Blue Period: an Artistic Journey

Originally published as a manga in 2017, Blue Period was adapted as a Netflix original anime in 2021. The manga was widely appreciated among its audience, and while the animated series seems to lack some of the charm of its source material, it remained a beloved show for many viewers. The story follows student Yatora Yaguchi’s artistic journey. Yatora experiences the struggles and joys of painting, often leading to his own emotional growth.

“It has very pleasing art and is actually educational in that it teaches us about how to use art and to admire it. I think it also handles its deeper subjects well but also keeps an intriguing tone. The characters are well fleshed out and it guides us through both the story and the characters’ feelings smoothly. It’s easy to know when something is meaningful to one of the characters,” Gumby Flambe said.

Beyond shining light on the struggles of an artist, the series goes into depth of just how stressful being a student can be. Several times throughout the story, nearly every character is seen attempting to cope with the pressure of the class.

“This anime is just beautiful. It depicts the student struggle perfectly, the mental and physical strain the student is subjected to when working hard for their goal while feeling like they are not as good as everyone else, and the competition that makes you feel like you can’t breathe. I just loved it,” Martina Formichetti said.

The realistic aspects of Blue Period’s story and characters has had a big impact on some viewers. It has inspired fans to take up new art forms and helped them improve their existing skills. This series has even changed one artist’s perspective on their craft!

“Me being a sketch artist found this anime amazing! I don’t paint but after watching this show I finally picked up a paint brush, and grabbed out my acrylic and oil paints, got some canvases and started painting. And I’m thankful. I see art in such a different perspective now. I see the beautiful, but also the meaning behind art,” Julia Madera said.

Not every manga fan enjoys the animation, however, as some believe that the anime can be lackluster at times. The overall message still comes through in the end, but the way the story itself is portrayed seems to have some issues.

“Personally, I think this anime is worth your time. It’s lackluster in a lot of ways but I think the important messages and how it really makes you think outshines its flaws. I think the manga is better though so if you have time read it instead,” Em said.

A group of fans agree that the pacing was off, but not all of them felt that the experience was diminished by the flaw.

“Now, I will say, this show was slower paced than I expected. However, once you get used to its pace, you start to pay attention to the details and the meanings that the show is trying to portray behind every scene. That’s where the anime truly shines!”

Despite the difference in quality between the anime and the manga, many viewers agree that the message is important, and that it deserves to be put out no matter the media type. The story has left a big impact on the lives of its audience, and it will continue to do so in the future.

(All reviews were taken from the reviews tab under the google search for the series.)