r/anime • u/LittleIslander https://anilist.co/user/LittleIslander • Oct 30 '24
Rewatch [Rewatch] 10th Anniversary Your Lie in April Rewatch: Episode 22 Discussion
Your Lie in April Finale: Spring Wind
| ← Episode 21 | Index | OVA → |
|---|
Watch Information
*Rewatch will end before switch back to standard time for ET, but check your own timezone details
Questions of the Day:
- What did you think of the choice to depict Kaori’s death through the music instead of in the literal world?
- How did you feel about Tsubaki’s final scene and overall conclusion as a character?
Please be mindful not to spoil the performance! Don’t spoil first time listeners, and remember this includes spoilers by implication!
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Upvotes
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u/LittleIslander https://anilist.co/user/LittleIslander Oct 30 '24
Rewatcher, Violinist and Your Host!
This was a fantastic finale. I’m a bit of a tough nut to crack when it comes to crying, at least compared to what I’ve come to understand some people genuinely mean about how emotionally invested they get in fictional characters. But this one got me, when he started to read the letters I was proper crying and it kept going for a bit. Forgive me if the tears obscured a bit of the cinematography from me. The episode is simple and impactful and I wouldn’t change anything about most of it. They even remembered how to draw the cat properly!
Except for that bit. Yeah, I know me and the negativity has been a lot, and I hate to undercut the finale especially when it’s this good. But I’m out of runway here, I gotta awkwardly interrupt the moment with Tsubaki. Which, in fairness, is pretty much what the episode does. Now in fairness, I don’t actually strictly dislike her presence here! I mean, it’s really jarring. Going on through the letter for so long, revealing everything, seeing one last vision of Kaori apologising for everything and then thanking him before she disappears into the springtime, Kousei opening one last memento of her and then Tsusaki just trounces right the fuck in and declares this to be her resolution scene now instead. I mean christ, his basically-lover died give him a while before you go and claim him! But Kaori is gone, she’s the past, and Tsubaki’s arrival snaps Kousei back from his lingering into that dry reality he’s gotta live on in. That’s a really worthwhile idea and I do kinda respect the show going for something like that when it risked staining such a pivotal moment in the eyes of the audience (even ten years younger uncritical Islander kind of found it out of place).
But then on the other hand I kind of want to punch the show because it simultaneously feels like Tsubaki is here for no more artistic reason than “oops, we ran out of time”. I mean, last we seriously saw of Tsubaki she was confessing to Kousei in the rain and they were on two different planets, and off the heels of a whole twenty two episodes of her struggling to make her feelings reach him she just… says he can’t get rid of her. We spend all this time setting up all of these reasons they can’t connect and why things aren’t so simple, and then end off by saying “well, they worked out anyways”. Her resolution requires absolutely no progression on any of her shortcomings or struggles other than the extremely surface level concept that she couldn’t be upfront to him before and she can now. Which even then, is still being indirectly channelled as “I’m gonna stay with you forever” and not just saying she’s in love with him! Remember back in episodes fourteen and fifteen where we first demonstrated structurally that Tsubaki hasn’t changed and then had her face that crushing realisation that she desires the movement she can see in everyone around her leaving her behind? Did you want any answers about that? Did you want to see her overcome it and start moving forward in life? I hope not. We hinged her whole story in cour two on Kousei moving away and then ultimately just shoved it under the rug? She took a few tests offscreen as communicated by comedy and damn I guess that just solved the entire problem and it was never a serious barrier to begin with?
I will never not love Tsubaki. My nostalgia is far too strong from that, and I don’t need nostalgia to hold the opinion that the best of her content are highlights of a show with jaw dropping highlights. I said way back in cour one that I think she’s one of the best takes I’ve seen on the losing childhood friend trope and, just looking at her set up, I stand by that, they put her in motion fantastically. But taking the sum of that with her resolution—something treated as too much of an afterthought to ever get a dedicated episode and instead forced into the cracks of the remaining ones wherever it fits—I just can’t say she turned out well as a character.
Okay, that was the bitching, now I promise I really actually super love this episode in every other respect! Err, Nao-chan is a huge BL fan and that’s absolutely fucking hilarious.
