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四月は君の嘘 [Shigatsu wa Kimi no Uso] #1
Lời Nói Dối Tháng Tư [Boxset 2023], Tập 1
Arima Kousei, thần đồng Piano một thời đã không thể chơi đàn được nữa sau cái chết của mẹ. Cậu trải qua những ngày đơn điệu, sống cuộc sống không có mục đích. Cho đến một ngày nọ vào mùa xuân, cậu đã gặp một cô gái dưới tán hoa anh đào đang nở rộ. Cô ấy rất bạo lực, tính khí thì thất thường... nhưng cô ấy cũng chính là người đã thay đổi cả thế giới tẻ nhạt của cậu! Cuộc hội ngộ ấy đã mang đến cho cậu động lực và cơ hội để thoát khỏi nỗi ám ảnh trong quá khứ như thế nào? "Hình phạt" mà cậu phải chịu, phần tâm hồn vẫn luôn sợ hãi, vẫn luôn đấu tranh của cậu sẽ ra sao? Những mâu thuẫn liệu có được giải quyết? Đón đọc Lời nói dối tháng Tư - một câu chuyện về tình bạn, tình yêu, về tình mẹ con, tình đối thủ, một câu chuyện về tuổi trẻ, về cuộc sống.
222 pages, Paperback
First published September 16, 2011
311 people are currently reading
4262 people want to read
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April 4, 2025
La La Land Meets🤝Fault in Our Stars
🎻❤️🩹
Your Lie in April by Naoshi Arakawa is a masterpiece that seamlessly blends music, love, and grief into an unforgettable emotional journey. This manga is not just a story—it’s a symphony of emotions, a love letter to music, and a melancholic dance between dreams and reality. It’s a story that lingers like a haunting melody, refusing to fade, even after the final note has been played. ✨it’s an experience that lingers long after the final page. With breathtaking artwork and a poignant narrative, it captures the highs of youthful passion and the devastating lows of inevitable loss. 💔🎼
~Plot:
Kōsei Arima, once a prodigious pianist, finds himself unable to hear the sound of his own playing after the passing of his strict and overbearing mother. Living in a monotone world, he has resigned himself to a life without music. That is, until he meets Kaori Miyazono—a free-spirited violinist 🎻 with a vibrant personality and an unconventional approach to music. She is everything he is not: expressive, bold, and unpredictable. Through their bond, Kaori drags Kōsei back into the world of music, forcing him to confront his past, his fears, and the emotional walls he has built around himself. 💞
~Themes & Symbolism:
🎶 Music as Emotion: Arakawa’s depiction of music is incredibly immersive. The expressive artwork and flowing panel compositions make it feel as if you can hear the music through the pages. Each performance tells a story, reflecting the emotions of the characters in a way words cannot.
💔 Grief and Healing: Kōsei’s struggle with his mother’s lingering influence and Kaori’s own secret battle form the core of the story. It’s a narrative about learning to live, love, and play for oneself rather than for the expectations of others.
🌸 Fleeting Beauty of Life: Kaori’s presence in Kōsei’s life is like spring—bright, full of life, but ultimately transient. Her impact on him is profound, teaching him that even brief moments of happiness are worth treasuring. 🕊️
~Character Development:
🎹 Kōsei Arima: His character arc is one of the most well-executed in manga. Watching him grow from a withdrawn, trauma-ridden boy to someone who can finally play from his heart is both heartbreaking and inspiring.🌟
🎻 Kaori Miyazono: A whirlwind of energy and emotion, Kaori is the catalyst for change in Kōsei’s life. Her infectious passion and rebellious spirit hide a deeper sorrow, making her one of the most memorable characters in the genre.❤️
🏀 Tsubaki & Watari: Their roles as Kōsei’s best friends add depth to the story, offering different perspectives on love, longing, and unspoken emotions.
~Art Style & Storytelling:
The manga’s artwork is breathtakingly expressive. Arakawa’s use of panel layouts and movement brings performances to life, making it one of the most visually striking music-based mangas out there. The delicate expressions and subtle emotional cues amplify the impact of the story, making every moment feel intimate and deeply personal. 🖌️✨
~Heart-Wrenching Romance & Ending:
If you go into Your Lie in April expecting a lighthearted love story, you will be unprepared for the emotional devastation that awaits. The romance between Kōsei and Kaori is painfully beautiful—full of youthful hope, yet overshadowed by an inevitable heartbreak. The ending delivers a gut punch that leaves you in pieces, reinforcing the idea that some people come into our lives only for a short while, but their impact lasts forever. 💫
~Final Thoughts:
Your Lie in April is not just a story—it’s a deeply emotional journey that resonates long after reading. It’s a must-read for anyone who loves beautifully told, bittersweet narratives about love, music, and self-discovery. If you haven’t read it yet, brace yourself. And please, for the love of all things holy, keep tissues handy (3/5)
Your Lie in April by Naoshi Arakawa is a masterpiece that seamlessly blends music, love, and grief into an unforgettable emotional journey. This manga is not just a story—it’s a symphony of emotions, a love letter to music, and a melancholic dance between dreams and reality. It’s a story that lingers like a haunting melody, refusing to fade, even after the final note has been played. ✨it’s an experience that lingers long after the final page. With breathtaking artwork and a poignant narrative, it captures the highs of youthful passion and the devastating lows of inevitable loss. 💔🎼
~Plot:
Kōsei Arima, once a prodigious pianist, finds himself unable to hear the sound of his own playing after the passing of his strict and overbearing mother. Living in a monotone world, he has resigned himself to a life without music. That is, until he meets Kaori Miyazono—a free-spirited violinist 🎻 with a vibrant personality and an unconventional approach to music. She is everything he is not: expressive, bold, and unpredictable. Through their bond, Kaori drags Kōsei back into the world of music, forcing him to confront his past, his fears, and the emotional walls he has built around himself. 💞
~Themes & Symbolism:
🎶 Music as Emotion: Arakawa’s depiction of music is incredibly immersive. The expressive artwork and flowing panel compositions make it feel as if you can hear the music through the pages. Each performance tells a story, reflecting the emotions of the characters in a way words cannot.
