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threeking · 5 months

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... ⠀⠀יִיִ⠀𝃣 ⠀⠀ writeblr intro ⠀⠀ 💌 ⠀⠀ ── ⠀⠀ ;

hello ! my name is third king january but feel free to call me third or january ( or any other nickname you'd like ) ! i'm a twenty two year old black lesbian pursuing a graphic design major with a minor in art history and creative writing—considering media studies—who uses they/them pronouns !

ദ്ദി ˉ͈̀꒳ˉ͈́ )✧ :⠀ 🍓. i think this may be my third or fourth time trying out a writeblr, but the other attempts didn't go well since i was busy and didn't put a lot of effort into interacting with my mutuals </3. this time around, i really want to be a part of the community and be more supportive of everyone's writing! my goal for this account is to share my wips, any writing, and keep motivated to do more than just stare at a blank document for hours </3.

i'm a big reader and i plan to share some of my recently reads on this blog. please feel free to send me book recs if you think it's something i might like or if you just wanna ramble about something you read that you really liked! my favorite genres are horror, magical realism, fairy tales and fantasy. i love beautiful prose that's almost poetic and ambiguous writing that has you questioning everything until the grand reveal.

my favorite books are: bunny by mona awad, deathless by catherine m. valente, and how to win the time war by amal el-mohtar and max gladstone. the last two books helped me understand the kind of writing style i want to strive for as did poetry !! i don't have a whole lot of fav poems, but worm king's lullaby by richard siken is one that's always spinning in my head.

alongside reading i like manga, webtoons, videogames, and anime. my all time favorite anime is hyouka followed by angel beats and clannad. my favorite webtoon is omniscient reader's viewpoint and i can't recommend it enough. it's soosososo good! ( i started with the webtoon before switching to the novel bc i was too impatient to wait for the updates ) my favorite games are the halo series and oxenfree.

other interests of mine include music, drawing, art, watching youtube videos, journaling, horror movies, and sleeping 😴. i have a few graphic novels / webcomics in my wips so i'm learning how to draw to make them a reality! i also have a video game that's tied to another wip so i'm getting into coding as well !

please never be shy / afraid to tag me in ask games, send me an ask, or even a message! i also have a discord ( username: thirdking ) if you'd like to add me and message me there. also never think or feel like you're bothering me or anything if you wanna say hi or ramble about your interests. i'm always looking to make new friends !! 😁

i ask that minors don't interact or follow !! thank you !!

i have a handful of wips that's been running laps in my head for some time now but these are the ones ( excluding shorter stories ) that aren't multimedia projects or animation ideas, but i may talk about those anyways 😋 since most of these are still in the outlining stage they're subject to change but i'll make sure to update anything to reflect those changes !

📝 𖹭 ⠀ֵ⠀ wip one ; spring ( technically untitled but springs gna be in the final title )

the story follows two ex band mates reconnecting in their adult years after they parted ways when their front man signed a major record deal.

📝 𖹭 ⠀ֵ⠀ wip two ; sisyphus

sisyphus stars three siblings at the center of a conspiracy 1!1!1 the oldest sibling, an astronaut, goes missing during a privately funded space mission embarking to a new planet found in the solar system. i wouldn't call this a greek retelling, but it does a feature a lot of nods to classic greek myths!

📝 𖹭 ⠀ֵ⠀ wip three ; atwe

atwe follows the mother of a teen superhero getting revenge after her kid is killed by an unknown villain. though it's my own special take on superheroes featuring my personal criticisms on teen heroes, it's also a study on family—in particular—distant family relations and saying i love you a little too late.

📝 𖹭 ⠀ֵ⠀ wip four ; march marchen ( title will definitely change )

march marchen is my sort of alice in wonderland / fairy tale retelling that follows an unnamed girl in what might be wonderland trying to figure out who she is and who she isn't. ft parallel worlds, escapism, the fear of childhood, and the fear of adulthood.

📝 𖹭 ⠀ֵ⠀ wip five ; neapolitan ( title will definitely change )

neapolitan is a magical girl webcomic / graphic novel. the story follows a trio of girls becoming the successors of a long line of ice cream inspired magical girls. ft a bright fun palette, gore, and cannibalism! though it's a webcomic, i intend to give it a novelization from the perspective of a different set of magical girls.

if you'd like to be added to a taglist please send me an ask! it'll be easier for me to keep track ! thank you for reading <3

#ITS FINALLY DONE!!#sorry the text is so small i closed ps before i could re edit it </3 #black writblr #writeblr introduction #writeblr intro #writeblr community #queer writers #writeblr #writblr #writers on tumblr #writers and poets #poetblr #poets on tumblr #poetsandwriters

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cnnmonbimee · 5 months

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20 questions for fic writers

Tagged by @milkteamoon thanks for the tag milk <33

1. How many works do you have on Ao3? 28! Which isn't that much but I never thought I would write that much to begin with :D!

2. What’s your total Ao3 word count? 115,038 I wish to write more this year since I was in a slump last year 😤

3. What fandoms do you write for? Most of my fics are JSHK, but I've written a Hyouka fic for a zine and an (unexpectedly) x reader fic for The Ssum. I have two original works there too though!

4. What are your top five fics by kudos?

..Everything? (地縛少年花子くん | Jibaku Shounen Hanako-kun | Toilet-bound Hanako-kun (Manga)) (1,695 words) kudos: 113

Two Lips, with hues of cherry and honey. (地縛少年花子くん | Jibaku Shounen Hanako-kun | Toilet-bound Hanako-kun (Manga)) (4,936 words) kudos: 102

Reason For Another Tomorrow (地縛少年花子くん | Jibaku Shounen Hanako-kun | Toilet-bound Hanako-kun (Manga)) (14,236 words) kudos: 89

Just Like Us (地縛少年花子くん | Jibaku Shounen Hanako-kun | Toilet-bound Hanako-kun (Manga)) (3,797 words) kudos: 79

Bright as helios, Beautiful as anthos, a True Helianthus (地縛少年花子くん | Jibaku Shounen Hanako-kun | Toilet-bound Hanako-kun (Manga)) (10,055 words) kudos: 67

Honestly speaking, '...Everything' isn't my favourite and isn't my best either, so I have no idea why it's there 😂 The others are probably because they're long enough to be there, but I do like seeing Tulips, Just Like Us, and the Bridge fic being there.

