MyAnimeList.net

Edit Anime Information

Shigatsu wa Kimi no Uso

Shigatsu wa Kimi no Uso

Add to Favorites

Buy on Manga Store

Alternative Titles

English: Your Lie in April

Japanese: 四月は君の嘘

Information

Type: TV

Episodes: 22

Status: Finished Airing

Aired: Oct 10, 2014 to Mar 20, 2015

Premiered: Fall 2014

Broadcast: Fridays at 01:20 (JST)

Producers: Aniplex, Dentsu, Kodansha, Fuji TV, Kyoraku Industrial Holdings

Licensors: Aniplex of America

Studios: A-1 Pictures

Source: Manga

Genres: Drama, Music, Romance, School, Shounen

Duration: 22 min. per ep.

Rating: PG-13 - Teens 13 or older

Statistics

Score: 8.84¹ (scored by 553,303 users)

¹ indicates a weighted score. Please note that 'Not yet aired' titles are excluded.

Ranked: #25²

² based on the top anime page. Please note that 'Not yet aired' and 'R18+' titles are excluded.

Popularity: #28

Members: 959,506

Favorites: 51,879

8.84

Ranked #25Popularity #28Members 959,506

Fall 2014TVA-1 Pictures

Episodes: /22

Buy on Manga Store

* Your list is public by default.

Trailer Aniplex USA dub version

Edit
Synopsis

Music accompanies the path of the human metronome, the prodigious pianist Kousei Arima. But after the passing of his mother, Saki Arima, 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 Sawabe and Ryouta Watari. However, everything changes when he meets a beautiful violinist, Kaori Miyazono, who stirs up his world and sets him on a journey to face music again.

Based on the manga series of the same name, Shigatsu wa Kimi no Uso approaches the story of Kousei's recovery as he discovers that music is more than playing each note perfectly, and a single melody can bring in the fresh spring air of April.

[Written by MAL Rewrite]

Edit
Background

Winner in the anime division of the 2016 Sugoi Japan® Awards.

Preview Manga
Manga Store

Edit
Related Anime

Adaptation:	Shigatsu wa Kimi no Uso
Prequel:	Shigatsu wa Kimi no Uso: Moments

More characters
Characters & Voice Actors

Miyazono, Kaori

Main

Taneda, Risa
Japanese

Arima, Kousei

Main

Hanae, Natsuki
Japanese

Sawabe, Tsubaki

Main

Sakura, Ayane
Japanese

Watari, Ryouta

Main

Osaka, Ryota
Japanese

Igawa, Emi

Supporting

Hayami, Saori
Japanese

Seto, Koharu

Supporting

Minase, Inori
Japanese

Aiza, Nagi

Supporting

Kayano, Ai
Japanese

Aiza, Takeshi

Supporting

Kaji, Yuki
Japanese

Seto, Hiroko

Supporting

Sonozaki, Mie
Japanese

Kashiwagi, Nao

Supporting

Ishigami, Shizuka
Japanese

More staff
Staff

Fukushima, Yuuichi

Producer

Kimura, Makoto

Producer

Ishiguro, Kyohei

Director, Episode Director, Storyboard

Aketagawa, Jin

Sound Director

Edit Opening Theme

#1: "Hikaru nara (光るなら)" by Goose house (eps 1-11)
#2: "Nanairo Symphony (七色シンフォニー)" by Coala Mode. (コアラモード.) (eps 12-22)

Edit Ending Theme

#1: "Kirameki (キラメキ)" by wacci (eps 1-11)
#2: "Orange (オレンジ)" by 7!! (eps 12-21)
#3: "Orange (オレンジ) (Acoustic Ver.)" by 7!! (ep 22)

More reviewsReviews

Mar 19, 2015

22 of 22 episodes seen

Overall Rating: 9

henyome (All reviews)

2609 people found this review helpful

Hers was a white lie built on a grain of truth that snowballed as one lie after the other piled up. At first it was only hers, but then it became something that the two of them shared together – like a secret, a world upon which no other could encroach. He may have been “Friend A,” and she “the girl that loves my best friend,” but they were masquerading around a truth that neither one could openly admit because ultimately, the truth was much more painful.

