Best anime about art

Important takeaways

• Art through animation expresses emotions that are often difficult to convey in words, which resonates with artists and viewers.
• These anime explore themes of self-discovery, collaboration in animation, and the challenges artists face in pursuing their dreams.
• From manga creation to everyday life inspiration, each anime showcases the beauty and depth of art in various forms.

Art is usually a physical object created creatively through one's imagination. It's a way to relax, connect and express feelings, sometimes without using words. What better way to express art than through the art of animation itself?

Different anime show the parts of art we don't often see, the constant effort to develop one's skill, the desire to create art for feelings that cannot be easily expressed in words, and the realization of dreams through this very medium. While there aren't many anime that explore this beautiful and soothing theme, there are still a number of anime about art that are worth watching.

10 Blue Period

A passionate journey of self-discovery through art

• Japanese Title: N/A
• Number of episodes: 12
• Studio: Seven arches

Blue Period revolves around the life of Yatora Yaguchi, an unmotivated high school delinquent with excellent grades. While searching for his passions, he pours out his feelings on a canvas for the first time, and people's admiration for his work ignites a fire in him, prompting him to attend a competitive art school and aim for the top – despite people's opinions of his inexperience .

This anime explores the theme of self-discovery through art, from a one-time burst of emotion to the path to excellence. It shows the journey of a talented yet directionless mind in the art world and makes artists question what their art means to them, capturing the imagination of artists and ordinary anime fans alike.

9 Honey And Clover

The emotional struggle of art students

Set in an art university, Honey and clover follows the story of five students navigating the issues of adulthood, love and friendship. Each of them struggles with their own challenges as they aim to achieve their dream, from finding meaning in life to expressing their feelings.

This anime shows the struggles art students and others face with so much depth that fans of the series believe that everyone who watches it should see a piece of themselves in at least one of the main characters. It really resonates with the anime art community, provoking powerful emotions with bittersweet experiences.

8 Keep your hands off Eizouken!

A celebration of animation through anime

• Japanese Title: Eizouken ni wa Te wo Dasu na!
• Number of episodes: 12
• Studio: Science SARU

A mind full of countless ideas and fantasies, Midori Asakusa is constantly illustrating her thoughts and drowning in her creativity, an endless sea that only her friend, Sayaka Kanamori, can pull her out of. This duo runs into a model, Tsubame Mizusaki, who dreams of becoming an animator and decides to form an animation club to produce animation.

Keep your hands away from Eizouken emphasizes the teamwork required to produce animations, with each of the three girls having their own aspect to focus on. It celebrates the art of collaborative animation, and showcases the passion that drives animators to do what they do, turning their imagination into reality.

7 Shirobako

The reality of working in the anime industry

• Japanese Title: N/A
• Number of episodes: 24
• Studio: PA works

This anime series does not focus on traditional art such as paintings or drawings; but the form of collaborative art that is the anime industry is depicted, does Shirobako the way to go for people who are genuinely curious about the processes involved in anime production. This anime tells the story of five female friends who choose to work in the anime industry after an animation project in high school, along with the challenges that come with achieving their dream job.

Shirobakofocuses on the harsh reality that not everyone gets that lucky break in the industry and the difficulty of getting that one opportunity. It also shows the intense effort, teamwork, and deadlines that go into anime production, making it easy for the average viewer to grasp some concepts.

6 Species

A Renaissance saga of art and perseverance

• Japanese Title: N/A
• Number of episodes: 12
• Studio: Seven arches

In an era where nothing more was expected of a woman than to marry into a good family and be a proper housewife, Arte dreams of becoming an artist, a profession unheard of for a woman. But she does not give up even after her father's death, pursues her dream and proves that she is qualified.

Species is one visually stunning anime with strong renaissance vibes, showcasing the journey of a woman trying to carve out a place for herself in a profession that was considered predominantly male. It captures her resilience in an unwelcoming space and uses art to challenge the stereotype.

5 Bakuman

The art of creating manga

This anime follows the story of Moritaka Mashiro and Taro Kawaguchi, two high school students with the ambition to become the greatest mangaka the world has ever seen. It chronicles the journey of these two as they struggle to overcome various competitions and crazy deadlines, balancing the demands of fans with their own creativity.

Bakuman is an anime that makes one really appreciate the art of creating manga and how the actual plot of a manga is usually decided by the fans themselves. It explores the steps involved in creating a manga and the challenges mangakas go through, making fans of the series appreciate this wonderful art.

4 Barakamon

Find inspiration in everyday life

After a disappointing failure in a calligraphy competition, professional calligrapher Seishuu Handa is banished by his father to the Goto Islands to rediscover his passion and redefine his art. But he realizes that life there isn't like Tokyo, as it's a rural area filled with neighbors who can't seem to leave him alone.

Barakamon beautifully blends comedic and emotional themes, making fans laugh one moment and tear up the next. But above this, it underlines that art is not just about talent. It is also about emotional growth and the ability to perceive the beauty of everyday life – and to appreciate our environment.

3 Sketchbook: Full color

The simplicity of art

• Japanese Title: Sketchbook: Full color
• Number of episodes: 13
• Studio: HAL filmmaker

An extremely relaxing slice-of-life anime, Sketchbook: Full color shows the life of Sora Kajiwara, a shy high school student who loves to draw the cute and adorable sights she sees, as she breaks out of her shell with the help of the members of her school's art club.

This is a slow-moving anime with an emphasis on observation, giving a unique look at how the creative mind works. It's a reminder that all art doesn't have to be extremely grand or complex to be appreciated and that ordinary moments can be the most inspiring for the most beautiful art.

2 Kakushigoto

The secrets behind the art of manga

Kakushigoto is about the manga artist and single father, Kakushi Gotou, who tries to raise his daughter to the best of his ability. But he has a secret: his works are known to contain erotic content, which he tries to hide from his daughter as much as possible, going to extreme lengths to ensure that she does not find out.

Despite its comedic theme, Kakushigoto truly evokes emotion in the average viewer and delivers a heartfelt message about family and the personal side of being an artist. With a unique animation style and heart-warming scenes, it's an emotional roller coaster that packs a powerful punch.

1 Monthly Girls Nozaki-kun

Confess your feelings through Shoujo Manga

This comic masterpiece tells the story of Chiyo Sakura, a high school girl with a crush on her schoolmate, who ends up as part of the team that creates the shoujo manga for the boy she loves, hoping that he will eventually notice her feelings .

Monthly Girls Nozaki-kun is an anime that focuses on the behind-the-scenes of Shoujo's manga creation, with a very unique blend of comedy and romance. The anime also depicts the relationship between characters with strong character interactions, making viewers aware that it is as much about the creative process as it is about building relationships.