Yuru Camp

 Time for the break-out hit from a few years ago, with the sweet and innocent Yuru Camp's first season.

And that brings us to the penultimate letter in my challenge, theY.

This anime is about 5 friends going out on a camping trip.  Rin Shima's ideal way to get away from it is camping at the foot of Mount Fiji, from gathering firewood to setting up the tent, she loves doing it all.  When they are joined by Nadeshiko, who fell asleep on a trek on the mountain and looks for the warmth of the fire, the girls set up plans to go on a trip together.  

And the plans form for that trip, where they are joined by Aoi, Chiaki and Ena, the former two (the only) members of the outdoor activities club at her school, which doesn't seem to be able to get off the ground decently.  Nadeshiko transfers to the school as well, and joins the "Outclub".  But together with Ena,who is a classmate of Rin, they manage to put up the tent under the four of them as Rin watches on.  But first Nadeshiko goes to a camping spot where Rin was out alone.  

The Outdoor club tries several things to prepare for winter camping, so to save on the expenses.  The three set out on their first club outing.  Inspired by the pictures they send to Rin, she also goes looking for an onsen while camping at Mt Takabotchi.  One day Rin gets a portable camping grill, but unsure how to use it she gives it to Nadeshiko, who immediatly makes it into a barbeque camping trip with Rin.

The girls are with a lake that is supposedly haunted, Lake Shibire, but Rin doesn;t get the mini-grill going.  Nadeshiko brings along another camper, who with his experience can get the grill going.  The Outdoor club goes shopping for additional and better equipment, as they plan a final trip of the year after the exams, namely to go christmas camping.  Nadeshiko and Rin wanted to go camping together, but the former falls ill right before they leave, making Rin to plan the journey on her own and "winging it" like her grandfather uses to say.

 

Chiaki goes to cook for Nadeshiko and her family to prepare more for the trip, and the result is insanely good according to Nadeshiko's older sister.  In the meantime Ena also confirms she will be joining the Outdoor club on the christmas trip.  Rin oversleeps at the onsen she visits, causing her to have to rush to the campsite.  The girls get the new history teacher appointed as their club advisor, while Rin considers joining the end of year trip with them.

They realise their advisor is a drunk lady they met earlier, as she joins them on the Christmas camping trip.  And she does have a serious drinking problem.  The girls have fun the first day, as they watch the sun setting on Mount Fuji.  They make a sukiyaki for dinner, enjoying the food even though it is starting to get cold on the plateau.  The cooking fire runs out of gas though, with rin going to the combini to get some more.  During her ride, she realises how much she actually enjoys camping in a group.  

The girls and their teacher make it a nice trip, enjoying hot tubs, movies and good food under a starry sky.  Rin and Nadeshiko promise each other to go out camping a lot the next year as well...

Well, I can definitly get the charm of the series, it's one of those you just keep watching even though it is just a very sweet, innocent slice of life.  And you get a lot of handy camping trips, albeit some are of course japanese camping system only.