AoD Review: Sunshine Sketch #2

[aemartell]

Sunshine Sketch Vol. #02

Mania Grade: B-
Art Rating: B-
Packaging Rating: A
Text/Translation Rating: C+
Age Rating: 13 and Up
Released By: Yen Press
MSRP: 10.99
Pages: 112
ISBN: 978-0759529021
Size: A5
Orientation: Right to Left

Sometimes I wonder if my "grades" on this series are a little too harsh, and then I realized I had to post this thread and couldn't remember anything about this volume other than the last little "plot" about the art festival. They're cute and charming, but oh-so-forgettable.

[populuxe]

Originally Posted by aemartell

Sometimes I wonder if my "grades" on this series are a little too harsh, and then I realized I had to post this thread and couldn't remember anything about this volume other than the last little "plot" about the art festival. They're cute and charming, but oh-so-forgettable.

Heresy!

I'm one of the people who loves this gentle little title. I've reread it several times since I bought it. The humor works for me. I realize it's not going to be a winner for everyone, but it definitely is for me.

You brought up the "Masa no Yu" joke. I got it the first time I read it, but only because I can read hiragana and katakana, and I'm aware that Japanese written horizontally used to be read from right to left. But of course the whole point of having it in English is for the people who can't read any Japanese at all. Still, I'm not sure how else Yen Press could have handled it. The joke is specifically about how written Japanese is read. Other than putting an explanation in the translator notes at the end of the book, I really can't think of another way to handle it. (In all fairness, I should point out that I'm not terribly imaginative.)

[Hayate Kurogane]

Originally Posted by martialstax

Heresy!

I'm one of the people who loves this gentle little title. I've reread it several times since I bought it. The humor works for me. I realize it's not going to be a winner for everyone, but it definitely is for me.

Heresy indeed!

Yen Press is quickly becoming my favorite manga publisher. Why? They keep licensing things that I not only like, but like a lot. (See also: S.S. ASTRO)

While the characters aren't much more than the usual archetypes for a story of this sort, they're still fun to watch. The particular theme at hand, the art school stuff, is also something I can relate to, being a sketch hack in my spare time and having gone through my share of art classes both in and out of regular school. The whole Brutus head thing in volume one had me laughing until I cried, though I really can't say why. It's the weirdest things that strike me as hilarious. My current sig is also something completely bizarre that I found funny in volume 2.

I don't know if I necessarily need to buy another copy tomorrow, but I highly recommend it to folks looking for something fun and lighthearted. Yen Press has really struck gold with these 4-koma titles. Keep up the good work guys!

[aemartell]

Originally Posted by Sakura Shinguji

Heresy indeed!

Yen Press is quickly becoming my favorite manga publisher. Why? They keep licensing things that I not only like, but like a lot. (See also: S.S. ASTRO)

While the characters aren't much more than the usual archetypes for a story of this sort, they're still fun to watch. The particular theme at hand, the art school stuff, is also something I can relate to, being a sketch hack in my spare time and having gone through my share of art classes both in and out of regular school. The whole Brutus head thing in volume one had me laughing until I cried, though I really can't say why. It's the weirdest things that strike me as hilarious. My current sig is also something completely bizarre that I found funny in volume 2.

I don't know if I necessarily need to buy another copy tomorrow, but I highly recommend it to folks looking for something fun and lighthearted. Yen Press has really struck gold with these 4-koma titles. Keep up the good work guys!

Eek, I think I gave the wrong impression with that little quick summary. I do enjoy reading this series, and "charming" is one of my favorite compliments to give to series that have that certain something, but... yeah, I stick by the rating, because I really remember very little about it at all. I had to go dig it out of moving boxes to check the Brutus-head part. Erk. I remember debating what to rate the first volume, because a 4-koma collection is just hard to give an alphabetical grade to. But I began with that rating scale, and with it I must continue! Plus I still think it was the way to go.

I do hope that these and the other 4-koma titles are selling well for Yen, though. They're bringing something relatively new to the American market, and the product has people who love it enough to terrorize poor, innocent AoD reviewers! Plus the packaging nut in me just loves those color pages.

Oh, and regarding the Masa no Yu joke... I'm lucky enough to know enough Japanese to have gotten it without the translator's notes, but the two people I had read that particular skit (both manga fans, neither of whom can read Japanese) were annoyed enough by the "translation note hunting" to point it out without more than a generic "what did you think" question from me. While many of the jokes are puns, and thus untranslatable, if they didn't cram all of the notes on a single page with tiny font that I have a hard time reading with my contacts in, I would be much happier. In my opinion, nothing should distract from a reading experience as much as those do.

Alright, time to re-read the shoe plot. That was the one that had me laughing like a crazy person, and I'd like to revisit it before it goes back in moving boxes.

