Valentine's Triple Feature Rewatch - Horimiya Season 1, Episode 1 Discussion

**Valentine's Rewatcher, Dubbed**

It's the first day of the Valentine's Triple Feature rewatch, and it's also a 5-year anniversary of Horimiya's first season!

[](#happycake)

Even though I've seen this show before, it was a couple years back so I didn't have a clear memory of the details. Hori and Miyamura's meet-cute after he helped her brother was really sweet, and I like how quickly he gets roped into their little family and spending every day with them.

[](#anko)

I had also forgotten how quickly Miyamura opened up to Ishikawa about his secrets! Their banter was great, and it's funny how the girls keep getting the wrong idea when they see these two all emotional.

[](#azusalaugh)

**Questions of the Day:**

1) Hori seems like the typical popular girl in class and didn't really stand out to me until we see her outside of school, where she shows a lot more character and an honest caring side towards her little brother. I agree with Miyamura, the "real" Hori is better! [](#ok_hand)

Interestingly, Miyamura's true self feels very different from both his gloomy school persona and his cute-but-edgy look when he shows up at Hori's home. He's a really sensitive guy, kind and quick to help others, and it's clear he wants to have friends. [](#konhug)

2) Hori's little brother is precious! Ishikawa also stood out for already having such a fun dynamic with both Hori and especially Miyamura. [](#morecomfy)

**Episode 1 (first timer)**

Joining this one and FLAG at the same time. Talk about thematic whiplash. Going into Horimiya mostly blind and have no idea what to expect apart from the obvious romance topic of the rewatch. Romance is a hit and miss genre in anime for me. Some great shows, but also some horrible tropes I hate with a passion. The range from good to bad is wide here.

* Yeah talking about bad tropes, we start off with a school teacher who is wildly inappropriate and a girl being depressed about being called flat-chested.

[](#sideeyes)

* So the male MC gets the MC window seat, while Horimiya is sitting in the middle – Wild prediction: they switch seats after the summer holiday?
* OP: Looks mildly like Mondrian. The music is inoffensive.
* Miyamura: enjoys the private punk style – Hori: #shock
* “Sota will be really thrilled” – “Sota”
* “You smell nice” – woah woah woah, going for the big hitters in the first episode already?
* Audio: “His lower eyelashes are really long” – Visuals: *show the teensy tiniest eyelashes I can imagine.*
* *energetic running*

[](#doggo)

* “How can he say something that cringey with a straight face” – sure, *you smell nice* girl, sure.
* The tribal tattoo dates this.
* Getting the love triangle participants out in the open early on.
* And he gets shot down before the end of the first episode. We are doing a speed run here.
* ED: Making it clear this is a one couple show.

That started badly, but turned out better. Felt like the plot was advancing in fast forward, but if this means we can get to some good relationship stuff faster, I am all ok with that. Never liked love triangles anyway.

**First Timer, Subbed**

I'm as blind as one can be going into this, no idea of the plot, no idea of any character's names, seiyuus, staff or anything. Will this work out, or spectacularly blow up in my face?

Katagiri High School, named after Billy Katagiri from Gundam 00!

Woah, you can't say something like that as a teacher!

Her name is Hori? Will the male love interest be called Miya?

She really turns down everything, huh?

Miyamura is his name? Yep, that's definitely where this show's name came from.

Hori rushing home was... to vacuum? Or is she a house cleaner?

Aww, adorable little brother! Well her job and this must explain why she doesn't hang out with her friends all the time.

Wait, isn't that Miyamura, looking cooler?

Some of the shots in the OP make me think of something, I look it up and holy crap, this anime has the same director as Shin Sekai Yori, one of my all time favorite anime and the sole anime I've hosted a rewatch for. Alright, I am now way more hyped for this.

Wait, how did Morimiya end up here? And he's got face piercings? Wow, he's so much cooler than his in class persona! Seeing someone with face piercings like this in an anime is quite the outlier.

OMG, she doesn't even realize its him! Granted he does go for radically different styles in class and out.

We've immediately cut to the next day?

I get the impression they're both kinda hiding stuff from their classmates.

This is the second romance anime I've seen where the guy comes from a cake making family...

His in class appearance would make you think Miyamura would be a smart guy. Not at all.

Ten minutes into the episode and we're already on day three. This anime moves fast.

Well that fence jumping may give up his in school quiet persona a bit.

So Hori wants to keep this appearance totally to her. Kinda already getting possessive of him!

