Your Lie in April

Your Lie in April

Cover of the first tankōbon volume featuring Kosei Arima and Kaori Miyazono
四月は君の嘘
(Shigatsu wa Kimi no Uso)
Genre Drama, Romance, Music, Tragedy
Manga
Written by Naoshi Arakawa
Published by Kodansha
English publisher
Demographic Shōnen
Magazine Monthly Shōnen Magazine
Original run April 6, 2011 – February 6, 2015
Volumes 11
Anime television series
Directed by Kyōhei Ishiguro
Written by Takao Yoshioka
Music by Masaru Yokoyama
Studio A-1 Pictures
Licensed by
Network Fuji TV (noitamina)
Original run October 9, 2014 – March 19, 2015
Episodes 22

Your Lie in April, known in Japan as Shigatsu wa Kimi no Uso (四月は君の嘘?, lit. April is Your Lie)

is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Naoshi Arakawa. An anime television series adaptation by A-1 Pictures aired from October 2014 to March 2015 on Fuji TV's noitamina block.[2]

Plot

Piano prodigy Kousei Arima dominated the competition and has become famous among child musicians. After his mother, who was also his instructor, died, he had a mental breakdown while performing at a piano recital at the age of eleven. As a result, he is no longer able to hear the sound of his piano even though his hearing is perfectly fine. Two years later, Kousei hasn't touched the piano and views the world in monotone, without any flair or color. He has resigned himself to living out his life with his good friends, Tsubaki and Watari, until, one day, a girl changes everything. Kaori Miyazono, a pretty, free-spirited violinist whose playing style reflects her personality, helps Kousei return to the music world and shows that it should be free and mold breaking unlike the structured and rigid style Kousei was used to.

Characters

Kōsei Arima (有馬 公生 Arima Kōsei)
Voiced by: Natsuki Hanae & Piano performance by: Tomoki Sakata
Kōsei is a former child prodigy in playing piano, often dubbed as the "Human Metronome" due to his mothers overly strict method of teaching. He was able to play the piano with unparalleled precision and thus won many competitions across Japan. When she passed away, the psychological trauma caused him to lose the ability to hear the notes and thus quits being a pianist. Two years later, he resumes his pianist career after being influenced by Kaori Miyazono's freestyle playing behavior.
Kaori Miyazono (宮園 かをり Miyazono Kawori)
Voiced by: Risa Taneda & Violin performance by: Yūna Shinohara
Kaori is Tsubaki's classmate, a free-spirited violinist who had drawn much criticism from judging panels due to her unwillingness to follow the score, but is highly favoured by her audience. Kaori met Kōsei when she requested Tsubaki to set her up with Watari. Kaori eventually convinced Kōsei to play the piano again, first as her accompanist and later in a piano competition. She had a disease where parts of her body would immobilize, in which she would be hospitalized for long periods of time.

In the last episode, it is revealed that when she was younger, she saw Kousei perform. She quit her piano lessons and started playing the violin. One day she was in the hospital, she heard her parents crying and she realized that she wouldn't live for that long, so she started to live to her fullest. Kaori was ecstatic when she was going to high school with Kousei, but couldn't speak to Kousei with his closeness to Tsubaki and Watari. She then made a lie in April that she was in love with Watari, so she could get closer to Kousei, hence the title of the anime

