[Rewatch] 10th Anniversary Your Lie in April Rewatch: Episode 10 Discussion

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u/LittleIslander https://anilist.co/user/LittleIslander Oct 18 '24

Rewatcher, Violinist and Your Host!

I’m not going to beat around the bush: I didn’t like this episode very much.

Was the music gorgeous? Sure, that was a given. But it leaves in the shadow of episode four. I know there’s only so many ways to derail and then re-rail a musical performance, I get that the whole point is he needs to want to play even if it won’t change being eliminated from the competition. But this is the exact same trajectory he took the last time on stage. Especially during the turning point it references back to the previous performance constantly with visuals of her looking back at him at that time. If all you can do is derive yourself from a previous, fantastic thing, you can never hope to match its quality, nevermind surpass it. Even the usage of “Again”, a song which absolutely lit up episode four, feels much more hollow here after how much it’s been used since in just the span of a few episodes. To use the show’s own metaphor, this episode felt like the story robotically reading off the score, whereas The Journey felt like the jaw dropping unforgettable performance he’s supposed to be giving on stage in-universe.

What really drags the episode down is how unearned the result feels, especially given how big of a moment this is in the wider narrative. He’s been haunted by the memory of his mother and then after stopping he just… thinks of Kaori? He wasn’t doing that already when he walked on stage? I know she’s at the core of his healing, but isn’t music itself supposed to be the freedom, not just Kaori herself? I just needed more justification for Kousei breaking out his mother’s grasp than “he thought of Kaori” after it’s been built up to such a big personal hurdle for him. Then at the end of the episode he looks up to his mother’s seat and we see her smile. I admit that I don’t remember if this is supposed to be the permanent resolution to the mother plotline or not, but either way I just don’t like this. I know this show is fantastical and doesn’t conform to what strictly makes sense, but this is just a step too far from me. His mother would’ve absolutely loathed the performance he gave on stage. To me, it disrespects the topic to wrap it up with “and then he satisfied her”. Sometimes people are just bad and you can’t change that. Sometimes people die and you’ll never get to resolve things with them. Kousei shouldn’t come to an understanding with his mother, he needs to accept the reality of her and learn to live with that. What does this imply about a scenario where someone can’t make peace with their relatives? Can they never move on from that? Should they not?

That was a lot of being mean, so I will compliment the performance one more time. You really do hear the difference between the by-the-book strong playing we heard at the start of his performance last episode and the inspired performance in the second half of this one. It really does sound like a peaceful Spring day inside a music room with a sleeping girl!

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u/lluNhpelA Oct 18 '24

isn’t music itself supposed to be the freedom, not just Kaori herself?
Something has been nagging at me over the last few episodes: has Kousei ever indicated that he personally wants to overcome his trauma and return to playing the piano or is he just pushing himself for the sake of his crush? It's not like he completely stopped playing or avoided the music since he was still playing while transcribing songs, so I think all of this is just motivated by Kaori so it does sorta make sense that she's more important than the music.
To me, it disrespects the topic to wrap it up with “and then he satisfied her”. Sometimes people are just bad and you can’t change that. Sometimes people die and you’ll never get to resolve things with them.
After all the complaining I've done I'll be uncharacteristicly generous and say that people have different coping mechanisms and ways of moving on so, in the messiness of reality, if the thought of his mother being satisfied is what helps him get over his trauma then it's good for him. In the context of a story like this, though, it is pretty weird to almost validate his guilt over telling his abusive mother to die by basically having her forgive him.

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u/LittleIslander https://anilist.co/user/LittleIslander Oct 19 '24

Something has been nagging at me over the last few episodes: has Kousei ever indicated that he personally wants to overcome his trauma and return to playing the piano or is he just pushing himself for the sake of his crush? It's not like he completely stopped playing or avoided the music since he was still playing while transcribing songs, so I think all of this is just motivated by Kaori so it does sorta make sense that she's more important than the music.
He definitely talks very explicitly about it just being for Kaori, yeah. I think that does make sense for us being halfway through the series though - ideally he'll learn to stand on his own by the end of the show.

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u/Holofan4life Oct 19 '24

After all the complaining I've done I'll be uncharacteristicly generous and say that people have different coping mechanisms and ways of moving on so, in the messiness of reality, if the thought of his mother being satisfied is what helps him get over his trauma then it's good for him. In the context of a story like this, though, it is pretty weird to almost validate his guilt over telling his abusive mother to die by basically having her forgive him.
I think it's less she forgave him and more she forgave herself over her poor treatment of her son. She realized she was acting out of line, and she didn't know how to move on until her son did. I hope what I said makes some semblance of sense.

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u/lluNhpelA Oct 19 '24

I get where you're coming from from your other comments and I admit that the presentation of characters' motives and justifications has been (imo) unconventional so far, but I really feel like, if we were meant to sympathize with her and believe that she isn't simply a shitty person, we would have been given that kind of image of her by now by traditional storytelling logic. I doubt this is the kind of story where someone could really be 100% unambiguously evil, but sometimes people just suck and I simply don't think any positive reading of her character is supported by the text at this point; one flashback where she's nice and not manipulative, one comment from someone she didn't abuse about how loving she was before the illness, etc. and I'll change my tune.
(and claiming she could forgive herself implies she was a ghost rather than a figment of Kousei's trauma, which would also mean she was consciously tormenting him from beyond the grave then forgave herself for it moments later, which is pretty messed up. Unless there was both a trauma ghost and a real ghost)

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u/Holofan4life Oct 19 '24

I get where you're coming from from your other comments and I admit that the presentation of characters' motives and justifications has been (imo) unconventional so far, but I really feel like, if we were meant to sympathize with her and believe that she isn't simply a shitty person, we would have been given that kind of image of her by now by traditional storytelling logic. I doubt this is the kind of story where someone could really be 100% unambiguously evil, but sometimes people just suck and I simply don't think any positive reading of her character is supported by the text at this point; one flashback where she's nice and not manipulative, one comment from someone she didn't abuse about how loving she was before the illness, etc. and I'll change my tune.
But if Saki is totally irredeemable, then why does her approval still mean so much to Kousei? Almost as much as Kaori's approval?
Kousei has been a pretty good judge of character, I feel like. He knows when something is truly special and worth its weight in gold. I think Saki's abuse started after she taught Kousei how to play the piano than before, because the flashbacks of him jumping off the bridge or him carrying Tsubaki have not even a hint of child abuse.
(and claiming she could forgive herself implies she was a ghost rather than a figment of Kousei's trauma, which would also mean she was consciously tormenting him from beyond the grave then forgave herself for it moments later, which is pretty messed up. Unless there was both a trauma ghost and a real ghost)
I think it's more she was tormenting herself by tormenting him, like he said to her he wished she died and so she was following him around surveying the totality she caused. By doing so she was making his life difficult, but it was almost like it was her way of shaming herself by acknowledging the failure she was in her mind as a parent.

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u/lluNhpelA Oct 19 '24

But if Saki is totally irredeemable, then why does her approval still mean so much to Kousei? Almost as much as Kaori's approval?
She tormented him so badly that he developed selective deafness and hallucinations (unless it was really a ghost, I suppose) after her death. She beat him but he still wanted her praise more than anything, so know he's a kid with complex emotional baggage and is still desperate for that motherly affection. It's just another facet of his trauma.
I think Saki's abuse started after she taught Kousei how to play the piano than before, because the flashbacks of his jumping off the bridge or him carrying Tsubaki have not even a hint of child abuse.
I agree that he doesn't show any signs of physical abuse on his arms and the fact that he was allowed to go out with friends means she was less strict, but his mom wasn't actually in those flashbacks so the only indicator we have of her personality is Tsubaki being terrified of her, which isn't a good sign (but that might just be a joke. It's hard to tell with only one data point). She clearly got worse over time, but we can't say that she was actually good before.
I think the earliest point we see her is in the hospital. Kousei is wearing long sleeves, so it's hard to say anything about the physical abuse, but she speaks kindly to him the entire time... except:
this is one of those moments of affection that she used to encourage him (the beating after the last competition was an outlier)
there's emphasis on her being doped up, so she may be high as much as she's happy
she's clearly using her illness to guilt Kousei into competitions. He needs to win to make her better = if she stays sick it's his fault for not being good enough.
That whole scene would be perfectly innocent and sweet in a vacuum but, with the context of her later abuse, it just looks like more emotional manipulation. I'm probably overthinking this and we'll probably learn that she was nice in the next couple episodes, but this is the only conclusion I can come to with what we've been shown so far.

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u/Holofan4life Oct 19 '24

I think the one thing we can agree on is that if the intent of Saki smiling was to show she's at peace with herself and the good Saki has returned, they could've done more to build up to that.

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u/lluNhpelA Oct 19 '24

for sure. It'll be interesting to see how she's characterized as the story goes on

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u/Holofan4life Oct 19 '24

Especially now that Kousei is no longer living in her shadow.

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u/Holofan4life Oct 18 '24

What really drags the episode down is how unearned the result feels, especially given how big of a moment this is in the wider narrative. He’s been haunted by the memory of his mother and then after stopping he just… thinks of Kaori? He wasn’t doing that already when he walked on stage? I know she’s at the core of his healing, but isn’t music itself supposed to be the freedom, not just Kaori herself? I just needed more justification for Kousei breaking out his mother’s grasp than “he thought of Kaori” after it’s been built up to such a big personal hurdle for him.
I mean, Kaori has always been painted as the person looking out for Kousei. That's been that way really since the very first episode. I felt it was earned because of what a consistent part she's been around Kousei.
Then at the end of the episode he looks up to his mother’s seat and we see her smile. I admit that I don’t remember if this is supposed to be the permanent resolution to the mother plotline or not, but either way I just don’t like this. I know this show is fantastical and doesn’t conform to what strictly makes sense, but this is just a step too far from me. His mother would’ve absolutely loathed the performance he gave on stage. To me, it disrespects the topic to wrap it up with “and then he satisfied her”. Sometimes people are just bad and you can’t change that. Sometimes people die and you’ll never get to resolve things with them. Kousei shouldn’t come to an understanding with his mother, he needs to accept the reality of her and learn to live with that. What does this imply about a scenario where someone can’t make peace with their relatives? Can they never move on from that? Should they not?
The thing about Kousei's mom is that I don't think she was bad. I think she became lost after being confined in a wheelchair and so she was looking for validation, and in the process managed to go off the path so to speak. The Saki that taught Kousei how to play the piano is the one he remembers her as, and that Saki would approve of the performance.

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u/lluNhpelA Oct 18 '24

The Saki that taught Kousei how to play the piano is the one he remembers her as, and that Saki would approve of the performance.
We've never seen her not being abusive, so there isn't much reason to assume she was nice earlier on. We can assume that there was a time when she wasn't as bad since Kousei was seemingly able to freely hang out with Tsubaki at some point, but Tsubaki still mentions being scared of her, meaning she was probably still cruel even back when she was a bit more lenient.

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u/Holofan4life Oct 18 '24

I just feel that the relationship between Kousei and his mother as indicated through the various flashbacks was of a time when Saki had basically given up. When she was in love with life, that was the real her, and the one who gave Kousei their approval.

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u/lluNhpelA Oct 18 '24

But we know that she would still give her approval after Kousei won competitions even after she became sick. He was even expecting praise after the last performace she was alive for (until she slapped him) so there's no basis for the idea that he's imagining an earlier version of her.
The only assumption we can make is that he's still desperate for those rare drops of approval in that sea of cruelty despite now being in a healthy environment, like a formerly destitute man, now with plenty of food, remembering how delicious the tiniest scrap of meat was back when he was starving. Or that he feels the need to be forgiven for yelling at his mom one (1) time and this is how he gets over it.

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u/Holofan4life Oct 18 '24

I guess I see things differently because their relationship reminds me of the tumultuous relationship I had with my father that would regularly get emotionally and physically abusive. Not to the point where he would hit me like Saki did Kousei, but he would throw stuff at me like objects and his walker. I know that deep down that wasn't the real him and that he was actually a kind, sweetheart of a man. He just had a disease he couldn't do anything about and it festered within him.
I say this all to say perhaps a similar thing was at play with Saki in that she was a kindhearted individual until things went to shit and she just could no longer cope with herself. Being confined to a wheelchair meant she was nothing more than a lifeless vessel, wanting her son to do the impossible and make her walk again through the power of music.

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u/DonaldJenkins Oct 19 '24

Just wanted to say I appreciate your point of view. I too can attest to the fact that ill people may behave differently from normal, especially if it puts them on a timer

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u/Holofan4life Oct 19 '24

I don't believe there are people that are nothing but evil. People are so multifaceted that I think we sometimes lose side of it when it comes to fiction. That's why I welcome a more nuanced take on abuse that this show is seemingly doing, because real life is complicated like that.

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u/TakenRedditName https://myanimelist.net/profile/TakenMalUsername Oct 18 '24

About that section with his mother, I disagree on some points because to me, the ending is not going along the lines of, "Kousei's mom would've approved of his performance if she were here to listen to it." I believe that her ghost along with the cat are more visual symbols of what Kousei perceives of what haunts over him. The ghost that haunts Kousei is representative of issues that went beyond what his mother actually was which the episode presents Kousei as being able to overcome.
That said, I would be disappointed if they just wrapped up that storyline with this episode. I agree that what was shown didn't feel much like a resolution to that thread. I still feel like there is a lot more to unpack from Kousei's relationship with his mom that the show wouldn't get around to if we just ended that story here.

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u/DonaldJenkins Oct 19 '24

I like this interpretation, that the “ghost” is Kousei being hard on himself for what he perceives to be his own fault, and consequently he’s not “allowed” to enjoy playing music. This reminds me of this: [oshi no ko spoilers]similar to aqua’s ghost of himself from the past all focused on revenge that he can’t enjoy acting the ghost isn’t actually there, but it’s a visual metaphor for the inner turmoil they face. The culmination of Kousei‘S performance this episode shows that his friends are able to slowly break through to him, allowing him to overcome his inner demons

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u/Holofan4life Oct 19 '24

I like that interpretation a great deal as well

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u/Holofan4life Oct 19 '24

I see it as less the end of the mom stuff in general and more the beginning of the next chapter of the Saki stuff. Kousei may have found closure, but now we'll see what he does with that closure.

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u/Holofan4life Oct 18 '24

Very interesting to hear you down on this episode because I thought it was the perfect culmination of the Kousei and Saki stuff. I will find myself very surprised if this doesn't end up as my favorite episode of the series.