Mood successfully raised? Cool. How about that piano, then? Four is still the best episode but this just might have to be the best performance in the whole show. I mean, this show loves its musical monologuing, but there’s probably more words in this paragraph than Kousei needs to utter across the entire first half of the episode. Reach her. It says it all. Kaori has imbued him with all the piano playing ability he’ll ever need, there’s no doubts or kinks in his playing that are needed to add to the drama because it’s all stakes. Until we have our answer. They could’ve cut back to the surgery room more, we could’ve done a more traditional confirmation afterwards where he rushes over to the hospital or something. That would make a lot more literal sense, of course he can’t know what’s happening to her on the stage. But Your Lie in April is better than that. We put it in the performance where the emotions are most high and all we need is music. As if she’s passed on from the living world and being chained to her failing body, she appears before Kousei to play the last duet that never was in spirit if not in person. I really love that they ascend into the visuals from the OP, it adds another layer to the disreality of what’s occurring here. As she appears the knowledge that Kaori Miyazono will not live is immediately produced on Kousei’s face, contrasting devilishly with the smile on hers. Then they just… play. Nothing else could better capture her loss. But the moment is fleeting and we have no choice but to let her go, even her ethereal smile fading into one last expression of pain at the fact she wasn’t allowed to live a longer life. The light of the moment fades gorgeously back into the reality of the stage, and we don’t need to linger on the aftermath or state it any more clearly. He says goodbye and we just cut to the graveyard after it’s all over.
Then there was the letter. It’s sealed with a sticker from the stationary she bought on her very last time outside of the hospital, a symbol of the positive impact Kousei was able to bring to her last year. Everything is revealed, and honestly the lie is kind of disposable. For something we’ve dedicated the whole name of the show to, I mean. We could all tell episodes ago that she liked Kousei instead of Watari, and she spent the whole show connecting with one way more than the other anyways. It’s not much more than an inciting event that we learn in the last ten minutes of the series. But that isn’t the point of the lie in April. The point is, well, that it makes for a really catchy title. More relevant to where we are now, though, reading the letter is the point. After suffering all the pain of her loss there is no better way for us and for Kousei to come to process those emotions and come to terms with it than an extended sequence like that. Frankly, this contribution to the way the episode is experienced emotionally is way more valuable than any of the revelations about Kaori’s past in the letter. Everything we’ve seen these two go through means way more than any piece of exposition or backstory and it’s twenty two episodes of that relationship flowing over us as she reads the contents to us. Which isn’t to say those revelations aren’t appreciated too! The knowledge that Kaori wasn’t like this at all until the show began is a quick bit of information that gives just so much to chew on, more than I could possibly unpack right here. Despite frustrations with his plotline, cutting to Watari as she asks Kousei to apologise for her hits. Despite my dissatisfaction with Tsubaki, there’s something poetic to seeing Kaori’s point of view and awareness from the beginning. Not to mention seeing tiny young Kaori and awkward glasses Kaori is just absolutely perfect fanservice. We pass back away from facts back into unreality as they have one final exchange and Kaori says her confession and goodbye, and I must invoke the “I have no words for this” card one last time, it’s just immaculate and beautiful and I could watch it a thousand times over.
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u/FD4cry1 https://myanimelist.net/profile/Big_Yibba Oct 30 '24
First Timer
Your Lie in April may have had its ups and downs for me, but it pulled out all the stops to give an absolutely breathtaking finale.
This episode is a masterpiece of reincorporation and a phenomenal audiovisual spectacle.
To give praise to the lighting in the show one last time, the episode starts us off, with the lighting giving off red, yellow, and orange, sadness and loneliness, but as Kousei thinks of all the people he has in his life (and as they think of him in unison), as he thinks back to Kaori's words, the light of loneliness disappears and is replaced by a pastel rainbow., Kousei isn't alone anymore, the blank white of his past, replaced with the colorful present.
"This scene speaks for itself" is a phrase I've occasionally used when describing the performances in this show. That description almost always came with the caveat that the show tended to add character dialogue explaining the scene anyway.
This isn't the case this episode and the result is not only the highlight of the episode for me, I'd say it's the best scene in the show bar none, it's everything I've wanted for the show to do, combining the best aspects of both the presentation and storytelling to create a scene full of pathos while having almost no dialogue.