5. Do you respond to comments? I usually do! and I, myself love to leave comments! Most of my inbox are filled with replies to the comments that I wrote instead! I like interacting with both my readers and other writers :>

6. What is the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending? The only thing that came to mind is Tulips. The first chapter ended hopeful and the second was sad xd Though, I wouldn't really say it's angsty! It's more to bittersweet I think. I have another lesser-known fic that has, not really angsty, but the ending was a little messed-up xD

7. What’s the fic you wrote with the happiest ending? Most of my fics have happy endings since I usually write fluff.... I think...

8. Do you get hate on fics? Never yet! I was a bit scared when I posted tsunene fics and even moderated the comments xD but no one ever left anything mean there!

9. Do you write smut? If so, what kind? Very very mildddddd in my opinion. And I rarely write smut because I'm shy (pfftt) The only ones I have was for tsunene and they were only making out;; another one is something that I just posted yesterday as a ficlet. If I ever want to seriously write one day though, maybe something sweet like vanilla. I'm a simple person u_u . And I like it when it involves feelings <3

10. Do you write crossovers? I never thought of writing crossovers :0 they aren't really my thing. But I do think they're fun for crack though!

11. Have you ever had a fic stolen? No, i think?

12. Have you ever had a fic translated? Nopee I don't think my fics are widely known to have them translated Xd but who knows, maybe one day!

13. Have you ever co-written a fic before? Noooooo someone co-write with me someday :);;;;

14. What’s your all time favorite ship? Hananene, of course!!! You won't really get any other answer from me u-u I do wish to be more diverse in the future though! And I did entertain in the idea of writing threesome like hananenetsuka or hananenekou but never actually did it ;;;

15. What’s a WIP you want to finish but doubt you ever will? Everything in my never-ending wip list u_u Some of them are big fics that I'm itching to write but never have the time.

16. What are your writing strengths? I'm good at writing feelings, I think? I haven't done any self-evaluation lately. Oh but I really love metaphors!

17. What are your writing weaknesses? I usually have a hard time to make my writing more descriptive. Sometimes they feel too bland u_u and since English isn't my first language, some of the dialogues don't sound natural and casual like I wanted it to be.

18. Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language in fic? I never thought of this before and don't know if the fics I'll ever write have the settings for this xd

19. First fandom you wrote for? JSHK is what really got me into fanfiction. Before that I always have this impression that fanfics are usually /reader only, which I'm not really fond of (Should have discovered more!!) I started as an avid jshk fics reader, and never thought of writing my own to be honest! Love the fact that I tried <3 it's why I'm here.

20. Favorite fic you’ve written? Wahhh I think my most recent favourite is A beautiful heart like yours (is mine to hold), which is a fic I wrote for Tsunene Week 2023. I think it's my most well-written piece :') it's the only one that I don't get icky feelings when rereading it. Others are 'The Reason for Another Tomorrow', also known as codename: Bridge fic, and the first ever fic I've written for the fandom, If I Were The Moon, Would You Be My Sun?, which isn't my best writing but has a really special place in my heart <3

Thanks for the tag Milk <3 I'm just tagging whoever I have in mind so don't feel obligated to do it! This is just for fun <3 @voidjelli @insipidenvy @miss-sternennacht @thatsrightdollface @doughnutboii @krispyt @wingsonghalo @etheralisi @kawff33 @kinkymoonaf

#hime menulis #ao3 #my fics have very long titles it's a toxic trait #hananene #tag game

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platinum-disco-elysium · 5 months

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which characters from other fiction do you think it would interest you the most to see different Monogatari Series characters meet?

that's a hell of a question. i can't say ive thought much about crossovers in... any context, but i can try to answer.

my first thought is Ginko from mushishi, because i consider that and the monogatari series to be similar works in a few ways -- if you gave me some time and had asked, i could probably come up with the argument that they're set in the same universe, albeit with a hundred or so years of time between them. i would be particularly interested in seeing Ginko in conversation with monogatari's specialists. i think his very scientific perspective wrt the nature of mushi/oddities would clash against Oshino's spirituality and Kaiki's skepticism specifically in interesting ways. with how much earlier mushishi is set, the differences in both technology and philosophy between their respective works could lead to some cool stuff -- i can imagine Ginko becoming very frustrated at how it had been decided that oddities are best kept somewhat secret from the general public. not to mention that writing such a crossover would require reconciling monogatari's very surreal, subjective presentation style with mushishi's realistic objectivity, and that alone could be fascinating.

it would also be neat to see Araragi interact with other characters of that type, namely Oreki Houtarou from hyouka, Hikigaya Hachiman from my teen romantic comedy snafu, Tohno Shiki from tsukihime, and the unnamed protagonist of the tatami galaxy, but i'll admit that this is much more for comedic banter reasons than the previous. them all being variations on the same archetype could lead to some interesting friction though.

hmm, what else. i would also have Hanekawa and Hatori Chise from the ancient magus' bride meet because they have similar backgrounds/trauma but deal with them in irreconcilably different ways. same goes with Senjougahara and Ayanami Rei from neon genesis evangelion. i can't really say what they'd do together, but it might be interesting.

i'd also plop Araragi into the world of land of the lustrous just to see what the hell even would happen. admittedly this doesn't involve specific characters, but like, dude, what if ?

#monogatari series

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lotomber · 7 months

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◦•●◉✿✿◉●•◦ About me ♥

۵ Amber! , 19, INFP, Asian, Sagittarius, She/Her/They , Dazai's Kinnie, Chuuya's simp!

An animanga enthusiast!

Sometimes I can be really socially awkward due to my sheepish personality but I really like to talk with new people so I really appreciate if you interact with me! and I really want to work on my low confidence.⍢

✵ Likes!

Sleeping, dancing, swimming, animanga, k-drama, horror movies, music, travelling, reading, writing, chocolates, dressing up, cats(I've a literal obsession with them!), cute stationaries, stuff toys, nature, roadtrips, moon, late night walks!

✵ Dislikes!

loud and crowded places, bugs, judgy people, bright lights, summer, waking up early!

✵ ANIMANGA: Bsd, jjk, gintama, fairy tail, aot, toilet bound hanako kun, mha, ouran high school, bocchi the rock, tokyo revengers, kimi ni todoke, spy x family, black clover, maid sama, cardcaptor sakura, tsubasa reservoir chronicles, fruit basket, kamisama kiss, cote, tensura, mashle, hyouka, oshi no ko, kaguya sama, apothecary diaries, violet evergarden, another, 86, kny, link click, re zero + many more

✵ Webtoon/Manhwa: Olgami , Serena, Unholy blood, killer peter, lookism, hero killer, muse on fame, mystic prince, your throne, men of the harem, fox club, i love yoo, couple breaker, sisters at war, go away romeo, to the stars i love, the blind prince, crown princess scandal, windbreaker, tyrants wants to be good, death is the only ending for villainess + many more

P.S- I'm always open to talk about animanga/webtoons!

