Hyouka's story was met with favourable reviews for its approach to the everyday aspect of the slice of life genre. Many critics complimented the level of detail to even the less important characters of the story, and also for the show's uniqueness in the mystery genre. THEM Anime Reviews pointed out that the show was unique in the field of mysteries for dealing with "trivial but always personal" mysteries, and Anime News Network's Paul Jensen noted Hyouka's uniqueness genre-wise, claiming that it was the only show combining mystery and slice of life in that way. However, some critics described the show as being "dull", and others pointed out that the show lacked unity and a sense of conclusion.
