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Hidamari Sketch (TV).


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PantsGoblin
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PostPosted: Fri Feb 09, 2007 3:30 am Reply with quote
Hidamari Sketch.

Anybody see this yet? I've actually been watching the raws also... Somehow I've actually been enjoying the raws too, a lot of the comedy is done visually so it isn't needed in some cases...

Anyway, a lot people have been comparing this to Azumanga Daioh. I'd probably have to agree with that too. It's a slice of life comedy dealing with a bunch of girls in an art school. Not really much a story, but it's really the comedy and characters that keeps the anime moving, not story. I actually like it a lot so far. The anime is being directed by Akiyuki Shinbo... Who is one of my favorite directors (his work is always easy to tell because of the unique artwork, which is apparent in this series too). So that's another reason for me to like it...

I'd say this was my favorite anime of the new season if it wasn't the only one I've seen. Anime smallmouth + sweatdrop Been doing a lot of other stuff so I haven't had as much time to watch anime, but I'm enjoying this one a lot... Anybody else have thoughts on what they've seen so far?
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CloverKuroba



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PostPosted: Fri Feb 09, 2007 11:37 am Reply with quote
I've got to say that I think this show is pretty mediocre, no offense. It didn't make me laugh too much or crack a smile. To be frank, it was dumb. I know I'm being pretty harsh.-_-""
I'd say if you're really looking for a worthwile anime this season, is to go see Nodame Cantabile and Gakuen Utopia Manabi Straight. Those are really excellent.
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darkchibi07



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PostPosted: Fri Feb 09, 2007 12:02 pm Reply with quote
I found the first episode rather amusing. I guess what really got to me is how REALLY oval-ish the girls' face can get at certain moments (I had a craving for hamburgers for that very reason Shocked ).

It's definitely Shinbo's style though it's rather interesting to see it in a very low-key approach. I personally enjoyed it.
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PantsGoblin
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PostPosted: Fri Feb 09, 2007 12:08 pm Reply with quote
Hmm, maybe just tastes than. As far as I've heard, most people have liked it. I know it's the second most popular anime of the new season on 2ch (in terms of number of threads, it is second to Minabi Straight). It does get better in the next few episodes imo. The next I saw were better than the first... But I suppose if it isn't your type of anime, you won't enjoy it. I would still recommend giving it a chance though.
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CloverKuroba



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PostPosted: Fri Feb 09, 2007 7:25 pm Reply with quote
The thing is that it does cater to my tastes, some of my favorite shows are like Hidamari Sketch. Maybe I was in a bad mood, but it just gave me a feeling that it was a waste of time. I should give it one more chance, I suppose.

Darkchibi07: That's funny...I wanted some burgers too after seeing HS. Weird... Shocked
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Amasa



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PostPosted: Sat Feb 10, 2007 9:40 am Reply with quote
CloverKuroba wrote:
I've got to say that I think this show is pretty mediocre, no offense. It didn't make me laugh too much or crack a smile. To be frank, it was dumb. I know I'm being pretty harsh.-_-""
I'd say if you're really looking for a worthwile anime this season, is to go see Nodame Cantabile and Gakuen Utopia Manabi Straight. Those are really excellent.


I just watched the first episode and I liked it, but it wasn't great. I instantly prefer to Manabi Straight however, which just seems completely pointless and a bit awkward to me at times.

Hidamari on the other hand resembles Azumanga Daioh in a few ways. Both the first episodes of each series is very fanservicey in the sense that there's a lot of focus on the visually cute characters rather than their cute personalities. i.e Chiyo-chan's famous Tsukurimashou clips. I'm looking forward to see more of Hidamari Sketch though, unlike Manabi Straight - I just have something against this series, maybe because all the characters look too perfect and it seems a little childish. Bah..I kinda wish these two series hadn't been released at the same time, I hate comparing stuff like this that should be enjoyed entirely on it's own.
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CloverKuroba



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PostPosted: Sat Feb 10, 2007 12:24 pm Reply with quote
^ Really? Hmm...I really enjoyed Manabi Straight. It's very touching and a lot of fun, I don't really see why'd you have something against it. The characters are childish, but unique in their own way. Plus it has it's own underlying plot, which will be interesting to explore in the later episodes.
Hidamari Sketch to me was bland and stupid. It certainly has parallel to AzuDai, but it's not nearly as likable. Maybe I didn't like the whole fanservicy loli complex. I've seen that before, it's personally tiring. The thing about Manabi Straight is that it could easily turn into a fanservicy mess, but it doesn't and that's pretty refreshing. I'm going to say give Manabi Straight another chance, I found it to be a breath of fresh air.
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Miho



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PostPosted: Sat Feb 10, 2007 4:14 pm Reply with quote
I just watched the first episode, and I must say that so far I like the show. The animation is average, but the character designs are very appealing (I really like the girls' facial expressions). It's not a show that will have you rolling on the floor from laughter, but it's a good anime to watch if you just want something relaxed and simple.