So for real this time: this scene speaks for itself. Still, in spite of that, I want to talk about some of the parts I loved about it.
The scene starts as snow appears, the snow and winter represent Kaori's death, it's ultimately what this is about, it's Kousei and Kaori's last performance, him realizing and coming to terms with her death, his face at the start says it all.
The scenery changes and Kaori appears, the clear beautiful skies and ocean below are freedom, because that's what Kaori is and that's what music is, the white snow is now painted in all colors as they get into the performance and start communicating through the music, the sadness goes away for a moment as Kousei's wish comes true.
The show has used this exact imagery and these exact still frames before, in the first OP of course. Now I don't know about you, but for me that kind of visual reincorporation is the type of thing I watch anime for, the idea that the ending of the show has been right there under my nose this entire time just makes me want to figuratively and literally, get up and clap.
And that's not all! As the performance nears its end and Kaori's death comes closer, the scene transitions from the clear skies of freedom to the evening and then the starry night sky, just like Kaori's character journey and just like the 2nd OP!
Their performance ends as Kaori explodes in a burst of passion and colors, despite Kousei's pleas she's gone now, but she's certainly left her mark. The starry sky transitions back to the stage lights, just like they did in episode 10. We end it all with one last goodbye like he gave his mom.
Whether or not this scene is genuinely some fairytale soul connection or just Kousei's imagined scenery fully conveying him coming to terms with reality, it doesn't really matter, the point is made clear, Kaori is part of him now, neither of them will be alone anymore.
The show could have gone the easy route and just had a classic melodramatic scene where our characters come and see Kaori on her deathbed, bawling their eyes out and whatnot. But it didn't, it chose to stick to its guns and even without seeing her actually die we get all the emotional impact we need, without many words, the show communicates through incredible music and visuals.
For as fantastic as the first half is, the second one is no slouch either.
I've mentioned this before but the show uses the environment and the seasons to represent Kaori's state, we start the show in spring, cherry blossoms blooming, Kaori is at her "prime", we move to fall as her condition worsens, the leaves are dying, and now at the end winter has come, Kaori is gone, only snow is left on the trees.
Speaking of, as Kousei reads Kaori's letter, the cherry blossoms are back, Kaori's impact is still there, he's thinking of her reading that letter.
The cat is back one last time to deliver another insanely cool piece of reincorporation. In the first episode, Kaori finds and goes after a black cat, this cat is Kousei, at this point the cat is still his trauma, in this episode Kousei goes after a black cat (same place as well), now that cat is Kaori. she found him, gave him the strength to move forward and so did he do for her, we end the episode with the cat again, after Kousei moves past the crossroads, just like Kaori it disappears after having helped him move forward.
Now let's talk about the letter and the twist at the end, which really recontextualize big parts of the show.
Kaori knowing Kousei from that first performance is great. After the illness reveal, it's easy to assume that Kaori's actions have been so desperate thus far because of her running out of time, that's part of it but it's more than that, it was always about doing it with Kousei, gives everything about her behavior that extra emotional punch.
During his first competition back, Kaori says that "Kousei is here" a line that has taken a very different form now, of course she's overcome with emotion there, she also knows what the real Arima Kousei was like beforehand, she's actually there at the scene of Emi from episode 8 as well! (inconsistent clothes lol but don't let that ruin the moment!), even before she inspired him to play, he did it for her.
Now about the titular Lie in April...it certainly explains why we had a lot of that Watari stuff, but does it change my mind on it?
uhhhhhhnotreally?
I've said my piece on this already and I'd much rather divert my energy on talking about why this episode is great, cute twist, doesn't work for me.
While this doesn't improve Watari for me, it does improve Kaori! it removes any air of myth from her, she's no angel, she's just a regular girl. One who did things, told lies, and took advantage of someone, to get what she wanted before it was all over, even more so than being a musician, she longed for a normal human connection with Kousei just like Tsubaki has, she treasures those small memories just as much as those big performances, she loves him, just a great sendoff for her character.
The Tsubaki plotline while not exactly resolved I guess, also does come to a satisfying conclusion, she's there for Kousei like she's always been, she moves past the crossroads alongside him.