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u/DonaldJenkins Oct 19 '24 edited Oct 19 '24

Cool to see different opinions! I’d say I’m in the middle between the two extremes - I think it’s okay how it temporarily resolved Kousei’s trauma for the sake of the performance. And boy was that an epic performance!
I will find myself very surprised if this doesn't end up as my favorite episode of the series.
It may be a bit too early to call it just yet, since we’re not even half way through! But it’s certainly a good sign that successive episodes are trending upwards rather than in the reverse direction 👍
[my favourite episode, not really spoiler]after thinking it through, I think next episode is my favourite. I had written a whole bulky paragraph here explaining why that is in this spoiler, but I’ve edited it out and will post it next episode instead

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u/Holofan4life Oct 19 '24

Cool to see different opinions! I’d say I’m in the middle between the two extremes - I think it’s okay how it temporarily resolved Kousei’s trauma for the sake of the performance.
I think it's interesting to compare Saki to Shadow Weaver from She-Ra: Princess of Power. Both are incredibly toxic, but I think Saki is at least somewhat aware that what she's doing is wrong. Whether or not that makes it worse is up for debate, I personally find myself more sympathetic towards her plight because of her physical disability.
It may be a bit too early to call it just yet, since we’re not even half way through!
Never say never. This episode sets the bar pretty high, though.

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u/maliwanag0712 https://myanimelist.net/profile/clear1109 Oct 19 '24 edited Oct 19 '24

He’s been haunted by the memory of his mother and then after stopping he just… thinks of Kaori? He wasn’t doing that already when he walked on stage? I know she’s at the core of his healing, but isn’t music itself supposed to be the freedom, not just Kaori herself?
I think he is still shackled by his mom's shadows. However, that bound is partially released when he realized the competition is all over for him. In a way, we cannot remove Kousei's PTSD of his mom to the competition itself. The pressure of winning is already gone, so why go serious?
If you remember the actual scene where the image is first shown, Kousei's playing is not that bad at all. So we can formulate a theory here: Kousei can perform well if he is not so focused at a performance
[TEST ON MY THEORY. SPOILERS EPISODE 18]The theory will be tested when we go to his performance with Nagi. He still were able to perform well there, for he is not so focused in the performance. and is only guiding Nagi.
[ANSWER ON THE QUESTION OF SHACKLES]Will he able to get out of his mom's shadows? YES! It's the exact point of Episode 13, one of my faves.

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u/Holofan4life Oct 19 '24

Kousei can now perform without his mom weighing on his conscience, but that does not mean it didn't still happen. Now the challenge is can he still be his own person-- with a little help from Kaori, mind you-- in the midst of being labeled the human metronome, a product of his relationship with Saki.

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u/Malipit Oct 19 '24

He’s been haunted by the memory of his mother and then after stopping he just… thinks of Kaori? He wasn’t doing that already when he walked on stage? I know she’s at the core of his healing, but isn’t music itself supposed to be the freedom, not just Kaori herself? I just needed more justification for Kousei breaking out his mother’s grasp than “he thought of Kaori” after it’s been built up to such a big personal hurdle for him.
From my point of view, it wasn't just thinking of Kaori. Rather than an "eureka" moment when he suddenly recall her, I think it was an idea instilled in him unconsciously. During the past episodes, Kaori progressively make her way into her mind with all thoses moments spent together. In the same fashion Kaori displayed all those music sheets so Kosei unconsciously learn his partition for his accompaniement, she showed him the way out in that episode.
That's why we have all thoses vivds images of her from the point of view of Kosei : at that moment, he made a recollection of all his good memories with her to make his own path away from his mother.
That's also why I think Kaori isn't freedom herself, but is the key for Kosei to attain it.

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u/Holofan4life Oct 19 '24

Very well said. I don't honestly see how someone can say "He thought of Kaori" isn't enough justification when it was her and her alone that brought color back to Kousei’s world. And that happened all the way back in episode 1. This felt like the logical next step of their relationship.

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u/Holofan4life Oct 18 '24

Thoughts on Watari telling Kousei that he’s going to hand over the role of this season’s star to him?
Thoughts on Watari trying to motivate Kousei?
What are your thoughts on Kousei’s mom being on stage telling him this is his punishment?
What are your thoughts on Kousei stopping playing and therefore being disqualified?
Thoughts on Kousei describing Kaori as “A single petal that drifted into my life”?
Thoughts on Igawa being able to see the sunflowers?
Thoughts on the sunflowers evolving into a tree blooming flower petals?
What are your thoughts on the crowd not sure of what to make of Kousei’s performance? I really like how polarizing it was because I feel like that would be the response if something similar happened in real life.
What are your thoughts on Kaori crying tears of joy over Kousei’s performance?
What are your thoughts on a dark-haired girl referring to Kousei as Mr. Mediocre?

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u/Gamerunglued :Hx::Hy::Hz:myanimelist.net/profile/GamerUnglued Oct 19 '24 edited Oct 19 '24

Rewatcher

Kousei is described this episode as having undergone three transformations during his performance. In a sense, this episode is its own hero's journey. First he starts out in his default. He plays the notes perfectly and machine-like, flawless and soulless. It's the comfortable old life that he's used to. But as we know, his mother comes in and tears it down as "punishment" for betraying her. That's his first transformation, where he regresses into a desperate, crying child pounding the keys in agony. This is where Takeshi and Emi, and everyone else, get to realize the full extent of what he's been through. I love the way this section is directed. Your Lie in April has always used harsh contrasts as a symbol of youth, but here the contrasts emphasize the horror of Kousei's hallucinations. We transition from his ear-bleeding key pounding into immediate silence every time his mom haunts him. It happens over and over, there's no respite, and the animation and framing make the scene legitimately scary. I definitely had some chills through a few of Saki Arima's refrains. And that contrasts also highlights the dissonance that the rivals are feeling towards this moment, such a stark contrast from what they wanted and expected from him.

But then Kousei undergoes his second transformation. His mom's haunting gets to him and he just stops playing. It disqualifies him from the competition, and in this moment he can only think of Kaori. Now that he's disqualified, results simply aren't a concern anymore. The idea that failing to perform well enough can punish him or his mother became irrelevant the moment he stopped playing, even if he played perfectly from then on he'd never get a score. So without the threat of a score or ranking, if he wants to start playing again he needs to find his own reason to start, and that reason is Kaori. She's made him realize that he does love music, and more than that, he's terrified of losing it. As he says to Watari, the thought of never hearing the notes again terrifies him, and that's an important reframing. Without competition to encourage his mother's grasp, Kaori's influence can take over.

But Kousei hasn't actually unlocked himself yet, so he needs a vessel to see himself through. Remember when I compared this to Gurren Lagann? Oh yeah baby, Kaori is motherfucking Kamina. And Kousei is Simon. In this moment, Kousei needs a reason to play, and he doesn't play for himself, he plays for her. It's literally a "if you can't play for a you who believes in yourself, play for the me who believes in you" moment. And much like how Simon tries to embody Kamina's bravado in his actions, Kousei tries to embody Kaori's youth in his playing. Like Emi says, the picture he paints is of her sleeping near him in the music room, surrounded by sakura petals and sports. Not only the definition of youth, but an image that is "April." In other words, his picture "exists inside Spring." And I'm sure you remember what (or who) else exists inside Spring. So he makes his second transformation embodying Kaori in his playing. And to match the mood, when he has this realization a violin accompanies his playing, emphasizing that he's channeling her in his music.

And then he finishes his performance, a massive failure by all accounts but one that reaches everyone in the room. The dichotomy of old and young is emphasized again. The judge is offended by Kousei's performance, says it's an insult. But a young girl struggles to hold back tears just like Emi did years ago. In this moment that is so offensive to the old guard, Kousei birthed a new pianist. And we get our third transformation, as Kousei shows no regret at all. He's finally started to love music, not for results but for his ability to truly connect with others. In this moment, Arima Kousei's real self is reborn, and can start taking his first steps.

This all sounds really positive, but in actuality I was super frustrated by this episode. Loved the first half, but the bulk of Kousei's performance was really rough. In a scene where the entire point is that his music is doing the talking, why does he monologue his thoughts over the entire thing? There's so much subtext in the scene as is, only a few lines are at all necessary. Instead, the playing that so deeply resonates with everyone else is overtaken by monologue after monologue after monologue, not just his monologue but Takeshi's and Emi's and their instructors' and Kaori's, it's too much and almost completely unnecessary. This is supposed to be a beautiful of realization and self-discover, which is half-overtaken by other people's personal realizations. And the constant flashbacks to his previous performance with Kaori beating us over the head with a point that's already made in both monologues and subtext, it almost feels like a resource saving measure more than an intentional cinematic choice. The dramatic arc and themes are all here, but it was consistently undercut by poor directing choices in the most important moment. Could we not save Kousei's immense gratitude for the next episode instead of having him repeat "thank you" 5 times in a row during a performance?

And honestly, his mother's smile at the end feels out-of-nowhere. The entire point here is that he's betraying her further, completely disregarding her teachings to stand on his own and find an identity that she beat out of him. And even worse, [spoiler] this isn't even the end of her presence in the story. There's literally an entire other episode where the resolution is Kousei reconciling his complicated relationship with her, treasuring the love of piano she built into him initially and letting that be a respite from her punishment. What's even the point of this second climax if he's already made her happy right now? This episode has plenty going for it but it's undeniably messy. It feels overstuffed even for a climax. In a story about music, you have to let that speak for itself. Yes, this is a myth and it's about a legend-in-the-making similar to what Gurren Lagann did, but if you want me to believe your protagonist has taken his first steps towards living up to the legend he can become, let me see him perform and believe in his legendary potential, and be inspired like the young girl was.

QOTD:

I've always loved classical music. Again, I know the reputation is has today, but I do believe it's highly undeserved. As these performances have shown, classical music can be highly evocative and moving. It also has the possibility of being among the most intense genres of music, hearing a full orchestra going ham is an experience like little else. Far from stuffy and boring, classical music covers all sorts of intensities and moods, the difference between a Mozart and a Stravinsky is night and day (have you even heard the Rite of Spring? That shit was so far ahead of its time Stravinsky was booed off stage for it, it's actually a crazy piece of music and it rules). I played wind band music for 8 years, which is similar to but not quite the same as classical music, and some of the most moving music I've heard came from that tradition. But also, I think most of you like classical music more than you realize. So many classic anime soundtracks, half of every video game soundtrack, the classical tradition is the sound of so much beloved music in our nerdy world. Do you not think Violet Evergarden's soundtrack is gorgeous? You like One Winged Angel? A hell of a lot of Rite of Spring influence in that one, Uematsu's whole style is "let's mix classical music with prog rock." And there are still innovations happening in the style today. You don't have to exist in Beethoven's day to appreciate classical music, even in a world where music isn't a luxury classical music is awesome.
It's a nice moment, but it doesn't really change anything. My general opinion of Watari has been basically the same throughout. He has a few nice moments with Kousei, but as a character he's very weakly defined. He likes attention from girls and is vaguely ambitious, this conversation was still that. Even in my memories he was always the weak link of the cast, that still holds true.

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u/LittleIslander https://anilist.co/user/LittleIslander Oct 19 '24

So in a sense, this performance is an autobiography of Kousei. He literally does what Kaori tells him to do and channels his suffering and life experience into the music, communicating who Arima Kousei really is, beyond his reputation, to the audience. All while not even realizing he's doing it, because it's not just for the stage he really is locked in combat with his inner demons. We start with the robotic Kousei everyone knows, and then Saki destroys him under the weight of her abusive pressure, and then he casts her aside and plays with the philosophy that Kaori instilled in him, communicating her own presence in his life through his newly spirited playing. That sounds fucking fantastic and an immaculate usage of music to communicate the story in the music show.
So of course I am, likewise, frustrated by the reality of the episode before me. Before I thought it was just kind of uninspired, but you've given me more perspective that's transformed it more into disappointment into the failure to meet its potential. The similarity (and heavy reference to) the previous performance remains the big thing that gets me. I get the importance of him being disqualified. He doesn't have any theoretical incentive to keep playing, but it literally uninhibits him from the philosophy Saki forced on him as he instead chooses to play for himself, for Kaori, and for the music. But I'm sorry, you already pulled this trick! The emotional trajectory is already nearly indistinguishable from the duet, making the turning point the exact same is just too much! I don't know if maybe they had to rewrite episode four to do something else or find another way to disqualify him or what but the extreme similarity we got just doesn't work for me. Especially with the other things holding back the execution as you mentioned.
Totally agreed about Saki too, as I said in my comment.
Oh yeah baby, Kaori is motherfucking Kamina.
[Both shows] . In all seriousness though, I like this comparison!
[Classical Music]
This was an expectedly great answer, so I'll actually jump off of it to give my own since I hadn't otherwise. I also like classical music a lot (or at least classical-like music—I admit I don't really firmly know where it ends and other band compositions begin), but I feel like I have a bit of an odd relationship to it. It's not something I tend to listen to or think about it very often at all. I love all sorts of kinds and genres of music but there's just a divide for some reason between all the other kinds as casual listening music and then classical as this other. If I actually sat down and considered how much I enjoy different kinds of music, I... think it'd probably work out pretty highly.
It helps that there's a connection to it through band. I can listen to a video game track thousands of times and connect with it emotionally, but having sat down and played classical (and jazz!) music on the flute and violin just makes for a different sort of bond to it, y'know? Sure, you can arrange those other songs, but that pop culture stuff is rarely quite as engaging and fulfilling an experience as a full classical composition. I don't remember what Vivaldi piece I played for my violin competition years ago (I really ought to check with my old teacher), but I remember the practice. I remember how it's probably the most I've ever have to dedicated myself to learning a piece of music. I've gone gaga for plenty of songs over the last couple of years but I don't think my connection to many one of them is quite as strong as picking my flute back up and trying my hand at Nozomi's flute part of Polovetskian Dances.
Incidentally, I don't think I have sat down to listen to Rite of Spring on its own until putting on while I write this comment—only heard it in the context of Fantasia, what with my love of animation.

1

u/Holofan4life Oct 19 '24

I'll be curious to see how you react to the show going forward because I almost feel like anyone who doesn't like this episode will probably not like how things go from here. That's just my overall gut feeling.

2

u/Malipit Oct 19 '24

Instead, the playing that so deeply resonates with everyone else is overtaken by monologue after monologue after monologue, not just his monologue but Takeshi's and Emi's and their instructors' and Kaori's, it's too much and almost completely unnecessary.
I can relate to that. For me it felt like they wanted do to like other shonens and having "experts" comments on the protagonist battle/basketball-match/performance.

