HELPLESS EVEN IF I KNOW WHAT TO DO
Attention.
I'll announce the newly divided classes right now.
Newly divided classes?
We're entering the exam season pretty soon.
You'll be divided into five classes
and will be instructed in small groups.
I'll call the names.
Aikawa, you're in Class C.
Ota, you're in Class B.
-Asano… -The exam is…
-you're in Class A. -coming.
Class D is on the fourth floor.
As it turned out,
Yotasuke has never come since then.
You didn't even have to do art.
Don't look so grim.
Hashida…
I'm glad we're in the same class again.
Oh, yeah. I'm also glad to be with a friend…
That's not who I meant. Look over there.
I'm talking about Kuwana. She's so cute.
That kind of eye candy helps me work harder for the exam.
There are many people with unique art styles in this class.
Indeed.
The instructor of this class must be a weirdo.
It's me, Oba. I'm the instructor of this class.
Let's get it on.
Here. This is the schedule until the exams.
From now on, the ability I want you all to learn
is adaptability.
-Adaptability… -You'll take on various tasks.
So far, I've been focusing on improving my skills.
Now I need to prepare for the actual exam.
I'm handing out the task description.
TASK FOR OIL PAINTING: PAINT SOMETHING IMPORTANT TO YOU
What?
There's no subject.
Imaginative tasks are standard in art school exams.
Then, good luck guys.
It's true that art is not just painting what you see.
But, I don't know what to do without a model.
I've been practicing making art based on what I see.
But there's nothing I can refer to in the first place.
No.
No more excuses.
If this was the real exam, I'd be a sore loser.
Something that's important to me…
Come to think of it,
I wouldn't have done art without Mori.
Same for Saeki Sensei. She's a bit weird,
but if not for her, I wouldn't have joined the art club.
I hate to admit it, but if Ryuji hadn't invited me…
Koigakubo noticed my passion,
and the guys have always been supportive.
The people in the art club also took me in.
Even Hashida,
Oba Sensei,
and Kuwana…
Bonds?
Connections?
We're connected
by strings?
Something important.
Connections.
Strings.
All right. This will be my subject.
INTERVIEW ROOM
It's surely a fun interpretation.
But you're not adaptable enough.
I want you to react more to the task description and your subject.
Good art clearly expresses the mindset of the artist.
Say,
did the bonds look like strings to you, Yaguchi?
-Yes. -If that's the case, then it's okay.
-I guess. -Fine.
Here.
It's your next task.
TASK FOR OIL PAINTING: PICK A TITLE AND MAKE ART FROM IT
Another imaginative task.
Adapt and react to the task.
Pick a title first
and elaborate on it.
The art inside my head is the best.
FLOWER = CONFIDENCE
However,
with one stroke
and another,
I myself
make my art
worse and worse.
Yuka!
My bad.
What happened?
Nothing.
Don't worry about it.
-That's just dumb. -Right.
What was wrong with Ryuji?
Got dumped by another man?
By the way,
-Mori came yesterday. -What?
You passed each other.
Gosh. I'd love to meet her.
I liked Mori's art of the angel.
You mean the big piece painted on an F100 canvas?
That was huge, right?
I'm even struggling to make F15 works for the exam.
Why don't you give it a try
to make an F100 work?
An F100 work?
You haven't been doing art other than the exam preparation, right?
By gaining the skills, you're getting better.
But the quality of an art piece isn't determined by techniques.
Boy, this animation is hilarious!
Yes, it cracks me up!
I think I'll pass.
For now, I want to focus on making as many pieces as possible.
Is that so?
I see.
Today's task is to find your subject.
There will be a final competition next month.
Do your best.
Finally, a concrete subject!
We've always been doing imaginative tasks recently.
I'm so excited.
The clock should probably be my centerpiece.
I think that will look better.
The brush is
so heavy.
In fact,
I have no strength in my arms.
Why is that?
Cut it out. Stop making excuses.
Just keep moving until it's done.
Something like this?
-Sorry. -Not at all.
I feel like I'm being sucked in.
I've experienced it several times.
The blurring of the boundary between the art piece and me.
But, I can't feel it in my own art.
I think I'll make it one shade darker here.
By gaining the skills, you're getting better.
I'm not good at all.
I can't even make art without looking at something.
That's why I try to improve my composition.
That's why…
I…
You don't understand the true essence at all.
I want to break free.
This goes deeper than passing or failing.
I won't be able to hold out until the exam.
I must be doing something wrong.
Something fundamental, perhaps.
ART ROOM
I see.
I understand.
Then let's set it up right now.
Thank you very much.
The canvas is so heavy.
I underestimated the F100 canvas.
It's tough to just set up the canvas.
Thinking it might be a trigger for something,
I said that I would make an F100 art piece.
Holy crap…
What if I end up making something weak despite this size?
Yaguchi.
There is no failure in art.
But I'm failing all the time.
Do you mean getting a bad critique from your instructor in prep school?
Or is it because you're not happy with your art?
Passing or failing, popular or unpopular,
there are all kinds of standards of art in this world.
But Yaguchi,
when you were making that blue painting,
did you think about failure at that time?
Sure, there's little chance of getting into TUA with that painting.