Ah, now they're talking together in school.

Oh wow, he has all these tattoos as well! Another thing I'm not used to seeing in anime, especially one that takes place in a normal setting like this. Dude, if you're gonna get tattoos and piercings be proud of them!

Being alike doesn't necessarily make a good couple, Ishikawa.

Damn Ishikawa, if you like her, ask her out! Don't get mad if you're not gonna act on it!

lol, he is totally going to take that "She's the only one whose seen me shirtless" line in a way that you wouldn't expect.

Weird and gloomy maybe, otaku, not so much.

Ah, so they were very spur of the moment decisions. I get one tattoo, but that many tattoos based on that?

I have a feeling that Ishikawa is gonna get rejected here.

Don't worry about being a third wheel, Miyamura. I have a feeling that this show would be called Horitoru instead.

Oh, she's pissed, she does like you Miyamura! She wouldn't react this way otherwise.

Is this gonna be one of those shows where the female lead is beating up the male lead a lot? We've already had that twice here.

Oh wow, that's a cool and very cute ED!

Damn, Ishikawa really looks out of it! Poor guy!

Oh cool, this thread went up just as I woke up in the middle of the night. I'll post my saved write up for now and come back to read and reply to other comments later on in the day when I'm properly awake.


**Rewatcher, subbed**

Horimiya was one of the first romance anime I watched. It was the one that started my love affair with Uchiyama Kouki. Fell in love with Miyamura's character. He is such a sweetheart and the more we see of him, the more endearing he becomes. In this first episode though, I love how straight forward he is (even if it does throw Hori off). And of course, I LOVE how he looks outside of school with his piercings and his tattoos. [Future appearance spoilers]>!It is such a bummer that he ends up cutting his hair off later on and that we hardly see him in his beautiful best with the hair up and the earrings and that lip chain thing.!<

I've rewatched this show in bits and parts a whole lot and one thing that always rubs me wrong is the slight tinge of homophobia. It's played for laughs but that feels out of place in a modern story. Hori saying it's creepy that Miyamura calls Toru a nice guy and that after credits scene where she calls them having a touching moment a confession scene - both don't sit right with me. And I'm also not a fan of Hori resorting to violence as much as she does and that it's supposed to be funny. More on that later though.

I do like how fast things move in this episode. They meet and become quite close - close enough for her to get upset over him telling Toru there can't be anything between them and for her to treat him like a big part of her life already - all within the span of one episode. And it doesn't feel forced or anything. Rather than getting too close too soon, we just sort of time skip to when they've become fast friends and he's practically in her house every evening. It makes sense since they know each other's secrets and can be themselves around the other. Neither really hang out with other friends so it's natural for them to gravitate towards each other.

I also like Toru's character and how he's not portrayed as a villain or even a mean person just because he's the rival. He doesn't tell Miyamura off or anything like that. Openly tells him he's going to confess to Hori. And Miyamura, for his part, steps aside and lets that play out.

Another thing I like is Hori's little brother and how unconcerned he is with the two of them practically declaring their feelings for each other at the dinner table. He just casually asks for some tea in the middle of all that tension. Always find that bit amusing. 

Excited to rewatch this again and read other people's thoughts. I binged this much after it aired so didn't get to read people's reactions at the time. Will be interesting to see that now. Plus looking forward to finally watching Missing Pieces which I kept putting off all this while.

**Rewatcher-san to manga reader-kun, French subs**

*For our first episode :* A reminder that Japanese society isn't fond of tattoos, a fierce battle over discounted eggs (that happens offscreen) and some boy love chemistry (according to some female characters)

So here I am, some years after my first watch of the OG series. I've yet to watch the *Missing Pieces* season, but I've read the manga instead. So even if I have some good memories about some future key scenes, I won't remember some details.

For exemple, I remember that one of the main themes of the story being not judging someone by their appearance alone. But I don't remember such a strong emphazis put on characters talking by windows to convey the idea there is a difference between what you're willing to show to other about you and what you really are deep down.

I mean, we got a nice [frame of Toru and Miyamura talking on their class balcony, behind a window](https://imgur.com/a/2PCV5g4). The former have his side of the window open, meaning that while he have his secrets, like his feelings for Hori, he's still integrated to the classe. Meanwhile, the latter have his side closed, reffering to his introvert nature that don't want to hint at his actual fashion preferences.

And that's one exemple among others during the episode. Like [this frame with both Hori and Miyamura together behind an open window](https://imgur.com/a/drIHp4U) to express their budding relationship that permit to Miyamura to begin his proper integration into the class, to be noticed by his classmates.

A metaphor all the more powerful when you realize that the story begins when our characters are already on their last year of high-school. Implying that, while Hori have already developped her friend circle, Miyamura spent two whole years going by himself, unnoticed by his classmates that assumed he must be a creep otaku judging by his looks. But who could blame them ? Our main character made no effort to assert himself and in turn assumed people would bully him because of his tattoos and piercings (A justified fear to be honest given how tattoos are linked to yakuza in Japan but I digress).

A problem that is foreshadowed right in the first frame of the episode with its solution right after : [we got a lone bird behind a window, seemingly keeping to himself just before we have an english *communication* book appearing right after](https://imgur.com/a/VJCqSjL). Meaning that by keeping your true self to yourself, you'll be subjected to other assumptions, and that you have to communicate with other to expand your horizons.

That lesson can be applied both to Miyamura who prefer to [close the communication book](https://imgur.com/a/vZtepaF) at the cost of him being taken for an otaku creep. And to Hori too, who won't admit she pass on karaoke because she have a house to keep and a little brother to take care of.

Obviously, those two are bound to get close together as they discover each other hidden facets. And how do it start ? With [Hori's cellphone (a *communication* device) sliding right to Miyamura's feet](https://imgur.com/a/qVXOPWg), foreshadowing how those two will begin to communicate more toward each other and to discover that they're are far from the pretty girl or otaku stereotype they let appears by their metaphorical windows. With the benefits of having someone you can trust in your life. Miyamura finally managing to develop a social life, notably making a friend through Hori, one who he's feel comfortable enough with to show his tattoos. And Hori to have someone who can help her tending to her house and watch over his little brother (who may have already adopted Miyamura as a big brother).

With those two, I especially liked the use of [colored outlines](https://imgur.com/a/zuivmk7) to express their emotions, something I totally forgot from my first watch. A stylistic effect exclusive to them to show properly how those two began to watch the other beyond their appearance to peak at their respective true selves.

[Something adorable...](#mayushii)

[BUT](#haaaaaaah)

We're only at the first episode. Even if they trust each other, [they're still separated in their own windows](https://imgur.com/a/gB9u2rs) of personnal assumptions about each other. Leading to their first argument about Miyamura letting Toru confess to Hori, implying she only showed sympathy to him up until she would find someone better.

Again, with [a clever use of those outlines](https://imgur.com/a/YB00QWd). First with Miyamura's sliding toward Hori, as if it illustrated his own projection on Hori's toughts. Before both recentring on their owner as the two spoke with honesty on how they feel.

All in all, a good first episode that reminded me why I enjoyed my first watch. I'm looking forward to the next episodes because we're just getting started. [](#popcorn2)

P.S. : About Hori's cellphone sliding to Miyamura's feet, this could also be a reference to the original webcomic title : *Hori-san to Miyamura-kun*)

**Spoiler section, first-timers beware !**

[Analyzis on a foreshadow]>!To get back on that bird behind a window metaphor. I noticed that [scene of our soon-to-be couple speaking by a illuminated window, equal to equal](https://imgur.com/a/PUdeOEy), cutting to two birds soaring to the sky side by side. Potentially foreshadowing how their relationship will permit to expend the horizons of both of them.!<

[Analyzis of a pattern that may refer to the last episode]>!The last episode talk extensively on how Miyamura's life got better thanks to small coincidences and small decisions. And in that episode, every of those small, seemingly innocuous steps where highlighted with a green color. He picked up [Hori's green cellphone](https://imgur.com/a/qVXOPWg), enabling a first contact. He brought back Sota, [wearing a green shirt](https://imgur.com/a/K8dic8y), that allowed him to be welcomed at Hori's place. He decided to took a shortcut by the school fence, [wearing green shoes](https://imgur.com/a/5TOOXTv) to be on time for those discounted eggs, stumbling on Yuki that discovered his cooler side that way. And he decided to trust Toru with his tattoo secret, leading to a meaningful discussion on the school roof with a [green fence](https://imgur.com/a/ZdoD7L1). As if the universe itself gave its acknowledged Miyamura nudged on a better timeline because he opened himself up even a little.!<

**Questions of the Day:**

>1) How did your first impressions of Hori and Miyamura at school match up with their true selves revealed later on?

