Netflix Inspirational Anime Drama Reveals The Beauty Of Art
As the saying goes, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. From deciding the attractiveness of people to judging the quality and technique of artwork, beauty is often painfully subjective. For any fan of anime, Blue Period might not be exactly what they expect to be a beautiful anime, but it’s certainly worth a closer look.
A High School Student Searching For Purpose
Blue Period explores the life of high school student Yatora Yaguchi, who searches for an opportunity to add excitement to his boring and ordinary life. Yatora isn’t quite a top athlete but he is one of his school’s brightest students with plenty of friends. However, the second-year student feels like he is just another body to fill in a seat.
But that all changes when Yatora discovers a hidden passion that he never even knew he had in him. He stumbles upon a piece of artwork made by a fellow classmate, a moment that changes his life forever. Yatora is injected with a newfound zest for life as he explores the world of art.
Not Alone On His Journey
As he attempts to dedicate himself to his new passion, Yatora soon finds out that his goal of becoming a professional artist won’t exactly be a walk in the park. Yatora isn’t alone on his journey to becoming an artist, though. He is quickly picked up and accepted by his fellow artists like Ryuji “Yuka” Ayukawa and Yotasuke Takahashi.
Flawed Characters That Grow And Change
Like a Studio Ghibli production, Blue Period thrives at exploring its rich and interesting characters. And they all share something in common. Despite their gifts or charming personalities, they are flawed people in the search of providing meaning to their lives.
But being flawed isn’t necessarily a bad thing. In fact, it’s what fleshes out these characters and gives the viewer a chance to really learn and get behind them. Blue Period showcases its characters in a way that not only makes them relatable but easy to root for as well.
The Struggle Of A Young Artist
On the outside, it appears that Yatora has everything a typical high school student could ask for. He has plenty of friends and even a loving family to go along with them. But deep down on the inside, he yearns for something that can make him feel like his life has meaning.
But even when Yatora finds that meaning, he still struggles to navigate the complexities of it. Even after discovering art, Yatora has trouble developing his newfound passion and even wavers on its viability when his family disapproves of his choice. His internal struggles give his character an added dimension that only enhances the story.
A Different Type Of Anime On Netflix
REVIEW SCORE
Similar to Yatora, Yuka is also a much deeper character than meets the eye. Their struggles with finding support for their identity and true self only fuels their passion for art. Yuka is also belittled by their less than accepting family, which mirrors the struggles of Yatora.
The artwork featured in Blue Period is almost a support character in itself as well. Real life artwork done by artists such as Vincent Van Gogh and Johannes Vermeer are heavily featured. As Yatora heads deeper into the art world, he learns its meaning through each piece.
Blue Period is a very strong entry into the anime catalog on Netflix. The character-driven drama does fall into the trap of melodramatic cliches from time to time. But overall, this art-based anime is worth the watch.
