Hidamari Sketch - Sae and Hiro Graduation OVA

So here it is, the moment we've all been waiting for... and by that, I mean the moment we've all been quietly dreading.  It's time for Sae and Hiro to graduate from both Yamabuki High and, of course, Hidamari Apartments.

Before that though, let's not get ahead of ourselves, as both seniors have to fret over exams (which seem to be of varying difficulties for the two of them - nothing that some speed lines can't fix though), and then even worse fret while waiting for letters of acceptance or rejection from their preferred universities.  Of course, a sweet and calm series like Hidamari Sketch aren't going to pull the rug out from under any character's feet here, so it's not exactly surprising that they both make their top choices of further educational establishment, even if the episode still manages to make a little sport out of generating some tension and emotion from it.

While it's happiness and celebrations all around, it's Yuno who wears her heart on her sleeve in terms of the impending departure of two good friends, and of course that day arrives before she knows it, with a heartfelt and positive graduation ceremony punctuated by the sweet yet sad sight of Yuno and Miyako supporting each other as they face the fact that their senior friends are about to move on.  It's via Natsume that the real emotional crux of the second episode arrives, as her attempt at a cheerful au revoir to Sae breaks down utterly, turning this 'blogger's smiles to floods of tears in record time.  Good job Natsume, good job.  Thankfully, things finish on a poor positive note, as Yuno's feelings of loneliness are blown away by the realisation of the sheer number of friends she's made since moving in to Hidamari Apartments.

Given that I came into this OVA expecting to both laugh and cry (possibly both at the same time), it's a case of mission accomplished for these two episodes - its setup meant that it wasn't the most wall-to-wall hilarious instalments of Hidamari Sketch, but there were just enough gags and one-liners to keep the smiles and laughs coming, and some genuinely sweet moments to enjoy (not least reminiscences of Sae and Hiro's first meeting) as well as that one downright tear-jerking moment.  I'm not sure if I want this to be the end of Hidamari Sketch or not - my brain says yes, but my heart says no - but if this is the last we see of the Hidamari Apartments crew in animated form, then they've certainly left a legacy of innumerable fond memories, silly jokes, and that one time that Natsume made me bawl my eyes out.

Hidamari Sketch x Honeycomb - Episode 12 (Completed)

Another season of Hidamari Sketch comes to an end in an episode of new beginnings - New Year beginnings, to be more surprise.

In fact, this finale of Honeycomb is a pretty by the numbers New Year's Eve/Day episode, involving lots of sitting around eating under a kotatsu before paying a visit to the nearest shrine and with a visit to a bathhouse shoehorned into proceedings.

Within this setup, we get to enjoy Nazuna mix up what she's saying and what she's writing on some New Year greeting cards (a rare moment when I get to empathise with her, which has to be worth something), the younger quartet fret about not stressing out their seniors amidst thoughts of final exams and them moving on from Yamabuki (or not, as the case may be) which of course only makes things worse, another bout of terrible luck according to Yuno's fortune, and a chance for Natsume to say Happy New Year to Sae.  Awww.

As always with this show the devil is in the detail, that particular detail being some well-crafted humour, and while this wasn't the funniest episode of the series is once again generated some laughs while being generally relaxing and fun at the end of a really rough week - exactly the kind of scenario that this show is designed to act as a salve for.  On a wider note, this series perhaps wasn't as sharp as Hoshimittsu and suffered from what almost seems to be the traditional slow start to each season, but on the flip side of that it also offered up some of the funniest jokes that the series has ever crafted to leave me dying with laughter on a few occasions, and proved that it has an emotional core that is beyond solid by utilising the pending graduation of its seniors in a massively tear-jerking fashion.  At its heart though, I still adore so much about this show - even though Honeycomb delved a little too far into fan service territory at times it still holds a sense of innocence about it for the most part, and at this juncture each season is like being invited to spend some time with a few good old, long-lasting friends - you know their foibles and the stuff they do that might bore you, but you're willing to see past that and simply enjoy the good times instead.  Roll on season five... or at least some more special episodes to go with this season's Blu-Ray release.