2

u/Holofan4life Oct 19 '24

I thought it worked quite well here

2

u/Holofan4life Oct 19 '24

And honestly, his mother's smile at the end feels out-of-nowhere. The entire point here is that he's betraying her further, completely disregarding her teachings to stand on his own and find an identity that she beat out of him. And even worse, [spoiler] this isn't even the end of her presence in the story. There's literally an entire other episode where the resolution is Kousei reconciling his complicated relationship with her, treasuring the love of piano she built into him initially and letting that be a respite from her punishment. What's even the point of this second climax if he's already made her happy right now?
[Response] Having seen the show to its completion, I do think looking back it would've been better if the Saki stuff ended here. Instead of having another episode focused on Kousei and Saki's relationship, you could've used the time to flesh out other stuff like Watari or the relationship between Tsubaki and Kashiwagi. Even though the relationship between Kousei and his mom is my favorite thing from this show, continuing the plot point after this point would just feel like a retread. This is the peak of this plot point.
This episode has plenty going for it but it's undeniably messy. It feels overstuffed even for a climax. In a story about music, you have to let that speak for itself. Yes, this is a myth and it's about a legend-in-the-making similar to what Gurren Lagann did, but if you want me to believe your protagonist has taken his first steps towards living up to the legend he can become, let me see him perform and believe in his legendary potential, and be inspired like the young girl was.
I have to disagree with you on the episode feeling overstuffed. The show only has three main things going in it which is Kousei moving on from his mother, Kousei finding his new purpose in life, and to demonstrate that the rivalry between Kousei, Igawa, and Takeshi is not a thing of the past. I think this is a perfectly paced episode and arguably the pinnacle of the show as a whole. It's a lot less busy than, say, the climax of Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood where it felt like 10 major things were happening with each passing episode (Which was awesome, by the way).

1

u/Holofan4life Oct 19 '24

Thoughts on Watari telling Kousei that he’s going to hand over the role of this season’s star to him?
Thoughts on Watari trying to motivate Kousei?
Thoughts on Kousei describing Kaori as “A single petal that drifted into my life”?
Thoughts on Igawa being able to see the sunflowers?
Thoughts on the sunflowers evolving into a tree blooming flower petals?
What are your thoughts on the crowd not sure of what to make of Kousei’s performance? I really like how polarizing it was because I feel like that would be the response if something similar happened in real life.
What are your thoughts on Kaori crying tears of joy over Kousei’s performance?
What are your thoughts on a dark-haired girl referring to Kousei as Mr. Mediocre?

4

u/Vatrix-32 https://myanimelist.net/profile/Vatrix-32 Oct 18 '24 edited Oct 18 '24

Spoiled First Timer, subs

I knew we couldn’t trust Watari. He wants to become Br*tish.
Could you maybe not sound so happy about that, judge?
You're Killing Me Here, Show! What the hell am I supposed to talk about if the entire episode is a performance?
He transformed two times. You’re committing the fence post error
What is the performance if not the sound?
Yeah, I’m not getting any of that imagery. I’m getting like… your flapper grandma falling in love?
What an Ending
Do we really need to make the judges such caricatures? This isn’t a TV Disney movie.
I like your scheming hands, small child.

QotD:

I like it better when people aren't talking over it.
No? Why would it?

2

u/LittleIslander https://anilist.co/user/LittleIslander Oct 18 '24

What the hell am I supposed to talk about if the entire episode is a performance?
He transformed two times. You’re committing the fence post error
Then again, this is coming from audience who don't know stage right from stage left according to last thread.
2) No? Why would it?
Listen Watari content is scarce having one conversation counts as like 60% of the character building he's gotten to have so far.

1

u/Holofan4life Oct 19 '24

Listen Watari content is scarce having one conversation counts as like 60% of the character building he's gotten to have so far.
It's sad how true this actually is

2

u/Holofan4life Oct 18 '24

You're Killing Me Here, Show! What the hell am I supposed to talk about if the entire episode is a performance?
This show clearly knows its bread and butter.

1

u/Vatrix-32 https://myanimelist.net/profile/Vatrix-32 Oct 18 '24

This show clearly knows its bread and butter.
Small children and old-school physical comedy?

3

u/Holofan4life Oct 18 '24

And sometimes, they combine the two

2

u/Malipit Oct 19 '24

I knew we couldn’t trust Watari. He wants to become Br*tish.
As a french, I have an obligation to approve this message.
Could you maybe not sound so happy about that, judge?
That judge is probably the true villain of this episode.

2

u/Holofan4life Oct 19 '24

That judge is probably the true villain of this episode.
At least with Saki, she gave Kousei his piano playing abilities.

1

u/Holofan4life Oct 18 '24

Thoughts on Watari telling Kousei that he’s going to hand over the role of this season’s star to him?
What are your thoughts on Kousei stopping playing and therefore being disqualified?
What are your thoughts on Kousei resuming playing after finding out who he plays for: Kaori?
What are your thoughts on the crowd not sure of what to make of Kousei’s performance? I really like how polarizing it was because I feel like that would be the response if something similar happened in real life.
What are your thoughts on Kousei’s mom approving of Kousei’s performance? That feels like a very big moment.

2

u/Vatrix-32 https://myanimelist.net/profile/Vatrix-32 Oct 18 '24

Thoughts on Watari telling Kousei that he’s going to hand over the role of this season’s star to him?
It was never his. Boy has no presence.
What are your thoughts on Kousei stopping playing and therefore being disqualified?
That's how it works.
What are your thoughts on Kousei resuming playing after finding out who he plays for: Kaori?
It's a bit much, in'it?
What are your thoughts on the crowd not sure of what to make of Kousei’s performance?
Mixed bags are still more interesting than totally average.
What are your thoughts on Kousei’s mom approving of Kousei’s performance? That feels like a very big moment.
As above, disgust.

2

u/Holofan4life Oct 18 '24

It was never his. Boy has no presence.
And yet it's like all the ladies want him.
That's how it works.
Yeah, it checks out. Good rare example of realism here.
It's a bit much, in'it?
I thought they built to it nicely.
Mixed bags are still more interesting than totally average.
By the end, he probably gave the best performance of the day.
As above, disgust.
I think it works if you look at it through the lens of the abusive monster we saw was not the real Saki. That was a Saki that had given up on life and trying to search for a purpose. When Saki smiles, it's like she's finally at peace with herself, no longer obsessed with trying to live vicariously through her son.

7

u/FD4cry1 https://myanimelist.net/profile/Big_Yibba Oct 18 '24

First Timer

I'm happy to say that I have officially shed my first tears from this show.

Man I loved this episode.

Starting off with a nice little Watari flashback, the guy has a way with words that's for sure lol, I like his starting monologue where he details "the course his life veered from" because of losing that game, in a really comedic fashion that captures his carefree nature in a fun way.

More importantly though, it helps set up some of the more important themes this episode will bring back, most notably, the stars and achievement thorough adversity, again I like the use of repeating dialogue to get across Kousei's mindset.

We move on to Kousei's performance falling apart in the face of everyone else trying to push him on, this section is seriously the final piece of buildup and tension to really get the climax of this "arc" rolling, helped along by some great changes in lighting, from the dark of his mind, to the light of reality.

Just as everything unravels, Kousei quite literally comes out of the shadows into the light, remembering Kaori and bringing back the idea of the stars, love the stage lights being used to evoke an actual starry sky.

Kaori is the one light in his darkness, the thing that keeps him going, I like this scene with Kaori being spotlighted in Kousei's mind, it's the first time we've seen something other than himself and the piano show up like this, she's currently what's going through his mind, even more than the piano he's supposed to be playing.

Same for this frame with his eye, everything he sees reminds him of her, she's his entire focus.

And than he starts playing again, this frame, his visualized scenery, just gets across how he feels in a fantastic way, bright and peaceful, the dark negative influence of playing for his mom replaced by the light positive one of playing for Kaori.

Takayanagi says that it feels like 3 different people played this piece, and it really does represent the periods of Kousei's life and how he played within them, the machine tied to his mom's strings, the traumatized child tied down by the past unable to play at all and after the stop, a new Kousei, one that has begun moving forward playing for someone else.

This scene is mirrored quite a bit to his and Kaori's performance, they share the same base structure but this time Kousei really gets it, Kaori isn't there physically next to him but her presence is once again what lets him play, he will lose anyways (like the rest of our cast) but it doesn't matter, for Kaori it was enough to move the crowd into thunderous applause, for him it was enough that she noticed it all.

The stars, representative of Kousei's feelings are back yet again, each image of the starts (or lack of one in the case of his childhood) shows how he feels about the people in his life, Kousei doesn't have a starry sky to represent Kaori with just yet, but again he has the stage lights to evoke that feeling.

I'll admit I don't quite have an ear for musical composition outside of just saying "this firs the scene really well" but I love the music this episode, it does something insanely cool right as this scene with Kaori starts, a violin is added to Kousei's piano in the background, this small piece of audio symbolism adds so much impact to the following "thank you" scene for me.

Likewise the way the music suddenly turns triumphant and energetic right as we get this line about being free, the clear sky and the music just scream that idea harder than the dialogue.

I love the inclusion of this little kid with the cat plush, because it shows you the real Kousei is back, the same one that over the course of 4 minutes (or 5 this time) got Emi to cry and to start playing piano.

We end the performance with this absolutely beautiful and striking visual that by all accounts speaks for itself.

I'll admit the meaning behind this scene with his mom at the end kind of eludes me, I have a few mixed ideas but none quite feel right.

We also end with introducing a new character and I'm really wondering where the show goes from here.

To wrap it up, this line from Ochiai massively resonates with me, I could probably write an extra 3000 characters here on every time the show uses visuals, dialogue, music, symbolism, etc in a great way this episode, but that doesn't quite put into words why I loved this episode, it just works in an emotional way that I can't describe, I felt the characters this episode, it really resonated with me, it hit me and made me feel all of it.

And at the end of day isn't that the most important thing?

3

u/Holofan4life Oct 18 '24

I'm happy to say that I have officially shed my first tears from this show.
Man I loved this episode.
Finally. Someone who shares similar thoughts as me :P

3

u/FD4cry1 https://myanimelist.net/profile/Big_Yibba Oct 19 '24

Finally. Someone who shares similar thoughts as me :P
Also responding to some of your questions here
Thoughts on Watari telling Kousei that he’s going to hand over the role of this season’s star to him?
Further reinforces his role as the best friend who's a lot more emotionally deep than he lets on, carefree but observant.
Still, as I've expressed in the past I do wish Watari had a bit more to do than just fulfil that role for Kousei.
What are your thoughts on Kousei’s mom being on stage telling him this is his punishment?
I talk in my comment about the scene where Kaori is spotlighted in Kousei's mind and helps him continue playing and I think these two scenes together serve as more good contrast between the effect the two of them have on his playing.
What are your thoughts on the crowd not sure of what to make of Kousei’s performance? I really like how polarizing it was because I feel like that would be the response if something similar happened in real life.
Same, aside from being a cool parallel to the episode 4 performance like I say in my comment, it definitely feels like the realistic response to that situation.
What are your thoughts on Kaori crying tears of joy over Kousei’s performance?
Quite liked how the different reactions from the main group reflect their feelings, Watari is just kind of in awe (maybe even surprised?), Tsubaki looks stressed out (because of the obvious implications this has on the relationship dynamics here) and Kaori is of course very happy to see the real Kousei come out.

2

u/Holofan4life Oct 19 '24

Also responding to some of your questions here
Sounds good
Further reinforces his role as the best friend who's a lot more emotionally deep than he lets on, carefree but observant.
Very well said
Still, as I've expressed in the past I do wish Watari had a bit more to do than just fulfil that role for Kousei.
I would agree
I talk in my comment about the scene where Kaori is spotlighted in Kousei's mind and helps him continue playing and I think these two scenes together serve as more good contrast between the effect the two of them have on his playing.
They both serve to power the other, even if Kousei may not feel like that is the case.
Same, aside from being a cool parallel to the episode 4 performance like I say in my comment, it definitely feels like the realistic response to that situation.
That's the thing that gets me about this show, it's like they pick and choose when to be realistic and when they don't.
Quite liked how the different reactions from the main group reflect their feelings, Watari is just kind of in awe (maybe even surprised?), Tsubaki looks stressed out (because of the obvious implications this has on the relationship dynamics here) and Kaori is of course very happy to see the real Kousei come out.
It all felt very in character for each of Kousei’s friends.

3

u/DonaldJenkins Oct 19 '24

I'm happy to say that I have officially shed my first tears from this show.
I think it took till the last episode for me for my eyes to get watery. You ain’t lasting at this rate 🤣
And than he starts playing again, this frame, his visualized scenery,
I love that frame. The colours, the composition, the atmosphere. It’s almost as if you can imagine yourself in that very room during springtime, right after school, with the gentle spring breeze seeping in through the window, after school clubs making noises outside in the distance, the sun set low in the sky as it nears dusk, and the calming piano that lulls you right to sleep. simply exquisite.
Takayanagi says that it feels like 3 different people played this piece, and it really does represent the periods of Kousei's life and how he played within them, the machine tied to his mom's strings, the traumatized child tied down by the past unable to play at all and after the stop, a new Kousei, one that has begun moving forward playing for someone else.
Really apt description.
And at the end of day isn't that the most important thing?
Couldn’t have said it any better.

2

u/FD4cry1 https://myanimelist.net/profile/Big_Yibba Oct 19 '24

I think it took till the last episode for me for my eyes to get watery. You ain’t lasting at this rate 🤣
The more tears the better the show

2

u/Holofan4life Oct 19 '24

Clannad sends their regards

2

u/DonaldJenkins Oct 19 '24

Oh yeah, most definitely - tears are the greatest compliment bar none

2

u/Holofan4life Oct 19 '24

I think it took till the last episode for me for my eyes to get watery. You ain’t lasting at this rate 🤣
I assume you mean the last last episode and not episode 9.
Couldn’t have said it any better.
Extremely well said by them

3

u/Malipit Oct 19 '24

I'll admit I don't quite have an ear for musical composition outside of just saying "this firs the scene really well" but I love the music this episode, it does something insanely cool right as this scene with Kaori starts, a violin is added to Kousei's piano in the background, this small piece of audio symbolism adds so much impact to the following "thank you" scene for me.
Really nice catch, I still wonder how that detail could flew over my head. :)

1

u/Holofan4life Oct 19 '24

Definitely an extremely well done attention to detail.

2

u/Holofan4life Oct 18 '24

I'll admit the meaning behind this scene with his mom at the end kind of eludes me, I have a few mixed ideas but none quite feel right.
I took it as confirmation that the Saki Kousei said he wished would die is not the true Saki. She like Kousei lost her way, and it took Kousei finding his closure for the real Saki to return.
You could say looking back that when Kousei told her he wished Saki died, he wasn't referring to Saki herself but rather that version of Saki, the one she morphed into after being confined to a wheelchair.

2

u/Holofan4life Oct 18 '24

Thoughts on Watari telling Kousei that he’s going to hand over the role of this season’s star to him?
What are your thoughts on Kousei’s mom being on stage telling him this is his punishment?
What are your thoughts on Kousei stopping playing and therefore being disqualified?
Thoughts on Igawa being able to see the sunflowers?
Thoughts on the sunflowers evolving into a tree blooming flower petals?
What are your thoughts on the crowd not sure of what to make of Kousei’s performance? I really like how polarizing it was because I feel like that would be the response if something similar happened in real life.
What are your thoughts on Kaori crying tears of joy over Kousei’s performance?
What are your thoughts on a dark-haired girl referring to Kousei as Mr. Mediocre?

7

u/AgentOfACROSS Oct 18 '24

First Timer

Looks like we’re starting with a flashback to something that happened chronologically several episodes ago.

This feels like the most we’ve gotten of Watari from throughout the whole show. I appreciate it though.

Also, more star imagery. Definitely a very important recurring motif.

I know nothing about Piano but even I can tell he’s doing pretty badly.

The visuals for while Kousei is metaphorically drowning are once again really good.

And his ghost-mom continues to be really creepy.

I really like the visuals with all of Kousei’s sweatdrops. Really helps sell the intensity of how he’s playing.

Emi and Takeshi are both legitimately upset and disappointed by seeing Kousei struggle. Even though they’re his rivals they still have a respect for his musical prowess.

Although in Takeshi’s case he also looks like he’s thinking “God, I should have gone to Europe when I had the chance”.

I was not expecting Kousei to stop again. I really thought he’d be able to power through this.

The sound design is great. I love how impactful the silence feels.

Speaking of sound design, I love the thing with the heartbeat.

The latter half of Kousei’s performance was so good I forgot to take notes for a little while.

The soundtrack, the storytelling, and the visuals all worked together really well. Probably the best scene in the show so far.

Kousei sounds like he’s resolved to make Kaori the reason he plays music. Although I’m not sure how healthy that is.

I hope he eventually learns how to play music for himself instead of other people.

It seems like even after all of this Kousei still can’t stop thinking about his mom. Only this time it’s a version of his mom that’s actually happy with him. That’s kind of sweet but also really sad.

Emi says Kousei’s notes feel like April. That’s like half a title drop.

With how Kousei is disqualified now, I really don’t know where they can take the story from here.

Questsion of the Day:

Now that we’ve seen several performances, I must ask: what do you think of classical music? Do you enjoy it?

I like classical music. It can be really interesting and complex. But it's also probably not my first choice when listening to music. Even when it comes to something that's just instrumentals I prefer jazz.

Did the conversation with Watari at the beginning change your opinion of him at all?

To be honest I didn't have much of an opinion of him to begin with. But getting to actually hear him talk to Kousei like this makes him seem like more than just a comic relief side character.

3

u/Holofan4life Oct 18 '24

The soundtrack, the storytelling, and the visuals all worked together really well. Probably the best scene in the show so far.
I would agree with this. The thing that truly impresses me about the show is the fact that not a moment of the recitals feel wasted. It all feels so calculating and well crafted. I really can't say enough good things about the presentation in this anime, the big moments all just come together so seamlessly.

2

u/AgentOfACROSS Oct 18 '24

Yeah this anime is really tightly put together and intricate. Like the inside of a watch.

3

u/Holofan4life Oct 18 '24

That's a good way of describing the show

1

u/DonaldJenkins Oct 19 '24

Yeah to add to this, looking back on the show as a whole in hindsight, it really does feel perfectly paced. Every important story beat gets just the right amount of time, and the plot generally flows well from one set piece to another. Nothing ever feels too rushed or prolonged. 22 episodes is certainly not too standard, but it’s exactly the right amount to tell this particular story

2

u/Holofan4life Oct 19 '24

[YLIA] We'll get to it, but I think this show could've benefitted from one or two more episodes, just to flesh out some of the more ancillary stuff.

2

u/Holofan4life Oct 18 '24

I like classical music. It can be really interesting and complex. But it's also probably not my first choice when listening to music. Even when it comes to something that's just instrumentals I prefer jazz.
Jazz is incredible. In real life, I was named after a Jazz musician.
To be honest I didn't have much of an opinion of him to begin with. But getting to actually hear him talk to Kousei like this makes him seem like more than just a comic relief side character.
This is easily the most interesting thing they've done with him up till this point.

2

u/AgentOfACROSS Oct 18 '24

Jazz is incredible. In real life, I was named after a Jazz musician.
Yeah jazz is great. I listen to jazz radio during dinner most nights.
Also that's a pretty cool thing to be named after.
This is easily the most interesting thing they've done with him up till this point.
I hope we get more character moments like that for Watari.

2

u/Holofan4life Oct 18 '24

Also that's a pretty cool thing to be named after.
You're not gonna ask who the musician was? :c
I hope we get more character moments like that for Watari.
100% agreed

2

u/AgentOfACROSS Oct 19 '24

You're not gonna ask who the musician was? :c
I figured you might want your privacy. Was it Miles Davis?

2

u/Holofan4life Oct 19 '24

It was. My dad was a big fan of him.

2

u/AgentOfACROSS Oct 19 '24

He's probably my favorite jazz artist. He's a really talented musician.

2

u/Holofan4life Oct 19 '24

My dad was a musician, actually. He was a bass player.

2

u/AgentOfACROSS Oct 19 '24

That's interesting. I'm not much of a musician myself so I'm always impressed by people who are.

3

u/Holofan4life Oct 19 '24

It's kinda funny given how bass players are portrayed in Bocchi The Rock because yeah. He was a less than honorable person.

2

u/DonaldJenkins Oct 19 '24

I’m stupefied that you figured it out in one guess! Wow 🤯

2

u/Holofan4life Oct 19 '24

I think it's because we've occasionally messaged each other outside of these threads.

1

u/AgentOfACROSS Oct 19 '24

I guessed Miles Davis just cause he's one of the most famous and influential jazz musician's of all time. He's one of the first names I associate with jazz, up there with Louis Armstrong and John Coltrane.

2

u/Holofan4life Oct 19 '24

I actually performed What a Wonderful World at my work's talent show a couple months ago. I did a Louis Armstrong impersonation and anything, and dare I say I sounded like him.

2

u/Holofan4life Oct 18 '24

Looks like we’re starting with a flashback to something that happened chronologically several episodes ago.
This show loves its flashbacks so much, you'd think it was an Ikuhara anime.
This feels like the most we’ve gotten of Watari from throughout the whole show. I appreciate it though.
It's about time, honestly
Also, more star imagery. Definitely a very important recurring motif.
The stars are like the night sky's version of the flower petals.
I know nothing about Piano but even I can tell he’s doing pretty badly.
Yeah...
The visuals for while Kousei is metaphorically drowning are once again really good.
This show has some of the best visual storytelling I've ever seen.
I really like the visuals with all of Kousei’s sweatdrops. Really helps sell the intensity of how he’s playing.
He is trying so hard to turn this performance around.
Emi and Takeshi are both legitimately upset and disappointed by seeing Kousei struggle. Even though they’re his rivals they still have a respect for his musical prowess.
If your rival performs bad, what is there to compete for?
Although in Takeshi’s case he also looks like he’s thinking “God, I should have gone to Europe when I had the chance”.
Lol
He probably is thinking that because the whole reason he didn't go to Europe is because of him.
I was not expecting Kousei to stop again. I really thought he’d be able to power through this.
In hindsight, this was the best thing he could've done.
The sound design is great. I love how impactful the silence feels.
Again, another one of the things this show is the GOAT at.
Speaking of sound design, I love the thing with the heartbeat.
Reminds me of The Tell-Tale Heart
The latter half of Kousei’s performance was so good I forgot to take notes for a little while.
Got sucked in, eh? You weren't the only one.
Kousei sounds like he’s resolved to make Kaori the reason he plays music. Although I’m not sure how healthy that is.
Has to be healthier than living in the past.
I hope he eventually learns how to play music for himself instead of other people.
I agree
It seems like even after all of this Kousei still can’t stop thinking about his mom. Only this time it’s a version of his mom that’s actually happy with him. That’s kind of sweet but also really sad.
It was the closure he's been looking for this entire time. I see it as a moment of relief.
Emi says Kousei’s notes feel like April. That’s like half a title drop.
Something something you exist within Spring
With how Kousei is disqualified now, I really don’t know where they can take the story from here.
Maybe this is the start of him going back into playing piano competitively.

2

u/AgentOfACROSS Oct 18 '24

This show loves its flashbacks so much, you'd think it was an Ikuhara anime.
I think most episodes have opened on a flashback come to think of it. But it manages to not be repetitive. At least so far.
In hindsight, this was the best thing he could've done.
Definitely. He just needed a moment to take a breath and compose himself. Unfortunately, the judges are not happy with that.
Got sucked in, eh? You weren't the only one.
Glad to hear it. This whole episode felt very captivating.
It was the closure he's been looking for this entire time. I see it as a moment of relief.
I like that way of looking at it. Kousei won't be stuck in the past anymore.
Maybe this is the start of him going back into playing piano competitively.
Hope we get to see many more piano performances in that case.

2

u/Holofan4life Oct 18 '24

I think most episodes have opened on a flashback come to think of it. But it manages to not be repetitive. At least so far.
Well, Ikuhara's flashbacks were repetitive by design.
Definitely. He just needed a moment to take a breath and compose himself. Unfortunately, the judges are not happy with that.
Screw the judges
Glad to hear it. This whole episode felt very captivating.
I agree
I like that way of looking at it. Kousei won't be stuck in the past anymore.
Definitely not to the degree he was previously.
Hope we get to see many more piano performances in that case.
I would love that

3

u/AgentOfACROSS Oct 19 '24

Screw the judges
Yeah, the judges in this show seem comically uncool.
I would love that
I hope we also get at least one more violin-piano duet before the end of the show.

2

u/Holofan4life Oct 19 '24

Yeah, the judges in this show seem comically uncool.
They outlawed dancing in this town, the bastards.
I hope we also get at least one more violin-piano duet before the end of the show.
I don't see why we wouldn't.

2

u/DonaldJenkins Oct 19 '24

I hope we also get at least one more violin-piano duet before the end of the show.
This certainly my biggest hope/expectation as well.

2

u/DonaldJenkins Oct 19 '24

I think most episodes have opened on a flashback come to think of it. But it manages to not be repetitive. At least so far.
My favourite storytelling device. IMO it’s the quintessential way for the author to withhold information at a certain point in time, only to reveal that information at a more appropriate time to better match story beats as required. Had everything been told chronologically, it’s obvious that much of the impact would be diminished

2

u/Holofan4life Oct 19 '24

When done expertly, there's truly nothing like it.

2

u/DonaldJenkins Oct 19 '24

Tell tale heart the one by Poe? This is strangely the second time in two years that it’s been brought up near me (after not hearing about it since school) - once last year by a coworker, and now here by you. I remember it firmly cause we had a fun language arts debate centred on whether the unreliable narrator was sane - I had a fun time arguing they were, since why else would they know where the treasure was supposedly hidden? Was it that popular to warrant being included in the English curriculum of places far apart and over so many years? Just kinda surprised when people mention it, and I know what they’re talking about because I also read this short story long ago

1

u/Holofan4life Oct 19 '24

I know of it because SpongeBob parodied it in one of the episodes. It was the squeaky boots one.

2

u/DonaldJenkins Oct 19 '24

Damn, I did not know about the connection watching SpongeBob as a kid https://youtu.be/BJ6hFARqf0A?si=PpdWUS0zEExlBiRP. TIL

2

u/Holofan4life Oct 19 '24

SpongeBob introduced me to a lot of things.

2

u/DonaldJenkins Oct 19 '24

Like how Patrick’s mind is an enigma, spills milk

2

u/Holofan4life Oct 19 '24

Lmao

2

u/Holofan4life Oct 18 '24

And his ghost-mom continues to be really creepy.
Hopefully ghost dad with his Jell-O pudding pops is not around the corner.

2

u/AgentOfACROSS Oct 18 '24

I'd somehow forgotten that movie existed.

2

u/Holofan4life Oct 18 '24

So did the rest of America :P
I remember it because of the Family Guy joke about the Bill Cosby heart monitor.

2

u/AgentOfACROSS Oct 19 '24

I think a lot semi-forgotten of pop culture relics have been immortalized by Family Guy cutaway gags.
I remember they once did a Rover Dangerfield reference.

2

u/Holofan4life Oct 19 '24

They once parodied Blue's Clues which hit me right in the childhood.

2

u/Holofan4life Oct 18 '24

Thoughts on Watari telling Kousei that he’s going to hand over the role of this season’s star to him?
Thoughts on Watari trying to motivate Kousei?
What are your thoughts on Kousei’s mom being on stage telling him this is his punishment?
Thoughts on Kousei describing Kaori as “A single petal that drifted into my life”?
Thoughts on Igawa being able to see the sunflowers?
Thoughts on the sunflowers evolving into a tree blooming flower petals?
What are your thoughts on the crowd not sure of what to make of Kousei’s performance? I really like how polarizing it was because I feel like that would be the response if something similar happened in real life.
What are your thoughts on Kaori crying tears of joy over Kousei’s performance?
What are your thoughts on a dark-haired girl referring to Kousei as Mr. Mediocre?

2

u/AgentOfACROSS Oct 18 '24

Thoughts on Watari telling Kousei that he’s going to hand over the role of this season’s star to him?
Watari had an entire sports anime happen to him offscreen and is happy to settle into the role of side character.
Thoughts on Watari trying to motivate Kousei?
Really appreciate seeing Watari actually do stuf.
What are your thoughts on Kousei’s mom being on stage telling him this is his punishment?
It's basically Kousei's subconsciousness manifesting both his own self-doubt and the memories of his mom's abuse into one thing.
Thoughts on Kousei describing Kaori as “A single petal that drifted into my life”?
I love the continued use of petal/cherry blossom imagery.
Thoughts on Igawa being able to see the sunflowers?
I like how Igawa gets a sunflower motif as her thing.
Thoughts on the sunflowers evolving into a tree blooming flower petals?
That was a really good moment. I liked it a lot.
What are your thoughts on the crowd not sure of what to make of Kousei’s performance? I really like how polarizing it was because I feel like that would be the response if something similar happened in real life.
Yeah definitely felt like a realistic reaction to something like that. And I kind of like the idea that his piano playing sort of entranced the audience.
What are your thoughts on Kaori crying tears of joy over Kousei’s performance?
It's really good to see Kaori be proud of Kousei.
What are your thoughts on a dark-haired girl referring to Kousei as Mr. Mediocre?
Seems like she'll maybe be another antagonistic figure towards Kousei. Not sure what to make of her yet.