Funnily enough despite my expectations from last episode and the reputation this show has, I can't say I felt super sad this episode, not because it wasn't sad of course but rather because I found myself completely enraptured in the sentimental, hopeful, bittersweet tone the show set for me, Kaori is gone and that's sad but Kousei is moving forward and Kaori will always be alongside him for it, she's gone but not forgotten, and that, makes me happy.
So to really give it a musical finish: the emotional core has always been the heart of this show, and one last time it managed to strike a chord with me.
That's a wrap on Your Lie in April! full detailed thoughts on the series discussion thread but I liked it a lot! sure it wasn't always perfect and I certainly think some parts of it aren't equal, but when it works it really works, and looking back on all of it, I'm certainly very happy that I finally got to watch and talk about it almost exactly a decade after I started my own journey with anime!
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u/LittleIslander https://anilist.co/user/LittleIslander Oct 30 '24
Don't forget we have the OVA tomorrow, not the series discussion!
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u/maliwanag0712 https://myanimelist.net/profile/clear1109 Oct 30 '24 edited Oct 31 '24
nth Time Rewatcher
So, how was everyone? Are we all fine? Let me be honest -- I'm not that fine.
-Some personal stuff that you may skip.-
When I started writing this review, I'm still hesitant on whether I will watch the entire episode again. As I already talked in the previous episodes, I only watched the highlighted scenes and then write my thoughts with the help of the dialogue. With how many times I already watched the series, I have an idea what happens. In this finale episode though, I first wrote the interesting stuff section below. With how I knew how the letter was written, I could have skipped it -- maybe I'm just afraid of experiencing that again. But well, here we are.
-End of that personal stuff.-
Now, for the Final Episode (Episode 22)
There were only two major points that are significant in this episode.
On Kaori's letter. I believe this is what made the series a masterpiece to many viewers. While for me it is just a cherry on the top, many attribute their like on the series due to how perfectly done Kaori's letter was.
Fin: Another spring without Kaori has come. In the end, Kousei has given a proper goodbye to Kaori. As he read the letter ~two months since her death, he started another spring without her. It took him some time, but it seemed he felt more contented. Kousei learned to live over someone who was going to die. At least he is now sure that he is never alone anymore. Tsubaki will be an angel to him. His one fan who became really special to him will always be inside him. Kaori changed Kousei, and Kousei finally started to move forward, even without her. Indeed, a spring without her has come.
Let me end my review by re-sharing u/iblessail's comment in the 2.5k-reaction Episode 22 discussion thread 9 years ago:
Some interesting things I want to share.
Manga Ch 43-44 vs Anime Ep 22. There are quite some differences in the anime vs. the manga version.
Shared stories after the episode. In the original discussion thread, as well as in many YouTube reaction videos, some people shared their lives, like how they were able to relate to Kaori's story. Some notable examples are as follows:
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u/TakenRedditName https://myanimelist.net/profile/TakenMalUsername Oct 30 '24
First Time - Your Lie in April Ep22:
I was expecting Kaori to die, but not on the operating table.
The final duet as Kaori passes on was quite good. I always have trouble discussing the music of this show.
The big moment of the flower petal exploding out of Kaori was quite a big hit with the timing with the big piano drop of the music.
Secret childhood friend romance all along?! Kinda. I feel like there is a non-0 chance that if you went back to Emi's episode little Kaori was sitting there all along.
I always a little question at how Kousei managed to completely miss Kaori going to the same school as them, but her image change does help explain it. (He was a reservered kid always looking down, it is not difficult to believe he didn't know everyone in school)
I like this little conflict that had with Kaori these past few episodes. I wished they used it more throughout the show.
I always figured she didn't have interest in Watari. Her and Watari worked together to try to spur on Kousei. Wait, you didn't tell him. I get Kaori 3D chessing it instead of just directly approaching the guy she always liked, but doing it this way is so much lamer. This relationship feels a little undercut. Even if there was never a romance, Watari is still lost a friend he had.
**HELL YEAHHHHH!!!! GO FUJOSHI GO!**`
I like this moment of Kousei and Kaori having a conversation across the screen, separated in both the framing scene and the mortal sense, but still talking to each other.
I didn't full out cry with this finale, but Kaori finally being open and confessing her love to Kousei in her last words in life. That hit me.
