The appeal and reviews of "Hidamari Sketch": A slice-of-life anime depicting a soothing everyday life

"Hidamari Sketch": A monumental healing anime that depicts the warmth and healing of everyday life

■Overview of the work

Hidamari Sketch is an anime series based on the Japanese four-panel manga by Ume Aoki. It was first adapted into a TV anime in 2007, and has since spawned numerous sequels. It centers on the main character, Yuno, and depicts heartwarming episodes of her daily life that unfold in and around her apartment building, Hidamari Apartments. This work, which depicts the lives of girls attending an art school, carefully portrays the small joys and friendships of everyday life, and continues to be loved by many viewers.

■Broadcast information

The first season of "Hidamari Sketch" was broadcast on TBS and BS-i from January 12 to March 30, 2007. There are 12 episodes in total, each 30 minutes long. The broadcast schedule is as follows:

• TBS: January 11, 2007 to March 29, 2007, every Thursday from 25:25 to 25:55
• BS-i: January 25, 2007 to April 12, 2007, every Thursday from 24:30 to 25:00

■ Original story and production

The series is based on the manga by Ume Aoki, which was serialized in Houbunsha's Manga Time Kirara Carat, and was animated by Shaft. Akiyuki Shinbo is the general director, Ryoki Kamitsubo is the chief director, Nahoko Hasegawa is in charge of series composition, and Yoshiaki Ito is the character designer and general animation director. The music is by Tomoki Kikutani, with music production by Lantis. Aniplex, Houbunsha, and Movic are in charge of production cooperation, and the series was produced by the Hidamari Apartments Management Association and TBS.

■ Story

The protagonist, Yuno, enrolls in the art department of her dream private school, Yamabuki High School, and leaves her parents to live alone in Hidamari-so, an apartment building right in front of the school. There, she meets her classmate Miyako, and her seniors Sae and Hiro. Hidamari-so is famous for attracting eccentric students from the art department, and every day is full of chaotic events. However, while she is confused by her unfamiliar life, surrounded by kind and warm friends, Yuno slowly begins to walk towards her dream.

■Character Introduction

The appeal of "Hidamari Sketch" lies in its unique characters. The main characters are introduced below.

• Yuno : A first-year student at Yamabuki High School who lives in room 201 of Hidamari Apartments. She is small for a high school student and has a child-like build. She has a distinctive "X" on either side of her head.
• Miyako : A first-year student at Yamabuki High School who lives in room 202 of Hidamari Apartments. She is always energetic and sometimes gets into trouble. She has no money and often tries to get others to buy her meals.
• Hiro : A second-year student at Yamabuki High School who lives in Room 101 of Hidamari Apartments. He loves sweets and often eats cakes. Because of that, he is always struggling with dieting.
• Sae : A second-year student at Yamabuki High School who lives in room 102 of Hidamari Apartments. She is a little self-conscious about her slender figure. Whenever she is embarrassed about something, it shows on her face right away.
• Yoshinoya : Yuno and Miyako's homeroom teacher. An art teacher who tries to be a model and take off his clothes during drawing classes.
• Ume-sensei : He is the original author of Hidamari Sketch.
• Tomoka : Sae's younger sister, two years younger than me.

■Cast

The voice actors who play the characters in "Hidamari Sketch" are also one of its charms. Below is an introduction to the main cast.

• Yuno: Kana Asumi
• Miyako: Kaori Mizuhashi
• Hiro: Yuko Goto
• Sae: Ryoko Shintani
• Teacher Yoshinoya: Miyu Matsuki
• Principal: Cho
• Landlord: Sawashiro Miyuki
• Natsume: Misato Fukuen
• Tomoka: Rie Kugimiya
• Ume Sensei: Ume Aoki

■ Episode

Each episode of "Hidamari Sketch" depicts the small everyday events. Below are the subtitles and broadcast dates for each episode.

• Episode 1 "Winter Collage" (2007/01/11)
• Episode 2 "Summer in Japan" (2007/01/18)
• Episode 3 "Or Indians" (2007/01/25)
• Episode 4 "Singing Shortcake" (2007/02/01)
• Episode 5 "Mind and Body" (2007/02/08)
• Episode 6 "Cool and Relaxing" (2007/02/15)
• Episode 7 "Storm Desiccant" (2007/02/22)
• Episode 8 "3% of Hope" (2007/03/01)
• Episode 9: The Wolf of Back Shinjuku (2007/03/08)
• Episode 10 "Yuno-sama" (2007/03/15)
• Episode 11 "Round Cabbage" (2007/03/22)
• Episode 12 "Christmas Eve" "Goodbye... Ume Sensei" (2007/03/29)

■ Related works

Many sequels and special episodes of "Hidamari Sketch" have been produced since the first season. Below are some related works.

