Shigatsu wa Kimi no Uso

Kousei Arima is a child prodigy known as the "Human Metronome" for playing the piano with precision and perfection. Guided by a strict mother and rigorous training, Kousei dominates every competition he enters, earning the admiration of his musical peers and praise from audiences. When his mother suddenly passes away, the subsequent trauma makes him unable to hear the sound of a piano, and he never takes the stage thereafter.

Nowadays, Kousei lives a quiet and unassuming life as a junior high school student alongside his friends Tsubaki Sawabe and Ryouta Watari. While struggling to get over his mother's death, he continues to cling to music. His monochrome life turns upside down the day he encounters the eccentric violinist Kaori Miyazono, who thrusts him back into the spotlight as her accompanist. Through a little lie, these two young musicians grow closer together as Kaori tries to fill Kousei's world with color.

[Written by MAL Rewrite]

Miyazono, Kaori Main

Taneda, Risa Japanese

Arima, Kousei Main

Hanae, Natsuki Japanese

Sawabe, Tsubaki Main

Sakura, Ayane Japanese

Watari, Ryouta Main

Oosaka, Ryouta Japanese

Igawa, Emi Supporting

Hayami, Saori Japanese

Seto, Koharu Supporting

Minase, Inori Japanese

Seto, Hiroko Supporting

Sonozaki, Mie Japanese

Aiza, Nagi Supporting

Kayano, Ai Japanese

Aiza, Takeshi Supporting

Kaji, Yuuki Japanese

Kashiwagi, Nao Supporting

Ishigami, Shizuka Japanese

Saitou, Shunsuke Producer

Fukushima, Yuuichi Producer

Kimura, Makoto Producer

Tateishi, Kensuke Producer

Reviews

Mar 15, 2025

SpartanJarJar

Recommended

"Will it reach her?"

Music is a beautiful form of art, and this story makes the case that music transcends words through the perspective of an artist navigating a unique coming-of-age journey. The theme of legacy lives through every character: the one who's inspired by another, the one who looks up to an older sibling, the one who plays for someone else, and the one who lives their dream through another person. These story beats help us understand the characters' motives in a deeply human way, while also having the typical anime tropes that often appear in the genre.

Yes, it’s melodramatic, full of flashbacks, and packed ... with pacing clichés, but I think this balance appeals to a wider audience while still catering to those who seek a more mature and serious story. Life is unfair; it brings grief and the unexpected. This anime captures that sentiment while offering a solution not in the form of how to overcome, but when.

It’s not for the light-hearted, but it’s a story for everyone. It may contain one of the best ending dialogues in any media I've seen so far, thanks to its writing and the heart-wrenching rawness of its delivery. To create art is to suffer, to suffer is to bring others joy, and to bring others joy is to inspire the idea to create. Through one’s death came life, and through that life, legacy.

"Spring will be here soon.
Spring, the season I met you, is coming.
A spring without you...
...is coming."

Reviewer’s Rating: 8

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Mar 13, 2025

starcarver

Mixed Feelings

Disclaimer: This following review is based on my personal experience and analysis of the series for the whole ride. I know this series holds deep meaning for many. I understand that it has a large and passionate fanbase, and if you one of them, know that I respect you genuinely. Everyone experiences stories differently, and my goal here is not to diminish its impact or to undermine anyone’s enjoyment, but to share an honest reflection on its strengths and weaknesses and how my perception of it.

Your Lie in April is often hailed as one of the most emotionally powerful anime, frequently recommended as a top-tier ... tearjerker. It tells the story of Kousei Arima, a piano prodigy who loses his ability to hear the sound of his own playing after his mother’s death. His world changes when he meets Kaori Miyazono, a vibrant violinist who encourages him to embrace music again. While the premise is undeniably touching, the execution has its strengths and weaknesses.

Visually, Your Lie in April is stunning. The animation is fluid, and the use of vibrant colors enhances the emotional highs and lows of the story. The performances, especially the musical sequences, are beautifully animated, capturing the passion behind each note. Character expressions are detailed, effectively conveying emotions even without dialogue. However, at times, the show indulges in excessive visual metaphors, which can feel repetitive rather than profound.

