Taking place during Yuno and Miyako's second year of high school, Honeycomb is a loose continuation of the previous season. Rather than jumping between past and present in a purely episodic format, this is the first time where there is a clear and consistent progression in the story. Each episode directly follows the previous one; at first glance this may seem like a trivial detail, but with elements such as Sae and Hiro's approaching graduation, this becomes increasingly relevant as there is now the time needed to effectively develop the characters.
Character development is something Hidamari Sketch Honeycomb has no shortage of. The story is now more than a mere snippet of the characters' daily lives and gracefully handles the underlying themes of friendship and graduation. One episode, for instance, focuses on Hiro determining what she wants to do with her life after high school and if an art teacher is really the proper career choice for her. Another episode goes into detail with Sae's familial situation and her relationship with her younger sister, Chika. There's also a large focus on Yuno maturing and finally assuming her role of senior for her two underclassmen Nori and Nazuna, who in the process mature as well. None of this is forced in and undermined by dramatization; it is skillfully and naturally conveyed through their regular interaction with each other. As a result of this development, the approaching graduation carries a lot more emotional weight than it otherwise would.
That's not to say that the same lighthearted appeal is missing from this season, though. Cuteness and comedy are served aplenty and in better shape than ever. Each character plays off of the others in clever ways and has their equal share of comedic scenes— even Yuno competes this time with Miyako on equal ground. The comedy is not communicated by archetypes and contrivances but through natural reactions. Most characters come out of their established role in this season as a result of their growth, providing a much more compelling dynamic than before. One of the best scenes is a highlight of this; the girls playing a game of Life with their own custom-made squares, representing each character's goals as well as reactions to other possible life choices. Each of their unique quirks and personalities blend together for highly amusing results, and this is certainly not the only example within the anime.
Nori and Nazuna are no exception to the improved characterization and dialogue. As both of them are now used to their life at the Hidamari Apartments, they grow out of their newcomer role and blend in the melting pot. While in the previous season it was difficult not to see them as being slightly superfluous, this is no longer the case in Honeycomb. It would not be the same without them.
One of the greatest improvements from previous seasons is the increased screentime of the side characters. Yoshinoya-sensei, the principal, Natsume and others were always present, but what about the rest? Arisawa was only a minor character in the previous season, but in Honeycomb there is an entire episode with her conversing with Yuno and helping her mature. Even background characters such as Mami, who previously had very few lines of dialogue over the course of the series, are now given personality as friends to Yuno and the others. I always thought that the first two seasons felt a bit empty, but not in Honeycomb. Yamabuki Arts High School for the first time becomes the background for a diverse and lively cast of unique characters.
Of course, it wouldn't be Hidamari Sketch without the stylized artwork Shaft is known for. Vivid colors, polka dots, showy scenery, live-action and pop-up imagery all distinguish the visual style of Honeycomb. The trademark widefaces are also as prominent as ever, adding to the comedic value of many scenes. Animation quality is exceedingly consistent as well, as there was not a single off-model face anywhere during my experience with the anime. Honeycomb is on an even higher level than the previous seasons which were already excellent. This is about as good a visual experience as you could possibly find within the slice of life genre, and even after three full seasons it still manages to impress.
Seeing how much the series has improved since the first season, it's a little unfortunate that so few people decided to stick with it until Honeycomb. Hidamari Sketch is an anime that is overlooked for all the wrong reasons. Perhaps the slow pace or the eccentric style didn't appeal to everybody, but as one of the best anime of the slice of life genre, it's in anybody's best interest to stick with it until the end. You will most certainly be rewarded.
And let's be honest, if life at the Hidamari Apartments doesn't bring a smile to your face, then there might just be something wrong with you.
