Hidamari Sketch x Honeycomb - Episode 11

Helping out your teacher might seem like a good way to gain some kudos with them, but as you might expect when it comes to Yoshinoya there is more than a visit to her home to help collect some art books than might meet the eye.

Aside from needing to sign an NDA and give up any devices containing cameras, simply collecting these books for donation to the school also ultimately includes arranging them all, removing the classes first artistic endeavours from the midst of the books pages, and dealing with Yoshinoya's "unique" alarm clock.  There's also the shock of seeing her being greeted by a man and his child, only to find that it's actually her older brother and his son.

For the second half of this week's episode, all of Natsume's Christmases come at once - almost literally, as she's officially invited by Sae to the Hidamari Apartments Christmas party (hey, where was my invite?!).  Overcoming her shyness and tendency to babble randomly in Sae's presence, Natsume makes it along and has a whale of a time with all of the residents as they eat, drink and exchange presents, the latter of which leaves Natsume having to carry Longcat home on the train.  Natsume even plucks up the courage to admit to Sae that she reads her writing religiously - an awkward but sweet moment to end their evening.

Even if it didn't win the award for bringing the most out-loud laughter from me for this series, this was still one of Hidamari Sketch x Honeycomb's most fun episodes, bringing both Yoshinoya and Natsume to the fore a little more than usual to great effect, particularly in Natsume's case as she suddenly feels far, far more fleshed out than just a tsundere comic relief character - I'd be all for seeing her making more frequent and prolonged appearances in future as another likeable member of a lovable cast.