Tsubaki Sawabe (澤部 椿 Sawabe Tsubaki)
Voiced by: Ayane Sakura
Kōsei's childhood friend and next-door neighbor, who treats him like a little brother. She is athletic and is part of the softball club at school. Often dismayed at Kōsei's inability to move on from his mother's death, she attempts to get him to play the piano again in order to make a clear decision about his future.
Ryōta Watari (渡 亮太 Watari Ryōta)
Voiced by: Ryōta Ōsaka
Ryōta is Kōsei and Tsubaki's childhood friend who is also the captain of the school's soccer team. He is extremely popular with girls, often adopting a frivolous attitude. However, he does once in a while come up with good insight.
Takeshi Aiza (相座 武士 Aiza Takeshi)
Voiced by: Yūki Kaji
Takeshi is a pianist of the same age as Kōsei. His aim was always to catch up and surpass Kōsei on the piano since watching him play at a young age. His resolve is so strong to the point that Takeshi would even abandon an invitation for a piano competition in Europe in order to compete with Kōsei.
Emi Igawa (井川 絵見 Igawa Emi)
Voiced by: Saori Hayami
Emi is a pianist of the same age as Kōsei, who decided to become a pianist after listening to Kōsei play at the age of 5. She aims to reach Kōsei through her emotional playing style.
Nagi Aiza (相座 凪 Aiza Nagi)
Voiced by: Ai Kayano
Nagi is Takeshi's little sister who pretended to ask for tuition from Hiroko in order to scout his brother's rival, Kōsei. She ended up being Kōsei's student. She often says "Cliche" (陳腐 Chinpu) to things that she thought really cliche.
Saki Arima (有馬 早希 Arima Saki)
Voiced by: Mamiko Noto
Saki was Kōsei's strict mother who demanded that Kōsei practice the piano until absolute perfection, and often beat him up for small mistakes. While she did not plan to make Kōsei a pianist at first, her realization of Kōsei's talents and the discovery of her terminal illness made her decide to give Kōsei a strict foundation in piano in order to be able to find his own style and a living as a pianist after she dies. She died before Kōsei's qualification to what supposedly was his first competition in Europe.
Hiroko Seto (瀬戸 紘子 Seto Hiroko)
Voiced by: Mie Sonozaki
Hiroko is a nationally renowned pianist and Saki's close friend from college. She was the one who discovered Kōsei's talents in piano and suggested Saki to make him into a pianist despite Saki's initial disagreement. Blaming herself for Saki's brutal treatment to Kōsei and his psychological trauma from Saki's death, she becomes Kōsei's guardian. After Kōsei resumed his pianist career, she also becomes his mentor.
Saitō (斎藤 Saitō)
Voiced by: Kazuyuki Okitsu
Saitō is Tsubaki's baseball-playing senior and her target of admiration. He confessed to Tsubaki and dated her, but suggested they break up after realizing Tsubaki's actual feelings for Kōsei, covering it up through saying that he found someone else he loves.
Nao Kashiwagi (柏木 奈緒 Kashiwagi Nao)
Voiced by: Shizuka Ishigami
Kashiwagi is a good friend of Tsubaki's who often gives her advice. Kashiwagi succeeded in breaking Tsubaki's stubbornness to realize and admit her feelings for Kōsei.

Media

Anime

A-1 Pictures has aired the anime production of Your Lie in April. It premiered on October 10, 2014 in Japan and ended on March 20, 2015. Crunchyroll is currently airing the series with English subtitles.[3] The first opening theme song is "Hikaru Nara" (光るなら lit. If You Will Shine) by Goose house and the first ending theme song is "Kirameki" (キラメキ lit. Sparkle) by wacci.[4] The second opening song is "Nanairo Symphony" (七色シンフォニー Nanairo Shinfonī, lit. "Seven Colored Symphony") by Coalamode and the second ending theme is "Orange" (オレンジ Orenji) by 7!! (Seven Oops).[4]

