A decade back, Naoshi Arakawa gave us one of the finest romance series. To this day, his manga continues to tug at the readers’ heartstrings. From friendships to slow-burn romance, Your Lie In April is a masterpiece. This holds especially true with its approach to themes of love and romance. The process behind it though, was less romantic and rather scary.
It is a known fact that the series is impactful and profound. Little do people know that Arakawa wrote the manga for a special someone. As revealed in an interview, the mangaka planned on making them cry. But what would surprise the readers is the inspiration behind the series. Regardless of that, the series successfully manages to send people on a neverending cryfest.
Naoshi Arakawa reveals his special someone
Naoshi Arakawa is a seasoned manga artist whose career spans over two decades. While he is known majorly for Your Lie in April, he has a diverse portfolio. He has worked on one-shot manga along with his magnum opus. Some of his notable works include A School Frozen In Time and Sayonara, Football. Of all these works, however, his magnum opus takes the cake.
Apart from its popularity, the series remains an iconic masterpiece in the romance genre. What makes it unique is its take on the idea of love. Contrary to the cliched portrayals of love, the series outlines a spectrum of emotions.
Kaori’s love for Kosei is a blend of admiration and compassion. Both characters inspire and bring out the best in each other. This extends to the series as well, especially in its inspiration. While Arakawa inspired several artists, the story behind his series’ conception is quite unromantic and rather, evil.
In an interview with Anime Herald, Arakawa revealed the special someone behind the series’ inspiration. He quoted:
It’s true. When I was writing Your Lie in April, my goal was to make my editor (Shinichi Eda) cry.
While he did make his editor cry, Arakawa’s plan was nothing short of evil. This however doesn’t negate his series’ potential. His series remains a masterpiece in its ability to wring out tears. Even after a decade, the series stands successful as a real tear-jerker.
Your Lie in April is a real tear-jerker
From friendships to romance, Your Lie In April is a real tear-jerker. It is poignant in its portrayal of love and human relationships. The impermanence of human existence is outlined brilliantly in the series. This is especially true with Kaori’s illness and her ‘lie’.
Arakawa’s brilliance as a mangaka lies in his ability to make people cry. The series has successfully managed to ensure a cryfest for not just viewers and readers, but even exemplary artists.
Of all the accolades, the mangaka’s biggest feat is his acknowledgment by Eiichiro Oda himself. The One Piece author was so moved by the series that he urged his team to read the manga. It was Arakawa’s brilliance that managed to make the legendary artist sad.
The sadness and uncertainty is an ever-looming theme in the series. With Kaori’s illness and her lies, readers are triggered with disbelief. Of all the shoujo series, Arakawa’s work strips the readers of all hope. The bleak nature of the relationship sets it apart from its contemporaries.
All in all, Naoshi Arakawa succeeded in his goal of producing a remarkable manga. Be it IMDb or My Anime List, the series scored a perfect rating. Even years after its release, the anime continues to tug at the viewers’ heartstrings.
Your Lie In April is available for streaming on Crunchyroll.
