Blue Period

In plain terms - Good story but bad animation, background score, voice acting, flat art etc. basically it could have been a 8-9 if they simply worked on the anime even 20% of what the mc worked on his art in the anime. There were some scenes where the conversations were so awkward that i doubted if it was just the anime studio at fault though. Also the side characters were there only to fuel mc or make him realize things. Even though some of them had interesting stories of their own they weren't explored. One thing I did like was that the story kept on moving. It didn't stay at one place for too long nor prolong unnecessary moments. Lastly it has a lot of internal monologues which I'm fine with but many may not like.

There is just something... that really kept me watching. Staring, as if at a blank canvas. A story, that felt void in a sense, and yet was so captivating to the imagination. This is Blue Period. Perhaps one unknown regret would be not reading the manga instead of watching this anime, since I do enjoy drawing and creating art myself as a hobbyist. But either case, I was going to check out this anime eventually, and do not have the time to really flip pages for the time. And it is difficult to put into words how exactly this anime presents itself. And I say that, since there is a lot of introspection into this anime, and humanity at that. It does discuss some core aspects relating to art as well, albeit far less theory, and more so surface level. For instance, they would allude to the use of grayscale, but never outright said it, at least for the anime adaptation. The pacing as well is not too well concrete in a few instances, but they handled that alright I imagine. Also, episode 3 was whack as heck, I almost dropped the show then and there, thinking VIZ or whatever head management forced some sorta DEI quota or woke diversity agenda onto the series... like many recent waves of series had done all of a sudden... but it was only a one time occurrence. For now. I can probably go on and on about this or that, but the MC really carried this show just enough for me to complete it. Overall, I think this anime, well not being the best adaptation polished (at least according to many manga readers), really hit a lot of nostalgic points to when I was in art classes; of the courses I would take from school or from the city's museum quite a number of times. And ultimately, it is a love letter for the artisan in us all. It is certainly not perfect, but there is beauty in imperfections. Be it about identity struggles, or self-reflection, this anime embodies that to me as clear as day. This is not an anime for your average viewer, this is an anime for the people who knows what it is like to leave their mark onto something, and the struggle in achieving to do so, above all opinions. Even those closest to you. And I cannot help but to give my respects to Tsubasa Yamaguchi for doing such. Art: 8.2 /10 - Stellar main character designs, detail to multiple art pieces and prominent scenes. Story: 8.7 /10 - EP 2 and especially EP 7 left me with goosebumps. And EP 12 gave a wholesome ending to the animated series, no need for a sequel. Music: Stellar (I like the ED use a lot) Audio: Sub > Dub (I tried Dub, but the JP voices were more emotional and textual context were more meaningful)

This is a wonderful show about Yaguchi, a high school student, and the path he took after he discovered that he could convey his feelings and words on a canvas. It was a joy to watch the different emotions he had to go through towards the growth and improvement in the process of creating his art. The portrayal of all his struggles and joy throughout the show, the relationships between the MC and the rest of the cast, kept me entertained without a dull moment. I appreciate that the events in this show happened in a very realistic manner, thus making it easier for viewers to relate to. The art style was also very pleasing to the eyes. It has been an exhilarating experience watching this show.

The best art genre anime, period. I don't want to exaggerate but the information about art in this anime is so informative and astonishing. I love how Yatora chooses and discovers what he really wanted to do and his passion which is to draw/paint. He feels a deep love for art, especially when he's eager to learn, express himself more, and continue no matter what the outcomes are. I love also how the artwork is explained in a somewhat detailed way. I know that the artists going to love and relate to this because it also tackles the societal and passion perspective when it comes to art. What's more interesting is it also based on the students' life as an artist enrolling to a prestigious art university in Japan that shows the progress and other things. I also love the characters especially Yatora, my favorite character aaaaaaaa, I love how he is serious and eager to achieve want he wants haha. The art style is also good! Like imagining all the pieces sketched and drawn in this anime. Overall, I know it may not be great to others since the genre may not be for them. But what I really love is to discover the characters' goals, growth, and expressing themselves!

A somewhat melancholy show about the creation of art and why we do it, and the relationship other people have with art, its process, and other people. Some aspects of the show hit harder than others but I really enjoy it. One of the best aspects of the show is that the message of it is that anyone can make art, or anyone can follow their passion, as long as they stick at it. You're not born with some innate talent, with practice and guidance you can reach very very high. And that is quite heart-warming, I think. The other character's treatment of Ryuji is sweet as well. They have good friends and a support circle, especially with granny. Slay, queen

If you are really into art i recommand this highly. Youre going on a journy along with the main character exploring creativity and art, different techniques, and the stress of passing through the exam. Along with listning to all the stress, art blocks of creativity and how difficult it Is for other friends as well. It is a very passionly anime, and it even made me cry at the end cause it becames to passionly and emotionly when you are being dragged into the anime. I know a lot of People rate this negativ or do not recommand watching it, but I also think it is about what interest you have irl as well..if you dont do art, painting and drawing irl, and dont have this has an hobby or interest to begin with i can then understand why alot of People would find this boring, and cant relate to how the characters feels. When it comes to the intro and outro i love how the art is, sadly the music really hit my heart and i endend UP shipping in every time.

With this being such a unique style of anime (sadly a Netflix original-but a very decent one imo), I really got to enjoy the story behind it. With the realization of a change in life, Yatora pursues a different career/path he hadn’t ever thought of before. The story and struggles Yatora faces within his new path within the world of Art truly felt special. He began to embrace life and his relationships differently, truly showcasing his growth as an artist. The characters were all so unique and really helped Yatora grow both within his art, but also as a person. I recommend watching Blue Period whether your are an art lover or not-being not very artistic myself, I was skeptical at first but really happy that I gave it a chance and think others should too!

[This review may have spelling mistakes because I do not know English very well] I have read few chapters of the manga of this anime and I can easily say that the manga of this work is better than the anime. If you are an openness or artist or interested in painting, you will enjoy this anime a lot, and in some cases, you may relate your life to the life of the main character of this anime. (Story) The story of this anime is not very exciting and with many fights, but it may attract you a lot. As someone who studies in art branches, I connected a lot with the story of this anime and its characters. Of course, this charm of the story does not happen to everyone and it may be boring for many people. (Characters) Twelve episodes are not enough to cover all the characters and many anime characters are unknown to us, which I hope will be dealt with in the next season with backstories. But the main characters of this anime are very good. This anime shows us the type of life and feelings of a heterosexual person very well. (art and sound) Anime music was lovely for me, especially the anime opening. The anime art was good but in some scenes it was weak and annoying And that's why I think you should read the manga along with watching the anime, because the manga has very beautiful panels that are obviously drawn by an artist. (Score) I give this anime an 8, but the blue period manga is in my top 10 manga.

“A work of art is finished the moment you give up on it.” story (9/10)- The story follows our protagonist "Yatora Yaguchi" who works hard to uphold his academic grade but at the same time he is unmotivated and spends his day hanging out with his unmotivated friends. We follow him as he finds his true calling of his life and grows more into it and as well as a person. art (7/10)- You could say that the animation is not this anime's strongest point but at the same time its not bad either. at some places it was sloppy or should i say lazy? Inconsistent is the right word for it. But its quite decent for a slice of life anime, you wont notice much if you're not trying to nit pick. sound (8/10)- AH YES, the sound. I still cant get over its ending theme, Its a vibe that fits perfectly with this anime and so is it opening. (don't skip it alright) i had some problems with the background scores like 2 different moods overlapping, it just didn't feel good. other than that there's not anything bad about it, they compliment the scenes perfectly and some even relaxes you. character (9/10)- Characters are the most integral part of any anime, not just the main but also the supporting characters and i love the fact that this show didn't betray them. from our protagonist to falling in love with making art to Ryuji who picks up Japanese art instead of western style just so her grandma doesn't feel betrayed. i want to talk more in details about other characters but that might just spoil things for you XD. In all honesty this has a great cast, someone might make you smile like crazy by looking at them while other might make you jump inside your devices just so you could give them a comfortable hug to ease their pain <3 Overall (8/10)- I enjoyed thoroughly while watching this show and there's no doubt about it. from start to finish. after final episode i found myself begging for more. I would recommend this to everyone who wants to watch a deep slice of life. its something more than just art, its about the struggles people face and the happiness they taste while overcoming it. its about expressing yourself, be it via language or something you genuinely love doing. I would like to ending this with a quote from this anime, "Don't use your communication skills to hide what you really feel. Use them to strengthen what you want to express and win over others." Thank You for reading!

First of all I think Blue Period is literally a work of art like the manga and anime, they both are pretty similar and don’t do much different (within the first season). I think it made the transition into anime perfectly well. All of the characters are very lively and have different personalities that make them all likable in their own ways, characters also have things and problems they’re also going through like Yuka (Ryuuji). Blue Period was really refreshing, one of the best things I’ve seen in quite a while. The animation was really good. It gets the job done and works well with Tsubasa Yamaguchi’s art style being pretty distant. The main character is also really good. He has lots of ambition and determination, something you strive for in the main character. People giving it a 5 are also the people that should be actually watching it; they don’t give any good reasons or any that makes sense on why they give it a 6 or 5. Either way Blue Period is definitely worth your time watching it, the dub just came out if you're a dub watcher but if you’re not the sub has been out for a while to watch it highly recommend Blue Period!!

As a plagiarist, I found its inceptivist fundamentalism annoying. Especially since its focus on the mythical externally validated conception of what originality is put next to its secondary themes about gender non-conformity. By that I mean: don't you think it's at least a little hypocritical to claim that we are each individuals with the freedom to express who we are how we want, and then to say that certain forms of expression (here, copying) are inherently inferior or inchoate? To cry "I am this" and have someone reply "No you're not," or "That's not OK," or "Not like that." Or, put another way, you see how this ideological zeal for Original Authors having more of a right to embody an idea conflicts with the much more important cause of trans rights, ...right? At one point, they literally mark down a perfectly good piece for no other reason than it was "too similar" to his last major work. Fuck off. All that is is installing and enforcing a certain value (anti-plagiarism norms) held by the artistic establishment at that school, so that students leave under the misapprehension that they have simple answers as to why they are the best. And why they are the best also just so happens to coincide with the interests of high-end art markets that they will more than likely never have access to. The mindset twists itself into a huge mess of knots to keep itself from truths that are actually pretty fucking simple. Plagiarists are cool, too. Trans people are cool, too. Discriminating against people because they are outside of the orthodoxy you descend from is Bad. The show is quite pretty, tho. And when it's not pissing all over its messaging by focusing on originality, it's a fun little shounen ride.

I love the first episode of Blue Period. It has one of those hooks that resonates with you rather than intrigues you. You listen to this one line that comes at just the perfect time for the main character. It's the exact encouragement that you wish someone had given you when you first discovered a passion of your own and thought about pursuing it as more than just a passing hobby. It was at that point that I knew I would be sticking around for the whole season and likely beyond. After that first episode, focus shifts to the struggles of pursuing art as a potential career ... starting with prep school for admission to university art programs (specifically the cheapest, yet most competitive university). I'm not at all equipped to judge the accuracy of how things go, but it certainly felt real. I was so invested in Yatora's success at this point that everything seemed interesting. I love the amount of detail given to the different aspects of painting: themes, compositions, techniques, materials, and creativity. I love how Yatora starts to learn these things -- one after another -- and struggles here and there to pick them up in ways that correspond to his character. As an example, his studious nature leaves Yatora with a narrow focus and less freedom to express himself … or have fun with the artwork, which results in uninteresting paintings. He eventually overcomes this by taking a step back and trying something new. But it isn’t long before he gets back into the high output studious work and hits another wall because of it. It’s a one-struggle-after-another type of situation, and it’s so endearing to see Yatora work through them all. Putting Yatora aside, the side characters also have their own struggles to overcome. Ryuuji faces resistance from home for who they are and their choice to pursue art school (just because it's art school) and struggles with the art program they've chosen because it is more an inherited goal than a passion of their own. Kuwana has to face comparisons with her sister, who was so amazingly talented and got accepted as a first-time applicant (it isn't common), and other forms of self-mutilation. Yotasuke dislikes the restrictions that are placed on him in classroom and exam settings and also faces judgment from his mother for his lack of social skills. There are several more minor characters that have their own struggles. One girl that was in Yatora's class had attempted the admissions exam three times … and had a heartbreaking moment where she had to admit defeat. She had decided to go work for a bookstore instead. It's brutal to me because I always think about what if I had chosen a different path from the one I’m on. What if I chose to pursue something I was a much better fit for over a field where I can much more easily make a living? Well, this is the sad truth, it might not have worked out, and I’d be in a much worse situation for having tried. But it never had the chance to work out because I never even tried. I never took that leap. It makes me feel so much envy. I hate myself for not having the courage that these characters have … for not having faith in my own capabilities. And something about seeing these characters fight for their dreams just lights me up. There is one obvious criticism to make though: the adaptation itself is a bit weak. I find myself wishing that a more established studio could have taken this on. The animations look a bit unnatural and lack fluidity. And sometimes the perspective in the framing or the characters' faces just looks off. At the same time though, I very much appreciate the voice acting and the OST, so the anime still has some merits. The writing is also strong enough to carry a show with low-to-mid production values. Don’t sit on this one just because of the ‘meh’ animation. So, what more is there to say really. It’s a really good show, one that I feel is a little underappreciated based on the MAL ratings (I normally rate lower than the MAL consensus). I’m a bit conflicted as to whether I should eventually try the manga or hope for a second season, but regardless, I want to stick with it for the long haul (as I said in the beginning). I’m hoping you all will give it a shot if you haven’t already. Thanks for reading.

