It is unavoidable, but drawing comparisons between Sketchbook and Aria would almost be a disservice to Sketchbook. It was not just “something by the same people who did Aria” or “a series like Aria.” Sketchbook is a series that stands on its own and goes at its own pace as well.

Like Aria, Sketchbook is slice-of-life through and through. I might also add, it was the most enjoyable slice-of-life series besides Aria that I have watched in recent memory. Characters are what make or break any series, but it is even more important in series like these. With other genres, the plot can carry you through a series, even if some of the characters are on the weaker end. Slice-of-life series have no flowing plot so to speak, thus characters become important. They need to make and impact and need to be memorable for someone to continue watching. If you think about some other top notch slice-of-life series such as Azumanga Daioh, Hidamari Sketch, or To Heart, you remember almost every single character. Not just that, but you remember their personalities and their quirks. Good series have a few great characters among an average cast. Memorable series have a great all-around cast.

What made Sketchbook stand out for me were the characters and how they all interacted with each other. Again, similar to Aria, each character, no matter how minor or obscure, contributed. Sketchbook is not just Sora’s story, but also the story and daily happenings of the art club she participates in. Sora herself is quite the likable lead character as well. Although each episode was driven by some occurrence or thought by someone, it was always Sora’s “slowness” that kept things interesting. Whether is was catching bugs in the rain, feeding stray cats expired food, or buying art supplies, Sora’s unique perspective on what was happening made each episode relaxing and refreshing. Similar to Yuno in Hidamari Sketch and Akari in Aria, Sora’s innocent mind takes us away from intense shows like Gundam 00 or dramatic shows like Clannad that fill your mind. Seeing the world through Sora’s eyes takes you away from all that. In a sense, we look at things more childlike and just enjoy what is in front of us. Gundam and Clannad leave impressions during the episode. With Sketchbook, it happens once you walk away. It is about the aftertaste, not the initial impression.

One aspect that sets Sketchbook apart from some other slice-of-life series was the effectiveness of a larger cast. Although Sora, Natsumi, and Hazuki are the main characters, the others seemed to have played a different role in comparison to your token minor characters. If one were to remove any of the other characters, I am confident to say Sketchbook would not be as enjoyable. From Kate’s broken Japanese to Juju’s random guitar playing, each of the other characters added something unique to each episode. Interestingly enough, few of them actually got any real development in the series. We know so little about Kokage, but and episode would fell incomplete without seeing her doing her elevator bit inside the curtain. Even the cats had more of a role than one would expect.

Like every slice-of-life show, Sketchbook leaves you satisfied and completely content with what was given. If a second season were ever to get announced, I would definitely be looking forward to it; however, I am completely happy with the 13 episodes that were aired. The series started strong and ended beautifully. The final episode was probably the best of all and definitely left a great impression on me. Sora’s development through the series seemed incredibly subtle, yet in the end she had grown immensely.

Sketchbook was incredibly simple. It did not have the quirkiness of Hidamari Sketch or the sci-fi aspects of Aria. Yet in the end, I cannot help be glow over it. Anyone who claims to like slice-of-life must watch it, yet I think it is accessible for those who are less familiar with the genre. When I first started watching Sketchbook, I could not help but be reminded of Aria and think of Hal Film Maker. Now, Sketchbook is its own entity. It stands on its own. I goes at its own pace, like Sora.