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/