Oh my god I liked this anime it showed how beautiful art can be and the amount of emotion that can go into an art piece BUT there are a few problems (spoilers until further notice) there is a part where they made a crossdresser undress while this does seem ok on the front view this can be very uncomfortable (no more spoilers) another thing about this anime is that it made me realize how unsatisfied I am with my life and the problems i have with the state of the world in a way, this anime has helped me but in another way, it has hurt me.

this anime was so amazing because it really showed me that I can do anything I want as a career as long as it makes me happy. Before I watched this anime I honestly thought money was everything in a career it didn’t matter if it was fun or not just if you could make an living. This anime taught me that a career is enjoying yourself not having a guaranteed path to success and something you would never enjoy. The animation was stunning and when ever yatora really enjoyed himself I could tell because they would add some sort of scene like he is off in his own world. I am very happy that the manga is ongoing and that this anime is a masterpiece to me and many others I hope others have found the beauty I found in this anime! ! !

Main feelings: I had pretty nice vibes with this story. It's one of those rare anime where it's bad but you can't hate it because it has good intentions about taking care of ourselves and following our life calling and dreams. Despite what I said, I didn't like much the main character for some reason. (-)What lowered the score: animation and character design, predictable, incoherence in what they say and we have seen, lack of realism, no relevant music at all. (+)What I appreciated: the concept of the main plot, the values about life, inclusive characters that we normally don't watch in anime without using it as a gag comedy.

Hardwork and Talent Those things is like a two side of a coin. one side is not bad or good to another, just different situation of people. For me, it was inbetween. During my life from elementary school untill now at collage, i always get lucky. I found my favorites subject from 3rd grade of elementary school which is social science, then it was becoming history subject. When i look back from now, i realize i was lucky. Don't get me wrong, i also doing a lot of "hard work" in form of a study but still i feel i was always lucky. Blue Period, this anime made me realize that. Yatora, the protagonust. His Chararcter is so different compared to me although at times i understand what he feels sometimes when he was trying to get into art. I was the same when i/m trying to get history. Yatora realize there is a lot genius people arround him. I feel the same when i was get into the university. Bottomline is i can relate to Yatora and the anime storyline. The struggle, the passion, the excitement, ETC I just want to say this is a great anime with a great storyline. Btw imma anime only. I tried to read the manga before the anime realese but at first i thought it was boring. When the anime came up, i was surprised, hell i'm schock how good this is. I also continue to read the manga now and it's amaizing BTW, this is my second Anime review so i hope it helps people to watch this because it really help you know yourself better, at least for me

