ブルーピリオド 13 [Blue Period 13]

ブルーピリオド [Blue Period] #13

by Tsubasa Yamaguchi, 山口つばさ

高２で絵を描くことの楽しさに目覚め。猛烈な努力の末に東京藝大に合格した矢口八虎。
藝大２年目を迎え、これまでの課題や講評で芽生えた、自分の才能や大学への疑問や不安は美術への情熱を曇らせたままで、道に迷う八虎。
悶々とした日々の中で訪れた学外のアート集団ノーマークスの活動拠点で出会った不二桐緒は八虎に新風を吹き込んだ。
ノーマークスも不二桐緒も、実態を知らない八虎は、魅力を感じつつも関わり方のスタンスを模索する。
不二桐緒との出会いがもたらした新しい視点は、八虎の閉塞感を打ち破る光明となるのか。
「新入生」の時期は終わり、大人へのステップが始まる。
新しい出会い、新しい課題、美術との関わり方、八虎の人生も新しい局面へ。
アートの歴史や可能性を詳細に活写、美大に進学した青年たちの情熱や奮闘を描く、
今までになかった美術系青春漫画、早くも最新刊登場！！

Genres: Manga, Comics, Drama, Seinen, Art, Fiction, Graphic Novels

192 pages, Paperback

First published November 22, 2022

About the author

Tsubasa Yamaguchi (山口つばさ, Yamaguchi Tsubasa) is a Japanese mangaka.

Reviews

[Josh Herrema · Rating 5 out of 5]

What started as a story about a teen discovering his love of art and beginning a journey of self-discovery has turned into a tale of escaping cult indoctrination and now possibly a cold case murder?

[Mark · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s the end of the term as he knows it, but Yatora’s been frittering away his time with the definitely-not-a-cult group at No Marks. Which is rather funny, because if he doesn’t get his act together, No Marks are exactly what he’ll end up with.

Blue Period continues to be an interesting examination of the intersection of art and the artist, finely filtered through the personage of Yatora, who’s as frequently discombobulated here as he used to be put together before he started this journey. But, that’s reflective of the vulnerability inherent in caring about anything.

The story of No Marks wraps up a little more quickly and a little less dramatically than I was anticipating, ironically reminding me of the very bohemian Rent in the process, but it leaves an impression any way you cut it. The lack of structure and anti-authority vibe at least gives Yatora a taste of the opposite to his more traditional schooling.

Or does it? The word cult gets bandied about here and it’s no secret that everyone at No Marks worships Kirio, including Yatora. The way she’s presented as a beguiling presence sells the notion that this anti-authority place has one person that the buck most assuredly stops with. It’s a seductive commune, in more ways than one, but also offering just a different form of rigidity in its supposed freedom.

Interestingly, Yatora’s reluctance to dive in fully, undoubtedly helped by the events that open the volume, allows him to take exactly what he needs from the group without necessarily changing himself in the process. It’s an interesting endorsement of experiencing many things to see where you best fit, but being using due caution (and also that documentaries can be boring).

Parts of this are note perfect. I really like Yatora’s project for his final grade because it’s a very clever idea, for starters. But on top of that, it’s also the kind of ‘sniff your own farts’ concept that you’d expect from a student in art school. Actually, a lot of the projects tick that box and genuine applause to the mangaka for getting so many unique pieces and viewpoints from the cast.

I do think that the win we get for Yatora is a little too obvious. It’s good, yes, it’s earned, yes, but part of me thinks that we could have found a way to thread that plotline a little differently. Just because it doesn’t quite satisfy the way I’d like doesn’t mean it isn’t okay.

The back half is our good friend summer vacation, except welcome to our artists heading to the countryside for a month to do studio work. It’s very playful and silly and has a lot of nice variations on the usual high school stuff, including the presence of alcohol.

The haunted location does pop up, which provides one of my absolute favourite chapter title pages in the series’ history; it wouldn’t look out of place on a book cover. This arc itself is basically lifted right from every test of courage ever.

It pairs together a couple of odd couples and manages to play with the cliche and also incorporate a smidgen of art history. It’s a more subtle blend than some of the series’ other info dumps and I appreciate that part alone. Following that we get a lot of vacation and little art, but the hook for next volume is quite good.

It’s a strong volume, very strong, dealing with a lot of interesting ideas and doing something new once again with Yatora. Sometimes, on reflection, this story can seem scatterbrained as it moves from arc to arc (remember Yatora teaching? I barely do…), but it almost always has something interesting to say.

