Blue Period (manga)

Blue Period (Japanese: ブルーピリオド, Hepburn: Burū Piriodo) is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Tsubasa Yamaguchi. The series has been serialized in Kodansha's seinen manga magazine Monthly Afternoon since June 2017 and has been collected in eleven tankōbon volumes as of September 2021. The series is licensed in English by Kodansha USA. An anime television series adaptation by Seven Arcs premiered in October 2021.

Blue Period
Volume 1 cover featuring protagonist Yatora Yaguchi
ブルーピリオド
(Burū Piriodo)
GenreComing-of-age[1]
Manga
Written byTsubasa Yamaguchi
Published byKodansha
English publisher
MagazineMonthly Afternoon
DemographicSeinen
Original runJune 24, 2017 – present
Volumes11
Anime television series
Directed by
Written byReiko Yoshida
Music byIppei Inoue
StudioSeven Arcs
Licensed byNetflix (streaming rights)
Original networkJNN (MBS, TBS)
Original run October 2, 2021 – present
Episodes11

Plot

Yatora Yaguchi is a fairly popular student who excels in school, but often deals with inner emptiness and frustrations. One day he became fascinated by a painting at his high school's art club so deeply that it inspired him to try his hand at painting. Later, he was inspired by a friend, Ryuji "Yuka" Ayukawa, and subsequently joined the art club, becoming more deeply involved, and attempts to apply for the Tokyo University of the Arts as his choice of college.

Characters
Yatora Yaguchi (矢口八虎, Yaguchi Yatora)
Voiced by: Hiromu Mineta[2]
Ryuji "Yuka" Ayukawa (鮎川龍二, Ayukawa Ryuji)
Voiced by: Yumiri Hanamori[2]
Yotasuke Takahashi (高橋世田介, Takahashi Yotasuke)
Voiced by: Daiki Yamashita[2]
Haruka Hashida (橋田悠, Hashida Haruka)
Voiced by: Kengo Kawanishi[2]
Maki Kuwana (桑名マキ, Kuwana Maki)
Voiced by: Yume Miyamoto[2]
Maru Mori (森まる, Mori Maru)
Voiced by: Mayu Aoyagi[3]
Masako Saeki (佐伯昌子, Saeki Masako)
Voiced by: Fumi Hirano[3]
Sumida (純田)
Voiced by: Masaya Fukunishi[3]
Koigakubo (恋ケ窪)
Voiced by: Shinichiro Kamio[3]
Utashima (歌島)
Voiced by: Tatsumaru Tachibana[3]
Umino (海野)
Voiced by: Miku Hiratsuka[3]
Shirai (白井)
Voiced by: Ikumi Hasegawa[3]
Shirota (城田)
Voiced by: Yuna Nemoto[3]
Yamamoto (山本)
Voiced by: Aoi Koga[3]
Mayu Oba (大葉真由, Ōba Mayu)
Voiced by: Yuki Kazu[4]
Sae Okada (岡田さえ, Okada Sae)
Voiced by: Emiri Suyama[4]
Takuro Ishii (石井啄郎, Ishii Takurō)
Voiced by: Taishi Murata[4]
Hanako Sakuraba (桜庭華子, Sakuraba Hanako)
Voiced by: Saori Ōnishi[4]

Media

Manga

Blue Period is written and illustrated by Tsubasa Yamaguchi. The series began in the August 2017 issue of Kodansha's Monthly Afternoon magazine, released on June 24, 2017.[5] Kodansha has collected its chapters into individual tankōbon volumes. The first volume was released on December 22, 2017.[6] As of September 22, 2021, eleven volumes have been released.[7]

In North America, Kodansha USA announced the print release of the manga in November 2019.[8]

