Welcome to my review of Sketchbook ~full color's~. This is my first review, so please, don't be too harsh on me.
So, what do we have here? Sketchbook ~full color's~ is a typical slice-of-life show. Nothing more, nothing less. If you are a fan of this genre then you can skip the following text and just watch it. If you are not so sure about whether or whether not watching this, go ahead.
Story - 5/10
Yep, many people will think: Wow, 5 points is not that great, right? I think 5 points are very appropriate because, well, the story is almost non-existent. The main protagonist is Kajiwara
...
Sora, a rather shy student, who is a member of her school's artclub and has an affection for cats. We follow her through her every-day 'adventures', like going shopping, having a cold or stuff like that. That's about it. Tihe view sometimes changes from Sora to one of her friends or to the cats (yes, the cats) but neither of them helps developing a clear storyline. Even if it's common for slice-of-life shows not to have a real story, it's still a minus-point.
Character - 9/10
Let's commence from the shows weakest point to its biggest strength: The character design. It's simply awesome. Each of the characters has their own strange and funny traits, which make them unique. There is Hazuki, who is crazy for every big deal at the local convenience store, Aso, who uses her hand-puppets to speak or Kasugano, the crazy teacher of the art-club who has a thing for chicken. There are some Archetypes, though. The reliable president of the art-club or the outspacing senpai made me feel like I have seen them somewhere before. Same goes for Kate, the foreign transfer-student, although it doesn't make her less funny. She is great and her trying to use Kanji in almost every situation possible ended up in some of the funniest gags in this show.
Last but not least, there are the cats. The cats can speak (among themselves of course) and their conversations are the highlights of the show.
There is also some nice character development (especially for Sora, who changes throughout the series), but the other characters feel a bit left out.
Overall, 9 of 10 points. The character design is one of the main reasons to watch this show.
Art - 8/10
The art of Sketchbook was really nice. Since most of the show is somehow related to the art-club there were lots of situations, where you can see the sketches or pictures the characters are drawing or you witness together with Sora some beautiful animated things like the blooming of the cherry blossoms, a firework or a sunny autumn afternoon. Those nature impressions are the strong points of this shows style. The animation is on a constant level throughout the course of the series, the quality isn't dropping anywhere.
The animation quality isn't outstanding but it's solid and it fits the show pretty well. The characters look nice and that's about all. Nothing more, nothing less. Sketchbook ~full color'S~ isn't the most beautiful show out there but the combination of the art-club theme and the steady animation quality makes me give this show 8 out of 10 points
Sound - 7/10
Like the whole show, the soundtrack is rather slow paced. The Opening and Ending are sung by Kyoura Natsumi (OP) and Makino Yui (ED) accompanied by a acoustic guitar. The songs are very fitting. There is a different opening in one of the later episodes, as well as a different ending.
The BGM is nothing special, just some piano-chords here, some acoustic guitar there, nothing outstanding after all. A calm soundtrack, just like the rest of the series.
Apart from the music, the chosen Seiyuu were great. Every character had a voice matching it's character traits. Personally, I liked Hanazawa Kana (as Sora) and Goto Yuko best. Goto isn't one of my favorite Seiyuu (I've found her annoying as Hikari in Special A) but she is awesome as Kate with her overpronounced Japanese. Hanazawa Kana has a very unique voice and everytime I heard her voice somewhere, I was reminded of Sora.
Enjoyment - 7/10
The series was fun after all. I've often found myself watching it after coming home from a long work-day. You won't be enjoying it, if you looking for something with lots of action in it. Sketchbook is very, very slow-paced. Sometimes a bit too slow-paced in my opinion. There were some parts, where I had to try hard not to fall asleep but most of the time the series was interesting enough to keep me from closing my eyes. If you are looking for a relaxing show, Sketchbook will be your choice.
Overall - 7/10
The show wasn't bad but it wasn't outstanding either. Sketchbook ~full color'S~ is a nice, slow-paced slice-of-life show with nice animation, awesome characters almost everyone can relate to and a good soundtrack. You are searching for a complex story? Skip this anime. You are looking for some crazy action? Skip this anime. You want to watch likeable characters living their own little lives? Watch Sketchbook right now!
Jul 15, 2008
Sketchbook: Full Color's
(Anime)
add
Welcome to my review of Sketchbook ~full color's~. This is my first review, so please, don't be too harsh on me.
So, what do we have here? Sketchbook ~full color's~ is a typical slice-of-life show. Nothing more, nothing less. If you are a fan of this genre then you can skip the following text and just watch it. If you are not so sure about whether or whether not watching this, go ahead. Story - 5/10 Yep, many people will think: Wow, 5 points is not that great, right? I think 5 points are very appropriate because, well, the story is almost non-existent. The main protagonist is Kajiwara ... |
