Blue Period

The stand out of this show is the wonderful animation. However, it stills holds some substance behind it's pretty face. It's a very relatable story and i think a lot of people can connect with the character and the hardships he goes through.

8.6/10.

Based on a manga series that won the Grand Prize of the 13th Manga Taisho Awards, this revolves around popular second year high school student Yatora Yaguchi. Hard-working Yatora spends his nights hanging out with his friends but still manages to be an honor student. He didn't have an idea what to put on his career planning survey form until he saw an artwork created by Maru Mori, a member of their school art club. He develops a fascination for the arts and joins the club.

Since his parents are not moneyed, he could only hope to go to a public school in college. He sets his sights on Tokyo University of the Arts. To be able to pass the entrance test to TUA, Yatora goes to a prep school where the knowledge he learns in high school is augmented with more advanced techniques.

I love Yatora's introspective journey as he gains more confidence in his talent. The lectures and processes (sketching, use of colors, reviews, etc) are extremely interesting, if not informative. I looked forward to seeing the finished artworks. Yatora does not consider himself talented but is willing to work hard. The support he gets from his teachers push him in the right direction. His friendships with his buddies as well as art classmate cross-dresser Ryuji "Yuka" Ayukawa and the snobby art genius Yotasuke Takahashi are heartwarming.

All in all, this is a lovely and enjoyable watch.

This was my favourite anime in Fall 2021. When it comes to story it's pretty simple, but I really liked it's representation of art as a career and different goals that an artist has to achieve to be successful. One thing I loved about this story was the conflict between talented and hard working people. While people often envy a talented person because they don't have to work hard to be successful, talented people also envy the ones who work hard to achieve their goals because they are the ones who get praised for their hard work. While for a talented person people assume that their success is assured, so no one shares their joy of success. I really liked this theme.

Aoi Aoi Ano Sora

Amidst of all the art talk, I never expected the direction of this anime nor did I expect to be moved by it this much. Even though it's ironic that the animation was pretty mediocre for an art anime, the masterful character odyssey more than made up for it.

The main characters were high school students who were trying to get into art schools. Through the process of learning about art, each one faced their own struggle in trying to figure out who they are. Again the theme of identity vs role confusion was at the forefront. The journeys that were displayed all led to another common theme that resonated more with me: self-doubt. Our main guy, Yaguchi, constantly felt insecure about himself. Multiple times I can't help but reflect on myself, and it didn't feel so comfortable.

Another aspect was the difference between hard-work, innate talent, and the expectation that came with each label. The character Yotasuke brought out this theme the most. Sometimes being labeled as having talent or already good at something doesn't feel as satisfying as expected.

Overall, an unexpectedly dark, personal, yet satisfying exploration that I never thought I would love so much. 9-9.5/10.

What I liked- 1. Heartwarming tale about the struggles and success of a novice.

2. great character depth 3. Animation is simple yet beautiful.

What I didn't enjoy- 1. Meddling with too many themes at one time makes it incomplete.

This is an endearing and encouraging story for all the artists who are trying to find their voice but struggling with their inner critic. There are also some tips and tricks on how one can practice. The blue period is one of the famous titles of Picasso's paintings - it's supposed to be reflective and emotional. The show delivered that beautifully. It was very easy to empathize with the character who is trying his hardest to become good at his craft. It's also funny how art school stereotypes are portrayed in the show. We get a glimpse into other characters who are struggling in different ways. I think everyone will find a type which will fit their nature.

There is a strong focus on a character's gender identity. But since they aren't the mc, I felt their character was added for the drama and the plot was handled haphazardly.

So, all in all, it's a good show which will touch the hearts of artists the most. I thoroughly enjoyed it and will remember the validation I got from it for a long time.