LofZOdyssey - Anime Reviews: Anime Hajime Review: Hidamari Sketch

***Warning, the following may contain spoilers for Hidamari Sketch: Sae & Hiro’s Graduation Arc. Reader discretion is advised.***

OVA Synopsis

Sooner or later, everything must come to an end.

When she first arrived at the Hidamari Apartments, Yuno (voiced by Kana Asumi) wasn’t sure what make to of it all. High school seemed like the ultimate challenge. Fortunately, it wasn’t one she would have to do alone.

Over the course of her high school career, Yuno meet many new people. Including her best friend and fellow Hidamari resident Miyako (voiced by Kaori Mizuhashi). Before they knew it, they managed to put a year under their belts. Then Yuno and Miyako had their own underclassmen. Newcomers Nori (voiced by Hitomi Harada) and Nazuna (voiced by Chiaki Omigawa).

Though things were difficult, they were always fun. But that wouldn’t have been possible if not for the support of Yuno’s two upperclassmen. Hidamari's senior residents Sae (voiced by Ryoko Shintani) and Hiro (voiced by Yuko Goto). Yuno cannot express what these two have meant to her. And it makes having to say goodbye all the hard.

It's Sae and Hiro’s turn to move in their lives. To meet their goals and fulfill their dreams. The legacy they leave behind will surely light the path for those who follow them.

With that, let's return to the Hidamari Apartments. One last time.

OVA Positives

I didn’t want to watch this one. It’d be over if I did that.

We started looking at the Hidamari Sketch franchise back in 2015. Even then it was clear where this series would have to go. The most you could hope for was a fun journey along the way. Something to make this final moment seem worth it.

It’s easy to say, “yes we got that”. But that doesn’t paint the whole picture, does it? Each installment was something I looked forward to. I wanted to see how much more of Yuno’s confidence would develop. I wanted to know how much further Miyako’s antics would go. Then seeing these two become caring upperclassmen for Nori and Nazuna was great. This set up gave us four outstanding seasons.

And amongst it all were Sae and Hiro. Hidamari's growth would have been possible without them. It makes sense why they were the parents of the apartment complex.

That’s why they were the reason I dreaded this arc. Sooner or later, there would come a point where this group would have to break apart. Where Yuno and Miyako would become the senior residents. Where Nori and Nazuna would get underclassmen of their own. And where Sae and Hiro would have to move on.

If this final arc could maintain the level of quality seen in the four previous seasons, it would be fantastic. Not to mention sad and tear inducing. And that's what happened.

The Visuals

I’ve mentioned this before. This is a Shaft production. So this series has been stylized in a very Shaft way. This OVA was no different.

If for some reason, you’ve failed to see the influence Monogatari has had on this series, it’s unmistakable here. There was a time when Hidamari was the influence-er. Seasons one and two did release before Bakemonogatari. But that time has passed.

That said, this wasn't Monogatari. This was Hidamari Sketch. And there's one thing this series has that Monogatari doesn’t. Warmth.

The visuals of this OVA added a whole other layer of meaning. Having to say goodbye is sad. It’s something we don’t want to do with the people we care about.

There was a moment when Yuno, Miyako, Nori, and Nazuna agreed to be selfish for only three minutes. They let it all out. They pleaded and begged for Hiro and Sae to stay. When they were done, their true feelings came out. Though they were sad to see them go, they couldn’t have been happier for Hiro and Sae.

Through the visuals, through the artwork, you could feel the power of this moment. I would love it if this series would continue. But this was the end it called for.

Sae and Hiro’s First Meeting

If you had asked me before I watched this, I would’ve sworn we’ve heard how Sae and Hiro met before. This seemed like a story we would’ve heard already. It doesn’t matter anyway since this overwrote anything that may have come before.

How Sae and Hiro met was underwhelming. No big event occurred. It wasn’t some magical moment. It just kind of happened. And that worked so well with these two.

Sae and Hiro clicked right away. They got along well. You can imagine over the course of high school how close they would grow. Then add in the fact they were neighbors. They were able to spend every minute together for three years. They became two pieces of a whole.

Knowing they started from nothing makes it seem obvious. In many ways, it paralleled how the relationship between Yuno and Miyako came to be. And then later with Noir and Nazuna. This showed the influence the Hidamari Apartments has on its occupants. It was a place where lifelong friendships were born.

A perfect bookend for this series.

OVA Negatives

I didn’t think this far ahead.

I’m running into a problem. Everything a potential issue could be isn’t one in context of the OVA.

For starters, this wasn't the funniest installment of the Hidamari series. In fact, it was the least. Granted there were funny bits. But it was more cute humor. Something which absolutely existed in the other seasons. Yet there was more variety in the previous four. They were sillier. They were crazier. They made me laugh a lot harder.

Yet, had this OVA been as funny as this series has been, that would’ve been a problem. This was a real story. The jokes and humor here were the kinds you'd tell to prevent yourself from crying. It was reminiscent humor. "Wasn’t it great when we did this?" "Wasn’t it fun when we did that?"

Miyako was a perfect example of this. She maintained her spontaneous self. She had no problem teasing. That was who she was. That was the kind of relationship she had with her friends. Why change that now? But even Miyako was trying her hardest not to lose it.

Another non-problem was who the focus of this OVA was. It'd be natural to think Sae and Hiro. While a lot of time was spent on them, the weight of their graduating didn’t exist. Never once did it seem like we were saying goodbye to these two.

That was because there was more to it than that. We weren’t saying goodbye to only Sae and Hiro. We were saying goodbye to everyone. We were saying goodbye to Hidamari Sketch. The focus wasn’t on a single person, it was on everybody.

The only problem I can see existing would happen if there ever is a continuation of Hidamari Sketch. It would feel way too strange to not have Sae and Hiro around. Plus, we'd have to do all this again. But even more so since it would be Yuno and Miyako’s graduation. Then if Sae and Hiro were major players in a fifth season, somehow, the point and power of this OVA would be ruined.

Though I love this series. Though I would’ve liked it to be longer. This was the end. And that’s not a bad thing. Especially since this was the perfect end for Hidamari Sketch.

Final Thoughts

This is fitting. It hurts to say farewell to this one.

This final story arc is an amazing end to an amazing series. This OVA managed to capture everything that made Hidamari Sketch what it was. A unique blend of visuals bringing to life a world you can get lost in. With characters you want to know more about. Characters you want to see succeed.

In two episodes, everything was brought to a close. I have recommended every single installment of this series. Together they created something worthwhile. And Sae & Hiro’s Graduation Arc is the perfect, most fitting cap to it all.