💔 Grief and Healing: Kōsei’s struggle with his mother’s lingering influence and Kaori’s own secret battle form the core of the story. It’s a narrative about learning to live, love, and play for oneself rather than for the expectations of others.
🌸 Fleeting Beauty of Life: Kaori’s presence in Kōsei’s life is like spring—bright, full of life, but ultimately transient. Her impact on him is profound, teaching him that even brief moments of happiness are worth treasuring. 🕊️
~Character Development:🎹 Kōsei Arima: His character arc is one of the most well-executed in manga. Watching him grow from a withdrawn, trauma-ridden boy to someone who can finally play from his heart is both heartbreaking and inspiring.🌟
“Spring will be here soon. Spring, the season I met you, is coming. A spring without you… is coming.” – Kōsei Arima🌸
🎻 Kaori Miyazono: A whirlwind of energy and emotion, Kaori is the catalyst for change in Kōsei’s life. Her infectious passion and rebellious spirit hide a deeper sorrow, making her one of the most memorable characters in the genre.❤️
🏀 Tsubaki & Watari: Their roles as Kōsei’s best friends add depth to the story, offering different perspectives on love, longing, and unspoken emotions.
~Art Style & Storytelling:
The manga’s artwork is breathtakingly expressive. Arakawa’s use of panel layouts and movement brings performances to life, making it one of the most visually striking music-based mangas out there. The delicate expressions and subtle emotional cues amplify the impact of the story, making every moment feel intimate and deeply personal. 🖌️✨
“What do you have in your heart? I had you.”
~Heart-Wrenching Romance & Ending:
If you go into Your Lie in April expecting a lighthearted love story, you will be unprepared for the emotional devastation that awaits. The romance between Kōsei and Kaori is painfully beautiful—full of youthful hope, yet overshadowed by an inevitable heartbreak. The ending delivers a gut punch that leaves you in pieces, reinforcing the idea that some people come into our lives only for a short while, but their impact lasts forever. 💫
"It’s hard to forget who gave you so much to remember.”
~Final Thoughts:
Your Lie in April is not just a story—it’s a deeply emotional journey that resonates long after reading. It’s a must-read for anyone who loves beautifully told, bittersweet narratives about love, music, and self-discovery. If you haven’t read it yet, brace yourself. And please, for the love of all things holy, keep tissues handy (3/5)
December 21, 2019
all time favorite
June 13, 2024
"You're in love with the food, you're in love with the violin, you're in love with the music. I guess that's why you sparkle."
This is the start of a really exciting series! It's very sweet and simple, nearly seamless but full of emotion! I'm aware that this series has taken a tragic turn at some time, but this book is strictly a romantic comedy. Poetic in a quiet way. It's adorable and entertaining, and it might spark your interest in classical music, particularly live performances. I eagerly anticipate more.
You might like to check out more similar books here.
This is the start of a really exciting series! It's very sweet and simple, nearly seamless but full of emotion! I'm aware that this series has taken a tragic turn at some time, but this book is strictly a romantic comedy. Poetic in a quiet way. It's adorable and entertaining, and it might spark your interest in classical music, particularly live performances. I eagerly anticipate more.
You might like to check out more similar books here.
May 7, 2025
Oh goodness. How in the world do I even begin to explain how I feel about this manga? This first volume told me exactly all I needed to know. I was going to fall in love with this story. As a classically trained pianist, the beauty that the story captures is impeccable. It focuses on Kosei who was a piano prodigy up until his mother dies. It was then that he found he could no longer play the piano. He has great friendships; however, there is a part of him that looks at the world in grey. It's like he lives in a grey fog until he meets Kaori who is a violinist. She breaks all of the rules and really connects to her music outside of trying to imitate what the composers would have wanted her to do note for note. It's beautiful. I read this while listening to the pieces mentioned in the manga and already I was damn near in tears. I remember the amount of emotion and passion I had for playing the piano. It moved my soul in a way that I think can only be understood by another musician. I understood Kosei's hesitancy in playing again, but I'm glad that Kaori was there to challenge his beliefs. This manga is a delight. The spreads are so gorgeous and the scenes that capture Kaori playing the violin is *chefs kiss.* Honestly, if you haven't tried this manga please please please pick it up.
November 10, 2018
You know, even without the music, this was a beautiful first installment of "Your lie in April" The anime was excellent, and I was eager to get started on the manga. Firstly, I love that this manga is entirely centred around music, and being a musician. As I am a musician myself, I think that definitely had something to do with it.
This story is so much more than romance. It is about building friendships, hope, and following your dreams. The characters are wonderful and there is a real sense of solid, friendships forming.