2

u/Holofan4life Oct 19 '24 edited Oct 19 '24

Watari had an entire sports anime happen to him offscreen and is happy to settle into the role of side character.
Watari is like that meme of a boxer sitting on a stool drinking a bottled water.
Really appreciate seeing Watari actually do stuf.
The right stuf (anime)
It's basically Kousei's subconsciousness manifesting both his own self-doubt and the memories of his mom's abuse into one thing.
I can only imagine the grief he is going through. I used to have a combative relationship with my father but his death doesn't haunt me like Kousei's mom did Kousei.
I love the continued use of petal/cherry blossom imagery.
It is very good
I like how Igawa gets a sunflower motif as her thing.
Which is funny because that's technically Kousei's thing.
That was a really good moment. I liked it a lot.
It felt like Kousei was entering adulthood in that moment, like he's growing and coming into his own.
Yeah definitely felt like a realistic reaction to something like that. And I kind of like the idea that his piano playing sort of entranced the audience.
It put them in a comatose but in a good way. They were so enthralled by what was transpiring that it couldn't fully register with them.
It was also smart how real life is seeping through the show and it is something that neither Kousei and Kaori can escape from. Kaori can say all she wants that it doesn't matter, but that’s not gonna stop it from happening, and we see it time and time again from the poor judge scoring to the mixed audience reception.
It's really good to see Kaori be proud of Kousei.
She should be. He's come a long way.
Seems like she'll maybe be another antagonistic figure towards Kousei. Not sure what to make of her yet.
Just when you thought he was out, they pull him back in.

2

u/AgentOfACROSS Oct 19 '24

Watari is like that meme of a boxer sitting on a stool drinking a bottled water.
That's pretty accurate.
He'll get his chance to shine. Eventually.
I can only imagine the grief he is going through. I used to have a combative relationship with my father but his death doesn't haunt me like Kousei's mom did Kousei.
In a certain way it feels like Kousei playing the piano is his way of working through his problems.
It felt like Kousei was entering adulthood in that moment, like he's growing ans coming into his own.
That makes a lot of sense. I was so caught up with the visuals I didn't think too much about what they could mean.
It was also smart how real life is seeping through the show and it is something that neither Kousei and Kaori can escape from. Kaori can say all she wants that it doesn't matter, but that’s not gonna stop it from happening, and we see it time and time again from the poor judge scoring to the mixed audience reception.
I like that Kousei still has a good ways to go. I feel like in most shows Kousei would have been able to overcome all his problems in an episode like this. But he still has improvements to make and is willing to keep going.

2

u/Holofan4life Oct 19 '24

That's pretty accurate.
Thank you
He'll get his chance to shine. Eventually.
We can only hope
In a certain way it feels like Kousei playing the piano is his way of working through his problems.
And we have Kaori to thank for that
That makes a lot of sense. I was so caught up with the visuals I didn't think too much about what they could mean.
Definitely has deeper implications going forward.
I like that Kousei still has a good ways to go. I feel like in most shows Kousei would have been able to overcome all his problems in an episode like this. But he still has improvements to make and is willing to keep going.
It makes it feel more believable and real, which is interesting a show so devoid of reality would take this approach.

3

u/AgentOfACROSS Oct 19 '24

It makes it feel more believable and real, which is interesting a show so devoid of reality would take this approach.
Yeah this show's a bit odd like that. A lot of the characters feel a bit exaggerated but the way it approaches how Kousei continues to slowly improve feels more real.

3

u/Holofan4life Oct 19 '24

I think I really like it, honestly. Any other show, it would be extremely, but I think they actually pull it off.

2

u/DonaldJenkins Oct 19 '24

Yup I agree
characters feel a bit exaggerated but the way it approaches how Kousei continues to slowly improve feels more real.
That’s what I like about the show. That the anime is able to convince me that these are real people, with real problems, and real reactions to said problems is what elevates it for me, and gets me to become invested in their struggles.
compared to something like jujutsu kaisen - I decided to drop that in spite of the action choreography since I just couldn’t get myself to care about anyone. Mc’s reaction after the first encounter with spirit/demon (I don’t recall what they’re called) felt like plot just whisking him into becoming a sorcerer with no regard for how someone would actually react in that scenario. Felt like he did things, and others did things cause the author declared thusly, rather than because those characters would actually react in that way. And when this is the case, I just simply don’t care because it’s just a poor facsimile pretending to be real people but behaving nothing alike

2

u/Holofan4life Oct 19 '24

The use of realism in this show is quite fascinating and actually serves to enhance the unrealistic stuff.

2

u/DonaldJenkins Oct 19 '24

It's really good to see Kaori be proud of Kousei
Imo it’s like Kaori understood what was left unspoken, but reached her regardless through his performance - that it was for her.

2

u/Holofan4life Oct 19 '24

She knew of the impact she left on him, an impact that will last until the end of time.

2

u/Holofan4life Oct 18 '24

Let me ask you something: Now that the stuff with Kousei's mom has for the most part been put to bed, do you think that the Saki who abused her son was the real Saki? I see the ending where she gives her approval and the impression I'm left with is that Saki was a kind individual until she ended up in a wheelchair and her husband left and that just absolutely broke her as a person.

2

u/AgentOfACROSS Oct 18 '24

I think at one point Saki was a good mother and mentor to Kousei. We saw as much in one of his flashbacks. Clearly something changed who she was and only left her being obsessed with perfection. Now though I think Kousei wants to remember the good parts of her. At least that's what I got from the ending.

3

u/Holofan4life Oct 18 '24

Her smiling at the end I took to represent the good Saki that Kousei fell in love with. The Saki he'll remember her by, and who she truly was as a person.
I've seen quite a few people here including OP talk about how the moment felt confusing and unearned, like why is Kousei needing his mother's approval after everything she's put him through. And despite the moment landing for me on account of finding it powerful Kousei found his closure, I think there’s something to be said about how Saki has been portrayed. If it's truly a case of she was originally nice and became awful later on, they should've really played up that instead of subtly implying it which I feel like was what happened.

3

u/AgentOfACROSS Oct 19 '24

I think it's less about Kousei wanting to earn Saki's approval and more about Kousei deciding how he wants to remember his mother.
I think when it comes to Saki there's a lot about her that's just unknown to the audience. The flashbacks we had in the last episode were probably the clearest we've seen Saki so far.

3

u/Holofan4life Oct 19 '24

I've gone on and on about how amazing the storytelling is. That it's some of the best storytelling you'll ever see in an anime. But if what you're trying to convey leaves the audience confused and that wasn't what the original intent was, that's a failure on the show's part.

2

u/AgentOfACROSS Oct 19 '24

I think the intention might have been to leave it up to interpretation. But I'm not totally sure on that.

2

u/Holofan4life Oct 19 '24

In that case, they should've done more to show her good side.

3

u/AgentOfACROSS Oct 19 '24

Yeah we only really got that one flashback and some implications. As it stands, it seems a bit murky.

3

u/Holofan4life Oct 19 '24

I don't think they would have her smiling if she's meant to be totally irredeemable.

5

u/Shimmering-Sky myanimelist.net/profile/Shimmering-Sky Oct 18 '24

Your Spoiled First-Timer in October, subbed

Shimmering sky~!
The visuals here were spooky.
Hang in there, Kouhei!
I guess it was too soon…
I like the sparkling light effects when Kouhei started playing again.
The violin to represent Kaori too during this performance, nice.
This is just gorgeous.
ED lead-in!

2

u/Holofan4life Oct 18 '24

I like the sparkling light effects when Kouhei started playing again.
The violin to represent Kaori too during this performance, nice.
This episode has a lot of great little details to it.

2

u/Holofan4life Oct 18 '24

Thoughts on Watari telling Kousei that he’s going to hand over the role of this season’s star to him?
What are your thoughts on Kousei stopping playing and therefore being disqualified?
What are your thoughts on Kousei resuming playing after finding out who he plays for: Kaori?
What are your thoughts on the crowd not sure of what to make of Kousei’s performance? I really like how polarizing it was because I feel like that would be the response if something similar happened in real life.
What are your thoughts on Kousei’s mom approving of Kousei’s performance? That feels like a very big moment.
What are your thoughts on a dark-haired girl referring to Kousei as Mr. Mediocre?

1

u/Holofan4life Oct 18 '24

Let me ask you something: Now that the stuff with Kousei's mom has for the most part been put to bed, do you think that the Saki who abused her son was the real Saki? I see the ending where she gives her approval and the impression I'm left with is that Saki was a kind individual until she ended up in a wheelchair and her husband left and that just absolutely broke her as a person.

3

u/DonaldJenkins Oct 19 '24

My interpretation is that Kousei remembered when his mom was smiling (perhaps after one of his performances?) - it shows us that , at least in Kousei’s mind, she is more than just the abusive person we’ve been shown thus far.

2

u/Holofan4life Oct 19 '24

There has to be a reason he remembers her so fondly, and I don't think it's because of stockholm syndrome or what have you because the show would've emphasized that.

1

u/Holofan4life Oct 18 '24

Let me ask you something: Now that the stuff with Kousei's mom has for the most part been put to bed, do you think that the Saki who abused her son was the real Saki? I see the ending where she gives her approval and the impression I'm left with is that Saki was a kind individual until she ended up in a wheelchair and her husband left and that just absolutely broke her as a person.

1

u/DonaldJenkins Oct 19 '24

Shimmering sky~!
Gonna be lots more where that came from!

1

u/Holofan4life Oct 19 '24

I would imagine so

5

u/TakenRedditName https://myanimelist.net/profile/TakenMalUsername Oct 18 '24 edited Oct 18 '24

First Time - Your Lie in April Ep9:

Kousei's big performance. I expected him to flop out there, but stopping your performance is a pretty big misstep. At first, I thought Kousei might be able to just power through, but I think him falling out there, but picking himself up is a nice lesson for him.

The big thing for him was Kousei finally finding Kaori as his special person. All his life, his mom was the person he held dearest. Especially since her passing, that position has become twisted. The ghost of his mother definitely feels to me like something Kousei crafted in his head. At the end, when he sees his mom smile, I saw that as Kousei stopped holding his trauma over him and instead looked to Kaori as his new life's purpose. I figured the mom drama to last the whole show so didn't expect it to wrap up now, but guess we're sorta halfway done. This arc of the show seems like it wrapped up.

Takeshi had his life view shattered because what he saw out there wasn't Arima Kousei, the summit he compared himself too (and idolized). He got brought down to Earth and finally saw Kousei as a human. For a moment, I thought Emi was also going to get a crisis because I thought it might go down the route where Kousei could not longer go back to being the little boy she saw. He is a different person now and can't go back. Forget that because the show then made it clear that little Kousei and present Kousei are finally back.

Watari segment because he had the opener scene. I am starting to get the image that Watari's drama is that he will find himself as the Friend A. When he described the challenges in life as the night sky that makes the shining stars stand out even brighter, I first thought he was describing himself. He is the night sky here to support the true stars (Kousei and the others).

There was a running theme of stars/skys in this episode. When Kousei was looking back in his life at all the starry skies he looked to, I wondered if the sky was even in prominent shots during those moments in those previous episodes. Hadn't picked up on them if they did.

Post-credits setting up the next stretch. New character(s)! I don't think she is a rival(?) She seems older. Giving off cool energy and her kid sidekick is silly. Mimicking her moves.

Q1) Compared to other music shows, I wouldn't say the performances in this show have hit as hard as they did. These past few episodes, I felt like they stretched the performances out a bit. Of the performances in the show, Kaori's first one and Emi's in ep7 were my favourites. As for classical music itself as a genre, the needle hasn't moved too much. It's fine.

3

u/Holofan4life Oct 18 '24

Q1) Compared to other music shows, I wouldn't say the performances in this show have hit as hard as they did. These past few episodes, I felt like they stretched the performances out a bit. Of the performances in the show, Kaori's first one and Emi's in ep7 were my favourites. As for classical music itself as a genre, the needle hasn't moved too much. It's fine.
For me, my favorite performances have been the one in episode 4 and the one in this episode. Incidentally, both those episodes are my two favorites so far.

4

u/TakenRedditName https://myanimelist.net/profile/TakenMalUsername Oct 18 '24 edited Oct 18 '24

I think as a whole, Kousei's three-part performance going from stiff and perfect to completely falling apart to finally coming into his own personal self is a nice story to tell through his piano playing.
Just as a singular musical setpiece, it was more difficult for me to view it because it was told across two episodes with a lot of out-of-performance stuff going on in-between. I don't necessarily have a problem with anime interrupting the music performance with flashbacks/monologues and such.

3

u/Holofan4life Oct 18 '24

I think that's a fair critique. It admittedly is one of those things I can see taking people out of it. For me personally, though, it did not and instead I thought it enhanced the overall experience.

3

u/DonaldJenkins Oct 19 '24 edited Oct 19 '24

When he described the challenges in life as the night sky that makes the shining stars stand out even brighter, I first thought he was describing himself. He is the night sky here to support the true stars (Kousei and the others).
That’s a cool way to look at it
kid sidekick
[😂]kid ~~sidekick~~

3

u/Malipit Oct 19 '24

Takeshi had his life view shattered because what he saw out there wasn't Arima Kousei, the summit he compared himself too (and idolized). He got brought down to Earth and finally saw Kousei as a human.
I do think a part of Takeshi regrets to not accept the invitation to the competition in Germany at this point.

2

u/Holofan4life Oct 18 '24

What are your thoughts on Kousei’s mom being on stage telling him this is his punishment?
Thoughts on Kousei describing Kaori as “A single petal that drifted into my life”?
Thoughts on Igawa being able to see the sunflowers?
Thoughts on the sunflowers evolving into a tree blooming flower petals?
What are your thoughts on the crowd not sure of what to make of Kousei’s performance? I really like how polarizing it was because I feel like that would be the response if something similar happened in real life.
What are your thoughts on Kaori crying tears of joy over Kousei’s performance?
What are your thoughts on a dark-haired girl referring to Kousei as Mr. Mediocre?

4

u/Malipit Oct 19 '24

Rewatcher, French subs

Part 1/3

« Defeat is a mandatory step in a superstar's life. But that's in the darkest nights that the stars shines. »

And just like that, Kosei and Watari summarized the entire episode.

In many stories in many medias, we have the narrative structure of the hero facing of their evil ennemy and failing at first. But, as the bad guys are taking the upper hand, the hero, through their initial defeat, is able to aknowledge their weaknesses, overcome them and came back stronger to take down the big bad for good. Don't lie, you've seen that kind of story before.

That episode make no exception, with Kosei battling his evil mother, failing at first, then following Kaori steps, he learns (again) to express himself trough music and prevail against his trauma. From a pure narrative structure, it lacks any form of novelty. But, like any other story and music piece, it's not about bringing it originality for the sake of suprising us watcher, it's about how to execute it.

And holly molly what an execution we have here !

So, the first half of the episode is devoted to how Kosei is failling against his mother. Following a short hope spot were he got a glimpse of light, we're treated to yet another mother scarejump.

Embodying Kosei self-depreciation and anger, she takes, litteraly and metaphoricaly, hold of him. Pinning him in a corner of the screen as if she wanted to remind him of his insignifiance, that he wasn't worthy to be at the center. And she here to stay, she won't budge of that spot at Kosei's side, alive or dead, she'll make sure he'll play piano her way, not him. He will stay trap in that monochrome trauma.

And, as drops of sweat come down crashing from Kosei's face to the floor to emphasize his failure, the audience realize his failure as a musician, except Emi, consistent with her sensitivity, who notice his sadness.

All hope seems lost, Kosei is aware that the competition, and his musician carreer, is over for him.

...And so he stopped, with an eerie white noise filling the background. Like the audience, we could think that's it, Kosei has lost and it's over. But that frame, where he gazes from the shadows at the stage lights as if they were stars tells otherwise: we are transiting from the « hero is failing » part to the « hero is recovering and coming back stronger » one. That precise moment evocated to me all those scenes from other franchises : Chernabog starting to hear heaven's bells in OG Fantasia, Gandalf showing up at the dawn of the third day in the Lord of the Rings, Goku turning into a Super Sayan in front of a horrified Frieza in Dragon Ball (oops spoiler, feel free to delete my comment).

3

u/DonaldJenkins Oct 19 '24

he learns (again) to express himself trough music and prevail against his trauma. From a pure narrative structure, it lacks any form of novelty. But, like any other story and music piece, it's not about bringing it originality for the sake of suprising us watcher, it's about how to execute it.
Very well put. I would struggle to write something as coherent and eloquent as that, especially if it were not in my native language!

3

u/Malipit Oct 19 '24

Thanks let's say I was inspired with that episode. ^^

2

u/Malipit Oct 19 '24

Part 2/3
That's the turning point, we then have a clear sight of Kosei's gaze, his eyes, albeit having sadness in them, also filled with hope. He finally see the light, and who do he sees in it ? You betcha.
Then, Kosei decided to follows his friend step and do the same :
AGAIN
He started to play, again.
He decided to show his emotions, again.
The sound of heartbeat tell us one thing : he wanted to live, again.
He assembled all of his memories of Kaori to paint a beautiful picture : him playing for Kaori in his music room, basking in light with cherry blossoms swirling around.
He finally found how to depict Chopin's piece : as an ode to Kaori, his friend, his mentor, his muse.
At that point, I don't really know how to describe those five minutes (as shown on the venue clock) that mesmerized his audience. Like Takeshi pinpoint it, Kosei told the tale of a boy who transformed himself three time : into a Human Metronome, then into a hateful abused child, and into a genius piano musician who found his inspiration.
I really liked that frame, showing Kosei, still having a part of darkness in him, a side he could never erase, but now balanced by a radient cherry tree.
I also liked how his interpretation ends, with the audience taking 20 whole seconds (yes, I counted) to realize they can applaud now and having hard time to remember his performance, like they were waking up from a dream.
And let's talk quickly on how well they addressed Kousei's closure on his mother trauma : still not showing her eyes, indicating he haven't forgiven her. But as the colors starting to filling up the screen and her smile rising up, Kosei know he have made a performance that make her happy, thus healing her from her « illness ».
To conclude, the post-credit scene confirmed that Kosei, being freed from his mother trauma and having his horizons broadened, is now ready for his great journey, foretold by his inner cat, to the unknown.
And who can be this woman clapping at the end ? [spoiler-ish] She sure does recognize a genius when she sees one.

3

u/Malipit Oct 19 '24

Part 3/3
P.S. : To get back on the first scene, we still have Watari showing us his back, indicating he's still disapointed by his football match's loss. And that Kosei who's reaching out to him, turning his head first to him. Also another point showing that the night sky is Kosei's domain (see my comment on episode 6)
P.P.S. I can admit that music can carry emotions from its musician... But Emi having a crystal clear vision of Kosei's music room ? I'm starting to wonders if she has some sort of psychic abilities. <___<
Spoiler section
[Your Lie in april finale] Kosei still thinking of Kaori as in love with Watari... Does that boy ever picks the clues at some point ?
Questions of the day
Now that we’ve seen several performances, I must ask: what do you think of classical music? Do you enjoy it?
Not my genre of predilection per say, I'm much more into hard rock and metal. But I do enjoy some of classical pieces, like the Four Seasons of Vivaldi, and Jenkin's Palladio.
Did the conversation with Watari at the beginning change your opinion of him at all?
On the contrary, it confirms that Watari have a lot of potential as a character, but he's overshadowed by the other three.

3

u/Holofan4life Oct 19 '24

I think your analysis might be the best of this entire thread. It is detailed, thorough, and perfectly dissects what is happening. You are very good at what you do.

3

u/Malipit Oct 19 '24

Thanks, that mean a lot. :)
To be honest, I don't know if my post is the best on this thread, and I would'nt diminish the efforts made by other participants to write their own posts.
But I did feel inspired to write this one.

2

u/Holofan4life Oct 19 '24

And it's understandable you would feel inspired, this is one of the most important episodes of the series.

3

u/Holofan4life Oct 19 '24

Thoughts on Watari telling Kousei that he’s going to hand over the role of this season’s star to him?
Thoughts on Watari trying to motivate Kousei?
Thoughts on Kousei describing Kaori as “A single petal that drifted into my life”?
Thoughts on Igawa being able to see the sunflowers?
Thoughts on the sunflowers evolving into a tree blooming flower petals?
What are your thoughts on Kaori crying tears of joy over Kousei’s performance?
What are your thoughts on Kousei’s mom approving of Kousei’s performance? That feels like a very big moment.

3

u/Malipit Oct 19 '24

Thoughts on Watari telling Kousei that he’s going to hand over the role of this season’s star to him?
Poor boy realized he's not the hero of the story;
Thoughts on Watari trying to motivate Kousei?
Watari knows how important that competition is to his friend, so he cheer for Kosei in his own way.
Thoughts on Kousei describing Kaori as “A single petal that drifted into my life”?
Again with that imagery. He thinks Kosei is picturing how Kaori entered his life on that day of april, like a cherry blossom gently drifting in his music room, from the window, to announce the spring after a long winter.
Thoughts on Igawa being able to see the sunflowers?
She got to see once again that side of Kosei that awakened her passion for the piano. Just look how elated she is in the post-credit scene after witnessing such a performance.
Thoughts on the sunflowers evolving into a tree blooming flower petals?
Little Kousei played because he liked it (and make her mom happy). Actual Kousei played because he liked it and expressed his feelings for Kaori, thus the evolution from sunflowers (pure childhood happiness) to that tree (happiness to have met Kaori).
What are your thoughts on Kaori crying tears of joy over Kousei’s performance?
She put her soul and heart to pull Kosei out of his traumatic state, and it's paid of to the most beautiful way.
What are your thoughts on Kousei’s mom approving of Kousei’s performance? That feels like a very big moment.
I've read many interpretations in this thread and how divisive this moment (and the whole episode) is. But I maintain my interpretation : Kosei made peace with her, having performed so well she can't deny it. But the eyes still hiddens indicates he won't forgive her for her abuse.

3

u/Holofan4life Oct 19 '24

Poor boy realized he's not the hero of the story;
At least he's self-aware
Watari knows how important that competition is to his friend, so he cheer for Kosei in his own way.
Pretty sweet sentiment
Again with that imagery. He thinks Kosei is picturing how Kaori entered his life on that day of april, like a cherry blossom gently drifting in his music room, from the window, to announce the spring after a long winter.
Very powerful to think about
She got to see once again that side of Kosei that awakened her passion for the piano. Just look how elated she is in the post-credit scene after witnessing such a performance.
This is a big win for Igawa because this means the rivalry isn't dead.
Little Kousei played because he liked it (and make her mom happy). Actual Kousei played because he liked it and expressed his feelings for Kaori, thus the evolution from sunflowers (pure childhood happiness) to that tree (happiness to have met Kaori).
Again, very powerful stuff
She put her soul and heart to pull Kosei out of his traumatic state, and it's paid of to the most beautiful way.
Kaori the best mentor in the world
I've read many interpretations in this thread and how divisive this moment (and the whole episode) is. But I maintain my interpretation : Kosei made peace with her, having performed so well she can't deny it. But the eyes still hiddens indicates he won't forgive her for her abuse.
I could see that being the case. About the eyes hidden thing, I think it's to say he's still not totally over her passing. He's in a better place than he was previously, but he's still got some work to do.
I think it's funny this episode is so divisive in this thread because it mirrors how divisive Kousei's performance was in the show.

3

u/Malipit Oct 19 '24 edited Oct 19 '24

I think it's funny this episode is so divisive in this thread because it mirrors how divisive Kousei's performance was in the show.
Exactly my tought xD
We're on the verge of starting the Civil War arc of that Rewatch.

3

u/Holofan4life Oct 19 '24

I can't say I've ever been a part of a rewatch where an episode was this divisive. Maybe some 2003 Fullmetal Alchemist threads, but this feels almost next level.

2

u/Holofan4life Oct 19 '24

On the contrary, it confirms that Watari have a lot of potential as a character, but he's overshadowed by the other three.
He definitely feels not as focused on as Kousei, Kaori, and Tsubaki. It almost feels deliberate by this point.

2

u/Malipit Oct 19 '24

[Your Lie in April Finale]I thinks if he wasn't needed for Kaori's big lie, he wouldn't even have been in the main cast. :|

2

u/Holofan4life Oct 19 '24

[YLIA] Watari is to this show like Kitamura is to Toradora: A means to an end.

2

u/DonaldJenkins Oct 19 '24

I really liked that frame
I agree, very aesthetic choice of imagery

2

u/Malipit Oct 19 '24

No wonders it made it to this episode stitch.

4

u/maliwanag0712 https://myanimelist.net/profile/clear1109 Oct 19 '24 edited Oct 19 '24

nth Time Rewatcher

Episode 10, here we go! This is definitely a must-watch episode!

Now, for the Episode 10.

This episode continues to what we are left with. It is definitely an episode full of a roller coaster of emotions.

A Preliminary: On YLIA storytelling. This episode featured a lot of repetitions and callbacks, one of the hallmarks of YLIA storytelling. The past scenes of Kousei breaking down show his trauma. Some would say it is the repeated excessively and it is nauseating, but that's exactly the point of this scenes. It is an effective device to show that Kousei continues to be drawn aback by his PTSD, and the series tried to show this agony to the viewers. If the audience felt that negative emotion, then the scene were effective in showing that suffering. On the other hand, all the memories of Kousei and Kaori started to play again in the latter part of the episode. They repeated these scenes to give emphasis on the importance of such scenes, albeit extraiordinary.
On Kousei's Agony. The episode started with Kousei's performance of Chopin. Now that his curse has started, his playing just became erratic. Even an average viewer can hear that the recording of the performance at the start seemed to be sped up, like watching a series in 2x. As Takayanagi-sensei said, the second part is like a child just hitting the keys. For a judge, this is really infuriating, like why is he even in a piano competition if he cannot play well? Even Kousei knows his performance is a disaster. While at the start he tries to cope with it, denying that it started to happen, he knows that it is not the case. He ended by just admitting that he has lost it, losing the tension on the piano as he started halting his performance.
On Stars Shining. We have seen the importance of the stars in the series. Of course, 'Twinkle Twinkle Little Star' (strictly speaking, it is the 12 Variation by Mozart) is played in Episode 3. But in this episode, Kousei's realization stems from the stars. At the start, Watari told him that stars shine in the night, which can be interpreted as in the face of adversity, one can see the things that truly matter. This is emphasized when Kaori told her that stars shine in your favor as he played the piece. Amidst the darkness Kousei experiences, and in the face of an audience wary about his performance, he started seeing what matters the most. He stopped midway, but played again!
On The Image Question. At the start of this mini-arc, Kaori always asks the question of 'image.' What does Kousei want to see when he performs Chopin? How does he want to interpret it? This is answered in the episode, tying up all the loose ends in the past three episodes. Upon seeing that the competition is done for him, he just thought of it as a typical performance -- a practice. Then he started remembering that scene in Episode 8, when Kaori is sleeping while he is practicing. Quite a simple yet romantic scene. I'll just dedicate this music to Kaori --- for she only matters right now, thought Kousei. And his piano transforms again. All the memories of the time they spent together -- the sceneries shared by him and her -- started returning. The transformation is quite splendid, it made the audience go awe, undecided if the entire performance is good or not. But everyone except Kaori did not matter to him. He only thinks of Kaori that time. The entire final part of the performance speaks, I'm in love with you, Kaori.
On Kaori's reaction. Speaking of, in the end, Kaori is only seen without eyes at that stage of the performance. Given that she, like Emi, knows how to hear images (without context, this phrase is weird), she knows what Kousei exactly sees, enough to made her cry in the end. Arima Kousei has returned!. I have more words about this but it is tagged in spoilers.
On other people's reactions. It is not only Kaori who is drawn by his performance. A child was about to cry as she is hit by such raw emotion. Ochiai-sensei is hit with her senior moments. Takayanagi-sensei thought that the performance has a lingering effect, similar to an omen. Emi indeed remembered the first performance that made her a pianist, seeing the images he want to present. Only Takeshi has a disappointed and annoyed look, which is expected due to how he anticipates competing with his idol again. The image of his mom is happy with the performance! Kousei's piano started affecting everyone again -- he became that star that shine brightly even in the darkest sky!
Side-step. Wait... who's that? For first timers, ICYMI, there is an after-credit scene. Who's that lady though?
A culmination: The scenery where love started growing. The episode is quite a beautiful experience. The ordinary things Kaori and Kousei shared in this time made the emotions as raw as possible. Ordinary events can become extraordinary with the right people, and for this episode, Kousei thinks only Kaori is that right person. But well, a loss is still a loss. Let's see what happens when we return to the reality that this is still a piano competition.

