Horimiya review: Best romance anime ever or overrated high school drama?

Much has been said about Horimiya (2021), short for Hori-san to Miyamura-kun, the anime adaptation of the self-published four-panel manga that ended in 2011. As far as ratings were concerned, the series did not seem to disappoint. In fact, it was one of the best rated in the past season, another accolade for its studio CloverWorks. Statistically speaking, it closely followed Rascal Does Not Dream of Bunny Girl Senpai (2018) and performed better than contemporary Wonder Egg Priority (2021), among those also made by the said studio. It has also been praised for doing the best it could to remain faithful to the source material, well appreciated by those who had been following the story from the beginning over a decade ago. Taking this into mind, would Horimiya be able to stand tall in the romance hall of fame, or had it been deprived of lasting anime greatness? Warning: spoilers ahead!

Popular girl meets unpopular boy: What is the difference?

It may sound like a match made in heaven, or perhaps a match too cliche. Kyouko Hori was a suitable mix of beauty and brains. Even schoolmates in Katagiri High School had not failed to notice her. But even Hori had her own insecurities, which she somehow got to be at peace with due to meeting the seemingly “bad boy” Izumi Miyamura. Disguising himself as a gloomy otaku, he had made it his life’s mission to avoid just about everybody else. And despite belonging to the same school and batch, the two did not really get to know each other until Miyamura managed to help Hori’s younger brother Souta, who somehow liked Miyamura’s demeanor outside school. Since then, Miyamura frequented Hori’s home, where they grew to love each other, to the point that both agreed to marry in the future. In between, their friends also developed their own relationships, although of course the focal point of the narrative would still bei Hori and Miyamura. To be fair, it was no remarkable premise in the first place, but the portrayal of student life was what gave the series its alluring aesthetic. It felt like a fantastic journey, and at the same time, it elicited emotions that one may not experience every day, or simply chose to suppress because of societal judgment. As exhibited in one scene, this time between Miyamura and his middle school bully that eeriely reminded a traumatic backdrop similarly seen in Re:Zero—Life In Another World From Zero (2016), the gist of why some students, or even people in general, tend to behave as they do largely involves how others see them. When one began to think inwardly, relegating others' biased opinion as secondary, it could be the starting point of actually improving oneself.

The subplots, that of their friends, seemed to have suffered from the hasty pace of the anime. The intention of Horimiya’s plot progression was to slowly but surely grasp the feelings that surrounded specific episodes. It should not be too difficult to spot when a change of heart or a bitter realization was triggered. Of course, not all audiences may prefer this kind of slice of life narrative. In the real world, it would not be every day one encountered a dramatic scene, if at all. But what the series wanted to demonstrate was how such a possibility could happen nonetheless. This was probably best emphasized by Miyamura’s self-reflection at the end, wherein Hori would reassure him that whether or not destiny existed, they would still end up together somehow.

Underrated supporting character: How Sakura Kouno should have stood out

The rest of the characters may seem too typical to even merit more appreciation than they already have, like the overly jealous Yuki Yoshikawa and her “pretend boyfriend” Tooru Ishikawa, as well as the official couple Remi Ayasaki and Kakeru Sengoku (both being student council members), but the series appeared to have forgotten a love story which might prove more powerful than that of Hori and Miyamura. The eponymous couple did not have as many bumps in the initial phases of their relationship, having virtually no love rivals, and also being too compatible to a point that even Hori wondered at times if she knew Miyamura well enough, a thought that the latter also harbored somehow. One of their biggest fights thus far involved Miyamura’s dead phone. Think of it. However, the same could not be said about their other friend Sakura Kouno, the student council vice president and a professing Buddhist. For the longest time, she nurtured an unrequited love for Ishikawa, so she was heartbroken to know that he already began dating Yoshikawa, albeit it was for the most part a mock setup that both Ishikawa and Yoshikawa did not bother informing Kouno about.

Miyamura’s lack of confidence, proven by his piercings and all, did not even approach Kouno’s level. Even though she was seen as a capable lady who could do almost anything, always helping her friends when they were in need, she still looked up to others in her circle as somewhat superior. And as if she did make her feelings too obvious, Kouno was only giving her specially made cookies to Ishikawa, who was observed by his own friends as too dull to even think of anyone else than himself. Shot down by Ishikawa for the simple reason that he did not see himself a good enough match for her, Kouno felt she did not have a chance to begin with. At the end, she found peace herself, and fully intent to leave all her feelings behind, gave Ishikawa, and perhaps her entire high school life as well, a poignant sayonara. An eternal farewell. What an unfortunate turn of events! And yet, the production did not seem too interested to explore further how it went that way. The way they showed Kouno’s narrative was more speculative than anything else, leaving much to the viewer’s imagination the weight behind Kouno’s words and actions. It would even have one wondering how she fell in love with him in the first place, if all there was to know about Ishikawa was already shown. If there was anything reasonable in what Ishikawa said throughout the series, it would most probably be Kouno potentially meeting someone way better in the future. Move over, Hori and Miyamura. Kouno’s future love life might well be a more exciting adaptation to follow if the plot did not place her as a supporting character. Perhaps she would be Christian later on, considering her profession of faith on Christmas Day? God knows. On that note, was not Kouno’s relatively neglected story more likely to be relatable for many of today’s youth? Even recent research would not be too optimistic about the probability of ending up with your teenage romance in a future marriage, particularly when the average marrying age kept on moving nearer the 30s than the 20s, and a lot were becoming more pragmatic in their life choices than anything else. Perhaps one reason why many might have largely ignored Kouno’s story was due to it resembling reality too much, too close, that it was not how endings should be.