The artwork is exquisite, and I really just enjoyed staring at the page, just soaking up the words, and the story the artwork is telling. I cannot wait to read the next installment!
This story is so much more than romance. It is about building friendships, hope, and following your dreams. The characters are wonderful and there is a real sense of solid, friendships forming.
The artwork is exquisite, and I really just enjoyed staring at the page, just soaking up the words, and the story the artwork is telling. I cannot wait to read the next installment!
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September 21, 2025
˖𓍢ִ໋🌷͙֒✧ 𝟓 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐬 💌˚.⋆🌿
i can’t believe i’m finally starting the manga!! i finished the anime back in june but it feels like i’ve loved it for so long. it has my whole heart and i’m so ready for this 💗 (even though i have a lot of sobbing ahead of me)
reading this knowing what happens and what kaori was really feeling is soo crazy to me. i love her sm (and kousei too!!). her love for everything really is the best part about her and i love that kousei admires her so much for it <3
p.s. - i’ll do a proper review for all the characters once i read the last volume!! 💌
“i met the girl under full-bloomed cherry blossoms, and my fate has begun to change.”
i can’t believe i’m finally starting the manga!! i finished the anime back in june but it feels like i’ve loved it for so long. it has my whole heart and i’m so ready for this 💗 (even though i have a lot of sobbing ahead of me)
reading this knowing what happens and what kaori was really feeling is soo crazy to me. i love her sm (and kousei too!!). her love for everything really is the best part about her and i love that kousei admires her so much for it <3
p.s. - i’ll do a proper review for all the characters once i read the last volume!! 💌
March 20, 2023
This was pretty good. I liked the characters and the story and the budding relationships.
Enough to buy the rest of the series? No. But I don't think this is a story targeted to my interests anyway. So that's okay. And I definitely see why it would be loved by the masses.
Enough to buy the rest of the series? No. But I don't think this is a story targeted to my interests anyway. So that's okay. And I definitely see why it would be loved by the masses.
May 13, 2019
4-4.25/5stars
this was GREAT!! I will definitely be continuing ASAP!
this was GREAT!! I will definitely be continuing ASAP!
December 8, 2021
This was such a nice story to read 😭 I definitely need to listen to music while reading these volumes. As someone who used to play violin, it made me really relate to the main characters a lot and understand where they’re coming from. I also liked the cute funny moments they have in the friend group and all of them just being there for each other 😩💙 I was worried this was going to be cheesy, but it really showed the struggles a musician would have to go through especially a musical prodigy like the main character and I know there’s gonna be a lot more to come in these volumes!!
February 20, 2020
Volumen 1: Capítulo 1 a Capítulo 4.
Me interesé en este manga, porque hace mucho tiempo que escucho a una banda japonesa que me encanta, llamada Ikimonogakari. A pesar de que me gustaba desde hace varios años, nunca había visto sus videos. Navegando recientemente en Youtube, encontré el tema Last Scene, que precisamente muestra imágenes del Live Action que se realizó de Shigatsu wa Kimi no Uso. Al ver las escenas, me llamó la atención y por eso lo estoy leyendo.
La historia es sobre un chico llamado Kösei, que a pesar de ser un prodigio para tocar el piano ha abandonado esta práctica, debido a que cuando toca el piano, no puede escuchar sus propias notas. Sin embargo, una chica llamada Kaori, que es violinista y lo admira, poco a poco se acerca a él, queriéndolo ayudar a superar su crisis.
Aunque es difícil calificar tras solo leer cuatro capítulos, si puedo decir que hasta el momento me ha gustado y ha cumplidos mis expectativas. Es un manga que tiene romance, amistad, escenas graciosas y sobretodo música. Me gusta mucho Kaori, porque es dulce, solidaria y afectiva, y eso claramente lleva a que transmita mucha alegría y agrado a través de su personalidad.
No tengo quejas, estoy satisfecho y solo quiero seguir leyendo el siguiente volumen.
Me interesé en este manga, porque hace mucho tiempo que escucho a una banda japonesa que me encanta, llamada Ikimonogakari. A pesar de que me gustaba desde hace varios años, nunca había visto sus videos. Navegando recientemente en Youtube, encontré el tema Last Scene, que precisamente muestra imágenes del Live Action que se realizó de Shigatsu wa Kimi no Uso. Al ver las escenas, me llamó la atención y por eso lo estoy leyendo.
La historia es sobre un chico llamado Kösei, que a pesar de ser un prodigio para tocar el piano ha abandonado esta práctica, debido a que cuando toca el piano, no puede escuchar sus propias notas. Sin embargo, una chica llamada Kaori, que es violinista y lo admira, poco a poco se acerca a él, queriéndolo ayudar a superar su crisis.
Aunque es difícil calificar tras solo leer cuatro capítulos, si puedo decir que hasta el momento me ha gustado y ha cumplidos mis expectativas. Es un manga que tiene romance, amistad, escenas graciosas y sobretodo música. Me gusta mucho Kaori, porque es dulce, solidaria y afectiva, y eso claramente lleva a que transmita mucha alegría y agrado a través de su personalidad.
No tengo quejas, estoy satisfecho y solo quiero seguir leyendo el siguiente volumen.
May 17, 2016
Your Lie in April - I saw the anime first... then I read all the manga.
This one is a REALLY beautiful story of a pure, first love ... There's also strong, True friendship between the characters (and there's Music too!)
