Hidamari Sketch x365 11 includes the four Hidamari residents, Yoshinoya, the Landlady, and Kuwahara, as well as Mami and Nakayama. The episode surrounds Yuno, Miyako, and Sae investigating why Hiro was found unconscious in a Yamabuki corridor.
Scene 1: 00:15 - 00:48
C: Yu
Yuno wakes up and enjoys the weather. No notable yuri in the scene.
Scene 2: 00:50 - 01:02
C: Yu, Mi, Sa, Hi
Sae and Hiro watch Yuno and Miyako go to school. Sae comments that Yuno’s bag is thicker than usual, but since everyone appears to have the same type of bag it doesn’t necessarily suggest that Sae has been carefully observing Yuno’s belongings. Yuno and Miyako going to school is more a function of their normal routine than a special occurrence of yuri, but that itself displays a close friendship, giving Yuno and Miyako 1 each, with Sae and Hiro staying at 0.
Scene 3: 02:39 - 03:36
C: Yu, Mi
Yuno and Miyako have lunch together. Yuno gives Miyako an extra lunch she packed, and when she describes its contents the background becomes an arch of tessellating hearts, conveying that the lunch was made as an affectionate present rather than a mere functional desire for Miyako not to miss lunch. She also gives Miyako tea in the lid of her generic-brand temperature regulating beverage container, which Miyako drinks from directly. Given the function of the lid of a generic-brand temperature regulating beverage container, Yuno has likely also drunk directly from it, so Miyako gets considerable yurilevels for the indirect kiss while Yuno gets comparable levels since she seems to neither notice nor care. Overall, Yuno gets 3 while Miyako gets 2.
Scene 4: 03:43 - 04:25
C: Yu
Yuno uses a foolproof disguise to sneak off to the roof. No yuri to speak of in this scene.
Scene 5: 04:25 - 04:53
C: Yu, Mi
Yuno sees Miyako working for the field day committee, where she draws a hummingbird on the grounds. Nazca mythology and the symbolic meanings behind the Nazca lines have been lost to history, so the closest source we have to investigate is the mythology of their successors, the Inca (which is a big assumption and one that, rightfully, few if any archaeologists actually make), who viewed hummingbirds and other small birds as visiting souls*. If we take this to be what the hummingbird imagery is meant to indicate, then it’s not indicative of yuri on Miyako’s part, and if we reject it then there is nothing to go off and no yurilevels can be awarded to her, so Miyako ends with 0. When Yuno sees Miyako, she quietly says motivations to her, likely knowing full well that Miyako will be unable to hear them. Her encouragements being inaudible is more strongly yuri than it would if Miyako could hear her, since Yuno is unequivocably conveying a desire for Miyako to do well whereas if Miyako was in hearing range Yuno could just be trying to keep her going. She gets a 2.
Scene 6: 04:56 - 07:37
C: Yu
Yuno is accosted by pigeons and aliens. She’s alone for the bulk of the scene and doesn’t get yurilevels, particularly since she expresses a desire to detach from those around her in her sentiment to stray from the flock.
Scene 7: 07:37 - 07:47
C: Yu, Yo
Yuno and Yoshinoya bump into each other. The text on screen, “girl meets girl,” is a likely allusion to the notable yuri series “Kashimashi: Girl Meets Girl,” and although there isn’t any significant yuri shown between the two the use of the allusion creates an atmosphere of yuri that gives them each 1.
Scene 8: 07:56 - 08:26
C: Yu, Mi, Sa
Yuno and Miyako head back from gym and see Sae. Yuno complains that her arms are sore from volleyball in gym, and Miyako laughs at her pain, showing a contempt/derision that will lower her overall readings. When they find Sae, she says that she is looking for Hiro, since Hiro’s movements have grown increasingly erratic. While Miyako interprets this as Sae’s attempt to maintain a total knowledge of Hiro, the better explanation for her concern is that she is concerned that they are not meeting together during breaks and after school (that is to say, all possible times they could be together during the school day) and assumes that something is wrong with her. Sae’s assumption totally precludes any possibility that Hiro has a good reason to not be with her every chance they have, almost suggesting a feeling of possessiveness over Hiro that gives Sae a 4. Miyako’s misinterpretation is yuri in itself and leaves her with a total reading of 1, while Yuno’s relative inaction keeps her at 0.