Episode list

No. Title Original air date
1 "Monotone/Colorful"
"Monotōn/Karafuru" (モノトーン / カラフル) 		October 9, 2014
The autumn he was twelve, piano prodigy Kousei Arima suddenly found himself unable to play the piano after his mother's death. Kousei quits the piano and resumes a normal life with his childhood friends, Tsubaki Sawabe, and Ryota Watari. One day in April two years later, Tsubaki invites Kousei on a double date as Ryota is being introduced to a certain girl who has a crush on Watari. Kousei reluctantly heads over to the rendezvous spot first. There, he sees a girl playing a melodica. This girl, who allegedly has a crush on Watari, is Kaori Miyazono. And she turns out to be a violinist! 
2 "Friend A"
"Yūjin A" (友人A) 		October 16, 2014
With Kousei Arima and the others in tow, Kaori Miyazono heads for the concert hall, where a violin competition is being held. Kousei breathes in the nostalgic scent of the hall. Many in the audience recognize Kousei as the boy once known as a piano prodigy. The competition starts, and the auditorium is filled with tension. The fourth contestant that came on the stage was Kaori. Her performance of the Kreutzer Sonata is completely different than that of the other contestants. Ignoring what the sheet music calls for, she makes the piece uniquely her own. She is beautiful in this endeavor. Afterwards, she runs toward Ryota Watari. It’s like a scene out of a movie. Observing the hero and heroine from the sidelines, Kousei is struck by the feeling that he’s playing the role of “Friend A.” 
3 "Inside Spring"
"Haru no Naka" (春の中) 		October 23, 2014
On his way home from school, Kousei Arima runs into Kaori Miyazono, and he goes with her to a café as Ryota Watari's substitute. Kaori is thrilled with her plate of delicious waffles. There's an old upright piano in the café, and some kids are attempting to play Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star on it. Kaori orders Kousei to perform, and the sound of his playing soon resonates around the café. But then suddenly, he stops. Kousei begins to lose his ability to hear the sound of the piano once he starts concentrating. It is then that Kaori appoints Kousei to be her accompanist. By claiming the audience’s nomination, Kaori is slated to compete in the second round of the preliminaries. 
4 "Departure"
"Tabidachi" (旅立ち) 		October 30, 2014
It's the day of the second round of the preliminaries. Kaori and Kousei await their turn in the hallway of the venue. Noticing that Kousei is a bundle of nerves, Kaori head-butts him. Looking Kousei in the eye, she encourages him by saying, "I know you can do it." And their musical journey, with no clear destination, begins. Although they start off quietly, just as the melody changes, Kaori unleashes her true colors... She starts playing the violin with her whole body. In order to keep pace with her, Kousei plays precisely, never hitting a false note. But the more Kousei focuses on their music, the more the notes disappear, and the less he is able to hear the sound of the piano... Eventually, his accompaniment spins out of control, and he abruptly stops playing. Then Kaori stops playing as well. Smiling, the young girl whispers to him, "Again..." 
5 "Gray Skies"
"Donten Moyō" (どんてんもよう) 		November 6, 2014
The trio of childhood friends, Tsubaki, Watari, and Kousei rush into a hospital room. Kaori has been hospitalized, following her performance in the competition. Because they stopped playing at one point, Kousei and Kaori have been disqualified from advancing to the final round. Yet Kaori hasn't said a word of reproach to Kousei...which makes Kousei feel even worse. "Have you been playing the piano?" "Do you think you'll be able to forget?" Kaori's questions haunt him relentlessly. Several days later, Kousei spots Kaori, who is back at school after being discharged from the hospital. He wonders whether he should speak to her or not, but then sees that Watari is by her side. Don't get the wrong idea, Kousei tells himself. But he runs into her yet again on his way home from school that day. That's when Kaori implores him to enter a piano competition. 
6 "On the Way Home"
"Kaerimichi" (帰り道) 		November 13, 2014
From the music room at school, the sound of a piano can be heard. It's a recording of Kousei's playing, and his friends are giving it a second listen. Hearing his own performance, Kousei is in shock. Without giving a thought to Kousei's feelings, Kaori informs him that she's already sent in his submission form for a competition. "Why do you play the piano?" asks Kaori. Kousei sits before the piano alone. And so begin the days of Kousei practicing, just him and the piano. Watching Kaori suddenly get closer to Kousei, Tsubaki begins to feel left out. She can see that they both inhabit a musician's world, which she can never enter. During the final days of her summer in junior high, Tsubaki injures her leg during a game, and the team takes a hard luck loss. But, when Tsubaki is suffering from this devastating incident, it’s none other than Kousei who comes to her side. 
7 "The Shadow Whisper"
"Kage Sasayaku" (カゲささやく) 		November 20, 2014