Spoiler Warning: Even something as simple as art can be turned into a unique story, and this anime has done a great job of animating that feeling. Blue Period came at a perfect time, not only because of how highly anticipated it was but as an art major myself, I can relate to this. Even though this anime was adapted nicely to the source material, there were still some issues that slightly bothered me, however, but didn't ruin the experience of watching it. From my perspective as an artist and anime reviewer, my feelings towards Blue Period are highly based on what I thought about the series in general, so it'll almost be a thorough thought-based review. The plot of Blue Period is not only just about art but also the complex emotions expressed in this anime. I've always found art to be easier to use than words at times, and this was a good portrayal of those expressions. While it focuses on character development, I wished the anime expanded more on some events from the manga. In terms of the anime's pacing, it wasn't too bad, but it could've been better. Some parts in the anime felt slightly rushed, barely giving time for the story to calm down. Despite that issue, the anime made up for it by portraying central moments of self-reflection, which is done well. Another theme this anime is relatable to is the concept of our desire for an almost impossible goal. Although it was hard to see some characters fail to achieve some of their goals, the portrayal of that aspect felt real, and I applaud the anime for doing a great job on that. The story focuses on a student gaining a passion for art and developing a goal of going to an art school with a low acceptance rate. Although the idea itself is realistic, it still felt generic at times, but it made sense since it's based on real-life concepts that are relatable. Along the way, the main character gets to know many other students in the art field. Not only gets to know them but also learns about their struggles and understands their motives for doing art. As he improves on his art, he self-reflects on how he feels when painting or drawing. Doing so develops his character as an artist who can self-reflect even after the praise he receives for his work. Despite the simplicity, I liked this story since it further taught me how artists express themselves through art, it may have been my favorite part of the entire series. Despite the odd pacing, the anime did a great job portraying situations the characters got through that are similar to those in the real world. The characters themselves brought the story to life. The character design was unique as it matches their personalities well. On a separate note, a specific character looked too similar to someone else from another anime, but I was surprised they got away with it. The main character, Yatora was relatable to me since I can understand the stress of applying to a university doing art combined with the timing of this anime's arrival during my university years. His character growth was intriguing because his art is the exact portrayal of how he's developing as an aspiring artist, which is done well in terms of similarity. The other characters were unique and yet ambitious in terms of who they were. However, they felt slightly bland since they all have a similar goal as Yatora. Their personalities and backstories showed us how they felt during their art sessions. Their personalities are shown in some of their works. One character, Mori-senpai, stood out to me the most as I saw her as a guiding light to Yatora, and she could technically be called the reason why the series even occurred. The portrayal of real-life scenarios, such as LGBTQ representation was well done. I liked them a lot, and I'm glad the series creator made them relatable in every way. The animation felt stiff at times in terms of their movement, but it wasn't as bad as it looked at times. The artwork however, deserves more attention as it's the central part of Blue Period. The artwork created by each character each has a theme, and they use that theme combined with how they feel about it. At first, it started with simple items, such as what they see. Later on, it makes art complex for some viewers since it adds a deeper meaning to what they want to paint and how artists express themselves from their art. That said, every one of the paintings was breathtaking to see, and as an artist, I can somewhat tell what the themes are for each one of them. The music was spectacular to hear as the opening and ending had a different vibe to other coming-of-age anime. The beginning song was catchy, yet has a vibe that keeps me listening to it whenever I feel stressed about my life. The notes in that song inspired me to keep going as it starts off calm but gives me hope to never give up on my goals in life. The ending was a peaceful refresher to hear, but I felt too quiet at times. However, the song was still beautiful to listen to as it recaps the events that occurred in the anime. The music overall felt peaceful and expressed what it feels like to be an artist and I can understand how it felt myself. Overall, Blue Period was a good experience for me to watch. Not only were the characters intriguing, but the artwork created by each of the characters was the best way to show us what their personalities are like to us. This anime deserves more recognition for how realistic it was and how it inspires us to achieve our dreams. The pacing and animation could be better, but I felt like the anime tried its best to adapt the manga, but it could've been better. Whenever I'm struggling through my goals in life, I'll think of this anime and continue to self-reflect on my goals and work hard to be better in life.

