Nice mic…an. My final impression is included.

Summary:

Yuno returns to the Hidamari apartments after winter break, finding that Miyako is already there waiting for her. The two quickly begin discussing what they did over the holiday, and if there are any items they have brought over. When the girls go to the other doors to check on Hiro and Sae, they are surprised to see that both of them are still asleep. When the two wake, they credit their late sleeping to the odd schedules they had during the holiday. When Hiro remembers all of the snacks she had while talking to her relatives, she expresses the need to exercise. With this, Miyako suggest that they all go for a walk. As the girls pass by Yoshinoya’s house on the way, they stop by to give her their New Year’s greetings. Yoshinoya decides to join the girls while going to the shrine, quickly getting changed. When the girls reach the shrine, they perform the typical traditions. While looking at Sae’s suggestive fortune, Hiro brings up the possibility of its relation to one of her fans. This makes Sae remember how happy she was to receive the certain fan letter, and when she overhears this from a distance in the area, Natsume is overjoyed.

Returning to the apartments, the girls continue to discuss what they had done over the holiday. The conversation shifts to what wishes the each of them made, and most of the girls give their expected answers. Hiro, in particular, panics at making the same wish for a successful diet again. Hiro brings up that Natsume was at the shrine as well, making Sae remember her encounter with her. When Sae questioned what she had wished for, Natsume could only make up a response with her usual dishonesty. Before parting ways with Sae, however, Natsume was able to give her a New Years greeting honestly. The girls also bring up their earlier seeing of the Landlady, who looked quite different and wonderful in her New Year’s attire. When the girls suggest that it is almost time for dinner, Yuno invites them to her room to enjoy the food that she had brought over. The girls continue to discuss their wishes for the year over dinner, but before they part, Yuno rushes out to catch them and finally say, “Tadaima.” In the bath later, Yuno again realizes how nice it is in the Hidamari Apartments. At the same time, all of the girls sing a familiar song.

Impression:

So it’s spelled with a “k”….don’t judge me. Although not as visually impacting as last week’s, this episode was perfect for a Hidamari finale. I was quite surprised, and delighted, that they decided to put a lot of focus on Natsume’s relationship with Sae. Even if it was already assumed in the previous episodes this season, it was finally revealed that she was the devoted fan who sent Sae encouraging mail. Watching Natsume wish for her ability to become more honest was so great, and it is still entertaining to see how clueless Sae is. The rest of the episode was what we would expect from the show, with a few exceptions. I loved Yuno’s struggle to say such simple words by the end, and the true smiles that all of the girls responded to her with. All of the girls’ singing the first season’s theme was so perfect for the ending, and I was totally reminiscing over the entire series at that point. The use of photographs to bring us through the dialog probably helped to add nostalgia as well.

Final Impression:

When I watched the first season of Hidamari Sketch in 2007, it easily became one of my all time favorite anime series. Being a slice of life story based on artists, and produced by my favorite studio SHAFT, there was really nothing but appreciation that I could have for the series. When the OVAs came out a bit after my blog was established, I quickly jumped at the chance to cover them. Both were everything I could hope for, though they did have me wishing for another series afterwards. By the time x365 was announced, I knew I was in for another season of greatness.

This season of Hidamari proved to be everything the first season was, and more. With greater production values from the evolving studio, a timeline that helped to reveal things that we didn’t know about in the first season, and simply learning more about the girls and their friends, every episode left me with a great feeling after finishing them each week. I would say that I am sad to part with the series again, but Hidamari Sketch is the type of series that never feels like it will end. Even without another season (though I suspect there could be one in the future), it is easy to image how Yuno’s daily activities would continue on in an inspiring way. Besides, how can I be sad when ef – a tale of melodies. is premiering in only a little over a week from now? I am always satisfied.

IT WAS LIKE AN INDIRECT KISS THAT MADE ME HAPPY.

Summary:

Yuno wakes on the day of Tanabata, but is a bit disappointed to see that it looks like it will rain outside. When she and Miyako meet Sae outside, they ask her if she has seen Hiro. To their surprise, Sae pushes the question off in annoyance. In class, Yuno and Miyako wonder if Sae and Hiro have gotten into a fight. The two meet Hiro during lunch, finding that she has the same reaction that Sae did. Hiro actually reveals what had happened, but it was something seemingly trivial that Sae became angry with. When Sae enters the lunchroom, she avoids Hiro’s gaze. Natsume is surprised when Sae takes a seat next to her, and overjoyed when she gives her the leftovers to the lunch that she does not finish. Yuno and Miyako enter Sae’s room later to tell her the information they got from Hiro. Miyako is quick to state that Sae is actually the one wrong in this case, and although she admits that she could have went too far, Sae does not know how she should go about apologizing. When Sae finally apologizes to Hiro, she is put to tears.