This is the story of Arima Kousei and Miyazono Kaori... that goes like this:
I LOVED it SO MUCH... and I cried a lot too!!! It was deep... and as life changing as a first, true love can be. I really liked the main characters, they have a spot in my heart.
Really Beautiful... they should make a movie of it ! :)
March 17, 2015
This rating and review are for all of the published volumes.
This manga started out with quite a cliche about music and youth-loves concerning a piano prodigy who traumatized by the memory of his late mother abuse, his two--male and female--childhood friends, and a happy-go-lucky violonist who fell in love with the male bestfriend. At first sight, this seems like your usual rectangular-love, but actually, I think there's not even a slight hints of romance here but admirations and comforting relationship.
Arima Kousei stopped playing piano when his mother died two years ago, declaring that he couldn't hear the piano's voice anymore. A chance brought him to a somewhat double date with his two childhood friends, Tsubaki and Watari, and a girl in Tsubaki's class who fell in love with Watari. Arima's first meeting with Kao, the girl who fell in love with Watari, was when she's standing atop of a playground and playing music with resident kids. Turned out, she was a violinist, and that double date ended up with the three of them watching her competition performance. After such an unlikely performance, Kao was up to the final round, and she then asked--forced--Kousei to be her piano accompanist, leaving Arima facing his greatest fears: piano, and his mother's memory.
For such a story with somewhat a predictable premise, this manga offer a different perspective toward music and any competitive ground, about ups and downs, despair and pride, and future dream careers. Anyone struggles reaching their dreams who ever feel the anxieties of being successful or a failure could easily sympathize with these characters. It also showed us about the effect of strict teaching parents and it's argument. I really like how the mangaka tackle all of the issues thrown in the story with multiple perspectives, made the characters grow in more way than one.
I personally love how Arakawa-sensei decides to deliver this story. It's new, with Kao's true motivation in invited Watari, Tsubaki, and Arima into double date being pushed until the very last chapter, bringing this melancholic aura keeps getting strong even till the very last chapter. If Arakawa-sensei put Kao's story in few first chapter, I bet this story would fall flat and cliche, but put it in the very back, it delivers such powerful feelings instead. So kudos for the great story execution. I just wish there would be more of Watari, though. He actually got a great personality, so it's a shame that his role is just as Arima's source-of-envy. Even Takeshi Aiza got his character development, but Watari got nothing eventhough he's Arima's most loyal mental and moral supporter.
But after all, This story is about dreams and identity seeking, and also about moving on from traumatizing events. The drawing is not too "pretty", but it still got so much feels.
This manga started out with quite a cliche about music and youth-loves concerning a piano prodigy who traumatized by the memory of his late mother abuse, his two--male and female--childhood friends, and a happy-go-lucky violonist who fell in love with the male bestfriend. At first sight, this seems like your usual rectangular-love, but actually, I think there's not even a slight hints of romance here but admirations and comforting relationship.
Arima Kousei stopped playing piano when his mother died two years ago, declaring that he couldn't hear the piano's voice anymore. A chance brought him to a somewhat double date with his two childhood friends, Tsubaki and Watari, and a girl in Tsubaki's class who fell in love with Watari. Arima's first meeting with Kao, the girl who fell in love with Watari, was when she's standing atop of a playground and playing music with resident kids. Turned out, she was a violinist, and that double date ended up with the three of them watching her competition performance. After such an unlikely performance, Kao was up to the final round, and she then asked--forced--Kousei to be her piano accompanist, leaving Arima facing his greatest fears: piano, and his mother's memory.
For such a story with somewhat a predictable premise, this manga offer a different perspective toward music and any competitive ground, about ups and downs, despair and pride, and future dream careers. Anyone struggles reaching their dreams who ever feel the anxieties of being successful or a failure could easily sympathize with these characters. It also showed us about the effect of strict teaching parents and it's argument. I really like how the mangaka tackle all of the issues thrown in the story with multiple perspectives, made the characters grow in more way than one.
I personally love how Arakawa-sensei decides to deliver this story. It's new, with Kao's true motivation in invited Watari, Tsubaki, and Arima into double date being pushed until the very last chapter, bringing this melancholic aura keeps getting strong even till the very last chapter. If Arakawa-sensei put Kao's story in few first chapter, I bet this story would fall flat and cliche, but put it in the very back, it delivers such powerful feelings instead. So kudos for the great story execution. I just wish there would be more of Watari, though. He actually got a great personality, so it's a shame that his role is just as Arima's source-of-envy. Even Takeshi Aiza got his character development, but Watari got nothing eventhough he's Arima's most loyal mental and moral supporter.
But after all, This story is about dreams and identity seeking, and also about moving on from traumatizing events. The drawing is not too "pretty", but it still got so much feels.
May 10, 2016
Ayyyyyy es tan cuqui que no tardaré en leerlo entero. <3
October 21, 2021
3.5
"Cuando te gusta alguien, ves el mundo a todo color".
Llevaba años pendiente de leer este manga. Justo despues de Orange lo descubrí pero nunca me dió por leerlo. Basicamente porque sé que es un dramón y yo no estoy hecha para ellos. Sin embargo, me los han prestado y me he dicho ¿ por qué no?
Este es tan solo una introducción de los personajes y poco más. Me ha gustado pero no me ha fascinado del todo. Supongo que no he elegido el mejor momento para leerlo. Igualmente pienso seguir. Me tiene "entretenida".