#about myself #amber-talks

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tharizdun-03 · 2 years

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Hyouka Watchthrough

Episode 1: The Esteemed Classics Club has been Restored

Pleasantly surprised by how good the direction is. The show looks great in general too, even for KyoAni (even for KyoAni 10 years ago).

Narratively, this was solid. Mystery-solving is an interesting quirk. Not sure how that'll hold up over 22 eps but I get the feeling this will be more about them wasting time anyway with the mysteries as frosting on the whole thing, so probably not a problem.

Characterization is strong. You immediately get a feel of what they're all like. Horeki, is a typical trope, you know the loner, but I mean, it's not like it can't be done right, so we'll see. Satoshi with his database thing, Chitanda being curious. There's potential.

Opening is cool.

The only real weird thing is the ED, where they're dressed in erotic baby clothes??? Odd choice, but it does look good.

Episode 2: Activities of the Esteemed Classics Club

She is cute.

She is cute as well.

Love how her arm extends beyond what should be possible to grab Oreki. Lots of good visual comedy in this show, as expected.

Good direction in this episode as well. I was particularly fond of the restaurant metaphor, and intrigued that they lingered on the shot of the librarian walking past the camera even when it wasn't necessary to do so (later on ofc it also makes sense why they lingered on the librarian and her nametag, with the succeeding mystery in mind, so clever foreshadowing).

This episode's mystery wasn't really interesting, but not quite boring either. This show is obviously more interested in just spending time with the characters as they waste time, and luckily, there's nobody better at that than KyoAni.

Episode 3: Inheritors of the Classics Club and Its Circumstances

EP 3 was an improvement on the first two. The direction is even more playful, and the mystery was the most interesting one yet.

First, I thought, "oh, he's probably hiding porn". But then they deduced he wanted to ventilate out a smell, and my mind was still set on the porn route, so the natural next step was the smell of semen? But he had to open windows AND use a fan? How much did he masturbate? Like, good god dude, control yourself a little bit.

But, enough about how my mind processes things lol. The show isn't doing much yet, but I'm just liking the mood. But, if not each mystery is strong, it could walk on that line of being almost boring, but I think we're slowly working up to something more significant here.

Episode 4: Past Days of the Classics Club and Its Glory

Hyouka continues to improve with EP 4. It's very much a mood piece, this show. I'm feeling it's less so (as of now) based around the character interactions like some of KyoAni's other SoL's, and more about the atmosphere the mysteries and discussions around them create.

That's not to say there isn't substance and charm to the character interactions, but it's not as solely focused on that as many of KyoAni's shows, this is more atmosphere oriented in another manner. if I'm making sense? I think we'll get more character meaty later too.

And again, Ibara is just so cute, I love her design. Also, lovely jeans overalls? I've always liked when girls wore those. They’re cute as shit.

Also, Oreki getting lost when he only had one direction, walk straight lol.

I'd be remiss, of course, to not mention the presentation here. Again, it's just stunning. KyoAni puts their heart and soul into every little detail.

Episode 5: The Truth of the Classics Club and Its Past

Really good episode.

Now that we've practically completed the first arc in the series, I can't say any particular element in the story blows me away, so if there's a bad mystery the entire narrative will suffer for it, but I do think it's just doing a really solid job at everything so far.

So, yeah. I think it just comes down to KyoAni's exceptional execution again, but I certainly hope the mysteries keep being worthwhile, and that the characters keep deepening as well.

Episode 6: To Commit a Deadly Sin

EP 6 really took the idea of the show just being about kids wasting time with mysteries to the next level. It's a more low-key episode, but it's still amusing like the rest. Always pleasant to spend time with the characters. KyoAni is kinda good at this stuff, after all.

And, to be honest, dissecting random topics and thoughts (usually instigated by me) to death is practically all I do with my friends, so I totally see myself in them. It's oddly comforting, I suppose.

Episode 7: Seeing the True Identity

Loved Hyouka's 7th episode! The most engaging mystery so far (it's easy to lure me in with the challenge to explain the most seemingly unexplainable things, the supernatural being the epitome there), and it's the most in-depth look we've gotten into Oreki's head too.

I can't say all the mysteries in the show are super engaging, or that the characters are anything special, but it's all very pleasant, and it's like I said before. Hyouka is more a mood-oriented show, it's selling the feeling of the entire package, and it's succeeding at that.

That said, I do still think we got some nice Hotarou stuff, how his cynical perspective of "all ghosts are just withered flowers" was challenged in the end either way. And some shipping! We get that as well, which is always appreciated.

No shame on Houtarou, as this has happened to me, twice actually, but the fact that he actually passed out from just being so horny his body couldn't physically handle him staying conscious throughout it lol. A pitfall of his energy-conserving lifestyle perhaps.

Blessings.

Episode 8: Let's Go to the Screening!

EP 8 seems to be the beginning of a second major story arc, huh.

The opening texting scene was interesting. It was framed as "suspicious". I suspect that the author of the script is actually in on this (cause even if she's sick, why couldn't she just tell them the answer?). Also, that you can tell it's Chitanda through the texts lol.

Very well done KyoAni, when it came to making their short film as amateurish as possible, with all the flat framing, bad acting, and camera movement that barely captures the stuff it's supposed to lol.

I'm finding myself consistently enamored by Satoshi. He mentioned earlier in the episode that even with his being a database, he isn't talented enough to do anything special with it, and the fact that he seems to envy Oreki (giving him the Strength tarot).

I am very much enjoying this show. Again, it's so easy to see me and my friend group in these kids, so I often just get pulled into that headspace when watching it now.

Episode 9: Murder Case in the Deserted Furuoka

EP 9 was interesting enough (tho not much happened) with the whole rejecting each proposed theory, cause they either break against mystery rules or just aren't narratively satisfying, but why don't they just ask the author? She's sick, not dead.

Now, yes, obviously that's the actual mystery, hence the episode title being, “Why Didn’t She Ask Eba?”, but why haven't our characters realized this yet? They don't seem to care too much about all this anyway tbh.

We have a little fun gag with Chitanda getting drunk on whiskey chocolates, which I was concerned about since it's school, and they're underage, which did get out of hand, but it just heightens Chitanda's cuteness.

Speaking of Chitanda, Houtarou here doesn't really act until Chitanda isn't sastified, cause she's his audience. It's not about finding bulletproof logic, usually mysteries aren't like that anyway, it's about satisfying the reader.

I thought this was an interesting moment, cause it seems like Chitanda should be really into mystery stories, so why isn't she? She's not much about deducing stuff herself, but I mean, the detective character usually does that. Maybe I'm missing something?

