History Literature / Hyouka

[[caption-width-right:350: Your average classic literature club. [[TheyFightCrime They solve mysteries.]] [[note]]From left to right: [[PhotographicMemory Satoshi]] [[TheLancer Fukube]], [[TheStoic Houtarou]] [[BrilliantButLazy Oreki]], [[SuperSenses Eru]] [[GenkiGirl Chitanda]], and [[TheLancer Mayaka Ibara]][[/note]]

[[caption-width-right:350: Your average classic literature club. [[TheyFightCrime They solve mysteries.]] [[note]]From left to right: [[PhotographicMemory Satoshi]] [[TheLancer Fukube]], [[TheStoic Houtarou]] [[BrilliantButLazy Oreki]], [[SuperSenses Eru]] [[GenkiGirl Chitanda]], and [[Otaku Mayaka Ibara]][[/note]]

[[caption-width-right:350: Your average classic literature club. [[TheyFightCrime They solve mysteries.]] [[note]]From left to right: [[PhotographicMemory Satoshi]] [[TheLancer Fukube]], [[TheStoic Houtarou]] [[BrilliantButLazy Oreki]], [[SuperSenses Eru]] [[GenkiGirl Chitanda]], and [[Tsundere Mayaka Ibara]] [[/note]]

[[caption-width-right:350: Your average classic literature club. [[TheyFightCrime They solve mysteries.]] [[note]]From left to right: [[PhotographicMemory Satoshi]] [[TheLancer Fukube]], [[TheStoic Houtarou]] [[BrilliantButLazy Oreki]], [[SuperSenses Eru]] [[GenkiGirl Chitanda]], and [[Tsundere Mayaka Ibara]][[/note]]

[[caption-width-right:350: Your average classic literature club. [[TheyFightCrime They solve mysteries.]] [[note]]From left to right: [[PhotographicMemory Satoshi]] [[TheLancer Fukube]], [[TheStoic Houtarou]] [[BrilliantButLazy Oreki]], [[SuperSenses Eru]] [[GenkiGirl Chitanda]], and [[Tsundere Mayaka]] [[Otaku Ibara]][[/note]]

[[caption-width-right:350: Your average classic literature club. [[TheyFightCrime They solve mysteries.]] [[note]]From left to right: [[PhotographicMemory Satoshi]] [[TheLancer Fukube]], [[TheStoic Houtarou]] [[BrilliantButLazy Oreki]], [[SuperSenses Eru [[GenkiGirl Chitanda]], and [[Tsundere Mayaka [[Otaku Ibara]][[/note]]

[[caption-width-right:350: Your average classic literature club. [[TheyFightCrime They solve mysteries.]] [[note]]From left to right: [[PhotographicMemory Satoshi]] [[TheLancer Fukube]], [[TheStoic Houtarou]] [[BrilliantButLazy Oreki]], [[SuperSenses Eru [[GenkiGirl Chitanda]], and [[Tsundere Mayaka]] [[Otaku Ibara]][[/note]]

[[caption-width-right:350: Your average classic literature club. [[TheyFightCrime They solve mysteries.]] [[note]]From left to right: [[PhotographicMemory Satoshi]] [[TheLancer Fukube]], [[TheStoic Houtarou]] [[BrilliantButLazy Oreki]], [[SuperSenses Eru [[GenkiGirl Chitanda]], and [[Tsundere Mayaka]] [[Otaku Ibara]] [[/note]]

[[caption-width-right:350: Your average classic literature club. [[TheyFightCrime They solve mysteries.]] [[note]]From left to right: [[PhotographicMemory Satoshi]] [[TheLancer Fukube]], [[TheStoic Houtarou]] [[BrilliantButLazy Oreki]], [[SuperSenses Eru [[GenkiGirl Chitanda]], and [[Tsundere Mayaka]] [[Otaku Ibara]].