"Desde el momento en el que le conocí, mi vida cambió. Lo que veo, lo que oigo, lo que sineto, todo lo que me rodea...está impregnado de color. Sin embargo, yo... lo veo todo en blanco y negro, monocromo como una partitura. Como las teclas del piano.
"Cuando te gusta alguien, ves el mundo a todo color".
Llevaba años pendiente de leer este manga. Justo despues de Orange lo descubrí pero nunca me dió por leerlo. Basicamente porque sé que es un dramón y yo no estoy hecha para ellos. Sin embargo, me los han prestado y me he dicho ¿ por qué no?
Este es tan solo una introducción de los personajes y poco más. Me ha gustado pero no me ha fascinado del todo. Supongo que no he elegido el mejor momento para leerlo. Igualmente pienso seguir. Me tiene "entretenida".
"Desde el momento en el que le conocí, mi vida cambió. Lo que veo, lo que oigo, lo que sineto, todo lo que me rodea...está impregnado de color. Sin embargo, yo... lo veo todo en blanco y negro, monocromo como una partitura. Como las teclas del piano.
November 29, 2020
Review for the entire series.
Naoshi Arakawa's Your Lie in April is a finely crafted work that will draw a steady stream of emotion from the barren crust of a calcified heart. It is a tearjerker, but it's actually a well-balanced work of humor, drama, and romance. At its heart, this story is a tragedy and a love story as well. It is a love story about life; and the tears it brings, whether from joy, sorrow, or delight.
I recommend you read this story along side the musical accompaniment it suggests in its notes. It will increase your enjoyment by tenfold.
Naoshi Arakawa's Your Lie in April is a finely crafted work that will draw a steady stream of emotion from the barren crust of a calcified heart. It is a tearjerker, but it's actually a well-balanced work of humor, drama, and romance. At its heart, this story is a tragedy and a love story as well. It is a love story about life; and the tears it brings, whether from joy, sorrow, or delight.
I recommend you read this story along side the musical accompaniment it suggests in its notes. It will increase your enjoyment by tenfold.
October 5, 2018
Lovely story with great characters and a whole lot of heart! Can’t wait to continue with the series!
RTC
RTC
January 9, 2025
{💻} finally decided to give this a read after this anime has been my favorite for so long already. will most definitely continue reading them all bc it’s so cuteee
hope i can finish the all the manga until april bc i NEED to rewatch this in april again. anime and manga both a big recommendation from me 🫶🏻
hope i can finish the all the manga until april bc i NEED to rewatch this in april again. anime and manga both a big recommendation from me 🫶🏻
September 8, 2022
I have so much love for this series, especially because it is all about musicians, and specifically a pianist. I have played piano and taught piano lessons for more than 20 years, and anything having to do with music is near to my heart. I love how the musicians in this manga are portrayed, full of the love of their artform, full of creativity, and sensitive to beauty in the world around them.
Kaori and Kousei are such wonderful characters! I love the whole gang of friends, and their individual stories. I love how they support and care for one another, always cheering each other on through difficulties.
The art work is completely gorgeous! Sometimes I just stare at a page and drink it in, all the lovely lines. So beautiful, and the art tells the story so powerfully.
Kaori and Kousei are such wonderful characters! I love the whole gang of friends, and their individual stories. I love how they support and care for one another, always cheering each other on through difficulties.
The art work is completely gorgeous! Sometimes I just stare at a page and drink it in, all the lovely lines. So beautiful, and the art tells the story so powerfully.
November 3, 2024
I can see why this is so highly regarded! It's a lovely story about grief and depression and trying to see the world for the beauty it contains again. It also has some absolutely ridiculous manga/anime silliness (how many times is the main character going to be knocked out/beat up by everyone?!) that felt so out of place juxtaposed with the more serious nature of the story. I just couldn't get past it.
November 2, 2024
Este libro me hizo llorar y me encantó. Es una historia profundamente emotiva sobre el amor, el dolor y la superación. Cada página me sumergió más en el mundo de Kousei y Kaori, y la forma en que se apoyan y encuentran esperanza en la música me dejó una marca.
October 12, 2019
I wanted to like this one. A piano prodigy who can't play anymore and a violinist who's doing what she wants should be right up my alley.
In fact, I can't really tell you why this one just didn't do it for me. The art was competent (something about the faces felt weird to me at points, but it certainly wasn't bad). The premise isn't bad, though I've seen the "wild child pulls musical perfectionist out of his shell" before in series like "Kids on a Slope" and Anonymous Noise (I'm not sure which of these came first, I just saw the latter two first). It's not bad by any means. I just can't get into it.
And I think that's because Kaori, at least as of this first volume, feels to me like a Manic Pixie Dream Girl. Maybe it's because this is primarily told through Kosei's PoV, but everything about her seems designed to pull Kosei out of his funk rather than "Kaori." When she it comes out of left field. She seems like a batch of quirks more than a character and her emotions seem to turn on a dime to suit Kosei's story arc more than her own. I wish I could have seen her thought process getting through the volume to the point I spoiler tagged because I seriously don't see the desperation or panic.
But again, that doesn't explain my dislike. I guess really I'm just disappointed after seeing clips of the anime everywhere in montages of musical anime and just not liking this as much as I thought I should.