Alone with each other later, Miyako and Yuno realize that they have never gotten into a fight before. Miyako wonders what Yuno is like when she is angry, but this results in a smack in the face. When Sae and Hiro meet the other girls again that night, they have returned to their normal selves. The girls all prepare for their Tanabata wishes afterwards, even encountering the Landlady’s wish already posted on the bamboo outside. After all of the girls show their wishes, they are reminded that this is the day that Orihime and Hikoboshi are able to meet. As the girls further prepare for festivities, the Headmaster and Yoshinoya pass by the apartments. The two take the chance to make a visit, having their chances to make wishes as well. When the girls look at all of the wishes afterwards, they eventually notice that they have all wished that they would get along at the Hidamari apartments from here on.

Preview: Finale.

Impression:

This episode made me happy. Very happy. Shaft decided to have a little fun with their animation this week, with beautiful results. Doing so did make this episode seem more like a Zetsubou Sensei or other Shafty show though. With even the ef references included, it almost seemed like the studio wanted to remind us of the potential they really hold in preparation for the upcoming season. There were so many stylish scenes in this episode that simply reminded me why I love this oh-so-underrated studio so much. Tanabata is a common theme to play on in many different anime series, but the way it was presented in this episode was so aesthetic that it made my artsy head explode for a second.

The fight that Sae and Hiro had was extremely fun to watch too, with both of them acting tsun towards each other. And to top it off, Natsume’s going in for the kill probably made my day (Man, when was I watching yuri anime?). Miyako’s straight up telling Sae that she was the wrong one was just as great, since she was probably the only one who could have done this so easily. Yuno’s pumping heart compared to her calm one was such an awesome comparison to play on. On a side note, hearing Sawashiro Miyuki use her Reika/Shinku voice in this episode was a bit surprising. It’s usually hard to believe that she plays the Landlady. With only one episode left, I can only wonder what the studio plans on throwing our way next.

Strawberry Panic meets Hidamari Sketch, and the secrets of room 203 revealed!

Summary:

When Yuno wakes, she takes a look into the sky. With this, she decides to make rice balls for school that day. When the main school activities ends, Miyako expresses her distress in that she will not be able to eat because of the sports activities she must attend to. Miyako was given the important role of managing the events when both of the girls were asleep. Yuno saves Miyako by giving her some rice balls, which Miyako quickly gobbles down. After Miyako gets to work, Yuno takes the chance to go to the school rooftop. Setting out a blanket, she looks up at the sky that she loved since she was in middle school. A few pigeons eventually land close to Yuno because of her rice balls, annihilating the meal after only a few minutes. Yuno dozes off after awhile, and when she wakes, she panics at the fact that activities have already started again.

After sports activities that afternoon, Yuno leaves Miyako to search for the gym clothes that she had left behind. Yuno finds these clothes, but more importantly, she finds Hiro passed out in a narrow hallway. The girls discuss the events that happened while Hiro was asleep in the infirmary when they return to the Hidamari apartments. These events consisted of things like Yoshinoya kissing her in an attempt to wake her up, and the exploring of the nearby drama club room full of costumes. Sae eventually guesses that Hiro had passed out while trying to put on a new pair of pants, leading to the event where the girls had helped Kuwabara take the said pants off. When Miyako had slid them off, a pair of panties had come with them. Unable to hide the facts from her friends afterwards, Hiro admits that the real reason she had passed out was because she had jumped and hit her head while trying to put on a pair of pantsu.

The girls discuss what they should have for dinner afterwards, though Hiro attempts to suggest diet type foods. Yuno hears a noise coming from room 203 while leaving with the girls later, which makes them curious to see what is inside. Hiro attempts to keep the girls from opening it, but to no avail. With only Yuno having her eyes covered by Hiro, the rest of the girls see quite a few pieces of exercise equipment inside. The Landlady, who was using some of it, leaves the room after seeing the girls. Before parting with them, however, Hiro makes her lock the door. Miyako teases Hiro about this afterwards, but she can only be concerned with her wish that Miyako would keep this a secret from Yuno. Sae tells Yuno that she would eventually find out what was inside, as Miyako and Hiro are not good at keeping secrets. At Yamabuki, Yoshinoya remains trapped because of a mishap earlier in the day.

Preview: Don’t look!

Impression:

This was definitely one of the funnier episodes of Hidamari so far. From Yoshinoya’s antics to the irony of finally finding out what is actually inside of room 203, there was plenty to be entertained from. Some of the best parts came from simple imagery, like Miyako’s chalk drawing of Hiro and Yoshinoya’s sculptures and paintings. Watching Ume-sensei imitate the girls’ situations was as cute as ever too, and seeing the “Moon Phase” type shot of the Hidamari apartments in the beginning was just awesome. There were a ton of other great parts, including plays on girls love and Miyako’s usual teasing of Hiro, but listing them out would just be spoilerish and silly.

The episode still stayed true to its slice of life and art themes as well, mainly towards the beginning. I loved Yuno’s observation of the sky, as it’s typically the simple things in life that inspire artists so much. The way the falling feather was presented just proved that the animators at Shaft understand this perfectly well. While looking at the shots of the sky though, I did chuckle at the thought of the studio using their ef style in Hidamari. With only two episodes left, it’s almost time to shift gears again. It seems like there will be one Shaft production in each season here for awhile, which makes me a very happy panda.

ef’s second season can’t come soon enough?