Scene 9: 08:27 - 08:40
C: Yu, Mami, Nakayama
Mami gleefully commits sexual assault**. Her motives are unknown, and can only be assumed to be a desire to see and interact with other girls’ underwear, which is corroborated by her merry flicking of Nakayama’s bra. Nakayama seems displeased, but treats it as a minor nuisance instead of harassment, suggesting she is at least somewhat okay with it. Yuno, when she is targeted, responds with shame and discomfort, even prompting the assaulter herself to apologize out of regret. Overall, Mami gets a 4, Nakayama gets a 1, and Yuno gets a 0.
Scene 10: 08:42 - 09:07
C: Yu, Mi
Yuno heads back to the gym for her jersey. She took it off and left it on the stage before she entered the changing room, which is a complex matter to analyze: one explanation is that she removed it to save time in the changing room, a functional reason that doesn’t contribute to her yurilevels, while another explanation is that she felt compelled to disrobe for unspecified yuri reasons (possibly including the presence of Miyako, which is highly unlikely given that Yuno was with Mami and Nakayama rather than Miyako), and if this second explanation holds true the question becomes whether or not is more yuri to spontaneously disrobe in a non-yuri environment (a stage) or to disrobe in a yuri environment (the girls’ changing room). Ultimately, I think it comes out to be a wash, particularly since removing an athletic jacket would not be a very revealing undressing. Miyako offers to take Yuno’s bag with her, but as soon as Yuno tosses it to her Miyako reveals her true intentions and throws it back, smashing the bag into Yuno and that pretty face of hers. Whether or not the pain was intentional, Yuno was harmed, and Miyako cannot be forgiven. Both end with 0.
Scene 11: 09:08 - 09:28
C: Yu
Yuno retrieves her jersey and hears a mysterious noise. She fears the noise could be caused by a “suspicious guy” (新人ーさん, “shinjin-san”), but since the “-san” honorific can be applied with equal validity to men and women it doesn’t convey a distrust or fear of men that would raise her yurilevels. Her dance of terror is reminiscent of the Twist, a notably lewd and predominantly heterosexual dancing style that affects her readings negatively, and she gets a 0 overall.
Scene 12: 09:29 - 09:50
C: Yu
Yuno finds a body under the stage. Her first instinct is to pick up Hiro’s head and shoulders out of a concern for her safety, though she just as quickly forgets about Hiro when she tries to interpret the coded message on the wall. She gets a 1 overall.
Scene 13: 09:58 - 10:48
C: Yu, Mi, Sa, Hi
Yuno attempts to use a hammock and Hiro is questioned about her malaise. Miyako very briefly touches Yuno’s shoulders to guide her so she doesn’t fall down, but it’s too light and not overtly yuri enough to impact her very much. Sae and Yuno ask if Hiro is alright and show a genuine concern for her well-being, which Hiro accepts. Everyone ends with 1.
Scene 14: 10:48 - 10:58
C: Yu, Mi, Sa, Ku
Kuwahara assures the others that Hiro will recover. Kuwahara again takes the role of the serious, focused nurse, here solely to perform her duties with no yuri motivations detectable and to respond to expressions of gratitude from the others. Noticeably, Sae is the one and the only one that thanks Kuwahara for looking after Hiro, suggesting a greater concern on her part for Hiro’s well-being, which fits with the evidence presented in the series that of the other Hidamaris, Hiro is closest to Sae. Sae gets 1, the others get 0s.
Scene 15: 10:58 - 11:22
C: Yu, Mi, Sa, Yo
The Hidamaris discuss Hiro’s condition and Yoshinoya stops by. Sae says that she wants to know why Hiro was in the tunnel, again evoking her sentiment that Hiro doing any sort of activity outside of Sae is an anomaly that demands explanation. When Yoshinoya arrives, she immediately wonders aloud if Hiro can be awoken with a kiss and proceeds to attempt this, conveying a comfort with yuri that greatly increases her readings. Sae reacts in anger, likely another appearance of the possessiveness over Hiro she has displayed twice now, while Yuno blushes and covers her eyes, showing a discomfort around yuri. Miyako is very briefly shown and contributes little, getting no yurilevels. Sae and Yoshinoya each end with 4, and Yuno and Miyako with 0.
