It’s the second year with all four girls present; life is going along for Yuno and her friends. But now things are shaken up with two new freshmen moving into the apartments. As time goes on, shows change if they reach multiple seasons. Whether big or small, changes are present. This show is no different. On paper, the changes in the season help the show and make it the best season yet.
First off, we have the additions of Nori and Nazuna. They do preform a little bit of a change up. Their unique aspects being brought in add some variety of jokes. Like their living arrangement, or the classes they have. The subtle changes can make a total difference from two bland characters, or two characters that actually do feel like an addition to the show. Luckily, they do and are nice additions for the Hidamari Apartments. The old members accept them and what they bring doesn’t make them useless editions as some shows do with new characters. They make the formula shake up and it equals a more refined product and gives it a more new feeling this season.
The art and sound can be a major turn on or turn off for enjoying an anime. But with Hidamari, it does it well. The sound while being the same tone as the other two seasons, the laidback feeling is still there and it compliments it well by maintaining the pace of the show. Being an anime about art students, it hasn’t had the best art or even great art. This changes here with a quality update and makes it a little more high definition. Like the sound, it retains its colorful cheery mood it has had before. But it really stands out this season.
Pacing and timing is very important for a comedy. Here Hidamari goes a little faster than it has before. This allows the comedy to flow a little smoother, and not feel as awkward in terms of pacing. But the awkwardness of the character interactions and overall basis of comedy is still there and it's as funny as ever. It causes a difference in how jokes go on. Not many jokes go on for a minute, as they had before in previous seasons. This allows for more jokes and more hits than misses, instead of long jokes that drag on. The humor is the typical Hidamari humor and is still based on the personalities interacting with each other mixed in the environment. Which is a lot different this season since they go to places like restaurants, cafes, hardware stores, and salons? The setting leads to a different variety of jokes, ranging from eating too much, or having fun with the tools at the hardware store. The humor takes a dive with new places and succeeds in it.
The most important factor to all of this is the characterization and development. The development is natural for Nori and Nazuna as they learn more and more about the apartments and become friends with the original residents. While it isn’t blatant, you can still feel that it is happening. The characterization is very subtle as it’s mostly shown through how the characters go through their nightly traditions. While not traditional, they still get to create the characters and tell the viewer how they are in life. Even if it’s subtle like seeing what a person does before going to bed or fitting in with a new group of friends. It’s done to a slow natural tune.
Hidamari Sketch x Hoshimittsu is what a sequel should be, take what flaws the audiences have found with the original and fix them. With some useful additions, the wonderful art update, better pacing with the jokes, and some natural characterization and development. This is a must watch for any fan of slice of life anime.
