REVIEW: ‘Horimiya,’ Episode 6 – “This Summer’s Going to Be a Hot One”

Hearts will skip and break this week in Horimiya Episode 6 and the show continues to do an excellent job of execution on both fronts. The romance anime follows teens Hori and Miyamura who learn about each other through a change encounter. They try to navigate their growing feelings for one another amidst the trials of senior year of high school. The anime adaptation from CloverWorks (The Promised Neverland) is based on the manga with story by Hero and art by Daisuke Hagiwara. The English release of the manga is published by Yen Press.

Hori and Miyamura are officially dating, and this comes out at school after Miyamura and Hori are seen leaving her house together. Bullies are cruel, and it is hard to watch. Hori is barraged by flirtatious guys who are wondering why she never returned their affections, meanwhile, Miyamura is subjected to whispers questioning what she sees in him. It is sad, but recognizable. Societal caste systems (especially in school) often set up a tier narrative and many decide in their heads who is “good enough” for someone else. It is gross, and heartbreaking to watch both Hori and Miyamura internalize it. Toru and Yuki can only support their friends and tell people off as they see it. Their concern that it will cause Miyamura to backpedal after opening up to them is notable, and a good marker for the growth in the friend group viewers have seen the last few weeks.

How Miyamura chooses to handle this is surprising, both for viewers and his friends. While at first, it appears as though he is changing himself to fit others’ standards, it also turns into him being more bold and open about himself. He is no longer hiding from people. This boldness translates over to his relationship with Hori. Horimiya Episode 6 strikes a great balance of having the unexpected romance happen, but also the healthy constructive kind. If something catches one of the teens off guard, they talk about it later. Nothing is sexual beyond kissing, but it is still really refreshing to see two teenagers slowly open up about what they like and want from the other in regards to physical affection.

The other major element of Horimiya Episode 6 is the introduction of Honoka. Without spoiling, Miyamura is concerned as she begins angrily stalking him around the school. The anime does another solid comedic bout of breaking expectations. While not all has been explained quite yet, the show gives the eccentric moments an underlying layer of drama. This is because we get to see Honoko and Miyamura bond, and more of her actions become explained. Horimiya Episode 6 is excellent when it comes to “show, don’t tell.” The show’s signature use of lighting and color really emphasizes these moments. Viewers learn so much about what is going on in a character’s head, just by the direction of the episode and the way the silhouette changes color around their face.

Overall, this was another fantastic week. Horimiya Episode 6 has everything from challenging high school bullies, recovering from grief, and young kids learning more about their attraction to one another in a healthy way. Viewers will be incredibly pleased.

Horimiya is streaming now on Funimation.