[[/note]]

[[/note]]]]

[[caption-width-right:350: Your average classic literature club. [[TheyFightCrime They solve mysteries.]] [[note]]From left to right: [[PhotographicMemory Satoshi]] [[TheLancer Fukube]], [[TheStoic Houtarou]] [[BrilliantButLazy Oreki]], [[SuperSenses Eru [[GenkiGirl Chitanda]], and [[Tsundere Mayaka]] [[Otaku Ibara]]
.[[/note]]]]

[[caption-width-right:350: Your average classic literature club. [[TheyFightCrime They solve mysteries.]] [[note]]From left to right: [[PhotographicMemory Satoshi]] [[TheLancer Fukube]], [[TheStoic Houtarou]] [[BrilliantButLazy Oreki]], [[SuperSenses Eru [[GenkiGirl Chitanda]], and [[Tsundere Mayaka]] [[Otaku Ibara]].[[/note]]]]

[[caption-width-right:350: Your average classic literature club. [[TheyFightCrime They solve mysteries.]] [[note]]From left to right: [[PhotographicMemory Satoshi]] [[TheLancer Fuku]][[StepfordSmiler be]], [[TheStoic Houtarou]] [[BrilliantButLazy Oreki]], [[SuperSenses Eru Chitanda]], and [[DoggedNiceGuy Mayaka Ibara]].[[/note]]]]

* StylisticSuck: The student film in episode 8 has boring music, poor writing, worse [[JitterCam cinematography]], and ''even worse'' [[BadBadActing acting]]. [[spoiler: Houtarou believes this to be deliberate -- that the awful lighting (an obvious flashlight being turned on and off as needed), JitterCam, inconvenient camera angles, and actors looking straight into the camera and being rather stilted and awkward are actually clues that [[InUniverseCamera the culprit was the cameraman]], whom none of the other characters like. Turns out he's both brilliant and entirely wrong (that is, on the question he ''thought'' he was answering).]]

* StylisticSuck: The student film in episode 8 has boring music, poor writing, worse [[JitterCam cinematography]], and ''even worse'' [[BadBadActing acting]]. [[spoiler: Houtarou believes this to be deliberate -- that the awful lighting (an obvious flashlight being turned on and off as needed), JitterCam, inconvenient camera angles, and actors looking straight into the camera are actually clues that [[InUniverseCamera the culprit was the cameraman]]. Turns out he's both brilliant and entirely wrong (that is, on the question he ''thought'' he was answering).]]

** Oreki gets tripped up by this twice in the same episode; it turns out he's been misreading the names of the StudentCouncilPresident ''and'' the doujin circle that made ''A Corpse by Evening''.

* AllLoveIsUnrequited: Ibara has had a crush on Satoshi since middle school, but despite being aware of this, Satoshi still hasn't returned her feelings.[[spoiler:Or rather, he's afraid to.]]

** Discussed regarding the word 犠牲 ("sacrifice")[[note]]which can be read as either ''gisei'' - "scapegoat" or ''ikenie'' - "offering"[[/note]] in the foreword to the second volume of ''Hyouka''. [[spoiler:This may be because Sekitani was forced to be this scapegoat, but came to take the position willingly]]. This trope is also the origin of the term "Kanya Fest". It appears to be a simply shortening of "Kamiyama", but [[spoiler:the "Kanya" is actually written 関谷 (Sekitani) to honor him]].
** Also appears during the festival itself, regarding the mysterious thief Juumonji[[spoiler:--his name can be read as 'ten letters,' the rule behind his series of thefts.]]
** Oreki gets tripped up by this twice in the same episode; it turns out he's been misreading the names of the StudentCouncilPresident ''and'' the doujin circle that made "A Corpse by Evening."

** [[spoiler:This trope is actually the whole reason behind both Kouchi's {{Jerkass}} attitude and the Juumoji Incident. Kouchi is deliberately avoiding reading ''A Corpse by Evening'' so she won't have to acknowledge that something so good was drawn by someone who just did it as a lark. Tanabe (who is playing the part of Juumoji), likewise, is frustrated that said artist refuses to go back to drawing--it's a disservice to the whole world to not express his talent, especially since Tanabe will never have such raw skill of his own]].

** [[spoiler: Taken to an almost bastardly level in Episode 21 where, in order to avoid giving her an answer, Satoshi destroys the Valentine's day chocolate that Mayaka planned on giving him.]]

** [[spoiler:Houtarou and Eru]] end up like this as well, although for [[CannotSpitItOut different reasons.]]

** The student film arc has "Why didn't she ask EBA?", which cuts to the meat of the mystery--[[spoiler:if Irisu actually wanted to know Hongou's intended ending for the film, why didn't she just ask Eba, Hongou's best friend]]? It's also a reference to the AgathaChristie mystery novel "Why Didn't They Ask Evans?"
** The random stories arc has "Little birds can remember", which is a reference to yet another Agatha Christie mystery novel "Elephants Can Remember"; with "little bird" possibly being Chitanda.

