K, just gonna say it, but Salvador Dali was a freak. This is not a new take. You type “What up with Salvador Dali, yo?” into Google and almost every link can be boiled down to the sentence “Oh, padawan, he was a complete freak.”
Of course, other pertinent info appears in the results — Dali’s status as one of the most recognized artistic Surrealists; his anti-social beliefs; his love for cauliflower. But these dry facts pale in comparison to the actual experience of Dali. This 1971 interview with Dick Cavett is a good example of his randomness, made all the more surreal by the presence of Cavett’s other guests: baseball-great Satchel Paige, theater grand-dame Lillian Gish, and Dali’s aardvark. The ’70s were something else.
I only mention all this because I noticed Dali’s birthday was last month. And I only noticed his birthday while talking with my kid and my kid’s friend about a surprisingly good, art-themed manga series called Blue Period. And I wouldn’t have been reminded about Blue Period if I hadn’t been listening to a playlist featuring its music alongside music from the anime adaptation of Kaiju No. 8, whose wiki I’d been perusing as I contemplated my next read.
The journey from a manga about a monster cleaner turned kaiju, to music inspired by the kaiju’s story, to music from an art-themed anime, to a convo with the kid about art in general, to videos about famous painters, ending with the freakshow that is Salvador Dali was pretty bizarre — surreal even, you might say. If you’re intrigued and want a ride down the same thought spiral, here’s some links and a reading list to lead you through the rabbit hole. As always, Explore and Enjoy!
Music
Reading List
Dalí: Art Masters Series, Edmond Baudoin: $13.99
Was he a madman, a genius or a lover? Was he impotent, paranoid or simply shy? There is no shortage of labels for the landmark Surrealist painter Salvador Dalí, as well known for his acts of public bravado as for his extraordinary work. Edmond Baudoin, one of the most original talents in contemporary French comics, offers his depiction of the man behind the artist.
Blue Period Vol. 1, Tsubasa Yamaguchi: $7.99
Yatora is the perfect high school student, with good grades and lots of friends. It’s an effortless performance, and, ultimately… a dull one. But he wanders into the art room one day, and a lone painting captures his eye, awakening him to a kind of beauty he never knew. Compelled and consumed, he dives in headfirst — and he’s about to learn how savage and unforgiving art can be!
Blue Period Vol. 2, Tsubasa Yamaguchi: $7.99
Art has changed the course of Yatora’s once dull life, and now he’s aiming for Japan’s most competitive art school. With entrance exams a year away, he’ll need to expand his limited eye for art, and quickly. He turns to new peers and the masters to envision pieces only he can produce, and soon dives into his first competition — the same one where his Art Club role model nearly scored last place. Among geniuses and lifelong art kids, does Yatora even stand a chance…?
Blue Period Vol. 3, Tsubasa Yamaguchi: $7.99
Relief is short-lived for Yatora after his first competition, where his piece was higher ranked than he expected, but far from his dream school’s standards. While he’s prepared to give Ooba-sensei’s challenges everything he’s got… what if all he’s got is still not enough? With 100 days until university exams, he must seize what’s beyond — beyond his singular drive, learned technique, and hard work — to produce an answer only he can.
Kaiju No. 8 – Vol. 1, Naoya Matsumoto: $6.99
Kafka hopes to one day keep his pact with his childhood friend Mina to join the Japan Defense Force and fight by her side. But while she’s out neutralizing kaiju as Third Division captain, Kafka is stuck cleaning up the aftermath of her battles. When a sudden rule change makes Kafka eligible for the Defense Force, he decides to try out for the squad once more. There’s just one problem—he’s made the Defense Force’s neutralization list under the code name Kaiju No. 8.
Kaiju No. 8 – Vol. 2, Naoya Matsumoto: $6.99
The final test of the Defense Force has come to an end, but the examinees’ challenges aren’t over yet. A mysterious humanoid kaiju revives a neutralized honju and sics it on Kikoru Shinomiya. Just when Kikoru seems to be at the end of her rope, Kafka rushes to her defense! But what is the humanoid kaiju’s goal?
Kaiju No. 8 – Vol. 3, Naoya Matsumoto: $6.99
Kafka manages to fight off a humanoid kaiju, rescuing Iharu and Reno. But before he can change back to his human form, Kafka is spotted by Defense Force officers, and the neutralization unit—led by none other than Vice-Captain Hoshina himself—is dispatched to dispose of him. Can Kafka withstand his superior officer’s attacks without revealing his true identity?!