(L) Hidamari Sketch

[eggplant]

Saw episode 1.

Spoiler for Episode 1:

Shinbou Akiyuki x SHAFT x slice of life comedy= instant win. Hidamari Sketch does have Shinbou's Pani Poni and Negima!?'s moments when it comes to the use of actual photos, chalkboard, and eyecatches, but it is used rather naturally.

Although this is based on a four-panel manga, the comedic effects such as the puch line is kept to a minimum, instead focusing on the relationship between the four protagonists (and Yoshinoya-sensei as well).

Since the character designs are chibi-like, although not as much as Manabi Straight, and the opening sequence is a SD version, the girls look cute with plenty of moe potential.

Good voice acting here, especially from the newbie Asumi Kana (Yuno). Definitely looking forward to her role in Bokurano.

I suppose there isn't much continuation between each episode, as ep. 1 is set in winter while ep. 2 is already summer.

As with VVV, I will wait for the BS-i widescreen version in order to enjoy the show to its fullest.

[Maids! Maids! Maids!]

Higher resolution (2705x3491, 2.1 MB and 2676x3474, 1.7 MB respectively) at moe.imouto.org:
http://moe.imouto.org/data/moe_imout...4209527069.jpg
http://moe.imouto.org/data/moe_imout...4137667449.jpg


PNG format scan (7.9 MB, same resolution):
http://moe.imouto.org/data/moe_imout...0613479057.png

[Kaoru Chujo]

Total agreement with eggplant and hi no ken Jebus. The first episode was full of sweetness. The characters are lovely, and the look is another version of ShaftxShinbou, with the nice coloration and wonderful angles and framing. The look of the Hidamari Apartments is really artistic. I have the feeling that the art-school setting is going to give them plenty of scope for interesting frames. No huge story, just sweet slice of life. A really gentle, pleasant mood.

Like eggplant, I was particularly struck by the voice of the newcomer, Asumi Kana, who plays Yuno, the one with crossed ribbons in her hair around whom the first episode revolves. She has done some radio and games over the past couple of years, but not much anime. Here is her official site, with a photo. Here is her blog, with more. And here is her page on ANN.

But I loved the voice of Matsuki Miyu as the teacher, who was hilarious. And with Mizuhashi Kaori as Miyako (blonde), Gotou Yuuko as Hiro (reddish), and Shintani Ryouko as Sae (taller, with black hair), it's a really interesting cast.

The dialogue is voluminous and seems important to the show, and I couldn't catch all of it, so I'll have to see the subs to get a fuller impression. And I'll certainly look for the 16:9 version, which appears to come out exactly two weeks after the initial broadcast, on BS-i. Is that right, eggplant?

I enjoyed the OP, sung by the cast, and especially liked the OP animation, which had the wonderful pacing of the OP in Negima (as well as some running, lol). But I personally really liked the ED song, by a group called marble. Left me happy.

[monir]

After reading Eggplant and Kaoru, I'm burning with anticipation. Waited a long time for this. The RAW is downloading, but it's not dling fast enough for my taste. Let the madness begin!

[Woland]

Watched the first half and I'm totally in love with it.

As I was expecting it's something is similar to an "Azumanga Daioh meet PaniPoni Dash" (with an improved talking "animated" chalkboard XD) both in style and story, that is a really good thing, judging by the outcome.

When is supposed to air the BS-i version? (Edit: never mind I've read Kaoru Chuju reply ^^ After the experience of Asatte no Hoko (where seems something is missing watching Pan&Scan version) I hope fansubbers (there's any interested in this series?) will pick the wide screen version for the sub.

P.S.: Love&Piece

[Pantsgoblin]

Originally Posted by [Woland]

I hope fansubbers (there's any interested in this series?) will pick the wide screen version for the sub.

Ya, we plan on doing it...

http://www.angel-tai.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=132

This is our first project and for a lot of us, we haven't worked on anything before. So don't go too hard on us if it takes a while longer than most subs...

I'd have to ask Kilga about the wide screen though, he's in charge...

[NeoSam]

I forgot to mention this :P volume 2 of the seinen manga Hidamari Sketch has been released. I added its cover to the first post of this thread.

[froinlaven]

Hidamari Sketch seems like a more subdued and slice of lifey Pani Poni Dash to me. The first ep was kinda boring, but it was pretty good to chill out to. The cosplay teacher's pretty fun.

Full impressions here.

[dkellis]

I know I shouldn't try to compare anime, but I really have to agree that this feels like Pani Poni Dash meets Azumanga Daioh, in a good way. Oh, and very cute characters.

Not an exciting episode so far, but it has its moments of smiles. Currently the series this season that I'm looking forward the most to.

[Kilgamayan]

Originally Posted by [Woland]

After the experience of Asatte no Hoko (where seems something is missing watching Pan&Scan version) I hope fansubbers (there's any interested in this series?) will pick the wide screen version for the sub.

If we happen to find wide screen raws I'll have no problem using them.

But then again, I'm not timing, so it won't affect me greatly if there are chronological discrepancies between them and whatever it is we're using now. ;\

Originally Posted by dkellis

I know I shouldn't try to compare anime, but I really have to agree that this feels like Pani Poni Dash meets Azumanga Daioh, in a good way.

The first fan description I read of this show was on /a/, and it was "Azumanga Dash", so don't feel too bad about it. Besides, I also got that feel from it.

[Impz]

ahahahaa~

Episode 1 summary and screenshots

This is a pretty decent show and I have been looking forward to this when the winter season started. This is probably the 2nd series after saint october that i will blog so if anything, hope you enjoy the summary.

Cheers...And i do agree that it is very azumanga daioh in the 4koma feeling.

[dkellis]

I'm finding myself wanting to rewatch this over and over. I suppose it's because of the character art: it's just so moe~

I like the part near the very beginning when Yuno just wakes up, with the blanket wrapped around herself, stares blankly into space for a moment, and then shivers. Yeah, Yuno, I know how you feel. Some mornings I just don't want to get out of the warm bed...

[monir]

Awesome first episode! The pace is relaxing barring the background music. The background animation is very simplistic and pleasing to the eye. Hence, I think it is safe to assume Shinbo won't have similar problem with consistentcy in the course of the series, unlike the most of his other work. Btw, is he putting in real life object and blending them with the animation? The clock in the following for an example:



The above is either an incredible work of CG, or a real life object. I'm looking forward to episode 2.

[stevency]

Originally Posted by monir

Awesome first episode! The pace is relaxing barring the background music. The background animation is very simplistic and pleasing to the eye. Hence, I think it is safe to assume Shinbo won't have similar problem with consistentcy in the course of the series, unlike the most of his other work. Btw, is he putting in real life object and blending them with the animation? The clock in the following for an example:



The above is either an incredible work of CG, or a real life object. I'm looking forward to episode 2.

That Shinbo/SHAFT's owned trademark. Real object blended into the animations.

The ED animations use lots of circles and a soft theme, which I found to be so refreshing from normal SHAFT productions. What we needed is this show to be out with a wide 16:9 version.

[Kaoru Chujo]

The official site and Shoboi Calendar say the show starts on BS-i on Thursday, 25 January, exactly two weeks after it started on ordinary TV. That will probably be the 16:9 version. So the widescreen version of ep1 should be broadcast on Thursday of next week, at 12:30 at night.

In her blog, Gotou Yuuko says that she was very happy to get the role of Hiro, that she plays her like a big sister or a mother, and she likes that kind of character. She says that all the seiyuus get along very well, that the studio is a happy place, almost like the Hidamari apartment itself, and she expects that the friendly feeling in the studio probably comes through in the show.

That item is in Gotou-san's old blog, which is just now overlapping with a new blog using software that allows her to put in little videos. She says she has a lot of trouble with digital technology and that most explanations are too hard for her. She says she needs explanations suitable for small children, or maybe gorillas.

Don't take from this that she is stupid. She writes well, draws well, and is one of the seiyuus that actually went to university (for a while).

[hi no ken Jebus]

Spoiler for ep2:

I enjoyed the atmosphere in this one. Especially when the girls attend the local summer festival in the second half, particularly the scene with miyako hearing the fireworks before they even started. The first half with the girls making the sign for the dorm had all kinds of things going and it was a little fast paced. Only thing lacking was the teacher but hopefully she gets more screen time next episode.

[eggplant]

Saw episode 2.

Spoiler for Episode 2:

Definitely the slice of life title of this season, depicting the girls' daily events by using moe SD characters and real life photos.
The lovable Hidamari-sou tenants are unlike the typical living under the same roof characters seen in anime such as Maison Ikkoku, Love Hina, or Mahoraba, where there's at least one obnoxious person in the mix.
Looking forward to some school scenes.

As Kaoru posted above, the BS-i widescreen version will start airing from next Thursday. Here are some comparative shots from the previews (Left: TBS full screen; Right: BS-i widescreen)

[Kaoru Chujo]

Ep2. Sweet, sweet, sweet. Unfortunately, I'm going to have to wait for a fansub (in some language) to help me get the jokes. But the look is so great, and the character design and animation simple but brilliant. For something so slow-paced, there is so much going on that, as hi no ken Jebus said, it's maybe a little fast-paced. And more real objects ahoy.

In order to keep them straight in my mind, I made a chart with pictures of the characters and their seiyuus. And the seiyuu-san are doing a nice job. Gotou Yuuko's "motherly" is a bit of an impression of Inoue Kikuko, it seems to me. And it's great.

This appears to be Asumi Kana's first real role (Yuno; she was in the choir in Canvas2), and she's doing wonderfully well. I guess talent is recognized: she will play the heroine in Bokurano later this year.

Thanks for the screencaps, eggplant. What a huge difference the wider format makes, especially in the second cap. They definitely made it to be seen wide. What we're seeing now is just crudely hacked down -- and it's still great.

With Asatte no Houkou, the wide-screen version came out two weeks later and never did show up in bittorrent form, even in subs. Fortunately, Negima's wide versions come out only two days later, so the subs use them. Not sure how this show will fare.

[Vexx]

I really would like to see the fansubbers be more patient and grab the widescreens ... One of the early Negima!? endings showed blatantly why when an entire character was "offscreen". Reminded me of old movies scoped down for Saturday tv movies when two characters facing off were *both* offscreen and all you could see were their pistols

[paTKany]

When i rewatched the 1st episode today, i realized the crossword puzzle at 21:45.
It's actually solvable.

Only the question 5-8 are visible fully in the 4:3 version:

(5) 耳と尻尾と燃えと泣き - Ears and tails and moe and weeping
(6) 萌え4コマ漫画のメルクマール - Moe 4-panel manga characteristic
(7) 女の???がらない???萌えもの - ??????
(8) 3姉妹+メイドのロードムービーアニメ - Road movie anime of 3 sisters and their maid

Spoiler for Answers:

5. うたわれるもの - Utawarerumono
6. あずまんがだいおう - Azumanga Daioh
8. ぽぽたん - Popotan