Another interesting moment was finding out Satoshi likes mystery novels (another hint that he's jealous of Houtarou's deductive capabilities?).

And Mayaka getting offended on his behalf is very cute.

Episode 10: What No One Noticed

Another good episode. Having a solution where the cameraman is the killer is very creative (tho not compatible with traditional mystery rules). Satoshi continues to be really interesting, there's subtext in everything he says. Ofc, one twist is left in store for the arc.

Episode 11: End Credits of the Fool

That concludes Hyouka's movie mystery arc. It was a bit long, and a bit overdramatic by the end, but I think it all served a larger theme in the end, and that was more so the point. We got some Houtarou good stuff, along with a well-constructed mystery, so good overall.

Episode 11.5 (OVA): What Should Be Had

This was fun. It's just pleasant spending time with the characters. I was wondering if they could involve a mystery somehow, and they did (tho even I figured this one out quick). And a pool episode with attractive characters is always nice.

Episode 12: Practically Piled to the Ceiling

Great episode! Finally, the culture festival is here, and it's difficult to think of it as having been better done than here. It's just an excuse for KyoAni to show off (the breakdancing and NO CG CROWDS), and truly have the characters just "waste time."

As interesting as the mysteries can be, this is more my jam, when it comes to Hyouka at least. And there's just so much happening here, and we focus more on the characters other than Oreki this time, and their interactions with all the events, it's lovely.

The breakdancing was great, I loved Satoshi's Saturn costume and how he immediately wrecked it, and Chitanda continuously getting distracted is literally me lol. This is a really effective way to make me more emotionally invested and make the characters more loveable.

Also, GODDAMN IT, Mayaka is cute.

Loved the visuals for the new opening, showing metaphorically how Chitanda causes Oreki to step away from the observer role and actively engage with the life around him.

The new ED is super cute too.

Episode 13: A Corpse by Evening

Hyouka's Culture Festival arc continues to be a joy. Love how the characters are all over the place so we get to see all these new sides to them, and allows KyoAni to pop off by bringing all these events to life with insane detail. This type of SoL vibes with me more.

The two presenters during the quiz show (my favourite scene in this episode) brought their A-game to this. Comedy gold.

And Mayaka debating media experiences. Gooo drag her slay queen!

Mayaka was already plenty likable, but I think exploring her passion like this, especially as I share this passion of hers, makes her even more loveable.

As mentioned tho, while I like the mysteries in this show, this is working a bit better for me in terms of investment and is a smart move since I'm expecting the climax of the show to give us some emotional payoffs that'll hit harder with this set-up.

Episode 14: Wildfire

I'm convinced. This is the best culture festival I've seen in anime.

oh my god is that a reference to the hit visual novel 'The House in Fata Morgana'????

She is so cute i almost can't stand it.

Chitanda striking that Mugi pose (on that note, crazy that Chitanda and Ritsu share the same voice actor).

This arc is leaps and beyond what's come before in this show. I'm really loving it. Yes, we still got a mystery, but it's more of a fun one in the backdrop, and that's how I like it. Also, shout out to the OST in this episode. And, ofc, Oreki being adorable. He does care.

I was also particularly impressed by a bunch of the directorial tricks in this episode, so I looked it up, and what do you know, it's Naoko Yamada's episode, because of course.

Episode 15: The Juumonji Incident

And with EP 15, Hyouka's Kanya Festival arc goes for a more serious turn. I do find so far that the series is doing less for me the more it focuses on its mysteries, but by all means, this was a well-executed episode nonetheless.

We still get some character stuff, of course. Hyouka never leaves that out. We really see here now how Satoshi isn't actually satisfied with only being a database, and wants to solve the mystery for once.

In the meantime, Mayaka's dynamics with the manga club is establishing her as a bit more of an independent character herself. Oreki is mostly in the background in this arc (altho he does find out that he can order products from the festival online, happy for my boy) and Chitanda does her best to help the Classic Lit club in her own special little way.

This arc is more and more seeming to be about Satoshi and Mayaka finding their place in the world.

Episode 16: The Last Target

And Hyouka's Kanya Festival arc keeps it up with EP 16, delivering on the best slice of life, mystery-setting, and character development the series has seen so far.

While Oreki (whose PoV we still always return to) and Chitanda (who might not offer much complexity but is always busy with something) are still around, they've really taken a backseat for Mayaka and Satoshi to shine.

With Mayaka we see a more vulnerable side to her as she deals with the bullying in her club, and with Satoshi, we see him try to grab the spotlight and actually solve a mystery but still fail at it. He's a sweet guy, but there is anger there, and I fear it might burst.

Also, literally Umineko.

Episode 16: Kudryavka's Order

And EP 17 marks the end of Hyouka's Kanya Festival arc. What a very elegant arc. The series high point, if you ask me. Impressive just how much was accomplished here, and how every layer of the narrative and characters ties back to the central theme; the curse of expectations.

Episode 18: Are the Mountains Sunny?

EP 18 is back to formula, and ngl, the Kanya Festival arc raised the bar so high that I kinda want a bit more plot again. Quirky, fun little one-off eps like this are pleasant enough, but oh well.

The most interesting thing about this episode is Houtarou. The character development in this show really is slow and subtle and you almost don't notice it, but it's there.

Houtaro has likely always been curious but just rarely acts on it, which is why he's used Chitanda and his sister as an excuse to force him to act, for example, but he's doing it himself now. He's growing. Slowly, but steady.

Episode 19: Anyone Who Knows

EP 19 was probably the best standalone episode so far. I'd still want some more meat for these final set of episodes, but can't lie and say I wouldn't respect the hell out of it if it's just lowkey stuff like this the entire way through. This was super fun.

I was honestly amazed by just how much information they deduced from a 5-second announcement alone. Hyouka is definitely unique, no other show could do this, or would even attempt to.

It's funny how the series has returned to the structure the first half had, but now with a different Oreki who's grown. Also worth noting, once Oreki starts, he ends up really trying anyway cause he hates being wrong.

But, he also just enjoys spending time with Chitanda so much that what they're doing specifically isn't important enough to remember. And on that note, boy was there some sexual tension here.

Overall just an extremely well-structured episode with plenty of good character moments (Oreki asking Chitanda about the funeral, and being willing to go with her to Jun's grave) and filled with all types of visual shots to keep things engaging on that level. Great stuff.

