Although the eyes of the readers were filled with tears, the story, told from Miyazono Kaori's perspective, did not end there.
These were memories unique to the girl.
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'Jumping off the bridge into the river, the water was cold, yet it felt refreshing.'
'When we chased the train, I truly believed I could outrun it.'
'In the music room, I saw the round moon, like a bun, and it looked so delicious.'
'We sang 'Twinkle Twinkle' while riding our bikes together, but I couldn't help singing off-key. It sounded so terrible!'
'The school at night... There must be something hidden there, right?'
'Snowflakes and falling cherry blossoms look so alike, don't they?'
'I'm a performer, but my heart is filled with things outside the stage. Isn't that strange?'
'How can I not remember these small moments? Isn't that strange?'
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No, it's not strange at all.
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'What about you? Have I moved into your heart?'
'I... have I moved into your heart?'
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You have definitely barged in.
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'Even just a little bit, will you remember me?'
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If I forget, you'll surely appear as a vengeful spirit, won't you?
'You'd better not hit the ''reset'.'
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How could I?
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'Don't forget me, okay?'
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Yeah.
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'That's a promise, okay?'
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Yeah.
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'In the end, I'm glad it's you, after all.'
'Will I reach you? I hope I can reach you'
"Arima Kousei-kun, I like you."
"I like you. I really do."
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At that moment, accompanied by Miyazono Kaori's recollections, countless fans burst into tears.
Tears fell in large drops, uncontrollably.
Their throats emitted sobs, unable to hold back the grief.
And yet, the heartbreaking scenes didn't end there.
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'I'm sorry, I didn't finish my croissant.'
'I'm sorry, I often hit you.'
'I'm sorry, I often throw tantrums.'
'There's so much, so much I'm sorry for.'
'Thank you...'
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In the streets, a close-up of the girl holding a violin, smiling as cherry blossoms danced around her — the scene was so beautiful, so harmonious, yet so incredibly sad.
Spring is about to arrive.
The spring when I met you is coming.
The spring without you is coming.
Every word, every sentence, seemed perfectly crafted to hit the tear ducts of the fans, making their tears impossible to stop.
Though fans cried uncontrollably, there was a strange sense of warmth rising within them, an emotion they couldn't quite explain.
[TL Note: Not gonna lie, I teared up a bit.]
Amid this mix of emotions, many fans, after crying themselves out, couldn't help but leave messages on Akifumi Mugiho's SNS account.
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"Damn you demon! AAAAAAAAAAAABHFDSHBGSVHOB!"
"Why did you have to do this to Kaori? She was only 14!!"
"Just thinking it's April makes me even more upset!!"
"So this is why that evil mangaka chose to end 'Your Lie In April' in April? Fuck you and Thank you!!"
"I'm helpless against this kind of beautiful, tragic passing figure in life."
"Every little detail in the story makes me even more moved."
"It's as beautiful as a prose poem."
"I broke down crying. I hate this feeling."
"The delicate portrayal by the mangaka, with each scene that followed, pierced my heart."
"Although 'Your Lie In April' is a great work, if I had to rate it, it would be a low score! It made me cry so painfully!!"
"There's no denying that some parts of the story are a bit exaggerated for artistic effect, but the story itself has been artistically refined, and at least it brought me so much emotion."
"After finishing 'Your Lie In April,' after crying my heart out, I couldn't help but think: should this manga be defined as healing or depressing?"
"I think it's healing. From the ending, it was clear that Kaori's death was inevitable from the start, and the beauty she experienced in her final days shone brightly, like dazzling colors."
"At least after crying, all that remained in my heart was relief, emotion, and blessings."
"Kaori used her last moments to heal Arima Kousei."
"This isn't just Arima Kousei and Miyazono Kaori's story. Every other character shines in it as well!"
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From the initial anger to the eventual understanding and release, the whole process felt so natural, so smooth.
If I had to describe their emotions at this moment in one word, it would be 'conflicted.'
