01x04 - Where are We Headed?

[bunniefuu]

You don't understand
the true essence at all.

He's so harsh!

Does Takahashi speak so harshly?

Your laughing at it makes me feel better.

WHERE ARE WE HEADED?

What's the reason?

What?

Why is my work like a superficial copy
of someone's art?

I like that painting though.

Yaguchi,

what do you think
all masterpieces have in common?

Still-life skills?

All masterpieces

have great compositions.

A good composition is something that

firstly, has a main flow,

secondly, fits the theme,

thirdly, makes you focus on key elements,

fourthly, makes you look at every corner.

First point,
the visual flow of the composition.

Roughly speaking, a masterpiece
can be divided into five geometric forms.

For example, this painting is a circle.

Each of the other pictures
has a shape in it,

so look for it later.

Okay, next.

Second point, does it fit the theme?

Let's take a look at your reference.

The main focus is the apple.
Basically, it's a circle composition.

But the tie creates an S-shaped movement

and many triangle shapes
are scattered all over.

The cut-off triangle at the left end
suggests its expanse.

So if you cover this up,
the painting feels narrower.

Great artworks look like
the artists just made what they saw,

but they are meticulously calculated.

I see.

So, the third and fourth points?

It's a secret.
Let's try to make a replica.

A replica?

Making a replica is not just copying.

If you do it with your heart,
you'll understand many things.

Making a replica with my heart.

Really?

This work simply looks like
a painting of trees and plants.

The red flowers

extend directly towards the tree.

But the blue and yellow flowers
are arranged in a zigzag order.

Does it have a meaning?

It's leading the eyes.

Leading the eyes?

A technique to smoothly guide
the gaze of the viewer.

...thirdly, makes you focus on key elements,

fourthly, makes you look at every corner.

The opposite red color
leads the eyes to the main focus.

The blue and yellow flowers
are arranged all over

to lead the eyes to every corner.

This really does help me
understand many things.

Good morning, Yatora.

Good morning.

Which class are you in
for the summer course?

I'm in Oba's class.

You're in the same class as Kuwana.
I envy you.

How about you, Hashida? And Yotasuke?

I'm in Sasaki's class.

I'm in Matsuo's class.

Sharing a class with the people
from day school makes me nervous.

Yes.

OBA'S CLASS

The same class as Kuwana.

It's tough to be compared to
another new graduate.

Well, I just have to do my best...

Made it!

It hurts.

Oh, sorry. Are you okay?

I'm fine. Don't worry.

-Excuse us...
-Excuse us...

Scary. The atmosphere is
totally different from the night school.

It's so hot today.

I'm your instructor, Oba.

Each of you will make five artworks
within this ten-day course.

Your last work will enter
an open competition

and will be ranked by
all the oil painting instructors.

Ask me if you have any questions.

Then,

please get started.

Don't be intimidated.

I'm not that good at still-life,

nor do I have a good eye for art,

but I've been studying composition

and have done a lot of replicas.

Isn't this the Oil Painting Course?

Oil painting...

What about oil painting?

Sorry about before.

You want to have lunch together?

I'm exhausted.

Hamburgers are just the thing
when you're tired.

Why did she invite me?

Well, I guess it beats
agonizing over my art.

You eat a lot for someone so thin.

Really?

You need a lot of stamina to make art.

Girls studying art often eat a lot.

But the boys often have a small appetite.

I wonder why.

I thought you'd be more intimidating.

What?

People good at making art
often look intimidating.

I get you.

Those non-first timers are scary.

Right, so scary.

I'm relieved.

I thought it was just me.

Cutting out the canvas?
I don't understand.

I know it could be wild,

but oil painting is wackier
than I imagined.

But

that's also a way to mix things up.

Again, I almost let my thoughts stop
at a superficial level.

I thought only paint and oil
could be the material.

But to those non-first timers,

everything could be material.

Making art

is freer than I imagined.

With more skills, I could go further.

I'll go wild too.

YATORA YAGUCHI

Everyone, please come in turn.

I was outclassed from the start.
I shouldn't get my hopes up.

Arranged in ranking order,

the highest is on the top left shelf
at the entrance.

I was ranked slightly above the middle.

Way higher than I thought.

Where's Kuwana's work?

1ST PLACE

For real?

What? That's dope.

You got first place!

For real?

Awesome!

Don't you know the jinx?

The one who gets first place
in prep school

will not pass the exam that year.

It's true. Everyone failed before.

I didn't think I'd get first place.

Didn't you know it? It's quite famous.

Why?

Who knows?

But I couldn't get first place
even if I wanted to.

This time,

I was ranked highest among us three,

although Yotasuke's better at still-life,

and Hashida's better at composing.

Anyway, good work, guys.

Let's have an after-party.

Sure.

I won't go.

You won't come to the after-party?

No.

I won't come to prep school either.

I hate to be forced to make "exam art."

Exam art?

Don't you know?

"Exam art" refers to art

made to please the taste of
the school of your choice.

It's a kind of slang.

You don't think

what you've learned here
is everything about art, do you?

Prep school isn't a place
to teach good art,

but art that gets you accepted.

Staying here won't get me accepted.

What do you think about "exam art"?

Well,

I don't think adapting your style
is the only way to get accepted,

but I do feel that certain schools
have their specific tastes.

But what's so wrong about it?
It's just an exam anyway.

You have to adapt your studies
to get into regular schools too.

