Hidamari Sketch Sae & Hiro Graduation
Three Minutes of Selfishness, a Lifetime of Gratitude
Hidamari is a series that doesn't need to prove itself at this point. With four seasons and several OVAs under its belt, for something I watched while waiting for Sketchbook, I can see why it's lasted as a not huge, but well adored hit in the anime world for as long as it has. Shaft's changed and problems have arisen, but the core things that make Hidamari special have remained since day one, they've just gotten more polished.
Taken as a whole, they're wonderful. The first half felt more like a regular Hidamari episode, but the graduation one was just amazingly done, especially Yuno's dream sequences that bookended the stories. Seeing so many characters at once, and the slightly redone OP with the second verse of "Open☆Canvas" was also a nice touch, a way to make it feel even more special.
Since the story's still being told from Yuno's perspective, Sae and Hiro aren't completely at the center, but the ways in which they've touched everyone at Hidamari are shown clearly and poignantly. Even comedy moments like the "let us be selfish" scene keep the undercurrent of melancholy from never entirely disappearing. Shaft's tendency for background signs is also at play. The yearbook messages say a lot about what Sae and Hiro's school life was like, even though we never saw all of it. The Principal was great as always, and even Yoshinoya had a very Yoshinoya-like moment in the one scene she was in. All the characters were used to their full effect.
And that scene with Natsume. So much left unsaid, but so much said as well. Hers has been one of tragedy and comedy, but knowing that Sae's going to keep in touch with her is just the sweetest thing. She'll never be able to match Hiro's wife level, but Sae doesn't want to live without her nonetheless. Where did these tears come from?
A final thought would be unnecessary. Hidamari's one of my favorite series, and if this is the end, it's a great one. If it continues beyond here, I'm okay with that, because Sae and Hiro got the best sendoff, one they deserved, with sentiment and the style of jokes that keep Hidamari a fun place to return to after all this time. The apartments are a character unto themselves at this point - and I'm sure they, though they'll gladly welcome new tenants/weirdoes into their rooms, shall miss Sae and Hiro as much as the rest of us.
