inkedworldshime

[inkedworldshime]

The First Manga That Changed Everything for Me

'Hyouka' is the very first manga I have ever read, and to be honest, when I started it I did not have much expectation of what was going on. The cover was super cute with like a soft gossamer type art style and I saw it and thought, you know “why not?” I thought this would just be another school life with a light story — I was wrong again! But it was quiet, intelligent and surprisingly beautiful.

Oreki Houtarou was the first character to really stick with me. He had this lifestyle of a “sluggard” at first, but the way his keen mind resolved little puzzles was fascinating. And of course, there was the bright-eyed, ever-curious Chitanda Eru who pulled Oreki into all sorts of situations he'd rather not get involved in. They hit it off in the best possible way, making every scene between them feel sort of charming, funny, and warm.

I enjoyed the limited nature of the mysteries on 'Hyouka', but what brought me in the most was how small scale they were. The things they found, a lost book, only half-remembered school story, an obscure film, were trivial but the significance of them lay in how the characters put them together. That highlighted to me how even the typical moments could have something special about them.

That was the moment I got hooked on manga. 'Hyouka' if one turns to the source of this humble story, it will not only offer a good tale but also show them how to appreciate the world just by pacing with it.