The day of the competition is approaching. Kousei is now able to play his selected piece by heart. But he's not sure if he's made it his own or not. The troubled Kousei collapses during class, and gets carted off to the infirmary. "You're you, no matter what," says Kaori, who comes to see him. After struggling, losing his way, and suffering, the answer he arrives at is laughably simple... And now it's the day of the competition. Kousei fears that he'll end up not being able to play again. But in his heart, Kaori encourages him. Meanwhile, at the venue, a boy and a girl await Kousei's arrival. It's Takeshi Aiza and Emi Igawa. Several years ago, when Kousei was winning every prize in sight, these were two pianists in the same age group looked up to him, were jealous of him, and viewed him as a rival. 
8 "Let it Ring"
"Hibike" (響け) 		November 27, 2014
Takeshi, the favorite to win the competition, has been waiting for Kousei for two years. Aspiring to play like Kousei, he has worked tenaciously to improve himself so that he can reach even greater heights. His performance is met with thunderous applause. After listening to Takeshi’s performance, Emi quietly approaches the stage. She had been in awe of the young Kousei, vowing to become a pianist herself. Ever since Kousei vanished from the scene, she has lost her motivation, and has been an erratic performer for the past few years. But after being reunited with Kousei at this competition, she gives the performance of her life. Her emotions become one with the swelling of the music she’s playing, appealing to the audience’s sentiments. Among them, Kaori feels something about Emi’s playing resonate within her. 
9 "Resonance"
"Kyōmei" (共鳴) 		December 4, 2014
In order to convey her feelings to Kousei, the pianist she once looked up to, Emi gives a passionate performance. She heads straight for Kousei right after leaving the stage, only to find herself bereft of words. After all, she had just poured all of her feelings into her playing. And at last, Kousei heads for the stage. As he sits before the piano, the ghost of his dead mother speaks to him. And so begins Kousei’s musical journey as he confronts his past. 
10 "The Scenery I Shared With You"
"Kimi to Ita Keshiki" (君といた景色) 		December 11, 2014
Kousei’s performance begins. He starts off on a roll, but then midway through, his playing begins to fall apart. Hearing this uneven performance, the audience starts to buzz. Are the rumors that Kousei can no longer hear the sound of his own playing true? In their hearts, Kaori, Tsubaki, and Watari cheer Kousei on from the audience, while Emi and Takeshi, who’ve just finished performing, look on with concern. Onstage and alone, Kousei confronts his own trauma regarding his mother. 
11 "Light of Life"
"Inochi no Akari" (命の灯) 		December 18, 2014
Kousei’s performance ends. When he returns to the waiting room at the competition venue, his late mother’s friend, Hiroko Seto is there. Hiroko, Japan’s leading pianist, has picked up on the emotion in Kousei’s playing. “The piano will drag everything out of its performer.” Kousei is perplexed by her words. Finally, the results of the competition are posted, but Takeshi and Emi, seeing the strangely cheerful look on Kousei’s face, are struck by how he’s changed and matured. 
12 "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star"
"To~uinkuru Ritorusutā" (トゥインクル リトルスター) 		January 8, 2015
Kousei and Kaori get themselves ready for the Towa musical gala they were invited to. However, when it was their turn to go up and perform, Kaori still hasn't arrived at the musical gala, leaving Kousei to go up by himself. 
13 "Love's Sorrow"
"Ai no Kanashimi" (愛の悲しみ) 		January 15, 2015
Kousei has taken the stage at the Gala Concert. Endeavoring to put on a performance without Kaori. This is his chance to prove his abilities as a pianist and try to come to terms with the memory of his mother. 
14 "Footsteps"
"Ashiato" (足跡) 		January 22, 2015
Kousei, Tsubaki and Watari visit Kaori in the hospital, but she insists everything is fine. Tsubaki reflects on her past with Kousei and considers if she has romantic feelings for him. Meanwhile, Kousei makes an important decision about his future. 
15 "Liar"
"Uso-tsuki" (うそつき) 		January 29, 2015
Tsubaki is frustrated as she sees her friends moving forward, afraid that she might be left behind. Kousei finds it difficult to keep visiting Kaori in the hospital. Hiroko comes across a promising young talent. 
16 "Two of a Kind"
"Nitamo no Dōshi" (似たもの同士) 		February 5, 2015
Kaori surprises Kousei with a shopping spree outside of the hospital. Meanwhile, Hiroko assigns Nagi, the promising young talent, to Kousei as his first piano student. Hiroko keeps a close eye on these lessons, as she is aware of Nagi's ulterior motives: to destroy Kousei. Kaori can no longer hide her condition from Kousei, as her health continues to deteriorate. 
17 "Twilight"
"Towairaito" (トワイライト) 		February 12, 2015
Kousei faces ghosts from his past when visiting Kaori in the hospital. Nagi continues learning piano from Hiroko and Kousei. As the school festival draws ever closer, Nagi and Kousei prepare a joint performance. Nagi experiences performance anxiety in the days leading up to the performance, but Hiroko soothes her with words of wisdom. Kousei and Nagi experience a short, bonding moment in the minutes leading up to their performance. 
18 "Hearts Come Together"
"Kokoro Kasaneru" (心重ねる) 		February 19, 2015