Perhaps this work has its flaws, but compared to the brilliance it displays, those flaws seem insignificant, making it hard for them to let go.
The places they hate? That's obvious.
No matter the emotions in their hearts, Kaori's final death leaves them unable to find closure.
The tears that fell during the reading process are the best proof.
And these short reviews left on Akifumi Mugiho's personal account are just a small part of the fans.
As time went on, longer reviews began to appear on various manga-related forums.
Among these, a few particularly stood out.
Kani Nayuta:
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"I first became aware of the mangaka through 'WorldEnd,' a devastating sadness that made me cry like a child in the middle of the night."
"Later, when I found out that the mangaka was behind 'Your Lie In April,' I couldn't stop myself from falling for their work."
"The opening of 'Your Lie In April' isn't particularly striking, with its light, innocent style and a protagonist full of hidden backstory, but as the story progresses, I understood — the mangaka is still the same mangaka."
"Even though the story itself is quite clichéd, with love and being unable to be with her, the themes of salvation and being saved, and the pursuit of dreams... the mangaka's exquisite art, clever framing, and beautiful writing make us forget the clichés and immerse ourselves in the story."
"While every character in the story shines, the ones I want to mention most are the protagonists, Arima Kousei and Miyazono Kaori. "
"Kousei is a destined protagonist, growing through tragedy, forced to mature from the people he's lost. "
"If life for a man is a series of battles, Kousei's short life has been a series of goodbyes to those he loved, all of them coming too soon before he could express his feelings."
"He never understood his mother's hidden love, and before he could even comprehend the lie Kaori had crafted, they both disappeared from his life far too quickly."
"Solitude is always too long, and happiness is always too short — this is the fate of a genius. He yearns for warmth, yet it has never returned to him."
"Was Kaori's choice selfish? Probably."
"Because of her selfishness, she intruded into many lives, making many people feel the pain of her death."
"But because of her selfishness, a genius received what might have been the only redemption of his life."
"In her final moments, knowing she would lose everything, Kaori fought to bloom, even forcing a smile, trying her best to seize the fleeting opportunity."
"All the details show that Kaori wasn't as strong as she appeared."
"Her fragility and pain were always hidden by lies, and most of the time, we only saw her optimistic side."
"In the story, many scenes of Kaori crying silently reveal to us that everything on the surface may have been a mask."
"Looking back at the first scene, where she says, 'Please, support me, the one who is about to break,' Kaori, with tears streaming down her face, looks so full of meaning."
"Striving for music, striving for love, such days feel distant for most of us."
"The actions of Kousei and Kaori may seem a bit overly dramatic, the typical rebellion of youth, but that youthful awkwardness is perfectly timed."
"We have an entire lifetime to grow into dull, mature adults, but how lucky is it to act recklessly while we can, during the years when it's allowed?"
"Many years from now, perhaps Arima will have long forgotten what piece he chose for a competition, but he'll never forget why he opened the piano lid again."
"The mutual saving of two geniuses is truly touching."
"And the final tragedy they left behind is even harder to forget."
Because Kani Nayuta is a well-known light novel mangaka with a decent fanbase, her long comment quickly gathered thousands of likes and numerous comments.
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"Shocked! Kani Nayuta-sensei is a fan of Warrior of Love and Hope-sensei!!"
"Her long review is so well-written!"
"Though she said it perfectly, I still want to say: Kaori is my unresolved sorrow!"
"I cried so much while reading the final volume."
"The line, 'April without you is coming,' was a stroke of genius!"
"Kani Nayuta-sensei cried, didn't she?"
"Someone give me the dog's address!!"
"So the reason you haven't released a new work is because of this?"
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Analysis by Chiba's Fallen Angel, Kuroneko:
Chiba's Fallen Angel Kuroneko is known for their sharp, no-holds-barred critiques of every work, making them a popular figure among readers.
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"Let me provide a different angle on 'Your Lie In April.'"
"Many people have already discussed what makes it great, but I'll delve into the lies Kaori tells throughout the story."