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.

Hidamari Sketch x Honeycomb - Episode 10

Synchronise watches!  Just as we roll on through December here in the real world, so Hidamari Sketch also makes its way onwards towards Christmas in this week's episode.

For starters, that means some snow for the the Hidamari Apartments gang to enjoy, and although Yoshinoya's latest outfit isn't particularly conducive to enjoying the cold weather Yuno and Miyako seem to know how to make the best of it, even if it involves making up a game that involves both a snowball fight and studying at the same time.  Indeed, from this point forth, it's studying that takes the drivers seat, as we get to enjoy some of the apartment block's relationships as they pertain to studying, which includes Nazuna making herself useful for once by keeping Nori off the Internet.

Moving onwards, our focus shifts towards Hiro and Sae as once again their final year of high school looms large - indeed, even a visit from Chika doesn't detract from this, as she brings news of Sae's test exam results while also questioning her choice of colleges to apply to as they seem to suggest concern for both Chika and her family's finances over Sae's own well-being.  While the other residents quite literally offer to cheer on Sae and Hiro as they move towards their graduation, we finally get to see a softer side of Chika and Sae's relationship which feels far more sisterly than the veiled emotions of previous meetings between the two of them when push comes to shove.

After making me laugh harder than ever over the past couple of episodes on occasion, this week's instalment was always going to have to work hard to do the business - thankfully, it did still make me laugh a number of times, even if it wasn't quite to the same extent as previous outings as once again more serious matters and the prospect of the group being broken up loom large in a decidedly bitter-sweet way in the latter half of the episode.  Still, it's nice to see Hidamari Sketch tackling the issue head-on rather than aiming or hoping for some eternal high school days, and if nothing else it truly adds a different dimension to the show which is pleasing in a very different way to everything that has come before within the franchise.

Hidamari Sketch x Honeycomb - Episode 9

The girls of Hidamari Apartments might be winning the game of life, but can they win at The Game of Life?  This week we get to find out, as a competition prize won by their landlady is passed to the gang for them to play... provided she can join in of course.

Being artistic types however, Miyako and company aren't too interested in the game as it stands, and thus they decide to recreate it in their own image as a Hidamari Apartments-centric game of life.  In essence, this allows for the episode to reference plenty of in-jokes from previous series (in the days before Nori and Nazuna were on-board), to appeal to the long-term viewers (and readers) such as myself.

However, we do have Nazuna to thank for a forfeit that forces Sae to talk like a cat - a forfeit which just so happens to coincide with her sister Chika phoning, with inevitably humorous consequences.  Come the end of the game, we get to imagine Nazuna as Prime Minister, and Nori as a near-millionaire unemployed woman who owns Hidamari Apartments... a result which gets everyone wondering what their actual landlady does for a living, although it seems that she's determined to remain a woman of mystery.

As a Hidamari Sketch veteran, all of the references to days gone by at the apartments made for a pretty fun episode in their own right (watch the Blu-Rays if you haven't seen prior seasons of this show!), while there were some more direct laughs to be found to boot - indeed, the last couple of episodes have presented possibly the two best lines of the series ever, which is a real pleasure to see from a show in its fourth season; proof positive that there's plenty of life left in this series and its otherwise mundane goings-on yet.

Hidamari Sketch x Honeycomb - Episode 8

After some pre-amble last week, it's time to really dive into the heart of the Yamabuki culture festival in this week's Hidamari Sketch x Honeycomb.

Despite Yoshinoya's proclivities, we find Yuno and Miyako's class plumping for that age-old culture festival staple, the haunted house, while Hiro and Sae's group opts for an udon cafe, Nori gets involved in a decidedly unique version of Romeo and Juliet featuring two male leads and cows, and Nazuna's class offers up a balloon room.  A spanner is thrown into the works however when at attempt to make the haunted house even scarier lands Miyako with a couple of injured fingers that puts them out of commission for a week.

