Shigatsu wa Kimi no Uso Review

Shigatsu wa Kimi no Uso (Your Lie in April)
Genre: drama, slice of life, romance
Format: 22 episodes (22 min) based on a manga

Tsubaki, Kaori, Arima and Watari

Shigatsu wa Kimi no Uso follows former child prodigy Kousei Arima, a once peerless pianist who lost the ability to hear the instrument after the traumatic loss of his mother, who was also his piano instructor. All this changes when he meets someone special.

Miyazono Kaori is a spirited violinist with an infectious personality. She an Arima meet in unusual circumstances. Kaori asks Tsubaki (Arima's female childhood friend) to set her up with Arima's friend, the popular and athletic Watari. Arima is immediately taken by her vivacious and complex personality.

Also a Disney princess.

Kaori is also a musician and is about to play in a violin competition. Arima is dragged along with his friends to watch her performance. Her playing style, like her personality, is vibrant and energetic. She adds her unique flair to her piece which enrages the judges but delights the audience.

Kaori, as a musician, is clearly curious about why Arima can no longer hear the piano when playing, despite his hearing being perfectly fine otherwise. She eventually manages to convince him to once again take up the instrument and be her accompanist in the next round of the competition.

From here the story follows the progress of Arima, as a former prodigy who must confront his past and rediscover his ability, both for himself and for Kaori.

Shigatsu isn't just about these two. It should be clear that there is going to be at least one love triangle here, Kaori has just started dating Watari. Arima finds himself feeling a bit like the third wheel except that he and Kaori both share something that Watari doesn't have - their love for classical music.

The show dedicates time to developing all the other characters, giving the show more depth and adding more meaning to the events that take place. I liked this and it reminded me a little of the excellent Anohana. It reminds us that everyone has their struggles and that these struggles affect those around us. It's never something that's just contained within oneself.

Having said that, it shouldn't be surprising to know that this show is not just about music. It's the main component of the series but don't expect the entire thing to just be about Arima playing piano. This is another thing they get right. They use music to convey emotions.

It's something that connects the characters, all in different ways, and even those who don't play any instrument are part of this musical narrative. It's a universal language. Its blend of music and drama is excellent but it doesn't forget to tie it in with a more grounded, slice-of-life story. One minor criticism is the tendancy for things to get slightly melodramatic.

Technically, Shigatsu is one of the most beautiful and polished releases I've had the privilege of enjoying. I hope the screencaps manage to convey some of the grandeur but seeing this in motion, with the phenomenal voice acting and the beautiful OST is something else.

Then there's the classical pieces. All were chosen because they had meaning in the context of the story. You don't have to be a classic music fan to appreciate this. The show is carefully crafted to make the most of each piece. They are equally part of the story as the spoken word. I remember people joking about how Beck made them go out and buy a guitar. This anime might just make you get a piano or violin!

Shigatsu wa Kimi no Uso is a stunning accomplishment. The language of music is a powerful narrator and in Shigatsu, it is subtle but powerful in its execution. Expect to get goosebumps, expect to get teary-eyed, expect to cry.