There are several events that trigger Yatora's curiosity towards painting. But the one that clearly pushed him into holding the brush and spreading the paint properly for the first time is clearly the beautiful view of the quiet morning in Shibuya.

That moment happens when Yatora and his friends walk out of a bar in Shibuya after watching a game of football all night. Since it is so early in the morning, there's hardly any people there. And that is when Yatora suddenly notices the contrast between the usual busy life in Shibuya with its calm and serene morning view. That particular scene triggers something in his heart.

In an effort to convey that warm feeling in his heart, he turned to painting. He brushes the paper with various shades of blue, he creates the outline of the building, and there it is, Yatora’s first painting. This is definitely the most pivotal moment in the series. This is the time that changed the course of his life forever.

Other than becoming a full-time member of his school's art club, Yatora also joined a cram school that specializes in helping students get into art universities. Yatora is truly set on his decision to be a painter at this point in the story.

But as he learns new techniques and is exposed to both practical and philosophical knowledge, Yatora often finds himself stuck between not knowing what to express and how to express it. One assignment from his teacher in particular really wrecked his brain. And that is to create a painting that represents bonds.

His first attempt ended up being something rather vague and mediocre. The technique is there, but the feeling hasn't been properly captured for some reason. And that is the point when he finally goes back to his art club in school, asks for the huge F-100 canvas from his teacher, and begins to pour out his heart into what could be considered to be his early masterpiece.

Yatora's mom is deeply concerned about his decision to become a painter. She worries about whether or not her son can earn a living from creating art. Especially since he only showed interest in the subject in his sophomore year of high school.

In response, Yatora painted his mother while she was cooking dinner for the family. He explained that in the process of creating that small painting, he noticed a lot of things about his mother that never crossed his mind before, such as how she developed muscles on her forearms due to carrying heavy groceries every day or how her hand has become rather coarse due to handling kitchen work.

Art is the one thing that lets Yatora express that emotion. And as the conversation goes, the two break down in tears. Until his mother finally gives her blessing. This is not only one of the most memorable, but also one of the strongest moments in the series.

Another meaningful moment comes when Yatora confronts his friend Ryuuji, the one who introduced Yatora to painting in the first place. Ryuuji is a cross-dressing male that has been receiving a lot of pressure due to his choices. Not only from the outside world but also from his parents.

Yatora is in the middle of his Tokyo University of the Arts (Gedai) entrance exam at the time. By all means, he has no time to spare. And yet his mind is just preoccupied with Ryuuji. Yatora can't fully understand what's going on inside of Ryuuji's mind. But all he knows is he needs to help him. So they meet up in the middle of the night and arbitrarily decide to go see the beach. Needless to say, the sea is freezing at that time of day, so they spend the night in the nearby inn. And that is where an eye-opening experience happens.

They put mirrors on both sides of the room, set up a partition in the middle, and start to paint their nude bodies using the canvases that Yatora has been carrying all night. This experience helps liberate their heart and mind. Yatora finally finds what it is that he wants to express through his painting, while Ryuuji finally regains not only his love of art back, but also his confidence.

The Gedai Entrance exam involves two levels of painting. The first one is a still-life painting. While the materials have been decided ahead of time, the theme will be disclosed during the exam itself. The second one is an oil painting session. This time, the participants are free to choose their materials, but the theme will be determined on the day of the exam, just like the first one.

As you might expect, both exams are super chaotic for Yatora. There's always something wrong happening. In the first exam, the theme is a self-portrait. And just as he designs the composition, another participant breaks his mirror into tiny pieces, making it impossible for him to even see his own face.

And the second exam is even worse. The live painting session happens during the span of three days. On the first day, Yatora is stricken with fevers and a head-splitting headache. He can't concentrate, he can't hold the brush, and he can't even see the model. So yes, both Gedai's entrance exams are exasperating, to say the least.