Still, nothing is going to prevent the girls from enjoying themselves once the festival itself rolls around, and after Yuno takes her time picking up as many pamphlets as possible due to her design featuring on the cover, we spend the rest of the episode soaking in the ambience of the festival, all the way through to an impressively scary haunted house and a visit from Yuno's parents.

Even though the whole culture festival thing has been done to death (and arguably presented in a way never to be bested by Hyouka this year), as per usual Hidamari Sketch x Honeycomb provides a light-hearted but hugely fun and frequently hilarious take on it, complete with perhaps the best line ever to come out of an episode of this series.  That the show's sense of entertainment remains undimmed so far into its fourth series is high praise indeed, but praise of which Hidamari Sketch is entirely deserving for proving so consistently adept at what it does.

Hidamari Sketch x Honeycomb - Episode 7

It was inevitable that the traditional culture festival was going to roll around again at some point, and so it goes that this week's Hidamari Sketch begins with a lead-in to the forthcoming Yamabuki festival.

In particular, the first half of this latest instalment sees Miyako and Yuno's class working on pieces to be judged and potentially selected as the cover of the pamphlet for the festival's brochure - an exciting opportunity, albeit not quite the "international debut" Yuno seems to think it is despite the winner getting their work featured on the Yamabuki High web site.  Although she frets about not having time to finish her work (bringing about memories of her unfinished piece for her first festival), not only does Yuno get the job done but she actually wins her place on the cover of the booklet, much to the delight of both her and her friends.

In the second half of this episode, Yuno again features prominently as she heads off for a day out with her old (and older, college-aged) friend Arisawa - aside from the inevitable misunderstanding by some of her friends as they assume she's going on a date on account of her dress, Yuno gets to enjoy an afternoon of chatter about college life, trash, her recent successes, trash and trash.  Beyond the fact that trash features prominently, it's also a reminder that friendships can endure even after high school life is over provided you make an effort to ensure that they do so - an important and welcome counterpoint to Hiro's malaise in last week's episode.

Having brought me to tears last week (albeit in a good way), it was actually rather enjoyable to get back to more traditional Hidamari Sketch fare, with a number of laugh out loud moments to punctuate a fun episode that didn't do anything spectacular but continued to hit most of the right notes while being gorgeously produced; the latter point still makes this particular a standout even in the midst of Hidamari Sketch's oeuvre - as a fan of the series, it thrills me to see this simple show given so much love and attention, to add some sheen to an already greatly enjoyable work.

Hidamari Sketch x Honeycomb - Episode 6

Yuno and Miyako have been hanging out together for a pretty long time by the point that this latest episode of Hidamari Sketch rolls around - but just how much do they really know about one another?

It's this question which dominates the first half of this week's instalment, as the two of them use a class involving drawing their own hands and faces to ponder just how little they know about both one another and themselves despite all the time they've spent talking to one another.  It's enough to make them both want to spend even more time chatting, leading to a sleepover (and in-depth discussion of curry eating practice) and some rather surprising compliments flying from both parties.

For the second half of the episode, our attention turns to Hiro, who is behaving in a manner anything but her usual self as she largely forgoes food and keeps relatively quiet.  So, just what's bugging her?  Perhaps inevitably, her thoughts are turning towards graduation and her future... a future that she seems entirely unwilling to embrace at present.  So begins the single most emotional thing to come out of Hidamari Sketch - a reminder that nothing lasts forever and everything is fleeting, although such moments can be eased by good friends with good advice.