"Perhaps you've noticed them, but haven't truly reflected on their meaning. Here are the major ones:
The First Lie: Kaori likes Adachi.
"This lie is the starting point of the story and also the one that leads to the ending. Adachi knows about it but pretends not to, all for the sake of his best friend."
The Second Lie: The Tears at their First Meeting.
"Nine years of waiting, two years of stalking, and finally being able to speak with her most admired person, Kaori can't hold back her tears."
"But in the end, she laughs and says it was just the wind blowing too strongly."
The Third Lie: Friend A.
"Kaori had always wanted to say the name she'd kept hidden for nine years, but she knows some things shouldn't be said."
"She had to be a passerby in her own story, destined to leave."
The Fourth Lie: The Pastries.
"Kaori's family runs a bakery—what kind of desserts hasn't she tried? Eating was just an excuse. As long as she was with Kousei, everything tasted good."
The Fifth Lie: Going Back to the Past, Forgetting Everything.
"I don't need to explain this one; everyone has their own thoughts on it."
The Sixth Lie: "I'm still here."
"Kaori always says this with a smile when Kousei is confused, suffering, lonely, or in despair."
"But with the final outcome in mind, we can easily imagine the unspoken meaning behind those words: "I'll quietly leave when you're happy."
"Behind Kaori's efforts to bring Kousei happiness was her own desperate struggle against the pain of her illness."
"When her condition worsened, the pain was excruciating, worse than death."
"Surprised? The mangaka didn't explicitly show us that scene, but small details hint at it."
"The painkillers in her bag, the first time she entered the ICU—did you notice? You're all so clueless."
"During that scene, Kaori's right hand twisted painfully at a 90-degree angle."
"Try comparing the image and feeling it for yourself."
"She must have pushed so hard that her fragile fingers scraped against the cold metal bars, the sound of bones grinding—could that be the sound of them breaking?"
"But even in such agony, the girl didn't make a sound."
"Perhaps it was because she refused to give in to the illness, perhaps because she didn't want to surrender, or maybe it was because of the promise she made with Kousei."
The Final Lie: A Miracle.
"Kaori knew from the start how the story would end, but she still said the word "miracle"—only to give Kousei courage and strength."
"The miracle happened—and it didn't. Kousei won the competition—that was the miracle. But Kaori died on the operating table. No miracle."
"These lies weren't the only ones in the story, but they're the most representative of the central themes."
"Kaori loved Kousei for ten years, yet she wove a lie about not loving him using the lie of April."
"Perhaps this is exactly why the mangaka chose to end the story in this way."
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Despite having fewer fans than Kani Nayuta, Kuroneko has an even larger online following, with many fans flocking to support this review.
The massive popularity of Your Lie In April has increased attention even further, gaining Kuroneko more followers and igniting numerous discussions in the comments.
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Fan Comments:
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"After listening to Kuroneko's analysis, I didn't realize the mangaka was so meticulous!"
"The mangaka is always so detailed—every frame in their works is full of meaning!"
"Wait, I didn't know this!"
"Link (click to view), I won't allow anyone to be clueless about how detailed this mangaka is!"
"After hearing Kuroneko's analysis, I realized—'Your Lie in April'—the title and the content are so perfectly fitting!"
"A great work even has a title full of depth."
"It's probably because all the details were carefully laid out that when the ending comes, it doesn't feel abrupt but instead seems inevitable."
"After hearing Kuroneko's analysis, I can't stop feeling heartbroken looking back at the scenes where her illness worsened."
"Kaori's strength to endure such pain is amazing!!"
"I don't dare go back and read it again."
"Kaori loved Kousei for ten years but used the lie of April to create a lie that she didn't love him, this line is so perfectly executed! Such a bittersweet feeling of love!"
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Within just one day, Your Lie In April skyrocketed in both sales and reputation.
New fans, drawn by curiosity and the praise from figures like Kani Nayuta and Kuroneko, flocked to buy it, boosting its sales even further.
But that's a story for another time...