[](#yousaidsomethingdumb)

>2) Hori and Miyamura both showed a lot of personality in this first episode, but were there any other characters who stood out to you?

[YUKI**BEST GIRL**](#protest)

**Rewatcher - Dubbed**

* Talk about tonal whiplash for me (Today I also started "The Summer Hikaru Died") but despite me being a rewatcher my memory isn't as good (In fact this also the case for the first 5 episodes of Mirai Nikki) but finishing tonight's episode I remembered why I liked this because of the pacing

**Rewatcher Horimiya - Ep1:**

Saw that the Valentines Rewatch was going to cover a couple of shows I needed to get around to watching, so participating would make for a good opportunity to finally do so. Should've gotten around to Horimiya piece, but for that, I will have to rewatch base Horimiya first, so here it goes. Apologies if I don't write too much during this stretch since I don't know how much additional commentary I can do.

____

The thing that stuck out to me the most about this first episode is how much they progressed through the relationship already. At the start of it, we got Hori and Miyamura having their first (real) meet, and by the end of it, Miyamura has already been inducted into the Hori home. Also surprised to see Tooru's deal be already brought up in episode 1. Figured that would be like an ep3 thing.

Thought the comedy energy was on point. I like the vivid expressions and voicework.

You know, Miyamura's expectation twist made sense and catches you by surprise, but Hori's didn't have the same impact. Reading the synopsis in the body of the post and like, we get *a* scene of Hori at school before seeing her secret true home life, and it is not even *that* much of a shock. Our introduction to Hori basically right out of the gate is someone hard working at home.

Stray thoughts:

TsudaKen is the teacher. It is fun to hear his voice. [Sensei, you can't say that to your student.](https://i.imgur.com/a1fnwRt.png)

[Miyamura's face here.](https://i.imgur.com/NsnT0Wt.png)

[](#kotohoops)

I like [the voicework on Tooru here.](https://i.imgur.com/0Jx9FPa.png) I wonder how his VA recorded that in the booth. Did he beat his chest for that?

[Bisexual king Miyamura real?](https://i.imgur.com/aImO1mI.png)

**Rewatcher**

[Ah, yes, the mark of a truly great love interest](https://imgur.com/a/rZHm70m).

[](#utahapraises)

Man, it feels nice to revisit these characters again! I watched Horimiya back when it was airing (Well, *kind of*, the COVID timeframe was very weird for me in terms of anime watching [](#tiredaoi), but I did all of it throughout 2021 lol), and back then I really liked it! Definitely left a strong impression as a great romcom with a really strong cast, one that was only reaffirmed when I watched Piece a few years later (That one *actually* as it was airing), so obviously I was down to rewatch it! Especially because it was actually almost a contender for one of my favorites back then, but the way I evaluate anime, in particular in terms of how I view production, has changed quite a bit since then, so that should be fun.

On that note, our director Masashi Ishihama has a pretty interesting portfolio, one that I think is covered a lot better than I ever could [in this really great ANN piece on him from a few years *before* this show](https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/feature/2016-01-13/the-rise-of-masashi-ishihama-from-the-new-world-to-garakowa/.97522), but tldr, while I've heard great things about Shin Sekai Yori, before this show I more familiar with him through some of his really great OP/EDs ( Like the welcome to the NHK OP, Erased ED, AOT OP2, the first Spy x Family OP later, and a good few more), and I think that great expressive style definitely comes through in this show! And his direction is definitely complemented nicely by the fact that A-1 makes sure this show usually looks pretty damn good. I mean, it's nothing crazy, but it's just very consistently... *pretty* and slick, which works really for the kind of story Horimiya is, while also making the more exaggerated and fun moments character acting stand out in a great way as emotional expressions.

There's also Masaru Yokoyoma on music here, who I feel doesn't quite get as much praise as he deserves, despite me *really* loving every soundtrack I've heard him on! And here he already brings such a nice and fitting ambient sound! I feel like it makes the emotional moments pop out really nicely, especially with some of the stylistic choices this show uses for emotional expression. Plus, there's Takao Yoshioka, who I don't think is super noteworthy bar for the fact that I find his career pivot from writing shows like Elfen Lied, Ikitousen, and Queen's Blade to shows like this, YLIA, and Aharen extremely funny lol. By the way, this show has a decent amount of staff overlap with YLIA (Including Ishihama doing storyboarding and direction on one of its best episodes ), which really isn't surprising since it's also an A-1 show, but that might be interesting to see now that I've actually watched it.

