Your Lie in April, known in Japan as Shigatsu wa Kimi no Uso (??????) or just simply Kimiuso, is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Naoshi Arakawa. The series was serialized in Kodansha's Monthly Sh?nen Magazine from April 2011 to May 2015. An anime television series adaptation by A-1 Pictures aired from October 2014 to March 2015 on Fuji TV's Noitamina block. A live-action film adaptation of the same name was released in September 2016.
Video Your Lie in April
Plot
Piano prodigy K?sei Arima dominated various music competitions and has become famous among child musicians, but also controversial. After the death of his abusive mother, who was also his coldhearted instructor who forced him to play the piano emotionlessly, he had a mental breakdown at the age of eleven while performing at a piano recital which resulted in him no longer being able to hear the sound of his piano even though his hearing was perfectly fine.
Two years later, K?sei hasn't touched the piano and views the world in monochrome, without any flair or color, resigning himself to living out his life with his good friends, Tsubaki and Watari, until, one day, a girl changes everything. Kaori Miyazono, an audacious, free-spirited, fourteen-year-old violinist whose playing style reflects her manic personality, helps K?sei return to the music world and shows that it should be free and mold-breaking unlike the structured and rigid style K?sei was used to, and as she continues to uplift him, he quickly realizes that he loves her, though she already likes Watari.
However, while performing together (K?sei having been dragged into it by Kaori), Kaori suddenly collapses after a moving performance and is hospitalised. At first Kaori says that she is anaemic and just needs some routine testing, but this is revealed to be a lie when flashes of her past reveal her collapsing and bleeding many times before.
Finally Kaori is discharged and back to her happy, crazy-self, inviting K?sei to play at a Gala with her. However, Kaori fails to show up on the day of the Gala, and as her health worsens, and she begins to give up on life. This time, K?sei is the one who inspires her after playing a duet with Nagi Aiza, the pianist sister of a fellow rival of his named Takeshi Aiza. After shedding tears and listening to it, Kaori opts for a risky surgery that may result in her demise if it fails, just so that she can play with him one more time.
During the finals of the Eastern Japan Piano Competition, Kosei starts to play the piano, wishing that it would reach Kaori, but sees Kaori accompanying him during the play, indicating that she had died, since it was her last wish that she wanted to play with Kosei.
Kaori eventually dies due to the surgery, but leaves a letter to K?sei, which is given to him by her parents at her funeral. The letter reveals that she was in love with K?sei the whole time, and that her supposed feelings towards Watari were fabricated in order to get closer to K?sei without emotionally injuring Tsubaki, who also has limerent feelings towards K?sei. Although at first consumed with grief, K?sei finds comfort in Tsubaki, who promises not to abandon him.
Maps Your Lie in April
Characters
- K?sei Arima (?? ??, Arima K?sei)
- Voiced by: Natsuki Hanae (Japanese); Max Mittelman (English) & Piano performance by: Tomoki Sakata
- Played by: Kento Yamazaki (live-action film); Shintar? Anzai (stage play)
- K?sei is a former child prodigy in playing piano, dubbed the "Human Metronome" for his near-inhuman mechanical accuracy, a product of his mother's overly strict methods of teaching. His ability to play the piano with unparalleled precision led him to win many competitions across Japan and even be invited to play abroad. When his mother died, the resulting psychological trauma caused him to be unable to hear the sound of his piano playing, and he gave up on it. Two years later, he takes up the piano again after being convinced by Kaori Miyazono to become her accompanist. Influenced by her emotional and unrestrained playing style, K?sei eventually finds himself falling in love with her. He, however, does not confess his feelings due to her liking his best friend, Ryota Watari.
- It is later revealed in Shigatsu wa Kimi no Uso: Coda, a side story from K?sei and Tsubaki's childhood, that his inspiration for playing so beautifully in his first competition was to cheer up Tsubaki after the passing of her grandmother.
- Kaori Miyazono (?? ???, Miyazono Kawori)
- Voiced by: Risa Taneda (Japanese); Erica Lindbeck (English) & Violin performance by: Y?na Shinohara
- Played by: Suzu Hirose (live-action film); Arisa Matsunaga (stage play)
- Kaori is Tsubaki's classmate; she is a free-spirited violinist who has drawn much criticism from judging panels due to her unwillingness to adhere strictly to the score, but is highly favored by audiences that hear her playing. Kaori first met K?sei when she asked Tsubaki to set her up with Watari. As their friendship grew, she eventually convinced K?sei to play the piano again, first as her accompanist and later in a piano competition. It is revealed at the end of the anime, in a letter addressed to K?sei, that she had asked to be set up with Watari in order to meet K?sei, knowing that Watari and Tsubaki were good friends of his.
- Tsubaki Sawabe (?? ?, Sawabe Tsubaki)
- Voiced by: Ayane Sakura (Japanese); Erica Mendez (English)
- Played by: Anna Ishii (live-action film); Misato Kawauchi (stage play)
- K?sei'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 K?sei'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. She first denies her feelings for him but after undergoing several stages of denial, she falls in love with him, which she confesses to him later on.
- Ry?ta Watari (? ??, Watari Ry?ta)
- Voiced by: Ry?ta ?saka (Japanese); Kyle McCarley (English)
- Played by: Taishi Nakagawa (live-action film); Masanari Wada (stage play)
- Ry?ta is K?sei's and Tsubaki's childhood friend, and is the captain of the school's soccer team. He is extremely popular with girls, and usually adopts a frivolous attitude. However, he does come up with good insights every so often. Kaori was his love interest and when they are together, they are shown to be acting lovey-dovey, which makes K?sei jealous. K?sei later tells him about his feelings for Kaori, and he soon accepts this and gives him advice.
- Takeshi Aiza (?? ??, Aiza Takeshi)
- Voiced by: Y?ki Kaji (Japanese); Erik Scott Kimerer (English)
- Played by: Sh?jir? Yokoi (stage play)
- Takeshi is a pianist of the same age as K?sei. His aim was always to catch up and surpass K?sei 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 K?sei. To Takeshi, K?sei was like his 'hero'.
- Emi Igawa (?? ??, Igawa Emi)
- Voiced by: Saori Hayami (Japanese); Erika Harlacher (English)
- Played by: Haruka Yamashita (stage play)
- Emi is a pianist of the same age as K?sei, who decided to become a pianist after listening to K?sei play at the age of 5. She aims to reach K?sei through her emotional playing style. It is hinted that she has feelings for K?sei.
- Nagi Aiza (?? ?, Aiza Nagi)
- Voiced by: Ai Kayano (Japanese); Stephanie Sheh (English)
- Nagi is Takeshi's little sister who pretended to ask for tutelage from Hiroko in order to scout her brother's rival, K?sei. She ended up becoming K?sei's student. She often says "Cliche" (??, Chinpu) to things that K?sei tells her. After months of tutelage, she develops a crush on her teacher.
- Saki Arima (?? ??, Arima Saki)
- Voiced by: Mamiko Noto (Japanese); Wendee Lee (English)
- Played by: Rei Dan (live-action film); Ry?ko Tanaka (stage play)
- Saki was K?sei's strict mother who demanded that K?sei practice the score to absolute perfection, and often beat him for small mistakes. While she did not plan to make K?sei a pianist at first, her realization of K?sei's talents and the discovery of her terminal illness made her decide to give K?sei 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 K?sei's qualification to what supposedly was his first competition in Europe. She appears in front of K?sei many times throughout the show.
- Hiroko Seto (?? ??, Seto Hiroko)
- Voiced by: Mie Sonozaki (Japanese); Carrie Keranen (English)
- Played by: Yuka Itaya (live-action film); Kuniko Kodama (stage play)
- Hiroko is a nationally renowned pianist and Saki's close friend from college. She was the one who discovered K?sei's talents in piano and suggested Saki make him into a pianist despite Saki's initial disagreement. Blaming herself for Saki's brutal treatment to K?sei and his psychological trauma from Saki's death, she distances herself from K?sei following Saki's death. When K?sei returns to play the piano, she becomes his guardian and mentor.
- Koharu Seto (?? ??, Seto Koharu)
- Voiced by: Inori Minase (Japanese); Cristina Vee (English)
- A very small child who smiles very often and is the daughter of Hiroko. She enjoys K?sei's piano playing and always wants him to play more and is very attached to him. She usually clings by her mother's side and is adored by both K?sei and her mother.
- Sait? (??, Sait?)
- Voiced by: Kazuyuki Okitsu (Japanese); Robbie Daymond (English)
- Sait? 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 K?sei, covering it up through saying that he found someone else he loves.
- Nao Kashiwagi (?? ??, Kashiwagi Nao)
- Voiced by: Shizuka Ishigami (Japanese); Julie Ann Taylor (English)
- Played by: Haruka Igarashi (stage play)
- 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 K?sei. Near the end it is established that most of the advice she gives Tsubaki comes from her being a fan of BL (Boys' love) manga, not from personal dating experience.
- Takahiko Arima (?? ??, Arima Takahiko)
- Voiced by: Kenji Hamada
- Takahiko is Kousei's father.
Media
Manga
The Your Lie in April manga series is written and illustrated by Naoshi Arakawa, and began serialization on April 6, 2011 in Kodansha's Monthly Sh?nen Magazine. The first tank?bon was published by Kodansha on September 16, 2011, and the final volume was released in two editions, a regular edition and a limited edition, with the limited edition bundled with an OVA, and was released on May 15, 2015. The series is licensed in English in North America by Kodansha Comics, and the first volume was published on April 21, 2015.
A spin-off manga titled Shigatsu wa Kimi no Uso: Coda was bundled with the release of the Blu-ray release of the anime series. It was later published in tank?bon format on August 17, 2016.
Volume list
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. The first opening theme song is "Hikaru Nara" (????, lit. If You Will Shine) by Goose house and the first ending theme song is "Kirameki" (????, lit. Sparkle) by wacci. The second opening song is "Nanairo Symphony" (????????, Nanairo Shinfon?, lit. "Seven Colored Symphony") by Coalamode and the second ending theme is "Orange" (????, Orenji) by 7!! (Seven Oops). The original soundtracks are composed by Masaru Yokoyama.
In North America, Aniplex of America licensed the series within the region, who simulcasted the series on Crunchyroll, Aniplex Channel, Hulu and Viewster. In Australia and New Zealand, the series is licensed by Madman Entertainment, who streamed the series on AnimeLab. The series is licensed in the United Kingdom and Ireland by Anime Limited. The series was later made available on Netflix with the English dub, as well as English subtitles.
Live-action film
On August 24, 2015, the domain 'kimiuso-movie.jp' was registered under Toho, a Japanese film production and distribution company, which made fans believe that a movie adaptation was in the works. Speculations were confirmed in September 2015 when the main cast was announced for the live-action adaptation of the series: Kento Yamazaki as K?sei Arima, Suzu Hirose as Kaori Miyazono, E-girls' Anna Ishii as Tsubaki Sawabe, and Taishi Nakagawa as Ry?ta Watari. While the original story depicts the characters in their junior high year, it is announced that they will be in their second-year of high school in the film. The adaptation, slated to be released in Japan in September 2016, will be written by Strawberry Night's live-action scriptwriter Yukari Tatsui, and directed by Paradise Kiss's live-action director Takehiko Shinj?.
Stage play
In the May issue of Monthly Sh?nen Magazine, it was announced that a stage play adaptation of the manga was green-lit, and set to run on August the same year. The stage play was announced to be held at the AiiA 2.5 Theater Tokyo from August 24, 2017 to September 3, 2017, and at the Umeda Arts Theater in Osaka from September 7, 2017 to September 10, 2017. The stage play is directed by Naohiro Ise, and written by Kaori Miura. It was also revealed that the play would have live musical performances, with Yuta Matsumura performing the piano, and Shuko Kobayashi performing the violin. The main cast was announced, and stars: Shintar? Anzai as K?sei Arima, Arisa Matsunaga as Kaori Miyazono, Misato Kawauchi as Tsubaki Sawabe, Masanari Wada as Ry?ta Watari, Haruka Yamashita as Emi Igawa, and Sh?jir? Yokoi as Takeshi Aiza. Additional cast was later announced, with: Takako Nakamura as Yuriko Ochiai, Shun Mikami as Akira Takayanagi, Haruka Igarashi as Nao Kashiwagi, Kuniko Kodama as Hiroko Seto, and Ry?ko Tanaka as Saki Arima.
Reception
The manga won the award for Best Sh?nen Manga at the 37th Kodansha Manga Awards. It was nominated for the 5th Manga Taish?.
The anime adaptation was the winner of the Yomiuri Shimbun newspaper's 2016 Sugoi Japan Awards.
References
External links
- Your Lie in April at Kodansha
- Anime official website
- Your Lie in April (manga) at Anime News Network's encyclopedia
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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