The main story in A Truthful Picture is a cohesive and well-paced string of pivotal moments in the life of a boy who, although he realizes that now is what matters most, is struggling with what he sees as the inevitable. The truth is scary, no matter how much you want it. Sumako honestly depicts how, more than anyone else or any external pressure, a person’s own thoughts and feelings can keep them mired in hesitation and insecurity.