Episode 20: Sappy New Year

Not always a lot to talk about when it comes to Hyouka, but EP 20 was another pleasant one. I'm gonna miss this show. I really hope we follow up on Satoshi and Mayaka's character arcs from the Kanya Festival tho, cause so far, it just kinda feels like they've been reset. (also look at Oreki’s coat fucking badass)

The mystery in this episode was probably the worst one, yeah, but believable enough that it didn't hinder my enjoyment or anything. And spending time with these characters is always nice enough to just overshadow some of that.

Episode 21: The Chocolate Files

FANTASTIC EPISODE! Hyouka is one of those shows where the character development is there, but it's so subtle that it takes its time before it gets up to the surface, but it's always present in their actions if paid attention. Satoshi is the prime example of this.

Did I not say at the beginning that Satoshi seems like the most interesting character, that there was stuff beneath the surface? Did I not praise the introspection we got from him (and Mayaka) during the Kanya Festival arc? Did I not ask for a conclusion to that arc yesterday?

Yes, I fucking did, and this show answered my prayers. And I am so thankful that the payoffs we got here wasn’t grand emotional outburts, but quiet mundane wexecution wise. I also watched Toradora this year so haha.

But, really, what we have here, in its most stripped essence, is Satoshi's fear of commitment. But, done in a really unique manner. Satoshi is afraid of commitment because he overcommits.

Satoshi explains how he eventually gave up being perfect (represented wonderfully by the uneven snowball) and is now instead just obsessed with not being obsessed, which is of course, still an obsession.

Yes, Satoshi. It might give you some temporary happiness, but you haven't gotten rid of the root problem, which still affects your relationships negatively.

We know from the Kanya Festival arc that Satoshi still cares if he loses. He certainly tries to let that go, but it still hurts. He hasn't truly grown up, he's just sweeping things under the rug (which Mayaka to an extent already knows, cause she just knows him that well).

The possibility of obsessing over Sayaka to the degree that it can bring back his old tendencies is a legitimate fear of Satoshi that has been present in his characterization from day one.

And, you know, obviously, he can't toy with Mayaka's feelings like this, but maybe, for now, he shouldn't be with Mayaka. Until he's grown up enough, maybe he shouldn't invest in another person like that, but just enjoy their presence platonically.

But, that does not give him an excuse to hurt other people's feelings. And, while we didn't hear what his conversation with Mayaka would be about (and I suspect we won't follow up on this in the next episode cause the implication is enough),it's pretty safe to guess that he's made the first step towards emotional accountability; confesses to Mayaka about all his insecurities and stops treating her so selfishly.

He still has some growing up to do, but he'll get there, and Mayaka is obviously a girl of patience.

Episode 22: Doll in the Distance

Hyouka's finale was a fantastic and very satisfying end to the series. Beautifully encapsulated just how much these characters have grown, and how they'll continue to grow. Spring has only just begun.

I feel a bit empty after that tbh. That's proof a series has left its mark on me. There's a lot to talk about, all my thoughts are jumbled up in my head, but let's try.

I loved the soft-focus image they used when Oreki is captivated by Chitanda.

And I also love the spinning slow pan around him and Chitanda as they were walking together after the festival.

We also checked in quickly with Mayaka and Satoshi, and we got the impression that they were doing alright. Satoshi is finally being honest with her, and they're still friends, but they'll get to that next stage eventually when they're both ready.

And then we come to Oreki and Chitanda. They both practically proposed to each other here lol. Chitanda showed him her future and what she plans to do with her life, basically an open invitation for Oreki to join her and what he'll get by doing so. And he imagines it.

He imagines asking her if it'd be okay to stay by her side and help her. But he's not there quite yet. But even the fact that he imagined it is big growth on his part. He'll get there. They're 16. Ofc the show will end open-ended, their lives are open-ended at that point.

Hyouka is a great show by all means, but it was not always great. Never bad, but uneven. When it was at the top of its game, particularly the Kanya Festival arc and these last two episodes, it was superb stuff. But then the rest varies in quality. Yet it was always fun.

But, and I mentioned this back in EP 1, Hyouka is all about atmosphere, so it's slow-build. It takes its time, and it's only by the end that you really realize everything the show accomplished and how invested you got.

And this slow build applies to the character writing as well, where the character development is so subtle and rarely explicitly commented upon, but you observe it in their behavior instead. Satoshi is still the prime example of this, but they all had fantastic arcs.

But, all in all, great show. It sneaks up on you, but it's a really unique one. And I'm happy it exists.

Overall Thoughts:

Hyouka was great! Sophisticated and intelligent narrative, filled with emotional depth and subtlety in its character writing. It's a bit uneven, but its highs are sublime. The Kanya Festa arc is genius, and the ending is fantastic. What a unique show. I'll miss this one.

#hyouka #anime #watchthrough

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peregr1ne · 2 years

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The Portrayal of Depression in Hyouka: a character analysis of Oreki Houtarou

Wrote this a few months ago on an urge and forgot to post it so here u go now.

Most of this is speculation on my part and leans heavily into MBTI and Enneagram theory because I like it and I think it’s fun. Houtarou is one of few fictional characters I know that shares both my MBTI type and my Enneagram so I might be projecting a little but also I’m right. Also I have not read the light novels so this is only based on the anime.

Sources: dude just trust me

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Hyouka portrays depression in a way that I haven’t actually seen done before, and it’s one that’s hard to describe. A lot of people watching it might not even pick up on it at all if they are unfamiliar with the condition or Houtarou’s personality type. It is a very specific manifestation type of depression, and I will try to explain as best I can here, because the biggest factor in its portrayal is that it is never explicitly stated anywhere in the anime.

Hyouka is a slice-of-life anime about a group of highschoolers solving mundane mysteries together, set at the school and some places in the community. There are some moments of emotional intensity between the friends and in unfortunate mystery solutions, but the tone of the character interactions is usually light and humorous. Nothing “bad” ever really happens in the anime. Despite this, there is an almost inexplicable atmosphere of soft melancholy to the anime that’s difficult to even describe in an accurate way. Despite no particularly sad “event” in the anime, Houtarou is the protagonist, and so we see life through Houtarou’s lens of depression.

Firstly it is important to establish Houtarou’s character type. This will help to reveal his emotions and motivations in the many important scenes in Hyouka where Houtarou’s internal monologue is not shared. Houtarou is an INTJ 5w6. INTJs are a well established and over-represented character type in fiction so I won’t go too far into that, but this means he has a very logical, analytical, and intuitive mind, and does his emotional processing internally. This type is often portrayed as outwardly emotionless, and this is true for Houtarou as well, but it is done in a significantly different way than the usual Robotic archetype (ie Spock). Houtarou seems to not respond (outwardly) emotionally to things not because he defaults to his “logic filter” first like the average fictional INTJ, but simply because he is uninterested in the stimulus.