Relatable. It’s the main word to explain and portray the Blue Period. As a music artist myself, watching the creative process and struggles around Yaguchi Yatoras journey was a relief to my heart. His adventure starts when he does not know what he wants in his life yet. Being a teenager almost hitting up the college without any career is some of the most common issues in our highschool days. The lack of a will to do something, the comfort zone starts to get on his neck, until soon enough he realises that drawing a paint about a skyline to express himself was the most interesting thing he did in a while and now he has to pursue his artist career dealing with all the pressure that comes along with his choice. What do I want with my life? Am I doing enough? Am I doing too much? Is it good? Why am I not good like him/her? Where do I go now? Am I making any progress? What do I do if everything goes wrong? What do my parents think? Do I care about what other people think? Do people care about what I think? and etc. I could go on for hours about how many great questions and answers there are in this show to a lot of the dramas about being yourself and creating something by yourself. The overboard narrative has a fast pace that lacks time to work in characters or moments. There are some ep, that Yatora has an issue in the first half of the episode, and by the end of the second leg he already resolved it and now has another problem to deal with. This anime can get boring for people who are confident most of the time and always knew what they wanted in life, since they can not understand why someone is taking too long to do something or why are you wasting your time caring about what a random person said to you. But everybody that has/had any issue dealing with choices and struggles like that, will enjoy and learn a lot with it.

I had a very high hope toward Blue Period when I heard that it is about a high school student's journey pursuing art. I had a pretty similar background; I was a well-rounded model student back in high school and could basically choose any kind of major if I wanted to but ended up going to an art school (an equivalent art school in my country to Tokyo University of the Arts since both are public university). The differences between Yatora and I come to the fact that I was good at art since I have been doing it since I was little (and I chose to take ceramic courses instead of painting). But unfortunately, this anime isn't as satisfying as I thought it would be. Why? Probably because it's so main-character-centric and Yatora seriously is a very plain main character. Yes, he is hard-working, but that's all. In the creative world, to be successful one has to be distinctive, and Yatora is far from the word "intriguing." In 12 episodes of the anime, the majority of the plot is revolving around Yatora and his "mundane problems", and that is seriously pretty uninspiring. The other casts though are actually way more interesting; Yuka-Chan and their gender/family problems, Kuwana and her rivalry with her talented sister, Hashida a very unique and likely the most "artist-like" traits and personality, etc. Sadly the anime only talks a bit about these interesting characters. And don't let me start with the art. For an anime about art, the art is pretty mediocre. I don't even want to talk about it since I guess everyone watching this anime would agree with me. Overall it's a so-so anime, but don't expect to feel all "inspired" once you finish it. Ps: I love the opening song though, Omoinatake did a super great job at it!