Scene 16: 11:22 - 11:29
C: Yu, Mi, Sa, Hi
Hiro comments on the developing narrative. A short connecting scene with no notable yuri.
Scene 17: 11:30 - 12:16
C: Yu, Sa, Yo, Ku
Kuwahara scolds Yoshinoya while Sae explains the Seven Mysteries of Yamabuki. Mostly an expository scene, and nobody has the chance to earn yurilevels here. 0s all around.
Scene 18: 12:17 - 12:26
C: Yu, Mi, Sa, Yo
Yuno, Miyako, Sae, and Yoshinoya head toward the mystery passage. No conversation or dialogue conveys yuri here, but Miyako gets yurilevels for resting her hands on Yuno’s shoulders as they walk, conveying a friendly physical intimacy. She gets 2, Yuno gets 1 for receiving, and the others stay at 0.
Scene 19: 12:28 - 13:50
C: Yu, Mi, Sa, Yo
Yuno, Miyako, Sae, and Yoshinoya investigate the tunnel. Miyako draws a chalk outline of where she imagines Hiro fell. This prompts Sae to ask her not to do morbid things, suggesting she has a sensitivity to jokes that implicitly involve danger or harm to Hiro and showing a strong sentimental attachment to her, giving her a 3. The rest of the scene isn’t notably yuri and the others end with 0s.
Scene 20: 13:50 - 14:31
C: Yu, Mi, Sa, Hi
Sae puts forward a hypothesis explaining Hiro’s collapse. Noting the presence of a full-body mirror and pants and Hiro’s absences during free time, she concludes that Hiro bought pants that were too tight, leading her to starve herself in an attempt to make them fit, resulting in a collapse from malnutrition. Right now, the accuracy of this explanation isn’t relevant to her yurilevels, so we can look past that. Sae’s hypothesis rests primarily on the assumption that Hiro places working toward a slim figure over both her health and spending time with Sae. Her theory is therefore making a connection, correlative though it may be, between not spending time together and Hiro harming herself. Given that Hiro is in the room when Sae is giving her hypothesis and that Sae has been shown to be alarmed about Hiro not being constantly with her, Sae is probably trying to suggest to Hiro that, for her own good, she must always be near Sae when possible. While this can seem like an extreme interpretation of the scene, it is in line with the attitude Sae has expressed about Hiro’s relationship with her over the episode. Sae’s continued possessiveness gets her another 4, but because Hiro immediately tries to correct her, showing she disagrees with Sae’s message, she gets a 0. Yuno and Miyako, meanwhile, praise Sae’s analysis, with Yuno giving a brief compliment while Miyako revokes her previous comments and declares that Sae truly does know everything about Hiro, suggesting she reads a very strong, very close relationship between Sae and Hiro. Yuno gets 1 and Miyako gets 3.
Scene 21: 14:33 - 14:57
C: Yu, Mi, Sa, Yo, Ku
Sae and Miyako take off Hiro’s pants. Kuwahara does not give a reason for needing to take off Hiro’s pants, and while it’s likely for health reasons (something to do with circulation in the legs, probably), the action is sufficiently yuri that Kuwahara is buoyed slightly by the ambiguity. Sae asks Miyako to help take off the pants, likely choosing her since she’s the strongest one there, which gives Miyako yurilevels for masculinity, and then positions herself, putting her hands very close to Hiro’s chest and raising her yurilevels. Miyako’s tug additionally removes Hiro’s underwear, but from her uncomfortably embarrassed reaction it’s clear that she did not do so intentionally, and the action only brings Sae alarm, so neither one is affected by it. Overall, Sae ends with 2, Kuwahara and Miyako end with 1, and Yuno and Yoshinoya get 0 for only barely appearing.