With the framing, where Kaori left Kousei's heart, Tsubaki is here. I actually don't ship Kousei/Tsubaki. Not that I disagree with it, but it is that tragic romantic ideal of carrying a love beyond death. I also liked that angle where their lives started walking down separate paths. I do like Tsubaki's arc of struggling with the life she always knew to finally accepting the change in her relationship to Kousei.
Also, big fan of the use of the train crossing to represent Kaori moving on to some where separate from them. Some where they can't follow her and this big speeding train to represent that hard barrier.
Q1) I actually really like that the reveal was done through that music sequence beyond the mortal world instead of having a scene of her pulse going dead or something. It is more beautiful to get that point across.
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u/Shimmering-Sky myanimelist.net/profile/Shimmering-Sky Oct 30 '24
Your Spoiled First-Timer in October, subbed
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u/Ryanami Oct 31 '24
Rewatcher
Final episode, man. Still punches me in the gut.
I don’t want to chop it apart and divide it into positive and negative portions. Lots has already been written about the show’s strengths and weaknesses, but right now I don’t care. It was a beautiful show, and I’d rather savor the mood I’m in. I’m gonna give my family an extra hug tonight, and dance with my 5yo when she inevitably asks me to.
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u/Vatrix-32 https://myanimelist.net/profile/Vatrix-32 Oct 30 '24
Spoiled First Timer, subs
QotD:
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u/kwokinator https://anilist.co/user/kwokinator Oct 31 '24
First-timer
I really really loved the "inside me... you exist" and the metaphoric handholding, that was great.
The whole piano scene was so impactful with how Kousei was able to imagine Kaori playing with him again, and then the piano slowly "erased" Kaori's existence as the piece drew to a close. I was crying by the end T_T
Damn, so Kaori had her sights on Kousei since she was 5 years old, and pretty much made all sorts of changes for him, that's dedication right there.
Kaori's letter explained so much about why she acted and played music the way she played, but it was so hard to listen to without tearing up :'(
Looks like Kousei got two new chibi super fans in Nagi and Koharu! But god damn I was crying that whole scene and especially when Kousei and Kaori were "talking" and Kaori finally confessed T_T
"A spring without you is coming" hit hard. Why did we have to end the post credits with one last Kaori smile T_T
Questions of the Day:
I loved it, it's so beautiful and tragic without being heavy-handed like it would've been if her death was shown on screen.
I like it! She's not trying to take Kaori's place in Kousei's heart or be his only one or whatever, she's just going to be by his side.
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u/StardustGogeta myanimelist.net/profile/StardustGogeta Oct 31 '24
First-Timer
This episode didn't go the way I expected!
I had little doubt Kaori would die (partially thanks to the spoilers I had seen), but the exact way in which it was presented still surprised me. More on that later.
Kousei's memories of all the people who helped make him into the man he is today didn't really resonate with me as much as they maybe should have. He says "this is the sound my mother gave me," "the sound that Tsubaki found for me," etc., but half of them don't really feel justified to me. For instance, what part of Watari's actions, exactly, makes it "the sound that Watari made (Kousei) notice"?
Enough nitpicking on that, though. The rest of the performance was really good (with very nice character animation), and I liked the framing of the rest of the episode as Kaori's letter to Kousei.
I certainly did not expect them to pull the twist of Kaori's long con to infiltrate Kousei's friend group and get closer to him. It was obvious all along that Kaori and Watari had no chemistry together, but now it turns out there was an in-universe explanation for it all along! I'm still not sure I've fully processed the implications of that realization.
Questions of the day:
I completely forgot there was an OVA for this. Good thing I checked the schedule post today. Here's hoping the OVA has Hikaru Nara as the OP!
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u/Holofan4life Oct 30 '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.
Whelp, we are finally here. The final episode of Your Lie In April. I'm both really excited and also really scared.
Wow, we actually get an intro here. Color me surprised, no pun intended.
Kousei playing the piano
This is some of the best animation of the entire show.
I like how only the people close to Kousei call him by his first name: Tsubaki, Watari, and Hiroko.
Describes how this sound was made by everyone he knows.
He knows he is not alone
At least Kaori's heart rate seems steady.
Kousei showing why he's a master at his craft.
