I have to admit that while I enjoy a lot of the Manga Time Kirara slice of life school girl anime, I haven’t watch some of the more popular ones. Since we are at a lull before the summer anime season start, it’s time to check out some of the classics. With that, I want to share my thoughts on GA Geijutsuka Art Design Class.Yes, this series caught my attention after playing Kirara Fantasia after the game added Yamaguchi Kisaragi, Noda Miki and Tomokane to the game during an event.
Believe it or not, this is not the first time we saw an anime focusing on girls drawing art. Manga Time Kirara Carat has two different anime. While Hidamari Sketchhas some similarities as it focuses on cute girls drawing/creating art, the approaches are different.
While GA Geijutsuka Art Design Class doesn’t really have any yuri like the former, it focuses more on the craft focusing on art techniques and terms. For instance, in one of the segments in the first episode, the girls talked about the type of pictograms. Yes, these are the symbols you see in manuals, street signs and even emojis. Of course, the one that Kisaragi came up for a class assignment was funny. It’s literally a caution symbol of a person having an arrow shoot into his heart to convey a heart-throb.
Aside from that segment, there is the one where they focused on the CYMK color model with some Super Sentai fantasies that Tomokane comes up with. Each member paints the board to recreate a sketch with color. I find it funny how Kisaragi messes up the painting until Miyabi whited the whole thing out. I guess she wanted to pretend that Kisaragi’s mistake never happened. Also, the girls trying out digital art design had some funny moments. Apparently, Kisaragi made digital art and it looks like something Miki would create. A week later, she checks it and doesn’t know if Miki created it.
I have to admit that so far, Kisaragi and Miki are the most enjoyable characters. It’s obvious to see why, especially the former. Yamaguchi Kisaragi despite working hard and wears round framed glasses which adds to her cute appearance, she is the underachiever of the group. She is clumsy and tends to break, spill or create a big mess because of her mistakes.
Moreover, she is fairly gullible as well. I find it hilarious how she goes to a supply shop to buy pencils to prepare for her entrance exams. She actually believes that the old art pencils the grandmother tries to peddle are special. Believe it or not, Kisaragi thought they will give her luck on the entrance exams. It’s quite surprising that she managed to pass. Either way, she manages to receive the last stock of them and saves them for a special moment. Still, it’s quite interesting why Kisaragi decided to attend Ayanoi High School after her childhood friend, Mizubuchi showed her around.
Also, there is Noda Miki. While being a fashionista, which is very evident with her pink hair, hair decorations, and her gym jacket she wears. Of course, her crazy story while creating her collage. She depicts herself as a young rich lady while Miyabi takes the role of a rich nobleman and Kisaragi as a poor scholar. That is until Namiko who is supposed to be a maid hits Miki. Then, Kisaragi take the role as a maid to make food. Everything is fine until Tomokane comes in with a mecha. I find it hilarious how Miki slaps random undesirable stuff on it. As you would expect, Tomokane is a tomboy and she is interested in Super Sentai, mecha and possibly video games.
Of course, Miki is somewhat of a trouble maker as she pranks people and goofs off in class. I find it hilarious how she messes up Tomokane’s dream to make it something like a crazy adventure seeking out an underground organization and befriending Kisaragi who Miki and Namiko bullies. The funny thing about this twisted dream is that Miki made a plot twist. Kisaragi admit that she is actually part of that said organization Tomokane is looking for. I find this plot twist kind of funny. Nevertheless, she is good friends with Tomokane.
Overall, GA Geijutsuka Art Design Class is an enjoyable show so far. While it’s more on the informational side of art, the usual appealing aspects of Manga Time Kiraraworks. After all, it focuses on the life of cute high school girls creating different types of art with comedic moments. Either way, I look forward how the rest of the episodes will play out.
It’s by far the best of the art school anime, and stays strong to the end. Everyone is quite likable. BTW, the OST has very decent character songs, all covers of the OP. Unfortunately, Bucchi and A-chan missed out, since they are not in the main group. BTW, you forgot about Sketchbook.
Yes, I forgot to mention Sketchbook since it wasn’t a Manga Time Kirara title that comes to mind, but yes, this show gets compared to Sketchbook as well.