4.5 stars - I’m not going to round up because it has lots to great moments, just not enough ‘wow’ moments. It’s no worse than the many strong volumes preceding it, I assure you, but it’s no better either. Which isn’t actually a bad thing - this series has a consistency that’s very laudable and remains a strong read with each release.

[Blake the Book Eater · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really loved Yaguchi’s final project. I feel like he’s starting to really find his voice as an artist! And the summer arc is a nice breather before going back to second year.

[Debbie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm glad the No Marks arc is over. I haven't been impressed with a lot of the plotlines since Yatora got into TUA. The artwork is the volume felt off, not as good as previous volumes. It's disappointing. Blue Period use to be a must-buy for me. Now I find it very meh.

[Rebecca · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think Yatora's classmates were on to something when they called No Marks a cult - it's got all the creepy hallmarks of one, and I'm glad to see the back of them. For whatever other issues this series has, it does excel at showing the seedy underbelly of the art student world, whether it's through No Marks, self-important professors, or the rising specter of rigged competitions.

[Artemissia G · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ce nouveau tome se découpe à mon sens en deux parties. La première, avec les remises en question de Yatora sur l’art et ce que cela représente pour lui. Sa rencontre avec le collectif d’artistes No Marks va être un point déterminant pour lui. Et cela va bien lui servir pour le projet qu’il doit rendre pour Geidai et dont le thème est la culpabilité.

J’ai dévoré cette partie que j’ai trouvé très intéressante. Cela soulève des points passionnants et on se rend compte que notre vision du monde et de l’art ne peut pas plaire à tout le monde. Yatora avec son projet va, je pense, enfin le comprendre. Parce que l’art ne se résume pas à un bon coup de crayon. Notre héros est un artiste et un penseur. Il cogite et analyse beaucoup même s’il manque de confiance en lui, il essaie et c’est ce qui fait sa force. C’est un personnage que j’aime beaucoup et avec lequel je me retrouve également. J’aime suivre ses analyses, ses coups de mous tout comme ses coups de génie quand il en a !

La seconde partie nous montre nos héros en vacances chez le père d’une des camarades de Yatora. Au programme : détente et maison hantée. J’admets que ça m’a moins passionné, surtout après une aussi belle première partie. Mais c’est bien aussi de voir ces étudiants en dehors de Geidai.

Dans l’ensemble, j’ai passé un très bon moment avec cette suite. Si elle est plus conventionnelle avec quelques longueurs, j’apprécie toujours autant ce titre qui parfois à des idées percutantes. Le graphisme si reconnaissable de Tsubasa Yamaguchi me plait également de plus en plus. Bref, Blue Period est un excellent choix de manga si vous vous intéressez au développement des artistes.

[anđela]

"Sin" is in the eye of the beholder, but one's interpretation of sin ultimately reflects the self.

This was the last volume I’d read before stopping in 2022, so finally rereading it physically instead of through fan translations felt really emotional. Back when it was coming out, I wasn’t a huge fan of the No Marks arc, but everything clicked for me once Yatora presented his assignment. That piece is still one of my favorites of his, and it’s stayed with me over these three years. I’m also really glad this volume continues into Yakumo’s story and delves deeper into his survivor’s guilt. It adds a weight that I didn’t appreciate as much the first time around.

[Jenny Clark · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm not sure what to think of Fuji and No MarkS at all. Fuji seams kinda devious at times, from her expression at least. She seams to be straight forward though, and people are free to go, so it doesn't really seam like a cult.
I'm excited to see how this misfit bunch grows closer and how the competitions pan out.

Check out my YouTube channel for bookish videos and monthly wrap ups!

[Palmer Beck · Rating 4 out of 5]

We got haunted hotels, ghost stories mixed in with art history, cult art commune indoctrination, and a cold case murder.

Didn’t expect any of that to happen.

Learning the manga is nowhere near finished and volume 15 comes out in August has been a difficult adjustment.

[Ady Weasley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yatora abre los ojos y aunque el tiempo que pasó con No Marks le ayudó al final retomó su proyecto de la Gedai.

Para sorpresa de Yatora recibe una buena crítica de la persona menos esperada.

Llegan las vacaciones de verano y Yatora junto con Yotasuke son invitados por sus compañeros a un taller para que puedan dibujar libremente

[holly · Rating 2 out of 5]

you either die a hero or live long enough to see yourself become the villain 🤡

[f!! · Rating 4 out of 5]

im so relieved yaguchi didnt join a cult after all!