Volume list
No. Original release date Original ISBN English release date English ISBN
1 December 22, 2017[6]978-4-06-510586-3October 13, 2020[9]978-1-64-651112-9
2 March 23, 2018[10]978-4-06-511124-6January 5, 2021[11]978-1-64-651124-2
3 August 23, 2018[12]978-4-06-512336-2May 18, 2021[13]978-1-64-651125-9
4 February 22, 2019[14]978-4-06-514484-8August 17, 2021[15]978-1-64-651126-6
5 June 21, 2019[16]978-4-06-515958-3November 30, 2021[17]978-1-64-651127-3
6 November 22, 2019[18]978-4-06-517512-5February 15, 2022[19]978-1-64-651128-0
7 March 23, 2020[20]978-4-06-518889-7——
8 September 23, 2020[21][22]978-4-06-520727-7
978-4-06-520725-3 (SE)		——
9 January 21, 2021[23]978-4-06-521994-2——
10 May 21, 2021[24]978-4-06-523175-3——
11 September 22, 2021[7][25]978-4-06-524669-6
978-4-06-524977-2 (SE)		——

Anime

An anime television series adaptation was announced on January 19, 2021.[26][27] Seven Arcs is animating the series, with Koji Masunari serving as chief director, and Katsuya Asano serving as director, with scripts by Reiko Yoshida, character designs by Tomoyuki Shitaya, and music by Ippei Inoue.[28][3] While the series had an advanced streaming debut on Netflix on September 25, 2021,[29][30] it premiered on television on October 2 of the same year on the Super Animeism block on MBS, TBS and other channels.[2][lower-alpha 2] Netflix is streaming the series on a weekly schedule outside of Japan since October 9, 2021.[30] Omoinotake performed the opening theme "EVERBLUE," while Mol-74 performed the ending theme "Replica".[30]

Episode list
No.Title [31]Directed by [lower-alpha 3]Written by [lower-alpha 3]Storyboarded by [lower-alpha 3]Original air date [32][lower-alpha 4]
1"Awakening to the Joy of Painting"
Transcription: "E o Kaku Yorokobi ni Mezamete Mita" (Japanese: 絵を描く悦びに目覚めてみた)		Juria MatsumuraReiko YoshidaKoji MasunariOctober 2, 2021 (2021-10-02)
2"He's Not Tanned At All"
Transcription: "Zenzen Yakete nē" (Japanese: 全然焼けてねえ)		Yūsuke OnodaReiko YoshidaKatsuya AsanoOctober 9, 2021 (2021-10-09)
3"Prep School Debut of the Dead"
Transcription: "Yobikō Debyū Obu Za Deddo" (Japanese: 予備校デビュー・オブ・ザ・デッド)		Shigeru FukaseReiko YoshidaTsutomu MiyazawaOctober 16, 2021 (2021-10-16)[lower-alpha 5]
4"Where Are We Headed?"
Transcription: "Wareware wa Doko e Iku no ka" (Japanese: 我々はどこへ行くのか)		Hiromitsu HagiwaraReiko YoshidaYasunori IdeOctober 23, 2021 (2021-10-23)
5"Helpless Even If I Know What To Do"
Transcription: "Kadai ga Miete mo Dō Shiyō mo nē" (Japanese: 課題が見えてもどうしようもねぇ)		Shigeru YamazakiReiko YoshidaHiroaki TomitaOctober 30, 2021 (2021-10-30)
6"Serious Mental Breakdown"
Transcription: "Menbure Hanpa Naitte" (Japanese: メンブレ半端ないって)		Ryūta KawaharaReiko YoshidaRyūta KawaharaNovember 6, 2021 (2021-11-06)
7"The Start of the First Exam"
Transcription: "Ichiji Shiken Kaishi" (Japanese: １次試験開始)		Yūsuke OnodaReiko YoshidaGōichi IwahataNovember 13, 2021 (2021-11-13)
8"Brain-Racking"
Transcription: "Nōjiru Bushā" (Japanese: 脳汁ブシャー)		Masatoyo TakadaReiko YoshidaMasatoyo TakadaNovember 20, 2021 (2021-11-20)
9"Wandering Knife"
Transcription: "Samayou Naifu" (Japanese: さまようナイフ)		Daisuke KuroseReiko YoshidaHiroaki TomitaNovember 27, 2021 (2021-11-27)
10"Our Blue"
Transcription: "Oretachi no Aoi Iro" (Japanese: 俺たちの青い色)		Shūjirō AmiReiko YoshidaShūjirō AmiDecember 4, 2021 (2021-12-04)
11"The Start of the Second Exam"
Transcription: "Niji Shiken Kaishi" (Japanese: ２次試験開始)		Kuniyasu NishinaReiko YoshidaYasunori IdeDecember 11, 2021 (2021-12-11)
12"When I Started to Be Dyed in Color"
Transcription: "Irozuki Hajimeta Jibun" (Japanese: 色づき始めた自分)		Shin'ichi FukumotoReiko YoshidaKoji MasunariDecember 18, 2021 (2021-12-18)

