Slated to release next year, C-Station’s original anime Opus.COLORs takes viewers into the art world to explore the concept of ‘perception art’. Hopefully, we’ll be getting a PV trailer in the next coming months along with more details about the series’ plot.
Best known for their Winter 2018 anime Laid-Back Camp — the story of three girls taking to the outdoors on a camping excursion — Studio C-Station is no stranger to producing cute slice-of-life tales. But whether Opus.COLORs will play to their strengths or take on a new challenge entirely is unknown.
Director Shunsuke Tada, who has worked on sports anime classics such as Kuroko no Basket and the supernatural series Noblesse, will lead the production along with writer Rin Hinata. The two previously worked together on the anime adaptation of Starmyu — another tale of artistic high schoolers.
Little about Opus.COLORs’ plot is known so, for now, we can only speculate about what the anime may be, although it’s possible it could be similar to Netflix’s Blue Period anime.
What exactly is ‘perception art’?
While much about perception art remains unclear, from the information currently provided on the Opus.COLORs official website, it seems to have something to do with the way colors are interpreted and paint the world. It requires both an artist and a critic — or ‘grader’ — to perform. Whether that means that the two work together in harmony or if there is some rivalry between the two participants is unknown.
From the protagonist’s bio — and the illustration of him with what appears to be a spectral wolf — it’s possible that the story may incorporate otherworldly elements. Is perception art a form of magic? Or is any supernatural imagery assumed to be a visual depiction of what the characters are sensing internally? It’s hard to say for certain, but either way, it will be exciting to see what form ‘perception art’ takes on.
Many sports anime in the past have brought fantastical elements to everyday activities such as giving athletes ‘signature moves’ and attacks that are more common in fantasy shounen series’. So it wouldn’t be out of line to expect Opus.COLORs to do the same with the art world. That said, since the plot is entirely original, C-Station has free reign to do something unique with this anime. We’ll just have to wait until more information is announced!
Who are the characters in Opus.COLORs?
First-year art major Kazuya Yamanashi has always had an interest in perception art — a mysterious new artform that’s come onto the scene. But after the death of his parents, he’s been left with more than general sorrow. Son of the creator of perception art and a successor of his parents’ talents, Kazuya begins to notice that he’s able to see more than what the human eye can typically detect. While his gift may help him in artistic endeavors, it’s incapable of bringing him closer to his childhood friend, Kyo, who has grown distant.
Kyo Takise may have been one of the early supporters of perception art along with Kazuya and his family, but he’s put off any dreams of becoming an artist himself in favor of becoming a critic. After the death of Mr. and Mrs. Yamanashi, he’s turned cold and distant — something that Kazuya and their mutual childhood friend, Jun, have found disheartening.
Laidback and cheerful Jun Tsuzuki has been Kazuya’s major source of support following both the death of his parents and the loss of a close childhood friend. A first-year perception art student himself, Jun just may be the bridge that finally builds back the friendship the three of them once had.
Other than the posts provided on the Opus.COLORs official blog, there isn’t much information regarding the characters — including what voice actors may take on the roles — but some guesses can be made based on the characters’ listed blood types. While not as popular of a practice in the West, many anime pair blood types with personality tropes (similar to the way zodiac signs are associated with certain personality traits.)
Type O characters (as is Kazuya) are typically depicted as optimistic and strong-willed — a popular example being My Hero Academia’s Izuku Midoriya. Kyo’s Type B is more typically associated with passionate but selfish characters such as Jotaro Kujo from JoJo’s Bizarre Adventures. And as for Jun, his Type A blood type hints that he might be sensitive yet responsible such as Black Clover’s Asta.
Similar to how horoscopes are used to ‘predict’ relationships, blood types in Japanese culture are sometimes used to guess if two people are compatible in relationships. Type O and B are predicted to make great pairings; does that mean a relationship between Kayuza and Kyo will flourish again? It’s worth noting that all of this is speculation based on literary tropes and is not a true indication of how the story will play out.