[](#shatteredsaten)

Anyway, I mentioned I knew Ishihama from OP/EDs, so it's no surprise he also did the OP for this show, which I really like! For one, it's just a really good, vibey, and emotional feeling song, even more so since I was actually a fan of Yoh Kamiyama even before this! So back then, it made for a really cool experience seeing an artist I'd already liked on the internet on a major production.

More importantly, though, it's visually great! In particular, I just love the visual styling it has in [separately framing the cast in the same locations at different points in time as noted through lighting and the changing of the seasons](https://imgur.com/a/ZXzS0Mg). It's a focus that instantly tells you the deeper emotions of these characters and the way their relationships affect that (And each other) over the passage of time, which is itself going to be a focus for the show. Even more so because despite the separations in time this creates, the lack of separation in space already gives off a strong cohesion in relation to the cast. [This shot really stands out to me in particular in that way](https://imgur.com/a/h2cFv9i), looking at each through different times implies a lot about the nature of their connections there. And the boxed-in framing also plays into some of the ideas around societal perception we already play with here.

Plus, it all fits the larger sense of the experiences, expectations, and emotions of youth, as well as the growth out of it that exists in this show. [The color-coded character visuals](https://imgur.com/a/sV8wzLX), and obviously, the way internal emotions are often depicted both in this OP and in the show, is just great and likewise has a similar effect. The cube visual is already somewhat self-explanatory after this episode methinks, but a very fun and memorable one regardless. And it goes without saying, but they're all a very good fit for the OP lyrics, recalling vivid past experiences in a relationship, and how much things have changed since.

[](#seasonalneat)

As for the actual episode itself, I think it's an overall rather solid start that's good at expressing the nature of these characters! With the caveat that even though I think it's pretty good at already establishing relationships, and fairly naturally for my taste at that, but also feels like it's going a bit too fast in terms of pacing for what it actually wants to depict, but we'll get to that.

I'll admit I always found the secret lives idea for the show a little strange, in the sense that, unlike Miyamura's, Hori's "Secret life" doesn't entirely feel like it'd draw much attention? I don't know, maybe it's just personal experience speaking, but I feel hers wouldn't be much of a surprise or a big deal in reality lol. Nevertheless, it does present an idea around teenage perception and especially stereotyping that's very evident in this episode. Or rather, the way that is, in a word, shallow as all hell. What you superficially present is apparently all you are and enough to draw very conclusions about your traits and how you act. Hori, the popular girl, has to be secretly dating someone, Miyamura, the quiet guy, must be a smart otaku, and because they're superficially different, they must be a bad fit. That is, of course, *wrong* and a bad way to look at things, but it is a *very* teenager thing to do.

(Again, something the way the show looks really accentuates, what with the extreme emphasis put on Miyamura's fence jump "transformation" and whatnot.)

The way the show presents internal emotions, and the way they're often misaligned based on these expectations, through [these really lovely emotionally color-coded silhouettes](https://imgur.com/a/1mnWBF8) works wonders in conjunction with that. Especially for Miyamura and Hori's developing relationship within the context of these hidden lives of theirs, because you often get that they're the most emotionally true and honest with each other there, outside of any of these expectations. Or, of course, in certain other cases, the opposite, like [Miyamura's melancholy in regards to the whole conversation with Ishikawa](https://imgur.com/a/O043qMN) or the obvious way in which [Hori's emotions are confronting Miya's problematic low (And internally dissatisfied) self perception at the end](https://imgur.com/a/S5I6eKF).

Another cool device for that that I think is prevalent for this episode is window framing! [Like a boxed-in divide, where one person is in a (literal) frame](https://imgur.com/a/XM1ah6p), to match Miyamura's societal perceptions in the moment with regards to Hori approaching him. [Like using the frame a window creates to imply closeness between them](https://imgur.com/a/USvVcgm), only to use [the same window once again to specifically frame Miyamura in that divided, "Thinking in set-boxes" mentality](https://imgur.com/a/CEJ5qoi) just a bit later when approached by a different person! In general, we love a good physical separator here, and to use as an implication on relationships (Like y'know, breaking it apart).

