Your Lie in April

Your lie in April is a masterpiece of an anime. Spanning for only 22 episodes with only one season, they were able to tell the backstory of our male character, Kousei Arima, as well as our female character, Kaori Miyazono. I was in my classical music high when I found this gem, ever since then, the whole playlist was on my Spotify, been playing it every now and then.

Directed by Kyôhei Ishiguro (Children of the Whales 2017), This is the anime adaptation of a Manga of the same name, which also had a live-action adaptation released in 2016.

As cliché as the premise was, a pianist boy falls in love with a violinist girl. It goes way beyond that. It tackles the matters of depression, grief, loss and eventually having the courage to fight through it, finding that light, and having that light snatched away from you yet again. It sounds depressing, actually it really is. But it shows what humans are capable of, having that small fire lit from inside you, its up to you what you’re going to do with it. Let it drown together with you, or keep it alive and nurture it until it becomes a bright flame that will never go out.

Your Lie in April checks all the boxes in terms of emotions tapped. Happy or sad, depressed or accomplishment, all of which were displayed beautifully and with such finesse you couldn’t help but feel the same way as the characters do.

Voice actors

Voice acting cast was stellar and star studded. Just between Natsuki Hanae (Arima Kousei) and Risa Taneda (Kaori Miyazono), they have around 400 titles under their resume. Natsuki Hanae is also the voice of Tanjiro Kamado from Demon Slayer, the Hero in the video game Metaphor: ReFantazio, and 9S from the Nier: Automata Ver.1.1a TV series.

Intro song

The intro song “光るなら (Hikaru Nara) by Goose House” this is one of those intros you wouldn’t skip. Every time I hear this, all the scenes of seeing Kaori with a happy smile flashed before my eyes and ends with Arima playing his piano.

The most iconic and powerful performance in Your Lie in April was when Arima and Kaori played “Saint-Saëns – Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso”. It started off well, until it was Arima’s turn. He sees a blurred figure of a woman in a wheelchair up on the stands, then the notes from the book started flying away, as if dandelions being blown. His eyes started having rapid movements, shaking uncontrollably, which I think was a great depiction of having a panic attack at the moment. Then everything went muffled and drowned under water.

Towards the end of the song, he decides to play by muscle memory, by instinct. And he does it so well that it seemed he was rivaling Kaori’s performance. The animation and how they portrayed his feeling during those minutes was moving and heavy. Great representation and choice for a metaphorical display of emotion.

Your Lie in April’s animation in the piano playing didn’t need to go that hard, it was on point and true to life what keys were played. Pianist reacted to it on YouTube and even tried to play the keys themselves. This is a good example of what I was talking about.

Video comparison to real life piano playing

Both pianists and violinists reacted to Your Lie in April and said that it was a perfect imitation of real life movements to animation.

Towards the end, we learn about Kaori’s health condition. It reminded me a lot of “A Walk to Remember” featuring Mandy Moore, about the sickness that she was keeping from the guy. Arima’s last performance was “Chopin’s Ballade No. 1 in G minor” it was Arima’s bittersweet goodbye to Kaori, because he knew in his heart, that Kaori was gone. After his recital, he received a letter from Kaori, given to him by her parents.

The letter reads:

Dear Kousei Arima,
It feels weird to be writing
a letter to someone who was
just with me a moment ago.
You’re an awful person.
Blockhead, slowpoke, dummy…

The first time I ever saw
you was when I was five…

It was at a recital for the piano
school I went to back then.
The awkward boy who appeared
drove the audience to laughter
when he knocked over the bench.

He sat on that giant piano, and the
moment he played that first note….
he became the object of my admiration.
Playing notes as vividly as a 24-color
palette, the melody began to dance.
I was so surprised when the kid
next to me burst out crying.

And yet, you’re going to
quit playing the piano….
after influencing my life the
way you did…you’re the worst.
Awful, slowpoke, dummy…

When I found out we were at the same
middle school, I was thrilled!
How could I find a way to talk to you?
Maybe buy sandwiches every day
‘til you notice me?
In the end, all I could
do was watch you guys.
I mean, you were all so close.
It wasn’t my place to barge in.