Summary:

Yuno gets a call from her mother in the morning, so she describes the activities that are going on at school for her at the moment. In class later, Yoshinoya announces that they will be making shoes out of clay. The students all bring out their models, some shoes being old ones. Miyako’s ice skates do not stand properly, so she almost has to get a different pair of shoes, but a boy allows her to borrow a pair of his. When Miyako almost takes a sniff of the shoes out of interest, Yuno is forced to stop her. Yuno starts to fall asleep while working on her project, wondering if other forces would complete her project for her while she rested. When Yuno does doze off, Miyako accidentally spills glaze on her project. When Yuno wakes to see the progress made on her shoes, she wonders if her thoughts had actually come true. In other places, Natsume meets Sae close to the garbage. She puts on her usual attitude, but panics when she sees that the Headmaster is there as well. The Headmaster describes how arguments can show how friendly people are with each other, and when he leaves, Natsume is surprised to hear that Sae does think of her as a friend.

Yuno’s parents make a visit to the Hidamari apartments while their daughter is at school, giving gifts to the Landlady for always taking care of her. When Yuno and Miyako return home, they impress Hiro with their works. The two go to show Sae next, but the girls find that she has fallen asleep during work again. Because of this, Miyako plays a prank on her by leaving a large stuffed animal under a blanket close to her. When Sae goes to scold Miyako afterwards, she is even more shocked at the sight of a boy’s shoes at her apartment. Yuno receives a mail from her mother later, wondering what she is doing at the moment. Yuno sends a mail back, but after going up the stairs to her apartment, she is shocked to find her parents in front of her door. Yuno’s parents describe their want to visit her after hearing that she would be done with school early that day, and also how they had went on a small date before arriving.

Yuno’s parents introduce themselves to Miyako in their daughter’s room. Offering her some meat buns, they quickly see how nice of a person she is. When Miyako goes to get the other girls, Yuno’s parents take the chance to notice how much their daughter has changed. When Yuno’s father sees a short strand of hair in her room, however, he quickly panics at the thought of Yuno having a boy in her room. When Hiro and Sae enter the room, however, he soon learns who the hair belonged to. Sae’s introduction turns out to be a lot more formal than the other girls’, causing a slightly awkward atmosphere. The girls take the chance to leave, explaining their need to go to the market as well. As the girls leave, Yuno’s mother notices how nice of friends her daughter has. Yuno’s mother takes the chance to prepare something for her daughter afterwards. Yuno and her father are left with a slightly awkward moment in the meantime, as they get in small conversations about things in the room. Yuno’s mother finally makes Yuno’s father get to the point, so he takes out a ticket that Yuno offered to him in the past. Noticing that Yuno could not give him a proper massage when she was younger, he is quite touched.

Yuno’s parents take their chance to leave after finishing their daughter’s meal, but before leaving, they present her with a picture of her earlier years. Yuno gives her parents a recent picture of herself and her friends in return, then receiving an odd picture of her parents before they leave. On the train, Yuno’s parents express their gladness that Yuno has made such good friends. Yuno’s friends meanwhile discuss how good, yet odd, Yuno’s meal is. Yoshinoya suddenly shows up at the door, then revealing that Yuno’s parents had visited her home earlier. After eating with her students, Yoshinoya returns home with a bit of happiness. In the bath that night, Yuno realizes that she has learned to do a lot of things by herself ever since entering the Hidamari apartments.

Preview: P…p..p….PANTSU???

Impression:

I’m still weirded out by the introduction of Shafty references in Hidamari Sketch. Unlike with most of their other shows, it just seems so out of place. Chihiro’s doll was subtle though, and it was a nice reminder that Shaft will be making me happy next season as well. Either way, I loved this episode from start to finish. The art project that Yuno and Miyako had early in the episode was really nostalgic, though I did find it odd that they didn’t go to an art room to work with the clay. Wouldn’t that make the classroom really dusty? Natsume’s tsundere nature towards Sae is always fun to watch too, especially when she gets all jealous over Hiro. Miyako’s pranks were hilarious to watch as well, and the double take on Sae was just killer.

Yuno’s parents visiting was petty heartwarming, as it is something most people can relate to at some point in their life. Their unique personalities were funny to watch too, especially when Yuno’s dad freaked out about finding Sae’s hair in his daughter’s room. The theme of change was a nice one to play on, as people seem to notice how much they have developed when it is mentioned to them. It’s nice to see an anime where kids aren’t angsting against their parents every once in awhile, you know? Also, my memory is probably just really hazy as usual, but did we ever find out what is actually inside the infamous room 203?

