As I start this review, I find it difficult to really put into words what kind of impact this anime had on me. Perhaps you find it cliché to read such a phrase, or that anyone could truly have their real world life impacted by a 2D animation, but I am 100% without a doubt certain that this anime has changed me for the better.
Story: 8
As I'm sure you've read before, the story follows Kousei Arima, a piano prodigy who lost his mother and as a result had a mental breakdown on stage, rendering him unable to play the piano because he has lost the ability to hear the notes he plays. He sees the world in a depressing palette of monochrome, of black and white. There is no color, no joy, no excitement to be found in Kousei's world. He spends all of his days the same; going to class, transcribing music, and hanging out with his childhood friends, Tsubaki and Watari. This all changes when he sees a girl, named Kaori Miyazono, standing in a playground playing a melodica. As soon as he sees her, this strange, yet beautiful girl playing her instrument for a few excited kids, the world he sees begins to fill with color. The music she plays is wonderful, and as she barges her way into Kousei's life, he is set on a new course. From here the story is filled with an exploration of their relationship, the long process of recovery, battles between old rivals, and spectacular musical set pieces, among other things. Comedic and emotional scenes go hand in hand; there is definitely less comedy as the series goes on, but what is there is strong and pretty funny.
This isn't just a basic romance story with music thrown in for kicks though, as this anime goes deep. It delves into the idea of young teens dealing with adult topics, topics such as the idea of letting go, of moving on, of maturing, of stress and recovery, and of truly reaching someone, whether it be through your words or your music. "Did I reach you? I really hope I reached you." These topics are handled perfectly, and I'd be shocked if there was a dry-eye in the room come certain scenes. The conclusion itself is somewhat anti-climactic (in a good way), yet unbelievably emotional, appropriate and effective.
I don't want to talk too much more about the story, as I don't want to drop any spoilers, but rest assured that it is entertaining and very well told.
Unfortunately, it isn't all smooth sailing. There are some sections in which the story is repetitive to a fault, specifically involving Kousei's inner monologuing. Yes, it is important to the story, but it comes up so often in one sequence close to midway through the series, and lasts for such long durations, that it's hard not to be pulled out of the immersion and get mildly irritated that it doesn't just move on at this point. Additionally, it becomes fairly obvious early on what path the story will take, which may be an issue for some, as it lessens the surprise when big moments do happen. Finally, there are numerous misplaced comedic moments. In the middle of some emotional scene or conversation, there will be a completely random comedic interjection that ruins the moment. Granted these are still funny, I just think they're inappropriate where they are.
All in all though, this story is an intriguing and well told one, especially if you love music as much as I do. I have also not been this emotionally affected by an anime since I watched Clannad months ago.
Art/Animation: 9
The art direction and animation in Your Lie In April is extremely well done. Everything looks crisp, clear, and smooth. There are a couple episodes around the middle where the quality seems to drop a little bit, but you'll know why come the concluding episodes of the anime. The character designs are unique and well drawn, and everyone's design fit their character perfectly. Overall there are no real issues to speak of; only praise.
Sound: 10
Beautiful. Spectacular. Sensational. Amazing. Perfect. Breathtaking. Stunning. Fantastic. These are all words that could describe the sound in Your Lie In April. The first OP song is one of the best, if not the best, in all of the anime I've seen. I bought it on iTunes after hearing it for only the second time. The ED songs are very appropriate, especially the second one. And the original score? My god, I couldn't possibly write enough praise about the OST. Since I finished the series, I've hunted down all of the songs on YouTube and been listening to them near non-stop. Should I find the soundtrack on CD somewhere, I would buy it in a heartbeat. The emphasis on piano and violin, including classical music, is extremely refreshing. The ambient songs that play during the non-performance scenes are similarly fantastic; there is again an emphasis on piano and violin, with some light electronic elements thrown in to create such a beautiful blend of sound. If you've seen the anime, or are just looking for an example of the music which I can't adequately describe, look up "Spring's Melody," "I'm A Violinist," "I'll Never Forget Today," "A Presence Like A Little Brother," "Again," "My Truth," or "Truth And A Lie." I won't be able to hear "Love's Sorrow," or Chopin's Ballad No. 1 in G minor, Op. 23 the same ever again. And the conclusion itself has quite possibly the best song choices I've ever picked up on. Following the conclusion of the anime, I immediately moved Your Life In April to my #1 OST of all time. Trust me, if you have any sort of appreciation for music in general, but especially classical music, you will absolutely love the music in YLIA.
Character: 8
I greatly enjoyed the characters in Your Lie In April. They were well designed, as mentioned in the Art/Animation section, and all very unique while playing their own important role in the series. They were charming, entertaining, funny, touching, and realistic. Kaori beating around the bush, Kousei's struggles to move on, Tsubaki's mixed feelings, and Watari's desire to be #1 whilst being there for his friends are all on display in full force. Kousei's mother, Kousei's tutor (Seto), his two rivals, Emi and Takeshi, and his student, Nagi, also all receive their own backstories. It's quite impressive that in a 22 episode run time, I genuinely cared for all of the characters, and they managed to not only include backstories for everyone, but meaningful development (going with the topic of moving on and maturing mentioned earlier).
Kousei by and far has the most development and backstory focus, which makes sense because he's the protagonist. Unfortunately, as mentioned in the story section, sometimes they will repeat certain scenes from his backstory, which gets old and repetitive. For the most part though, his story is well done. Other characters whom receive the better treatment are Kaori, Tsubaki, Kousei's mother, Seto, Emi, Takeshi, and Nagi.
Watari, on the other hand, gets screwed over. He's definitely a good guy and genuinely wants to help his friends, that much is clear. However, he gets next to no backstory (only really shown with Kaori and Tsubaki as kids, and even then he's in the background), and gets next to no development (aside from a brief scene in the final episode and one other scene midway through). His backstory and development were definitely lacking, which was too bad as he was a character I wanted to get to know more.
Aside from Watari, the characters were well crafted. As mentioned, their backstories and development were intriguing and helped the viewer to connect to them in a personal way. They all had noticeable flaws and weaknesses that were key in said developments, and watching the characters work to overcome their flaws and weaknesses and truly grow as people was a delight.
Enjoyment: 9
Do you like music? Do you like character development and delving into emotional back stories? Do you like crisp art and animation? Do you like enjoyable and relatable characters? Do you like a well told, emotional story? Then you owe it to yourself to watch this. If you dislike melodrama, perhaps you should stay away, but we're dealing with late middle schoolers here; it's expected.
I loved the story. I loved the art and animation. I loved the characters. I was blown away by the soundtrack. Your Lie In April was a highly enjoyable, relatable, and emotional ride, and it's one that I'll be taking again and again in the years to come. This is certainly one of the season's best anime, if not the best, and deserves a spot on anime forums and "top lists" for a long time to come. I know it will be on mine, and I know that I'll be recommending this to all of my friends. It's hard to say goodbye to a series I enjoyed so much that I had to binge watch the entire thing in under 24 hours, but I have the soundtrack to bring with me wherever I go, and hope that this review has helped you in some way in your decision to watch Shigatsu wa Kimi no Uso, or Your Lie In April.
Overall: 9/10
Any feedback from you "helpful and not helpful" voters would be welcome!
