Music accompanies the path of the human metronome, the prodigious pianist Kousei Arima. But after the passing of his mother, Kousei falls into a downward spiral, rendering him unable to hear the sound of his own piano. Two years later, Kousei still avoids the piano, leaving behind his admirers and rivals, and lives a colorless life alongside his friends Tsubaki and Ryouta . However, everything changes when he meets a beautiful violinist, Kaori , who stirs up his world and sets him on a journey to face music again.
Source: Shigatsu wa Kimi no Uso on Kissanime
About
Your Lie in April, known in Japan as Shigatsu wa Kimi no Uso is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Naoshi Arakawa. It was published by Kodansha in Monthly Shonen Magazine from April 2011 to February 2015. A 22 episode anime adaptation was aired from October 2014 to March 2015 on Fuji TV by A-1 Pictures Studio.
Thoughts
I stumbled upon this anime when I was watching HERO TV, a channel composed primarily of Filipino-dubbed Japanese animation. What made me watch the entire series was the scene below:
Source: Anime Scenes Youtube
I have always been a fan of classical music(I know how to play a little bit keyboard/piano), that's why after seeing the above scene, I know I have to watch this anime series immediately and Thank God I did.
What's Your Lie in April all about?
Your Lie in April follows Kousei Arima, a prodigious pianist who dominated various music competitions when he was a child as intended by his coldhearted strict mother who forced him to play the piano exactly according to the piece (i.e. robotic and emotionless). However, at the age of 11, following his mothers death due to health complications, Kousei had a nervous breakdown during one of his piano recitals which resulted in him no longer be able to hear the sound of the piano.
Years after, Kousei still can't hear the sound of the piano and won't even touch one. He just decided to live a normal life together with his two good friends Tsubaki and Ryouta. Everything changes of course when a beautiful girl invade their inner circle. Kaori Miyazono, a free-spirited violinist who introduced herself to the group as someone who likes Ryouta.
Although Kaori likes Ryouta, most of her time is spent making Kousei return to the music industry. She wants him to play the piano again. She teaches him overtime that music should be free and enjoyable unlike the methodical robotic and emotionless style Kousei was taught too.
At first glance, Your Lie in April may look like a story about First Love. Well, maybe it is but there is more to it. It's a story about a young boy trying to overcome his post traumatic experience with the help of a young free spirited girl who in itself have a hidden story. It's about conveying a message and reaching out to people through the power of music.
Your Lie in April may have a cliche storyline, but what makes this anime great is how it was executed. It's pacing is not that slow nor is that fast. Everything is being laid out one at a time making it easier to follow and watch. It is a light-hearted series sprinkled with comedic scenes, making it look like a rom-com with a sudden twist in the genre midway.
For a 22-anime episode series, you would probably expect a little to no development in the characters. But no, you are given an ample time to feel emotionally connected to every character. The flashbacks are strategically placed making it more effective at crunching away your heart. Overall, Your Lie in April is a masterfully done anime series.