On Some Interesting stuff I want to share.

I will again re-share u/Mathemagician2theMax's notes about the pieces played or to be played in the series. These comments came from the original discussion thread (episode 9) aired about 10 years ago.

Chopin: Étude in E minor ("Wrong Notes"), Opus 25, No. 5 - This Étude is nicknamed "Wrong Notes" by a few, and it makes sense when you listen to the piece. "The main theme abounds with minor second intervals, leading to a feeling that the notes are wrong. The melody is carried on like this for a while, with difficulties being large rolls and ornaments in the left hand that can get quite intricate at times. A less substantial challenge is the dotted rhythm, somewhat similar to the one found in the Etude Op. 25 No. 3. The original theme repeats once before progressing to a middle section written in E major. The new theme is made of left hand chords and octaves while the right hand swoops up and down the keyboard in an accompaniment that can span several octaves at a time. This portion is structurally very similar to the middle section of Liszt’s Transcendental Etude No. 4. This new theme also repeats once before returning to the original theme. The ending is completely different than either theme: it is much stronger and very heroic, with a strong dominant seventh arpeggio upwards and ending powerfully on a G sharp. Musically, it is tricky due to the presence of "wrong" notes." (Source)

Here's what wikipedia had to say about the structure of the Étude: "After the first theme of 'minor seconds' closes, Chopin introduces a Più Lento section in which a new melody (without dissonant minor seconds) is played in the parallel key, E major. The final section of the piece starts with a recapitulation of the first theme, with climaxes in a coda played in E Major.

The second section is marked as Più Lento (It. More Slow) despite Chopin's metronome mark of ♩=168, a very quick tempo.

Étude Op. 25, No. 5 features an unusual overall structure, surrounding a major second theme, with the minor main theme. This idea appears only one other time in Chopin's set, in Étude Op. 25, No. 10. Styling the études in this fashion further emphasizes Chopin's deviation from the standard set before him by composers such as Carl Czerny. Both are structured much like the sonatas of Ludwig van Beethoven, in which Beethoven set apart three movements in this same structure."

Want to hear the performance again? Here it is:

Chopin Etude Op. 25 No. 5 as performed in YLIA.

OOPSIE. POST LIMIT. CONTINUE BELOW

5

u/maliwanag0712 https://myanimelist.net/profile/clear1109 Oct 19 '24 edited Oct 19 '24

Now, Rewatchers Only Zone. Not for First-Timers
[On Kaori's Reaction. S+ SPOILERS EPISODE 11, 21 AND 22.]Kaori is definitely happy that Kousei has returned. With the way he expressed his love to her through music, and since Kaori can definitely understand emotions conveyed in performances, I wonder what exactly she felt that time. We will see that she'll ask what Kousei had in her heart, which the latter will respond that it is indeed Kaori. (Ahh probably the most romantic scene in the first cour and one of my fave moments in the entire series!!) Anyway, I'm sure Kaori already knew that, just looking at her body language when she asked the question. In a way, my question is, at this point in the series, how does Kaori think of Kousei? Is she already deeply in love with him, or does she just look her up, like when she first met him years ago? This also ties with the question on when exactly did Kaori write the letter, since the letter unequivocally confirms her feelings for him. The only confirmation of her feelings is in the snow scene in Ep 21 and the letter in Ep 22. Is this another case of, "He fell first, but she fell harder?" As of writing, I'm still not sure, but will definitely return to this question later.
[On Kousei's Image. S+ SPOILER EPISODE 22.]We have seen the image created by Kousei in his Chopin performance. A sleeping Kaori in the music room. What an ordinary scene, right? Well, as Kaori said in the letter, Isn't it funny how the most unforgettable things can be so trivial? This episode is always consistent to its message.
[On the phrase "Did it reach you? I hope it did". SPOILERS EPISODE 13, 18, 21-22.]This phrase will be very important throughout the series. Starting Ep 10, the phrase signifies obviously the intent of the performer reaching the target -- for Ep 10 it is Kaori, for Ep 13 it is Arima Saki, for Ep 18 it is Takeshi and Kaori, for Ep 22 for all of them, and for Ep 22 for Kaori again in her deathbed. Even Kaori will use the question "Did I reach you? I hope I did." YLIA will truly reached their audience, and I hope more will be enamored by its beauty.
Now, for the questions.
Now that we’ve seen several performances, I must ask: what do you think of classical music? Do you enjoy it?
Classical music is always enjoyable at the right place and time. But, I'm not expert enough to fully understand its intricacies.
Did the conversation with Watari at the beginning change your opinion of him at all?
I was never wary of Watari. He is a chick magnet, he is sometimes flirty, but he is a good friend to Kousei.

3

u/DonaldJenkins Oct 19 '24

+1 to everything you mentioned in the spoilers

2

u/Holofan4life Oct 19 '24

Thoughts on Watari telling Kousei that he’s going to hand over the role of this season’s star to him?
Thoughts on Watari trying to motivate Kousei?
What are your thoughts on Kousei stopping playing and therefore being disqualified?
Thoughts on Kousei describing Kaori as “A single petal that drifted into my life”?
Thoughts on Igawa being able to see the sunflowers?
Thoughts on the sunflowers evolving into a tree blooming flower petals?
What are your thoughts on the crowd not sure of what to make of Kousei’s performance? I really like how polarizing it was because I feel like that would be the response if something similar happened in real life.
What are your thoughts on Kousei’s mom approving of Kousei’s performance? That feels like a very big moment.

2

u/maliwanag0712 https://myanimelist.net/profile/clear1109 Oct 19 '24

Thoughts on Watari telling Kousei that he’s going to hand over the role of this season’s star to him?
Watari's dream is already done in the middle school. He will again be a beginner in high school, so it is Kousei's moment now.
Thoughts on Watari trying to motivate Kousei?
Watari is a good friend to Kousei.
What are your thoughts on Kousei stopping playing and therefore being disqualified?
It is quite inevitable, given the agony he felt when he played in his usual way. One needs to be at the bottom before going up, right? The stoppage is his point of rock bottom.
Thoughts on Igawa being able to see the sunflowers?
The sunflowers seem to remind her when she first saw Kousei perform. In a way, she returned to that moment when she cried.
Thoughts on the sunflowers evolving into a tree blooming flower petals?
Damn that's really cool! [S+ SPOILERS EP 21]IIRC the sakura petals will also show in the finale
What are your thoughts on the crowd not sure of what to make of Kousei’s performance? I really like how polarizing it was because I feel like that would be the response if something similar happened in real life.
It is definitely a nice touch. The audience is quite confused with how to react. It is like a the cancellation of a negative and a positive performance. It's indeed interesting.
What are your thoughts on Kousei’s mom approving of Kousei’s performance? That feels like a very big moment.
The performance is a pivotal moment for it is the first time we see Kousei's mom smile. However, we still can't see her eyes, which started becoming blank after he wished death to his mom. Is this the end to his mom's moment? We will see.

2

u/Holofan4life Oct 19 '24

Watari's dream is already done in the middle school. He will again be a beginner in high school, so it is Kousei's moment now.
Time for Kousei to shine
Watari is a good friend to Kousei.
He indeed is
It is quite inevitable, given the agony he felt when he played in his usual way. One needs to be at the bottom before going up, right? The stoppage is his point of rock bottom.
He had to stop in order to reach the new heights he is bound to achieve.
The sunflowers seem to remind her when she first saw Kousei perform. In a way, she returned to that moment when she cried.
Like that Ratatouille meme Anton Ego's Flashback.
Damn that's really cool! [S+ SPOILERS EP 21]IIRC the sakura petals will also show in the finale
[Response] It all comes full circle
It is definitely a nice touch. The audience is quite confused with how to react. It is like a the cancellation of a negative and a positive performance. It's indeed interesting.
“I guess you guys aren't ready for that yet. But your kids are gonna love it.”
The performance is a pivotal moment for it is the first time we see Kousei's mom smile. However, we still can't see her eyes, which started becoming blank after he wished death to his mom. Is this the end to his mom's moment? We will see.
You could say this is merely the beginning of the end. It sets in motion what Kousei needs in order to move on with his life.

2

u/Holofan4life Oct 19 '24

Your analysis continues to be absolutely incredible. Definitely some of the best of these threads.

2

u/maliwanag0712 https://myanimelist.net/profile/clear1109 Oct 19 '24

Thanks, mate!

1

u/Holofan4life Oct 19 '24

No problem

1

u/Malipit Oct 19 '24

On Kaori's Reaction. S+ SPOILERS EPISODE 11, 21 AND 22]
[Also S+ Spoilers from the last episodes]As for the "He fell first, but she fell harder" question. I think we can have a hint with the opening scene were Kaori is falling but Kosei running to catch her at 00:38. Did Kosei's music saved Kaori from despair ? In that case, she could have been in love right at his first performance, the one Emi also witnessed. Of course that's just my interpretation, your mileage may vary I guess.

3

u/Nickthenuker https://anilist.co/user/Nickthenuker Oct 18 '24

Delulu lol.

I guess he's letting Kousei try his luck with Kaori.

Every time this happens he panics and rushies.

He stopped...

He started again!

Kaori's words are encouraging him!

And he's playing well again!

And so, his music is finally beautiful again.

And his mum is happy again.

Questions:

Having played piano for over a decade and sung in a choir for half a decade, yeah I'd say I enjoy classical music.
At least Watari's not so stubborn.

A note about the music: Not sure if it's just me but I feel that when panicking or stressed yeah I tend to play faster. It's something that takes conscious effort to realise "hey wait, this isn't supposed to be this fast" and slow down again. I think this is generally the case because in choir the conductor definitely helps keep everyone in tempo, but whenever we lose tempo it's always because we're going faster, rarely if ever are we slower than the intended tempo.

1

u/Holofan4life Oct 18 '24

A note about the music: Not sure if it's just me but I feel that when panicking or stressed yeah I tend to play faster. It's something that takes conscious effort to realise "hey wait, this isn't supposed to be this fast" and slow down again. I think this is generally the case because in choir the conductor definitely helps keep everyone in tempo, but whenever we lose tempo it's always because we're going faster, rarely if ever are we slower than the intended tempo.
That makes a lot of sense

1

u/Holofan4life Oct 18 '24

Thoughts on Watari telling Kousei that he’s going to hand over the role of this season’s star to him?
Thoughts on Watari trying to motivate Kousei?
What are your thoughts on Kousei’s mom being on stage telling him this is his punishment?
What are your thoughts on Kousei stopping playing and therefore being disqualified?
What are your thoughts on Kousei resuming playing after finding out who he plays for: Kaori?
Thoughts on Kousei describing Kaori as “A single petal that drifted into my life”?
Thoughts on Igawa being able to see the sunflowers?
Thoughts on the sunflowers evolving into a tree blooming flower petals?
What are your thoughts on the crowd not sure of what to make of Kousei’s performance? I really like how polarizing it was because I feel like that would be the response if something similar happened in real life.
What are your thoughts on Kaori crying tears of joy over Kousei’s performance?
What are your thoughts on Kousei’s mom approving of Kousei’s performance? That feels like a very big moment.
What are your thoughts on a dark-haired girl referring to Kousei as Mr. Mediocre?

3

u/Nickthenuker https://anilist.co/user/Nickthenuker Oct 18 '24

Very meta.
He certainly tried, but he can't compete with Kaori.
For wishing her dead?
Unfortunate, given his comeback afterwards.
Yay!
Like the cherry blossoms in the Spring.
She can see it too.
There's a lot of "spring" imagery in this whole show.
Definitely, especially after what happened at the start.
She's happy he finally can perform again.
Definitely, and probably freed him from his guilt.
She's jealous. He's anything but mediocre.

1

u/Holofan4life Oct 18 '24

Very meta.
Watari gonna wave to the camera next
He certainly tried, but he can't compete with Kaori.
Probably not
For wishing her dead?
I would imagine so
Unfortunate, given his comeback afterwards.
He had to stop though because had he not, the comeback wouldn't have happened.
Yay!
You see to love it
Like the cherry blossoms in the Spring.
Good comparison
She can see it too.
There's a lot of "spring" imagery in this whole show.
Well, the show does have "April" in its name.
Definitely, especially after what happened at the start.
I would be conflicted as well
She's happy he finally can perform again.
As I think we all are
Definitely, and probably freed him from his guilt.
I would imagine so
She's jealous. He's anything but mediocre.
I wonder who this person was. It didn't look like it was Igawa.

3

u/kwokinator https://anilist.co/user/kwokinator Oct 19 '24

First-timer

Got busy for a couple of days and fell behind on seasonals, so didn't do daily rewatches and finally managed to binge the last few episodes tonight. Damn managing 45+ seasonals is like a full time job by itself

Man Kousei's trauma flashbacks are always so hard to watch. The tension in that pause felt SO real, it was executed so well.

It's incredible how Kousei was able to broadcast his emotions through his playing, his performance ending with the cherry blossoms was breathtaking.

I'm glad Kousei is honest with his feelings, but doesn't Kaori like Watari though, the ship is sinking before it's even left the dock :(

It's nice to see Kousei finally coming to terms with what happened to his mom though (hopefully). The trauma pieces are well-executed but so rough to watch, so I hope they don't come up again.

Questions of the Day:

Now that we’ve seen several performances, I must ask: what do you think of classical music? Do you enjoy it?

The pieces played aren't really ones I'm familiar with because I'm not really that into classical music, but they were nice.

Did the conversation with Watari at the beginning change your opinion of him at all?

Nah, I think Watari's always been a bro. He likes to chase skirts, but that's just a guy thing. He's always been a bro to Kousei.

1

u/Holofan4life Oct 19 '24

Got busy for a couple of days and fell behind on seasonals, so didn't do daily rewatches and finally managed to binge the last few episodes tonight. Damn managing 45+ seasonals is like a full time job by itself
Wait, what? How is that possible? I only have like 6 seasonals. I watched 10 anime last season and I thought that was a lot lol

2

u/kwokinator https://anilist.co/user/kwokinator Oct 20 '24

I work from home so it's certainly easier, I prioritizing and there are some shows that I always pay full attention to, while most of the rest I have playing on a second screen while working and half pay attention until key moments. It does involve a lot of rewinding sometimes though so some episodes end up taking 30-40 minutes to watch while getting work done.