• Hidamari Sketch Special Edition
• Hidamari Sketch x 365
• Hidamari Sketch x 365 EX
• Hidamari Sketch x 365 Special Edition
• Hidamari Sketch x ☆☆☆
• Hidamari Sketch x ☆☆☆ Special Edition
• Hidamari Sketch x SP
• Hidamari Sketch x Honeycomb
• Hidamari Sketch Sae and Hiro Graduation Edition

■ Theme songs and music

The theme songs and insert songs of "Hidamari Sketch" also enhance the charm of the work. Below are the main songs.

• OP1 "Sketch Switch"
  • Lyricist: Akino Reito
  • Composer: Hiroyuki Maezawa
  • Arrangement: Takahiro Ando
  • Sung by: Kana Asumi, Kaori Mizuhashi, Ryoko Shintani, Yuko Goto
• ED1 "Mebae Drive"
  • Lyricist: micco
  • Composer: Tatsuya Kikuchi
  • Arrangement: Tatsuya Kikuchi
  • Sung by: marble
• IN1 "Let's polish it"
  • Lyricist: Geruttan
  • Composer: Yu Yanaura
  • Arrangement: Yu Yanaura
  • Sung by: Hiro (Yuko Goto)
• IN2 "Fly"
  • Lyricist: Geruttan
  • Composer: Yu Yanaura
  • Arrangement: Yu Yanaura
  • Sung by: Hiro (Yuko Goto)
• IN3 "One Key"
  • Lyricist: Geruttan
  • Composer: Reimi Chiba
  • Arrangement: Reimi Chiba
  • Sung by: Sae (Ryoko Shintani)
• IN4 "Shining and Flying"
  • Lyricist: Geruttan
  • Composer: Yu Yanaura
  • Arrangement: Yu Yanaura
  • Sung by: Yoshinoya Sensei (Matsuki Miyu)
• IN5 "Dream Glider"
  • Lyricist: Geruttan
  • Composer: Kentaro Fujinaga
  • Arrangement: Kentaro Fujinaga
  • Sung by: Yuno (Asumi Kana)
• IN6 "Cold Rain"
  • Lyricist: Geruttan
  • Composer: Ryota Fujii
  • Arrangement: Ryota Fujii
  • Sung by: Miyako (Kaori Mizuhashi)
• IN7 "Candy Factory"
  • Lyricist: Geruttan
  • Composer: Ayako Itakura
  • Arrangement: Ayako Itakura
  • Sung by: Hiro (Yuko Goto)
• IN8 "Dreams and Hopes"
  • Lyricist: Geruttan
  • Composer: Yu Yanaura
  • Arrangement: Yu Yanaura
  • Sung by: Hiro (Yuko Goto)

■ Appeal and evaluation of the work

"Hidamari Sketch" continues to be loved by many viewers for its careful depiction of the small joys and friendships of everyday life. In particular, the personalities of characters such as Yuno, Miyako, Hiro, and Sae stand out, and the charm of each character enhances the work as a whole. In addition, since it is set in the special environment of the art department, there are many episodes related to art, providing viewers with a fresh perspective.

Another appeal of Hidamari Sketch is the unique drawing style of Shaft, the animation studio. Produced under the direction of Akiyuki Shinbo, the work is highly praised for its visual beauty, with a particular focus on color and camerawork. Music is also an important element in enhancing the atmosphere of the work, and the music by Tomoki Kikutani and the music production by Lantis further deepen the worldview of the work.

"Hidamari Sketch" is a monumental work in the field of soothing anime, and by depicting the warmth and friendship of everyday life, it provides viewers with peace of mind. Especially in today's busy society, such heartwarming works will provide a time of healing for many people.

■Reasons for recommendation

Hidamari Sketch is loved by many viewers as a soothing anime that depicts the small joys and friendships of everyday life. In particular, as it is set in the unique environment of an art department, there are many episodes related to art, providing viewers with a fresh perspective. In addition, the entire work is full of elements that draw viewers in, such as the charm of the unique characters, Shaft's distinctive drawing style, and the beauty of the music. This is a work that we would highly recommend to anyone who wants to spend some heartwarming time in their busy daily lives.