In 2004, Hidamari Sketch by Ume Aoki began its serialization in Manga Time Kirara Carat. Studio Shaft’s adaptation of Hidamari Sketch, which ran from the first season in the Winter 2007 season to the final OVA which aired in 2013, expands on an already very pleasant slice of life 4koma manga, presenting it in the strange, avant-garde format that has defined Shaft in general and director Akiyuki Shinbou in general, while adapting manga chapters out of order in a way that creates a unique, cohesive narrative and enhances the characterization of the relatively small cast.

The first two seasons of Hidamari Sketch (though this review will focus on the first season) take place over the course of a single year—the first year of high school for Yuno and Miyako (none of the main characters are given surnames), and the second year for longtime friends (or more?) Hiro and Sae. The four girls are students at Yamabuki High School, a suburban school with a particular focus on artistic pursuits, and all of them share a small apartment complex near the school known as Hidamari Apartments, allowing them to easily meet up outside of school and develop a close friendship.

The first episode of Hidamari Sketch, January 11th: A Winter’s College, offers every element that ultimately defines the anime as a whole. Like most episodes, it takes place over the course of a single day, beginning with Yuno, the protagonist, getting out of bed and getting ready to go to school, this time on the first day after winter break. The first half of the episode focuses on her solving the episode’s only real conflict, in this case the fact that she forgot to complete her homework over winter break and has to scramble to put together a collage over lunch break. After school, she spends some time playing in the snow with Miyako, before the two spend the evening with Hiro and Sae over the kotatsu, before the episode ends with one of the defining motifs of the series—Yuno taking a bath, complete with a colorful bath bomb (in this episode, green) before going to bed. By this point, Yuno and her friends have known each other for almost a year, making formal introductions unnecessary, but the simple plot and character interactions—about a third of the episode is just the four main girls talking over the kotatsu—serve wonderfully to establish their personalities and their close friendship.

Shaft and Shinbou are best known for their unique visual presentation, and the first season of Hidamari Sketch is in many ways strange even by the studio’s usual standards, though the first season was made on a shoestring budget and lacks the polish and consistency of later seasons (though in some ways this adds its own charm). The way that colors, sound effects, and visual symbols are used, much like in Bakemonogatari or Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei, helps set the mood of a given scene—the glow of fireworks, the gloomy rainy season, the unique motifs of each character, like Yuno’s X hairpins or Hiro’s octopus-like hair buns, and the liberal use of real-life photographs, giving a unique and scrapbook-like feel to otherwise simple and straightforward scripts. The soundtrack is great all around, with most tracks being very calm and soothing and used in very fitting ways, and both the opening and ending themes are very enjoyable. The most visually striking and creative episode of the first season is the fifth, February 13th: Heart and Body. Throughout the episode, Yuno has a fever and drifts in and out of delirium, shining a bright red in contrast to the blues and grays of February. The episode is also structured wonderfully, as Yuno’s fever dreams take place while the other three come in at different times to take care of her. Much of the episode feels like a cold and alienating haze, but as always it ends on a warm and pleasant note.

Hidamari Sketch stands out within its own genre as well as in Shaft’s catalogue of anime adaptations as a strong and memorable title. Not only is it very cute and endearing thanks to its charming character designs (including the famous WIDE faces) and sublime chemistry in its character interactions, but the adaptation’s unique visuals aid in its storytelling, helping to embellish the peaceful daily lives of the four residents of Hidamari Apartments. A must-watch for any fan of slice of life and iyashikei anime or of Shaft as a studio, I suggest watching one or two episodes a night before bedtime.