Basically, 'Sora wo Matotte' is a hero's journey type of story. The journey of drawing naked women's bodies, to be more exact. I know, I know. This concept is open to poor execution and mind-numbing cheesiness. Luckily, Komi Shinya has chosen a more coherent approach that centers itself on art fundamentals and easily digestible exploration/explanation of disciplines within the fine art world. One of the most attractive appeals of 'Sora wo Matotte' is the transition between the usual manga art and the more vivid, real-life-look-alike depictions of the paintings. This is not unheard of ('Alabaster no Kisetsu' does it, too), but it's very much welcome anytimeI see it. Much like 'Alabaster...', this series adopts a tone that analyzes youthfulness, art, and the cross-section between these two in the context of personal aspirations. Similarly, there's the figure of an older, more mature woman who serves as a fixation/main impetus for the main character.

Another good point: So far, there's no senseless drama that makes you want to bang your head against the wall. This is not to say 'Sora wo Matotte' lacks confrontation or emotionally suspenseful episodes. There's plenty of them, they're just more grounded.

So why the 7/10?

Actually, the first 20ish or so chapters were a solid 8/10 for me. I used the hero's journey archetype because Haro meets friends, foes, and obstacles (in the artistic domain) all the time in a very shonen-esque way. However, the author developed a bit of an issue with frantically introducing side characters. Some of them are disposed of quickly, others are on the brink of feeling like a main character and then suddenly...they drop out. A very glaring example of that is Mayu, who disappeared in the current arc, despite being set up as a main heroine of sorts. I'm sure we'll come back to her, but it's weird to ditch her to that extent considering her relationship with the MC.

-1 points for this too drastic of a switch. Other cons include a few pacing issues and some episodes where the naivety was too much for me.

All in all, though - if you've got the itch for an artsy manga, you'll appreciate 'Sora wo Matotte'. Hopefully, the current arc's characters won't be ditched too abruptly, and the cast will blend together in a logical way. Haro can be irritating, but it's definitely entertaining to follow his growth as an artist.