When it comes to watching Anime, I am extremely picky. After somebody suggested "Your Lie in April", I looked at what it's about and was rather skeptical. After all, music and school drama are not among my favorite genres, to say the least. Nevertheless, I am glad that I gave this a go.
I binge-watched the whole thing. This has to be one of the best indications about the greatness of a show, right?
The plot revolves around Arima Kousei, a prodigy musician who can no longer play the piano. His mother passed away when he was little, and this had a massive influence on our protagonist. But things start changing after Kousei meets Kaori, a passionate violinist who wants to be remembered forever. His bleak life starts getting some color, and there's motivation to play again.
You have two passionate musicians who help each other out in ways they don't realize until the very end. The character development is exceptional, especially for Kousei. For an anime of only 22 episodes, the creators really did an excellent job. You can see the growth and change by the last episode, and this is not something exclusive to the main protagonists.
Secondary characters play a big role in the lives of Kousei and Kaori, though the two still run the show.
Since music is the technique to express yourself in the anime, one cannot ignore the brilliance of the soundtrack. Both classical music and the OST will blow you away. Add that to superb animation and camera work, and you have a masterpiece.
This is a story about self-discovery, struggle, and finding the light even in the darkest times. To everyone who is looking for some inspiration through the eyes of a struggling person, I recommend you watch this.
Go on a journey and discover that music can be the most powerful thing in the world.
