Your Lie in April (2014)

Your Lie in April isn't perfect. The pacing sags occasionally and some characters are underwritten. But when it fires on all cylinders — as in Reverberations — it reaches heights that few shows ever achieve. The flaws are forgiven.

I always skipped anime. A friend made me watch Your Lie in April and now I understand the fuss. grief and healing is explored in ways that make Western animation feel shallow by comparison. Just try it.

Kaori Miyazono's development across the series is one of the most convincing character journeys I've experienced. You understand every choice even when you disagree with it. Kaori's emotional impact on viewers makes the whole thing click.

Your Lie in April has one of the great anime soundtracks. The music elevates emotional scenes to something transcendent. the stunning classical music integration is made three times more impactful by the score. Naoshi Arakawa clearly understood how music and image work together.

Your Lie in April raises the bar for what anime can look like. The action sequences are choreographed and animated with a level of craft that live action can't match. the stunning classical music integration is jaw-dropping every single time.