Shigatsu wa Kimi no Uso: Moments

Your enjoyment of this OVA will largely depend on what you would be expecting coming into the OVA. If you wanted more of Kaori like me, sadly you aren't going to get it. If that wasn't the case, I thought it would be clearing up backstories in the series but it didn't seem to do that as well.
Just showing a short part of what the life for the the rivals of Kousei competing against him was, for me, not good enough for the plot of the OVA which had gained quite popularity before being released. Coming into the ... OVA, the plot and the story just isn't what the viewers will expect watching the OVA.
However, as in all of the episodes of Your Lie In April, the OST and the music delivered as it always has and made the viewing experience really satisfying.
Overall, I wouldn't say it was an anime that you shouldn't watch because it's that bad, but I wouldn't say it delivered to the expectations of the viewers.

'You know, after I stopped playing...I've realized how much I wanted the piano.' - Emy

Much as it pains me, the April Lie could have been 'more'. You will only see memories here, when they were children, and here I thought I could have seen more of the mystery in Kaori's death.

So much for the audience's expectations.

It has nothing to say against the real anime.

The OVA boasts of the characters' 'beginnings'. It was pretty much centered on that setting, without having a solid impact. And I know that yes, just like any anime with a predecessor that wins, it had potential--that didn't reach it.

But ... though, when the OST 'You'll be forgotten' played on the beginning of the song, it just got to me!

But still, thank you for your efforts :)

Even if you like the show, Shigatsu wa Kimi no Uso's OVA is an in-coherent mess, with events and backstories that should have been elaborated on in the show.

Animation - 5/10


In the show, the animation (besides the atrocious CGI hands) was beautiful in places. However in the OVA, most of the scenes are reused, and when a scene ISN'T reused, it's probably a still frame. There were still an overabundance of chibis, and some very awkwardly animated scenes. Some examples are when Takeshi Aiza was riding on his bike, and there was a very oddly place perception shot. The animation while he was riding was ... also just a loop, which would be fine, if the animation was so awkward and didn't repeat for as long as it did.

The art was ok. Just about the same as the show but with an issue that I need to bring up. These characters are approximately 12 years-old in the OVA, and at this point of the story. Yet, they all look as if they are 3rd graders. It's a really big pet peeve of mine, that I feel was undermined for the sole purpose of making the characters "easy to connect to" or "kaaaawaaaa---eeeeeee".

Sound - 6/10

Voice acting was exactly the same. Nothing stood out in the OST other than the remix of one of the songs in the show. I had a big issue when Aiza was listening to Kousei play the piano at his house...yet I couldn't hear the piano...at all. Would have been nice to experience what Aiza was listening to.

Story - 3/10

An absolutely incoherent mess. The story is supposed to give background information on the relationship of Aiza, Emi, and Kousei, yet we see no interaction from Kousei. He's simply...not apart of the relationship. It felt as if the OVA was just screaming "NOTICE ME SENPAI! NOTICE ME!", and Kousei never noticed.

Aside from Kousei's involvement, the story just jumps around too much to really understand what's going on. One moment they're at a concert, next moment, Aiza is sitting outside Kousei's house. The pacing is atrocious as events go by waaaaay too fast to comprehend what's actually going on. This all just felt as if it was supposed to be an arc IN THE SHOW, similar to how Kuroko no Basket has arcs dedicated to flashbacks to develop the characters.

Characters - 3/10

Emi and Takeshi both have the same, typical cliche'd "I'M GONNA BE THE BEST!" mentality, that isn't even somewhat heartwarming due to the pacing of the OVA and the lack of amount of time to establish a connection. Even if you are to watch this after marathoning the show, you won't feel anything, as these motivations were established in the show.

As stated earlier, Kousei is very bland and has no involvement in what was SUPPOSED to be a 3-way development triangle of sorts. Due to him being the most interesting character in the show, by far, it makes no sense to have him act completely bland, other than to be an excuse to have the "NOTICE ME SENPAI!" mentality with Takeshi and Emi.

Aiza and Emi are generic. Nothing happens with these two as neither of them really grow...well Aiza does to an extent, but in the end, he has the same mentality as he did at the beginning of the OVA. There's no development here, and the characters are very generic.

Enjoyment - 1/10

I'd give it lower but I physically can't.

Value - 1/10

There's no rewatchability here, that's for sure. This was also built off of many typical shounen cliche's, and the OVA brings nothing new to the show.

Final Verdict - 3.17/10

The OVA/OAD is very hard to watch. The amount of reused clips is disappointing, but it's an OVA, so I guess that can be excused to an extent. The sound is average, and the characters are just...there. Nothing is done with them, and they don't develop. Even if you like the show, there is no point in watching this OVA, other than for the sake of watching something short.

Don't watch this, it's a waste of time.