[](#happyclap)

Cinematography talk aside, I do just really enjoy everyone here as well as their interactions. Again, there's a nice, natural, and open way in which they generally interact with each other, and I think the stronger sides of their personalities do come through rather well here. Which ironically but intentionally also goes to contrast that closed-off thinking they sometimes use as a baseline. Not much classic anime misunderstanding romance here, just genuine insecurity that is openly addressed, which is great. Plus, there's something fun about that sometimes comes through. Like, Miyamura's lack of social tact in interactions, and really, the glimpses of his true nature, leading him to be very unexpectedly forward with others at times, is very enjoyable lol. You do get the sense that when he actually opens up, he's very approachable and conscientious.

I do think my only issue there really is just that it feels some of that relationship goes a bit too fast, and can interact somewhat weirdly with the tone. I do think Horimiya gets teenagers being overdramatic and insecure almost perfectly, but after watching Piece, I think that has to do with how it's adapted. I think that can create quite a few instances of emotional whiplash throughout the show. The end of the episode here is very mild, and I think it's very much within great overdramatic teenagers area with a really fun defusion (And for what it's worth, Miyamura and Ishikawa woudn't make for that bad of a couple if you ask me! [](#forbiddenlove)) that shows you their newfound closeness and respective contrasting personalities and resptive ideas of self-pearception, but it does already show some signs of what was my one really major flaw with the show back when I watched it.

Nevertheless, I just really like watching these guys! And both Hori and Miyamura are a lot of fun, both individually and in their opposites attract nature, and I'm pretty excited to see more of that (And of the cast) again, especially since I'm fairly foggy on a lot of the rest of the show at this point.

[](#concealedexcitement)

Rewatcher (sub and dub)

I had no idea a rewatch was happening until I saw the post today. I also saw you guys will be doing Shikimori later on which is another one of my favorites. Insomniacs will be a new one for me. One thing I can say about the first episode of Horimiya is that things move really fast. I hope all the first time viewers enjoy it.

**First Year at Katagiri High, Dubbed**

I’m gonna try the dub today and then the sub tomorrow.

…did this man breach GTO?

>He didn’t have the guts to ask me himself, so thanks but no thanks.

I like this. Especially nowadays. I don’t respond to unknown numbers. Better buck up and exchange numbers here and now lest you be forgotten.

Oh damn. I hadn’t realized, Alejandro Saab is Miyamura and then Gabimaru in <Jigokuraku>.

The lil smile 😊

I felt like I jut watched a Clark Kent to Superman transformation what 😭

Grocery sales being a battlefield and require militant strategy never fails to have me giggle.

Broooooo how do you have tattoos???

Blushes ☺️

Oh that *is* Zeno Robinson!

Kay that’s…odd. Why can’t guys platonically call each other sweet?

Miyamura’s reply 😭😭

***

**After School Thoughts**

I’m not a manga reader, but this felt so quick! And I don’t know why! Not that that’s a bad thing. It all just felt like I watched a few episodes in one that I actually checked the time during the episode and got surprised.

How did he get those tattoos? I’m assuming with parental or guardian sign off? Or does Japan have a different age cut off?

I’m very curious what Hori’s parents will say in finding out Miyamori has been spending time at the house. They trust her to look after the house and her brother, so I assume they’re a lot more laid back about it.

I don’t think Miya and Tooru would last long either. But now I’m curious what AO3 writers have to say about that.

***

**QotD**

1. Well, ***before*** I got spoiled by someone, I would say yes and no. Yes because I’m gonna be suspicious when a series starts emphasizing certain traits on a character because that just means expectations are to be subverted. No, that I didn’t expect their “B-sides” to be precisely this. If I had guessed, I would’ve thought Hori was from a lower income family and had a part time job after school. As for Miya, I would’ve guessed he’s a secret delinquent hottie.
2. For some reason, the second question cut off for me on mobile.

**FIRST TIMER** Sub

This was AMAZING and one of the best first episodes I've ever seen! Really funny and different from other teen romance shows. When Hori pulled out her flip phone, I was really surprised because this show seems so modern but must be at least 13 years old or so!