It's really the second half of this episode that stands out for me - as a reader of Yen Press' English releases of the original manga I knew this was coming, but Hiro's turmoil is an incredibly emotionally charged one on so many levels.  For starters, picking Hiro - normally the "mother goose" of the group - as the girl unable to face change is striking in itself; then, on other levels, her realisation that one day she'll have to say goodbye to her high school life echoes our own deep-seated knowledge that one day this series will have to end; on yet another level, her troubles evoke memories of having to say goodbye to good friends and good times in my own past.  To be honest, it made me cry in both manga and anime forms, and it's a beautifully quiet and subtle portrayal of something that everyone will most likely recognise from their own lives.  If slice of life anime does one thing well, it's reminding you how close you've become to its characters at moments like this, and for a series so focused on (successfully) getting laughs it's done an expert job of getting under my skin and pulling my heartstrings here.  It's a thing of beauty, but boy is it sad and poignant to consider - thank goodness that even these sad moments were also infused with just the right doses of considered, simple humour to ease us through.

Hidamari Sketch x Honeycomb - Episode 5

This week's Hidamari Sketch is brought to you by the word "nightmare", starting out with a living nightmare for Nazuna.

After a sound night's sleep, Nazuna awakens in a panic as she realises the gravity of her current situation - her parents are paying her a visit today, and despite her assertions that she's become an expert at it she can't cook to save her life!  Thus, it's up to the rest of the Hidamari Apartments crew (although more notably Hiro and Yuno) to teach her how to cook a dish based around fried chicken before her parents turn up the next day - an endeavour that isn't entirely successful, but it's the thought that counts, right?

It's the apartment block's other relative newcomer that stars in the second half of the episode, as Nori awakens with a shout from that most terrifying of nightmares - a computer crashing with unsaved data in play!  So loud is her commotion that it awakens (or rather, attracts the attention of) nightowl Sae, and the next thing the pair know they're chatting over some tea about technology versus pen and paper, Sae's sister and other topics until they both doze off, making for a potentially awkward morning after when Hiro pays them a visit.

All of that brings to a close another episode of Hidamari Sketch x Honeycomb that isn't amongst the most memorable that the series has to offer, yet it still has more than enough of a fun quota and sprinkling of fantastic laugh out loud moments to make for a more than worthwhile watch.  The series also continues to play with what seems to be its ever-grander animation budget, which is interesting to watch in its own way even if it doesn't always fit such a simple series as this one.  Even when it isn't firing on all cylinders, there's nothing here to suggest to me that the Hidamari Sketch bubble has burst yet, and it's really nice to see the two newest characters getting some proper dedicated screen time to boot.

Hidamari Sketch x Honeycomb - Episode 4

From bad weather to glorious sunshine, such is the beauty of the relatively random nature of Hidamari Sketch's timeline - more importantly however, this week sees us introduced to Yamabuki High's swim meet.

Despite being a free event which allows its students compete, watch or simply stay at home, there's a good turn-out to watch proceedings, for reasons not at all to do with Yoshinoya wearing a school swimsuit.  Meanwhile, despite learning to at least float, Yuno still isn't up for playing an active role in the meet, and thus acts as one of the "recorders" tasked with taking photos; something she does with relish and with an occasionally worrying flourish, in spite of the expensive camera in her possession.

Meanwhile, Nori, Sae and Miyako are Hidamari Apartment's contestants in various disciplines, with Sae's heat in particular creating a surprising bond between Hiro and Natsume as her cheerleaders.  At the end of the day there's good news all-round for the main characters involved, with their role in helping their class to victory proving to be more important than some of the younger students had realised, while Yuno's photographic efforts are very much appreciated, and displayed (quite literally) in all of their glory on the school web site.

Sure, this wasn't one of Hidamari Sketch's best episodes, but it still brought out a number of laugh out loud moments while being vaguely fun and reminding us once again of how much bigger this show's budget is now than during its first season, ensuring that it looks the part as well as delivering a decent chunk of humour.  No matter where its subject matter lies, it seems like this show always has one or two gems to deliver, and this week's instalment is no different in that regard.

Hidamari Sketch x Honeycomb - Episode 3

With the summer break about to end as Hidamari Sketch x Honeycomb and its ever-jumbled timeline reaches its third episode, Yuno and Miyako have big (albeit ill-defined) plans for the final day of their holiday.