[Abbi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely gutted that the next one doesn’t come out for almost a YEAR???? What am I supposed to do with myself now???? This series is so fantastic I am forever obsessed!!! Such a fantastic story and also a really cool way to learn about art♥️♥️ the twists in this thing are kind of insane but so gripping that I will be a forever fan. Can’t wait to find out more about the murder??? What a cliff hanger🥲

[Petra J · Rating 5 out of 5]

DAMN THAT CLIFFHANGER

[Alex2739 · Rating 2 out of 5]

Yaguchi seems so immature in the last volumes… like his character development is going backwards (if that makes sense..)or rather after the exam arc his character’s growth has remained stagnant. In the first 6 volumes he had a spark that draw you to him. Now he’s fading into the background…maybe the problem is the wide cast of characters which the author can’t handle well or idk.. What I do know is I’m losing my interest in Yaguchi and his endeavours and that saddens me because I really loved his character in the earlier volumes.

Also, the chapter with how TAs work in a day was plain boring. Aaaand don’t get me wrong the critique of his art piece (‘sin’) was quite unrealistic (at least that’s how it felt to me)

maybe all can be explained this way; at the end of vol6 the author stated that they don’t really know where the story’s going and I think it is very noticeable in the later volumes. It’s like they have a lot of ideas and they kind of want to explore all of them and that’s why it feels all over the place and the pacing is weird..


Also I forgot to add this but; didn’t anyone else feel very weirded out with the sexual tension between Yaguchi and Fuji????? She was clearly trying to seduce him…

[vao · Rating 5 out of 5]

Estar creciendo con Yaguchi nunca se sintió más genial.

[prongs · Rating 4 out of 5]

art is subjective.... hmmm... where have i heard that one before...

but in all seriousness, another good blue period volume from yamaguchi-sensei!! every time i get a new volume it feels like a treat. the art is always outstanding and the writing can hit so hard. this volume yaguchi was struggling with coming to terms with... nuance? i guess you could describe it like that. i feel his struggles and can relate to some of his thoughts, so i thought that was interesting.
some parts i liked:
"I really am a self-serving flip-flopper. I was easily swayed by people's opinions. I then became paranoid and suspicious of others. But when I saw someone in a tough spot, I wanted to do something for them. What should I believe? Guilt... But if NO MARKs is the "wrong place"... is everything I got from there "wrong"? That can't be, can it? Because if I hadn't gone to NO MARKs, I don't think I would've been motivated to engage with art again."
in this passage yaguchi realises how impressionable he is, but decides to form his own opinion on his own experience. i think it's a really important realisation for him since he is someone who lets life kind of wash over him instead of living it truly.

"Since the assignment was about "guilt", the theme of my piece is "survivor's guilt." Whether it's an incident or entrance exams.. This is about the guilt felt by those who survive and continue on after those events. But getting to experience that feeling is a luxury. In other words, I think guilt itself is a luxury item."
this was about murai's piece (which irl was by ryu kawata and it's absolutely gorgeous) and although there are definitely instances in which this logic doesn't apply in my eyes (for instance, can you say this about survivor's guilt after a war? it can apply, but is wholly inappropriate and not understanding of that context), it's still interesting to think about it. for me it's more appealing in the sense that this thought process can turn this kind of guilt into a positive outlook (if you're willing to let it be), where you realise that surviving is something to be grateful for, not just guilty of.

"I lived in this one place with other artists for about a month. There were a lot of fishy things about that place, and I never felt like I belonged there. But if I'd never had the experience of being there, I wouldn't have been motivated to engage with art again. What I learned may not be something everyone approves of, but it's definitely not something everyone rejects, either. Even a place that one person hates with a passion can be a place that's irreplaceable to someone else. [It's not about which side is right or wrong. It comes down to perspective.] I recognize my guilt for not being able to choose the right way. And that makes me feel pathetic... but there are people I still want to be friends with, even if we can't agree on everything. And I've been saved before, even if it was by doing the wrong thing. On the flip side, things that are praised by others as right and acceptable, can sometimes be wrong, too. Sin is in the eye of the beholder, but one's interpretation of sin ultimately reflects the self. "
this was what yaguchi had to say about his own piece (which is by the irl azusa uno, such a cool and thoughtful piece!) and i really thought about it for a while. the part i put between [...] was something i didn't quite agree with since i personally don't agree with it in all cases (in my moral compass, there are just really things that are right or wrong. that should not really be an issue since most people have, you know, opinons. it becomes a problem when an opinion is suppressed for being "right" or "wrong". and the fact that that is problematic is the only reason why yaguchi can express what he thinks freely. it's kinda paradoxical but what i'm trying to say is that yes, he can absolutely say that, but also i absolutely have a contradicting opinion) but the part after that is really the best part in this whole volume for me! i like that yaguchi can be so vulnerable and admit that he knows he's not particularly right or has made up his mind yet. it shows his experience as not fully perfect, not whole, yet still useful. you can get good things out of bad experiences, and that is just that. lessons don't need (although it should be the goal) to be taught without flaws.

