Shigatsu wa Kimi no Uso is many things: a 'young love' story, a success story, an inspiration (for musicians or really anything), and most importantly in the case of this review, fantastic. Let me explain.
Throughout this anime, I became so enamoured with every single character that I felt emotions at the smallest things. This show masterfully writes relatable characters on every level so that everyone watching can have some sort of emotional connection to the show (which is not hard, by the way). The art style is absolutely fantastic with vibrant blues, pastels, and popping oranges that reflect the seasons which the story takes place in very well. The story is admittedly a tad bit cliche, and sometimes the shows humour gets in the way of tense emotional set pieces. However, the soundtrack is PERFECT and reflects the musician's emotions perfectly. A stunning (mostly piano) score also matches the mood for most of the show, reflecting Kousei's state of being as it evolves. One thing I definitely wish could have been explored more would be other character's backstories and their own personal struggles. This is explored briefly with each of Kousei's companions, but the characters had a lot of potential for more backstory and exploration, providing a more impactful experience. The end of the show is absolutely perfect: it throws a curveball at you halfway through the episode and hits you hard (I mean really hard) with intense emotions that I personally never thought would come out of simply watching a TV show. As a quick side note, the pacing of the show can also be very slow, as the main 'action' pieces are the competition performances and they are few and far between. This did not bother me personally, because it gave time to the writers to expand on the characters; however if you prefer more action and less words, take that into consideration.
All in all, I think it is clear that I thoroughly enjoyed Shigatsu wa Kimi no Uso, and it will remain for me an anime that I will leave at the top of my list. I would recommend it to anybody who enjoys experiences rich character conflicts, both inner and outer, as long as you can make it through the long gaps between performances.
