Blue Period

[HandofFate]

episode 5.
Good that Yatora is starting to find his groove, knew that at the end, he would get knocked down a bit, he was getting a bit too settled in getting praised and losing track.

The last piece being just a copy of his bonds work was so weak and lazy.

Good to see with praising Yatora when he needs it, the Oba teacher can also give harsh criticism when he needs it too. "At this rate, you don't make it"

[leongsh]

Appreciate if some posters in here could mention which episode they are commenting on. It would help to get an idea of where each poster have watched up until. There is a gap of 2 episodes between the raws (Episode 6), the fansub (nominally Episode 5 but Episode 6 just came out), and the Netflix English-subtitled stream (Episode 4). I am on pace with the raws.

[leongsh]

Originally Posted by HandofFate

episode 5.
Good that Yatora is starting to find his groove, knew that at the end, he would get knocked down a bit, he was getting a bit too settled in getting praised and losing track.

The last piece being just a copy of his bonds work was so weak and lazy.

It's likely that that new "Bonds" piece is still fresh in his mind and the praise he got from that piece made him subconsciously paint a derivative work. There are quite a number of professional artists out there that do the same - produce derivative works that repeat the same style and theme because of one piece in that style and theme gets praised. Yatora is still young at his craft and he needs to push the boundaries that he is within now or he will be stuck and trapped within those boundaries.

Originally Posted by HandofFate

Good to see with praising Yatora when he needs it, the Oba teacher can also give harsh criticism when he needs it too. "At this rate, you don't make it"

Ooba-sensei is doing what a good mentor/coach does and Yatora is responding to it.

[Kanon]

Episode4:

I didn't expect Kuwana to turn out to be such a friendly girl. She seemed like the kind who was hard to approach and perhaps even haughty because she comes from a family of artists. Hope we'll see more of her.

What Yotasuke said to Yatora really got to him and he had some kind of breakthrough thanks to it.

[SeijiSensei]

Originally Posted by leongsh

Appreciate if some posters in here could mention which episode they are commenting on. It would help to get an idea of where each poster have watched up until. There is a gap of 2 episodes between the raws (Episode 6), the fansub (nominally Episode 5 but Episode 6 just came out), and the Netflix English-subtitled stream (Episode 4). I am on pace with the raws.

Back in the day the rule was to restrict comments until after a fansub is released. That seems inappropriate here. I think sticking to the Netflix schedule makes the most sense. So we're up to episode four.

[leongsh]

Originally Posted by SeijiSensei

Back in the day the rule was to restrict comments until after a fansub is released. That seems inappropriate here. I think sticking to the Netflix schedule makes the most sense. So we're up to episode four.

We should stick with discussion to whenever the fansub gets released. If we're going for the slowest release, a number of shows would not be discussed previously, particularly the Netflix-related shows which were released at one go after the broadcast was completed. While Netflix is now 2 weeks behind the broadcast and the fansubs being 1-2 weeks ahead, it is not there yet. It would be understandable if they were only a few days behind but at 1-2 weeks behind, a number would have moved on from the episode that Netflix airs.

[LKK]

The spoiler policy has been and continues to be that once a sub regardless of origin is released, spoiler tags are no longer required. It's disappointing that Netflix delays its broadcasts, but that fact hasn't changed our rules.

[SeijiSensei]

Then can I suggest that every comment carry a notice about the episode to which it pertains like Kanon's post above? Or at least when the comment pertains to an episode not yet released?

It was much easier to handle this for shows where Netflix would delay the episodes and release them at all once. One could simply not read the thread until the Netflix release occurred.

[LKK]

Originally Posted by SeijiSensei

Then can I suggest that every comment carry a notice about the episode to which it pertains like Kanon's post above? Or at least when the comment pertains to an episode not yet released?

I think that's an excellent suggestion.

Everyone, out of consideration to your fellow posters, please start with your posts with what episode number you're going to discuss. See Kanon's post as an example of what I'm requesting.

Originally Posted by SeijiSensei

It was much easier to handle this for shows where Netflix would delay the episodes and release them at all once. One could simply not read the thread until the Netflix release occurred.

I agree.

[Kanon]

I think it'd just be easier for spoiler tags to be required for any episode that hasn't been "simulcasted". It feels unfair for people who watch this legally to be at risk of getting spoiled. Or make two threads, but that'd be ridiculous given the amount of discussion.

Fuck Netflix in any case.

[leongsh]

Now that we have some clarity on what can be posted, I will be posting more.

Episode 7

Spoiler:

Ooba-sensei sees right through Yatora. Dissects him and pushes his buttons. She gets right to the core of it that Yatora himself now realises. He has been working hard in churning out pieces and picking up as many as techniques as he can to have in his bag so-to-speak. He is locked into an exam-conquering mode but when it comes to art to express himself, he has lost the spark. He lost the fun and enjoyment of art that he had when he first started. He dreads art now because he fears that his drawings/paintings may not be acceptable. He now works to rekindle that spark.

Just before we reach the Tokyo University of the Arts first entrance exam, Koi-chan (one from his circle of high school friends) calls him out to dinner since he was in the area of the art cram school. He shares first with Yatora that he is going to be a pastry chef/cook. Yatora's foray into art inspired him to go for what he wants to do and a pastry chef/cook is it. He also shares with Yatora that the rest of the circle are onto him even though Yatora tried to hide his insecurities. They all want to see him succeed and bask in his success.

Entrance exam 1 - On the day itself Yatora spots Yatosuke at the university. Yatosuke tries to hide but he has been spotted and called out by Yatora. Yatora sees that even Yatosuke gets the butterflies. Before they split up to their exam rooms, Yatora gives Yatosuke a fist bump which surprises Yatosuke - that's a new experience for him.