Your Lie in April is a deceitfully masterful series that initially appears light-hearted and colorful, its palette boasting pastels that lend to the idea of it being another romantic comedy. Yet the moment we step past the disillusionment that it casts upon us by its false prefaces, we quickly realize that what we have immersed ourselves in is actually a tragedy in the making.

Tragic not because of a single element but because of all of its parts, and yet at the end of everything, this isn’t a series about tragedy. It is a series about learning to heal, learning to move on, and learning to accept the parts of ourselves that we’d rather pretend aren’t there. Part of that is accepting that sometimes we need a helping hand to take that first step. Part of it is learning to say goodbye when the time comes.

What is so compelling about the storyline is that it’s not merely an adventure into first love, it delves into the reality of post-traumatic stress disorder, childhood abuse, and chronic illness. It doesn’t paint any of these as artistic or tragically beautiful—they are horrible, they twist people, they ruin the best moments, and they have a long-lasting impact.

No one is completely black-and-white; everyone has their short-comings, fleshed out in full before our eyes. They have their hang-ups, their strengths, their struggles—and it’s in these characters that this series really takes off in full stride. It would be enough for them to be multifaceted with equal amounts of depth, but they take it a step further in painting the reality of youth.

Older anime fans may critically analyze the series as an unrealistic approach to young teenagers, but that pessimism overlooks the reality of what it was like for us to be that age. We were all that point when we found our first love, when we thought it was forever, when we poured our passion into something that ultimately would not come to fruition or last. That’s what being young is about—and that’s what Your Lie in April gives us.

Granted that it may veer a bit over-dramatic at times in its representation of youth; there are moments of symbolism or hyperbole so overt that the cheesiness makes you shift a little uncomfortably in your seat (but I promise it’s not enough to gag you). Given that this is, however, a rather common trope that runs in series with heavier themes, it’s not necessarily a huge setback for an otherwise solid series. In the end, it is intended to be a fictional representation that conveys more than just what can be summarized in a few sentences or less.

The sound is completely on point, and the soundtrack artfully matches the emotions intended to be represented in each scene. From the actual classical music to the opening and ending, everything fits in like a jigsaw puzzle to give a full, satisfying final piece. When the characters analyze someone’s playing as harsh, rigid, and stilted, we can hear this—whether we are knowledgeable about music or not. Your Lie in April conveys emotion to us not just visually but aurally as well.

The animation is wonderful with bright, vibrant colors that bring the characters fully to life. There is an amazing, visually perceivable transition for the characters as time passes, particularly in regards to Kaori as the series moves on. It occasionally has some stilted moments but nothing outrageously noticeable to detract from the overall quality.

Ultimately, Your Lie in April is a story that starts out of the gates moving a bit slowly, but the pace matches the tone of the series. Structurally, it is a solid story of youth that dramatizes some aspects but never distracts from the intended message. On top of its other strong points, it’s aurally and visually a joy to the senses – and to anyone appreciative of a series willing to realistically approach the conflict of childhood abuse and the resulting trauma in a positive way. It’s not without a few setbacks, but in the end, Your Lie in April fashions itself to be a stand-out romance series that reminds us that while some relationships may be transient and brief, some people will come into our lives at just the right time for just long enough to touch us in a way we never thought possible.

Helpful

read more

permalink | report

Mar 19, 2015

22 of 22 episodes seen

Overall Rating: 4

streetlights (All reviews)

2160 people found this review helpful

From a quick glance at all the other top reviews, this series seems to be one that many people rave about. While there's certainly qualities in this show that are really good, I found myself rather unimpressed to be brutally honest.

Story - 3/10

Kousei Arima was a prodigy at playing the piano. He dominated every competition on a regular basis by playing the music perfectly as it was intended by the composer. He was so dominant to the point where he became famous among child and adult musicians alike. However, after the death of his mother (who was also his instructor), he was unable to cope read more

permalink | report

Mar 23, 2015

22 of 22 episodes seen

Overall Rating: 10

Bikhal (All reviews)

1174 people found this review helpful

"Did I reach you? I hope I did."

I nearly skipped this gem just because of the music tag. Not really big into music anime but somehow the art dragged me into watching the first few episodes. First episode was an average episode with few interesting plot lines. But the second episode was the hook. Irony. The tag that made me nearly skip this anime was the one that kept me in it. The music, the music... THE MUSIC.. what can I say? It was just right down my taste. Never in my life did I thought of "oh hey let's listen to some classical music" but this anime opened a new taste in music in me. And I'm grateful for that.