We are introduced to Houtarou by his “quirk” which is his desire for “energy conservation”. His personal motto is "If I don't have to do it, I won't. If I have to do it, I'll make it quick." He begins his monologue describing a “rose-coloured highschool life,” implying a youthful carefree time to be passionate and excitable, to make friends and date, to experience emotional highs and lows to the fullest before graduation comes around and one is thrust into the monotony and responsibility of adult life. He contrasts himself against the rest of the student body very visually in the anime and positions himself as the “grey.” He prefers to coast through life as much as he can and do the bare minimum to get by. He acknowledges his existence as lazy and apathetic.

But there is a contradiction here. Usually you would think of someone who is “lazy” as someone who is unwilling to work, and this often comes with slacking off to do fun things instead. It is shown that Houtarou always completes his homework, and has relatively good grades. Before he is coerced into joining the Classics Club, Houtarou goes to school, talks with his (one?) friend over lunch, and goes home immediately after, to… do what? When we see him at home, sometimes he is doing homework, sometimes reading a book, but often he is just… laying in his bed, staring at the ceiling. This is not the behaviour of a simple slacker.

The more important personality aspect here is his enneagram, which highlights his desires. From the website:

In summary, Enneagram 5w6 personalities tend to...

Be hard-working and analytical problem-solvers

Withdraw from others when stressed

Prefer to spend time thinking alone

Fear being incapable or incompetent

Make practical and logical decisions

Weaknesses that are typically associated with the Enneagram 5w6 personality include...

Struggling to relate to and understand others

Tendency to be private and defensive

Being perceived as cold or aloof

Difficulty taking action when uninspired

Enneagram 5w6s tend to be motivated and energized by...

Solving or preventing problems

Spending time alone to gather their thoughts

Feeling like they’re contributing to society

Pursuing knowledge in the specific area that sparks their personal interest

Enneagram 5w6s tend to be stressed and drained by...

Spending too much time around others

Needing to be emotionally vulnerable

Feeling unwanted or rejected by others

Self-doubt and insecurity

(Keep the bolded parts in mind, we’ll come back to that later.)

We are introduced to Houtarou as I have mentioned above, or at least, Houtarou introduces himself this way. What we actually see from Houtarou however, is that he is incredibly intelligent and creative, he is a good person and friend, and he has plenty of desires beyond coasting through life that… he chooses to stifle.

On occasion, fantastical things start happening around Houtarou when he is particularly involved with solving a mystery or he is experiencing an intense emotion, which we recognise as a product of his imagination and a visual indicator of how he is thinking and feeling. These moments often end abruptly, as the scene snaps back to mundane reality within a frame, and it almost feels like something has been put back into a box. Houtarou is a wonderfully imaginative and internally vibrant person, and he refuses to allow himself to be carried away by it.

The particular kind of depression that Hyouka portrays in Houtarou is one rarely done because it does not seem to particularly have a true beginning or end. There is not some big trauma event that changed him forever, and though he does experience character development and starts to come out of his emotional shell a bit more by the end, there is no great moment of healing where his trauma is solved and he becomes a ‘happy’ person.

Houtarou is experiencing a depression that he has lived with for a long time, and during formative years of his life, so that he has come to see it as a personality trait rather than something he is struggling with. In fact, most of the time, he doesn’t struggle at all. The state of depression he is experiencing has become so pervasive and familiar to him that it has become a comfort to him. This is where this almost-inexplicable feeling of a ��soft” melancholy comes from that is somewhat similar to nostalgia for people watching that have experience with this themselves. He is sad, but it is a safe sad. A comfortable sad. If people think he just is this way, then no one expects anything more from him.

I had a similar experience regarding my social anxiety. It appeared so early on that I and the people around me were convinced I was just “shy.” I wasn’t able to form connections well and I missed out on a lot of things in my formative years, but I convinced myself it was fine. “Shy” was just a personality trait, and there was nothing wrong with that. There were definitely worse things to be than shy. Shy people probably didn’t get full blown anxiety attacks from even the thought of public speaking, but if no one knew then no one worried. Writing myself off as shy was a simple explanation that allowed people to understand and accept that my level of social comfort was lower than theirs, so I could exist safely there. It was part of who I was. Unchecked, it grew worse and worse, until I was told no, you’re not shy, you have anxiety. The shift from a trait that was innate to who I was as a person, to a condition that I was struggling with was life changing, because now it was something I could work on fixing rather than accepting as a part of myself. It definitely took a lot of work, though.

Houtarou is at a point where he sees his depression as a part of himself, and he has become comfortable in the space he has created for it. It is not shown where this began for him, but it has been at least a few years, since Satoshi has known him since middle school and acts like Houtarou has always been this way. A possible explanation is when it is mentioned how he thinks that “nothing he could ever do would be better than how his sister could do it.”

The thesis of this is that Houtarou has accepted a life of absolute mediocrity as a coping mechanism for his depression, which stems from feelings of inadequacy and unworthiness. He has been hurt and disappointed one too many times before, that he now keeps his expectations as low as possible to try to protect himself. He doesn’t put energy into anything because he is afraid of his passion going to waste. The more he cares about something, the more it will hurt when it doesn’t work out, so it is better to not care in the first place. He believes that the idyllic rose-coloured highschool life isn’t something that could actually happen to him, so he chooses to not strive for it in the first place.

But of course, he is pretending. We see it first in the “confession” scene, where for just a moment, he thinks something might be happening. A cute girl might be confessing to him. The scene around him changes to a much more romantic atmosphere with heart motifs on the decor of the café. Then Chitanda “confesses” that she needs a mystery solution favour from him, and the scene switches immediately back to the mundane. He wants so badly the thing he claims to have no interest in, because it will hurt less when it doesn’t happen if he is able to convince himself of that. Every spark of hope for him gets so immediately refuted that you can see on his face the internal monologue of “Of course. What did I expect to happen?” and he dips back down to his comfortable low.

Probably the most emotional we ever see Houtarou is in his confrontation with Irisu after the truth is revealed about the murder mystery class project. Houtarou was never meant to solve the mystery, he was just being used to write the rest of the script in a way that would satisfy the class. After that, his friends let him know that his ‘solve’ had inconsistencies and was wrong. Houtarou is upset at being incorrect of course, and about being used, but Houtarou has an intensity of emotion in this scene that we had not seen from him before now, and as the conversation progresses, we realise that what is truly made him so upset was not being wrong, or being used, it was that Irisu told him that he was special, and for a moment, he believed her.

