A critical review of the popular anime “Shigatsu wa Kimi no Uso” (Your Lie in April) has caused controversy on Redditbecoming a trend and generating intense debate among fans of the series. The post, which questions the quality of the writing, characters and representation of domestic violence in the series, has had a strong impact among users of the platform, dividing opinions about one of the most acclaimed works in the dramatic genre.

In his review, the Reddit user expresses his astonishment at the sheer amount of praise “Shigatsu wa Kimi no Uso” receives as a moving drama, noting that the series lacks consistent writing, detestable characters, and an “absolutely horrific” depiction of domestic violence. According to the comment, the mixture of childish and exaggerated comedy with such a serious theme as that of a young man fighting his inner demons is a mistake in tone that minimizes the seriousness of the plot.

The author of the review directs particularly harsh words at the main characters, describing Saki Arima, the mother of the protagonist Kousei, as “the worst mother I’ve ever seen in an anime”, and argues that the physical, mental and emotional abuse of his son is unforgivable, even if you try to justify it because of your terminal illness. In his opinion, the series doesn't do enough to redeem the character, and the same applies to Kaori Miyazono, the female co-lead, to whom he compares. “a worse version of Angelica Pickles” for his manipulative and abusive behavior towards Kousei.

Critics also address the series' depiction of domestic violence, noting that While Saki's abuse is presented as something horrific, the abusive actions of Kaori and Tsubaki, another of Kousei's friends, are treated with levity and as if they were something funny. The Reddit user argues that this unequal treatment sends a dangerous message by suggesting that it is acceptable for women to commit violence, but not for men.

The post generated an avalanche of responses on Reddit, with some users defending the work and its emotional approach, while others expressed their agreement with the criticism, pointing out flaws in the anime's representation of abuse and tonal inconsistency. This debate has reignited the discussion about how dramatic anime approaches sensitive topics such as domestic violence and emotional abuse, and whether “Shigatsu wa Kimi no Uso” adequately handles these elements.

• «Everyone talks about Saki and Kaori, but remember Ryota? He never supported Kousei and every time Kousei had a breakdown, he would say things like “He’s a man, he’ll get over it on his own.” No, that’s a horrible message. Men are sensitive like women and deserve emotional support too. If Kousei were a woman, Ryota and the other characters would probably give him emotional support instead of mocking his traumas. Literally, the two rivals are much better friends than Kousei’s own “friends.”».
• «I have to agree. It always baffles me how this anime is so highly regarded when it's so strong on the "You don't understand, she abused you for your own good!"».
• «If I remember correctly, the protagonist also makes up a fantasy in his head that basically says, “Oh, the only reason she beat me mercilessly and tortured me mentally was because she really loved me. Now I’m cured.”».
• «The music is phenomenal, the art style is charming, and Kousei is objectively the best-written character. But god, you're absolutely right about basically everything. Why the hell is the child abuse victim the slapstick character? If they needed one that badly, his best friend was literally there! Why the hell are Kaori and Tsubaki constantly forcing him to do what they think he should do "for his own good" (just like his mother)? If this was a serious story about healing and overcoming trauma, then the characters obviously shouldn't be forcing someone to face their trauma! Why the hell do Kaori and Tsubaki act so entitled towards Kousei in general, with little to no remorse (and no, Kaori's damn "I'm sorry I was a bitch, I was seriously ill" letter doesn't count)?».
• «You know what bothered me? That the mother's friend knew about this or suspected it and simply turned a blind eye.».
• «I feel like the excellent presentation covers up a lot of the questionable writing. I loved the first few episodes, but I realized that was only because of the beautiful animation and music.».
• «There was a resurgence of criticism of Your Lie in April and God, I wish I had heard more about it. I had to abandon it after 3 episodes because I could tell they weren't going to handle the sensitive subject matter with any kind of decorum. I was surprised when all my friends told me how much they loved it. I just couldn't get my head around it. I still can't.».
• «In real life it's not much better, it will be another 50 years before domestic violence/abuse of men and children by women is taken seriously.».
• «That was my main problem with Your Lie back in April, and I still like the show. I never liked the way they handled Kousei's abuse by Saki, and also the way Kaori and Tsubaki treated him. I'm fine with the jokes, but why Kousei?...there's a non-traumatized teenager in this same group, why not make him suffer with the jokes, why the victim of domestic violence? I never understood that. Plus the fact that Kaori and Tsubaki basically pressured him to play the piano again when he CLEARLY doesn't want to and CLEARLY hasn't recovered yet, only for you to brush it off as something he should just get over. I also hate how they tried to redeem Saki somehow, making it seem like she did it for Kousei's sake and so on. AND KOUSEI ACCEPTING GAVE HER THE CLOSURE SHE NEEDED?! Also, Kaori lying to Kousei about not liking her only to then drop the bombshell at the end of her post-mortem letter just… goes against his entire plan since now he will bear the burden of losing her despite the purpose of his lie being to not let Kousei get too attached… as a great way to deal with this, Kaori».
• «Looking back, I only liked the show for the beautiful visuals, animation, and music, and while I won't lie, I was moved by the ending, I still hate the way they handled domestic violence and for a long time. I brushed it off as if I just didn't get it.».
• «The only sensible character in this series, in my opinion, is Seto. She regrets her past for encouraging Saki to become an abusive mother, and to be honest, Kousei improved his piano skills and confidence thanks to her guidance and not because of Kaori. (Kaori hasn't even resolved her mother's trauma, and Seto gives her a different perspective, even though she's wrong.)».
• «That's actually the reason I hate this anime. It's praised as some sort of emotional masterpiece, when in reality it's like a justification for child abuse with a cast of horrible people who are supposedly his 'friends', compounding said trauma by ALSO physically assaulting him and forcing him to return to the very thing that caused it... such an intense trauma in the first place. I hate Saki and that bitch Kaori equally. And of course, the latter traumatizes Kousei even more with her rudeness at the end of the series. Such an annoying anime - although Japanese values tend to have a "Keep Out" mentality regarding family conflicts and things like Filial Piety to justify child abuse for "self-good", so it was silly of me to expect that this kind of issue would be treated with the seriousness and sensitivity it deserves.».
• «I've always hated this anime for the way it completely ignores the fact that Kaori pretends to like Kousei's friend Ryota (and even dates him) just to get closer to Kousei, and then when she dies in her sweet goodbye note/confession, she asks KOUSEI to apologize to Ryota for lying to him. How is that romantic? What little pathos her incredibly predictable death was able to evoke was somewhat diminished by the series' incredibly off-key choice to try to sell this as sweet when it's just pathetic and disgusting.».
• «I first saw it a year ago and I REALLY wanted to like it, but it was so weird that they pretty much ignored the abuse that was going on and Kaori with her crazy manipulation tactics, and as a former pianist, I didn't really get the dark "competition" vibe where all the pianists hated each other and their lifelong dreams were to beat each other, haha, it was so weird. Great art style and easily one of my favorite openings of all time, but I can't say I'll watch it again».
• «I understand what you mean, but saying it's "horrible" or the "worst anime" is an exaggeration.».
• «I liked it at the time because it made me really sad and I looked for shows that made me sad, I don't think I would want to watch it now. I would probably just judge it and think about what you wrote.».
• «Oh wow. I've never seen Your Lie in April, I always assumed it was about a girl helping a boy through grief.».
• «Are there any Japanese works that deal with domestic and family abuse in a subtle way that doesn't trivialize it for people who have their heads in the right place?».

Source: reddit