In fact, I can't really tell you why this one just didn't do it for me. The art was competent (something about the faces felt weird to me at points, but it certainly wasn't bad). The premise isn't bad, though I've seen the "wild child pulls musical perfectionist out of his shell" before in series like "Kids on a Slope" and Anonymous Noise (I'm not sure which of these came first, I just saw the latter two first). It's not bad by any means. I just can't get into it.
And I think that's because Kaori, at least as of this first volume, feels to me like a Manic Pixie Dream Girl. Maybe it's because this is primarily told through Kosei's PoV, but everything about her seems designed to pull Kosei out of his funk rather than "Kaori." When she it comes out of left field. She seems like a batch of quirks more than a character and her emotions seem to turn on a dime to suit Kosei's story arc more than her own. I wish I could have seen her thought process getting through the volume to the point I spoiler tagged because I seriously don't see the desperation or panic.
But again, that doesn't explain my dislike. I guess really I'm just disappointed after seeing clips of the anime everywhere in montages of musical anime and just not liking this as much as I thought I should.
July 29, 2021
Hahaha.
Me: Pretends that I didn't cry myself the last two nights after finishing this Anime series on Netflix for the second time (highly recommend).
"It doesn't matter how sad you are, or how beat up you are. Even if you've hit rock bottom . . . you have to play. That's how people like us live our lives.
I mean, the Anime adaptation was really good, because the Manga is like literally the exact same thing. That being said, I loved it SOOO much. I just - ugh - Kosei (Kousei - they spell it differently in the show and in the Manga, so idk which one's right...) is literally my favorite. He is such a cute cinnamon roll, and he makes me so happy. DGBLKFJHSNLKDFJHBSLDF. Anyway.
Have a wonderful evening 😎.
Me: Pretends that I didn't cry myself the last two nights after finishing this Anime series on Netflix for the second time (highly recommend).
"It doesn't matter how sad you are, or how beat up you are. Even if you've hit rock bottom . . . you have to play. That's how people like us live our lives.
I mean, the Anime adaptation was really good, because the Manga is like literally the exact same thing. That being said, I loved it SOOO much. I just - ugh - Kosei (Kousei - they spell it differently in the show and in the Manga, so idk which one's right...) is literally my favorite. He is such a cute cinnamon roll, and he makes me so happy. DGBLKFJHSNLKDFJHBSLDF. Anyway.
Have a wonderful evening 😎.
April 22, 2022
if your lie in april had 100,000,000 fans i am one. if your lie in april had 100,000 fans i am one of them. if your lie in april had 1 fan I AM that fan. if your lie in april didn’t have any fans i would be dead. i would die for your lie in april i would kill for your lie in april.
January 10, 2016
Quite poetic, very lovely story. I look forward to more!
August 12, 2019
Very clever use of music to bring life to the characters. I look forward to reading on and learning more about what Kosei is running from.
April 20, 2024
「悲しくてもボロボロでも、どん底にいても、弾かなきゃダメなの。そうやって私達は、生きてゆく人種なの。」
''Whether you’re sad, you’re a mess, or you’ve hit rock bottom, you still have to play! That’s how people like us survive.''
It's April, time to revisit this series and get sad all over again. This year, Aiden and I decided to read it (and rewatch it but anyways that's not the point.) This series will forever be able to move me, I'm excited to finally be reading it, especially in Japanese
''Whether you’re sad, you’re a mess, or you’ve hit rock bottom, you still have to play! That’s how people like us survive.''
It's April, time to revisit this series and get sad all over again. This year, Aiden and I decided to read it (and rewatch it but anyways that's not the point.) This series will forever be able to move me, I'm excited to finally be reading it, especially in Japanese
September 27, 2025
বন্ধুত্ব সুন্দর যদি হয় সঠিক মানুষের সাথে।
August 16, 2016
Reading this feels like listening to a talented singer with great voice, who unfortunately keep making the same mistakes and hitting the wrong notes over and over again until the whole performance is kind of ruined.
Er, random musical analogy aside, there's actually a lot that I like from this manga's set-up. For starter, the fact that the the main characters are middle-schoolers/pre-teens, which I don't see very often in manga. It's a great period when kids are mature enough to start exploring complicated feelings and emotion, while still retaining the sense of childhood innocence lacked by high-schoolers. Naoshi Arakawa's art hits similar kind of sweet spot by combining the intensity of typical shounen art and sensitivity of shoujo style, creating a signature look that's both powerful and very easy on the eyes. He's very, very, good at paneling and impactful framing, too. Someone once said to me that "a comic/book about musician is kind of useless because you can't hear the music", however, Arakawa's art has enough power and details that the characters absolutely resonate with me during their performance scenes.
I like the main character, too. Arima Kousei is an unusual protagonist for this type of comic, quieter and more perceptive than your typical lead. Most importantly, his mental block makes for an intriguing internal conflict and a very realistic depiction of a real life issue. Physical abuse by a parent figure is a serious thing, and watching a fundamentally good kid struggle to come to terms with it and overcome the guilt he shouldn't even bear is simultaneously gut-wrenching and inspiring. It's also very interesting to see Arima's past as a child prodigy, as well as the bond he formed with his two lifelong rivals.
.....Now, about those "wrong notes".