Houtarou has an incredible talent that he gets complimented on often, and yet he is adamant that it is simply about luck. He downplays his ability consistently because he finds no worth in it himself. Coming back around to his enneagram, what Houtarou fears is being incompetant and useless, and what would make him happy would be to feel like he was contributing to society in a way that matters, and specifically, he wants to contribute something that would be tangibly helpful in a way that only he could do. He wants meaning and purpose to his existence, and that is the main thing he is lacking. Houtarou is good at school, but he isn’t excellent, in the way that Chitanda is. He doesn’t excel in any sports or clubs. He doesn’t have many friends and accepts that most people just can’t really relate to him. The only thing that Houtarou has is this talent for solving mundane mysteries that… does what? Beyond satisfying Chitanda’s curiosity about any given situation and maybe obtaining some emotional closure, he doesn’t necessarily help anyone or contribute to society in any way he views as meaningful. An exception may have been the murder mystery class project. By figuring out the intent for the ending, he could have actually, tangibly, helped a whole class of people succeed in creating something that was important to them, that they couldn’t have done without his help specifically. In this moment, he could have been special. He could have seen tangible evidence of him being worth something. Until he was wrong, and until Irisu admitted to him that she didn’t mean what she said.

Houtarou asks himself, “What can I do that no one else can? What do I offer to the world, to my friends, to a girl? What makes me special and unique, and my life meaningful?” and he answers, “Nothing.” Everything about him is average, except, perhaps, for his talent of deduction, which doesn’t actually help anyone in any meaningful way, and his sister can probably do better than him anyways. If he is not special, he doesn’t deserve anything special happening to him. He will graduate highschool, and he will become an adult, and get a job. He likely doesn’t even believe he will eventually get married and have a family. He may believe he will just end up dying alone, or maybe he doesn’t even think that far ahead. Why bother hoping when it will just lead to hurt and disappointment. And yet as much as Houtarou tries, he does have desires, he does hope, and he does end up disappointed.

This comes to a head at the bait-and-switch confession scene ending to the anime. His imagined offer is more like a marriage proposal than anything else. This girl seems to at least enjoy his presence, and he definitely likes her. She makes him a better person, and he could be stabilbility for her, make up for what she lacks, he could help her in a real, meaningful way, and she could bring purpose to his life. But he couldn’t ask. That would imply that he truly believed he had something special to offer her, and he hasn’t reached that point yet. The fact that his fantasy got as far as it did though, implies hope. He didn’t follow through, he didn’t have the courage yet, to make himself vulnerable to hurt and disappointment again, but it seems like this is the first time Houtarou may have imagined a real future of happiness for himself, and that’s a huge start. The low sun shining in the scene also visually lends itself to this feeling that there is some light now through the fog of Houtarou’s depression, and that light doesn’t go away when the fantasy ends and Chitanda is standing there in reality, this time just as she was in Houtarou’s mind.

The narrative is kind to Houtarou in a way that depression stories usually aren’t. His friends encourage him and sometimes force him to come out of his shell and participate in things with them, but they only ever just want him around. At no point do his friends berate him for not smiling or not being happy enough. Though there are scenes where everyone is talking and he obviously feels like an outsider, he is never excluded from things because he might bring down the mood. His friends like him and want him around exactly as he is, he is not dragged around because they feel bad for him like a charity case.

Hyouka is the highest rated anime by fans period in Japan, though not so much among western fans (where the top spots are almost exclusively occupied by action shounens). This fact surprised me initially, but upon thinking about it more I could see why it might be. Japan seems to enjoy slice-of-life stories more than western fans in general, and of course the cute girls have something to do with it, but Hyouka definitely has something innate to it that separates it from all the other dime-a-dozen slice-of-life animes with cute girls. I don’t pretend to be an expert in Japanese culture, but with everything I’ve read about the state of mental health in Japan, it is unsurprising why the average Japanese person may relate to Hyouka in a special way.

#hyouka #mine

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fzzr · 1 year

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Hyouka and Why Slow Anime Can Be Great, Too

Hyouka is a 2012 anime about the four members of the Classics (literature) Club hanging out and investigating the mundane mysteries that surround their lives. The mysteries of Hyouka are never as simple as finding out what happened. A mystery is not solved until you find the root cause, the emotional and interpersonal forces that put things in motion in the first place. Sometimes you find once you know the root of the problem, you don't actually have a solution, or indeed the unsolved mystery is preferable to a full airing of the conflict at its heart.

Our protagonist, Houtarou Oreki, wishes only for a life at the lowest energy level possible. He will expend effort, but only for the purpose of removing friction to lower the amount of effort needed in the future. When circumstance puts him in the Classics Club with Eru Chitanda, he finds that her curiosity about the world and its small mysteries pulls him along despite himself.

Hyouka demonstrates several things that many other series should perhaps take to heart.

First, it's slow by design. There are concessions to time pressure in the story itself, but the show never acts like it's running out of time. If it needs an episode to interview every interested party, it takes it. There's no rush to a solution once the evidence is gathered, either. Hyouka wants you to think before proposing solutions. It's possible your first solution is wrong. If you are wrong you need to understand why, not just find the correct answer on the next try.

Second, it's complete by default. Most slice of life series have some over-arching goal that is used as a binding agent for the entire series, like “we’re going to have a great performance” or such. This lets them have a finale that stands out from the energy level of the rest of the series. Hyouka has arcs that feed into each other and wrap up things from earlier, but they’re not the glue of the series. After the setup there’s no need to continue to justify the framing. Everyone just shows up to the club. There’s no dramatic “oh no it’s coming apart” moment, it just gets on with the life slices.

Third, it shows that even the tiniest amount of deviation in energy can be enough. Like its protagonist, Hyouka looks for the places it can make the most impact with minimum energy output. Mysteries have stakes, but they're almost all personal - important to those affected, but not world shattering. Extrinsic forces do not require them to take action. Instead, the club's involvement in a mystery is prompted by Eru with the simple phrase "watashi kininarimasu" - "I'm curious" - and a soft chime.

It's not like the show is running on low battery all the time. Many characters react to circumstances with great energy. The show simply refuses to take the bait. No one runs dramatically down the stairs to make it just in time to save the day. One moment of resolution comes from Houtarou paying attention to something happening outside the window, and interacting with it.

I’d call Hyouka a slow burn, but there’s no burn. It just is what it is. The story is complete when it stops for no other reason than that’s where it stops. It doesn’t demand a resolution. It’s open to more but doesn’t feel like it’s incomplete without it.