[Dack Ralter]

I didn't even know this was brought over here.

I like this kind of stuff, so I'll check it out. I've heard good stuff about Yen so far, so here's hoping.

Thanks for the review!

[populuxe]

Originally Posted by Sakura Shinguji

It's the weirdest things that strike me as hilarious. My current sig is also something completely bizarre that I found funny in volume 2.

I saw that when you first put it up. I thought it was great. I should add something from it to my sig, too. We have to protect Yuno and gang from that terrible bully, aemartell!

(I'm only teasing you. You gave it an honest and fair review. It's just that you're so fun to tease. Like Hiro goading Sae into making up all sorts of stories about her love life: "I used to come and watch herds of wildebeests while eating icecream with my boyfriend!")

[Hayate Kurogane]

Originally Posted by aemartell

Eek, I think I gave the wrong impression with that little quick summary. I do enjoy reading this series, and "charming" is one of my favorite compliments to give to series that have that certain something, but... yeah, I stick by the rating, because I really remember very little about it at all. I had to go dig it out of moving boxes to check the Brutus-head part. Erk. I remember debating what to rate the first volume, because a 4-koma collection is just hard to give an alphabetical grade to. But I began with that rating scale, and with it I must continue! Plus I still think it was the way to go.

Like 'Staxy, I don't think your impressions or review are off-base in any way. This is really the sort of title that just doesn't do much for some folks, which is fine (though very sad, since more folks need to give love and affection to Yuno-tachi).

I just wanted to join the "Get aemartell!" mob. All...uh, two of us.

And my only problem with the "Masa no Yu" joke was being unable to initially make out some of the kana on the curtains over the door. I don't know if that's due to bad source material or bad printing, but it's awfully indistinct.

The "shoe arc" was awesome. And, though I feel guilty about it, I also got a huge kick out of the strip where Yuno walks in on Sae and Hiro practicing for the play, misunderstands completely, and freaks out. Yeah, it's kind of an old joke at this point, but such is the peril of having the yuri goggles close at hand all the time.

[something]

Originally Posted by Sakura Shinguji

I just wanted to join the "Get aemartell!" mob. All...uh, two of us.

Count me in! Lynch! Lynch! Well not really, but I do so love everything Hidamari, starting with the anime and now reading the manga. I'm reading it as slowly as possible (in part by rereading things a lot) because I hate the thought of not having any more. At least Vol. 3 comes out in April.

I think Yen has done a spectacular job on this, and think it's really been a joy to read. I like that they've included translation notes, even if I don't need them for most jokes. My only gripe is that it should have been very easy (and common sense) to indicate that there is a translation note. Just put a little "TN" or "See pg. x" at the bottom or top of any strip that has a note. As it is, I simply had to guess.

Actually, what I started doing was to make a mental note of the next page number or two on the TL note page after reading one, and then when I got to that page, flipping back if I didn't get something. I have to say, though, there are a handful of times that I flipped back thinking "surely there's a note for that" and didn't find one. But then found notes for things I thought were common knowledge. ::shrugs:: I really think that's inevitable with translation notes, though, and I'd much much much much rather miss a joke or two than have them take a more heavy-handed "localize it" approach and ruin far more jokes.

But the lack of "there's a note!" indicators is a very minor gripe overall, considering that it very rarely affected my enjoyment and their great handling of everything else made up for it.

And at any rate, Hidamari Sketch is one of the best damn franchises Japan has produced, and we need more of the manga (and a couple more seasons of the anime, it's one of SHAFT's best selling ever) ASAP. Yuno is, like, probably a top 10 on my moe scale. And Hiro x Sae is one of the best pairings ever. Oh, it's also absolutely hilarious to boot, which comes in handy for comedy 4koma =P

Okay, back to reading Vol. 2, or rather rereading the 30 pages I read a few days ago because the thought of reaching that last page is downright depressing.

[Draneor]

Originally Posted by something

Okay, back to reading Vol. 2, or rather rereading the 30 pages I read a few days ago because the thought of reaching that last page is downright depressing.

What really sucked was how short volume two was.

[Noodle]

Originally Posted by aemartell

They're cute and charming, but oh-so-forgettable.

Get out of my head, woman! This was also my problem with Sunshine Sketch - it isn't that I didn't enjoy it or laugh at the occasional funny bit, but it's not memorable to me. Of course, I'm not moe for these sorts of characters, so perhaps that's the problem. One thing I notice most about these sorts of books - I really can't just sit and read the whole thing at once. It gets kind of boring that way, but taken in small doses it definitely has the charming, fluffy feel, like reading on a relaxing afternoon. (As long as I read other stuff in between chapters...)