Scene 22: 14:57 - 15:58
C: Yu, Mi, Sa, Hi
Yuno, Miyako, and Sae stage an intervention. Hiro expresses a shameful embarrassment at being told her underwear came off, which doesn’t increase her readings. Miyako gives Hiro a bag of dried sweet potatoes, saying she values her more than food, which is both odd given “likes to eat food” is the core of Miyako’s character and a significant boost to her yurilevels. Each Hidamari then tries to guilt Hiro into taking better care of herself: Sae tells her she has to eat properly, Miyako reiterates Sae’s message without adding her own comment, and Yuno includes an additional element of guilt by saying that they’re worried about her. Breaking this down, both Yuno and Miyako tried to appeal to Hiro emotionally, while Sae used a direct command in telling her to eat better. While Yuno and Miyako’s statements could just be friendly concern for her health, Sae’s carries a tone of authority over Hiro, further adding to the dominant-submissive dynamic she appears to read into their relationship. Hiro is shown to be affected by their pleas, shown through the arrows that stab her after they each speak, conveying an emotional closeness with each of them that allows her to be affected by it that raises her readings. She then confirms most of Sae’s hypothesis, noting that instead of undereating she simply knocked her head against the ceiling, showing that Sae actually does have a deep understanding of Hiro’s thought processes and actions, but since this isn’t a particularly yuri explanation Hiro doesn’t get yurilevels for it. Overall, Hiro gets 1, Yuno and Miyako get 2, and Sae gets 3.
Scene 23: 16:02 - 16:41
C: Yo
Yoshinoya is felled by her greatest vice, vanity. Her maid outfit is said to be a selection from the dressing room, so she selected it as the best choice from a set number of options. However, unlike when she chose to cosplay as a schoolgirl in Hidamari Sketch x365 09, the cosplay here is probably not indicative of yuri tendencies since we have no evidence that she knows any maids and the maid costume here is an explicitly sexualized outfit rather than the more generic schoolgirl outfit. Since it’s unclear who Yoshinoya is trying to appear sexy to, she stays at 0.
Scene 24: 16:46 - 17:22
C: Yu, Mi, Sa, Hi
Hiro is convinced to make dinner. Sae tells her again that fasting is bad for her, showing a concern for her well-being that gets her a 2. When Hiro decides to make pork cutlets, Miyako immediately jumps in to praise the multi-layered pork cutlets she has previously made, getting her a 1 for praising Hiro’s cooking abilities. No other yuri activities in this scene.
Scene 25: 17:23 - 18:05
C: Yu, Mi, Sa, Hi
Miyako makes a pledge to Hiro and Yuno notices a strange sound. Miyako offers to eat any food Hiro can’t finish, which is primarily a reflection of her sitophilia but shows enough mutual friendliness to get Miyako a 1. Hiro denies her request and vows to make less food, keeping her at 0. The others don’t do any noticeably yuri actions and also stay at 0.
Scene 26: 18:06 - 18:23
C: La
The Landlady feels the burn. It’s unknown how long she exercised, but she seems fatigued and her it was enough to make her bones crack under stress, so it was probably for a reasonably long time. Exercise in general doesn’t automatically denote yuri, and no particular exercise in the room suggests any exercises that would relate to yuri activites (e.g., weights or leg stretchers), so the Landlady gets a 0.
Scene 27: 18:23 - 19:08
C: Yu, Mi, Sa, Hi
Hiro tries to keep the others out of Room 203. Unlike Sae, Hiro proves to be a very unconvincing liar***, but her lies here don’t suggest yuri like Sae’s do, so she gets no yurilevels for them. When her attempt to weave a tangled web fails, she resorts to physical measures, holding Sae’s wrist with both of her hands simultaneously and covering Yuno’s eyes so she can’t look in the room. These are the only yuri actions of the scene, so overall Hiro ends with 3, Sae with 2, Yuno with 1, and Miyako with 0.
Scene 28: 19:08 - 19:22
C: Yu, Mi, Sa, Hi, La
The Landlady talks with Sae. She assumes the exercise equipment in the room belongs to Sae, but it’s likely because she genuinely doesn’t know and not because she assumes Sae is the owner of everything Hiro has. They both end with 0. Hiro, meanwhile, still has her hands over Yuno’s eyes, but since Hiro already got significant yurilevels for it they each get 1. Miyako, who again stays to the side, gets a 0.
