since going their own ways.

Well, you never know. No one actually though Bake- would end up being the monster hit it was, so they might get lucky again?

[0utf0xZer0]

@NCP:
Great post, you did a much better job sketching out Houtaro's internal conflict than I could have done. Which is great, because I honestly think that internal conflict is going to be as much if not more of an important part of the story as the mystery introduced in episode three is. And it's certainly more important than the "mysteries of the week" are.

Though the one thing I would add is I don't think he's just hampered by his motto. I think a fair bit of his laziness is by nature, which means it's going to be rather hard for him to kick the habit. You kind of hit on this when you said it was engrained in his psyche but since your post was long I just wanted to remphasize it a bit.

[rulfo]

A very interesting post NCP.

I've had this somewhat unclear notion at the end of ep 1 and can't seem to grasp it until now. That post really helps to make sense.

This helps solidify why I liked the introduction that was done here rather than in the novel. Props to Gatoh for adding that in.

[Dawnstorm]

Originally Posted by 0utf0xZer0

I think a fair bit of his laziness is by nature, which means it's going to be rather hard for him to kick the habit.

It's probably not so much a habit, as it is a basic part of his personality. He's very perceptive, and also very intelligent (in a networking kind of way). For example, from NCP's post:

Houtaro becomes overwhelmed with the amount of latent energy emanating from all the board’s fliers. So much so, in fact, that he imagines himself being drowned in a sea of kanji for the word “rose”.

Most people look at the board and filter out all the things that aren't interesting. Houtaro seems not to do this. Instead he takes it all in and has to process it all. That leads him to having no clear interest, and it also means that merely looking at clutter is exhausting, in a way that others don't understand.

Here's my hypothesis: he needs to keep to his motto, because reducing the world to a set of currently relevant relation nodes is already hard work. He simply expends more energy perceiving the world in the first place than we do. (This is similar to some form of autism, but he's not there quite yet.)

Finally, I predict that his relationship to his older sister is going to be very important. Most likely, Houtaro's motivation and Eru's mystery are going to converge on a thematic level - possibly even on a plot level.

***

I do think the show is clever, but something about it feels... too polished. Too clean. I don't know how to put it. I can't quite get into it. I wish it had aired last season. There's just too much competition this spring. Maybe I should put it on hold and come back later? (I'm pretty sure I'm going to follow the show as it is, but I'm wondering if I'd restrain myself, would I enjoy it more?)

[Kismet-chan]

Images

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[winhlp32]

The left-most column: Original novel designs
Right-most column: Futoshi Nishiya (Kyoani)
Everything else: manga adaptation designs.



----

[Hyper]

Originally Posted by Triple_R

1. Though he'd be loath to admit it, Oreki really would like to be "happily active" like a lot of his peers. However, he's sincerely not interested in much of what his peers are interested in - For example, he probably has little interest in sports. So lacking anything that interests him, he adopts his energy conservation approach to life. In fairness to him, it makes some sense - If there's nothing that you're passionate about, why exert any more effort than the bare minimum required in any given situation?

So what Eru has brought into Oreki's life is something that he can gradually become passionate about. She herself was likely intriguingly different to Oreki, and now some of the mysteries surrounding her and the Classics Club has gained Oreki's interest.


2. Oreki really was perfectly content to lead a minimalist existence his whole life, but he has a strong moral core that has been stirred by Eru, particularly her situation with her Uncle. This caused him to put aside his minimalist approach to follow his conscience. It helps that he probably finds Eru attractive.

Great point (you too NCP!). I actually don't like to compare the two since I actually don't find them similar, but your point 1 make me remember Kyon's comment on why Haruhi turned out the way she is earlier in the story; she probably has too much energy but don't know how to release it. The story of Kotenbu series may be about Houtaro discover what he consider worth using his energy on?

[0utf0xZer0]

Originally Posted by Dawnstorm

Most people look at the board and filter out all the things that aren't interesting. Houtaro seems not to do this. Instead he takes it all in and has to process it all. That leads him to having no clear interest, and it also means that merely looking at clutter is exhausting, in a way that others don't understand.

Here's my hypothesis: he needs to keep to his motto, because reducing the world to a set of currently relevant relation nodes is already hard work. He simply expends more energy perceiving the world in the first place than we do. (This is similar to some form of autism, but he's not there quite yet.)