MIYAKO FILMS PRESENTS:

Summary:

Yoshinoya has trouble waking up in the morning as usual, but when she finally does, she is disappointed to find that she has work even though it is summer break. The Headmaster constantly tells Yoshinoya that there is still work to do, but when she sees the usual students coming from the Hidamari apartments, she goes to greet them instead. Yoshinoya continues to do other things throughout the day, such as dressing up and painting, but the Headmaster is always around to scold her. The teachers eventually meet in Kuwabara’s office, then getting a delivery from the Landlady for lunch. The Headmaster again reminds Yoshinoya that she will have work to do afterwards, but she finally admits that she cannot be motivated. She wishes the rest of the students were at school, making the Headmaster agree that it is too quiet without them.

When Yoshinoya escapes once again, she begins writing postcards to all of her students. Natsume shows up in the office to use the printer, but Yoshinoya takes the chance to ask her for a favor upon seeing her. Natsume ends up delivering postcards to the Hidamari apartments, but she quickly escapes at the thought of being fond by Sae. Yoshinoya is bombarded with papers at nightfall, but she finally finds encouragement when the Headmaster offers to do fireworks with her after she is done. With this, the three usual teachers enjoy themselves in the firework’s sparkling light a few hours later. Though Kuwabara notices Yoshinoya’s easy going nature, the Headmaster also notices how much she cares for her students. Upon reaching home, Yoshinoya hopes that her postcards would reach her students the next day.

When Yuno wakes up one morning to meet the girls outside, she shows them a letter she has received from Miyako. Sae wonders why Miyako would send a letter to someone so close, but Miyako reminds her that some things can only be expressed in one way. The girls then travel to the city to watch a movie by Kishi; one that turns out to be quite touching. When the girls return to the apartments, they discuss how sad, yet fitting the final scenes of the movie were. Yuno then reveals that she was able to meet Kishi shortly after the film, which turns the conversation to the large audience the film actually had. The girls realize how amazing Kishi is for realizing her dreams, but while alone that night, Yuno recalls that she herself doesn’t know exactly what she wishes to do. Knowing what she certainly enjoys doing now, however, she begins to draw.

Later, Hiro treats the girls to dishes that she suddenly felt like making. While the girls enjoy this meal, Miyako shows them a flip book that she had created with one of her textbooks. Even after becoming distracted from a program on the television, the girls continue to be fascinated by this. Sae is eventually interrupted by a phone call from her editor, and the girls learn that she had actually received a fan letter. The girls are amazed at this, and happy for Sae, but this causes embarrassment for her while they are in her room with her. After the girls retire own rooms, Yuno takes the chance to reply to Miyako’s letter. In it, she describes her feelings of wanting to draw after being inspired by Kishi.

Preview: Miyako is always the weird one.

Impression:

Dude, that animation would have not fit on the amount of pages that book actually had. Totally a Shaft move there, and I absolutely loved the ridiculousness of it. Today’s episode was great, from Yoshinoya silliness to Yuno gaining just a bit of insight into what she wishes to pursue. I don’t think we’ve ever had a real look into Yoshinoya’s typical day until now, but it certainly wasn’t too surprising. Matsuki Miyu does such a good job with her unique role, even though one of her roles from the recent “Nogizaka Haruka no Himitsu” has started to resemble it recently. Watching Yoshinoya do childish things like running from the Headmaster was hilarious as ever. Behind the oddness of her character though, Yoshinoya is just like many other teachers who love being around their students. It was awesome how the usually strict Headmaster recognized this, even offering sympathy after she finally got her work done. Behind all the silliness the first half of the episode had, Hidamari proved it could have a small message packed in with all the fun as usual.

I liked the second half of the episode even more, with the girls taking a visit to watch Kishi’s film. Filmmaking is definitely an art too, and I actually have a close friend who is serious about the subject. Art seems to exist to change peoples’ hearts, and when such artists realize they wish to pursue such dreams, they can finally find the happiness they would have never received otherwise. The understanding of this is why I’ve always believed that the heavily art influenced Shaft has always been the perfect studio to handle a show like Hidamari Sketch. Most animation studios seem to be so concerned with the technical side animation that they have forgotten what animation was originally meant to be. Ah, but maybe that’s just the start of a rant coming from a digital media major who actually wants to be a fine artist.

I should probably just end the post by saying, “OH GOD YOSHINOYA-SENSEI IS HOT.” Next week should be fun too.

It’s 2 a.m., I’ve got to prepare to move back into college tomorrow, and I’m sitting around blogging anime.

Summary:

On the day of the sports festival, all of the Hidamari girls compete as members of the red team for their class. While doing their best in the various sports, all of the girls display their usual odd traits. This includes Yoshinoya’s immatureness as well as Miyako’s absent mindedness. Natsume also challenges Sae from the white team, putting even more pressure on her to win. During the lunch break after several of the competitions, Yuno finally meets the Landlady for the first time. She is surprised to hear that she is busy with various odd jobs besides managing the Hidamari apartments, and this even makes Hiro feel sorry for her. Yuno manages to win the final baton race by using her great determination later, but by the end of the day, neither the white or red team wins.