The story carries an emotionally charged narrative, but it often leans too heavily on melodrama. The plot is structured around Kousei’s internal struggles and his slow journey back to music, yet the pacing fluctuates between engaging and sluggish. Certain emotional beats are drawn out excessively, making them lose their impact over time. Additionally, the setup for the story’s major twist is extremely telegraphed. The hints about Kaori’s fate are so overt that rather than feeling emotionally invested, I found myself merely waiting to confirm what was already obvious. Her portrayal as an endlessly cheerful and whimsical character made it clear early on that she was meant to be a fleeting presence in Kousei’s life. This predictability lessened the emotional punch of the story, as the narrative felt more like a checklist of expected events rather than an organic, evolving experience.

Character development is a mixed bag. Kousei’s struggles are compelling, and his growth is rewarding, but his self-deprecation can become frustratingly repetitive. Kaori, on the other hand, feels less like a fully realized individual and more like a plot device designed to push Kousei forward. While she is meant to be an uplifting force in his life, her methods often feel more like forceful prodding rather than genuine support. Instead of gradually helping Kousei rediscover his passion, she pushes him into uncomfortable situations without much regard for his emotional state. This makes their dynamic feel less like a natural, heartfelt progression and more like a forced character arc. What’s even more frustrating is that after all her efforts, she ultimately leaves Kousei behind, making her influence feel both overwhelming and fleeting.

The worldbuilding is minimal, as the story primarily focuses on emotions and music rather than a larger setting. Themes of grief, trauma, and rediscovery are prevalent, but their execution sometimes lacks subtlety. The series repeatedly emphasizes the same emotional conflicts, making its themes feel slightly redundant rather than evolving naturally.

The soundtrack is undeniably the anime’s strongest aspects. The classical pieces are performed beautifully, and the original score enhances the emotional weight of key moments. The opening and ending themes are memorable and contribute to the melancholic yet hopeful atmosphere of the series. However, the emotional manipulation through music can sometimes feel overbearing, as if the show is trying too hard to dictate how the audience should feel rather than letting the story speak for itself.

As a romance and drama, Your Lie in April successfully delivers heart-wrenching moments, but the way it builds up to them feels overly manufactured. The emotional climax is effective, but the prolonged suffering and predictability lessen its overall impact. The conclusion, while meant to be poignant, loses some of its weight due to the excessive foreshadowing throughout the series. By the time the final revelation arrives, it feels more like an expected inevitability rather than a devastating twist. Despite the heavy emotional setup, I personally didn’t feel the full impact of its intended emotional punch. Even when I tried to clear my mind and watch it as if I knew nothing about the story, the predictable structure and forced emotional beats made it difficult to truly immerse myself in the sadness the show wanted to convey.

The moral message of Your Lie in April is clear: music and love have the power to heal and inspire. However, the execution can feel heavy-handed, with an overreliance on tragic elements to drive this message home. While it aims to be an uplifting story about moving forward, the prolonged suffering of its protagonist sometimes overshadows the intended themes of hope and renewal. Rather than feeling like Kousei truly found his way, it feels as though he was dragged to his destination, only to be left alone once again.

In summary, Your Lie in April is an undeniably beautiful anime that resonates deeply with many viewers. It is frequently discussed and recommended as one of the top sad anime, but its emotional impact is largely dependent on how much one is willing to embrace its melodramatic tendencies. While it has breathtaking moments and strong musical elements, its pacing issues, character depth, and sometimes excessive emotional manipulation hold it back from being a flawless masterpiece. Despite its reputation as an ultimate tearjerker, I personally found myself more detached than deeply moved, as the emotional weight never quite landed the way it was intended to.

P.S. Kaori really said, "Get up, loser, we're playing music," and Kousei had no choice but to follow. But after all that pushing and pulling, she just dipped. Left him with trauma again. If I were Kousei, I’d just retire from life and become a rock. At this point, the dude deserves some peace.

Reviewer’s Rating: 6

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May 30, 2023

CynicalLOL

Not Recommended

Funny

I don't get the love behind this show. Your Lie In April is a romance with a neat concept. A kid who used to play piano, not wishing to anymore, suddenly finding a girl that completely changes his view on piano and life in general. However, this show is poorly executed and a lot more plain than it looks. If you're watching this show for the art and soundtrack, then you'll come back completely satisfied, as those are the two things that Your Lie In April excels at. Other than that, this show fails in almost every other way.