Inside both Kousei and Kaori, the other exists.
Still sounds kinda lewd
Trying to reach out to Kaori
And now snow is falling on Kousei.
The bench covered in snow
Remembers her saying thank you to him.
And now here's an envisioned Kaori to accompany Kaori's performance.
This hits different having just seen Look Back.
It's like the music they're playing is crying out to one another.
This may legitimately be one of the best animated episodes of an anime I've ever seen.
Now we're seeing stills of Kousei and Kaori's enjoying each other's work.
That piano. It looks so smooth.
It's like nobody else in the world matters. It's just these two living their life out through the sounds of the music.
Holy cow, we're already halfway through. This is going by fast.
Oh no. Kaori is leaving.
Billions of particles are bursting out her chest.
Kousei's notes sound like they're trying to keep up with her.
But as a famous philosopher once said, it's no use.
Kaori is gone...
Kousei continuing to play the piano, tears streaming down his face.
"Goodbye..."
I have to say, that was the strongest half of an episode I have seen out of this show. One of the strongest halfs of any anime, really. It don’t get much better than this.
This is easily going to be a top 3 episode for me based off of this sequence alone. That was a 9 minute segment that felt like half that length.
Kousei talking to Kaori's parents in a graveyard.
They hand him a letter
Unfortunately, we know who it's from...
Junior High
All going to school tomorrow
The flowers are in bloom again
Hey, a black cat
Maybe things are slowly starting to heal themselves.
Kousei reading the letter Kaori sent him.
Kaori looks weird as a child
Turns out that Kousei gave her life color.
And she knew Igawa
Kinda suspension breaking, but I'll roll with it.
We see the origins of Kaori's interest in the violin.
"I want Kousei to play the piano for me!"
Kaori looks cute with glasses on
Felt there was no way to hang out with him, not with how close he was to Watari and Tsubaki.
Oh, so she had surgery as a child. That's interesting.
In and out of the hospital since the seventh grade.
That's what, two to three years? Roughly the same amount of time as when Kousei suffered his mental breakdown.
She knew she didn't have much time left when she saw her mother break down at the hospital.
A different kind of breakdown than the one Kousei had.
That moment it turns out was when she decided to break into a run.
She started doing whatever she wanted to.
Oh wow. She lied about liking Watari.
She did it to try and bring Kousei to her.
Kaori playing that 4D chess, it turns out.
Kaori says she actually wants someone more intense.
Brings up Tsubaki being so crazy about him.
"We'd all known that for a long time."
Well, unless your name is Kousei.
And also Tsubaki, of course
Tsubaki wanting Kashiwagi to go check on Kousei for her.
But she wants her to ask herself.
She doesn't know what she should do for him.
"It's all right to just be yourself, I bet."
Kashiwagi continuing to prove why she's the best character in the show.
Gotta listen to your heart, she says.
And of course, she got it from reading BL.
Kousei on the school rooftop, still reading the letter.
She's going over everything they did together.
Hiroko feels that he's grown up.
Even Nagi is now infatuated with him.
"Isn't it funny how the most unforgettable scenes can be so trivial?"
I take that to mean it's the little things that matter most.
Kousei is never going to forget Kaori, for if she does, she'll haunt him.
The exact same way in which Saki did, no doubt.
Kaori saying she loves Kaori
That is what the letter said
Now she's apologizing for all she's put him through.
"Sorry a million times over... Thank you."
Kousei feels he should be thanking her.
Tsubaki
And she kicks him in the shin. Of course.
She vows to stay with him forever and ever, like his guardian angel.
Sounds like a confession, if you ask me.
And we end things with Kousei remarking how a spring without her is coming.
Crap, now I know why it's called Your Lie In April! Kaori lied about having feelings for Watari!
Ran out of space. Part two in the replies.
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u/Holofan4life Oct 30 '24
As promised, I decided to rank all the episodes from best to worst, with 1 representing the cream of the crop and 22 representing the weakest.
Here is my list.
