Wow. One of the big unlicensed shows is finally heading to North America. Colour me shocked!

Earlier today, Funimation announced that they acquired the domestic rights to Hyouka. Funimation will release the show on home video on July 4. Funimation is producing a new English dub for the release.

Yesterday, Funimation teased the acquisition on Twitter, where they posted the phrase “KI NI NARIMASU” (“I’m curious”). For the uninitiated, this is a catch phrase for Eru Chitanda in the show.

Hyouka is based on Honobu Yonezawa’s novels of the same name. The series, which aired in the Spring 2012 broadcast season, was helmed by Yasuhiro Takemoto (Amagi Brilliant Park, Miss Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid) at Kyoto Animation. Futoshi Nishiya (Free! – Iwatobi Swim Club, Nichijou: My Ordinary Life) provided character designs for the title, while Shoji Gatoh (The Tower of Druaga: The Aegis of Uruk, Full Metal Panic? Fumoffu) took charge of series composition.

Hyouka hadn’t been licensed for North America prior to today.

Source: Twitter (Funimation)