7.026 minSeason 1 • Episode 22
LatestHotaro is enlisted by Eru to appear in a Dolls' Festival parade that her local shrine holds every year. When construction work unexpectedly causes a last-minute detour, it leaves the participants wondering what went awry.
Oreki Houtarou is a minimalistic high school boy. One day, he joins the Classic Literature Club at his elder sister's request. There he meets Chitanda Eru, Fukube Satoshi, and Ibara Mayaka. Chitanda is a calm beautiful girl but she turns into an embodiment of curiosity once she says, "I'm curious." Fukube is a smiling boy with a fantastic memory who calls himself a database. Ibara is a short girl and is strict with others and herself. They begin to investigate a case that occurred 45 years ago. Hints of the mystery are buried in an old collection of works of the former members of Classics Club. The collection is titled "Hyouka."
Direction
KyoAni's visual storytelling turns mundane moments electric.
Cinematography
Every frame is a painting. The sakura scene broke me.
Writing
Mysteries so small they feel enormous. Dialogue cuts deep.
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
The Sekitani Jun mystery mirrors real Japanese student protests of the 1960s, recontextualized through club folklore.
Director Yasuhiro Takemoto's meticulous 'mise-en-scène' approach meant weeks were spent storyboarding single conversations.
JP
