This manga was such a pleasant surprise! From the art to the plot and the characters, I hadn't expected to be completely captured by this teenager discovering his love for art.

First of all, the manga starts with all the nice tropes of a coming-of-age slice-of-life school shonen, except that the main character (Yatra Yaguchi) it's an overachiever delinquent - "delinquent" for manga standards, as he has bleached hair, doesn't properly wear his uniform, and he's outspoken. And of course, he has perfect tests scores. His life is a performative event: he performs when he's with his friends, he performs when he studies and the first chapter make the reader understand how lost and empty he feels.

There are many things that I've enjoyed. Firstly, I still remember my last two years of high school, the panic of not knowing what to do and the pressure to follow the right path (aka STEM or finance) vs the dread to be forever unemployed in liberal arts. The first couple of chapters do a good job in subside society's expectation and the late-teenager dread. Secondly, I found Yatra to be an unusual archetype: by being presented as the studious delinquent, he's already a multi-layered person rather than a character stereotype.

Moreover, I love learning new stuff as part of the random narrative. I know NOTHING of art, and this manga has taught me so much in only a volume.

5/5

What a pleasant surprise! It's been so long since I've read a manga that this gave me so many feels!

Blue Period #1 is a manga that tells the story about Yatora Yaguchi who is a popular guy in school's 2nd year but struggles with the meaning of life, his professional future, his family's desires and his new love for art.

Yamaguchi's work is really amazing, not only the art and drawing style which is GORGEOUS but how she deals with self-discovery in a simple but meaningful way. Multiple times I could relate with the main character's thoughts or feelings and I consider it a very important step to make a powerful conection with the story and characters in general.

Also I enjoyed when Yamaguchi's explained a little bit about art concepts because in my case I don't know anything about it. It was sort of an educational experience. Maybe sometimes there were too much but it still felt good.
Another thing that put me off was how soon Yatora discovered his love for art. I think it would have been more interesting to see him struggle a little bit more with his feelings..

Overall it was a nice experience and I really can see this becoming a new favourite in near future! Totally recomend it if you are looking for a light read!

🌟4.5🌟
I want to gush so much about this one, I wouldn't know where to start.

I read it was about art and I immediately picked it up. I’m no artist but have always had a strong adoration for all things related to it. The world is made worth living by- Musicians, Writers & Artists. It’s a fact. I don’t make rules.

The story is about a second-year high school student Yatora Yaguchi who is a delinquent but studies hard for ranks so that he can get into good college. He soon realizes how he’s burning out trying to please everyone else around him and just then--art enters his life.
Now, would he keep art as a hobby and stay focused on his goal of a prestigious college and good life or make a risqué decision of changing his career goals when there are only 600 days to entrance test?

Let’s start with the plot. I absolutely loved it! The way story progresses is captivating and entertaining. There’s humor, banter and enough momentum along with heavy chaos to keep you reading.

I liked Yatora immediately because I related to his character. So much.

“Here are a few tips to ensure a smooth relationship: Tell people what they want to hear. Don’t focus on yourself, make sure they are having fun in the conversation. At least that the only way I know how to communicate.”

He goes from this to the one who slowly learns to express and expose himself through art. The character development of Yatora is heartwarming. Even side characters have so much personality and story to them and the little character notes at the end are just perfect enough to excite the readers, I’ll patiently wait for the next volume! Before I forget- Kudos to the artist for an effort to draw characters in a groundbreaking way- (read: not all girls petite and small with some chubby chicks thrown in for variety and Yuka-chan, a trans girl!)

It lays out quite a few heavy matters in a light that’re always somewhere on a student’s mind. Just to name a few—pressure to select a suitable future path, Passion vs Money?, Hobby vs Career?, BUT I DON’T KNOW WHAT TO DO YET!, parent’s support and peer pressure, jealousy and self-doubts.

This manga is not to be missed, especially if you are an artist or an art student. It packs so much of interesting information ranging from use of complimentary colors to famous Japanese art universities and their admission criteria and sketching perspectives to ways to dilute oil paints.

Towards the middle it does get a bit heavy with all this info that can irk few readers.

