Actually, I was originally going to wait until I finished the entire anime and then I would write a single review on this season alone describing them all, but the third season onward began to show different vibes that I felt were worthy of another time. With that out of the way, let's begin.
What's to be said about Hidamari Sketch? Well, not a whole lot, and yet a whole bunch. If I had to use one phrase to describe this anime, it would be nonchalantly sparkling. It comes off in this nice, calm school setting surrounding four young girls; all possessing pretty unique personalities for this genre.
Before I go on, one thing I would like to note is that this anime actually shows boys. And I mean, shows them talking and everything, to the point where a whole scene had two of them talking to each other and, at one point, to one of the main girls. This is quite a departure from most girl comedies that normally only show them as background characters, either due to not wanting any romance involved (well, besides one special exception) or because they would not fit into the girly atmosphere. Though, from what I have seen, there has yet to be one that is a recurring character thus far. Note how I did not mention minor.
Anyway, the girls' are very fun to watch and their personalities are very fitting of interacting with one another. If you want a girl comedy where you will feel warm and fuzzy on the inside with a relaxing tone of anecdote delivery, look no further than Hidamari Sketch. Even better, this one will last you a good fifty Or so episodes. And, to top it off, it is made by Shaft. Yes, that is a synonym of the male (...) I heard it all before, but these people also made the infamous Madoka Magica series. So, expect some wide faces to exist here as well. Oh, and once they are drawn in their comedy form, your prior conceptions of how far an anime face can stretch will be outmatched.
So, yes, this review basically sums up the essentials of the first two seasons. Both deliver nearly identical comedy and all the characters are the same from the first season, though a few of them develop quite a bit in the second and it is quite enjoyable to watch. Most notably is a girl in their school that basically became a breakout character, as she had only appeared one time in the first season and immediately became, not a minor, but recurring character in the second season.
This is a pretty short review, but I do not have to say much about Hidamari Sketch. It delivers comedy, and delivers it well; it is made by Shaft, whom made my favorite anime (which I loved Hidamari Sketch for referencing) and it also carries over their tradition of having a goofy mascot appear randomly throughout the entire ordeal.
At the very least, you would feel neutral if girl comedies are not up your ally, but this one delivers no cringe humor in the slightest. The comedy feels natural and the production value was more centered on the dialogue more than the backgrounds, so expect some simplicity on them when you first start it. In fact, expect a lot of comedic things done with the art the more you watch it.
So, I hope you at least give this one a go before you shove it away. It is a bit hard to take in at first due to the backgrounds fooling you into thinking it is a low production, but the characters become very lovable. You will have at least one favorite by the end of the first season.