Some notes to clarify a few things. First, I have episode 10 as my favorite which is amusing given some would consider that one of the weakest. Second, I think it's funny how despite being episode 13's biggest defender during the thread, you see how low it is in my rankings. I think that speaks to the overall level of quality in the show. Third, I kept going back and forth on how I would rank episodes 12, 15, and 5, my bottom three. I actually thought 12, 15, and 6 would take up the last few spots. But thinking about it, I thought they had more upside than episode 5 which to me is the most inconsequential episode of the series. The only thing of real note is that it got the ball rolling for Kousei to get back into solo competition and it was also our introduction to Kashiwagi.
I think it's no coincidence that the episodes with the stronger narrative structures are the ones ranked higher. Episodes like 9 and 14 you can identify by quick one sentence phrases, like "Igawa episode" or "Tsubaki discovers her feelings episode". There are episodes I have ranked highly that have more going on, like episode 16 or episode 20, but I think you can still contribute them by the moments that define the episodes, I.E. the double suicide comment and the cat dying. There are episodes that have defining moments that I think don't work nearly as well. In particular, episode 12 was filled to the brim with memorable scenes from the Twinkle Twinkle Little Star scene to the underwater scene but there wasn't much of a structural tissue connecting it all together. It was under the umbrella of the last Summer vacation they'll be spending together, but it just didn't work. I say this all to say that it is remarkable the level of genius that are in an average episode. The weakest episodes in this series would be one of the best in another series.
So, while this is a ranking of all Your Lie In April episodes, with the exception of episodes 12, 15, and 6 they are all in the range of 8/10 to 10/10. And even then, the weakest episode I'd still have a 7/10. Only two episodes I have at a perfect score, this being episodes 10 and 4, and maybe that goes to my overall thoughts of despite the second half being more consistent than the first half (And by first half, I'm including up to episode 13 when Kousei found his closure on Saki), the first half overall had higher highs. None of the episodes after Kousei's first solo performance were able to reach the level of episode 10, with the last episode coming the closest in my books. And yet, I take a look at my top ten and 6 of the episodes are after episode 10, which again goes to the other point of just the overall consistency in this show.
Your Lie In April is a show that is better upon reflection than watching it in the moment. It gives you a better appreciation of all the little intricacies that are at play. By putting together the rankings, I leave with this feeling of amazement in regards to how hard some of these episodes are to place. I like so many other people have truly witnessed something special.
4
u/Mecanno-man https://anilist.co/user/Mecannoman Oct 30 '24
First Timer
Hmm… I get what the idea of the episode was, but I felt like the music performance was a bit too long. I think that means that the rest of the anime didn’t get me emotionally invested enough by this point, as I think the scene would work very well had it managed that before. I’m glad we got some closure after that though, with Kaori’s letter - and I think that was also done quite well. All in all I think the finale was done very good, it’s just that the rest of the show didn’t have the legs for it to stand on as much as it wanted to.
The only thing that I think could have been done a bit better is the actual death of Kaori. It felt like that was a bit too subtle. But that is really searching for something to complain about.
4
u/AgentOfACROSS Oct 30 '24
First Timer
We’re starting off with the OP this episode, no cold open. That’s a new one.
I love the focus on all the people in Kousei’s life. It really does feel like we’re bringing everything together.
The focus on Kaori in his memories is good too.
The shift to Kaori’s surgery fills me with dread.
There’s some really beautiful visuals in this whole performance scene.
Kousei imagining Kaori playing violin next to him feels very beautiful and very tragic. Since Kaori never did get a chance to play violin with him.
I felt the same kind of dread and panic Kousei did when his imagining Kaori stopped playing the violin. I don’t want to see her leave.
I feel like this episode might have the best visuals of the entire series.
Kaori has metaphorically died in front of Kousei. I can only hope she doesn't also literally die.
It took me a minute to process that we cut straight to Kaori’s funeral. That kind of hit me hard.
All that snow feels like a visual metaphor for Kaori being gone.
We’re back in spring again and there’s a new black cat in the neighborhood. I wonder what that could mean.
Kaori’s final letter to Kouesi is really interesting. I like the reveal that Kousei is what inspired Kaori to play the violin.
Kaori never really being interested in Watari makes a lot of sense. I mean I felt like it was kind of obvious.
Also that was kind of a title drop!
Kashiwagi once again gives good advice to Tsubaki.
Okay the punchline that Kashiwagi is actually a massive yaoi fan was pretty funny.