Sekai is just a clumsy and spoiled child.

Well, let's go eat barbecue.

Right.

When studying,

I could see the goal
no matter how far it was.

But with art...

What should I believe in?

Ever since that day,

Yotasuke hasn't shown up
for prep school again.

Umino, you're moving to Osaka?

Only if I pass.

It's not decided yet.

Living by yourself?

Many famous illustrators attended
Osaka University of Arts.

I'll be taking the exam
around this time next year.

I just want the exam to be over.

Yaguchi.

Don't you have to go to prep school?

We have the day off today.

Did something happen?

The drawings in your sketchbook
looked messy.

I see. "Exam art," you say?

Have I been preparing for the exam
instead of doing art?

I don't think so.

In the end, it's still your art.

The exam is just the beginning.

But,

if it's an exam,

you should be able to prepare for it.

But evaluating art
comes down to personal taste.

In that case,

what should I do?

Yaguchi, have you visited
the TUA school festival yet?

What?

Art schools display artworks
at their school festivals.

It's worth taking a look.

How about you, Yuka?

I'll pass. I attended last year.

Please go with the others.

I'm not aiming for TUA.

I have a mock test that day.

Everyone is busy preparing for exams
at this time of year.

Then I'll go alone.

Right.

"ART" 9:00 A.M. - 8:00 P.M.
TOKYO UNIVERSITY OF THE ARTS

Wow.

So this is the school you're aiming for.

Stop it!

Sorry for dragging you here.

Come on, don't say that.

Are all these people students at TUA?

They've all passed
the exam to get in here.

That's amazing.

As I expected,

they sell all kinds of things
here at the art festival.

I haven't even been to
a regular school festival.

Look. They're selling
portraits over there.

They're so good.

-Cheers.
-Cheers.

School festivals are fun.

TUA is the best.

Chill out, these are just soft drinks.

Yatora?

Thank you for hanging out
with me today, guys.

Didn't you know, Utashima?

-Yatora gets drunk on coffee.
-Right.

How the heck does his body work?

What am I doing?

I tried to force myself to get excited,
knowing coffee would make me drunk.

I'm so miserable.

Are you all right?

Thank you. I'm fine.

That's...

Yotasuke?

Are you Yota's friend?

Yes, we're in the same prep school.

Thank you for befriending my son.

Your son?

I'm tired.

Would you mind walking around
the campus with him?

-What?
-What?

I didn't think you'd come.

Same here.

Let's take a quick look and leave.

That's it?

It's not as good as I expected.

What does this even want to convey?

I felt the same.

I wonder why they all look
so self-important, though.

Who knows?

But I like this work.

Really?

How about you, Yotasuke?

This work doesn't interest me.
I don't care about it.

I see.

What a disappointment.

But I learned a lot from seeing works
by people close to our age.

I'm glad that I came.

I still want to go to TUA.

Thank you for walking around with me.

My friends are waiting for me.

Send my regards to your mom.

See you.

I don't like you, Yaguchi.

Don't come to this side
when you have everything.

You didn't even have to do art.

What do you mean?

I take art seriously too.

How can you say that?

Tell me.

Yatora.

Recovered from the puke?

Goodbye.

What?

Is it all right, Yato...

Sorry.

What's wrong?

Did he say something to you?

It's nothing.

It doesn't look like nothing.

It's really nothing.

If my art was more compelling,

he would never say that.

TOKYO ART INSTITUTE

It's so stupid.

"Exam art"? What the hell?

I can't do art like Yotasuke,

Kuwana,

or Hashida.

But no one else can do my art either.

I didn't even have to do art?

What do you know about me, Yotasuke?

I'm betting everything on this right now.

This is all I have.

That's right.

My engine is exploding.

I'm scared and terrified.

I'm scared to death.

But more than that,

I want them to bow down.

I'll k*ll them all with my art.

I'll do anything for that.

This is wild.

It's definitely a standout piece.

You can feel a tremendous drive from it.

Oba Sensei.

I want to get into TUA.

I don't care if it's exam art.

Please teach me.

Exam art?

No one says that anymore.

What?

It used to be a thing before.

That's why prep schools
packed up cheap tricks.

But these days,
cheap tricks don't work anymore.

In a sense,
it's more difficult than before.

You have to believe in your art.

Then how come I was ranked higher
than those skilled non-first timers?

Because you made good art. That's it.

Your way of answering, perspective,
and defiant attitude were all distinct.

Techniques and knowledge
are powerful weapons.

But if you don't use them right,
your art will lack punch.

You have fewer weapons
than non-first timers,

but at the same time,
you are unburdened and lithe.

That's the strength of new graduates.

The key is trial and error,

trial and error,

and trial and error.

Just do your best.

I will.

Thank you very much.

Sure.

I came to pick up my stuff.

Yaguchi just left.

Why are you mentioning him?

Because you're so conscious of him.

I don't like that part of you, Oba Sensei.

Oh, sorry.

It's my bad.

I wasn't very helpful to you.

Thank you for everything.

Are you all right, Oba Sensei?

Teaching is hard.

Even though I'm raising three sons,

the goal of art is different
from person to person.

You have to figure out your goal
and how to get there by yourself.

I can give advice,

but even I don't know
where they'll end up.

It's tough, right?

No, it's the opposite.

It's exciting.

I'm eager to find out

how they will change in the next 120 days.