There's something I've been stepping around all this time. As described so far, Hyouka ought to be an 8/10, perhaps on the high end. However, there's something that nudges it over the line to a 9. Here it is. Hyouka, when it wants to be, can be absolutely beautiful. As with everything else, it does not expend this kind of energy often. When it does, it is emphasizing something very important. Hyouka isn't a filmed with straightforward style because that's all the animators can do. It's a choice, and using accents like this so sparingly makes them unreasonably effective as the rare exclamation point in Hyouka's otherwise calm and collected prose.

Conclusion

Score: 9/10. Most of my 9s are bombastic, tense, or feature a wide variety of energy levels. Hyouka is the exception, the only exclusively and truly slow show I regard so highly.

Recommendation: This is an anime for everyone. A small amount of knowledge of the Japanese language and cultural background are helpful but by no means required to appreciate the show from beginning to end. The official subtitles give the extra context needed. Feel free to skip the OVA pool episode.

Comparisons

Saekano is not as exclusively slow as Hyouka, but it does keep its pacing under control. The difference is with Saekano, slower than average parts are more to keep you in a particular emotional state than because the story isn't in a rush to get somewhere. It's not stalling for time, it's just written such that escaping from the abyss takes effort, and to really feel that you have to spend a while there.

Final Thoughts

This one is personal. Hyouka is one of a collection of anime series (along with Rascal Does Not Dream and especially Oregairu) that wormed into my head and now won't leave. In many shows, the ending is what sticks with you. In Hyouka, the part I can't shake is the beginning. I feel deeply connected to Houtarou's desire to absolutely minimize the effort and friction in daily life. Seeing him crack out of that mindset ever so slightly through interacting with others sent me on an inward journey. What grooves have I worn in my life that make toxic solitude the easiest path? What would I be if I hadn't had anyone to pull me out of that valley? What would I be if I had refused them? The fact that I feel the slightest pain when I engage with those questions and feel my mind skitter over them is not a comfortable one. I will be returning to Hyouka someday - and perhaps the next time those questions come up, I will have answers.

#hyouka #anime #anime review #funny how a mystery can really make you think #original post

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translationandbetrayals · 1 year

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A review on Hyouka and why it's so great

Hyouka is easily among the best products that the renowned Kyoto Animation anime studio have worked on.

Hyouka is a character driven slice-of-life anime that uses seemingly mundane mysteries as a means to move the plot forward as the characters interact and develop. The anime is an adaptation of the original source novel series, specifically the first 4 volumes of it.

The story follows Houtarou Oreki, a teenager who prefers to be laid back and save his energy, or so he says, and we get to experience his lazy view of things. At the start of the story, he gets a letter from his older sister who wants him to join a certain school club so that it won't be abolished, and once he visits the club he finds out that Eru Chitanda has already joined the club, but despite his obligation to his sister being fulfilled (as the club now has at least 1 member), he finds himself feeling entangled by Chitanda and ends up joining the club anyway.

Throughout the story he is exposed to both good and bad things about having a rose-colored life through the mysteries the main cast interacts with. Seeing his clubmates having fun makes him feel restless, but the negative feelings from having been burned in the past by his desire to have fun and put energy into what he wants to do lead him to hold back, after all it's safer to not get involved too much so he won't hurt. The story arcs bring seemingly mundane mysteries that drive the plot and slowly make him feel like he wants a brighter life.

Among other elements that I think make this anime great, I could list many:

- The rest of the main cast are compelling and interesting. Each of them has a distinctive personality and design, and they also develop as the pronagonist does. The characters are realistic and have a life-like feel to them, as they experience complex feelings like frustration, resignation, envy and longing that fuel their development and improve their depth. The progress in their relationships is gradual but satisfying.

- The art and animation are really well done. I could list many scenes where this stands out, but as an example there's this scene at the start where Oreki is trapped by his clubmate and co-lead Chitanda's hair as if it were vines, to show how he's captivated by her and how he feels that he can't escape or refuse. The use of colors and saturation greatly enhance certain scenes. Visually this anime is satisfying.

- The soundtrack never misses the mark. The soundtrack is always on point, ranging from bright, well known classical music pieces to dark, eerie and intriguing pieces that enhance the sense of suspense.

-The undertones of other genres like psychological or romance are not necessarily too pronounced, but are present to different degrees of subtlety, and they're enjoyable nonetheless.

- The usage of visual cues and symbolism are outstanding. There is a lot of thought put into this adaptation, as there's a clear attention to detail we can see from hints that are shown regarding the mysteries to the body language and demeanor of the characters.

While on the topic of how detailed and well crafted this story is, I'd like to highlight a particular portion of the story, which is the contrast between the first and last episodes of the anime. I find this very telling how much Oreki and Chitanda have grown closer throughout the story.

At the start, Oreki has a monologue about living a dull life, and at this time he sees Chitanda as someone who lives a rose-colored life because she's always bright, energetic and curious. Oreki initially makes little effort to try and help her and doesn't want to do much, but by the end of the story it only takes Chitanda telling him that she needs his help for him to accept her request, even though it goes completely against how we've heard he wants to live life, clear evidence of character development.

Having said this, in the last episode we come to understand it's the other way around than how it was at the start: one could say Oreki has started to want to live a rose-colored life, or has already been living one for a while (thanks to Chitanda in particular), and what's constrasting and polarizing is that we realize (through her own monologue) that Chitanda is the one who's been actually living a dull life, as she is anchored down by her family and its traditions and she feels like her path is set in stone. It's important that we start the story with Oreki's monologue and end with Chitanda's, and we come to realize the development of these characters. This is very well thought-out by the author as it's not only contrasting, but also symmetrical.

Not just that, but in the final scene we see Oreki and Chitanda walking together as Oreki is holding a bycicle, which also contrasts with how in previous episodes it was Chitanda who would be holding a bycicle while Oreki walked beside her. The bicycle is one example of what I previously mentioned: symbolism. It symbolizes freedom and possibilities: at the start it was Oreki who had a grey outlook on life and he saw the bright Chitanda through his own lens, therefore we're shown Chitanda holding the bike, the freedom.

As Chitanda has this monologue (which is already evidence of how close they've become throughout the story), it is her that is tied down while Oreki has the freedom symbolized by the bike he's holding. Moreover, in the scene, Oreki is on the side of the frame that has crops growing while Chitanda is on the side that shows wilted trees and the river. This is a great example of symbolism: the paddy fields represent the possibilities for Oreki's life, the bike is freedom to go places and make choices, while for Chitanda the dead trees represent stillness, boredom and a lack of options, while the river is a metaphor for how her life moves forward in a set direction and only leads to one destination. I find this marvelous, and it's just one example in this series that is handled with passion and care.

Felipe Arenas.

#Anime #essay #submission

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