After returning to the apartments, the girls begin discussing how they could come up with their determination for the day. The attention is also brought to Yuno who acted funny, yet reliably during her events. At Yamabuki High School, Yoshinoya-sensei performs her usual antics and even challenges the Principal to a sports event. Of course, this ends in her loss. The girls eventually get distracted by turning on one of their favorite television programs, but they still discuss things such as how they prepared in the morning. They also bring up that plans for the cultural festival are already being discussed at school. After eating dinner, the girls finally part ways for the night. Before separating from her, however, Miyako takes the chance to congratulate Yuno one more time.

Preview: Yoshinoya-sensei episode??

Impression:

Really, Totali? Really? Do we not have better things to do? Well, actually, I can’t sleep. I’m not saying Hidamari helps or anything though…. It’s also ironic that Yuno mentioned that napping during the day would prevent being able to sleep at night, cause that’s totally what I did.

The first part of this episode was actually very fast paced by Hidamari standards. It did feel very Shaft, but more in a PPD or SZS way. Not that this was a bad thing at all, as the cliched sports festival antics were really fun to watch. I especially loved Yoshinoya-sensei’s over the top, yet all too expected actions. The second half of this episode was more familiar to the usual Hidamari style, though the T.V. special did come off as a surprise. This program was actually shown earlier during the OVAs. It’s funny how this was used as a distraction and a kind of background noise at the same time. That’s usually what really happens while watching T.V. in the middle of a conversation, and it was so typical that it would be played on like this. I also loved a lot of the text styles used throughout the episode, especially while the kanji was moving with the characters’ mouths at one point. Ume-sensei’s “micha dame” was really funny too, since it was reminiscent of her track on the Hidamari character album that was released quite awhile ago. I can only imagine how crazy the next episode is going to be, since it hints towards a Yoshinoya based one.

Episode two?

Summary:

When the morning comes, Yuno quickly wakes in preparation for her first day at Yamabuki High School. Miyako arrives to have breakfast with her, but when the two make a racket, Sae comes in to scold them. Seeing that Yuno is nervous and excited about going to school, however, Sae simply does her best to give advice to her. When Yuno and Miyako reach the school, they are glad to find that they are in the same class. When the Headmaster gives his speech during the opening ceremony, Miyako cannot remain awake for very long. Hiro and Sae are meanwhile visited by their old upperclassman Misato. She had business at the school, but because of current events, she was unable to do it right away. After spending some time with the girls, Misato quickly runs at the sight of the Landlady.

When Yuno and Miyako reach their classroom, they are quickly introduced to the odd Yoshinoya-sensei. They are happy, however, to be able to choose seats next to each other. On the way home, Yuno suddenly falls asleep. When she wakes in her room, she is surprised to find that Miyako had carried her to the apartments. The Landlady presents gifts of vegetables to the Headmaster and Yoshinoya in the meantime, as they discuss the graduating of Misato and the entrance of the two new Hidamari residents. Yuno enters Miyako’s room later, revealing a letter she received from Sae and Hiro. When the two enter Hiro’s room, they are greeted with a welcoming party. Guessing that it would be better for them to choose snacks that they like, the girls then go out to the nearby grocery store. For Yuno, this is her first time going.

When the girls return to the apartments to enjoy their snacks, Sae and Hiro discuss their own first days at Yamabuki High. Sae had once spoken to Natsume normally, but times have since changed. Sae and Hiro are glad that Miyako and Yuno got into the same class, but when they find that their homeroom teacher has become Yoshinoya-sensei, they worry a bit. At the same time, however, they become glad that she would no longer be their own teacher. As the conversations continue, Hiro warns Miyako against simply entering other rooms in avoidance of the Landlady’s punishment. When Yuno brings up what the other girls do for breakfast, Hiro and Sae recall that they don’t usually go out to eat. The two suggest another market to Yuno, however, which they would go see the next day. After Yuno hears about Hiro’s great cooking skills, she hopes to learn some from her. Miyako, on the other hand, decides to depend on Yuno. At the end of the day, the girls all retire to their own rooms. This isn’t before Hiro secretly enters the room she warned Miyako against going into, however.

Preview: Sports festival?

Impression:

At this point, it’s far too obvious that they are going to be introducing episodes in a non linear timeline throughout the season. Even the last episode proved to be continued in an episode from the first season. This week’s episode occurred soon after the first episode of x365, dealing with Yuno and Miyako’s first day at Yamabuki High. We finally got to meet Misato, the graduate that once lived in Yuno’s room. Her cheerful character was very easy to become attached to, even though we only got to see her for a couple of minutes. It’s a shame that Yuno never got to meet her.

Watching Yuno and Miyako experience their first days of school really had a nostalgic feel to it, since all of us have had those kinds of days at some point of our lives. I loved Yuno’s expressing her gladness to be in the same class with at least one person she knew, since it really is an assuring feeling. Things don’t always go this smoothly with some people though. Watching all of the girls act as if they were just getting to know things at Yamabuki was wonderful, since this is something that we’ve never really had a proper introduction to. One of the charms of Hidamari may be that we can already feel as if we know all the characters, but that doesn’t change the fact that we kind of just jumped into their lives in the first season.

