We are ever so close to the entrance exams as we move on to Blue Period Episode 6, which at the speed this show moves in should be over and done within under 1 minute and 37 seconds. Did anything receive enough time this week? Let’s find out in this review!
Blue Period Episode 6 Overview
Blue Period is a slice of life drama anime brought to our screens by anime studio Seven Arcs, known for its slice of life and comedy shows such as Dog Days and Tonikaku Kawaii. The series is based upon a highly acclaimed manga penned by Tsubasa Yamaguchi. It is one of the most anticipated shows of the Fall 2021 season and an adaptation that has been highly waited upon for four years.
Koji Masunari and Katsuya Asano are directing the show, with Masunari serving as the chief director. He is a veteran of the industry, having been around for more than two decades and directing shows like Kamichu and Magi: The Kingdom of Magic. Katsuya Asano is known for directing episodes of Yu-Gi-Oh Vrains, among other things. You can read our review of the fifth episode here!
– Blue Period Episode 6 Review does not contain spoilers –
Blue Period Episode 6 Review- Plot and Characters
No. The answer to the question I brought up in the opening paragraph is a strong no. Nothing got enough time this week. Nothing got the time to sink in and be truly absorbed by the viewer. Nothing made the viewer feel much about the plot or the characters because the show seems to be running faster than Forrest Gump while escaping from his bullies. We understand why Forrest was in a hurry. Why Blue Period seems to move so fast is beyond me.
Since we don’t spoil episodes here, let’s take last week’s episode as an example. Here is everything that happened within twenty minutes- Yatora struggled with his art, had a conversation with Ms Ooba, and learned a couple of new techniques while still not being satisfied. Then, he talked to his school’s art teacher and visited Mori alongside Ryuuji, who dealt with their own issues in another sub-plot. He then left without meeting Mori while still drawing inspiration from her art and went on to create his much-improved art while expressing himself.
That’s not it. A few weeks passed as Yatora practised on much larger canvases (which we barely got to see) and then failed to improve upon his performance anyway since he became so full of himself that he started copying his own ideas. That’s when he got a call from Yotasuke and the episode ended. How are we supposed to feel he has progressed if we don’t get to see it? How do we understand Yatora’s art if we aren’t given the time?
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Blue Period Episode 6 was no different in that regard. Once again, there was too much going on in a single episode. There was the continuation of the Yotasuke story (who is just a detestable character without any upsides), an arc about Kuwana and the undue pressure put upon her by her parents and older sister, and the usual dose of art suggestions that most people don’t understand yet still don’t get enough time to process.
Blue Period Episode 6 featured some nice ideas about mental health and how much of our psyche depends upon being compared to others. The same issue of comparison pops up in the Yatora-Yotasuke segment, which I didn’t like for the same reason that I mentioned earlier, I don’t like Yotasuke. The Kuwana segment was great, and it made a lot of sense within the context that we know the characters in. There were a lot of different art styles explored but weren’t given enough time to be anything of substance.
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The material of Blue Period Episode 6 was fine, even great at points. The show stuck with its established narrative of Yatora working much harder than anyone else to prove that hard work beats talent any day of the week. However, the breakneck pace didn’t help the show’s cause at all. What use is any of this? Why make just two seasons of anything when you can give everything more time and make three? What’s the rush? Can we please start giving everything more time to breathe?
Blue Period Episode 6 Review- Art and Music
Since this review has been very negative so far, let’s talk about the one silver lining of Blue Period Episode 6. The music throughout the runtime was spectacular. The opening, the ending, and the OSTs of this show are phenomenal. It is fast becoming my favourite soundtrack of this season, and the competition is stiff. Let’s not talk about the visuals this time around, as I’m sure I’ll have more to say than what I’ve already said in future reviews.
Verdict
Blue Period Episode 6 was wounded by the horrible pacing of the show despite there being some great ideas scattered throughout. This issue might not get better anytime soon, thereby causing permanent damage to the show’s quality.
Click here to read the review of the next episode!