And it’s freaking cute.
Now, it’s the time for Shaft to mature. Shaft has always played on the seesaw of seriousness and absurdity, especially in Bakemonogatari. HidaSketch was created for people who indulge in the heinous genre known as slice-of-life. When the protagonist, Yuno, appears, I have succumbed to the evils of the Ume Aoki wideface. The series is diabetic-inducing antics.
But Hidamari Sketch x Honeycomb is not just the fourth season to the HidaSketch series; it is a step into a new direction for Shaft. The palette is more subdued and a new director, besides Shinbo Akiyuki, is directing it. Honeycomb is more aware of its yuri aspects. That’s its greatest strength.
This is not to say there isn’t any shipping involved: the previous seasons are like budding flowers waiting to bloom. Sae and Hiro are obviously in love with each other, but the Yuno/Miyako and Nori/Nazuna couples are not like couples. They’re like friends. Deluded fans love to see them together though.
But now, Honeycomb has made it official. The small romances are adorable. Every character interaction makes anyone blush in the inside. While the series is comedic for the most part, it’s romantic. Everyone has feelings for each other. I cannot state how adorable this show has become. For the first time, nutbladders who have stayed dormant for the past three seasons will finally explode.
So what do these observations say about Shaft? That they now pander to fans? Maybe. But when has fanservice, in its purest, untarnished form, become bad? It is a derogatory term that is not specific. A show can have fanservice and still be just plain fun to watch. That is in fact the essence of fanservice. And making four seasons of the same series is service for the fans who followed Shaft for so long.
Honeycomb can discomfort people though. Its sudden direction into complete yuri shipping is confusing sometimes. Shaft is trying too hard to please some fans; it’s disorienting for people who expected only cutesy things, which is what Hidamari Sketch stood for. It’s not iyashikei anymore too -- just a show about cute girls loving each other in their own special way.
Should anyone hate this work for going off in such a radical direction, it’s understandable. Shaft is growing up from all the childish shows it made in the past. Shinbo’s getting old and HidaSketch won’t be here forever. The studio is now along the likes of KyoAni. It’s time to let the young directors be the vanguards for the studio and take Shinbo’s helm.
And Hidamari Sketch x Honeycomb shows that Shaft is still a healthy studio and will continue producing great works. I look forward to their new shows after the eventual retirement of Shinbo.