Oh, and how is this series fanservicey? I didn't notice any loli fanservice in the episode I watched (I've only seen the first episode so I don't know if the other episodes have fanservice in them, but it doesn't seem to be that type of anime...).
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PantsGoblin
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PostPosted: Sat Feb 10, 2007 4:47 pm Reply with quote
Miho wrote:
Oh, and how is this series fanservicey? I didn't notice any loli fanservice in the episode I watched (I've only seen the first episode so I don't know if the other episodes have fanservice in them, but it doesn't seem to be that type of anime...).


I was thinking about this, and I assume CloverKuroba was referring to the whole "cuteness" thing going on with the anime (like Amasa mentioned), not sexual fanservice. Although, I kind of viewed this as part of the anime, not something they added in to please fans. In that sense though, Azumanga Daioh would also be relying on fanservice too, since cuteness is a driving force in the show (which is the part of the arguement that doesn't make sense to me, since s/he likes AzuDai).

The only thing I can see that might possibly be considered fanservice in the sexual sense, would be the scene at the end with Yuno in the bathtub. But I really didn't get a vibe like that from the scene...
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CloverKuroba



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PostPosted: Sat Feb 10, 2007 6:09 pm Reply with quote
No, I'm not referring to "cute" fanservice O_o. To be honest, I don't even know what cute fanservice is. But I do have a weakness for cute things, so could cute fanservice be like cute characters doing cute things? In the OP, I saw one of the characters in a bra...or am I mistaken? I don't know, I was getting "loli" vibes from it. Miho, I actually really love the relaxed and simple genre, some of my favorite anime are like that (ARIA the Animation for example). Hidamari Sketch, IMO, was just dull. Not very enjoyable. I hope you guys don't get the feeling I'm trying to sway opinions, sorry if any of you feel that way. ^^;

Oh and just for clarification, I'm a girl.

EDIT: Amasa, I didn't really get the feeling of the 1st episode of Manabi Straight being fanservicy. It did showcase cute characters, but it also gave us some background on Manami's oddball persona.
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frentymon
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PostPosted: Sat Feb 10, 2007 6:14 pm Reply with quote
CloverKuroba wrote:
To be honest, I don't even know what cute fanservice is.


Moe?

Although it's slightly different, I think.
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CloverKuroba



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PostPosted: Sat Feb 10, 2007 6:15 pm Reply with quote
^Could be. I kinda thought moe was...er...a little naughtier? Heh, I'm not sure. ^^;
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Amasa



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PostPosted: Sat Feb 10, 2007 10:50 pm Reply with quote
I explain "cute fanservice" a little more in the Manabi Straight thread. I just mean that the episode focuses in on little cute things the characters do which don't add to the plot or help the series develop. I find that in these slice of life / school girl series it's always most evident in the first episode to get the audience fall in love with the characters, but to me it just gets annoying. Even though AzuDaioh is my favourite series I dislike the first episode for this exact reason. Even if the series' do revolve around cute characters I don't think close-ups of their faces with childish expressions is really necessary to add anything. For example in Manabi Straight
Amasa wrote:
Also I seriously dislike the focus on cutesy, e.g Close-up of Manabi yawning, hammering her finger with a nail, being choked by dust. It's all a bit too repetitive and it lacks the quirkiness that Chiyo and Osaka have.
That's not Hidamari Sketch, which I think was better than Manabi in making the characters more realistic.

Oh and plus in Hidamari Sketch they kept emphasizing how cold it was, however, every character was wearing skirts the size of headbands. I think I'll give Hidamari a break until Manabi Straight finishes, I don't want to watch both series simultaneously. I'm not too sure which one I like the most to be honest. I've watched one ep of Hidamari and 3 of Manabi so it's impossible and absurd to judge them off that.
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CloverKuroba



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PostPosted: Sun Feb 11, 2007 9:16 am Reply with quote
True, the close-ups to increase the "cute" factor. I didn't really notice/think in depth about it, though. But I think the next two episodes take a better look at the characters.
The thing is that I was expecting to like Hidamari Sketch and not like Manabi Straight. But I did the exact opposite. I was disappointed with Hidamari Sketch, especially since I have a big interest in art. I was impressed with Manabi Straight, because in my opinion, it was a breath of fresh air. I think I said in one of my posts that it could turn into a moe fanservice fest, it has all the assets to. But it doesn't, it stays honest. Plus, I really like the characters. They might not be explored in depth yet, but they have been personified.
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Wandering Knight



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PostPosted: Mon Feb 12, 2007 9:50 am Reply with quote
CloverKuroba wrote:
In the OP, I saw one of the characters in a bra...or am I mistaken?


That should be the teacher, not the girls xP

Amasa wrote:
Oh and plus in Hidamari Sketch they kept emphasizing how cold it was, however, every character was wearing skirts the size of headbands.


Real-life Japanese highschool girls wear skirts even when it's snowing.

I liked the first episode, and since it's Shaft, it's easy to see PPD! and Negima!?-styled jokes all over the place (chalkboard... Anime smile), along with the amazing direction style that characterises those other two series (along with the fact that they like to blend in real-life objects whenever they can). I find it very different to Manabi Straight, so I can still like them both for different reasons. I'd rather not call Hidamari Sketch an AzuDai remake, more like an "Azumanga meets Pani Poni Dash!" kind of show.

EDIT: Fixed typos.
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