We be bloggin'

Hello and welcome back to Otaku Thursday! It sure does feel like it’s been a while since I did a post, when in reality we were only gone one week after Otakutober so that we could attend our local anime convention. But now that con is past, there’s no more rushed cosplays to do, and we’re officially done with this year’s Otakutober posts, it’s time to get back into the swing of things. So here we are. Once again. Bringing you a first impression on this fine Otaku Thursday. And today I’m in a bit of an artsy mood, so today we’re going to talk about Blue Period.

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So Blue Period was one of the anime on my highly anticipated list while we were going into the season. I had heard about it partway though last season, and thought the premise of it sounded good. Plus it felt like there was a buzz of energy surrounding the anime adaption, so I was even more curious to know more and see what the excitement surrounding it was about. So I kept myself away from the manga, didn’t talk about it with friends who were fans of the manga, and instead waited patiently for the anime to come out. My first impression–to put it shortly–brilliant. But one-word reviews can only go so far, so let’s get more into what I particularly like about it.

Blue Period, is a drama coming-of-age story. I am convinced of this after only seeing six episodes. Our main character, Yatora is a delinquent who is actually very intellient but overall bored with life, seeking no ambition or future prospects. He very much is resigned to just continuing to excel, assuming he’l eventually end up with some boring job, but in the meantime takes every opporunity to hang out with his equally unambitious friends (though they aren’t nearly as intelligent as he is). The setup alone is…typical. So by the time you get the just of his current and daily life, you are SO ready to see something spark within him. And when inspiration suddenly strikes him…it’s breathtaking. One day, Yatora literally looks at a view and wishes to be able to convey how he feels about it…and that’s where he begins. Now, as someone who is a creative…I loved this moment. Though my creative path of choice is writing rather than fine arts, I felt like I understood him in that moment. To want to capture how something made you feel–to capture a moment–something intangiblle and make it tangible. I get it. And it’s a joy to see as Yatora discovers that art is what he’s passionate about. Hence, why I label it coming-of-age. At the beginning of the anime, he was very much at a standstill in life, but now he is growing and doing the challenging path for once–the path of passion. This anime promises a lot of trials ahead for Yatora, as he grows his skills against artists who’ve been studying much longer than him. There will be failures long the way I’m sure, but his triumphs will be just as satisfying. Overall, I’m enjoying the simplicity of the story.

When it comes to character, I find that Blue Period has some of the most well-rounded characters for an anime with only a few episodes out. Yatora is a main character who I not just like but I feel like I already have a solid grasp of who he is. By the end of the first episode, I was already rooting for his growth. Other characters beside our MC definitely feel like real people–solid characters without knowing much of them. Ryuji is an example of one of these characters. Ryuji is fleeting, absent for major moments but I really like them. They are complicated–carefree on the outside but ridden with anxiety and perhaps even some depression. The glimpses we see of their life can be bleak, so there are definitely darker undertones to their chracter. The relationship they are slowly building with Yatora though is truly a joy to behold, each inspiring the other in subtle ways. Other characters like Yotasuke, while they can come off one note at first, are fleshed out early, givining them a more well rounded feel. And even sidest of side characters like Yatora’s friends are more than meets the eye. At first glance, they may seem like the delinquients who would bully or make fun of their friend for his sudden passion and interest for art, but nope. No, his friends prove to be the most supportive, hypemen for him ever. They may not get art entirely, but they are cheering for him, attending orientations with him, literally being his number one fan group. It’s actually really REALLY hearwarming to see.

When it comes to art and music…it’s alright honestly. For an anime about art, the most interesing thing about the artwork are the actual art pieces produced by Yatora and the other students. In terms of actual animation–nope. It’s not super pretty or smooth or anything, it’s pretty subpar. Which in it’s own right is kind of disappointing but it’s also not like the endof the world. I still like looking at the animation style. As for music? Also subpar I think. I mean, there’s no songs or OST tracks that stand out. So, like it’s fine. Not great, not bad, subpar. Art and music definitely are not the best parts of this anime.

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Overall, I really have enjoyed Blue Period so far. There’s something about coming-of-age dramas that I just absolutely adore. Like, this shit is so great. I am so excited for the rest of the season and I am so excited to see where Yatora goes with art now that he has discovered his passion. His trials, his errors, his support systems, and successess. I am signed on for the rest of the season and beyond. So should you watch Blue Period? I would recommend it. It’s definitely one to be watching this season.

Stay weebtastic,

xoxo

Luna