For this post of the Manga Series, I chose Hidamari Sketch (Sunshine Sketch).

It’s an everyday life comedy, also known as THE CUTEST MANGA/ANIME IN THE WORLD!!!!!one!1
Well, ok, dunno if it is the cutest, but it certainly is above-the-charts-cute at least…

From mangaka Ume Aoki, Hidamari Sketch is about the everyday life of four girls that lives in a small apartment complex called Hidamari-sou (Sunshine Apartments) just across Yamabuki Art High School, where Yuno, the central character, just got accepted into.

The cute SD (Super Deformed) stuff, plus the light hearted comedy might scare off the MANLY MANLY GUYS who will only read and watch violent bloody content, because they will never admit reading shoujo-esque content because they are very MACHO… it’s a pitty though, because they don’t know what they are missing.

It has a similar feeling as to Azumanga Daioh (I’ll make a post about it soon), both anime and manga versions, since Hidamari Sketch is also a 4koma manga (if you wanna know more about this format, check the Habanero-tan post).

Only the art style is a bit different, oftenly mixing cute content with SD, in a very art-centered style (since the girls are studying art and all).

I started watching the anime sometime ago, and loved it (anxiously expecting the recently announced third season).
So much I decided to give the manga a try, and much like Azumanga Daioh, wasn’t disappointed.
More than something you’ll want to compare and discard, the manga and anime are complimentary… the 4koma format makes it a great read whenever you feel like to.

So, despite this being a Manga post, I’ll have to recommend both here. The manga is great for taking with you to read while waiting for something (even though I ended up reading them on my free time all at once), and the anime is particularly great for making a mix of very unique animations and sound effects, with real photography mixed to the whole thing.

It’s very unique art style is sometimes used in several forums to point out things that are extremely cute, and it really is a Ume Aoki trademark.
And yeah, I’m babbling here just to post some more images…

Anyways, it’s one of those animes you’ll identify with one of the four characters, that all have different personalities.
I like Miya-chan unpredictable antics…

But anyways, go right ahead an try reading or watching it. I known you are a grown and very MACHO man, promise I won’t tell anyone if you like it.
Here are some clips from the anime:

Anime OP

Excerpt – Et Tu Brute?

All my english mangas were bought at Amazon, so here’s a glimpse of the stuff I’ll be posting on the next reviews: