5 stars of beautiful and heartbreaking anime. 
Your Lie In April is based on the manga of the same name by Naoshi Arakawa and directed by Kyōhei Ishiguro from A-1 Pictures (Fairy Tail The Movie: The Phoenix Priestess). This is Part 2 of the series and features episodes 12-22 with both the English dub and the original Japanese track with English subtitles.
“If he means to tread this path, the day might eventually come when the muses demand another loss.”
Kousei Arima (Max Mittelman – Coppelion, Magi: The Kingdom of Magic) is a talented pianist who lost the ability to hear the notes he plays following the death of his controlling mother. With the support of close friends Tsubaki (Erica Mendez – Kill la Kill) and Watari (Kyle McCarley – Aldnoah.Zero) he manages to move on with his life and he has recently met fiery and unpredictable violinist, Kaori (Erica Lindbeck – Durarara!! x2).
The dynamics between the group of friends are beginning to change, as Tsubaki begins to realise that she has started to view Kousei is a different light even though he still sees her as a younger sister.
After Kaori collapses a second time and is taken into hospital again, Kousei starts to have feelings towards her, but unfortunately to her he is simply “Friend A” and with Watari always by her side, he finds himself unable to visit, even when it becomes apparent that her illness is far worse than she admitted.
Tensions also run high with his great rival Takeshi Aiza (Erik Kimerer – Nura: Rise of the Yokai Clan), as it emerges that friend of Kousei’s mother and his mentor Hiroko (Carrie Keranen – Pokemon) has unwittingly allowed Kousei to tutor Takeshi’s little sister Nagi (Stephanie Sheh – Naruto Shippuden). With the end of the school year and the need to choose their next school fast approaching, these teenagers must try to concentrate on making the most of their futures.
Your Lie in April is gorgeous to look at. The animation is stunning, switching from light and hopeful, to dark and brooding, to sweeping and majestic during the musical sequences. The performances given during the various recitals are stunning and continue to get better right up to the breathtaking final duet.
The story is really good too, the characters are well developed and you really feel every step of their journey with them. A brilliant series, well worth adding to your collection, just make sure you stock up on tissues first.
“It’s only a pool and the moon is out tonight. But maybe the light can reach me at the bottom of my dark ocean, the same way it reached me now.”
Your Lie in April is available to buy now on Blu-ray Collector’s Edition and standard DVD.
| Director | Kyōhei Ishiguro |
| Author | Naoshi Arakawa |
| Genre | Romance, Music, Drama |
| Starring | Max Mittelman, Erica Mendez, Erica Lindbeck, Kyle McCarley |
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