Thank The Gods For HidaSketch

So. Moving day is approaching.




Quite frankly, I cannot begin to explain how frustrating it is. Over the years, me and the rest of my family have managed to compile an...incredibly vast amount of stuff that I cannot satisfactorily explain, get rid of, or even contemplate. It isn't so much the amount of work it takes to move a couple of decades' worth of stuff and more along the lines the stress of figuring out how to fit all that stuff into the new place. Oh, and how we managed to accumulate that stuff in the first place.

Then there's the typical frustrations and stresses of just moving from one house to another within such a small time frame. A lot of things have to be taken note of, adjusted, understood, and such. Everything that can fit or found a place for stays, and what doesn't (that's a lot of stuff) is tossed out. Frankly, I find it harder to part with some of the junk I've acquired over the years than I do with people I know. Yes, I know how strange that is.

Combine this with the usual stress and pressure of work - something that has finally decided to wear down on me more than usual - and I'm desperately in need of something to just take my mind off things. For such things, I turn to anime, but what?

It couldn't be Maria-sama Ga Miteru. The show was drama, lots and lots of character drama. I follow it religiously and thoroughly enjoy it, but it isn't the kind of thing I'd want to spend a lazy hour or two watching and relaxing to put my multitude of concerns away. So I picked up Hidamari Sketch.

Surprisingly, while the show has even less things happening than the aforementioned Marimite, it is quite entertaining. There's no real drama or plot. Just...the relatively calm, soothing world of an exclusive private school and the lives of four students who live in a small apartment right across it.

Yeah, not the most exciting concept in the world, but the vibrant personalities and relaxation factor make up for it. HidaSketch is one of those shows that just makes you forget all your troubles without getting you caught up in the cast's concerns and issues. While I'd be loathe to say it is better than Marimite, I think HidaSketch has a different appeal.

The relaxing nature of this show is what I need to just forget about real life for a while, and Marimite is what I need to watch if I ever feel the need to stimulate myself emotionally. Two different shows, two different effects, but I can't help but love them both with the fervor of a fanboy.


Besides, aren't Sae and her little sister Chika just adorable?

On a related note:
I really should buy actual DVDs for Marimite and HidaSketch. It makes it so much easier to lend them out to people who show interest in watching the good anime that never gets a local dub. Let's face it, a large percentage of what is shown here is crap.