I had surgery when I little kid, and
got treated regularly as an outpatient.
After I collapsed in seventh grade,
I was constantly in an out of the
hospital.
Eventually I started
spending more time in than out.
I barely even went to school.
Nobody said how sick I was exactly,
but I knew I wasn’t very well.

One night, when I saw my mom and dad
crying in the waiting room, I realized
that I didn’t have much time left.

That was the moment….

The moment I ran!

I started living life exactly how
I wanted, so I wouldn’t bring
any regrets with me to heaven!
Trying those contacts that
scared the heck out of me.
Eating a whole cake without worrying
about my weight.
Even the music scores that used to
boss me around!
I played them my way!

And then…I told one single lie.
“Kaori Miyazono likes Ryota Watari”

…that was the lie I told

[Arima: What!?]

That lie….

Kousei Arima….
that lie brought you to me.

Please tell Watari that I’m sorry.
Well, I’m guessing it won’t
take him that long to forget
all about me.
As a friend, he’s a fun guy,
but romantically,
I want someone more sincere.

Also…
please tell Tsubaki that I’m sorry.
I’m just someone who’s passing through.
I didn’t wanna leave an awkward
mess behind, so I couldn’t ask her.
Or rather, even if I asked her
straight-up,
“Please introduce me to Kousei ”
I don’t think she would’ve been okay
with that.
I mean, everyone could tell that Tsubaki
was crazy about you.
We all knew that for the longest time.
The only ones who didn’t get the memo
were you.. and her.

The “you” that my underhanded lie
brought to me, wasn’t who I’d imagined.
You were more negative and passive.
Not to mention stubborn,
relentless, and a camera voyeur.
Your voice was lower than I’d imagined.
more manly that I’d imagined.
And you were…
just as gentle as I’d imagined.

Remember when we jumped off Courage
Bridge?
The river’s water felt amazing!

The round moon peeking into the music
room looked like a delicious manju bun!

When we raced that train, I really
thought we could win!

It was fun singing “Twinkle,
Twinkle, Little Star” together
under the shining stars, wasn’t it?

There’s just something about school at night, right?

And snow, don’t you think it looks just like cherry blossom petals?

The following is a continuation of the letter but beautifully made that it becomes an exchange between Arima and Kaori.

…To be so consumed by everything
off-stage when I’m a musician.
It’s funny how the most trivial things
become so unforgettable.
That just doesn’t make sense, right?

[Arima: That’s not true.]

What about you?
Was I able to live
inside someone’s heart?

[Arima: Yes, you were.]

Was I able to live inside your heart?

[Arima: You barged right in without
taking off your shoes.]

Do you think that…you’ll
remember me at least a little?

[Arima: If I ever forgot you..I know
you’d come back to haunt me.]

No hitting the reset button!

[Arima: As if I ever would.]

Don’t forget me…

[Arima: I won’t.]

That’s a promise, okay?

[Arima: of course…]

As I thought, I’m glad it was you.
Will I reach you?
I hope I can.

Kousei Arima…

I love you.
I love you.
I love you!

Sorry I didn’t finish all the canelés.
Sorry I hit you so much.
Sorry I was such a brat.
I’m sorry for everything.

Thank you.

[Arima: You’re so selfish…I’m the
one who should be thanking you.]

P.S. I’m enclosing something that
I’ve always treasured. You don’t
have to keep it, but I hope you do.

(A photo of them when they were around 5 years old, Arima was just passing by behind her and coincidentally looked back. The shot was picture perfect.)

Conclusion

Your Lie in April is one of the best anime released during that year. No filler episodes. Perfect storytelling, voice acting cast was phenomenal. The representations were on point. The animation itself was beautiful and perfect. I couldn’t recommend this enough. Wonderful heart aching story of loss, depression, romance, and drama. And how we bounce back with someone’s help. Beautifully made, just be ready to get a box of tissue towards the end.