But that certainly was good art.
Yaguchi,
please show me what you want to express.
After all, art is a language without words.
Try to put aside the idea of failure.
When you do, the skills and knowledge you've learned until now,
along with this work,
will all stand by your side.
I will.
What I want to express, right?
Did the bonds look like strings to you, Yaguchi?
I haven't found the answer yet.
BOND
In my mind,
bonds differ from destiny.
I feel like they're changing all the time.
But how should I express that in my art?
Ryuji.
Open the door.
Ryuji.
Your prep school called.
Why have you been skipping classes?
I'll work part-time to pay you back the fees.
That's not the point!
Why did things turn out this way?
What went wrong with you?
Dammit!
Yuka-chan.
Grandma.
Did you get hurt?
I brought you some sweet oranges.
MORI: COME VISIT ME IN MAU!
Sorry, just leave me alone for a while.
In the end,
I haven't found my definition of a bond yet.
I know I shouldn't rush things,
but I have to start painting.
Making an F100 work will take me forever.
Yatora.
You surprised me.
I thought no one was here.
If you need to dump emotions,
just say it.
What?
If it makes you feel better,
I can be your trash can anytime.
Wait,
is it going to snow today?
I guess you're fine.
Yatora.
You're actually a good guy.
Yeah, sure.
Is that an F100 canvas, the same size as Mori's work?
That's right.
The exam is approaching, and you're spending time on an F100 work.
Yatora.
No class for prep school today?
It's quite far.
We need to transfer to a bus to MAU.
Is it okay for me to come?
Of course.
MORI: WILL YOU COME WITH YAGUCHI? IN THE ATELIER THEN!
The last time she visited the art club,
she looked sad she couldn't see you.
Then that's fine.
Are you scared to see Mori?
I'm excited to see Mori's new work of the angel.
How about you, Ryuji?
KOKUBUNJI
What?
You'll be waiting here?
Sorry.
I didn't feel like going home.
So I just wanted to go for a walk.
Are you for real?
MUSASHINO ART UNIVERSITY
So this is Mori's atelier.
Excuse me.
Mori is not even here.
A Buddhist image?
I was expecting an angel.
But why a Buddhist image?
When I'm making art, I'm praying.
I see.
Mori has expressed the same message from the beginning.
She hasn't changed her message,
just her way of expressing it.
I've only been thinking about composition.
But composition is only a tool, not the message.
Have I been using tools to make works of tools the whole time?
It's amazing.
So beautiful.
KOKUBUNJI STATION
Please.
Can you be our model?
-Oh, sorry I can't. -Ryuji.
-Your boyfriend? -Please model for us next time.
Sorry about that.
Thanks for waiting.
You're quick. Are you done?
Yes.
Though I didn't meet Mori,
seeing her work got me in the mood to paint.
YAGUCHI: I'M SORRY YOU'RE BUSY. I'LL BE BACK.
Bonds…
In my mind, bonds can take many shapes.
Some bonds are delicate like strings.
Some bonds hurt me like blades.
The shape is changing constantly.
With passion,
the surrounding shapes may be affected.
Every time it gets hit, it gets stronger.
To me, perhaps bonds
are more like metal.
I'm not really sure about it.
But somehow,
I kind of feel like I'm being sucked into my art.
What do you think?
It's good.
It's really good.
Yaguchi,
I love this work so much!
The theme is that bonds are like metals changing their shapes.
Can you tell that hole in the center is a furnace?
I'm moved
by the process of one student growing up.
You grew up,
Yaguchi.
Thank you so much.
TOKYO ART INSTITUTE
It's super good!
Awesome!
-Really? -Yes, for sure!
I knew you could do it, Yaguchi.
Yaguchi.
The final competition is next week.
Got it.
I was just
having fun making it.
Is this good art?
Thank you so much, Mori.
Calm down.
I still have plenty of tasks to do.
Composition is just a weapon.
It can't be the theme.
My thoughts and visions are the most important.
And the weapon is to express them compellingly.
What have I been making until now?
My eyes have opened up.
This is good, Yaguchi.
It's interesting, Yaguchi.
You have some guts, Yaguchi!
Submit your work for the competition by 3 p.m. today.
The task is
to do art with the theme of dining.
All right, start.
Calm down.
I can do it.
I've been doing well recently.
Just keep it up.
Let's see.
How exactly did I make that piece?
You look relaxed, don't you?
How can I be relaxed?
Stop copying me.
Oba's Class, please come in.
To be honest, I'm a bit excited.
After all, I'm better than before.
As expected.
My ranking is neither good nor bad. How about you, Yatora?
Third from the bottom?
It's another version of your "bond" piece.
Your recent works have definitely improved.
But your work for the competition is just an imitation of the "bond" piece.
There's no freshness in it.
You didn't challenge yourself or make any effort.
You won't pass the exam at this rate.
Well, you still have two months though.
Come on!
It's not like that!
Do you know how much the tuition will be?
I don't understand art.
No idea if it's good or bad.
You're right.
But
he'll do his best since he likes it, right?
Doing things I like
doesn't mean it's always fun,
Mom.
Yes?
Yaguchi.
What are you doing now?
Subtitle translation by: Chih-Chung Yung