There is undeniably great animes with the theme of music and romance. But one that stands out for its art, story, and music is undoubtedly Shigatsu wa Kimi no Uso. Filled with beautiful art, music and characters, each episode makes you instantly want to watch the next. This is one series that kept me fascinated from start to end.
Shigatsu wa Kimi no Uso may seem like any other music anime; A talented musician participating in competitions and overcoming obstacles with others and growing as a musician, but it is so much more.
The story begins with our protagonist Arima Kousei, a fourteen year old prodigy at the piano. Having being prodded to practice piano for most of his childhood, the sole reason for his devotion was not to the piano itself, but for the happiness of his mother. After his mother passed away his world lost its color, having lost what made him who he was, his standalone quality. He lives out his middle school days, without any direction. However this all changes when he meets Miyazono Kaori, a beautiful violinist that brings the color back into his world.
Shigatsu wa Kimi no Uso is a wonderful representation of a musicians view of the world. Filled with competitions and the inevitable failure, but also the taste of success. This show does well in various aspects and is a great show to watch. The drama builds up each episode, the soundtrack leaves you with goosebumps, and the characters make you want to cheer them on.
This story follows the lives of two extremely talented musicians. Both have their own difficulties, but at the same time manage to push each other forward.
The world of Shigatsu wa Kimi no Uso is wonderfully drawn. The art and used throughout the series was stunning. The backgrounds as well as the characters were well designed with a focus on every detail. For an anime made in 2014 this quality definitely stands out for its unique art, attention to details and its own style of characters.
As the title suggest Shigatsu wa Kimi no Uso, Your Lie in April; this anime takes place around spring. With sakura petals dancing through the air as well as the overall atmosphere in which the anime takes place in really embodies the artwork. Just by watching a single episode one can tell a lot of time was spent on every detail.
As for the character designs, they were all well done. Each was particularly well drawn and represented their personality and style perfectly. What was even more impressive was that every detail was well articulated, showing every motion when playing their instruments, every pull of the bow and tap of the key, really makes you feel the passion and everything they put into their style of playing. The CGI used was not overbearing in fact it was nicely integrated into parts of the anime. The amount of time and effort A-1 studios put in really shines through.
However time and effort was not just spent on art, the music played was also an amazing addition to the anime; as it is to any music anime genre. But the music particularly stands out due to its special renditions of classics. Playing even music from iconic composers like Mozarts Moonlight Sonata or Chopin’s Etudes. Even if you’re not interested in classical music the pieces are definitely interesting due to its unique flare and renditions that the characters add on. The pieces chosen were definitely a worthy addition to the anime.
The soundtrack is also an amazing fit to this anime. The background music played throughout the series can be described as light but overall fitting with the mood and ambiance of the story. The music though not greatly noticeable definitely helps portray the emotions that the characters are feeling. Overall the music and sound presented in this series was wonderful and people who decide to watch this anime should definitely pay attention to it.
The characters presented in this anime are both unique and interesting, each with their own backstories and unique quirks. There is Arima Kousei who is a talented pianist and Kaori Miyazono a unique violinist. Both these characters were well designed as have completely different personalities. Because of this, the interactions with each other throughout the story becomes an interesting aspect to watch, both of them supporting each other and pushing each other forward. Not only are their characters interesting but they are also well developed, the progression of each character is nicely paced as viewers we can clearly see the motivation of each of their actions. Each episode is intriguing and builds up the next episode.
Overall Shigatsu wa Kimi no Uso is a wonderful anime with quality story and animation. Those who also enjoy music with a bit of drama mixed in should definitely give this anime a try.
