Hidamari Sketch
This post only covers my thoughts on the first season of the show, as that’s all of the show which I have seen at the time of this writing.
Watch Links: HIDIVE
Synopsis: Hidamari Sketch follows the residents of a dorm filled with odd high school students who all attend an art school, the series following the mundane activities of their everyday lives in this apartment and at the school.
Score: 8.4/10
What a pleasant show! I was getting worried, after both GochiUsa and KinMoza ended up being kinda disappointing as Cute Girls Doing Cute Things series, that I might have lost my affinity for the genre, and this series has somewhat reassured me that, no, I still love the genre, those shows were just kinda mid. It certainly helps that this series has a somewhat creative/artistic focus sometimes, which is always a plus for me. I can feel clearly where this series acts as a precursor to things like Comic Girls (which I also love for similar reasons). The show does sometimes feel like it's as much about art as K-On! is about music (that being sparsely), but other times, especially later in the season, it focused on the artistic inclinations of the characters, especially how our lived experiences contribute to how we create art. Yuno's decision to draw the festival preparation for her art piece for the festival after the advice she gets from her senpai was really touching, and particularly gives meaning to the rest of the show, both in why it exists, and what it's trying to convey about art. It gives the show something to say about Slice of Life as a genre, and how it can have profound meaning in its mundanity. And then the show in this moment takes it a step further by having everyone interpret the unfinished nature of the picture in a positive light, only for Yuno to express frustration in the face of the praise because it was unfinished. She didn't make it because she wants praise, she made it for herself, and all the positive criticism in the world was worthless next to her own reasons for making the work. And that's all within a single episode. Honestly, this episode is making it onto my list of favorite episodes of all time. Truly amazing.
Now, most episodes are more focused on the everyday of the characters, and that makes sense. These are consistently pleasant, creative, and fun. A big part of that is the cast, all of whom I like. Yuno stands out the most for me because of her role in the more profound moments of the show, also aided by being our primary POV, but the other 3 residents all have their strengths as well. I think Hiro is the weakest for me right now. She doesn't have much to her right now besides her relationship with Sae. There’s a few decent comedic moments with her, but I wouldn't say that that's doing a ton for her. Sae and Miyako have a bit more to them, but overall are just pleasant and fun cast members to follow.
I loved how creative the show is with its visuals. It's clearly similar to other Shaft shows from the time, but also felt like it did its own thing to a degree. I particularly loved how it used the space of the apartments and making them feel distinct, as well as conveying their sense of size through its camera angles at times. There's some trippy sequences in there which were neat. The minimalism at times feels like it goes a little far, but it's also fitting. I didn't realize how much I had already heard this soundtrack, and it's always been a vibe. Fit very well with the setting, and stood out next to other soundtracks. OP is a bop as well.