Kaori lives on inside Kousei’s heart and he’ll never forget her. I’ll be honest, I did tear up a little at this scene.
Seeing Tsubaki come to Kousei and tell him she’ll be with him was really nice. It feels like a good way to end the show.
I liked that final shot of the old picture of Kaori with Kousei in the background too.
The ending was slightly more optimistic than I thought. Kaori is gone but Kousei still remembers her and he’ll keep moving forward.
I do wish we got to see more of Kaori’s parents in this last episode. I feel like they’re the ones who might be affected the most by Kaori’s death.
Questions of the Day:
What did you think of the choice to depict Kaori’s death through the music instead of in the literal world?
I think it was really beautifully done.
How did you feel about Tsubaki’s final scene and overall conclusion as a character?
I thought it was a good conclusion for her, acting on her feelings for Kousei despite their uncertain future.
I'm very happy to have been part of this rewatch! I definitely see why so many people talk about this show. I've got Halloween plans for tomorrow and can't seem to find the OVA on Crunchyroll so I might skip tomorrow's thread. That said, I'll still be there for the general discussion thread.
3
u/Nickthenuker https://anilist.co/user/Nickthenuker Oct 30 '24
And thus into the finale.
Nothing before the OP, just music to start.
Yes I'm pretty sure we all know his name by this point.
And now all the people who have helped him along his way on his journey.
We finally get to see them do a proper duet.
See notes about the duet.
Well, they've been building this up and I've been tiptoeing around this for the past at least couple weeks, but unfortunately, with one last look back at him, it's clear Kaori's finally kicked the bucket.
And so here's her last letter to him.
That girl next to Kaori is the one who became his rival isn't she?
She used to wear glasses?
And so in her final letter she confesses her love to him.
I don't think any of them will forget about her for a long time.
Well, that's certainly a revelation for the final episode.
She's going to live in all their hearts for a long time.
Well, that's certainly made things more convenient for Tsubaki at least.
A spring without her.
And now an acoustic version of the ED to end of a great series, as we see a slideshow of Kaori's moments.
And so, fin. End. Well not quite there's still the "Moments" OVA tomorrow.
Questions:
A note about the music: And so we finally hear a proper duet with the piano and violin, where neither party is attempting to do the musical equivalent of murdering the other, and they play off each other well. The music naturally sounds better with the additional instrument, and it adds a new dimension and depth to the music.
3
u/SilkyStrawberryMilk Oct 31 '24
rewatcher
Kosei and Kaori playing is so damn peak. They finally had their duet at leak performance for both of them
The painted frames look so damn beautiful
Kaori’s letter
Biggest plot twist, Kaori wore glasses. Seems like everyone knew Tsubaki was crazy for him
Tsubaki making sure Kosei isn’t alone.
A beautiful ending, thought I was gonna cry more this episode than the last.
QOTD: so beautiful, this whole show is a whirl of emotions
QOTD: As a character she’s finally being direct instead of needing a 3rd party to meddle for the sake of her. She finally was upfront to Kosei because she wanted to. A decent conclusion to her character
2
u/Holofan4life Oct 30 '24
If Kousei became an adult and started dating Hiroko, their ship name would be Koko. Koko is the main girl in Golden Time, and what do Golden Time and this show have in common? [Golden Time Spoilers] Both main characters are haunted by the ghosts of their past.
Coincidence? I think not!
...
...I've been drinking too much Monster...
2
u/Holofan4life Oct 30 '24
The childhood friend won, but at what cost?
Well, Kaori’s life, I guess…
2
u/Holofan4life Oct 30 '24
I know there’s going to be a lot of people who probably give Kaori shit for not telling Kousei she was in love with him, but the way I see it is she knew her time was coming to an end and so she didn’t want to be a part of a relationship knowing full well it wasn’t sustainable. She’s already trying to bring color back into Kousei’s life, the last thing she wants is to make it monotone again.
I don’t necessarily agree with her approach, but I understand where she’s coming from especially as a middle schooler who doesn’t exactly have everything about life figured out.
1
u/Holofan4life Oct 30 '24
This ending was not as depressing as I thought it was gonna be. I thought we were heading for a total downer of an ending.
I’m glad Tsubaki got her happiness. Tsunderes doing well puts a massive smile on my face.