Out of all the recent anime out there, I honestly didn't think that I'd find myself doing a review for this one. I'm honestly rather saddened that somehow, this anime has so thoroughly polarized some portions of the anime community.
I hope you don't mind if I add my two cents to the discussion, but honestly, at times, it feels like I'm taking a knife to the gunfight. (Don't worry, I've got a TL;DR version down there). If you only want to know whether I think you should watch it, then I'll just say it right now: Yes.
STORY: 8/10
"Oh boy," the more jaded ones among you start, "yet another high school setting."
"Uh, correction," the pedantic fan mutters, "they're in junior high."
Admittedly, on paper, the setting of Your Lie in April (hereby referred to as YLIA), is certainly nothing unique. Oh come on, a romance? A rom-com at that? *And* they meet in spring? Come on man, the title itself "Your Lie in April" betrays its obvious intentions, and to some extent the plot (I'll stop right there, we're veering into spoiler territory.)
To this, I will already make a concession to the anime's detractors: yes, it does, indeed, bring nothing new to the table. It is cliche as it gets at times (as one character does put it), right down to the typical love triangle. Heck, the comedic timing is off a good proportion of the time, and the melodrama can be downright uncomfortable at times, to the point of dragging us, the viewer, along.
I honestly wasn't expecting much from the show when I first saw it. I really thought it was going to be a run-of-the-mill rom-com, and that I would really just stick around for the music.
What then to me exonerates this series at least a bit to warrant its 7/10? Well, a cliche, when well-executed, still makes for good storytelling, and YLIA does tell a heartfelt story quite well.
What YLIA succeeds in is in giving us a comforting little soup, which is neither too experimental, nor too bland, but with enough spice to give its own distinct flavor. I could go on in-depth about everything in this show, but really, I do want to make this review for someone who knows nothing about this anime.
The drama, while excessive at times, is really nothing out of place for the genre. And that's good, because it's really the drama that runs this show. This is when it shines, when it waxes poetry, which, while, you know, dramatic, is sincere and unpretentious, but not to the point of dumb simplicity. The writing, I must say, while nothing particularly exceptional, especially if you're well-versed in poetry, is still well above many of today's anime, and it hits home when it needs to. I never felt like it was trying so hard to jerk a tear out of me with sad situations, but rather, building up the tension and releasing it on cue.
You know, as good dramas are wont to do.
YLIA, while tackling many themes like child abuse, competition and the nature of classical music, it is at its heart a simple love story. A love story between two people at first glance, but also the story of one's love and loss with something intangible: music. And does it deliver on its love story? Yes. One thing I can respect, even among the most cliched animes is not trying to be something it's not (something I can't say about the comedic timing). It doesn't stray from the main plot and when it does, it's for a purpose. YLIA executes a meaningful romance rather well and while there are lapses in writing and logic, you'll find yourself brushing them off as you get invested in the story.
It's a nice healing story that I feel many can relate to. Being a pianist when I was younger, as well as having rocky relations with my mother, this anime motivated me, or at least made me think about doing something about it. That's one gauge of a good show: it makes you do things.
That's why I can't get why some would go out of their way to trash this particular anime. It's something for the heart, not some failed cerebral exercise. A lack of enjoyment on this series is really a matter of taste, and there's nothing wrong with that. There were genuinely some moments I felt i was supposed to relate to that fell flat, either because of a lapse in writing, or that I simply could not make a parallel to my own life.
ART: 9/10
I'm not a visual person, so I'm really not going to speak at length about this. What I can say however, is that there really isn't anything about the art that should bother you.
A-1 Pictures has pretty high production standards, and here it shows. The background stills have a really nice feel to them and are very vivid. When they say it's springtime, they mean it: it's bright, cherry blossoms are blooming, petals elegantly floating through the air. Just look at the first few seconds of the first episode to see what I mean. The palette in general is very pleasing.
The animation overall is solid. The concert scenes probably have the best animation of piano playing I've seen in an anime.
