Rating: 9/10

Impressions:

Now that’s a rather big quality drop, but at least it isn’t in any of the aspects that actually count. There are still no flaws in the character animation and drawings, though you just have to notice the amount of simple smileys used for faces. I mean, the most noticeable would have to be Puchiko’s band members, who all had a retarded look. I was surprised that such little effort was put into the concert though, even though it’s still awesome (since I love concerts and performances in anime). This ending in my opinion is slightly too vague, as it doesn’t solve anything, but rather just gives the possibility of Dejiko getting back together with Takurou. And exactly how long must Dejiko and Puchiko return home for? I guess the ending leaves you to wonder about the possible outcomes; though all the happy ones will all end in the same way. It becomes pretty obvious that Aiko is Takurou’s sister by the end, as it can be expected that this guy, who has been portrayed as a nice guy, wouldn’t two-time so guiltlessly and chase after one while he’s with the other.

I am glad Puchiko got some screen time, though for me it still wasn’t enough. Her job at McDonalds is rather hilarious, especially her onlookers, who all sport the same face. If only Winter Garden was three episodes, then the second could have been devoted to Puchiko and her day. I’m sure it would be highly entertaining, well for me at least since she’s my favourite character. I guess this show was made for Christmas, but there’s always the chance there might be a longer series in the future. The show is nice and touching and will probably give people who like shoujo and slice of life a warm and fuzzy feeling. Well that’s just me babbling. Nevertheless, I highly recommend this show to anyone who likes the romance/slice of life genre, as this is quite a fitting Christmas present. Oh and one more thing, there’s a preview of Hidamari Sketch at the end of the show, and judging by the looks of it, I probably won’t be watching. The quality is not as highly as I hoped, and the story already seemed rather boring.

Hidamari Sketch Preview:

Rating: 8.8/10

Impressions:

Genres: Romance(?)
Episodes: 2
OP: “Forget-me-not�? by Hiromi Satou
ED: “Winter Garden�? by Asami Sanada
Studio: J.C. Staff
Official Site: http://www.broccoli.co.jp/dejiko/anime.html
Official Site: http://www.tbs.co.jp/anime/wintergarden/

Winter Garden, the spinoff of Di Gi Charat, where ten years have passed and Deijiko and Puchiko are 20 and 15 respectively. It doesn’t look like there’s any connection between the two shows apart from the two characters with the same name. They don’t even look anything like the characters from Di Gi Charat. Well anyway, the quality is rather high, though with one very noticeable flaw; the shadowing. Hardly anything is shadowed, and this is obvious on the clothes and face. However, it does blend in well with the watercolour/washy background, so it’s not that bad. Apart from that though, the character design and animation is exceptional. Walking sequences now don’t just mean making heads bob up and down. The movement is fluid and obeys the laws of physics more closely than your average anime. It is also more biologically correct, since I don’t think any normal person walks without moving their shoulders. I love the character design too, and the character I instantly found as my favourite would have to be Puchiko!

So basically, Winter Garden is a romance/slice of life series. If you’re a fan of those genres, or it simply looks really cute to you, go ahead and watch it. There are only two episodes btw. Because of that I’ve been thinking that this should go in the fall season category, but that would be a bit strange considering it’s called Winter Garden, and the first episode occurs in winter (Christmas to be exact). So I guess this is my first winter series! Anyway, of course the question I would be asking right now is the girl who Takurou is living with. I seriously doubt a guy like him would cheat on people, so I assume it’s a relative. But then again, the love story so far seems a bit too straightforward and simple, with no drama. However, Winter Garden seems more like a feel-good show, so if things go smoothly all the way, it wouldn’t be strange anyway. Only thing I want now is to see more o Puchiko. She’s such an awesome character (who really does remind me of Mikuru from SHnY). I want to see her in school too…