January 11: A Winter's Collage

A Winter's Collage is the first episode of the Hidamari Sketch anime's first season. The main cast is introduced, as well as Yoshinoya and the setting.

Wake Up, Yuno!
Yuno wakes up and begins her morning routine in the right after winter break is over for their return back to school. She gets washed up and watches the television, which a little later Miyako decides to pop in. Watching television together, they listen to a forecast of a possible chance of snow. Miyako sees a nifty new flip phone and wishes she could afford newer technology... Whilst daydreaming, Yuno calls for her to stop dozing off and leave her room with her for school.

Good Morning, Senpai
Reaching downstairs of the Hidamari Apartments, Yuno and Miyako look upon the sign of the Hidamari Apartments that they made for it. Reminiscing over their good times, Sae and Hiro stumble upon them for a quick chat. There, they talk about the recent events of the New Year's, along with the fortune Yuno stumbled upon. At the end of their conversing, Sae warns the little freshman that with good times and luck comes little worries and problems (reflecting on the balance of luck, presumably).

The Collage Crisis
The gang get to school on time, where they depart for their classes. Miyako casually brings up the homework assignment they were given over the break, which apparently Yuno had forgotten to complete.

Reporting for class, Ms. Yoshinoya begins to rant about her time during the break, which included activities typical of a teenage girl and not of a grown teacher (apparently including the want to receive New Year's money at her unknown adult age). This reminds Yuno of her fortune at the shine she received during New Year's, which she opens up. Giving her a small boost in confidence, she readies to ask her teacher for more time on the assignment after class is finished. Once Yoshinoya leaves after class is dismissed, Yuno catches her and asks... and Yoshinoya declines, leaving Yuno devastated.

Instead of eating lunch, Yuno goes home in a desperate effort to finish the collage. In her mailbox she finds a New Year's card of Yoshinoya in a boar costume. Suddenly inspired, she uses the card and other pictures to finish the collage. She gets back to school just in time for the end of lunch break, and Yoshinoya accepts the collage -- being particularly pleased to see herself in it. Returning to Miyako, Yuno receives a riceball from her, which she gladly takes after skipping lunch

Art in the Snow
In the afternoon it starts to snow heavily. Although Miyako and Yuno are assigned to clean up part of the campus, Miyako gets a sudden inspiration to "make art" and starts running around the snow-covered courtyard. Hiro and Sae meanwhile catches up to the girls, but not before Miyako hatches an idea. The upperclassmen then proceed to the second floor of the school to a window overlooking where the underclassmen were. Reminiscing about their own time as freshmen and observing what is happening downstairs, Sae sees what Miyako is doing and takes several pictures.

Back Home!
After everyone gets home, Sae shows off the pictures she had taken of the things that were made in the courtyard, which included several snow rabbits and a replica of one of the Easter Island statues. Yuno also discovers that Miyako had made a pattern with her footprints spelling out LOVE AND PIECE, in English, when viewed from above. When the typo is pointed out, Miyako pretends it was intended.



They move onto Yuno's collage, which Sae brings up with her collage. They discover that Yoshinoya sent all of them different greeting cards, each of herself cosplaying in different poses and outfits. During that, Yuno receives another text from Yoshinoya about New Year's cards, which evidently upsets Sae. Changing topics, the group touches upon Hiro's diet, which in it explains where the previously-mentioned riceball Yuno received came from. Giving Hiro a warm thanks for her sacrificed lunch, Sae and Miyako overly-praises Yuno for being a wonderful girl.

The group dissolves for the night and return to their respective rooms. Yuno returns to find that her mess she left whilst finishing up her collage was still there, and has to clean it up. She later goes for a soothing soak in her bathtub and reminisces on the events that happened on that day. Meanwhile, Miyako fills out a crossword puzzle for a competition to win seafood.

Episode Quotes

 * Miyako, Sae: [in unison] Oh, you're a wonderful girl, Yuno.
 * Yuno: [slightly flusters] No, I'm just...
 * Miyako, Sae: [pats Yuno on the head playfully]
 * Hiro: [giggles]
 * Yuno: Oh no, I'm not that kind of a person...
 * Hiro: It's okay, you're wonderful just as you are.
 * Yuno: Oh, please, Hiro.

Episode Trivia

 * The snow scene in which Yuno and Miyako play in the snow had Mami and Nakayama omitted; they were previously playing a game of snowballs and snowman building.