Okay, fine. I’m convinced that there’s actually something that’s good for Winter season. I admit defeat, Winter.  You too, GAINAX. You both happy now?

Hanamaru Yochien. A seemingly harmless, slice-of-life-ish show featuring kindergarten life: Kids, caretakers, parents and all. But before you (or in a much more dramatic case, I) can think it’s going to be the same mundane type of show that has a 99.9% probability to mutate into a case of KODOMO NO JIKAN, the show suddenly shows an inner gem in a setting where innocence is so abundant and sustaining, it defeats any sense of precociousness and false instances of maturity.

First, see the characters. Tsuchida-sensei is a guy who likes video games, but probably has to play a millenia’s worth of it to surpass the kids in his Sakura class. Then, there’s Anzu’s mom Sakura-senpai, whose precociousness landed her in early marriage, a fact she doesn’t hide but is rather proud of. Then there’s Hiragi’s dad, who, by majority vote on appearance, is probably Yotsuba’s dad from Yotsuba&! You see ordinary people being given an extraordinary kind of “flavor”, which in turn spices the overall appeal of the show. Yeah, yeah, this fact’s a staple on slice-of-life shows, even though 90% of those shows don’t do it extraordinarily well, and 97% of said shows can’t do it PROPERLY with kids.

Hii-chan: Because doing a variation of a certain loli anime’s ED dance while in cat cosplay is cute.

Second, see the setting. No, not just Hanamaru Kindergarten itself, but the whole community setting. There’s big emphasis on connectivity not only with the characters, but also with the places they go. In fact, even a single location in the kindergarten itself (say, the slide, or the “legendary” bench) can be made big and interesting. And it’s especially cute if you take it from the kindergartners’ points of view.

Third, the activities, especially those of the kindergartners. Almost everything is focused on what they do, and all we can do is see them through. The adults are defeated in this kind of approach, and any attention focused on them would only be because of the kids’ doing. I mean, come on, the episode about Tsucchi liking Yamamoto and Yamamoto being dense is most probably spurred by Anzu (on Tsucchi) and the kids’ (on Yamamoto). We’ve yet to see if they do have enough focus on the adults without being related to kids, but for now, it’s mostly the former.

Fourth, the relation and the show’s nature. You see Hanamaru Yochien trying to walk the borderline tightrope, and it’s amazing how it can maintain itself on walking. The adults are okay on the supportive role, and they stay like that. On the other hand, the kids maintain or are “restricted” on a certain level of curiosity and precociousness that even the most amorous or intelligent advance would look like child’s play, even if said kindergartner is dead serious about it. The show shifts is focus from the adults point of view, to the kids, and this back-and-forth transition enforces absolute equilibrium. Pure enjoyment derived from “complex simplicity” comes afterward.

You’re probably blind if you didn’t see two girls we all know so well.

Last prominent thing I saw on the show (for now): Blatant reference dropping. It’s doing subtle reference drops AT AN ALARMING RATE. Seriously, Plus-Minus Zero? Big Angry Monster Destroying The City? Space Starcruisers Based On  Modern Aircraft? Milfeulle? Music Club Members Beside The Local Bar? Science Ninja Cosplay? If you didn’t get any of these after watching it once or twice, you’re either enjoying the show too much, while doing it wrong in a positive kind of way.

So yeah, Hanamaru Yochien is currently on my to-watch list now, and judging from the first four episodes, it’s going to be enjoyable for the follow-up.

And yes, moar Hii-chan, because adult Hii-chan is fine while ruining Shin‘s fantasies altogether, even if but for a fleeting moment.

Further Reading

Too late when I found this, but it shows my sentiments for the show right on the money:

First Look: Hanamaru Kindergarten – Metanorn

Convince me, with this “This season doesn’t disappoint” you speak of:

Hanamaru Kindergerten 1 -Nostalgic Days – THAT Anime Blog