In addition to music and internal struggle, there's a lot of comedy and romance in April. To be frank: they don't work at all. The comedy first: nowadays I've been bothered a lot by the sense of humor in many shounen/shoujo manga, as it often try to pass off abusive, sexist, and/or problematic behavior as something 'cute' or 'funny'. April's main joke is to have Arima routinely abused (physically and emotionally) by the two main female characters, which is not only unfunny, but becomes extra disturbing when you consider the boy's background. Like... I dunno girls, your friend there was severely abused in his childhood, maybe you shouldn't kick his kneecap/throw his head with softball/choke him with recorder/emotionally blackmail him?
It happens too often to be coincidental, which leads me to suspect that Arakawa-sensei really think that brute force and aggressive girls are the best therapy for abuse-induced trauma. I'm not an expert on psychology... but yeah, that doesn't sound right at all. The problem with the comedy ties directly to the romance one, since the aforementioned two girls are also Arima's love interests. It's basically a tiresome love square, with the second boy never becoming significant or memorable enough. I couldn't care less which girl Arima ends up with, as they're both selfish, petulant, and manipulative. Teenagers are never perfect beings, I know, but these girls are just too damn unsympathetic. The occasional melodrama makes it even worse, as some of the characters like to suddenly break out of character and wax some purple prose. Imagine watching kindergarteners have a childish fight, and seconds later quote Shakespeare out of the blue-the effect is as jarring as that.
(there's another girl character that I actually like, just because she's much wiser and more mature than everyone else. Unfortunately, her only role is to be the thankless Best Friend/Adviser character).
The music performance scenes are the biggest strength of the series, but they're not entirely free of problems either. As I've mentioned above, Arakawa's art is more than good enough to convey the emotional state of the musicians during their performance, but he also frequently have a bunch of random people in the audience providing unnecessary amount of corny commentary. "That boy looks nervous!" "Ooh the melody truly comes from her heart!" "I could feel the emotion coming!" Yes, yes, please shut up, Random Audience #3.
In spite of all that, I'm actually happy I got to read this manga and learn about Arakawa. There's such a great deal of artistic talent on display here that I'd definitely still check out his future works--I just hope next time I can truly get behind his characters and narrative.
Er, random musical analogy aside, there's actually a lot that I like from this manga's set-up. For starter, the fact that the the main characters are middle-schoolers/pre-teens, which I don't see very often in manga. It's a great period when kids are mature enough to start exploring complicated feelings and emotion, while still retaining the sense of childhood innocence lacked by high-schoolers. Naoshi Arakawa's art hits similar kind of sweet spot by combining the intensity of typical shounen art and sensitivity of shoujo style, creating a signature look that's both powerful and very easy on the eyes. He's very, very, good at paneling and impactful framing, too. Someone once said to me that "a comic/book about musician is kind of useless because you can't hear the music", however, Arakawa's art has enough power and details that the characters absolutely resonate with me during their performance scenes.
I like the main character, too. Arima Kousei is an unusual protagonist for this type of comic, quieter and more perceptive than your typical lead. Most importantly, his mental block makes for an intriguing internal conflict and a very realistic depiction of a real life issue. Physical abuse by a parent figure is a serious thing, and watching a fundamentally good kid struggle to come to terms with it and overcome the guilt he shouldn't even bear is simultaneously gut-wrenching and inspiring. It's also very interesting to see Arima's past as a child prodigy, as well as the bond he formed with his two lifelong rivals.
.....Now, about those "wrong notes".
In addition to music and internal struggle, there's a lot of comedy and romance in April. To be frank: they don't work at all. The comedy first: nowadays I've been bothered a lot by the sense of humor in many shounen/shoujo manga, as it often try to pass off abusive, sexist, and/or problematic behavior as something 'cute' or 'funny'. April's main joke is to have Arima routinely abused (physically and emotionally) by the two main female characters, which is not only unfunny, but becomes extra disturbing when you consider the boy's background. Like... I dunno girls, your friend there was severely abused in his childhood, maybe you shouldn't kick his kneecap/throw his head with softball/choke him with recorder/emotionally blackmail him?
It happens too often to be coincidental, which leads me to suspect that Arakawa-sensei really think that brute force and aggressive girls are the best therapy for abuse-induced trauma. I'm not an expert on psychology... but yeah, that doesn't sound right at all. The problem with the comedy ties directly to the romance one, since the aforementioned two girls are also Arima's love interests. It's basically a tiresome love square, with the second boy never becoming significant or memorable enough. I couldn't care less which girl Arima ends up with, as they're both selfish, petulant, and manipulative. Teenagers are never perfect beings, I know, but these girls are just too damn unsympathetic. The occasional melodrama makes it even worse, as some of the characters like to suddenly break out of character and wax some purple prose. Imagine watching kindergarteners have a childish fight, and seconds later quote Shakespeare out of the blue-the effect is as jarring as that.
(there's another girl character that I actually like, just because she's much wiser and more mature than everyone else. Unfortunately, her only role is to be the thankless Best Friend/Adviser character).
The music performance scenes are the biggest strength of the series, but they're not entirely free of problems either. As I've mentioned above, Arakawa's art is more than good enough to convey the emotional state of the musicians during their performance, but he also frequently have a bunch of random people in the audience providing unnecessary amount of corny commentary. "That boy looks nervous!" "Ooh the melody truly comes from her heart!" "I could feel the emotion coming!" Yes, yes, please shut up, Random Audience #3.
In spite of all that, I'm actually happy I got to read this manga and learn about Arakawa. There's such a great deal of artistic talent on display here that I'd definitely still check out his future works--I just hope next time I can truly get behind his characters and narrative.