The first half and second half have clear differences with a very smooth pacing and objectives in mind. Some may say the pacing was slow and sometimes it felt that a point is being dragged out for long. As much as I understand where they are coming from, I feel that this series took the right amount of time to build up for the many impact full moments that is present. The inner monologues that the series loves to do felt right to display the conflicts that our characters are fighting with. Also, the conflicts dealt with are very realistic and people can very much relate to them. I happen to be one of them being able to relate to our main male protagonist.

The cast of characters in this show is pretty high. As a 22 episode anime, I think it did an excellent job portraying those characters. As most animes, not all the characters were fully fleshed out, and I didn't expect it to do so. The ones that mattered most were developed beautifully. Besides, nearly everyone's thought process were clear, motivations/purpose in tact and passion which shone through.

Sound is something that I will not even talk about since it is subjective. The main reason, however, that I will not dive deeper is because for me, it was perfect. I couldn't have asked for anything more.

Animation wise. Throughout the whole series, it was standard stuff from A-1 Pictures. It did have some drop from time to time, especially during the comedy segments, which I didn't find distracting but it wasn't great to say the least. Animation stood out where it counts. Those performances. I would have been really been disappointed if the animation was average in those moments, because of how beautiful the soundtracks are. But A-1 delivered, and they both complimented each other outstandingly.

By the end of the series, I was just left in awe, and honestly a bit (extremely) emotional. To compare, the 'feels' in this series (my opinion) surpasses the highly praised Clannad: After Story for one simple reason. I was just slightly more attached to the relationship our main characters shared than I was with Clannad. But the story is not about tragedy. It's about inspiration, passion, moving forward, family, friendship, helping each other (many more). It is about life and how hard it can be to carry on, but you still gotta do it. You still gotta live your life to your fullest.

"If you can't move with your hands then play with your feet! If you don't have enough fingers, then use your nose as well! Whether you're sad, you're a mess, or you've hit rock bottom, you still have to play! That's how people like us survive." - Kaori Miyazono.

Overall 9.4/10.

Helpful

read more

permalink | report

Mar 19, 2015

22 of 22 episodes seen

Overall Rating: 10

chito895 (All reviews)

720 people found this review helpful

My Thursdays won't be the same after finishing this anime. Shigatsu has taken me to a world of music that I will never forget.

Even though the story isn't anything new, the way it was written and directed make it feel like one. It is a story that revolves around music and how it connects people and how it affects them. It does not only affect them in a good way, but in a bad way too. And with that premise, a beautiful story about tennagers started.

Although there were some characters that didn't get a proper development to know and understand their own problems, motivations, and read more

permalink | report

More recommendations
Recommendations

More news
Recent News

NHK Announces Best 100 Anime

To commemorate one hundred years of Japanese anime history, NHK has announced a list of 100 Best Anime on Wednesday at NHK BS Premium. The list is based on the audi...read more

May 3, 2017 7:07 AM by tsubasalover | Discuss (463 comments)

North American Anime & Manga Releases for May

Here are the North American anime & manga releases for May Week 1: May 3 - May 9 Anime Releases A Little Snow Fairy Sugar Complete Collection Azumanga Daioh: The...read more

May 3, 2016 7:27 AM by Sakana-san | Discuss (14 comments)

More discussions
Recent Forum Discussion

	Poll: Shigatsu wa Kimi no Uso Episode 17 Discussion ( 1 2 3 4 ) Stark700 - Feb 12, 2015	180 replies	by asgardian »» Oct 12, 7:28 PM
	MAJOR SPOILERS Is there a continuation of the story... Nozila - Sep 26	1 replies	by Lululand »» Oct 10, 12:23 AM

More featured articles
Recent Featured Articles

Symphony of Emotions: How Music Defines an Anime

Music in anime can be a blessing or a curse. When done correctly, it can leave an everlasting impression on the audience. Music is merely one element of many, but it is a critical component that defines the emotional impact of an anime.

by MAL_Articles

33,015 views

Spoiler

Good Chemistry: Ingredients for a Successful Romance Anime

Despite a wide variety of styles and settings, many of the most successful romance animes have one thing in common: they inspire us. But what is it about these shows that tugs at our heartstrings? The answer might be simpler than you think.

by MAL_Articles

22,953 views