Story: The story (not giving ANYTHING away) is great with important messages about starting again and to make the most of the life we are given. The journey the main protagonist (Kosei) but undergo to return to the world of classical music after undergoing grave loss and considerable personal trauma many years prior is deeply affecting. The narrative does not give him a break with considerable setbacks popping up throughout, but that just makes his ultimate triumph all the more satisfying. Kosei is very likeable as a character and enduring in his own geeky way, I don't think I have watched an anime with a more understated MC in a LONG while.
Where the story is brought down however is down to production (and perhaps a refusal to deviate from the source material). While I do not advocate that this anime should have had a shorter 12 episode run as this would have undermined the very real uphill battle which Kosei faces the subplot with a very hastily introduced side character which runs from episodes 16-19 really drags on the plot. This side story should have been gotten rid of all together with the focus being on Kosei's preparation for an upcoming competitions and his dealing with Kaori's worsening condition. i also took issue with the fact that the narrative for the whole 22 episode duration is told almost solely from Kosei's perspective. I would have liked a direction which gave more equal focus to the two of them.
Art: This show looks amazing. The character designs are detailed and pleasing and the very common issue of overview of still frames is not to be found her. Plus, its set in spring. Lovely sunsets, cherry blossoms and beautiful skies make this a wonderful show to watch visually. Furthermore the story elevates the environment's importance with many of the characters using the natural beauty around them as a temporary but much need escape from their woes whether looking up at the night sky or jumping into a river. With fantasy, shouen and stuck in an RPG anime being very popular over the past few years a show which is grounded in observing how lovely the real outside world can be is very much welcome and something which makes this show stand out.
Sound: I don't know much about music so I can't give a great deal of detail on this however from what my ears heard the score was amazing. Here as with the art this anime sets itself apart, its just common sense when so many anime have scores full of electronic, synthesised songs to adapt a manga which very much focuses on a genre which is the exact opposite. Furthermore not only does the score sound great but the fact that this is a music based anime is not exploited to have music replace storytelling. Music facilities the narrative but never overrides it, after all they may be musicians but there is more to both Kaori and Kosei than music. From what I do know about classical music I don't think any of the solo pieces which were chosen were ones which would have been heard by the most and therefore I was always excited to see what would be played next and the emotional reasoning behind such a choice.
Character: The main protagonist Kosei while having the introverted yet goofy personality which has been seen considerably in anime goes on a personal struggle which is the strongest aspect of this anime. I have pretty much covered this in the story element but basically Kosei as a character while not perfect and sometimes perhaps depending on others around him greatly without being very aware of their own feelings is a very good protagonist and one who you can both root for and emphasise with.
The side characters however and in fact Kaori the main female protagonist do not get the development and focus they deserve and in fact there actions actually serve to further deepen their emotional scars to sometimes very annoying levels. Tsubaki, the best friend of Kosei who also has unreturned love for him is a case in point. Your Lie In April does her more of a disservice than The Pet Girl of Sakurasou did to Nanami a very similar character in a very similar anime (sorry if this comparison is not useful for you). While Nanami has feelings for the MC which will never returned other aspects of her character from obsessive cleaning to her dream of being a voice actress are given significant focus so that the audience sees her as a character in her own right and not a plot device. Tsubaki by comparison is giving NOTHING to do other than fawn and worry about Kosei, even her humour which while not original is still somewhat entertaining is only used to further drive home the point of how much Kosei means to her. In the early episodes her love of baseball is explored somewhat this is quickly abandoned for making her a plot device used to support and drive forward Kosei's development.
Kaori in spite of being the main female protagonist also does not get the attention she deserves and in fact I question why the narrative told solely from Kosei's perceptive when I interpreted the anime as Kaori and Kosei going on a parallel journey together and using music and their dedication to one and other to try and overcome the obstacles they face. It may sound like I am only interested in Kosei's problems but this is because the anime forces me to focus on them and does not give much insight in Kaori's true sufferings until very late in the game. To a large extend Kaori is also to a large extent a plot device rather than being considered a character in her own right. Also that reveal at the end in the letter? WTF?!!!!!! Not to spoil anything but I thought this show was about living life to the fullest and not having any regrets....I don't get it.
This is getting long so wrapping up everyone else who ranges from somewhat interesting to completely useless the other characters if sometimes one-dimensional are always likeable and add to the scenes they are in. If your wondering why no in-depth look at Watari, what do you what me to say, really? He was alright even though he did nothing whatsoever, so yeah.
Humour And Sadness?: Finally many prior reviewers have commented on the use of humour throughout the series and that it can at times be quite jarring when introduced in a serious scene. Personally I thought the use of humour was realistic and appropriate for the most part. Humour is used in this series in order to stop the characters from becoming too greatly burdened by the problems which face them, which is what many of us use humour for as well. Sometimes this makes sense in context but other times its clear the the character in question really needs to stop running away from what faces them. So as a concept this mixture of humour and sadness should increase the emotional power of the story there are times in Your Lie In April where it feels out of place and OTT. For me though this was not too great of an issue. As to the question of if the humour is good personally I was not laughing out loud to the gags as they were pretty standard fare however the execution was done well enough that I appreciated what was being done.
Enjoyment: This was a great series with some powerful emotional moments. The characters were funny and entertaining and the score was amazing. Added to this was a clear attempt to get the viewer to reflect and consider their own life, how to overcome hardships and see the brighter side of things. What can I say it was great ride and one which all should take.
Overall: The struggle which Kōsei goes through makes this a must watch for any anime fan or just anyone in general. His overcoming such deep trauma and beginning again in perusing a rewarding but often equally punishing passion is a narrative which gives all who watch food for thought. In spite of this however supporting characters do not get the development they should with Kaori getting no development until the final few episodes and Tsubaki's role of being nothing more chided romantic interest with no exploration into her other attributes or interests being an all too familiar story in anime. Anime really needs to stop creating shows which focus solely on the main male protagonist and then leave all the other characters they interact with as nothing more than plot devices which are used to push the main character forward. Aside of this and the pacing issues from episode 16 this is a great series with powerful emotional moments and a lot of heart. Make sure to have a nice comedy series lined up afterwards though because you will be shedding tears after watching Your Lie In April!