* BottleEpisode: The bulk of Episode 19 consists of Oreki and Chitanda in the Club Room trying to figure out the mystery behind a mysterious announcement.

** Also, [[spoiler:the illustrator of A Corpse By Evening]]. He's extraordinarily talented, but rarely uses his abilities; he only did that one task "for fun" and refuses to create anything else. [[spoiler:The entire Juumonji incident]] was an elaborate, and unsuccessful, attempt to convince him to help with a new project.
* CampStraight: Satoshi seems to have this going for him a little. For example: while Houtarou describes the ideal high school life as being "rose-colored," Satoshi claims that his is "Shocking Pink."
* [[CantHoldHisLiquor Can't Hold Her Liquor]]: Chitanda in episode 9. Granted the whiskey chocolates were stated to be rather strong and she did wind up going through almost the entire box by herself but she still wound up getting so drunk she passed out and woke up with a hang-over, so it probably still qualifies.

* CatchphraseInterruptus: Oreki stops Chitanda's in Episode 15.
* ChainOfDeals: At the beginning of episode 12, Oreki's sister gives him a broken fountain pen for no particular reason as he leaves for the school festival. Later on, a fashion club member asks to use it as an accessory, giving Oreki a voucher for a free make-over in exchange. In the next episode, another student arrives to buy an anthology from the Classics Club booth and Oreki gives him a heads-up that his fly is down; Oreki gives him the safety pin from the back of the voucher so he can fix it. The student then gives Oreki his toy water pistol in return. The next episode, Oreki trades the gun along with an anthology to two members of the confectionery research club for two packs of cookies, as well as a pack of wheat flour. Oreki then gives the flour to Satoshi to help Mayaka in the cooking contest (by tossing it down from a window instead of actually going down there himself, [[BrilliantButLazy naturally]]). In the episode following, Mayaka (at his request) repays him by giving him a mirror from her ''Manga/HimitsuNoAkkoChan'' "Akko"-chan cosplay. When his sister drops by the next day, she decides to keep it going by trading him a copy of "A Corpse by Evening," which turns out to be [[spoiler: essential to solving the Juumonji incident.]]

* CordonBleughChef/ LethalChef: Played For Laughs in episode 14; Misaki Sawaguchi from the Astronomy Club. What in the world ''was'' that, anyway?

* TheFaceless: Oreki's elder sister, Oreki Tomoe. The most we get is everything under her nose. [[spoiler: Pause Episode 16 at just the right time, though, and you can catch just the bottom half of her [[http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/tumblr_m8hbffoMLC1r67ekro2_1280_9654.jpg eyes.]]]]

* FairPlayWhodunnit: The student film in episode 8. Although the script is unfinished, the fact that the mystery follows all the rules means the director is confident that Oreki and company will be able to tell her the solution even though she can only show them the first half of the movie.[[spoiler:Subverted, because the Hongou did not intend for the victim to actually die, and Irisu is actually lying about why she wants Oreki's help.]]

** '''Melancholic:''' Satoshi. Although he's something of an extrovert, his HiddenDepths reveal that [[spoiler:he's this way ''because'' otherwise he'd fit the negative attributes of the Melancholic type (obsessive, perfectionist to the point of depression) a lot more.]]

* [[HeroicBSOD Heroic Blue Screen of Death]]: [[spoiler:Houtarou]] goes through a particularly nasty one in episode 11 [[spoiler:once he realizes that he was totally wrong and that Irisu was lying to him in order to manipulate him into writing the script.]] Also, judging from his actions in episodes 10 and 11, [[spoiler:Satoshi]] is veering ''dangerously'' close to one as well.

* IntoxicationEnsues: Episode 9 features Chitanda absentmindedly eating the better part of a box of whiskey bonbons. She actually only gets a bit loopy, [[CantHoldHisLiquor only to pass out]]...

* JapaneseSchoolClub: What brings the main characters together: the Classics club.

* LockedInARoom: Chitanda and Houtarou accidentally get locked in a shed in Episode 20.

** The student film in episode 8 features an example with a murder mystery.[[spoiler:Though that was not what the writer originally planned. It only appeared to be one to the Classics Club because the people doing the filming changed an important detail in the script.]]

* ManipulativeBitch: [[spoiler:Fuyumi Irisu]]. Oreki figures her out, but not soon enough.