Reception

The series ranked #4 on Kono Manga ga Sugoi! list of best manga of 2019 for male readers,[33] ranked #14, along with The Fable by Katsuhisa Minami, on the 2020 list,[34] and ranked #15, along with Bōkyō Tarō on the 2021 list.[35] It ranked #16 on the 2019 "Book of the Year" list by Da Vinci magazine;[36] it ranked #19 on the 2020 list[37] and #24 on the 2021 list.[38] The series was also one of twelve manga series to make the 2021 Young Adult Library Services Association's top 126 graphic novels for teenagers list.[39]

In 2019, the manga was nominated for the 12th Manga Taishō and the 43rd Kodansha Manga Award for Best General Manga.[40][41] In 2020, the manga won the 13th Manga Taishō and the 44th Kodansha Manga Award for Best General Manga.[42][43] It was also nominated for the 24th Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prize.[44]

Rebecca Silverman from Anime News Network gave the first volume a B+. She praised its coming-of-age narrative and characters (specifically the adults), while criticizing it for being too informative at times.[1]

Notes
  1. Credited as Chief Director (総監督, Sō Kantoku).
  2. MBS and TBS list the series premiere at 25:25 on October 1, 2021, which is effectively 1:25 a.m. JST on October 2.
  3. Information is taken from the ending credits of each episode.
  4. Episodes are released on Netflix Japan a week before their original air date.
  5. This episode aired at 1:40 a.m. JST, 15 minutes after the original air time.

