When I got first into anime, beyond shows that I simply watched because they were on TV with or without the knowledge that they had been imported from Japan, I was of course first wowed by the spectacle of movies like Akira or the coolness of a show like Cowboy Bebop. However, one day I stumbled over a show that was so completely different from everything else I had ever seen that I could not help but be fascinated by it. That show was Sketchbook ~full colors~ and it belongs to what is known as the Iyashikei genre.
The goal of all art is to emotionally
...
connect with the audience. This is reflected in the names of genres like “romance”, “thriller” or “horror”. For action shows the feeling that is meant to be conveyed is the excitement of a fight and the triumph in it. For Iyashikei it is the direct opposite, it is meant to be the least exciting, but that doesn’t mean “boring”. Instead, Iyashikei is meant to convey feelings of comfort and relaxation. And as its name (meaning “healing type” in japanese) suggests, it is something you can watch to reduce the stress from your job or other sources. You could almost fault Japanese society for having to bring something like this forth, but I find the absence of titles trying to enable similar emotions in other countries even more remarkable. The biggest comparison I could find are things like nature documentaries or The Joy of Painting with Bob Ross, but neither are narrative stories.
Iyashikei shows aren’t completely devoid of conflict, but the problems that arise are usually minor and relatively quickly resolved. In Sketchbook for example we follow Sora Kajiwara, a first grader that joins the art club at her school where the biggest issue is that one of her upperclassmen perhaps shouts a bit too much, and cats don’t lie still long enough for her to draw their toes.
With a light jazz soundtrack and beautiful watercolor backgrounds depicting Fukuoka’s countryside, the show is just endlessly relaxing, while at the same time able to retain the attention of the viewer through small comedic moments enabled by a surprisingly vast roster of more than twenty recurring named characters, far outnumbering most other shows of its type. Primary focus is on Sora and her closer circle of friends, but interactions with other characters often occur and are interesting for their own sake and without it being overwhelming. It also includes a group of alley cats that get their own episodes to highlight how their group deals with things such as a new cat arriving in the neighborhood, with them given voices through the magic of film.
In particular I want to highlight the fourth episode. Here the art club had planned to go on a nature walk with opportunities to draw, but most members skip out on it due to a bad weather forecast. Sora ends up alone with Nagisa, a tomboyish girl who likes insects, and shows Sora and the viewer small details like butterflies hiding under tree leafs to avoid the rain. Though the episode is mostly drenched in dull grays due to the weather, it is nevertheless enjoyable throughout.
I would classify Sketchbook as a particularly pure example of the Iyashikei genre, as even the comedy bits that are sprinkled in are very light and don’t disrupt the overall tone, whereas many other series that have also received the Iyashikei label are much more high strung, just with a rural and/or low-stakes environment. Sketchbook on the other hand has one single goal it fulfills to the best of its ability: Radiate tranquility.
Sketchbook is unfortunately nowadays largely forgotten, with less than 30,000 people having seen it on MAL. Perhaps it was a bit overshadowed by the similarly titled Hidamari Sketch which was released about nine months earlier and with which it also shares elements such as the main characters being art students and both series based on yon-koma manga. Sketchbook unfortunately did not have the benefit of sequels or a studio with a cult following. I also love Hidamari Sketch, but I would classify it more as a straight up comedy and it just doesn’t quite scratch the same itch. And even then, the viewership numbers of Hidamari are still only about 10% of what a popular show racks up nowadays.
If Sketchbook has one remarkable thing going for it, it’s being one of Seiyuu superstar Kana Hanazawa’s first main character roles, giving voice to Sora’s delightful idiosyncrasies. Sora is perhaps an oddball and it is rare to see “the quiet one” being the main character of a show, but she is also very entertainingly portrayed through her inner monologue and HanaKana is of course excellent in her role. The show also features great voice acting talent beyond her in supporting roles.
Though Sketchbook admittedly does not boast many outwardly appealing qualities that lend themselves to draw in a large audience, it has been something I have repeatedly returned to. It is my personal comfort, and something I am always willing to watch in order to take my mind off work. I would particularly recommend it if you have enjoyed shows like Yuru Camp or Super Cub. Even if I was not able to convince you to give the show a chance, I certainly hope that you will find a show that gives you as much comfort as Sketchbook was able to give me throughout these years.
Jan 7, 2023
Sketchbook: Full Color's
(Anime)
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When I got first into anime, beyond shows that I simply watched because they were on TV with or without the knowledge that they had been imported from Japan, I was of course first wowed by the spectacle of movies like Akira or the coolness of a show like Cowboy Bebop. However, one day I stumbled over a show that was so completely different from everything else I had ever seen that I could not help but be fascinated by it. That show was Sketchbook ~full colors~ and it belongs to what is known as the Iyashikei genre.
The goal of all art is to emotionally ... 
Dec 30, 2022
Bocchi the Rock!
(Anime)
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Comedy as a genre is usually not given the same respect as its more dramatic siblings, but sometimes a new show comes along that transcends these stereotypes. Even in an incredibly stacked anime season such as autumn of 2022, **Bocchi The Rock** stood out despite having very little hype behind it when the show began airing.
The titular Bocchi is one Hitori Gotoh who suffers from social anxiety. She has spent the past three years learning to play the guitar in hopes to join a band that becomes popular. While spending all her free time playing her guitar made her a good guitarist and garnered her ... |