* I'm surprised there was such a huge deal made about an egg sale. IDK if eggs are expensive in Japan, at least back then they were pretty cheap just regularly. Miyamura seemed really dedicated to getting those eggs for someone he barely knew, which seemed the first sign he really liked Hori 🍳
* That wasn't nice of Hori to whack Miyamura in the face with the iced tea glass, she doesn't seem to handle a guy liking her well. It was interesting though that they both said they liked seeing these special sides of each other that no one else does though, that's like what someone says about someone they're in love with. This is a rom com though so neither will know the other one likes the other
* I didn't get exactly what Miyamura was going to get in trouble for when he got the tattoos. Was he afraid he would be in trouble with the school, that they would tell his parents or both? It seems odd that he could get such extensive and expensive tattoos as a teen without his parent's permission AND they wouldn't notice. I wonder if they pay very little attention to him although if they own a bakery, you'd think he might also work there in some capacity.
* I thought Ishikawa was going to be a part of the love triangle but Hori seemed to just shoot that down. She basically almost confessed to Miyamura at the end but he didn't seem to understand. I do genuinely wonder if she thinks he's gay though and that will be an ongoing plot since he said he wasn't his type then saw Ishikawa crying to him at the end 🤣

**QUESTIONS**

1. Hori was just portrayed as a normal girl so i didn't see anything too different although she can be ill tempered at times. I was more surprised that Miyamura with glasses and the cool emo guy were the same person though and that he had tattoos.
2. Their teacher because he's such a creep commenting on a teen girl's chest. Also Ishikawa since he is overdramatic to say the least

### Second-time rewatcher, subs

The last time I watched Horimiya was back in summer 2023 (around late June-early July), due to a rewatch which was organized as lead-up to the Piece series. That rewatch actually never happened because of the blackout protests (if anyone remembers that), but I watched it nevertheless. I did enjoyed that. This might be a good memory refreshener to me I guess. That time I checked out the original webseries, it looks so goofy because it is like made in MS Paint.

The premise is quite simple: we have Hori, the popular girl who is basically the "honor student" of the class of hers. And there is Miyamura, the normie, gloomy, loner guys, who is quite average (not just in grades) and quite unnoticed by basically everyone, plus tattoos and piercings and stuff. And also his family runs a confectionary, which be handy later. And this two bump into each other due to some simple reason: Souta, Hori's little brother. He just helped him and lead him to home. Humble beginning towards a long-term and deep friendship. As for the fellow classmates what do thinking about, we'll see.

Strong premise, but also made simple.

OP and ED is actually great. Animation, music, everything.

> 1) How did your first impressions of Hori and Miyamura at school match up with their true selves revealed later on?

They are the perfect polar opposites situation.

> 2) Hori and Miyamura both showed a lot of personality in this first episode, but were there any other characters who stood out to you?

All the side characters right now. Ishikawa, Souta and Yuki or the green dude.

**Rewatcher - Dubbed**

Hello everyone! I'm excited to be part of the Triple Feature! I've read the full manga for Horimiya, and have watched the first season, but I haven't seen season 2. Even though the entire story won't be new to me, some of the animation will.

While I've heard of Shikimori's Not Just A Cutie, I've never watched it. If it's included in this lineup, I'm sure I'll enjoy it.

I've watched the first couple episodes of Insomniacs After School, but never got around to finishing it, so I may as well start that one fresh.

All in all, I'm pretty excited to be back! I haven't been part of a rewatch in a long time, with the last one being the Darling in the FranXX rewatch... *six months ago?* Oh no.

With all of this preamble out of the way, let's get into it!

- One thing I think is funny is that, with the three people we've seen so far, each of them has had a different hair color. We've got a pretty definitive Red, a normal Brown, *aaand Purple*.

- >Don't be dense, Ishikawa! If there are swimsuits involved, you're gonna need adult supervision!

So he's a perv... Got it.

- >Not random if you knew how much I love flat-chested girls.
 
 Twofold perv. Openly declares his love for flat-chested girls, and essentially tells her she has a flat chest.

- They do a great job of showing you, rather than telling you, the type of life Hori has outside of school. Unlike shows I've seen before, like Toradora for example, she at least seems to have a good relationship with her mom.

- Oh I missed this OP. It's so good!

- >I fell down.
 
 Nothing gets past you Sota.

- >Do you go to the same school as me?
 
- She said with a tinge of excitement in her voice. It's pretty clear the type of guy she's into.

- I could never grow my hair long enough to put it up like he did, but I think it looks cool. The piercings definitely aren't my style though.

- I usually take some time to highlight the English VAs for various characters, since I usually watch a dub when I can, so let's knock those out real quick.
 
- Kyoko Hori - Voiced by Marisa Duran, most notable for voicing Laufen from Frieren, Hanekawa from Solo Leveling and Yamada Asaemon Sagiri from Hell's Paradise.

- Sota Hori - Voiced by Emily Fajardo, most notable for voicing Bananya from Bananya and the Curious Bunch, Tae Ohto from Wonder Egg Priority and Eua from the Higurashi: When They Cry remakes.