so yeah, another banger really. lots to think about and i could write more but i think i've yapped enough for now. (can netflix plsplsplspls make another season of this i really need it thank you)

[Enairolf · Rating 4 out of 5]

Je ne sais pas si c’est parce que ça faisait un moment que je ne me suis pas plongée dans un tome de ce manga mais j’avoue ne plus avoir le même entrain à le lire. Je ne dis pas que je n’aime plus ce manga attention, j’adore toujours autant apprendre autant de choses sur l’art etc mais je ne sais pas. Je crois que je commence à sentir un essoufflement au niveau de l’histoire. Peut être aussi l’impression qu’on tire la chose en longueur à force. Cette histoire me plaît mais en même temps je commence à me lasser un peu tout de même. Faut dire que ça fait un petit moment maintenant que ce manga a commencé!

Dans ce treizième tome, Grâce à sa rencontre avec Kirio Fuji, la présidente du collectif d’artistes No Marks, Yatora sent un vent nouveau souffler sur son approche de l’art. Malgré son admiration pour ce personnage charismatique, le jeune homme ne sait pas réellement à qui il a affaire et est encore hésitant sur la façon dont il doit la fréquenter. Cependant, son influence lui permettra peut-être de casser le mur qui l’empêchait d’avancer…

J’aime toujours autant, malgré tout, suivre Yaguchi dans son quotidien d’étudiant en art. J’aime beaucoup son personnage et ça depuis le premier tome. J’aime le voir évoluer dans son art mais aussi personnellement, le voir acquérir des tonnes de connaissances au fur et à mesure qu’il rencontre des personnes etc. Quand je pense au Yaguchi du premier tome, on est quand même très loin! Le Yaguchi de maintenant est bien plus à l’aise qu’au début. Même si il existe encore quelques périodes ou moments de doutes, et ça ça arrive, je trouve que son évolution est complètement dingue. La partie avec le No Marks ne pas vraiment emballé plus que ça. Au contraire, j’ai bien plus aimé le moment des vacances d’été! Yaguchi se retrouve embarqué avec d’autres chez Momo pour passer un mois là bas. Elle possède un hangar, ce qui est fort pratique quand on réalise de très grandes oeuvres. J’ai adoré le moment où ils mangent tous ensemble avec le père de Momo. Mais j’ai surtout adoré le moment dans la fameuse maison hanté! C’était vraiment une scène très drôle, bon personnellement à la place de Yaguchi j’aurais fais trois crises cardiaques mais bon haha. Ce tome se termine sur un bon petit mystère. Il me tarde de découvrir le prochain tome pour en apprendre plus sur tout ça..

C’était un tome plutôt bon à lire, le début m’a beaucoup moins passionné que la fin mais ce n’est qu’un détail. Même si je ne ressens plus autant de joie en lisant ce manga et surtout que je ressens un essoufflement au niveau de l’histoire, je prends quand même plaisir à continuer de suivre Yaguchi. Et le fait d’acquérir, moi aussi, des connaissances sur l’art alors que c’est un sujet qui ne m’intéresse pas le moins du monde, je trouve ça génial tout simplement!

[Professional Kermy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Volume 13 of Blue Period completely blew me away. As someone currently taking an art class and constantly working on improving my skills, this volume hit so close to home. It didn’t just tell a story—it taught me something. Watching Yatora face new struggles and push through creative blocks helped me reflect on my own challenges. His inner monologue about self-doubt, pressure, and chasing meaning in every stroke really resonated with me.

The way the manga breaks down artistic concepts while keeping it emotional and relatable helped me understand art on a deeper level. I found myself thinking differently during my own projects, more focused and inspired. I honestly couldn’t put it down—it was that gripping. I was so sad when I reached the last page. I didn’t want it to end. I’m already counting the days until the next volume releases!

[Mindi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm glad to see NO MARKs hit the road and drive out of Yatora's life. He really didn't need to get sucked into a cult.