Nagi and Kousei blow everyone away with their 4-hand piano duet at the school festival. Afterwards, Takeshi confronts Kousei demanding the chance to beat him in the upcoming Eastern Japan Piano Competition. Kousei visits Kaori at the hospital again to find her passion for music reawakened. He challenges her to perform with him one more time. 
19 "Goodbye Hero"
"Sayonara Hīrō" (さよならヒーロー) 		February 26, 2015
After hearing Kousei and Nagi’s duet, Kaori opts for a risky surgery that will end her life if it fails, all so that she can perform with Kousei one more time. Even as she verbally exhorts Kousei, who’s begun practicing for his next competition, to work harder, she herself is undergoing rehabilitation so that she can once again take the stage. 
20 "Hand in Hand"
"Te to Te" (手と手) 		March 5, 2015
The date of the finals is coming close and Kaori is pushing Kousei to keep practicing, but whenever he visits with everyone else he says nothing. Tsubaki keeps doing well on her tests and pushes forward to be with Kousei. During a rainstorm the Tsubaki tells him that Watabi likes Kaori and his only choice is to fall in love with her, then kicks him in the shin and runs off. Later Kaori calls him about a late night flight and watching the stars in the sky. The next day Watabi and Kousei go to the hospital, where Kousei admits he likes Kaori. But when they get to her room, the two boys instead see nurses scrambling to move Kaori to the ICU as her condition got drastically worse. 
21 "Snow"
"Yuki" (雪) 		March 12, 2015
Kousei stays home from school since the day he visited the hospital. Tsubaki, afraid that Kousei will regress to the psychologically unstable state from two years ago, asks Hiroko to help him. Hiroko goes to his house and yells at him that the contest is a few days away and he needs to practice, but when she tries to get him up he says he cannot play and claims that music has taken everyone he cares about away from him. As people close to him worry, Emi and Takeshi practice for the final showdown. Kousei returns to school, where there is a note left by Watari on familiar stationary with one sentence - I want canales. Going to the hospital, he sees Kaori in her room - who starts yelling at him to practice until she sees the canale bag and wants to go outside to eat them. He helps her up to the snowy rooftop, where he tells her that he is given up playing and tells her his fear. She stands up and pretends to hold her violin again, and tells him she is going to undergo a risky surgery to have that one last chance to play which also is the day of the contest. On the fateful day, Emi and Takeshi put out high level performances as the surgery begins. When it is his turn he begins to break down until he remembers what Kaori told him and begins to play his most emotional piece ever. 
22 "Spring Breeze"
"Harukaze" (春風) 		March 19, 2015
Kousei performs Chopin`s Ballad No. 1 in G minor, Op. 23 at the competition while Kaori undergoes surgery. He reminisces about his past experiences and the lessons he learned from the numerous people who have been a part of his life. As he plays, he enters into a dream-like state, surrounded by color and light. He is surprised to see Kaori and her violin before him. Kousei understands instantly that this means that the surgery was unsuccessful, but returns a smile at her and continues his performance as the vision of Kaori plays along with him. He begs her to stay with him, but she disappears with one last tearful smile. In reality, Kousei completes his performance with tears running down his face, saying his final farewell to her. Later, at Kaori's funeral, her parents pass on her final letter to Kousei. As Spring approaches, Kousei reads the letter, which reveals that Kaori, like the other pianists, admired him as a child and was influenced to play the violin in order to someday have Kousei play the piano with her. She was overjoyed that they were in the same middle school, but was unable to speak to him because of his closeness to Tsubaki and Watari. She explains that in April, she told a lie - that she was in love with Watari - in a bid to get close to Kousei. Now knowing that Kaori loved him, Kousei reaffirms his vow to never forget her, continuing to play the piano. Watari continues his dating habits, but reminisces sadly about Kaori. Tsubaki, knowing that Kousei had lost another person he loved, declares a promise to never allow him to be alone. Kousei smiles, prepared for a spring without Kaori. 

Reception

It won the award for Best Shōnen Manga at the 37th Kodansha Manga Awards.[5] It was nominated for the 5th Manga Taishō.[6]

References

  1. ↑ "Kodansha Comics has licensed Your Lie in April!". KODANSHA COMICS. Retrieved February 23, 2015.
  2. ↑ "Shigatsu wa Kimi no Uso Manga Gets Noitamina Anime". Anime News Network. March 21, 2014. Retrieved March 21, 2014.
  3. ↑ "Your Lie in April". Crunchyroll. Retrieved 2014-10-31.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 "Your Lie in April (TV)". Anime News Network. 2014-10-09. Retrieved 2015-03-20.
  5. ↑ "Animal Land, Ore Monogatari!! Win 37th Kodansha Manga Awards". Anime News Network. May 9, 2013. Retrieved September 9, 2013.
  6. ↑ "Hiromu Arakawa's Silver Spoon Wins 5th Manga Taisho Award". Anime News Network. March 23, 2012. Retrieved September 9, 2013.

External links