There are however some lapses wherein the animators just used stills, or instead using chibi-style animations. It's nothing too jarring though.
SOUND: 10/10
I'll say this right now: if you like classical music, even if you don't find any merit in the plot or whatever else I'll write in the review, stay for the music.
What distinguishes this series to me from other music-based animes like Nodame Cantabile and Sakamichi no Apollon (they're both really good, watch them too) is how the character development and story is reliant and centered on the music. The music is not just an avenue for the rest of the story to progress: the music is an intrinsic part of it. I can imagine other music-based series without the music and the story would remain intact, but here, the idea is unfathomable, and that's not a bad thing, because what YLIA does is that it capitalizes on one of its key elements to great effect.
The first opening, Hikaru Nara, is simply amazing, and two months after the finale I still find myself humming it every now and then.
The other opening and endings are good as well, and trust me, in time, they'll grow on you.
This is a music anime, come on, don't skip the OP and ED!
The OST itself and its selection of classical music is exceptional as well. As Kousei struggles with not being able to hear his own music, the first two pieces we hear are from Beethoven. Rather fitting, as his backstory is similar to Kousei's: forced into piano-playing and later in time, desperately struggled to hear his own music. All the pieces are from the Romantic period which is appropriate for reasons that should be obvious enough. As the story progresses and its tone changes, so does the music, and though there are no lyrics, the feeling is tangible. Such is the beauty of classical music.
The insert songs are also very nice, and though original, are based off some of the classical music played in the anime, which is a nice touch.
Remember, this is an anime that is to be heard, as much as it is to be seen.
CHARACTER: 7/10
Here is what has been dubbed one of the series' weak points. The main characters at first glance are really cookie-cutter tropes: the brooding protagonist, the free-spirited love interest, the longtime tsundere childhood friend, as well as the friendly playboy. Boy, are we original.
The show however does give ample time, through flashbacks and other various means of visual aids, for the viewer to gain at least some insight to the motivations of each of these four characters. Though, one does remain mysterious and enigmatic until almost the end, and I wish this wasn't so, and the anime would have been better off at least hinting some of the characters' motivations earlier on. It's a bit of a gripe that brings down the series, but nothing so serious as to sabotage it.
Kousei in particular gets the lion's share of character development, seeing him struggle through his depression and trauma as well as coming to terms with his past. The story is told from his perspective, and the show wastes no time explaining Kousei's thoughts through monologues. We also see his development in terms of the people around him, whether it be a passing remark by a friend or an astute observation by an old acquaintance. The protagonist is fleshed out and there's really not much to complain about here.
While the series does try to do its best in fleshing out many of the side characters, the simple fact is that it didn't get all the bases covered. Kousei's two competitors, while we are given some insight into their history with Kousei, never really evolve into something more than competitors or colleagues in music. Their underlying motives also seem rather immature and over-the-top, which while somewhat realistic, can cause a bit of a dissonance when trying to think objectively about the series. There just wasn't enough screentime for some of the side characters, or rather, it just wasn't used as well as it could have been.
ENJOYMENT: 9/10
I thoroughly enjoyed this series despite its flaws.
This is the kind of series that you'll get carried away in, ups and downs and all. It will make you cry, maybe laugh a little bit, and you'll find yourself invested in the show more than you thought it would.
Much of my enjoyment, admittedly, stems from my relatively low expectations when I came into this show. I was expecting much less, it delivered, and despite its flaws, I wasn't disappointed.
Again, sometimes, there are moments when I just couldn't connect with the show, but overall it was a most pleasant experience.
I understand that the appeal of this series however isn't universal, and that's absolutely understandable. However, as I will again say, this isn't a cerebral experience meant to be coldly analyzed and combed over.
It's just a tale, a story, flawed as it may be, which for the most part does what it's supposed to do: ensnare and engross an audience of watchers willing to be carried away.
TL;DR:
Your Lie in April is a pleasant, enjoyable series which despite its shortcomings and lapses in its writing still delivers a great visual and auditory experience which most people can appreciate and relate to.