Unfortunately, little do either of them realise that there's a typhoon on the way, and cvome the next morning any thoughts of going anywhere or doing anything are blown away on the high winds.  What's more, there isn't even any food in their apartments, leading to them (and the other residents) to make a beeline for the one person who is always going to be well-stocked no matter the weather - Hiro.  Cue a half episode of hanging around in Hiro's apartment, eating, playing cards and generally having a lazy day of fun indoors.

With their holiday now over, it's back to school for the first day of the new term - a day dominated largely by a fire drill and test evacuation of the school.  If nothing else, this gives us an opportunity to see some of Hidamari Apartments resident's special skills in action, whether it's Sae and Hiro's ability to communicate no matter what, Nori's smart attempt to save Nazuna from an embarrassing predicament, or Miyako's innovative solution to the problem of not having a hankerchief.  Oh, and Yumo gets to "enjoy" experiencing an earthquake at first hand.

From its slow start and a better second episode, this week's instalment of Hidamari Sketch feels like the series has gotten up to full speed now, with a great vein of humour running throughout it with great jokes and amusing moments aplenty.  Sure, I'm a big fan of the series so I'm terribly biased from the outset, but this still felt like some of the better material this show has to offer when it's firing on all cylinders, and as a result I enjoyed it immensely.

Hidamari Sketch x Honeycomb - Episode 2

It's as you were for episode two of Hidamari Sketch x Honeycomb, as Sae and Hiro continue their class trip in Hokkaido while their fellow apartment dwellers carry on without them.

Of course, this means that Yuno is still fretting over ways to make herself useful or more accommodating to her juniors - a concern which brings about dangerous times with chairs, a period of stalking and ultimately a trip for the gang to the local bathhouse so that the remaining quartet can check out the delights within... that being Miyako's breasts mostly, it seems.

Meanwhile in Hokkaido Hiro and Sae continue to check out the sights and try their hand at the foodstuffs of the region - a period of enjoyment tempered only by the realisation that this marks another step towards the end of their high school lives and, perhaps worse, exams.  Still, at least Natsume seems to have finally made some progress in her pursuit of Sae...

After its unspectacular opener, this felt like something of a return to form for Hidamari Sketch, with far more well-crafted jokes and amusing moments in the midst of the usual slice of life fare, and with perhaps the slightest hint of some more emotional times ahead as Sae and Hiro's time as high school students draws towards its inevitable conclusion.  Thankfully though, we get to enjoy their presence for a little while yet, as things simply aren't the same without the full Hidamari Apartments crew in attendance.

Hidamari Sketch x Honeycomb - Episode 1

Anyone who follows my online persona around will probably not need to be told twice of my love for all things Hidamari Sketch, so am I pleased to see it return for a fourth season this autumn?  You bet I am!  As Honeycomb begins, we find Yuno feeling a little homesick - not for long though, as she's soon surrounded by the comforting sounds of her current home.

There is one oddity at Hidamari Apartments however, and that's a commotion coming from Sae's room - it seems as if she have guests, but just what is going on?  Instead of just straight-up asking, Miyako decides to try and find out using other means - an ultimately fruitless effort that nonetheless does eventually lead to Sae and Hiro introducing some of their classmates as they prepare for a senior class trip to Hokkaido.

With the entire senior year off on their trip (and very much without Yoshinoya in tow), just who is going to take on the role as "leader" of Hidamari Apartments?  It certainly isn't likely to be Miyako, and despite Yuno's assertion that it should be Nori it seems that she ultimately becomes the "mother" of the group - the go-to person when problems of a culinary nature occur in Hiro's absence, even if nothing can save Nazuna's attempt at stew.  Meanwhile, the senior girls are enjoying culinary delights of their own, taking in Hokkaido's local foods such as..... err.... omurice.

So begins a pretty solid start to Hidamari Sketch x Honeycomb - a few funny moments, the relaxing sense of fun which this series has always held and a lovable bunch of characters, worked into an ever more grandiose (for want of a better word) visual framework as SHAFT's production budget increases every series.  Hidamari Sketchis back, and I won't hear a bad word said about it, even if this isn't one of its classic episodes.