The funny parts of this episode consisted of the usual gags, but some stood out to me more than others. I loved Ume-sensei’s dropping the Sakura petals in the beginning of the episode, as Shaft really likes this imitation of a movie set. Sae and Hiro’s plotting when they found out that they would no longer have to deal with Yoshinoya was absolutely hilarious as well. On an ending note, I’d like to thank my readers for pointing out episodes from the first season that x365 lead into, since I don’t have the time myself to go back and look. You guys are awesome. This type of thing really does make me feel like re-watching the first season though.

Yuno…becoming an adult?

Summary:

After dozing off while working on her novel, Sae is waken by a call from Hiro outside her room. When Hiro enters, Sae reveals to her that she has to meet with her editor soon. When Yuno and Miyako stop by, they wish Sae luck before attending to their own business. After getting a call from her mother about Chika’s attending of a summer course, Sae leaves to a cafe to continue her work. Natsume runs into Sae inside, expressing her usual warnings about Sae working on her novel more than attending school activities. After she leaves, however, Sae can only worry if Natsume saw the content of her pages or not. Sae is soon greeted by her editor Naoi, who quickly checks the content of Sae’s pages. When Naoi sees that Sae is writing a romance novel, she mentions the need for experience to write such things. Sae is worried by this, but Naoi simply wishes her luck with the rest of the story before parting ways with her.

When Sae returns to the Hidamari apartments, she finds Hiro looking at some herbs outside. Sae brings up her worries about Chika’s summer courses to her, but invites her to eat ice cream with the rest of the girls before wrapping her mind around it too much. The girls begin discussing summer events while eating their ice cream, but Sae suddenly brings up the research she is doing for her novel to them. Of course, none of the girls have had any real experience. This includes Sae. The girls all head their separate ways that night, but before Hiro leaves, she reminds Sae to call her sister. Sae brings up the summer courses and studies to Chika when she does call, but because she isn’t able to be honest about her feelings, the two get into a small argument as usual. While in the bath afterwards, Sae remembers Hiro’s suggestion that love involved thinking about someone all of the time. For Sae, this ended up being Chika for the day. Sae receives a mail from Hiro about her call to Chika afterwards, but she becomes too embarrassed to send her reply before going to sleep.

When all of the girls head to school on another day, Miyako expresses her excitement towards the cream puffs Hiro and Sae will be making that day. Because of this, Miyako cannot seem to concentrate during her own classes. While Hiro works on the recipe with the rest of her class, many of the students are impressed with how good she is at cooking. Despite this, not all of her advice is perfect. After completing their cream puffs, the class has their teacher try one of them. She is extremely impressed, but she finds it odd when Hiro has put strawberries in them. Yuno and Miyako are just as delighted when they meet Hiro and Sae during break time, and Yuno expresses her wish to learn how to make the cream puffs later. Hiro goes to the bookstore afterwards, almost picking up a certain magazine while there. While she doesn’t, Natsume enters to do so herself. When she sees Hiro, she quickly purchases it in embarrassment.

Hiro mentions her seeing of Natsume to Sae later, before quickly becoming excited from seeing a chocolate diet in her own magazine. When Miyako and Yuno show up with payback for the cream puffs from earlier, Hiro is extremely excited to find that it consists of chocolate. Sae falls asleep amidst the girls’ conversation, so Hiro quickly puts a coat above her before leaving with the other girls. In the starry sky outside, Yuno and Miyako mention that Hiro is somewhat like Sae’s wife and their mother. This embarrasses Hiro, but when she returns to her room to bathe afterwards, she can only worry about Sae’s well being.

Preview: Can they get drunk off that?

Impression:

In before Yoshinoya-sensei in a bikini apron! This week, we had a split episode that focused on Sae and Hiro respectively. Honestly, even though it seemed a bit shorter, I probably liked Hiro’s portion better out of the two. It’s not that I dislike Sae’s character, but it seems like most of her actions are kind of predictable. I love the worries she has for Chika for example, but her dishonest nature made it so obvious how she would actually talk to her by the end. The end of her section suggested a continuation of the story, but I can only wonder exactly when this will take place. I predicted something similar in an earlier episode, and a reader pointed out that the “continuation” of the episode had actually happened in the first season (I have yet to go back and watch that episode).

I also noticed that there were a ton of references in this episode, including some from Gurren Lagann, Death Note, and HIMM. This is pretty typical of Shaft, but I wouldn’t usually expect it coming from Hidamari Sketch. I think this may have been to catch many viewers’ attention, since it easily seems like this is an episode many would become bored with easily. Noticing Ume-sensei’s usual hilarious calling in this episode, I also started to wonder how much influence she has over the adaption of her work. It seems pretty clear that she’s not disappointed with Shaft’s job at all, but it just came to mind. There aren’t many manga authors who voice themselves in anime, after all.

Natsume had quite a bit more screen time than she usually does in this episode too. Her purpose in the show has typically been pretty hard to figure out for me, but after this episode, I guess it started clearing up a bit. She really must just be tsundere for Sae’s work! Watching Sae and Hiro have bath parts in this episode was pretty funny, even after Miyako’s similar scene, but I’m hoping this part returns to Yuno next week. It just doesn’t seem right otherwise!

