I'll try to organise my review: we'll first talk about the plot. Then, we'll talk about the music. After, we'll deal with the characters. Last, but not least, we'll "judge" the animation.
So, let's begin with the plot: fabulous. Yet, the original speech looked classical: Kosei was a great pianist, "the human metronome", who was able to play perfectly every score, as if the original composer was playing. Today, being fourteen, he doesn't play the piano anymore, because of a trauma I won't spoil, and see a monochromatic world, the same colours as a music sheet or a piano keyboard. But comes in his life an excentric and free-spirited violonist, named Kaori, playing the score the way she wants to. She will try to make Kosei's love for piano and music reappear. Yes, we could have thought the plot would be: "Kosei unhappy. → He meets Kaori. → She helps him playing piano. → It's hard though. → She doesn't forsake. → Kosei is alive again. → They fall in love and live happily ever after." Well, perhaps it's a little bit more complicated. The work doesn't use music in order to deliver a cheesy shojo. It's more "a slice of life", even if Wikipedia and Mangafox describe it as a shonen. No matter what, it's a real love letter to music. We insist on the emotions music can make us feel, and it's amazing! Love, anger, loneliness, sadness, determination, the panel is pretty wide. And it's really strong. We're told that it's this way of playing which will make our music etch in people's hearts. We've got a reflection about music, but about the place of the artist as well: must they be what people expect them to be? Or must they be themselves, but being people that no-one understands? Shigatsu wa Kimi no Uso also proposes a reflection about the surfacing of love feelings, about seeing your beloved far away, about traumas, about mourning and so on. It's pretty good. And to insist on these ideas, several symbols are given to the spectator, free to interpret as they wish: spring, cherry tree's flowers, piano, music at bottom, stars and even trains (the only thing I cannot interpret). Yet, there's still some little faults: the beginning of the second part. That Kosei faces his trauma at the beginning of this part, according to me, should have been at the end of the first part: moreover, the 10th episode was excellent because it had already concerned that and the battle looked like it was led. In my notes, I've even suggerated an achievement of the hero. But, fortunately, this accomplishment is completed at the 13th episode (the second episode of the second part): it's not worth grieving! Especially as the humour is particularly excellent. For the plot, I let me give a 5/5, deserved.
Let's deal with the music. We have got Chopin's. I think it is enough to show how excellent it is. The "songs" we listen are extremely well played, it's a feast for our ears. The original score is effective, and even though it is not unforgettable, it's able to be mixed with "classical music" (I use "classical" because I can't make a difference between "classical music", "baroque music" and so on, even if I hardly recognise the romantic music.) Endings and openings are excellent. Especially openings. Especially the second one. Music is enchanting, and pictures' representation is superb. Fine art. All of this work's music (opening, ending, original score and intradiegetic) is well done. In a nutshell, the music, without surprising nobody, 5/5.
Then, characters: most of them are interesting. The hero is well made. A musician not hearing the piano when he concentrates on playing: it was ambitious! So, we have a character traumatised, totally empty, monochromatic, and who has got nothing to prove to the world, and to himself too. Yes, he will change (luckily, seeing a depressive character the whole work on wouldn't have been worth seeing, it's only well done in Life). He will colour his world thanks to Kaori, extrovert and free-spiritied musician. Kaori, who is, all the same time, an excellent character. All of the characters are excellent, and I won't be able to develop without spoiling, because all of them are suprising. Even some characters you discover after a lot of episodes and who are not that present are amazing. Nevertheless, there is one flaw: Watari (what an unluck, it's one of the main characters!). He didn't seem really developed. I thought it was an empty character that they wanted to contrast with the hero (you will understand how they are constrated by watching the anime). But we understand that he's got a willing making him cry. Is he developed or isn't he? If he weren't supposed to be developed, why this little development? If he were, it's not enough. Conclusion? It kills me admiting that but... it's... a... *clearing his throat* non-sense... Regarding Tsubaki, in order to complete the square of teenagers, she is extremely well made and deep. Characters, 4,75/5, but because of Watari.
The animation only confirms the rest. Super. Grandiose. They have really good ideas, really good effects. I mean, representing Kosei non-hearing the sounds playing piano by diving him in the water is an excellent idea. Landscapes are detailed, the characters, amazing to look, and lots of efforts are made: we have even got sentences on t-shirts (the "No Life Is Enough" made me laugh). Animation is intelligently between 2D and 3D. Even if it's not the best 3D ever (*sweet looks to Disney and Pixar*), it's enough to what it represents, and, in addition to that, rare enough for not bothering. Moreover, it's not that far from the 2D animation, it's pretty good. It's not like if they used that for the whole show (isn't it, KIRARIN REVOLUTION 3?). Yes, I find the animation superb, splendid, intra/extradiegetic plans are excellent, beautiful work, 5/5.
To put it in a nutshell, is it neat? You have understood: a masterpiece. Even a big one. 19,75/20 (=9,875/10, so let me give 10/10) isn't from nowhere. People say you can judge something only when it is finished: it is finished and superb! The beginning, the middle, the end: everything verges on genius! Excellent things, a rich and mastered universe (just one little non-sense), you've got everything to have a good time. This anime is an excellent "mise en abyme" of its aim: it offers you anything it has got in order to stay in your heart forever. Your Lie in April, as it is translated is a pure masterpiece, the centrepiece of shonen and "slice of life" mangas, a delicious work deserving more than a glance: it deserves your heart, your soul and your passion. Ears welcome.
