So I watched this because I see this anime on MAL and it looks that it's quite new as well as have a high rating (8.93 at the time I see it), and it also only has 22 episodes so I think that I might give this anime a shot, and I have a quite high expectations on it. But well as if you people can see on how I scored this anime, my expectations was betrayed.
I used to think of why I was bored watching the first few episodes of Your Lie in April until one day, I figure it out. First of all, it's the dialogue. Since the first episode, the dialogue was really boring and repetitive, they keep talking about the same (if not similar) thing over and over again to the fact that this anime make me sleepy at times. Most of the dialogues are only meant to try building Kousei as a character, while neglecting other stuffs such as the relationship of other characters, etc. Your Lie in April really spend out a lot in order to build Kousei's character, but looking retrospectively from what it accomplished in the end, the negligence of the other aspects that the character dialogue could built aside from Kousei's characterization weakens the foundations of what it tries to achieve for the audiences regarding the ending, notably Kaori's characterization and dynamics with other characters. Second, it's the pacing. Since the anime wanted to give all of it's focuses to Kousei, it's slow paced. Do I have a problem with a slow paced anime? Not if they can give an intriguing atmosphere that can keep me excited to keep watching it instead of being a total sleeping aid, and this is what Your Lie in April failed to give me. In order to make the audiences keep intrigued, this anime throws up a slapstick type of comedy, which includes slapping, breaking window, overly nosebleeds, etc. This type of comedy totally don't fit with the slow pacing and calm tone nature of Your Lie in April, and fits to a faster paced romcom such as Toradora, etc. To make it worse, they don't use another type of comedy and keep doing this type of comedy repeatedly. The overuse of single type of comedy, even if it succeeded to make you laugh during the first time you watched it, gets dried fast. By now you should've realized too that this aspects of comedy also defies psychology realism, as how I have described on my intro that Kousei is a child on his PTSD and this "comedy", should've made a PTSD person's mental state even worse, to the point that they might consider suicide. The second half focused on the drama more rather than the comedy, as well as keep making Kousei develop as a character. But honestly, despite the drama are the main genre of this anime, it isn't really that much for me too (the fact that I'm not easily get moved by drama may also took account too). Good drama should be backed up with the empathy of the audience to the events happening with the story, and what the characters are thinking about but sadly, I don't see that Your Lie in April have achieved it in a brilliant manner. But at least in overall, the second half drama was more well-executed than the first half, even though the love triangle stuff can be handled way better to give an emotional impact to the viewers.
The characters, like what I have said on the previous sections that almost every character on this anime are just there for developing Kousei Arima as a character, while they themselves don't have that much as a character. Due to this nature of characterization, Kousei will make a good character, but it also make the endings gives less feels for people who watched this (except if you can really be drawn by feelings easily.) For example, Kaori and Watari. In the beginning, Kaori had crush on Watari, but I didn't see them hang out together along that much, I even saw Kaori get along with Kousei more than I do saw her with Watari, although it's explained why later, this already give a big foreshadowing to the viewers that there's something wrong with Kaori and Watari relationship, while Watari himself also only there just to support Kousei, as he got really lack of screentime with a proper dialogue to explore his character. Another example are Kousei's rivals during his childhood, they're also the same, being there to support Kousei to play the piano again, and don't seem to have much rivalry too, nor have a characterizations other than they wanted to be the best in music like no one ever was. As for the main characters, I'd like to say that Kaori, based on family characterizations, are flawed. She have a family background, which was from a nice and kind family, but how can she become a tsundere? Tsundere by it's nature, come from a broken family or when a person have a lot people who got crushed on them and/or afraid of falling in love with one of them that it will make the others got jelly, but Kaori had none of this (but well, at least she got a family shown on the series.) Tsubaki on the other hand, also shown a bit of tsundere tendencies, maybe the writer of this story really addicted to tsunderes but who knows? And honestly as a character, Tsubaki has even less to offer than Kaori. As for me who dislikes the majority of this trope, I'd say that I don't like them both too. Another problem for me is the romance. This anime excels at the drama but don't have a complex character chemistry so that as a romance, Your Lie in April didn't stand out that much due to its lack of meaningful dialogue between the characters except when it's related to Kousei (Yes, this anime is the drama over the romance so don't the character chemistry to be on Honey & Clover caliber.) But still, Kousei is a good character at the very least (although some people might dislike Kousei's personality and call him as "dull".) I also have no character that interest me in particular but if I have to choose, I think it would be Saki Arima (Kousei's mom).
The most memorable scene of them all was when Kaori said "Elohim, Essaim, Elohim, Essaim, I implore you." This chanting of Kaori really goes to my brain due to some part of me being a chuunibyou;it gives a mystical vibe for me. And despite being a very melodramatic story (especially the second half) I didn't cry nor feel sad in the slightest. Perhaps my dislikes towards tsundere also took account for this.
The voice acting is well, for me it's mediocre at its best. It doesn't give any strong attachment to the character for me. As for the music, I really like all the classical music piece this anime have played as well as Kaori's violin piece. it's spectacular, but the other soundtrack is meh for me. I barely remember how any of the OP and ED anymore in a week. Also if you noticed the 2nd ED, doesn't it like foreshadowing what will happen in the end of this series? Might took away your dramatic moments too tbh. I'm an Asian and I really do know what "water" element is associated for in East Asian mythology. I hope this give a vague hint to you on what happpened and why do I think Kaori's intense characterizations is really trivial to Your Lie in April.
The best aspects of this anime without a doubt for me, is the visuals. It's rare nowadays seeing an anime (especially in shounen) that uses a watery coloring on the background as well as how meticulous the necessary particles the background has. The character was also drawn in mostly non-vibrant color, but yet still can show that it doesn't look dull at all, but rather refreshing, detailed, and pretty. It was great, and also one of the anime whichi the CGI images doesn't look bad at all. The animation was quite well-executed and sakuga too. I saluted this department of A-1 pictures.
Overall, I would say that Your Lie in April is a shounen series which tries to take aspects from shoujo romance, but can't leave some of its shounen aspects as well as quite underwhelming execution on directing with good production value and classical OST so that it didn't actually stand out much as a story. I might recommend this for a person who can easily be drawn by feelings and not having trouble with tsunderes as well as likes musical drama because in fact, the musical dialogue is what makes the dialogue of this anime the most rather than the actual dialogue during the first half. If you're either not easily get the melodramatic "feels", wanted an fast paced anime or actions, or maybe a connoisseur of drama genre, this series is definitely not for you.
