Don’t answer that…
Once in a while I will stumble upon something that I just have to share with you all. It’s because I like you and I think you’ll enjoy it. This happened yet again this April when WeekendOtaku started a unique series of post and I couldn’t wait to let you know about it.
I did however wait. It was very difficult. I figured that if you, like me, are not the overly patient type, you might want to have the option of binging through these. So now that the feature is completed for the year, let me present to you Weekend Otaku’s Your Theme in April!!
Ok, so truth time – please don’t think too badly of me….
I clicked on the first post of this series because I liked the title “Your Theme in April”. I mean it’s pretty straightforward but there was something sweet and endearing about the unpretentious nature of the pun and yet promised a bit more than just a basic recap of the show.
I didn’t know what to expect, or rather I guess I didn’t really expect anything in particular. It was a nice post. Actually, it was a great post. It analyzed the Pixie Dream Girl archetype and how it was used to mask hidden depths in Your Lie in April. WeekendOtaku had my attention. It’s a great topic and one I’ve independently read up on in many different contexts.
So the next day, when I saw a new post appear in my reader, I was eager to read it. This time the emphasis was on Kousei and his self-imposed lack of substance. The way WeekendOtaku described a young man drifting through his own life, looking for a place to fit in, for a passion to ignite him, there was something personal in those words. Or at least it felt personal. For a second, I thought he may be talking a little bit about himself and a little bit about me so clearly this was just between the two of us….
I quickly started looking forward to each new post. I was intimidated by the quality of the writing and the depth of the reflection but grateful that I got to enjoy it.
But see….I’ve never seen Your Lie in April. I’ve never even wanted to. It’s a seminal work so I’m quite familiar with the story but it was never attractive to me. Seeing as flat-out drama and romance tend to be 2 of my least favorite genres, I figured I would never be tempted. Until now…
The thing is, I may not have seen the series but I have lived for a few years, I’ve loved, I’ve lost, I’ve yearned and been confused, felt lonely scared or grateful. The themes in April may have been illustrated in your lie and tackled from that context but they remain universal to the human experience and WeekendOtaku’s gentle exploration was meaningful to me. If not as a fan, then as a person.
So guys, do yourselves this pleasure and go read these posts. Maybe they’ll touch you like they did me, at worst, you’ll have read some fantastically well written posts. If you like them (and you will) go comment. The conversations around the posts themselves are fascinating as well.
And for what it’s worth, this is a completely independent initiative on my part. These reads made my April a bit nicer and I wanted to share that.
Start with the first post here: https://weekendotaku.wordpress.com/2018/04/07/your-theme-in-april-ep-1-monotone-colorful/
Or the entire series here: https://weekendotaku.wordpress.com/category/rewatch/your-theme-in-april/
I watched YLIA. I knew something was up early on but I still cried like a young boy at the end. Only a couple other anime have done that for me. Perhaps it is good that we experience such grief every now and then.
Too much would either desensitize us or destroy us.
Weekend-san is really great at this.
I think every one of those posts made me think for hours at length….
a stunning series of posts
Sounds like a great post! I’ll have to check it out. 💖💖🍻
You should!!!
Sometimes when I know an anime is “sad” when I watch I won’t get the full emotion since I maybe too prepared. I’ve enjoyed those posts with the theme. I agree that they are very well done.
Yay glad to hear it!
I might check these posts out…
Then again, Your Lie in April wasn’t my favorite show. It’s like the best prepared toast!
As in- boring and bland. Unless you have first world problems, in which case you will enjoy the show for being relatable.
If I had to point out why I like Clannad more, it has to be the cast. Every supporting member of the YLIA really is just a ‘support’ whose entire character is dependent on the protagonist. The protagonist is the center of the universe, and everything revolves around him. It’s sickeningly narcissistic!
*breathes in deeply*
And that is why self-proclaimed artists love this show!
(Unless they’re a musician who likes it for the music. I can respect good taste in music, since I have none)
Like I siad – I have never seen it and I didn’t particularly like Clannad (anime or game…) but I liked the posts a lot
Yeaaaaaaah,
I’m kinda opinionated.
I’m also still tired from vacation…
So I’m kinda reading through some blogs to relax. My friend brought a Switch with him to study hall and so I’m kinda left hanging.
I feel your pain except I don’t think I’ve ever had a *study hall*
Empty credits
*shrugs*
I really liked Your Lie in April despite a lot of people calling it overrated.
This show is really weird in a sense that its strengths were also its weaknesses.
The monologues were very poetic but at the same time, how would the cast know these big words at their age?
It’s also very melodramatic to the point where some of the scenes were exaggerated, but at the time, i thought they were well executed (mostly cus I’m a sucker for drama lol)
All in all, it really varies with the viewer so I would say give it a chance 🙂
I would say it’s worth the watch as the monologues were very poetic, but these same monologues were also the reason why some people didn’t like it.
I might give it a chance next time I’m in the mood for this type of story
When you asked me if you could write something about my post series, this was more than I expected.
I worked hard on them, and even questioned at times if what I was doing was really worthwhile. I know a lot of people loved the anime but I really had a hard time finding people who wanted to talk about it as much as I did. This event (and the one last year) was meant to scratch that itch, but a month really is a lot to ask of people. Some stick through it with me, most drop off. It’s just how these things tend to go.
