Horimiya: The Missing Pieces

Horimiya: The Missing Pieces takes the small, unused episodes that circled the edges of the main series and turns them into a short, reflective anime about what happened around graduation. Set as students at Katagiri High wrap up school life, Kyoko Hori, Izumi Miyamura, and their friends pause to recall tiny incidents that stuck with them, from awkward confessions to quiet evenings at home. Rather than pushing the plot forward, the show stitches together brief scenes that highlight personality quirks and private moments, so viewers see how those fragments add color to relationships without changing the main storyline or revealing new shocks.

Released in 2023, the project adapts side material from HERO with input from manga contributors Daisuke Hagiwara and Takawo Yoshioka. The voice cast includes Haruka Tomatsu as Kyoko Hori and Koki Uchiyama as Izumi Miyamura, supported by Seiichiro Yamashita, Yurie Kozakai, and Nobuhiko Okamoto.

The series kept Horimiya visible between larger releases by giving fans extra time with favorite characters, and its short scenes often show up in online conversations and fan art. Those who wanted more of the day to day appreciated the focus on small rituals and awkwardly sweet exchanges, which helped maintain interest in the franchise.

The Missing Pieces did not receive major industry awards or high-profile nominations. Its impact has been informal rather than institutional, reinforcing fan engagement and prompting rewatching of moments that the main series touched on only briefly.

Viewer response has been favorable overall, reflected in a user average of about 7.67 out of 10 from available votes. Critics and fans tend to note the show's warm slice of life tone, its emphasis on friendship and young romance, and how brief, well-placed scenes deepen characters in ways the main arc didn't have room for.