It made me realize why I’d started drawing all those years ago and now I want to rekindle my love with it again.💖

Thanks to NetGalley and Kodansha Comics for this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

***ARC given by NetGalley for honest review***

I was pleasantly surprised by this "sports" manga about a high school boy discovering his passion and interest in art, considering I had never heard of this before I saw it on NetGalley. I am very glad to have been exposed to this story now, so hopefully other people will check it out. It needs more attention. It had a lot of artistic information and techniques throughout this volume that were both interesting and educational; I expect we can see more of that in the following volumes. In any case, it was a pleasant and unique read for me, and I hope to continue in it as it releases.

There is something magical about a shounen manga that takes great care in being genuine and sincere. Blue Period takes the cake as one of my favourite original manga debuts in a long time.

The story follow Yatori Yaguchi, a high school student in 2nd year who recently discovered a budding passion for fine arts. He is restrained by the expectations of Japanese society to pursue a practical college toward a pragmatic career; but Yaguchi dreams of pursuing his passion for art. After his first real attempt at art, Yaguchi says, "For the first time in my life, it felt like I communicated with others for real." This manga shines with how expressive and detailed it is. Anyone who has ever developed a love for creating will relate to this story.

The characters are extremely relatable in true shounen style. "When hard workers get to do the things they love, they're unstoppable!" The vast majority of us are not born gifted in the exact skill that attracts our passions and goals, but it is the hard work to achieve those skills despite starting from the bottom that define both a person's character and their potential for greatness.

Blue Period is about a high-schooler called Yatora Yaguchi, someone seen as a delinquent who drinks and smokes but also somehow is one of the smartest students in his year. In this first volume, we are introduced to his situation at home (pressure of his parents to do well and choose a good career), his friends, and follow Yatora as he finds a real love for art, and grows into it.

Once Yatora finds himself interested in painting, he slowly learns new information (really basic things, about universities in Japan, about painting tools and other things, but it’s really interesting to learn as he learns too), practices and improves, going from the mentality that it’s all talent to it’s mostly just a lot of hard work to be good at something you love.

The manga (or at least this first volume?) deals with a lot of very real topics that probably would’ve wrecked me if I read it some years ago; going after a passion x getting a safe job, studying x enjoying hobbies, pleasing others x following your desires... And also comparing yourself and your work to others.

The art is super pretty, and there’s a lot of images of real life art (with credits!) in between, and I love how all of Yatora’s friends are so supportive of his new passion, instead of mocking him for it. It’s overall a very relatable first volume and I’m already attached to the characters. Can’t wait to read more of it!

Blue Period, Vol. 1 by Tsubasa Yamaguchi is a great introduction to art education wrapped up in a story about a teen choosing his career path. I remember so well the agonizing decision about where to apply to college and which major to choose. Yatora is a beginning artist, so we follow his journey to improve his skills while learning about basic techniques. I could see this maybe being a little boring to artists who have an extensive art education, but for me as an art appreciator rather than an artist it was rather enjoyable. My only wish was that it had color. Otherwise, a great story, well drawn and translated. I can’t wait to read more of Yatora’s story!

I received this manga from Netgalley in exchange of an honest review.
I am just not feeling a lot of words pop up while and after I read this manga, so I will keep this one short. This was.. OK.. ish. At times. The MC was always doing things a certain way that worked out best for him, and now he is discovering art. He is wondering if he should pursue it or not. It was quite interesting to see him get more real, more human, less thinking about doing it for x, instead thinking to do something for himself.
There is A LOT of dialogue about art, college, and other things. On the one hand interesting... on the other hand boring.
The art was great at moments... but then weird at other moments. Especially in facial expressions and body movements.
I did love the art teacher and how she helped out our MC.
I did get tired from the whole OMG he is delinquent just because he doesn't look like your normal average guy. I guess years of reading manga/watching anime turned me off from that stuff. I remember first I found it funny (like in Toradora), but by now I just groan and roll my eyes. Come on people.
I found it hilarious that he says his dad can get fined for offering him a drink, but wasn't our MC drinking with his "friends"? So confusing.

