氷菓 (Hyoka)
Hyoka is a
Japanese animation TV series directed by Yasuhiro Takemoto (武本康弘) and produced by my favorite animation company Kyoto Animation
(京都アニメーション) on April, 2012. This series was
adapted by a novel named “Classic Literature Club” (〈古典部〉シリーズ) written
by Honobu Yonezawa (米澤穂信). Because of the success of the
animation in 2012, this novel has also been adapted to Manga and movie recently.
In 1960s and
1970s, there were many student movements broke out at that time in Japan. A lot
of students who were enthusiastic about reform launched movements everywhere in
Japan. However, most of them were suppressed by order generations and governments.
Jun Sekitan (関谷 純) as a
leader of one of student movements finally dead at that time. He was a tragic
hero because in the end, all of students he ever led chose to betray him. When
his student movement was defeated, all of others showed their apathy to the
leader Sekitani. In the end, he took on all of burden and became a scapegoat. At
that time, Sekitani wanted to scream. We can see hopelessness and indignation in
his heart.
In the following
years, people who happily live in Heisei Period would forget the history.
However, we can also find the feeling of indifference on most of young people
in today. Young people’s blood will not boil any more. Therefore, Yonezawa wanted
to scream and aroused young people in new time. In this series, he created a protagonist
named Hotaro Oreki (折木 奉太郎). As a
common high school student, he has no enthusiasm and vigor in the beginning.
However, he meets a girl named Eru Chitanda (千反田 える) in classical literature club. She
is niece of Jun Sekitani; and she wanted to know the fact of that student
movement. Therefore, she requests Oreki to inquiry this event.
On the surface,
this series actually is a detective series, and Hyoka is the first story in
this series. In the following stories, Oreki gradually changed himself because of
his experience on various detective events. He is growing up during this
period. Yonezawa wanted to arouse young people by history. In today, we can’t
lose in modern cities and do nothing in our whole life.
I can also find many features of melodrama in
Hyoka. Firstly, In Schatz’s description, “victimized hero” is a major theme. In
Hyoka, we can see Jun Sekitani is a typical victimized hero. In his experience,
we can also see Yonezawa’s social criticism. His criticism was not much clear
and direct. However, if we can understand this story and its meaning, we can
see Yonezawa exposed his satire for today’s Japanese young people and the conservative
party in last century. And the obscured social criticism is also a theme of
melodrama.
In addition, Hyoka also tells us a love story.
Although this love story is extremely implicit, audience can feel the
relationship between Oreki and Chitanta is gradually changed. In the last
episode, they have an ambiguous talk under a cherry tree in early spring. So, their
ending is open. We can guess whether they become a couple finally. From my prospective,
Yonezawa also doesn’t decide their ending. In this series, we can see Oreki is
not brave enough. He is afraid of the difference of position between himself
and Chitanda because Chitanda comes from a rich nobleman in Kyoto. So, he is
also hesitating and confusing about their love. In melodrama, the conflict
between different classes is also a common theme.
As a leading
anime produced by Kyoto Animation in 2012, it owns exquisite painting, perfect
storyboard and charming stories. With classical light music as the background
music, I believe all of you can enjoy in this anime.
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