(Check out the stickied post for the full bracket.)

Today’s matchup pits a lucky, ditzy genius artist against a pair of frisky young scientists (who also happen to be our only pair card).

Miyamura Miyako

How is this character great in their own universe?

Among Hidamari Sketch’s adorable cast, Miyako is the one who exhudes an artistic sort of freedom. In many ways, she’s deliberately the least together of the cast; she’s even stated before that she doesn’t plan thing on purpose. The fact that she’s also the most talented one adds a nice extra dimension to her character, as she’s as likely to whip out a work of pure genius as she is to eat whole bread slices out of a friend’s outstretched hand.

How would they be great in the other’s universe?

Well, the transit from art school to college would definitely put Miyako in a new environment, but I think she’d get along fine. If we’re talking about her in the role of big sister/mentor, we’ve seen enough of her doing that in HidaSketch even without her upperclassman status kicking in. I expect she’d fit into the competent mentor role like a fish to water (and would instantly compete with the bartender for most stable female character in the series).

Kaoru Misato and Takuma Kawahama

How are these characters great in their own universe?

Moyashimon is a relatively rare breed; an anime focused on college students. While the show’s most advertised feature is the presence of agriculture/microbiology education and adorable microbes, it packs a mean character dynamic, mostly thanks to the most developed set of those two non-protagonist guys. Unlike most characters in their archetype niche who exist to make snide comments and then disappear, Kawahama and Kaoru are a constant catalyst for the plot, hatching crazy ideas and blowing stuff up. Moyashimon Returns was a sub-par sequel in many aspects, but it will live on forever for the episode where Kaoru went on an awkward non-date with the lead female while Kawahama pretended to be a Mexican to throw off her security detail.

How would they be great in the other’s universe?

If either one (or the pair) ended up in the position of “talented art student rooming next to normal-er person”, they wouldn’t be without company. That basically gives you the same package as Honey and Clover’s Morita Shinobu, with the big dreaming and scheming that makes stuff happen around him/them. Plus some more pseudo-mentoring, minus some of the insanity and all of the the sexiness. Which might actually be a feature; HidaSketch uses squishy character designs to bring out a playful atmosphere, and Kawahama’s adorable butterball physique could well re-flavor to that dynamic without forcing it to change beyond recognition.