Hidamari Sketch - x Honeycomb

This season of Hidamari Sketch was a real joy for me, perhaps even as much as the first one, especially in the middle episodes where I found myself enjoying it even more. What made it stand out this time? It's mainly because the series is slowly approaching its conclusion, and with that, some subtle hints of melancholy were added to the cheerful world of the Hidamari dormitory. They started addressing important themes like life after school and the enduring nature of friendships. Spending the last three months with these girls, they really grew on me, and that touch of light melancholy worked incredibly well. At the same time, the middle of the season felt like the creators wanted to contrast this with as much fun as possible, almost saying, "Let's savor this last part before the finale!" Thanks to this, the jokes seemed a tad funnier this time around, and some plots, like the school festival, I enjoyed much more than when it was featured in previous seasons. There was a moment where I was considering giving it the highest rating, seeing how entertained I was on one hand, and how it managed to touch me emotionally here and there. However, the last two episodes (Christmas and New Year) felt somewhat average compared to the rest of the season. I believe they could have been more impactful and didn't quite have the extra emotional punch I was hoping for, despite the last episode having excellent accompanying music. So in the end, Honeycomb will receive an 8.4/10 from me. Now, it's time to grab some tissues and head to the grand finale... (09.03.2024)