- Izumi Miyamura - Voiced by Alejandro Saab, most notable for voicing Julius Euclius from Re:Zero, Shaddiq Zenelli from Gundam: The Witch From Mercury and Scharf from Frieren.

- Toru Ishikawa - Voiced by Zeno Robinson, most notable for voicing Garfiel Tinzel from Re:Zero, Genya Shinazugawa from Demon Slayer and Yushiro Shihoin from Bleach: Thousand Year Blood War.

- Yuki Yoshikawa - Voiced by Anairis Quinones, most notable for voicing Echidna from Re:Zero, Rika Kawai from Wonder Egg Priority and Yoruichi Shihoin from Bleach: Thousand Year Blood War.

- Shin Yasuda - Voiced by Gabe Kunda, most notable for voicing the Bat Devil from Chainsaw Man, Delling Rembran from Gundam: The Witch From Mercury and Yamada Asaemon Genji from Hell's Paradise.

- Miyamura's family owns a cake shop. Rintaro Tsumugi from Fragrant Flower's family also owns a cake shop. Both seem kinda sketch at first blush. Both are also seemingly poor academic students. The similarities are there!

- >Unless there's a committee meeting, but what are the odds?

You really do hate to see it.

- Does it matter if Yuki recognized him? He didn't have his piercings in anyway, so it shouldn't matter.

- >You could probably suplex a truck.
 
 Better watch out truck-kun. She'll get your ass.

- I can't explain why, but I also prefer an angrier side of a woman. I can't profess to know how women handle themselves in public, but at least to me it seems like they have to always be the prim, polite and nice ones. So being like Hori, and getting to just relax and be angry (as oxymoronic as that sounds), is refreshing.

- Surprise, he's also got tattoos.

- >Although, the vibe I get is she's just being nice to me.
 
 I had a recent experience over the winter holidays that had me thinking the exact same way. It messed me up pretty good and I'm still having to deal with it.

- At the end of this episode, you can see something I think this show does really well, and a lot of shows could stand to learn a thing or two from. **People actually talk!** So many times miscommunication fucks everything up, and here we have the two of them actually talking it out. Was it cool for Ishikawa to tell her that he thought the two of them don't make a good match? Not necessarily. However, it opens up an avenue for them to talk it out and clear up the misunderstanding. It also helps them to determine where they stand as far as friendship, or even a potential relationship, goes.

Additionally, when Miyamura said

>I'm boring and depressing. I put the most emo emo-kid to shame. How could I not be bothering you?

I absolutely resonated with it. A slide side tangent, but I got my hair cut pretty short recently. The woman who cut my hair asked if I was sure, because I had the "classic emo" look going on, despite the fact that I've never identified as one. I also have a pretty negative outlook on things and don't really consider myself to be an interesting person. I've asked a friend of mine a couple times why she's friends with me and what she sees in me.

So yeah, I would say that he and I are alike.

Questions of the Day:

>1) How did your first impressions of Hori and Miyamura at school match up with their true selves revealed later on?

Hori doesn't really surprise me that much. Someone who's studious like her would make sense as being someone who watches over the house and her brother.

Miyamura's definitely a surprise, though.

>2) Hori and Miyamura both showed a lot of personality in this first episode, but were there any other characters who stood out to you?

I really like Miyamura, but I also enjoy Yuki. We'll learn more about her later on.

Lol.

Bruh.

Karaoke?

That is a pretty good deal.

She's not following them?

Oh god right the source material is from _2007_, no wonder everyone has flip phones.

Gee I wonder who that might be...

Uh oh, her brother is bleeding?

So, he fell.

What's he doing at her place?

Lol he recognised her immediately.

So, her brother is the reason she's inviting him over again.

That's a lot of piercings...

She's going to help him study isn't she?

He's going to go buy the eggs for her since she's busy with the meeting isn't he?

Well, I thought he'd do it on his own initiative and not have her ask him to do it but sure that works.

So, Yuki saw him.

Damn ok...

Oh right.

Uh... Tattoos?

He only goes to her house every day after school...

Oof.

Lol his reaction when he told him that.

"Just being nice" lol.

Lol he's going to take care of her brother so the other guy can ask her out. True bro there.

Need to talk?

Ah. About that.

She's crying!

Ouch...

Damn where was that lovey-dovey moment that was just skipped over.

Questions:

1. Seems about as expected for Hori but Miyamura was certainly surprising.
2. The purple-haired guy?