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I think that this is a masterpiece.

If you ever wanted to draw as a profession, maybe even wanted to be a mangaka yourself, you may understand the main character and her decisions. That she tries to get better by drawing traditional art, but then finds herself led astray from her original goal to draw manga. How she tries to have fun with her friends, then is thrown back into her sensei's harsh routines. And, how she regrets a lot of her decisions back then.

The main relationship of this manga is the one between the heroine and her art teacher. Personally, I think, he becomes like ... a parental figure to her, a guide, but at the same time, she is too frightened to open up to him (e.g. telling him her true thoughts) until the end. Sensei tries to be strong – a leader, while the main is more timid and can’t talk back to him, even, if she disagrees with him. While he is harsh and brutal, she tries to have fun in life and doesn't work hard (when she isn't at his place). They simply doesn’t understand each other’s ways, while at the same time they don’t want to listen. Akiko starts to understand his personality and motives only, when she gets older, but about sensei we’ll never know.

One of the great values of the manga is that it’s really encouraging. Sensei doesn't care, whether the person has talent or not, he just wants them to learn the technique. And he is sure that everyone can be talented at arts, if they try. At the same time, he states that you can't succeed, if you don't draw a lot. Sensei's advice is quite literally "JUST DRAW!" and I guess it's the best advice you can give to an artist. (So, people, no more whining about talent, you heard the man!)

Actually, what fascinates me about the manga most, is that it doesn't try to make reality prettier than it is. Being an artist isn't a job that's easy to do (IF you have a job) and most likely you won't be rich, hell, you will be lucky to have enough money for your art supplies. Besides that, it isn't easy to maintain a good relationship with people and focus at your career at the same time. You'd have to choose eventually and nobody can say for sure, which decision was right.

At the end of the day, aren't we all just sitting around sometimes and think, like Akiko: "Hell, what did I do these past years? How much time have I wasted? How many opportunities missed?" And then, maybe there will be even that "Sensei"-person in our head, which gave us so many things we carelessly accepted without truly realizing their values until...