Interesting. I'd have to rewatch to see if I agree with this interpretation, but I can definitely relate to this mindset. Because I have this problem to an extent. Trying to pick a career path was excruciating to me because there were so many things that interested me and none that stood out. And frequently when I sit down to write something, be it a forum post or a paper for school, it becomes overwhelming because there's so much I want to say it's hard to make something coherent of it all.

[Sylphic]

Originally Posted by Westlo

I was kidding, I thought it would've been obvious enough considering the last 3 pages before you post was nothing but praise.. but alas it looks like you need to put j/k after even jokes you think are obvious considering your response as well as a few others.



Well it also helps that the first Nagi and Supercell collab was attached to the best selling tv anime series since Evangelion.... anyway I don't think either of the two will ever reach those heights again... they tried enough while still working together and they haven't gone anywhere near it since going their own ways.

Eh? Supercell is still going places without Nagi. For all the crying about GC and BRS the singles still ranked 5th and 7th on Oricon. Which is just about where they were before. My Dearest in particular was a huge hit. Was all over the radio for at least a month.

Nagi is alright. Her song in anonatsu did ok too, but nothing special.

[Arabesque]

Originally Posted by Dawnstorm

Here's my hypothesis: he needs to keep to his motto, because reducing the world to a set of currently relevant relation nodes is already hard work. He simply expends more energy perceiving the world in the first place than we do. (This is similar to some form of autism, but he's not there quite yet.)

I actually thought that his ''laziness'' and the non-efficient way he's been ''conserving energy'' by spending more energy on it had more to do with him being a teenager than anything (he is still not at that point in life where he starts to think about where and what he wants to do with his life more intensively) but now that you mention it, I think you might be right. I don't know if it's the intended impression we are meant to take, but it would explain why Houtaro has such an active imagination and views the world much differently than others.

If what you said is correct, then the reason Houtaro needs to conserve energy is because his brain is constantly spending it on noticing his surroundings and imagining events and situations. This would explain his active other world scenes as well as his keen observations (noticing the sensors in Episode 3). So there would be a direct connection between his two defining character traits (Lazy facade due to over thinking = Creative puzzle solving process)

I think I might have this show's writing more credit if this is true. Looks like it's not just the good animation it has going for it.

[Jaden]

I'm somewhat interested, but the story could really use a few murders.

[Arabesque]

Well, episode 3 had a kid try and kill his liver, so does that count?

(I don't really think this show should really focus on the ''mystery aspect'' too much to be honest)

[DragoonKain3]

Originally Posted by winhlp32

Kyoani why you unfaithful to the original character designs?! You betrayed me!!

Ibara was supposed to be fat? lol

[Merry]

Originally Posted by winhlp32

The left-most column: Original novel designs
Right-most column: Futoshi Nishiya (Kyoani)
Everything else: manga adaptation designs.



Kyoani why you unfaithful to the original character designs?! You betrayed me!!

The Kyoani versions look like major improvements if you ask me.

[zeniselv]

Originally Posted by winhlp32

The left-most column: Original novel designs
Right-most column: Futoshi Nishiya (Kyoani)
Everything else: manga adaptation designs.



Kyoani why you unfaithful to the original character designs?! You betrayed me!!

my only conplain is that the protagonist seems to give a different aura, i mean it doesnt have that dirty junkie look in its counterparts.

[Korps!]

Originally Posted by winhlp32

So Kyoani took the 2011 versions of Oreki and Satoshi and swap them while keeping their original hair color... and another mystery occured.

[winhlp32]

The only thing Kyoani kept from the original illustration was Satoshi's bag.

[Archon_Wing]

Originally Posted by Westlo

I was kidding, I thought it would've been obvious enough considering the last 3 pages before you post was nothing but praise.. but alas it looks like you need to put j/k after even jokes you think are obvious considering your response as well as a few others.

You must be joking if you expect people to read entire threads.

But yes, sarcasm on the internet can be hard to get through and even the most innocuous of jokes can get you shitted on if you're not careful.

[Sylphic]

The Sneaker brand (left most column) invested heavily into Hyouka and it's follow up a fool's end roll.

They sold extremely poorly and the brand was shut down by Kadokawa shortly afterwards. Looking back at that cover art, I can't say I don't understand why now lol.

On a separate side note, it turns out that one of my coworkers is the author's father's friend. Hyouka town isn't such a big place. Maybe I can meet the author one day.

Anyone want to tell him anything other than "your novel develops slowly, I am zzzz"?