Hidamari Sketch xSP - Episode 2 (Completed)

Quite frankly I've had a terrible day today - thank goodness then that a new instalment of Hidamari Sketch is 100% guaranteed to relieve stress and cure any work-related ills.

I probably don't need to mention that this second and final instalment of xSP is split into two, with the first half of the episode taking in the decidedly ordinary task of washing some curtains.  Of course, even this can somehow manage to be fun when you're part of the Hidamari Apartments gang, as it winds up involving a paddling pool and plenty of detergent, meaning bubbles aplenty and the chance to splash around whilst trying to wash the curtains in the process.  Now, if only Nazuna had relayed the day's weather forecast a little sooner...

After a brief distraction involving Yoshinoya and her determination to let all and sundry know that she in no way resembles a cow, the residents of Hidamari Apartments find themselves faced with a rare and unusual treat - a meal out, fully paid for by their landlady.  But what's the catch?  Seemingly, there is no catch, so off they all traipse for an all you can eat buffet of meat, cakes and other such goodies (including copious amounts of beer for the landlady) - although when I said there's no catch, this does depend on the result of a game of "Sushian roulette"... and the landlady having enough cash on her to actually pay the bill.

As ever, Hidamari Sketch is relaxing, uncomplicated and beautifully presented fun throughout that makes the most of its characters and their never-overbearing foibles to entertain its audience.  You could probably argue that the show's comedy isn't at its absolute sharpest in these two special episodes, but it still delivers enough laughs and funny moments to be worthwhile, and this second episode in particular worked rather well in its all you can eat restaurant setting if only thanks to the landlady shaking things up a little.  Roll on season four of the series proper!

Hidamari Sketch xSP - Episode 1

Asking me what I think about any episode of Hidamari Sketchis effectively a redundant question given my love for the series - thankfully the fact that I can't get enough of this show seems to continue to be well served, with two special episodes paving the way for a full-on fourth season next year.

As per series tradition (and after a wonderful set of opening titles), this additional episode is further split into two sub-stories.  The first of these sees the entire gang of six residents from Hidamari Apartments paying a visit to a museum/art gallery, where they try to wrap their heads around modern act and the meaning of various pieces while just hanging out and goofing off as usual.

While the second half of the episode sees Sae and Hiro having to attend classes, the other residents have some time to themselves, which sees them paying a visit to a local swimming pool - ostensibly to help Miyako practice for her part in a forthcoming school swimming meet, but it also gives Yuno in particular the chance to practice in the water in the hope of becoming less of a "hammer".  This she succeeds in with some minor degree of success, although the effort of doing so means that she doesn't get much of an opportunity to enjoy the subsequent pyjama party held by all the girls as she nods off pretty much as soon as it starts.

There really is absolutely nothing I can say about Hidamari Sketch that hasn't been said before, and as per usual this special is a blend of relaxing, satisfying slice of life fare sprinkled with a seasoning of laugh-out loud humour.  The only criticism you could perhaps have of this instalment is that it leaned a little too heavily on its CG and gimmicks from time to time, but even that can't really detract from the simple, undemanding happiness that can come from watching this series.  I genuinely can't think of a better way to relax after a hectic weekend in London.

Hidamari Sketch x☆☆☆ Specials - Episode 2 (Completed)

After getting all excited about a new episode of Hidamari Sketch at the weekend, what's this?  Another new episode of Hidamari Sketch x☆☆☆?  Be still my beating heart...

This second (and sadly final) special episode for this particular series starts out with a bit of a change of pace - at least as far as a slice of life show such as this one can have a change of pace, that is.  This is achieved via a flying visit home to her parents from Yuno, although said parents are more than a little disappointed to see Yuno making in-roads to pet cat Nyanta over them, a sight which tickled me because I've done just the same myself on more than one occasion.  Anyway, the remainder of the first half of the episode largely follows Yunocchi simply enjoy some time with her mum and dad, which brings with it the usual opportunities for some great gags and punchlines, while even a single day away from Hidamari Apartments sees Yuno keeping in touch with her friends by phone.