Yatora Yaguchi is a typical high school student with good grades and parents who want him to choose a good college and stable career. He works hard and does whatever to fit in with friends, but it all just feels a little empty. One day he takes a piece of art seriously and that’s where his adventure begins...

This was a very interesting story. The first half had me counting pages, but by the three-quarter mark, I’d forgotten that time was even passing.

My biggest issues were info dumps and Yaguchi’s friends:
- The information overload in art techniques lasted throughout, but it was particularly wearisome in combination with the slow-paced start.
- Yaguchi’s disrespectful friends were also heavily present in the earlier pages, causing my eyes to somewhat frequently roll in their sockets.

What I loved:
- Despite his flaws, Yaguchi really developed and surprised me as a character. When he starts to question things rather than just go with the flow, he becomes way more interesting. I’d love to say more, but I’d end up spoiling things.
- Yamaguchi’s art style was beautiful! The colour on the first few pages had particularly interesting textures- not what you typically expect in a manga.
- The effort with all the individual paintings/ drawings from Yaguchi- it was really cool to see him improve over time.
- As the story progressed, I couldn’t help but feel like I wanted to have a go at this art thing too. Seeing the characters so passionate about what they do rubbed off on me. The mark of good storytelling is when you feel so immersed that the characters' desires become your own.

I’d give this manga 3.5 stars, but it’s pretty close to 4, and I’m definitely interested to see what the rest of the series has in store.

Thanks to NetGalley and Kodansha Comics for a free e-copy in exchange for an honest review.

Blue Period is about a young man named Yataro Yaguchi who discovers a passion for art that he's never known before. He wants to get into a good art school and he begins his journey with his high schools art club with the help of the teacher.

This is a cute manga thats a tuly slice of life school drama. Yaguchi is a good main character who is passionate, humble, and eager to learn.

The topic of art is interesting and I've ever learned a bit. Blue Period is to Art like Initial D is to cars, a good story to get me interested in the topic.

I look forward to reading more once it comes out and I thank Kodansha Comics and Net Galley for allowing me to read this in exchange for an honest review.

I requested this precisely because I knew it was art related, but I didn't expect this jewel. The rush of inspiration I felt as I read this is too complex to put into words. It made me happy and excited and eager to grab my own supplies and sketchbook and just enjoy the process of creating.

The feelings that the main character experienced in the story were ones I know all too well, so I found myself incredibly engrossed in his growth, his thoughts, his self-discovery. I simply loved every single part of it. I particularly ADORED the art tips and commentary on studying and pursuing art as a career. The theme of art in general was enough to make me obsessed, but then the characters and the beautiful messages were also flawless and endearing and I just fell in love. I want to buy myself all the volumes now and I cannot recommend this enough.

And in case you were wondering, the art style is GORGEOUS. There's no reason not to pick up this manga.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange of my honest review.

I have to say that this seinen was pretty good. It's about self discovery and art. I loved the plot and the characters that I'm sure we will learn more about them through the next volumes. It's just starting and the story will certainly gets much more interesting.
This manga is about art and if you don't like to know how a beginner learns how to draw and do art so this manga is not for you but at the same time it could be if you have doubts and you are scared to do/study what you really want to do in life and follow your dream.
"Blue Period" is about a popular boy YATORA YAGUCHI who works hard in order to please everyone either his parents or his friends then he discovers art and painting that will become a passion that will help him to be free and to find what he really wants to do in life. At the same time, finding what you want to do is just the first step because if you really want it you have to work for it and YAGUCHI starts to see that he has to do so.
This was so intersting with all the art tips and infos, we kind of learn with the protagonist about painting and everything. I really enjoyed it so much and learnt a lot and not only about art. I wish to read the next volume and to follow the progress of YAGUCHI.

This was a really great start to a new series. I absolutely loved the artwork and the story line. The main character Yaguchi Yatora, I feel is someone who anyone, who has had to chase their dreams, can relate too. He knows he’s not naturally talented in art, but he fights to find his place in the art world, and doesn’t give up no matter how much doubt he has. It’s true, we can all be our worst enemy sometimes. I also love that as you read the manga you get an art history lesson too. Overall I’m impressed with the series so far and can’t wait to read more.

