Blue Period

 Streaming now on Netflix, this original series is about... the discovery of art.

So with such a personal intresting premises, I really wanted to see this series and me and Noshi sat down.

Yaguchi is a bit of a hoodlum, unintrested but smart in school.  But one day he runs into the art class after helping a girl called Mori carry her equipment, and becomes captivated by the painting she is making.  After he makes a blue landscape of his town for an assignment, he more and more becomes enthralled by the beauty of painting, and how the brain let's go of all troubles when focussing on creating art.

Pushed along by his classmate Ryuji, a transvestite, he enrolls in the art club at school, and soon decides he wants to try out for the Tokyo University of Arts, or TUA, as his parents can`t affort a private university.  He goes to the preparation courses as well to try and reach his goal, and with the help of the people he meets there learns more on how to "build up" and appreciate once's art, no matter one's talent.

 

While he befriends some of his classmates, he also realises with the entrance exams ever looming closer that he has to learn to be less mathematical and pleasing to the teachers in his work, but find his pleasure back in painting like he had with his blue painting.   He passes his first exam, but then Ryuji gives him a big wake up call.  This results in them spending a night at the seaside, and making Yaguchi come to terms with himself and his true inner self.  

But when he arrives for the second exam, his hives start playing up harshly.  His friends from preparation class come through for him tough, and on the second day he gets a revelation, finally realising his strengths to make his personal style of art.  To his own amazement, he passes the entrance exam...

This was a SUPER relatable series, as I also have that feel good zen moment when I`m painting my figures or other things, letting go of stress.  So yeah, for that reason alone already I`m rating this series quite high, and the manga are now on my short list as well to obtain in the future.

I`m hooked.