** Although in episode 19, she is [[ShipTease suddenly aware]] of [[AlmostKiss how close her face is to Oreki's]]

* NotSoStoic: In episode 11, when [[spoiler:Houtarou]] discovers [[spoiler:Irisu's true intentions in requesting his help, and her tendencies to being a ManipulativeBitch,]] he gets... ''[[WhatTheHellHero pissed.]]''

* OvershadowedByAwesome: [[spoiler:Satoshi]] implies he feels this way towards [[spoiler:Houtarou.]] A tidbit of this bursts out in the 16th episode.

* SceneryCensor: In Episode 7, with Oreki at the hot springs.
* SchoolFestival: This school festival, called the Kanya Fest, became an important factor in the mystery concerning [[spoiler:Chitanda's uncle, Sekitani Jun.]] The anthology Hyouka also revolves around this.

** In episode 13, Houtarou finds the photos of Chitanda cosplaying...yeah. It gets especially shippy near the end where Chitanda hesitantly questions about it and they both start blushing.

** Episode 18 features Houtarou and Chitanda going on a pseudo-date, and from the looks of the preview the next episode is going to contain even ''more.''
** Episode 19. The episode consists entirely of Chitanda and Oreki talking to each other, puzzling out a mysterious announcement to test his deductive abilities. The episode features Houtarou promising to accompany Chitanda on a visit to her uncle's grave, two [[AlmostKiss Almost Kisses]], and Oreki giving a ''[[WhenSheSmiles genuine smile]].'' And once again, the next episode promises even ''more.''

** [[{{Nichijou}} Sakamoto-san]] can be seen in episodes 2 and 5 as a decoration in the library.
** The Manga Society cosplays a few Vocaloids for the SchoolFestival in episode 12, while Mayaka cosplays as [[TheyWereEleven Frolbericheri Frol]] and her sempai, Kouchi dresses as [[SamuraiShodown Nakoruru]].

** In a blink-and-you'll-miss it moment, Ibara has one of [[KOn Azusa's]] shirts in her room while searching for her lost manga.
** A new ending in episode twelve shows Chitanda and Ibara dressed as distaff versions of SherlockHolmes and HerculePoirot, with the names of several Holmes and AgathaChristie stories shown in the background. Likewise, Oreki and Satoshi dress up as Literature/ArseneLupin and Moriarty.
** The first ending features Chitanda and Ibara in a planetarium, on a circular bed, their feet at opposite ends but facing each other. Holding hands. [[RevolutionaryGirlUtena Sound familiar?]]

* StealthPun: [[spoiler: Hyouka means frozen treat, or commonly "ice cream," in Japanese. The message that Jun Sekitani left for Chitanda by making the name of the anthology Hyouka was 'I scream', a pun derived from sounding like 'ice cream.']]

* StylisticSuck: The student film in episode 8 has boring music, poor writing, worse [[JitterCam cinematography]], and ''even worse'' [[BadBadActing acting]]. [[spoiler: Houtarou believes this to be deliberate -- that the awful lighting (an obvious flashlight being turned on and off as needed), JitterCam, inconvenient camera angles, and actors looking straight into the camera are actually clues that [[InUniverseCamera the culprit was the cameraman]]. Turns out he's both brilliant and entirely wrong (that is, on the question he ''thought'' he was answering)]].

** As mentioned in episode 10, Fukube [[spoiler:hints at Irisu being a ManipulativeBitch]] by assigning Strength to Oreki, as the image depicting Strength is [[spoiler:a lion being tamed, or controlled, by a young woman.]]

* {{Tsundere}}: Mayaka for Houtarou (Interestingly enough, she acts nice towards her crush Satoshi).

* ValentinesDayEpisode: Episode 21

* AbsurdlyPowerfulStudentCouncil: Downplayed when Satoshi uses his position on the Executive Committee to put the Kotenbu's name on the far left of the festival brochure to make it more noticeable. Oreki doesn't notice it (and calls it an abuse of power).

'''''Hyouka''''' (氷菓[[note]] "Ice Cream" [[/note]]) is a mystery novel written by Honobu Yonezawa, serving as the first volume in a total of five in the ''Classics Literature Club'' series. It was turned into an {{Anime}} in Spring 2012, produced by Kadokawa, animated by KyotoAnimation and directed by Yasuhiro Takemoto, with [[LightNovel/FullMetalPanic Shoji Gatoh]] serving as head writer, and Futoshi Nishiya handling the character designs. A manga counterpart was started in January 2012 in Monthly Shonen Ace.