Thanks to Netgalley and to the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was a very sweet, slice of life, art based, coming of age manga. It's also interspersed with these little snippets of art tips and history which was really interesting to me.

Yaguchi Yatora is both top of his class and a delinquent. His test scores are high but he's also got the hall marks of being a typical Japanese high school delinquent, bleached hair and tattoos. He spends his time alternating between spending time watching football and smoking and drinking all night with his buddies, and studying hard to get into a good school. But he's going through the motions with both of these activities and feels as though he's truly not proud of his achievements or that happy spending time with his friends.

This changes when he sees a painting by an upperclassman Mori-senpai that triggers a big change in his life. And leads to him gravitating towards art. We get to see him grapple with his parents expectations and his own ideology that unless something leads to a stable and reputable career it isn't worth doing, along with the realisation that art is his passion and is the only time he feels truly happy and has had meaningful conversations. "art is language without any words"

All the characters of the art club were fun and engaging and I loved the art teacher that helps nudge Yaguchi towards the right path. Yaguchi himself if also a wonderful and charming character in his own write and it was lovely to see him finally allow himself the pleasure of doing something not for academic gain but for himself.

Really looking forward to seeing how the story progresses.

Yatora is just going through the motions of life. He has no idea what he wants to do with his future until an art class unlocks something inside of him. He decides he wants to go to school for art, but he is afraid to tell his parents for fear of what they will say. The book shows Yatora's improvement over time in different mediums and is at times almost like a how to of how to make different types of art.

This manga was perfect.

It was a story of a boy who discovers the passion of art and intends to fulfill his dream of going to art school even though he knows he's not talented and has to make up for that by working extremely hard.

The manga touched upon all the things artists must face — self-doubt, jealousy, arrogance, fastidious work, worrying about your future. What resonated with me the most was that perpetual self-doubt coming back again and again to haunt the main character. He knows he's never going to be a genius, and he accepts it.

All characters were lovable, the only villain is the creeping doubt. The main character, Yaguchi Yatora, is hard-working and open-minded, ready to devote himself to art. There is also Mori, a girl Yaguchi admires (and possibly adores), a hard-working and talented older student who becomes an inspiration for everybody else. Yaguchi accidentally befriends Ayukawa Ryuji (Yuka-chan), who runs unnecessary fast and supports Yaguchi on his journey even though they are not very close. It seems like she's also a transgender girl, and honestly, I did not expect this tasteful of a depiction of a trans person in a manga. Her friends respect and love her for who she is (to quote Mori, 'I don't care about your clothes, just stop running!'). The characters' interactions were beautiful, there was no competition, there was only room for supporting others on the same journey and sharing your experience. It's not the image of the brutally competitive Japanese schools we hear so much about.

If you're an artist, visual or otherwise, you should definitely read it.

"Art is a language without words."

Everything about this manga was so beautiful. It's really important to find something you love to do and fight for it

If you are looking for something worth reading then this one is for you.

Blue Period is a very nice manga about coming of age and personal growth.
I really like the drawing style, as it really fleshes out the characters and the atmosphere of the story.
The characters are relatable and act as normal people (as much that's possible in a slice of life manga), and the overall story is quite believable and interesting.
As this is only the first volume, I can say that's I'm really looking forward to the coming volumes, but can't comment on the story progression for now.
I definitely recommend the manga if you're a fan of the genre, I also think it's a good gateway manga if you've had little to no exposure before.

*Thanks to NetGalley and Kodansha Comics for providing me with an ARC of this title in exchange for an honest review.*

ARC Copy...I did the find art school aspirations premise interesting for a high school drama setting plus it was nice to see the mechanics and knowledge of making art involved along side.

This is a basic art curriculum wrapped into a standard coming of age manga story. Lots of information about how artists learn to paint and draw and I liked how the artist changed up their style (and got other artists to contribute drawings) to make it possible to see the differences between the different levels of the artists as they were progressing. And I loved the focus on passion and how the creative process makes you feel. Unlink other mangas, this one also got a lot of its character color from unexplained Japanese cultural signifiers (the main character is easily identified as a "delinquent" because he has bleached hair and cartilage piercings? Why?). Overall, sneakily educational fun.