Shigatsu wa Kimi no Uso is one of those rare animes that shows up every now and then and just leaves the best impression on you. I have to say that I had never heard of this before hand and I was really unaware of what a spectacular story I needed to dive into. After the first airing episode, I just had to check out the manga. Who knew that this anime would make me cry in a corner all alone in the dark after each airing episode. Same thing with each updated chapter of the manga. I am just so happy that this got animated! The plot of the story goes something like this:
Arima Kousei seems like your average glasses boy who spends his lunch time in a room with a piano, writing down sheet music while he listens the the opening song of the anime itself. He has two childhood friends, Sawabe Tsubaki and Watari Ryouta, who have been by his side since he was very little. Little do we know that Kousei has been through a lot of trauma in the past. Apparently, his mother always dreamed of making it big in the music world. But, unfortunately, she eventually got very sick and was unable to play the piano anymore. So, in her stead, she had forced Kousei to play for her and basically pushed her dreams into his tiny mind. She would hit him when he messed up, she wouldn't let him sleep until he got a note right, and she wouldn't let him play with Tsubaki and Watari. One day, Tsubaki invites Kousei to meet up with her, Watari, and some girl that supposedly likes Watari and wants to meet him. Kousei heads to the meeting spot only to wonder through the park and come across a beautiful girl playing the melodica. She is soon introduced as Miyazono Kaori, a violinist who drags him along to watch her performance. And with that, our story kicks off.
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The story of Shigatsu wa Kimi no Uso is just so touching. From the first episode on, we are introduced into a little bit of drama concerning Kousei's past. It's sad to think that as a really little kid, he was forced into doing something he at first didn't want to do. That as a little kid, he was somewhat abused by his sickly mother just because he couldn't get a note right and that he had to always wear long sleeves to hide the bruises his mother left. That people refered to him as a souless puppet that his mother controls. Yet all this time, he had decided to take her side up until the last words he would speak to her. Since her death, he hasn't played the piano as he says he can't hear his own playing and that this is his punishment. While Kousei is dealing with being deaf while playing a piano, we are set up with the idea of Tsubaki wanting him to play again as she says he has become boring and his eyes don't twinkle like a middleschoolers eyes should. It's really easy to tell that Tsubaki has always loved Kousei even though she says she thinks of him as a little brother. As for Watari, we are supposed to see him as just the average soccer player who happens to flirt with a lot of girls. And though he is like this, he can sometimes have his very insightful advice that he usually gives to Kousei. As for the story of Kaori, well, this is when it gets dark.
Our first sign of upcoming drama is when Kaori is on the bus and takes a visit to the hospital. After having several encounters with Kousei, who she believes is a pevert, she decides to make him her assistant in her upcoming competition. Kousei at first, and through a whole episode, rejects the idea of it. But soon enough, after Kaori begs while crying, he finally agrees to help her. We have this beautiful musical performance from our two main characters when yet another drama building scene happens. Kaori faints. Go to the next episode and we have her in the hospital claiming that she has anemia. But when she's alone, and to some of the audience surprise, she mutters the words, "Ah, so I fainted again."
Sadly, after such a wonderful performance, they were cut out because Kousei at some point stopped because of his not being able to hear. Kaori forgives him. After a couple of days, she finally gets out of the hospital and when Kousei tries to figure out if he should talk to her or not, he sees her with Watari and decides not to. However, he later runs into her and she tells him to enter a piano competition. The next day at school she plays his performance over the intercom and he soon starts to practice. Watching Kaori get closer to Kousei, Tsubaki begins to feel like she's left out. Tsubaki injures her leg during a game and so Kousei carries her home. It's a really touching scene for both of them, yet I really just can't ship them.
The cruel reality of it is that Kaori has the exact same sickness that Kousei's mom had, though she has it at such a young age. It's said that she has to go through a surgery that may kill her itself, but if not taken the risk of it, she will die not trying. And when Kousei has to perform at the Towa Gala, Kaori doesn't show up so he is to go up by himself. The next episode is yet another feels train as we see the true side of Saki Arima. Turns out, even though she was very strict, she indeed deeply cared about Kousei. In her last days, she spent them worrying about Kousei's future and how she hoped he wouldn't get hurt and she just basically worried over what was going to happen to Kousei when she dies. Such a beautiful episode and I'm glad we come to not hate Saki-san anymore. And we our left with an amazing picture:
Fast fowarding to our current episodes, Kousei finally realises that he likes Kaori in a romantic way just as Tsubaki finally confesses her feelings to him. I kinda honestly laughed at her confession because, who the hell kicks the person they just confessed to?! I guess Tsubaki does.
When visting the hospital with Watari, Kousei tells him about his new found feelings to which Watari claims he already knew. This cute scene is sadly interuppted to the cruel reality at hand. Kaori is seen having a attack and faints dramatically. May I say that I really hated how that nurse treated Kousei. Obvisouly he was her friend and was worried as hell. Even if he was a passerby, the attitude of that nurse was sooo uncalled for. Anyway, with that we are left with a horrible scene of a cat getting hit by a car and dying, leaving Kousei to cry as he realizes that Kaori is going to die too. I have to say, the given story is handled beautifully and I couldn't imagine it any better.
ART:
One of the best aspects of this anime is the art. Sure it can be a little lacking at times, but overall it is rather flawless. What I really like about the art is how looks based on the scene in the anime. Especially when it shows how bad of a shape Kaori is in. At first, the art makes her look like a beautiful, vibrant, and awe-striking young girl. But, as he health declines, the art depicts her as a pale, weak, and frail girl. It really adds to the fact that she's dying and it breaks my poor little heart. I especially like the art done during a performance of a character. Especially when Kousei plays Etude in E minor in episode 9/10. The art really shows how much he loves Kaori. Even if he himself didn't know it.
MUSIC:
This is yet another strong aspect within this anime. I feel as though the music alone is telling me the story as pictures play. I swear, if this anime didn't use the music they used, then I would probably go through life not appreciating good instrumental performances. I really like the sound of the keys Kousei hits when he can't hear his playing. It just sounds so real and makes the scene not boring even when the art takes a more dull turn. The OP and ED themes represent the anime so well. The first two openings are happy and cheerful and just makes me smile. I can say the same for the first ED song. But once that second ending comes along, it makes me realize how sad it's going to get. I can tell that the second ending is supposed to repsent Kaori going to heaven or just plain dying. But at least it's in a beautiful way.
OVERALL:
Shigatsu wa Kimi no Uso will forever be a anime that sticks with me. The manga just ended and I am going to be really honest here. This manga was the first manga to ever make me cry as I read it. The last two chapters just completely destroyed my heart and I am not looking forward to seeing the last two episodes. I know for a fact that I will be crying yet again. I really do wish though that the author would do a continuation of the series for a couple more chapters to see how Kousei and the rest are doing. But, I guess the endings amazing either way. My favorite part is when Kaori thinks Watari has already forgotten her but it shows him having his cell phone background set to a picture of her. It really shows that even if he didn't seriously like her as a love interest, he at least thought of her like a important friend. Watari truly is a good guy.
As for Kousei, I hope he ends up with Nagi because this couple was my back-up plan. I'm just glad that he can keep on playing and not forget her at the same time. And I guess I hope Tsubaki good luck.
Finally for Kaori, she will always live on in my heart. Kaori truly is one of the best female characters I have seen in a while and she is the best girl for 2014-2015! Such a beautiful masterpiece and I'm glad I got to see and enjoy it.
Kaori will forever be in our hearts.
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