...but I hate typing that improper apostrophe.

Anyway, this anime is about an art club in high school (Hidamari Sketch) and the time that all these strange characters spend together during it (Azumanga Daioh). It's very amusing and pretty laid-back at the same time.



Characters

(bottom from left)
Aso Natsumi - sometimes talks through hand puppets
Kajiwara Sora - main character, kind of reminds me of a mix of Osaka (odd thoughts) and Sakaki (loves cute things, esp. cats)
Torikai Hazuki (with Inuo) - pretty normal so far, but sometimes amusing

(top from left)
Kasugano Hiyori - art club advisor, Yukari-esque, has a yakitori plushy and a pet chicken, P-chan
Kokage Kuga - very strange and amusing girl
Kate - She is from Canada. She talks funny.
Ujo Sugyo - Art club president. Quiet and responsible.
Kurihara Nagisa - She likes bugs, and she is awesome.
Sasaki Juju - Sometimes she plays the guitar. Also she is named Juju.
Kamiya Asaka - If you had to pick a Tomo, it'd probably be her. But she is more likable.
Negishi Daichi - He is the standard loud guy.
Tanabe Ryou & Himuro Fuu - They enjoy comedy. Very straight-faced comedy. Awesomeness abounds. Also Fuu is voiced by the same seiyuu as Suiseiseki.

Not pictured:
Negishi's little sister, who is pretty awesome in her own right.

Cats
There are some parts of episodes where they focus on the neighborhood cats, Mike, Ha-san, Grey, Kuma (huegcat) and Buchi (Kate's English-speaking cat). They are very entertaining segments.

--

Anyway, if you like slice-of-life comedy stuff and haven't seen this yet, go get it. The first episode starts a little bit slow but it picks up pretty quickly, and I've been laughing quite a lot at the middle of the series. I've gone through ten of thirteen episodes now.

Yes, Sketchbook is awesome. It's a laid-back but fun watch. I definitely reccomand it to anyone who has not seen it.

Osaka and Sakaki, she's like an Osakaki! :tongue:

Now that I look at it, that may be in the "technically correct" Engrish bin, if it's intended to mean "full of color" (which to a Japanese person would be indistinguishable without an English speaker by their side to say "that just sounds odd").

how many eps? :happy:

13, as I noted in the end of the first post. Nice and short!

sorry didn't see. I generally type it as '13 eps' instead of 'thirteen episodes'. My fault sorry >< but thanks anyways

and yes nice and short!

I was only able to watch the first two episodes...loved it though...I really ought to watch all the eps.. .if only I could get enough time...maybe after September...arrr :arrr:

I watched half of it a while ago. I like the characters quite a bit, especially bug-girl, puppet-girl, and the handful of male characters.

But if I'm remembering right, the plot was a little too laid back and realistic for me. At first I thought it was just a slow start to something epic, like in Zettai Shounen or Haibane Renmei, but I eventually stopped watching after I realized that probably wouldn't happen.

By the last episode there are crazy revelations. It is intense.

If you didn't get to Kate, you didn't watch far enough. :P