Educational arms race: Motoko Iura’s dream school

Another subplot of note was that of Motoko Iura, a middle school girl who aimed to qualify for the prestigious East High. To that end, she pushed herself too far, too fast, that she failed to notice her herculean efforts did not eventually translate to better grades. It did not help her frustration when one of her teachers made fun of her scores. To help in this situation, her brother Shuu solicited Hori and Miyamura’s assistance, knowing how the two usually do well in school. He also prayed for his sister, and gave her encouragement that even though she may not enter her dream school, she could try in other ones, offering his own school Katagiri as example. This was another of the more realistic setups in the plot that did not appear to receive much attention, but was otherwise a quick exposition in itself. There would be students who saw their only value in their grades provided by the educational system, albeit such rigid and standardized system faced a more diverse future which considered multiple intelligences, among others. Youth suicides in Japan, for one, hit a record high in 2020, with the data for females almost doubling. The number one cause? School-related issues such as post-graduation anxieties, failing grades, bullying among peers, friendships or relationships, and even difficulties with school staff. One would not be too startled then why the 14-year old Iura worked so hard, and how it burdened her. It was like a societal expectation to be met, and the fate of the nation rested on their shoulders. Looking it at one way, it likely did, as the youth of today would be the leaders of tomorrow. Yet if they go dying themselves before even reaching adulthood, would that be the purpose of their education? What happened about hoping and living as children? And this would not be a phenomenon confined solely in Japan. Other countries also geared their educational system as such for their youth, and then seeing similar incidents happening just as well. While brief, Horimiya somehow reminded how these conditions exist, and why education reform might be a significant timely intervention.

Saibancho, the verdict

While this may have not been one of the more typical reviews that delved deeper into Hori and Miyamura’s relationship dynamics, it was observed that the totality of Horimiya did not create a couple developed in an isolated world. They were surrounded by a caring circle of friends who themselves had their own lives to lead and nurture. Not to mention, these friends seem to be rather well off if they could afford after-school hangouts in restaurants. Miyamura even had to squeeze in a part-time job himself. Anyway, while character development did not provide as wealthy a trove as the main characters, the series showed promise that their narratives would have the potential of further exploration if permitted, especially that of Sakura Kouno for one. It also benefited from a stellar animation style, as expected of its studio. A notable sequence was the opening theme, which had this enigmatic feel featuring Color Perfume by Yoh Kamiyama. It managed to encapsulate much of the emotions in the series without really betraying the plot. Nonetheless, it could be said that Horimiya in all its splendor still faced much competition in the romance genre, if this only meant having to recognize what would be the best of them all. In the main, it would be up to the audience to enthrone their favorites. Could Horimiya be comparable to the likes of, say, Clannad (2007), Toradora! (2008), Kaichou wa Maid-sama! (2010), Your Lie In April (2014), Monthly Girls Nozaki-kun (2014), Saekano: How To Raise A Boring Girlfriend (2015), Kaguya-sama: Love Is War (2019), or Tonikaku Kawaii: Fly Me To The Moon (2020), among other well rated romances?

A fearful speculation by some reviewers, however, would involve how Hori was later revealed to have sadist inclinations. For Miyamura, whose rough side was mostly for show to other people he did not regard as close to him, it might signal something to watch out moving forward. How would Miyamura’s real softie personality deal with his girlfriend’s quirks, especially considering how Hori was already regarded as a strong character early on? Sooner or later, their honeymoon fantasy of a relationship would meet the harsher realities of being together. It has to be noted that they had only really known each other for about a year, since they were virtually strangers despite being schoolmates for most of their high school life. Not all relationships end up saving each other from the evils they try to face, making Hori and Miyamura quite blessed to have managed well. The marriage proposal at near end also did not appear to have sufficient depth in it, like it was delivered at the spur of the moment than actually having a strategic vision of the future. They may or may not sort this out after their high school life. But for the meantime, why not enjoy what one could cherish today, for it is, after all, the present?

(Photos from the series courtesy of CloverWorks)