It was in the winter of 2021 that one of the best rom-com appeared on the screen. Horimiya is not just about the romance and comedy; the slice-of-life element has been supporting the show and bringing it to a different level that is amusing to watch. As a coming-of-age genre lover, Horimiya definitely caught my eye, and I know it’s a wholesome anime with its uniqueness and high quality of colourful animation and depiction that was projected to the audience. Despite the fact that the favour for the coming-of-age genre could be personal and subjective, the best part of it is that it can give simple pleasure.
As we know, what we’ve seen this time are pieces of side stories in the original, as the previous one has already animated the original ending in manga. There is no doubt that I thought it was the end, and now we have more time watching Hori-san and Miyamura spend precious time with lovely people around them. Frankly, the feeling of watching the first episode was quite strange and surreal, as it’s hard to believe that I am still watching Horimiya with new animated stories. I took some time to immerse myself in the show until episode 5, and this episode is probably my favourite episode out of all. The episode begins with introducing the Iura siblings, whose interaction has lightened up my mood, and somehow I started to have an authentic enjoyment. Likewise, what else could be more enjoyable than watching the characters have all kinds of jokes? Friendship and family bonding have always been the value of the show other than romance.
The presence of each character is vital, as their effects on the show can’t be left out. To put it in simple words, Horimiya merely has an appealing character design. This may be irrelevant, but I do think designing the characters with different hair colours is a very good choice. The variety of appearances can better portray a character as noticeable and likeable with catalytic voice acting that further enhance the impression on them. Also, there is some moment with something like a colour background when the character has felt something, while that is quite unique and aesthetic. It is interesting to see how the staff could come up with these ideas and ways for depiction. In short, there is nothing to complain about about the overall anime adaptation because it is merely outstanding.
Overall, it was a well-spent time watching the show. This could be the end, but we already got an extra bonus for having Horimiya: piece. Is it a masterpiece for you? Whether it is or not, it surely has made a standout in showing what a youthful school-themed anime could look like with the effort and love put into production.
PS: The last episode kinda hit different with the OST, seriously don't want it to end.