Although, I think that Inukai only praised his piece because he could read between the lines and he knew that Yatora chose school over Kirio Fuji. His hatred for her and NO MARKs is interesting, so we will have to see if they pop back up in the story.

I love the second half of this volume when Yatora and Takahashi go with Hachiro and Murai to Kakinokizaka's home in Hiroshima for a month during summer break. The part where they go exploring in the haunted hotel is really fun. I can't wait to see what kind of art Yatora creates while he's on vacation and has such a great work space for a full month. This little group is a lot of fun.

[Paulina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Realmente aliviada que No Marks se haya ido y de que le dejó los conocimientos necesarios a Yaguchi sin tener que envolverlo en algo raro. Me gustó el inicio de las vacaciones, siempre me ha gustado mucho Yakumo y me empieza a gustar mucho Momo y el otro chico, al principio subestimé un poco a Yakumo pero ahora puedo sentirlo más cercano, toda su trama de cómo se preocupa tanto por el dinero y cómo cuida sus materiales o les extiende la vida útil es algo que puedo comprender. Por otro lado, aunque por ahora se sabe nada de su amiga Sanada siento mucha pena solo por la empatía de imaginar perder a un amigo tan cercano.
Emocionada de leer el próximo tomo.

[Dani Wladdimiro · Rating 4 out of 5]

Se termina todo lo que corresponde a No Masks, como también la segunda entrega de segundo año. Si bien hay varios momentos que me gustaron, me quedo con Yota mirando la instalación de Yatora y diciendo: "Es un poco difícil de ver...", porque con esa simple frase, resume todo el proceso creativo de la obra. Habiendo tanto proceso creativo, y siendo tan adultos, lo único que le pediría a este manga es más drogas y sexo, porque siento que eso ampliaría el abanico de experiencias a Yatora, lo cual podría llevarlo a su arte.

[Amanda Shepard (Between-the-Shelves) · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

I don't think this one was quite as strong as other volumes, but it still has a good story! Yatora seems to have found his inspiration again, even if No Marks might not quite be what it seems on the surface. The installation piece he did for school, though, was really interesting and I loved the concepts behind it!

I *think* I am finally caught up on the English volumes now, so I'll just have to pay better attention to when the next volumes come out. And perhaps finally watch the anime!

[Izzy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm happy No Marks is gone for now. No hate to them but it was definitely not a good path for the MC to keep going down. He's currently too insecure to be around people who demand strict conformity and at least at an art school there are numerous conflicting opinions versus an onus surrounding one artist and her loyal following. I do think it was good for him to get exposure to that side of art, but I appreciate it being a brief period of time versus a longterm arc.

[Hang Nguyen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I kind of understand the "no mark" arc but also I do not understand. But that's only because I am extremely dumb. but I like Kirio Fuji as a character. I think she really adds an interesting perceptive to art. I also like how Yaguchi was able to enjoy art because of her and his experience at no mark.

also his final project is so cool!! I am extremely excited for the next summer arc.

[Alma Guevara · Rating 2 out of 5]

Muy anticlimático el cierre del culto, se da entender que todavía seguirán en la historia, pero de la nada desaparecieron; lo único bueno fue que Yatora avanzó gracias a ellos, por lo demás, sentí que fue relleno, y más con los siguientes episodios, donde descubrimos la amistad de los otros 3 personajes secundarios, con un misterio... muy repentino.

[Babeth]

Cette série trouve vraiment un second souffle depuis deux trois tomes.
Blue Period est vraiment construit intelligemment: au delà du fait qu'on en apprend plein sur l'art et le processus de création, je trouve qu'on est très souvent en symbiose avec les émotions et les errements de Yatora et la lecture semble facilité ou un peu plus poussive selon ces critères-ci aussi...

[Daniel Griffith · Rating 4 out of 5]

A solid continuation of the Blue Period story that sees the latest arc get neatly resolved and has a great setup for the next arc. The “extra” chapters really felt like filler, but it was nice so see some of the side characters get fleshed out a bit more. Overall a solid entry.

[Lori CucVig · Rating 5 out of 5]

L'opera di prova è fantastica, anche se forse questo potrebbe essere spoiler, visto che riesce a dare la sensazione di non riuscire a farla per un po'. Viene "risolto" un dubbio e viene istigato un processo di riflessione. Questa è una delle forze di questo manga.

[Alfit0 · Rating 4 out of 5]

El arco de No Marks llega a su fin y con ello hay una evolución en Yatora que ahora enfrenta su arte de una manera más fluida y sin tantos juicios, el final de las vacaciones es un poco más flojo y ligero