From discussions about the girl's forthcoming summer break, the second half of this episode takes us to the fledgling days of that holiday, with Miyako fishing a barbecue out from the depths of the apartment's storage shed.  Shopping for food and charcoal and a chance meeting with Natsume later, it's barbecue time, with the usual range of meat and fish on offer as well as some more unusual experiments, one of which (from Miyako, inevitably) turns into a decidedly smoky affair.  Still, fun times for all, and Natsume fans get their second dose of love from these special episodes into the bargain.

Wow, me really enjoying an episode of Hidamari Sketch, who would have thought it?!  As always with this series, it left me laughing out loud plenty of times, while the moments that weren't filled with laughter still elft me with a huge smile on my face.  I can't really describe just how soothing and satisfying watching these simple tales of a bunch of friends doing normal things are, but this is one of those series that can brighten the darkest mood and introduce some sunshine (do you see what I did there?) into the bleakest day.  Normally I'd be happy to suggest that an anime should come to an end after three series lest it start to burn out, but right now it feels as though Hidamari Sketch's star is burning brighter than ever, and there's nothing I'd love more than to see a fourth season of it appear.  And a fifth.  And sixth...

Hidamari Sketch x☆☆☆ Specials - Episode 1

Sometimes, I wish for a world where every week brought me a new episode of Hidamari Sketch.  Sometimes, between all of those special episodes, DVD releases and so on it feels as though I'm a little closer to that world than is actually true.  Regardless, more of this wonderful franchise is always a good thing, and thus the appearance of the first Hidamari Sketch x☆☆☆ Special is quite the birthday treat for me.

In keeping with the kind of intense drama always provided by the series, much of this episode focuses on a huge piece of plot development for the show - the opening of a new family restaurant nearby, complete with flyers that include coupons!  Of course, the girls decide to check it out after school, a decision made even easier by the fact that they only have a half day; in keeping with that "dropping by after school" element, they don't even bother changing out of their uniforms to pay it a visit - that's just how rebellious the Hidamari Apartment girls are.

We probably shouldn't be surprised to find that the girl's landlady is working as a waitress at this apartment, nor should we be surprised to see Natsume putting in an appearance and eventually irritating Sae as always, but all of this weaves into a gentle, cheerful and mildly amusing narrative, all beautifully animated via SHAFT's inimitably unique style.  As a showcase of why most people watch Hidamari Sketch, this isn't the funniest episode segments ever, but it's still very much entertaining.

Speaking of Natsume, any fans of hers are given a real treat as the final segment of this special episode takes us right back to her first day at Yamabuki High - a potentially disastrous day as her mother can't make it to the opening ceremony, delays on the trains make her late, and she very nearly can't find her locker until a certain girl named Sae saves her bacon by pointing her in the right direction.  Of course, Natsume is immediately taken by this tall, smart girl, but the next time they meet properly Natsume walks right into the midst of a conversation between Sae and Hiro which leaves her feeling confused and jealous, and thus the Natsume we know all too well throughout this series is born - this girl really needs a hug.

I'm not really sure that I need to conclude this post - you probably all know how much I love Hidamari Sketch so it goes without saying that I also loved this episode.  The Natsume section of the episode was carried off excellently (arguably better than even the original manga managed), and the family restaurant scenario which preceded it was fun enough to watch to.  Now, I guess I just have to be patient and wait for the next special episode, which will hopefully be followed by Sentai Filworks announcing that they've licensed the series on Blu-Ray... pretty please?

Hidamari Sketch x☆☆☆ - Episode 12 (Completed)

I'm not really a big fan of tomatoes in food, which probably puts me at something of a disadvantage when it comes to enjoying the final episode of Hidamari Sketch Hoshimittsu. Hell, who am I kidding, of course it doesn't!