Story And Pacing - Your Lie ... In April has a huge pacing problem. Despite being 22 episodes, it fails to develop the characters and ideas in any way than the typical 12 episodes of a romance/slice of life anime. The times where the piano competitions begin and end take forever, sometimes an entire episode or two, of characters and situations being constantly overdramatic. I can understand the show is trying to show the fear and difficulty that comes with getting on stage, but Your Lie In April strecthes that out for an absurd amount of time. Its like in a shounen anime when a character pauses to spend an hour to explain his or her move. Its fine if you do that. Do that over and over, and it just becomes annoying. The only good part that comes from Your Lie In April is its ending, which I actually liked and found it to be quite a surprise from the typical romance anime. However, building up to that ending was a mix of boredom and frustration.

Theres another thing about this show, and that it relies heavily on comedy. However, its not funny, and never is. Your Lie In April seems to believe that all a show needs to be funny is misunderstandings and the MC, Kousei, getting beaten up constantly. I'll admit, its funny the first time, but the show does this over and over and OVER again. After a while, I could not stand it. The show always subverts itself unexpectedly, from a goofy lighthearted romance, to a depressing and sad show about depression and anxiety. The pacing is all over the place, and it causes a lot of the more emotional moments to feel far less impactful. I really don't get why the comedy is a central part of what is overall, a pretty sad show.

Art and Sound - Like I said, this is where Your Lie In April excels at. The songs are beautiful, the art is gorgeous, and in terms of art and sound, its one of the best in the industry in my opinion. If theres anything thats annoying, its that when the show tries to be "funny," the animation and quality goes from Level 10 to Level 1. Its done on purpose, but I personally hate when shows do that, and Your Lie In April always does that when its trying to be "funny." Overall, nothing really wrong with the art and sound.

Characters: Oh boy, the characters. This is by far the worst part of Your Lie In April. I have never met such unlikable characters and terrible writing in my entire life. So without further ado, lets get straight into it...

Kaori Miyazono - Meet the most annoying and terrible female character in a romance anime. I hate Kaori so much, its unbelievable. For the whole show, Kaori seems to come off as a kind, loving and sweet character. However, I personally disagree with this. Kaori is trying to help Kousei get his love back for the piano, but she does this by bullying and hurting him until he feels like doing it. How Kousei ever fell in love with Kaori is beyond me. She is a brat, and very mean to Kousei, and she even expresses this through her letter at the end of the show. I get that she wants to help Kousei, but that doesn't mean its okay to hurt and beat him when he has essentially done nothing wrong. The show tries to make this bullying seem "funny," but its not. Its rude and careless of her, and makes her seem like a spoiled child who gets angry when things don't go her way. Even though she has an "illness," and you learn this very early on in the show, that doesn't make me feel bad for her. Being sick doesn't contribute to abusing and bullying someone. She is by far one of my least favorite characters in all of anime.

Tsubaki Sawabe - I hate Kaori a lot, but Tsubaki gets on my nerves. She's a terrible character. Through most of the show, she serves as nothing but Kousei's lover, jealous of him spending time with Kaori instead of her. The show tries potraying her losing a best friend she has known for years, but its hard to like a character that yells and screams at the main character constantly. Worst part, she barely changes. Even at the end, she's still a mean and horrible character just out for Kousei. Her change of heart is poorly written and doesn't make me like her still. At the end, she's still a terrible character, existing to give Kousei a dilemna about his love for Kaori, and thats it.

Kosei Arima - The only character in this show I actually like. His struggles of being a pianist, and how he grows to love it again is a very nice story. Its to bad that he is surronded by characters that are rude, disrespectful and arrogant. Kosei is an amazing main character, surronded by awful side characters.

Other Characters - None of them are any better. Either they're like Kaori, where they are rude, abusive and mean for no reason, or like Tsubaki, who have no depth other than they have a huge amount of respect for Kousei's piano skills. None of them are interesting, and they all fall flat.

Conclusion - This is one of the worst shows I've ever seen, saved by the amazing art and sound. The characters, except Kousei, are horrible and rude from start to finish, never redeeming themselves at all. Its not funny at all, and its a slog to get through. The ending was a surprise, but I disliked Kaori so much that it meant nothing to me.

As a pianist myself, this show offends me. Its poorly written and completely unrealistic. I cannot recommend this show to anyone, unless art and music is all you care about, and you don't care at all about a good story.

Reviewer’s Rating: 4

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