This show is sooooooo shallow. If anyone thinks this is actually an artsy show full of influential themes of friendship and life, then they are totally mistaken. OMIGAWD YOSHINOYA-SENSEI IS HAWT.

Summary:

Waking on a beautiful morning, Yuno receives a mail from Chika about her visiting. When Chika meets the girls at the Hidamari apartments, she presents various items of food and gifts to them. The girls sit down to eat dumplings after reacquainting with each other, as Chika expresses her amazement towards how much Hiro can do. The conversation soon moves to Sae’s inability to cook extravagant dishes, but this is credited to her being busy with her work. With this, Chika reminds Sae that their mother would like to speak with her every once in awhile. When Chika expresses how interesting of a place the Hidamari apartments are, the girls agree in that its being close to the school has certain effects on them. As this especially deals with their laziness, Miyako and Yuno recall their sleeping in class as well. Chika is amazed with this high school life, but Sae quickly warns her not to follow their example. Chika then expresses that Sae is no different, in that she has always decided things on her own when dealing with things about her life. Chika is reminded of her own inability to realize what she would like to do with her life, but Yuno and Hiro quickly make her realize that there are certainly some things that only she can do. Seeing Chika’s expression, the girls easily see a resemblance to her older sister.

Chika reminds the girls that she would like to go to a karaoke bar, making the group realize that it has been awhile since they have been to one. They decide to go, but when they reach the shop, they are disappointed to see that it is closed at the moment. As the girls head back, they run into the Landlady. Although she is off that day, it seems like she it is still business as usual when it comes to the apartments. After a short encounter with the Headmaster, the girls find that Yoshinoya-sensei is troubled as usual. Although they are ready to refuse her requests for help as usual, the girls are surprised when Chika is willing to do so. The girls have a meal at the apartments afterwards, as Miyako shares the crab she had been saving to eat with everyone. While enjoying themselves at the table, the girls recall their singing experience at the bath house. Miyako had amazed Chika with her very good singing, and Yuno was forced to do her best when the girls cheered her on. Ironically, this was the type of help Yoshinoya had requested. Finding that Yoshinoya is always such a cheerful character, Chika expresses how nice it would be to have such a person at her middle school.

When Hiro announces deserts, Chika is quickly surprised to find that a cake has been prepared to congratulate her graduation. When Chika is given a gift by all the girls as well, she is overcome with happiness. When the conversation moves on to snacks, the girls bring up some of the unusual ones they have seen on TV. Chika mentions that she has had one, but when he states that it wasn’t good, the girls are quickly disappointed. When the girls ask if Chika has decided to join any clubs at her school, she states that she is unsure because of various elements. The girls again compare Chika to her older sister Sae, then bringing up that Sae isn’t actually bad at physical activities. She was also particularly popular with other girls around her, making Sae recall the embarrassing moments the had in the past.

When Chika leaves the girls with Sae to her room, she expresses how fast the day had passed. Sae reminds Chika that she would have to be more serious upon going to school, but after mentioning her envy of living alone, Chika believes it is slightly unfair that Sae can tell her things in the perspective of being the one to have left home first. When Chika asks if everyone had picked out the present she received earlier in the day, Sae states that only the three others did. Sae surprises Chika by presenting her with her own gift, and Chika is overjoyed to find that it is a beautiful necklace. After listening to the CD Chika gave her, Yuno takes her usual bath. She wonders if Chika is still awake, but she is assured that she is probably alright with her older sister.

Preview: Awesome drawing alert!

Impression:

Fanservice anime! *cough* So, um, this episode continued from a few episodes ago by having Chika visit the girls at the apartments. I’ve already mentioned this, but I really love the theme of siblings they use with Chika and Sae. Some scenes in this episode, especially the separation they had in conversation with the rest of the girls early in the episode, really connected with me. It’s obvious that there are some things that only siblings can relate to, which this episode really played off of. The ending was especially touching, especially with Sae breaking from her dishonest nature. It constantly impresses me how much the girls think about their future goals and dreams in this show too, since they are actually suppose to be in high school. I’ve honestly always seen the girls’ mindsets to be a bit higher than imaginable, but I will acknowledge that the Japanese school system is quite different from the States’. For one, it would kind of be out of the question to live alone at such a young age here. Of course, this is also a work of fiction.

The constant scenes with the girls eating in this episode made me really hungry, and I actually stopped mid episode to eat breakfast because of it. I think I might take eating dumplings on a regular basis for granted after watching this episode, since the girls made it seem really interesting to remember how poorly an experienced cook can form them. Even I can remember the first time I tired to make one, and it was definitely pretty embarrassing. The theme of gathering when the girls went out was really great too, and when they stopped by the closed bar, I somehow felt really nostalgic. I couldn’t stop laughing while watching all of the girls sing in the bath house with Yoshinoya-sensei, and I think I will laugh even more when they come out with the singles on character albums or otherwise. Those facial expressions are just classic, and so is Yoshinoya’s “NE, NE, ONEGAI! ~kira~”.

