Forum - View topicEP. REVIEW: Your lie in April
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Megiddo
 Posts: 8360 Location: IL |
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The past two episodes just haven't been that enjoyable to me. One thing that really irks me is how completely different the characters are reacting than how they were introduced. For instance, in the first couple of episodes it is made crystal clear that Kaori and Ryouta were very much attracted to each-other in a romantic sense. However ever since Kousei got upgraded from 'Friend A' to Kaori's accompanist, we have seen 0% of Kaori or Ryouta's interest for the other. What the hell happened? The author must provide context as to why both Kaori and Ryouta are no longer even attempting to get close to the other.
As for the latest episode, I just cannot see Kousei making the cliche statements that he did. His entire character has been built up as being socially stunted and without direction and now is the time that he can give a pep talk to Tsubaki? Where the hell did that come from? Does the author give no concern at all for how characters have been established to behave? |
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Barbobot
 Posts: 460 |
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Never felt too odd to me. Watari from the very start was always protrayed as a guy just going for the cute girls. Can't see Kaori today? Instantly calls up another girl. Kaori's interest in Watari generally came off to me more as wanting to get together with a cute boy. Pretty superficial. But with Kousei she knew who he was from the beginning and seems to admire him for his musical skills. That's the feeling she gave me after her first performance when she asked for his opinion and started to tense up to brace herself for what was about to be said. And now she's got herself invested in his re-emergence to the musical scene. What her original intentions were can't be precisely stated. Did she originally just want to get together with Watari from the start and things just kinda happened this way? Or did she want to get to know Kousei from the start and was just unsure how to intially approach him? |
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HaruhiToy
 Posts: 4118 |
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I thought it was pretty clear that Ryouta was presented as the type of guy that can fall in love with a different girl every day. He loves girls' attention notice how he grabbed the mic and posed for them all. (and they went for it) If he was really in love with Kaori he wouldn't have much interest in doing that. Kaori might have been interested in Ryouta, but she has a much more compelling interest now and as far as we know it isn't necessarily romantic. We need to wait and see about that. We do see the characters evolving, all in different ways. That is possibly what is best about this particular anime. |
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Megiddo
Posts: 8360 Location: IL |
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You really need to rewatch the first two episodes if you have to put 'might'. She was very attracted to Ryouta, as Ryouta was to her. If people wish to accept the handwave of emotions out of pure convenience to the author then that's fine, but personally, when I see characters change I prefer to see the flow of the change, what spawned the change, and not just simply the result. For me that is proper character writing. |
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old_yoshi
 Posts: 42 |
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I'm a sucker for rom-coms. Its my favorite this season and I hope it comes out in Blu-ray someday. NIS America are you listening?
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Angel M Cazares
 Posts: 5424 Location: Iscandar |
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No, they are not because it has been licensed by your and my favorite company: Aniplex USA. |
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asdqweiop
Posts: 33 |
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Get ready to be disappointed throughout, then. |
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Animegomaniac
Posts: 4082 |
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I don't know if they're listening but this Aniplex of America so you either get a premium series of Blu-rays or a complete DVD set. Anyway, to the point, as always:
She got the characters mixed up somehow but I certainly agree. While they both are using Kousei as a crutch, one emotional and one as a visual metaphor {nice touch}, at least Tsubaki is human and is willing to show her weaknesses and foibles to her friends. Well, at least Kousei. I'm firmly believe that Kousei is receptive to Kaori's shiny personality and infectious good cheer, he'll probably sour on her when he finds out that it's an act. {It is an act, right? She seems pretty depressed when she doesn't have to act for anyone.} The reviewer is projecting character interests, that's really apparent since in the last episode, it was all about Kousei's interests and Kaori's and Tsubaki's interpretations of them. "Kousei still has the grand piano from his mother only now covered in books and dust. Obviously, it means only this one thing, that Kousei can't part with his love of music" said Kaori and has nothing at all to do with his relationship with his dead mother. Kousei sees want he wants to see, Kaori sees what she wants to see so Tsubaki is the only one whose worldview is evolving. And as the reviewer said, it makes her easier to root for, rather than the girl who's trying to remake the guy into what she wanted for herself... and again, like his mother and we saw how well that went. And if she honestly believes it's Kaori, there's this thing called "perspective" and use it to meld character action and motivation. Still, I have hopes that Kousei will pick the right girl. All because you're a musical prodigy, it doesn't mean you have to become a musician, if you don't want to; He and Kaori spent so long on the "how" and "for who" that both of them glossed over whether or not "why" should be asked. |
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SailorTralfamadore
 Posts: 499 Location: Keep Austin Weeb |
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No, I did actually mean that Kaori became easier to root for, for all the reasons that I explained with where her character development went this week. I think the context made that pretty clear. You can go on your anti-Kaori screeds all you want, but please don't put words in my mouth. That wasn't an error. I don't agree with you. |
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Hentai_JP
 Posts: 605 Location: Toronto, ON |
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Are we watching the same show?