Exam Topic: Self-portrait.

Yuka-chan finishes her self-portrait drawing super fast. We have an idea of what she is facing and that self-portrait is apt but in the eyes of those who do not know her, it means she gave up.

[Frontier]

Episode 5

Well, I can't say Hashida doesn't have the right priorities when he's happy to be in a class with Kuwana, especially with the camera focusing on her legs .

Yatora's used to drawing something from sight, but now he has to draw something from his own mind and visualization and have it mean something...and it's easier said than done, especially for someone more used to drawing what's in front of him .

What's important to Yatora is "bonds" and how they've helped make him the person he is today, but how do you properly convey that in art? Considering the Red Strings of Fate, I'm not surprised that was his first conceptualization of it, but is it enough ?

Yuka is having his own problems too, with an overbearing dad who doesn't seem to accept him and criticizes his lifestyle choices. His grandma seems to accept him, though, even calling him "Yuka" .

Yatora needs more inspiration and once again finds it in Mori, and without even meeting her again he realizes that it's the message and theme that is important, so it doesn't matter how you convey it so long as that gets expressed. And Yatora pours all his emotions into an F100 canvas to really define what bonds feel like to him .

And then things are going pretty good for Yatora...up until another competition where poor Kuwana is first again and Yatora is pretty low-ranked. He's been doing well, but he's basically repeating himself now. Jeez, even when you enjoy it, art is tough .

What the heck would Yatosuke want with Yatora at this point ?

[Kanon]

Episode 5

That probably isn't the message but this episode proved the entrance exam is bullshit. They're judging who's worthy of entering the university based on only one of their work. If Yatora hadn't shown his painting to Oda-sensei, she would have been none the wiser and he would have ended up among the best in this mock exam. What I mean to say is that they should judge them based on multiple works. It would make a lot more sense.

[HandofFate]

Originally Posted by Kanon

Episode 5

That probably isn't the message but this episode proved the entrance exam is bullshit. They're judging who's worthy of entering the university based on only one of their work. If Yatora hadn't shown his painting to Oda-sensei, she would have been none the wiser and he would have ended up among the best in this mock exam. What I mean to say is that they should judge them based on multiple works. It would make a lot more sense.

Disagree with that, the bonds one had actual emotion to it, and the detail in it is shown.

The food one as a copy looked dull and devoid of anything and came because Yatora didn't have a strong vision of what he really wanted to paint that moment.

I think Oda's evaluation was on the mark wherever she saw the first bond paintings or not.
The scores is a total of I believe, 4 or so people examining the paintings as shown during the previous competition.
If Oda did tank the score because of her preconceived notions, it doesn't account for the other teachers. If it was truly worthy of praise, it would have been at least upper middle or middle with the 3 giving it good marks, and one weak score.
But it ended up 3rd from the bottom, so he got low scores from everyone.

[Guardian Enzo]

Isn’t it Ooba?

[Frontier]

I love how Yatora just can't seem to get away from Oda and she's his harshest art critic, in a loving and supportive way .

[Kanon]

Originally Posted by HandofFate

Disagree with that, the bonds one had actual emotion to it, and the detail in it is shown.

The food one as a copy looked dull and devoid of anything and came because Yatora didn't have a strong vision of what he really wanted to paint that moment.

I think Oda's evaluation was on the mark wherever she saw the first bond paintings or not.
The scores is a total of I believe, 4 or so people examining the paintings as shown during the previous competition.
If Oda did tank the score because of her preconceived notions, it doesn't account for the other teachers. If it was truly worthy of praise, it would have been at least upper middle or middle with the 3 giving it good marks, and one weak score.
But it ended up 3rd from the bottom, so he got low scores from everyone.

You make very valid points, but I still think a student's future shouldn't be decided by only one piece.

Originally Posted by Guardian Enzo

Isn’t it Ooba?

Yeah, sorry

[leongsh]

Originally Posted by Kanon

You make very valid points, but I still think a student's future shouldn't be decided by only one piece.

There are 2 parts to the entrance exam - thus, 2 pieces need to be produced. In any case, certain top universities in Japan have sit-down entrance exams to decide on entry. It's not much different.

[Frontier]

Episode 6

Jeez, Yatora tries to make small talk and Yotasuke just hangs up on him. No wonder he has no friends .

Yatora can't just copy his successful work, he needs to generally improve his art and composition work, and the best way to do that is by over-achieving and mastering as many forms of making art as possible .

I love how Oba makes everyone think they're going to eat cake and it's yet another assignment. Such a mom troll .

Is that Sayaka Ohara as Kuwana's sister? Said sister who Kuwana has always felt self-conscious about and compared to in terms of their respective art, even when said sister seems supportive of her, but I guess that's what happens when you're in a family of artists .

What a weird New Year's for Yatora to be stuck with Yotasuke instead of his buddies. Yatora thinks they're friends but Yotasuke doesn't like Yatora because he has more going for him than just art, while it's all that Yotasuke has, but Yatora also hates how much seemingly comes easy for Yotasuke. At the same time, for all that he says about Yatora, Yotasuke actually acknowledges him, which is something .

It's almost exam time and everyone's feeling the pressure, and it puts things in perspective when you see someone more upset and freaking out about it than you are...even if it makes you feel like trash when you see that person end up in the hospital over it, like what happened with Kuwana and her friend .

But it's nice that Yatora and Kuwana were able to be pretty honest with each other about their hangups and how hard it is, and Yatora was even able to get across how unique he finds her art compared to her sister, which it sounds like she's never heard before. It seems to have meant a lot .

[Kanon]

Episode 6

I like Kuwana even more after this episode. She might be a genius but she's very human. I think we've all felt relief that there are people worse off than we are at some point or another, and hated ourselves for it.