As apathetic as I was toward Hyouka, I must say that it improved as it went on. What started as a group of bored students with very specific investigative roles developed into a group of equally bored students eventually getting the hots for each other in scenes dripping with fantastic art direction. I grew to like most of the characters for all their faults, our energy-conserving lead most of all. But there’s one thing, or rather one person that remained consistently awful and useless for the majority of the show’s run— Chitanda fucking Eru, and her catchphrase “kininarimasu!”
In the initial rough episodes, whenever you’d think that the show would stop being dull, Chitanda would sense the moment of improvement and chime in with a well-timed “kininarimasu!” thereby leading everyone else down the perpetual spiraling staircase toward the hell of banality. It improved quite a bit later when the focus began to branch out toward the other members of the classics club, who eventually (to well executed comedic effect) learned to intercept the “kininarimasu!” with precision, but the specter of unbridled curiosity hung over the series like a moeblob-shaped balloon with gleaming purple eyes.
And okay, this isn’t so much a single moment as it is many moments. Many horrible, Chitanda-driven moments filled with shiny purple eyes that spurred the otherwise great cast in Hyouka to twist and turn at the whims of an honors student who’s apparently incapable of any sort of lateral thinking. Really, this year gave us the greatest evil in anime to date in the form of this enigmatic manipulator. Love her or hate her, Chitanda and her “kininarimasu!’ will be remembered long after this year has ended, unlike virtually everything else in Hyouka.
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I’M TURNING INTO A TREE!!!!
Hurr hurr
Surely catchphrase of the year is “Panzer Vor!” from the most badass moeblobs in anime?
It’ll be the catchphrase of next year due to several month delay. Scout’s honor.
Satoshi Fukube, Moe Houtaro/Hermit Crab Houtaro is what I will remember of Hyouka.
Satoshi Fukube, because he’s one of the greatest developped character in Anime.
Also, the wonderfull 2nd OP and fun 2nd ED, with Moe Detectives.
Best viewed with multiple windows of the video playing at the same time.
Best advice ever.
There’s a version that layers the audio, really adding to the effect.
I hated Chitanda at first….but then she grew on me. I think the fan service scene in the baths had something to do with it….
Chitanda Eru. A bitch I would gladly slap anytime.
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[...] the talented member (Oreki), rather than just the surrounding people in his shadow. There’s no small love for Hyouka milling about on the anisphere as of late (and I liked the show, if [...]