* CatchPhrase: Chitanda's ''"Watashi, ki ni narimasu!"'', variously translated as "I can't stop thinking about it!", "I'm curious!", etc. It's a sign to Oreki that thing's won't be quiet for a while.

** Episode 20 is referred to by Animation Director Chise Kamoi as the "date episode" in [[http://ultimatemegax.wordpress.com/2013/03/16/hyouka-episode-19-20-kyoani-comments/ the comments of the rebroadcast]]. And for good reason: the episodes starts with Chitanda inviting Oreki to a New Year's shrine visit to show off her kimono, and the two of them exchange
** Episode 21: Plenty, as expected of a Valentine's day episode. For starters, Mayaka asking Chitanda if she likes anyone. After a bit of stammering on Chitanda's part, but before the audience can hear her answer, it [[AnswerCut cuts to a scene of Houtarou yawning]]. Later, Chitanda starts to explain to Oreki why she didn't have chocolates for him, and ends up nearly confessing only to [[LuminescentBlush exchange blushes]] with Oreki, who [[Adorkable only barely comprehends the situation]].
** Episode 22: Chitanda sadly explains to Oreki that although her land is neither the most beautiful nor full of potential, she still wanted him to see it; she makes herself completely vulnerable before him, so that he can understand her better. After this impassioned monologue, Oreki nearly confesses to her in a [[DaydreamSurprise]], only to hold back at the last moment, to the dismay of shippers everywhere. All this happens amidst falling [[CherryBlossoms]], an ethereal, pink-infused scene.

** In episode 13, Houtarou finds the photos of Chitanda cosplaying...yeah. It gets especially shippy near the end where Chitanda questions about it and they both start blushing.

** Episode 19. The episode consists entirely of Eru and Houtarou talking to each other, puzzling out a mysterious announcement to test his deductive abilities. The episode features Houtarou promising to accompany Eru on a visit to her uncle's grave, once ''again'' taking the initiative, two [[AlmostKiss Almost Kisses]], and Houtarou giving a ''[[OOCIsSeriousBusiness genuine smile]].'' And once again, the next episode promises even ''more.''
** Episode 20 is referred to by Animation Director Chise Kamoi as the "date episode" in [[http://ultimatemegax.wordpress.com/2013/03/16/hyouka-episode-19-20-kyoani-comments/ the comments of the rebroadcast]].
** Episode 21 has Mayaka asking Chitanda if she likes anyone. After a bit of stammering on Chitanda's part, but before the audience can hear her answer, it [[AnswerCut cuts to a scene of Houtarou yawning]].
** Episode 22 has Houtaro nearly making an indirect confession to Eru, only to hold it back at the last second.

** And now we have the second ED which is a nice homage to mystery novels, as well as a very strong ShipTease for both main couples.
** Episode 6 makes Oreki excited at the prospect of her being a soulmate after she says something about wanting to embrace his lifestyle. He's genuinely disappointed that she's joking.
** Episode 7 is the most blatant so far, with Houtarou passing out just from ''fantasizing'' about Chitanda in the bath, then blushing and flinching when she touches him. It probably didn't help that Chitanda expresses disappointment when she found out the hot springs wasn't a mixed bath.

** In episode 13, Houtarou finds the photos of Eru cosplaying...yeah. It gets especially shippy near the end where Eru questions about it and they both start blushing.

** Meanwhile, episode 18 features Houtarou and Eru going on a pseudo-date, and from the looks of the preview the next episode is going to contain even ''more.''

** It's ''NOT'' teased that Ibara has a crush on Satoshi but neither has admitted to the other that yet. Episode 6 has Ibara yelling at him like a housewife, and the next minute they're sharing a laugh.

** Episode 11 has Satoshi asking where Mayaka is for some unknown reason, as well as the many segments of Houtarou and Eru talking, most obviously the one at the end.

** Episode 14 features lots of Satoshi and Mayaka, especially near the end.

* RelationshipVoiceActor: [[Creator/YuuichiNakamura Tomoya]] and [[Creator/DaisukeSakaguchi Youhei]] have gotten [[VisualNovel/{{Clannad}} a second shot at high school together]], it seems.
** It looks like [[Anime/GuiltyCrown Gai and Mana]] can be together in a high school Classics club!