References
  1. Silverman, Rebecca (October 24, 2020). "Blue Period. GN 1 Review". Anime News Network. Retrieved December 24, 2020.
  2. Mateo, Alex (April 27, 2021). "Blue Period Anime's 1st Promo Video Reveals Cast, October Premiere". Anime News Network. Retrieved April 27, 2021.
  3. Pineda, Rafael Antonio (August 6, 2021). "The Blue Period. Anime Reveals More Cast & Staff, Key Visual". Anime News Network. Retrieved August 6, 2021.
  4. Loo, Egan (August 20, 2021). "The Blue Period. Anime Unveils Cast for Instructor, More Classmates". Anime News Network. Retrieved August 20, 2021.
  5. "アフタヌーン 2017年8月号". Afternoon official website (in Japanese). Kodansha. Archived from the original on October 29, 2020. Retrieved October 29, 2020.
  6. ブルーピリオド（１） (in Japanese). Kodansha. Retrieved October 29, 2020.
  7. ブルーピリオド（１１） (in Japanese). Kodansha. Retrieved September 13, 2021.
  8. Mateo, Alex (November 17, 2019). "Kodansha Comics Announces 12 Digital Manga Licenses, 4 Manga Print Releases". Anime News Network. Retrieved October 29, 2020.
  9. "Blue Period 1". Penguin Random House. Retrieved October 29, 2020.
  10. ブルーピリオド（２） (in Japanese). Kodansha. Retrieved October 29, 2020.
  11. "Blue Period 2". Penguin Random House. Retrieved October 29, 2020.
  12. ブルーピリオド（３） (in Japanese). Kodansha. Retrieved October 29, 2020.
  13. "Blue Period 3". Penguin Random House. Retrieved October 29, 2020.
  14. ブルーピリオド（４） (in Japanese). Kodansha. Retrieved October 29, 2020.
  15. "Blue Period 4". Penguin Random House. Retrieved June 29, 2021.
  16. ブルーピリオド（５） (in Japanese). Kodansha. Retrieved October 29, 2020.
  17. "Blue Period 5". Penguin Random House. Retrieved October 29, 2020.
  18. ブルーピリオド（６） (in Japanese). Kodansha. Retrieved October 29, 2020.
  19. "Blue Period 6". Penguin Random House. Retrieved May 30, 2021.
  20. ブルーピリオド（７） (in Japanese). Kodansha. Retrieved October 29, 2020.
  21. ブルーピリオド（８） (in Japanese). Kodansha. Retrieved October 29, 2020.
  22. ブルーピリオド（８）特装版 (in Japanese). Kodansha. Retrieved October 29, 2020.
  23. ブルーピリオド（９） (in Japanese). Kodansha. Retrieved December 17, 2020.
  24. ブルーピリオド（１０） (in Japanese). Kodansha. Retrieved May 18, 2021.
  25. ブルーピリオド（１１）特装版 (in Japanese). Kodansha. Retrieved September 13, 2021.
  26. 「ブルーピリオド」2021年TVアニメ化決定！山口つばさ「漫画家としての目標の1つ」. Natalie (in Japanese). Natasha, Inc. January 19, 2021. Retrieved January 19, 2021.
  27. Pineda, Rafael Antonio (January 18, 2021). "The Blue Period. Art Manga Gets TV Anime This Year". Anime News Network. Retrieved January 18, 2021.
  28. Pineda, Rafael Antonio (March 24, 2021). "The Blue Period. Anime Reveals Staff, Visual". Anime News Network. Retrieved March 24, 2021.
  29. 秋アニメ「ブルーピリオド」放送日発表、Netflix独占で先行配信も！ 主題歌はOmoinotakeとmol-74. animeanime.jp (in Japanese). September 9, 2021. Retrieved September 26, 2021.
  30. Pineda, Rafael (September 9, 2021). "Netflix Streams The Blue Period Anime Outside Japan on October 9". Anime News Network. Retrieved September 9, 2021.
  31. "Terebi Anime "Burū Piriodo" Kōshiki Saito" TVアニメ『ブルーピリオド』公式サイト [TV Anime "Blue Period" Official Website]. blue-period.jp (in Japanese). Archived from the original on September 29, 2021. Retrieved September 29, 2021.
  32. "Terebi Anime "Burū Piriodo" Kōshiki Saito" TVアニメ『ブルーピリオド』公式サイト [TV Anime "Blue Period" Official Website]. blue-period.jp (in Japanese). Archived from the original on September 9, 2021. Retrieved September 9, 2021.
  33. Pineda, Rafael Antonio (December 10, 2018). "Kono Manga ga Sugoi! Reveals 2019's Series Ranking for Male Readers". Anime News Network. Retrieved October 13, 2020.
  34. Pineda, Rafael Antonio (December 11, 2019). "Kono Manga ga Sugoi! Editors Unveil 2020 Rankings". Anime News Network. Retrieved October 13, 2020.
  35. Mateo, Alex (December 17, 2020). "Kono Manga ga Sugoi! Editors Unveil 2021 Rankings". Anime News Network. Retrieved December 17, 2020.
  36. Pineda, Rafael Antonio (December 6, 2019). "Kingdom Manga Tops Da Vinci Ranking". Anime News Network. Retrieved October 13, 2020.
  37. Hodgkins, Crystalyn (December 5, 2020). "Demon Slayer Tops Da Vinci Manga Ranking". Anime News Network. Retrieved December 7, 2021.
  38. Mateo, Alex (December 6, 2021). "Demon Slayer Tops Da Vinci Manga Ranking for 2nd Consecutive Year". Anime News Network. Retrieved December 7, 2021.
  39. Hazra, Adriana (January 11, 2021). "Blue Flag Manga Ranks in YALSA's Top 10 Graphic Novels for Teens". Anime News Network. Retrieved January 11, 2021.
  40. Pineda, Rafael Antonio (January 21, 2019). "12th Manga Taisho Awards Nominate 13 Titles". Anime News Network. Retrieved September 20, 2020.
  41. Pineda, Rafael Antonio (April 3, 2019). "43rd Annual Kodansha Manga Awards' Nominees Announced". Anime News Network. Retrieved September 20, 2020.
  42. Pineda, Rafael Antonio (March 16, 2020). "Tsubasa Yamaguchi's The Blue Period. Manga Wins 13th Manga Taisho Awards". Anime News Network. Retrieved September 20, 2020.
  43. Sherman, Jennifer (May 12, 2020). "44th Annual Kodansha Manga Awards' Winners Announced". Anime News Network. Retrieved September 20, 2020.
  44. Pineda, Rafael Antonio (February 27, 2020). "24th Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prize Nominees Announced". Anime News Network. Retrieved September 20, 2020.
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