Scene 29: 19:22 - 19:35
C: Yu, Mi, Sa, Hi, La
The Landlady leaves. Hiro still has her hands over Yuno’s eyes, getting them each another 1. No significant yuri beyond that, so the others end with 0.
Scene 30: 19:35 - 21:10
C: Yu, Mi, Sa, Hi
Miyako taunts Hiro. Her questions about what sorts of exercise Hiro did include a series of highly-suggestive hip gyrations and assorted moves, though Hiro’s deep shame prevents her from getting side yurilevels from these actions. When Hiro tries to lie further, Miyako imagines Hiro riding what appears to be a vibrating saddle, a piece of exercise equipment well-known for non-exercise related functions. Hiro then grabs Miyako’s shoulders as she tells her to keep the exercise room a secret, which doesn’t show a physical intimacy since Hiro is trying to silence her but gives her a slight bump anyway. Sae and Yuno watch the whole affair, with Sae commenting at the end that neither is the type to keep secrets, showing an understanding of both of their characters that increases her readings somewhat. Miyako ends with 3, Sae and Hiro with 1, and Yuno with 0.
Scene 31: 21:13 - 21:36
C: Yu
Yuno watches television. We get to see her corkboard again, which now has pictures of a smiling Yoshinoya, Miyako as a weight guesser, and what appears to be a magical girl. The focus on women gives Yuno a 1 for the scene.
Scene 32: 21:36 - 21:47
C: Yu, Yo
Yuno hears Yoshinoya’s distant sobs. Her fear prompts her to run screaming to Miyako’s room, which, regardless of the practical aspect of Miyako’s room being the closest to hers, shows that Yuno views Miyako as a comforting or protective figure but not necessarily a romantic one, giving her a 3. Yoshinoya, meanwhile, gets a 0 for not conveying noticeable yuri.
Scene 33: 21:49 - 22:07
C: Yu, Mi
Yuno and Miyako bathe together. In addition to the high yuri readings from being naked together in a bathtub that Miyako notes is cramped, Miyako promises to stay with Yuno until she falls asleep to keep her from being afraid, which Yuno is grateful for, showing an intense closeness between them. Both end with 4.
Final Yurilevel Readings: (both Aokis and Umes are out of 4)
Episode: 0.8776A
Characters:
- Mami: 4.000U
- Sae: 1.973U
- Hiro: 1.397U
- Miyako: 1.206U
- Nakayama: 1.000U
- Yuno: 0.629U
- Yoshinoya: 0.432U
- Kuwahara: 0.300U
- Landlady: 0.000U
A somewhat low yuri reading, caused mostly by the very high number of scenes splitting everything up so that yurilevels didn’t have as much of an effect as they would have in a normal episode (for comparison, Hidamari Sketch 11 had 33 scenes and a total of just over half an Aoki). Sae and Hiro each made off well from the heavy emphasis on Hiro this episode, particularly Sae, whose bizarre obsession with controlling Hiro gave her a strong reading of nearly 2 Umes. Sae’s behavior this episode and its effect on her reading highlights that the definition of yuri in this investigation is fairly broad, and doesn’t distinguish between “positive” warm-spirited yuri and “negative” borderline-abusive yuri. Yuno, meanwhile, was weighed down by the yuri-light first half to end as the only Hidamari below 0. Other than the high number of scenes, this was a fairly mundane episode on the whole. A special notice is always made for characters who receive the highest possible reading of 4 Umes, so accolades go to Mami, who is the second character in as many episodes to achieve this feat.
Further analysis will continue with Hidamari Sketch x365 12.
*: Source is The Handbook of Inca Mythology by Paul Richard Steele and Catherine J. Allen.
**: Coincidentally, this is also the plot of at least a few “Puella Magi Madoka Magica” doujins.
***: It’s obvious to us that Sae is lying, but in-universe Yuno and Miyako generally seem to believe her.
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