December 20, 2018
This series is rated Teen and deals hardships including death and also has a little violence so consider these things before reading it but know at least from the 1st volume I believe there might be hope later on in the series.
I'll be honest I wasn't 100% sure about a "musical" manga but I will admit my preconceived notions about a manga based on music were wrong as I have found this volume to be both sad and amusing as young Kosei Arima finds himself in a dreary monotone world after his mother died from a sickness. As a child star in the classical piano circuit Kosei was drilled relentlessly by his mother to be as perfect as can be so he can live out her dreams to go to Europe and be a famous musician. Instead after her passing he lost the ability to hear the notes while he played on the piano so he ended up giving it up and settled for the world he saw devoid of colors. Pretty sad right?
Luckily Kosei has friends and most helpful to him is Tsubaki Sawabe who is ever glad to harass him as he lives his life without any real purpose. She has a friend that she wants Kosei to meet so there will be at least four people and not as awkward. Little does Kosei know that these violin player that he will meet will change his whole world as she insists he fights for his love of piano even though he can't hear himself play anymore. Thus begins the tale of Friend A. If you like something a bit emotional with interesting characters and a story of of overcoming fears and anxiety then you might want to read this series or if you just want the short version it already has an anime so you can watch it too. :)
There are a lot of great part but one of my favorite parts would have to be Kaori and Kosei looking at a piano with her saying the Piano is smiling as kids play on it and instead focuses on the plant which could damage the piano because it is a source of moisture. Kaori's reactions are great. :)
I'll be honest I wasn't 100% sure about a "musical" manga but I will admit my preconceived notions about a manga based on music were wrong as I have found this volume to be both sad and amusing as young Kosei Arima finds himself in a dreary monotone world after his mother died from a sickness. As a child star in the classical piano circuit Kosei was drilled relentlessly by his mother to be as perfect as can be so he can live out her dreams to go to Europe and be a famous musician. Instead after her passing he lost the ability to hear the notes while he played on the piano so he ended up giving it up and settled for the world he saw devoid of colors. Pretty sad right?
Luckily Kosei has friends and most helpful to him is Tsubaki Sawabe who is ever glad to harass him as he lives his life without any real purpose. She has a friend that she wants Kosei to meet so there will be at least four people and not as awkward. Little does Kosei know that these violin player that he will meet will change his whole world as she insists he fights for his love of piano even though he can't hear himself play anymore. Thus begins the tale of Friend A. If you like something a bit emotional with interesting characters and a story of of overcoming fears and anxiety then you might want to read this series or if you just want the short version it already has an anime so you can watch it too. :)
There are a lot of great part but one of my favorite parts would have to be Kaori and Kosei looking at a piano with her saying the Piano is smiling as kids play on it and instead focuses on the plant which could damage the piano because it is a source of moisture. Kaori's reactions are great. :)
September 18, 2022
VIDEO REVIEW HERE: https://youtu.be/84gucIpTjDM
Hmm I'm not sure how I feel after reading this first volume.
I know it is very much a personal thing that I don't typically read stories with overtly sad characters because it deeply affects my mood. However, as part of the voting of what I should read next, I'm going to keep going because the ending left me hopeful?
Arima is your typical Friend A and that's not what I would want him to be. I'm thankful that Miyazono is striving to help him stand on his own feet, even if its as a pianist once more. (I'm unsure that's what he NEEDS to be doing, but I'm not a musician, so what do I know?) The pressure he talks about from his mom really DOES seems drowning and totally understand why Arima feels the way he does as I gave up writing fiction due to the same stifling pressure and not being able to "see" my stories. So maybe some of what I'm feeling is despite that I've been told I should just keep writing, I don't feel that's the answer for me personally. Maybe it is for Arima because he did see color again, but even if it's not the solution, I'm deeply thankful for the way his fear and pressure from his mom was written because it was deeply relatable.
Anyway, that was a rather personal info dump, but it really affected my enjoyment of this first volume. I can't say I would keep reading if it hadn't been for that voting, but that's just because of my personal experience and not agreeing with what his friends of what should happen more then anything else. The storyline is good and the characters are interesting. Also emotional storytelling.
Let's see where things go next I guess...
Hmm I'm not sure how I feel after reading this first volume.
I know it is very much a personal thing that I don't typically read stories with overtly sad characters because it deeply affects my mood. However, as part of the voting of what I should read next, I'm going to keep going because the ending left me hopeful?
Arima is your typical Friend A and that's not what I would want him to be. I'm thankful that Miyazono is striving to help him stand on his own feet, even if its as a pianist once more. (I'm unsure that's what he NEEDS to be doing, but I'm not a musician, so what do I know?) The pressure he talks about from his mom really DOES seems drowning and totally understand why Arima feels the way he does as I gave up writing fiction due to the same stifling pressure and not being able to "see" my stories. So maybe some of what I'm feeling is despite that I've been told I should just keep writing, I don't feel that's the answer for me personally. Maybe it is for Arima because he did see color again, but even if it's not the solution, I'm deeply thankful for the way his fear and pressure from his mom was written because it was deeply relatable.
Anyway, that was a rather personal info dump, but it really affected my enjoyment of this first volume. I can't say I would keep reading if it hadn't been for that voting, but that's just because of my personal experience and not agreeing with what his friends of what should happen more then anything else. The storyline is good and the characters are interesting. Also emotional storytelling.
Let's see where things go next I guess...
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