Title: Hidamari Sketch Honeycomb Season 4
Publisher: Sentai Filmworks
U. S. Release Date: 8/8/17
Format: Blu-ray / 12 Episodes / 300 Minutes
Genre: Shojo Comedy
Age Rating: TV PG
Overall Personal Rating: A-
Synopsis:
Hidamari Sketch is based at a small apartment complex where six students live that attend an art high school . Two are from each grade. As the time is coming near for the third years to finish, it causes them to reflect and wonder about the future. It begins when the third years take a trip, and Yuno, as a second year student, realizes that it is now time for her to help guide and mentor the first years. She takes this very seriously and intends to do a good job. The girls also start planning their futures and figure out what they want to do. At one point they even alter a popular board game to mimic their own lives.
Adorable as always, Yuno and her friends experience the year and all its cycles and events together. There are the holidays like Christmas and New Year’s, cooking, parties, school work and exams. They grow in many ways, including their friendship, learning the skills to live independently and even in their art.
Commentary:
The Hidamari Sketch series is a gentle and cute anime that’s appropriate for all ages. Which is why, I wish it had been English dubbed to include a younger audience. Even so, it is fun to watch. It is important to know, you really don’t have to have seen any of the other videos, you can easily pick up right here. Since it is focused on the girls and their friendships in a light hearted way, there isn’t any serious details to keep track of. For example, when Sae’s sister shows up, the anime is straight forward in letting us know who she is and why she is there. No confusion.
The animation is well done. I find it visually interesting with all of the artistic elements included through out. Patterning seems to be a common decorative theme and it is well done. The characters are basically chibi and have distinctive looks making it easy to tell them apart. As there is some endearing interest in all of them, the real focus is their interactions. Everything is handled in a sweet and caring way as the girls experience life together. It was interesting; the lacing together of the everyday life and comedy with the needs of the future. A future that may be coming to0 fast.
I recommend all of the Hidamari Sketch videos to nearly everyone, unless you are looking for a heap of action. It is very Shojo and is a fun and pleasant show to watch, definitely something to look forward to. Other series that I thing have a similar sort of feel is non non biyori and Is this Order a Rabbit. All of them are really story driven by the relationships and well animated.
Overall Grade: A- As always, the best word to describe Hidamari Sketch is adorable!
