Blue Period is a drama manga written and drawn by Tsubasa Yamaguchi that focuses heavily on art. Yatora Yaguchi is a 2^nd year high school student who is very hardworking. As a result he does well in school, maintains a healthy social life and is on track to entering a good university after high school. This is upended when he takes an interest in art after an assignment in his art class in school that causes him to change his direction in life. This volume mainly focuses on Yatora becoming increasingly invested in art, moving on from his original goal of going to a good university and regular career, and following his passions.

I really enjoy this manga’s art style. It is more realistically drawn compared to most other manga I’ve read. Very visually distinct. Yamaguchi can convey Yatora and the cast of side character’s emotions due to how detailed this manga is in its facial expressions. One of the strongest points in this manga is the presence of actual artwork interspersed amongst its pages. When ever a character is showing some of their art it looks professionally made, and it is, as can be seen by the references that Yamaguchi puts for each of the drawings. While reading along I found that the contrast between Yamaguchi’s art and the artworks she puts in this manga makes them impactful. I found myself slowing down and taking in each of them for a minute or 2 marveling at how nice it looked despite being in black and white. The double panels really pop out the pages, being artworks themselves.

I think this volume perfectly manages to tell the story it wants. I was immediately invested due to how relatable I found the story, effectively showcasing the common issue of figuring out what one wants to do after high school. Yatora’s character is developed at perfect pace. The difference between him at the start and at the end is a notable yet realistic and this volume taking place over the time of 6 months is a perfect choice. I found that the strengths of Yatora’s character was really shown well and made me immediately root for him. I think that the theme of following your passions is shown well here, and remains present throughout the manga.

I personally find that this manga has no weaknesses, however I think that persons who do not jive with how unique the art style is may be thrown off. The strengths are the story, the characters, the character development, the writing. In all forms I think that this was a perfect first volume.

I think that if you enjoy coming of age stories you will like this. If you enjoy art or are from a strong art background, you will also really enjoy this manga. Both younger persons and older persons can find something to appreciate here.

My conclusion about this manga is that it is a must buy. A perfect start to the story. I’d rate this a 5/5.

SPOILER SECTION

One thing I really like is how Yatora’s internal dialogue is conveyed, the scene with him making the painting of Shibuya in the morning with shades of blue is the point where the story and his character really gripped me. Him coming to his decision to pursue art felt natural.

 I appreciated how the teacher influences Yatora to be interested in art. She reminds me a lot of my old art teacher from high school. Definitely one of my favourite characters so far. I also like how at the start Yatora’s friends are supportive of him in doing what makes him happy. I think that Yamaguchi really manages to make their friendship feel realistic.

Yatora’s relationship with his parents is conveyed well too. His mom finding him asleep amongst all the art he’s made and immediately switching from wanting him to focus on getting in a good university to deciding to support him in going to an art university is one of my favorite moments.

I think that Yuka has hints to a bad relationship with his parents interlaced throughout the volume, so I expect that to be an important plot point and I think that Yatora has a rival with the new character introduced at the end. I like how Yuka and Yatora become more friendly towards the end too.

You can check out Blue Period volume 1 at my Amazon affiliate link here