In a departure from most episodes sported by this franchise, this finale sticks to just a single day and a single story to close things out, with the Hidamari Apartments crew picking the now-ripe tomatoes planted in their shared back garden and then deciding how to cook them to make for a bumper meal. Thus, the rest of the episode is spent in preparation for said meal, with even the apartment block's landlady getting an invite to enjoy the feast. So, much fun is had and good food is enjoyed, which pretty much sums up everything that Hidamari Sketch is all about.


While this final episode perhaps isn't an example of this franchise at its absolute best in terms of comedy (although Miyako's onion-chopping getup was priceless), it does sum up what the series delivers on a "deeper" (if that's the right word for it) level - A world of uncomplicated pleasures where food and friendship is all you need, and everyday worries drain away within seconds on the rare occasions when they crop up. It's this attitude which makes Hidamari Sketch so relaxing yet enjoyable, as an idealised world where you can cut loose from the every-day stresses of life for a while in an environment that always makes you feel welcome and as if you somehow "belong", even though we're simply a fly on the wall in the lives of these ordinary girls. It's perhaps an odd concept and franchise to fall so deeply in love with, but Hidamari Sketch has always had me hooked from the very start, and Hoshimittsu has done nothing to change that opinion despite taking the arguable risk of shaking up its core character set.

Hidamari Sketch x☆☆☆ - Episode 11

Hidamari Sketch Hoshimittsu's eleventh episode couldn't really have started in a more appropriate way, mirroring the rainy and miserable day we've "enjoyed" here in the UK with one of its own - A state of affairs which hampers any plans the girls of Hidamari Apartments might have otherwise had on their day off.

When a quiz question crops up on TV which requires you to go online to find the answer, of course only one person can help, and so Yunocchi and Miyako head over to see Nori, only to be left rather disappointed by the answer to said question. Still, this little fact-finding mission seems to have sparked an interest in the Internet on Yuno's part, and thus she gets a bit of a crash course (almost literally on one occasion) in computer use and what you can do online. As an IT geek myself there was much to enjoy here, and I'm sure I wasn't the only one.


Watching the second half of this episode was a rather odd experience for me, as it contained a segment which I'd just this morning read in the fourth volume of the Hidamari Sketch manga, as the seniors graduate and get to show off some specially made pieces of artwork wherever they like around the school. It's hard to judge the effectiveness of jokes you've read just a few hours previously, but even despite that this was entertaining enough, and it's interesting to compare how some of the gags actually work out better in animated form than they do on paper, while others arguably go the other way.

Still, once again this was a fun episode as is par for the course with Hidamari Sketch throughout, with just the right blend of comedy and other items of interest to keep things balanced out. It's actually sad to think that there's now only one episode to go of this series - This truly is the kind of show that I always find myself missing quite badly for weeks after its run has finished, and I'm sure Hoshimittsu will have the same effect.

Hidamari Sketch x☆☆☆ - Episode 10

Losing the key to your apartment is easy enough at the best of times, but somehow Yunnochi manages to turn it into something of an art form in this tenth episode of Hidamari Sketch x☆☆☆ in a convoluted ballet involving the school toilets.

With no key and her spare locked in her own room, Yuno turns to the landlady to help, only to find that she's having quite the struggle finding the additional spare key herself. It's a good job then that Hidamari Apartments is full of so many kind souls, with all of its residents offering to let Yunnochi stay with them, giving Yuno something of a tour of the entire apartment block over the subsequent days as well as the characters within.

This particular plot device actually made for a hugely enjoyable episode from beginning to end, mixing in the slice of life goodness that this series and its characters provides so well with some equally great moments of humour, from Miyako's Dali send-off paintings through to Hiro's ever-more terrifying morning hair.


Somehow this all blended together to make an instalment that was as heart-warming as it was funny, matched up with some of the best animation we've seen of this series of late to sneak itself a place in my heart... Not that Hidamari Sketch ever really needs to sneak into my heart, seeing as it has a huge place reserved in there for it already. Still, credit where credit's due for a particularly wonderful little episode.