A little spoiler for you: Kosei won't "sour on her" after he finds out. I can say that even though I did not read the manga. By the time he finds out, hell even now, he is already too emotionally invested to possibly bring himself to dislike her. In fact when she opens up it will only bring them closer together.
Did you miss, like, half of this episode or something? The beginning scene with piano and then Kaori and Kousei heart to heart in the school music room are a very obvious character developments. Do you like Tsubaki so much you are willing to ignore everyone else? Kaori doesn't try to remake him into anything, she wants to restore, heal him from his trauma.
"Why"? Because he is hurting without music... ugh you might want to rewatch last two, no tree, episodes. Its hard to force someone to do something they hate which is obviously the case with Kousei. |
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zensunni
 Posts: 1293 |
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In my opinion, the attraction is still clearly there. In the past two episodes it was made clear that Ryouta went to visit Kaori at the hospital repeatedly, while Kousei went once and turned Ryouta down when he tried to get him to go along, largely because he hates to see the two of them flirting. Ryouta bought her a present when she was released from the hospital. Kousei was going to go talk to Kaori when he saw she was back in school after being released, then backed off when he saw that Ryouta was flirting with her. Ryouta still consistantly refers to her as "My Kaori". After talking over the Chopin piece and 'forming an image', Kaori runs off to watch Ryouta's soccer practice, flirting all the way. The difference is that Ryouta has noticed what Kousei has not, that the attention Kaori pays to Kousei is not entirely about the piano. He bristles that Kaori turned to Kousei for support, even though Kousei insists that is only because he plays the piano. At the same time, it is clear that Ryouta is not really serious about any girl and Kaori should be smart enough to realize that. She certainly notices Tsubaki's issues, at least somewhat, in the most recent episode. I loved this episode. It really hit the character relationships hard. |
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Agent355
 Posts: 5113 Location: Crackberry in hand, thumbs at the ready... |
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Ryouta has told Kousei multiple times that Ryouta's attraction to Kaori shouldn't stop Kousei from pursuing her. Ryouta seems to have a genial, happy go lucky, "let the best man win" take on these things, which is in line with his player personality. Ryouta recognizes Kousei is attracted to Kaori and is encouraging him. It's Kousei who's wholly uncomfortable with it. I take that as a reflection of his own too serious personality, and his low self esteem.
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Angel M Cazares
Posts: 5424 Location: Iscandar |
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Episode 7
Grade: A I actually liked the psychodrama in this episode because it allowed me to see (even feel) the tension of a competition. Kaori continued to grow as a character, and I liked that the scene with Watari in the bathroom showed a bit of depth from his character. Your Lie in April is finally starting to become endearing to me. This is probably due to the series meshing in a balanced matter the psychodrama, Kaori's boundless energy and upbeat personality, violence comedy and well timed characters' introspection. |
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HaruhiToy
Posts: 4118 |
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This episode 7 review was interesting for me.
As I wrote in the anime forum thread, I thought this episode was about the perceptions held by the driven performers. Rose's review takes the view that it was about how those same characters deal with loss in competition. Thinking about it again I think both themes are right. This anime is strong enough to support both. About the cat business -- I have a really low opinion of people who abuse or abandon animals. (Never forgave Nanami in RGU) No doubt Kousei's mother thought she was merely removing a danger/distraction but a child's reaction to that happening will almost always be one of guilt. Just one more heavy brick to add to the pile she heaped on top of him. Anyway I thought the story didn't really show that very well by having a reasonably cordial relationship between Kousei and his imaginary cat which at the end advises him to ease up a bit with his preparation. |
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Animegomaniac
Posts: 4082 |
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Wow, and here I was, thinking the real meat of the show is how actual losses trump meaningless losses in competitions that are held every year. The last two episodes were kind of driving this point home, with Kousei's reaction to both Tsubaki's big game and his own performances, where he never even cared about the results. "Oh no, I lost the last competition in middle school. Well, on to high school now." ...twice even... "I won this music competition last year but my main concern this time around is the guy who won it two years before." "Oh, your mom died and your pet's gone? Sucks to be you. Better luck next year...Right? It works the same way, right?" And which ones get the tears? Well, as far as we know at least as there's still a huge chunk of story yet to be retold. I love how open this series is to different interpretations. |
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