But yea, having long work hours on Thursdays makes me a sad panda. I’ll try to get these posts out faster in the following weeks, but this is one of those shows that I just don’t feel like writing about when I’m not in the mood. No need to rush slice of life…or life in general?

Contains yuri.

Summary:

When Miyako enters her room as usual, she is surprised to find a large cat inside. She begins to feed the cat, and despite wanting to keep a lot of the food to herself, she is able to be generous because of her recent winning of quite a bit of meat. Miyako shows the cat to Yuno shortly afterwards, then establishing that it is male. The two attempt to search for the cat’s home as the sun begins to set, but they don’t have much luck. They almost think about keeping it at the apartments, but the girls realize that the landlady would not allow it. Miyako comes up with a plan, then taking the cat back to Hiro’s apartment. After Miyako gives Hiro a scare by playing a joke on her, Sae also enters to observe the cat. The girls wonder if the cat has been abandoned, but Miyako recalls that it did not have any messages attached to it that would imply this.

The girls meet Miyako in her room that night to give her some cat food, and Miyako even takes her bath with the cat later. Miyako leaves her veranda door open that night before going to sleep, but when she wakes, she finds that the cat has not left. After a week has gone by, the girls are still unable to find an owner for the cat. Having become attached to the cat, the girls wonder if they should keep it. This makes them express the need to contact the landlady about it, as well as coming up with a name for the it. Miyako and the others see the cat for the last time that night, however, as it disappears the next morning. Yuno is put to tears by the cat’s departure, but when the girls ask what Miyako thought about this, she reveals that she had believed that the cat being free was the best. Miyako goes on with her usual activities afterwards, only believing that she would one day meet the cat again.

On another day, Yuno has a hard time waking up in the morning. When she meets Miyako outside, she wonders if she has come up with what she wishes to make for the upcoming Yamabuki festival. To Yuno’s surprise, Miyako expresses that she has come up with her plan at that very moment. At school, Yuno has difficulty helping the rest of the students because of her sleepiness. Finding that everyone else seems to know exactly what they wish to do, Yuno struggles with her thoughts. On the school rooftop that afternoon, Yuno notices a lone plant flowing in wind. She begins to ponder how the plant is able to grow in such a high place, but then panics after believing that this isn’t the type of thing she should be thinking about. Yuno attempts to get help from Yoshinoya-sensei afterwards, but she finds that her teacher if far too concerned about other things.

Miyako expresses her need to work on her project when she arrives home with Yuno, and despite her true uneasy feelings, Yuno only gives Miyako encouragement with a smile. Yuno then decides to visit Sae’s room, and after Sae and Hiro are forced to clear up a misunderstanding, Yuno has Sae show her the painting she did for a previous festival. Kishi visits Yoshinoya and Kuwabara at the school, as they exchange tickets with each other for following events. As Yuno returns to campus, she encounters two students with a video camera. This makes her remember Kishi, who was full of inspiring thoughts and words. A sudden flash of inspiration suddenly hits Yuno, so she then goes to thank several of the students inside the school. With this, Yuno spends most of the night working hard on the drawing she wishes to present. With only a short time until the festival, Yuno works hard despite her need to rest.

Preview: I’d listen to Yoshinoya-sensei sing…if you know what I mean.

Impression:

Those lilies sure were nice. Sae is a really good painter, huh? For the first time in awhile, this episode of Hidamari actually contained two separate stories. This being the type of show it is, and being adapted from a 4 koma manga, it really wasn’t a problem at all. Shaft does this with several of its shows too, which I suppose is worth mentioning. Although I don’t have the most experience with pets or animals in general, I appreciated the first half of the episode since it revealed quite a bit about Miyako’s character. I really loved her mention about how being free is the best, as this is really what her personality is all about. The watercolor effects that were used during some of these scenes was really fitting too, and I don’t recall Shaft using it very often. I also loved the speech bubbles used, as well as some of the effects presented with the sfx that would have been found in the comic.

The second half of the episode hit home with me a lot more. Yuno’s struggle with coming up with inspiration is something that all artists face at multiple times during their experience. Things like seeing a fascinating phenomenon or hearing inspiring words from someone can all fuel inspiration, though it doesn’t usually seem obvious at first. Yuno’s struggle towards the end was a joy to watch as well, since persistence is also something that all artists have to have on a regular basis. I also love how Yuno put on a face in order to keep Miyako from worrying about her, as she did not wish to interfere with her work. Style-wise, I really liked the zooming effect they used twice in the second half of the episode. Using camera-like techniques in animation is something that Shaft has always imitated well, and I think that is inspiring in itself. The end of this episode almost suggested that the story would continue next week, but I’m really not sure if I should expect it with this being a mostly episodic show.

On a side note, the OP single was released recently. I don’t think the song has the same impact without the animation to accompany it, but I might change my mind after listening to it a few more times.