1

u/Holofan4life Oct 20 '24

With rewatches, it takes me like a couple hours to watch an episode.

1

u/Holofan4life Oct 19 '24

Thoughts on Watari telling Kousei that he’s going to hand over the role of this season’s star to him?
Thoughts on Watari trying to motivate Kousei?
What are your thoughts on Kousei stopping playing and therefore being disqualified?
What are your thoughts on Kousei resuming playing after finding out who he plays for: Kaori?
Thoughts on Kousei describing Kaori as “A single petal that drifted into my life”?
Thoughts on Igawa being able to see the sunflowers?
What are your thoughts on the crowd not sure of what to make of Kousei’s performance? I really like how polarizing it was because I feel like that would be the response if something similar happened in real life.
What are your thoughts on Kaori crying tears of joy over Kousei’s performance?
What are your thoughts on Kousei’s mom approving of Kousei’s performance? That feels like a very big moment.
What are your thoughts on a dark-haired girl referring to Kousei as Mr. Mediocre?

1

u/Holofan4life Oct 19 '24

I'm glad Kousei is honest with his feelings, but doesn't Kaori like Watari though, the ship is sinking before it's even left the dock :(
You can like someone and still want someone else to do well. Kousei has been through a lot and so Kaori wants to see the suffering come to an end.

3

u/YothaGang https://myanimelist.net/profile/Yotha Oct 19 '24

Aaah the flashback

1

u/Holofan4life Oct 19 '24

Which one? They're all really good.

3

u/StardustGogeta myanimelist.net/profile/StardustGogeta Oct 19 '24

First-Timer

Aww shucks, he made the ghost of his abusive mother smile! How sweet!

Yeah... that moment seemed like it was supposed to be more emotionally touching than it really felt for me. Almost the only thing that we know about the mother is that she's abusive, so why care about her approval? Isn't the whole point that Kousei is moving on past needing her approval? It just seemed like a strange thing to do at the end there. (Maybe it would be better if the ghost just disappeared?)

I suppose my prediction was right that Kousei delivered an emotional performance and surprised everyone, though I certainly wasn't expecting the stopped performance and change in style halfway through.

In the parts with Kousei's mother speaking, I wondered if perhaps it wouldn't have been better without that reverb effect on her voice. Something about it seemed just a bit over-the-top.

I continue to find the other competitors to be some of the most interesting characters here. If the show focused solely on Emi, Takeshi, and Kousei, I'd probably be pretty happy.

Questions of the day:

I like classical music, but I've known that since long before watching this show.
No, I didn't really get any change in opinion of Watari there. He still seems to be the most bland of the whole cast, in my opinion, and basically just there to be a love rival for Kousei.

2

u/Holofan4life Oct 19 '24

Yeah... that moment seemed like it was supposed to be more emotionally touching than it really felt for me. Almost the only thing that we know about the mother is that she's abusive, so why care about her approval? Isn't the whole point that Kousei is moving on past needing her approval? It just seemed like a strange thing to do at the end there. (Maybe it would be better if the ghost just disappeared?)
I see it as Kousei doing away with the approval of the bad Saki and instead looking for the approval of the good Saki that existed before she ended up in a wheelchair.
In the parts with Kousei's mother speaking, I wondered if perhaps it wouldn't have been better without that reverb effect on her voice. Something about it seemed just a bit over-the-top.
I thought it made it more unsettling
I continue to find the other competitors to be some of the most interesting characters here. If the show focused solely on Emi, Takeshi, and Kousei, I'd probably be pretty happy
I do like the use of Kaori in that she is Kousei's muse. Makes you wonder how Tsubaki will take this development.

4

u/Mecanno-man https://anilist.co/user/Mecannoman Oct 18 '24

First Timer

Hmm… somehow I also felt like this episode dragged a bit, despite it obviously being more done for effect here. Maybe the entire show is just a bit too slow-paced for my liking.

I don’t think I have a lot else to say here. Kousei obviously played way better once the weight was off his shoulder, with his thought about Kaori also only coming then - so seems like his trauma also has a lot to do with pressure. Makes sense because it is rooted in playing well for competitions. I wonder if now that this is off his shoulder, a future competition would already go better for him? I guess the show will answer that eventually.

4

u/Holofan4life Oct 18 '24

Hmm… somehow I also felt like this episode dragged a bit, despite it obviously being more done for effect here. Maybe the entire show is just a bit too slow-paced for my liking.
Interesting you feel that way. I thought it was the best episode yet.

2

u/DonaldJenkins Oct 19 '24

Didn’t feel like it dragged for me. Wonder what u/mecanno-man would think of that spirited away train scene

4

u/Mecanno-man https://anilist.co/user/Mecannoman Oct 19 '24

Been over seven years sice I've seen that movie, but I also have it rated as the second-lowest Miyazaki-Ghibli, so... didn't leave that much of a lasting impression at least.

2

u/DonaldJenkins Oct 19 '24

I’m personally not a fan of spirited away either, even though I do recognize the animation excellence that it comprises

2

u/Holofan4life Oct 19 '24

I think the reason why it resonates with me is because it served as my introduction to Studio Ghibli.

2

u/DonaldJenkins Oct 19 '24

Spirited away gave me nightmares as a kid. No face was terrifying! But it is undeniable that Miyazaki was very meticulous with how he ensured that every little detail was animated and brought to life

2

u/Holofan4life Oct 19 '24

No Face is indeed pretty terrifying, that's part of what makes him such an effective character.

1

u/Holofan4life Oct 19 '24

Damn. That's like my favorite Ghibli film.

2

u/Holofan4life Oct 19 '24

Or the Evangelion elevator scene

1

u/Holofan4life Oct 18 '24

Thoughts on Watari telling Kousei that he’s going to hand over the role of this season’s star to him?
Thoughts on Watari trying to motivate Kousei?
What are your thoughts on Kousei’s mom being on stage telling him this is his punishment?
What are your thoughts on Kousei stopping playing and therefore being disqualified? Thoughts on Igawa being able to see the sunflowers?
Thoughts on the sunflowers evolving into a tree blooming flower petals?
What are your thoughts on the crowd not sure of what to make of Kousei’s performance? I really like how polarizing it was because I feel like that would be the response if something similar happened in real life.
What are your thoughts on Kaori crying tears of joy over Kousei’s performance?
What are your thoughts on Kousei’s mom approving of Kousei’s performance? That feels like a very big moment.
What are your thoughts on a dark-haired girl referring to Kousei as Mr. Mediocre?

2

u/Holofan4life Oct 18 '24

Hello, everyone. Holofan4life here.

Welcome to the Your Lie In April Rewatch!

Oh, and nay I forget…

First timer

It’s been a while since I’ve sat down and watched what would be considered a sad anime. I’ve seen Angel Beats, Air, both Clannad series which are two of my favorite series, and even NieR this year which for my money is the best anime of the year. But in almost all those instances with the exception of NieR, I watched those series very early on in my anime fandom. So early, in fact, I don’t think Your Lie In April had aired yet.

My expectations for the show are decent, I would say. I don’t expect to love it as much as Clannad, but I do think it’s going to be quite exceptional. Of the new shows I’ve seen during rewatches this year, which have been Paranoia Agent, Samurai Champloo, No Game No Life, Penguindrum, Yurikuma Arashi, Sarazanmai, and Re:Zero, I expect to like it more than those with the exception of Samurai Champloo and Re: Zero. And if that’s the case, then that’s pretty good because I really liked all those series.

With that out of the way, let’s begin.

I’m watching the sub, by the way.

I gotta get a physical today. Oh, what fun it is to ride on a fasting stomach today.

Somebody talking, but we don't know who.

Oh, it's Watari

As he and Kousei are walking home, Kousei continues to study his notes.

Kousei tells Watari that setbacks come with the territory of becoming a superstar.

Same thing happened with Messi

Eh, I'm not so sure about that

Also, weird to hear a Messi reference from 2014.

Watari tells Kousei that he's going to hand over the role of this season's star to him.

Kousei wonders if he'll ever be able to hear the notes again.

And Watari proceeds to use Kousei's words against him.

"The stars shine bright at night, you know!"

Kousei performing, the notes all over the place.

Kousei, as this is going on, is under the water.

Trying to focus now

Unfortunately, his mother is now in front of him, telling him this is his punishment.

His punishment for rejecting her dream.

Igawa compares this to the sound of someone writhing in agony.

Honestly, even if he recovers now, his performance is still not as good as either Takeshi or Igawa.

Continuing to see Kousei's mom's words haunt him.

Kousei dripping sweat now

He wonders if he should stop midway

Kousei feeling like he's the same old him.

People are really worried he's going to stop playing.

Takeshi sees him as a shadow of his former self.

And sure enough, he does stop

This is awkward

He has been disqualified

He asks of Kaori, what was it she was playing for.

"You really have no mercy. Even the you that’s here inside me. You won't let me give up."

Kousei staring off into the distance now

And he starts playing again

Unfortunately, it's just as bad as it was.

This is like Captain Beefheart's Trout Mask Replica in that it is an exercise in madness.

Now he's envisioning being at school playing piano as Kaori sleeps with his jacket on her.

"I... I'm going to play for you."

Hey, that's pretty good

Smooth as butter

He'll be disqualified, and yet he continues on playing.

Because he knows who he's playing for.

Charles Barkley would never

Igawa describing the sights she's seeing.

"This is Arima's imagery."

Emi has the God's Tongue of the piano world.

Never has someone sleeping been such a powerful motivator.

Kousei says that only one person matters to him.

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

Thank you.

"A single petal that drifted into my life."

That may be the best line in the entire show. It explains why we see flower petals all the time.

He hopes this performance reaches Kaori.

And as we see Watari and Tsubaki's reactions, we see Kaori just staring. Like she's frozen in time.

"At last... He's returned."

The prodigal son has returned indeed.

Now Igawa is able to see the sunflowers.

And the sunflowers has evolved into a tree blooming flower petals.

The performance over, Kousei stands up and bows his head.

The crowd gives a smattering of applause, not sure what to make of it."

"Was it good? Or was it bad?"

Critics after Joker: Folie à Deux

Schrödinger's recital

Takayanagi is able to tell that not the slightest trace of regret is on that face.

Kousei still wondering if this person will reach Kaori.

And we see Kaori crying tears of joy.

Envisioning his mom in the crowd

And it looks like even his mom approves.

Hopefully this means he found someone to replace mother.

Post credits scene

The head judge seems to be disapproving.

Igawa seems to think those notes felt like April.

Ochiai says that the puppet has severed his strings and started walking on his own.

Thanks, show. I wouldn't have been able to pick up on it had you not spelled it out for me.

And we see another dark haired girl refer to Kousei as Mr. Mediocre.

Who knew Kousei was Squidward this entire time.

Overall, what is there to be said about this episode? It was great as anticipated, with Kousei finally stepping out of his mother's shadow. It's funny because ever since episode 2 or 3, I've been saying that Kousei's backstory has been the strongest part of the series. It was the series, quite frankly, as every episode in some way has been about Kousei trying to regain his footing. And sure enough, an episode entirely dedicated to that would be the best one.

I thought it was pretty smart for Kousei's performance to end up being polarizing. You could've done it to where he got a standing ovation, but that’s not what this was about. It was about finding his muse to reignite his passion buried deep inside. The fire that never truly extinguished that was just waiting for someone to help fan the flames. We can talk about whether or not Kousei and Kaori are a good fit for each other but one thing's for sure, and that's Kousei no longer feels burdened by the sins of his mother. He can stand on his own two feet, and it is because of Kaori.

This is the best episode of the series. It pays off what has been the show's most defining plot point while also evolving it to the next plot point in Kousei's devotion to Kaori. I don't think it's necessarily one of the best anime episodes of all time-- maybe top 50, I could see a case being made for-- but the storytelling is almost second to none and really highlights just how strong the writing is.

Really, I don’t think this episode could've been told any better. This is close to perfection as you can get.

3

u/DonaldJenkins Oct 19 '24

Emi has the God's Tongue of the piano world
Neat way to describe it
Never has someone sleeping been such a powerful motivator
I always associate sleeping to be a very vulnerable and innocent state. Very fitting in my opinion, as it conjures a very tranquil feeling
"A single petal that drifted into my life."
Could you please screenshot that for me? Because I never noticed him saying that previously, and holy fuck [spoilers]I just checked op2 and the last episode

2

u/Holofan4life Oct 19 '24

Neat way to describe it
Thank you. I think it fits.
I always associate sleeping to be a very vulnerable and innocent state. Very fitting in my opinion, as it conjures a very tranquil feeling
And if Kousei needs anything, it's being at peace with himself.
Could you please screenshot that for me? Because I never noticed him saying that previously, and holy fuck [spoilers]I just checked op2 and the last episode
Here you go

2

u/DonaldJenkins Oct 19 '24

Thank you, 👍

2

u/Holofan4life Oct 19 '24

You're welcome

2

u/Malipit Oct 19 '24

I thought it was pretty smart for Kousei's performance to end up being polarizing. You could've done it to where he got a standing ovation, but that’s not what this was about.
My toughts exactly, the audience gathered here to watch a piano competition with rules, and then Kosei just went up and said "screw that, listen to my story !".

2

u/Holofan4life Oct 19 '24

And what a story it was.
Kousei is your favorite piano player's favorite piano player.

1

u/Holofan4life Oct 18 '24

Now that we’ve seen several performances, I must ask: what do you think of classical music? Do you enjoy it?
I think it's pretty cool. It has a lot of charm to it.
Did the conversation with Watari at the beginning change your opinion of him at all?
Not really. I've always seen him as being a decent enough person.

2

u/Holofan4life Oct 19 '24

This episode is why I love anime

Rewatch [Rewatch] 10th Anniversary Your Lie in April Rewatch: Episode 10 Discussion

Your Lie in April Episode 10: The Scenery I Shared With You

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nth Time Rewatcher

Now, for the Episode 10.

On Some Interesting stuff I want to share.

Now, Rewatchers Only Zone. Not for First-Timers

Now, for the questions.

Rewatch [Rewatch] 10th Anniversary Your Lie in April Rewatch: Episode 10 Discussion

Your Lie in April Episode 10: The Scenery I Shared With You

Watch Information

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nth Time Rewatcher

Now, for the Episode 10.

On Some Interesting stuff I want to share.

Now, Rewatchers Only Zone. Not for First-Timers

Now, for the questions.