Okay, here we go for the fifty-sixth time: Characters: -Main characters: Yatora is the only protagonist in this anime, and he is developed in such a way that his learning process is believable. He is an emotional boy who manages to understand himself through art, and the relationships he has formed along his artistic journey have supported him and taught him lessons, or rather, he has gained something from these relationships. I didn't expect to say this, but he is the protagonist this work needed to succeed. (7/7) -Secondary: All the characters are quite likable, but if we talk about support and usefulness to the plot, there are only about 3 or 4 that are really important in this anime compared to the rest, even though they are all good secondary characters. (2/3) Logic: Even from Yatora's point of view, there's nothing to complain about. (10/10) Entertainment (Personal): I didn't fully enjoy the second episode because of its pace, but the rest of the episodes kept me engaged from start to finish. (8/10) The basics in an anime: -Animation: I don't know anything about the manga, but I did feel that it was a little lacking, as it only shines at specific moments and doesn't maintain a consistently high standard as it should, or so I think. (1/2) -Music: The OP is catchy, the ED is powerful, and the OSTs are good, meaning it works. (2/2) -Addictiveness: An anime to take your time with, although, as always, the last episodes are the ones that leave you wanting more. (1/2) -Development of tags (genres, themes, etc.): Several anime in this genre are overrated, but this anime is definitely “Visual Arts,” and I have nothing more to say that explains this well and the experience of different characters with this passion, besides the fact that the protagonist learns many life lessons related to these artistic abilities that he has to learn on his own. (3/2) -Ending: Totally satisfied with what I saw, but looking forward to a second season with the start of the next arc. (2/2) Plot development + personal reflective impact (The objective and subjective aspects of this anime, in my opinion): SPOILER: Yatora is a young sophomore in high school, and the story begins with him wondering, as usual, whether he should study art after seeing a painting by a student in the art club. But after hearing the words of his art teacher, he decides to follow his passion and joins the Art Club. He spends about a year in this club improving his technique and then, at the end of the year, on the recommendation of his teacher, he and his classmate Ayukawa decide to take the preparatory course. We are introduced to several characters, such as the genius Yotasuke, the lively instructor Oba, and more. But the story chooses to show us a little of all the problems Ayukawa goes through, such as being rejected romantically for being a cross-dresser, which hurts him like any human being. Leaving that aside, events continue, such as Yatora's visit to the university he aspires to attend, where, due to some comments made by Yotasuke, the two fight and begin a rivalry that will continue in the future. The first evaluation arrives and, thanks to Oba's advice, Mori's art, and Yatora himself, he manages to find the answer he needed to create one of his best paintings to date, thus maintaining a good streak where he is only praised. However, when the next evaluation arrives, Yatora creates a painting quite similar to the one that had previously been successful, so he is punished with a low grade that affects him by depressing him deep down, and he cries alone in his room at home while reproaching his mother's words on the phone in another room, responding, “Mom, doing what I like doesn't mean I always enjoy it,” since it is true that what we like does not necessarily mean we are good at it, and discovering this for the first time hurts. And the anime continues like this, with the preparatory course and the challenges it leaves for the students, where Yatora discovers things such as that his classmate Kuwana somehow feels the pressure of always being in her sister's shadow when it comes to art, which is what she likes best. We also have students stressed out by the arrival of the first exam, where Kuwana's words (I think) that “our responsibility is not to allow ourselves to break down” hit hard because, as they say, everyone is betting on their dreams, and if nothing seriously prevents them, their duty is not to give up. The day of the first exam arrives, and Yatora draws a self-portrait divided into several parts to express the many facets he can have, as he sees himself that way, and it works for him, because when the results come in, Yatora passes along with Kuwana and Hashida, who is a friend of both of them from class. Things happen in the preparatory course as they prepare for the second and final exam to decide whether they will enter the UAT, such as Kuwana saying, “Sometimes it's hard to choose the easy path,” referring to a friend of hers who left the course to teach painting workshops because she couldn't stand being competitive. But the curious thing is that Yatora later discovers that Ayukawa left the preparatory course, which he would have accepted if he hadn't known that Ayukawa drew an “X” on the canvas during the exam and left. Yatora can't stop worrying about his friend, but he doesn't know how to respond to what Ayukawa said the last time they spoke, which was that Yatora is the kind of person who only wants to do the right thing, explaining that “if someone were drowning, you would look for a lifeguard instead of jumping into the sea.” Even so, Yatora calls him on the subway, and after seeing each other and Ayukawa saying depressing words, Yatora responds with, “I would jump into the sea if no one came to save you... I wouldn't drown with you because I would swim with all my strength to the surface,” showing himself to be a friend who doesn't abandon others in trouble. They both get on the subway and go to a cheap lodging place in front of the beach. Here, interesting things happen, such as Ayukawa's revelation of his problems with his family regarding why he decided to study Japanese art, and more problems related to his identity. Meanwhile, at Ayukawa's suggestion, they are each painting a nude self-portrait, which is the first time Yatora discovers many things about himself through painting. After this experience, Ayukawa decides to move away and work in something related to fashion, and then thanks Yatora with a gift for accompanying him to say goodbye. Yatora arrives late to the preparatory course but still manages to paint a good picture and tells his instructor about his experience with his friend at the beach. She responds with, “Seeing yourself naked and showing it to people is accepting yourself as you are” and “There are many people who stay dressed their whole lives,” which not only refer to clothing, but also to taking risks if it means feeling complete as a person. The day of the second exam arrives, which will take place in three days in total, but on the first day, Yatora is very ill due to hives on one of his arms, which takes him by surprise and prevents him from making much progress that day. On the second day, “already more recovered,” Yatora begins to paint, but then discovers what he must do when he thinks, “My art must show the world through my eyes.” Since the subject to paint is a nude, Yatora decides to show his experience on the canvas by reflecting his feelings that he feels pathetic when naked, but feels more guilty when dressed for hiding his shameful body. On the last day, after hearing Yotasuke's words, Yatora cheers up and, in his sketchbook, reflects his idea that “Before making art, I was transparent,” because this experience with art did not make him more perfect, but made him visible, made his feelings visible to other people. The exam ends, the day of the exam results arrives, Yatora passes, he doesn't believe it until Yotasuke repea…