Then I see things like this. Last year, it was this guy: https://raistlin0903.wordpress.com/2017/05/16/a-special-thank-you-to-weekend-otaku/ This year it’s you. This is what makes what I do feel worthwhile, and I can’t tell you how flattered I am about the things you said.
Thank you for letting me know how my writing affected you. Thank you for putting to words what you didn’t feel like you could do on each individual post. Thank you for telling your followers, and thank you for making me feel like I accomplished something.
well of course Raistlin would…The man is a sweetheart.
This was my pleasure, All I did was share something I really enjoyed with my friends. I honestly loved and looked forward to all your posts. Thank you for sharing them with us.
I was skeptical of YLIA because my younger sister had seen it and we usually share the same tastes when it comes to romantic dramas. She greatly emphasized its flaws and I trusted in her judgment, deciding to not pick it up myself. From your post, I think it’s cool that you’re sharing work from a writer who felt a great emotional connection to YLIA and its themes and produced beautiful work by sharing so much of themselves in the post. So, I’m excited to go and check out their work for sure, if not to learn more about how I can improve my writing and understand their thoughts on this anime.
They are beautifully written posts – more than worth a look!
After reading a few of your posts I’m not sure you’ll learn anything about writing from me, but by all means.. please enjoy my modest effort!
Thank you very much for checking out my own articles. From reading two posts of your challenge so far, I enjoyed reading your analysis about a particular theme that was focused on an episode. They did make me feel like I should definitely check out the series. 🙂
This is awesome – find two great bloggers – get them together BAM – get the credit by association and none of the work! Hold your applause!
Pshhh don’t forget that you’re an awesome blogger too Irina! 😉
awww
Long story short, if I read this correctly–this is a promotion post, isn’t it.
Best disguise 2018.
well not really promotion more I,m a child and I have to tell everyone as soon as I find something cool…
I approve this decision my child. Now go and play with the other kids!
Aww Thanks Ply – can I have ice cream as well?
No, you’ve eaten too much sweet stuff this week…
I’m disappointed but I know it’s because you care
<3 <3
Its full of “feelz” and is based on Honey and Clover and a more emo version of Nodame Cantabile, which has “feelz” too. I recommend both shows for you.
H&C has a fantastic soundtrack but the animation is similar to Ouran High School Host Club. Its an amazingly accurate depiction of college life, including the pending dread of job hunting, which they properly show in the story. There are several tragedies, for your “feelz” quotient to be satisfied. Btw, Pet Girl of Sakurasou is the compact version of this show.
Nodame Cantabile is about two broken musicians who make a couple while struggling to find their own excellence and expression in the world of concert performance of classical music. You will really notice this similarity with Lie in April. You’ll kick yourself for not realizing Lie in April is a copy. Its just one of those shows. The soundtrack is the reason it was funded, since Sony Music wanted to sell its existing performances catalog from Tokyo symphony and what they owned from various artists around the world of classical music. You’ll see. Only difficulty is Nodame Cantabile isn’t really hosted anywhere right now because it was a niche title for anime. There’s both a drama and an anime for that show. The anime has better music. The drama has worse acting. Make of that what you will.
Am I the only one lost reading this reply?
Have you seen Your Lie in April? It is an adaptation of Honey and Clover and Nodame Cantabile, only with the emo turned up to 11.
Like I said in my post – I have not
I have. Although I have no idea what the other things you mentioned here.
They are two anime which came before Your Lie in April and whose plots and characters were copied and changed to make that show. They are the originals it ripped off without credit. Japan has weird laws about copyright violation and suing them over it rarely takes if enough is changed, and YLIA changed enough to avoid consequences or being called a Doujin (fan manga). I rather liked YLIA though the cancer aspects were really grim since it came out a few months after my own mother died from cancer. The music itself followed in the same pattern as Nodame Cantabile, which has a bunch of variations of the same piece played by Stephen Gould (pianist who was famously miserable) and the music in each are excellent. Nodame was an unhappy camper but not dying at least. Most of the anime is on YouTube.
That is…grim.
I’m afraid I didn’t really like either. They were good but it’s simply not my style.
Pity. I figured that if you liked Ouran you could enjoy the other two but I guess the emo can’t balance out the more primitive and flat animation style. Its gotten so good in the last few years, with shading and more textures and depth of field. Modern animation is technically better. But the writing in the past was at least as good, and often struggled harder to get made. When I see all these remakes I kind of sigh.
Like I mention often – I am very picky about dramas. I know I liked Rose of Versailles but I was 4 so that’s my excuse… My tastes have become a lot less sofisticated since then.
I did like Ouran and I loved Nozaki-kun though. Comedies I’m real easy with.
It is slightly ironic that shows which are 15 years old don’t look as pretty as the new ones, so even though their voice acting and the writing is top notch, people who like the new stuff won’t watch them because they aren’t pretty enough. I’d love to recommend shows to folks but many people lose interest at the quality of the visuals. Oh well. You’ve got a long list of shows to enjoy at least. I won’t be adding more to your list today.
Really? I find the opposite. A lot of folks I talk to think nothing goods come out in the last 15 years. Guess I need to find a younger crowd
So are you going to watch Rune Soldier Louie and Martian Successor Nadesico? Those are comedy dramas from more than 15 years ago.
I thought I had already said I loved Nadesico? Maybe it was to someone else?
You might have. I could have forgotten. Happens. How about Those Who Hunt Elves? Seen that yet?
Oh I haven’t thought about that show in so long. That was so cute.
Lots of episodes, lots of tropes mocked. Great voice acting.