Parents' Guide to Your Lie in April

TV Max Anime 2014
Your Lie in April TV Poster Image

Common Sense Media Review

Polly Conway By Polly Conway , based on child development research. How do we rate?

age 13+

Romantic anime about the power of music, friendship, love.

Parents Need to Know

Why Age 13+?

Any Positive Content?

Parent and Kid Reviews

age 13+

Based on 4 parent reviews

age 11+

Based on 12 kid reviews

Kids say the show is a beautifully tragic exploration of music, trauma, and personal growth, despite its heavy themes surrounding loss, abuse, and suicide. While many reviews note the emotional intensity and the need for maturity in viewers, they also highlight the stunning animation, particularly in musical expressions, making it a recommended watch for those who can handle its depth.

  • emotionally intense
  • beautifully animated
  • heavy themes
  • mature audience recommended
  • uplifting moments
Summarized with AI

What's the Story?

Your Lie in April is an anime series about a young musician who finds romance. Former piano prodigy Kousei is living a somewhat uninspired life, until he meets Kaori, a free-spirited multi-instrumentalist. Softball-loving Tsubaki and soccer star Watari are Kousei's best friends who support him through thick and thin.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say ( 4 ):
Kids say ( 12 ):

As inspiring as Harold and Maude, with all the romance teens love, this series is a true classic. Teens will likely see themselves in at least one character from Your Lie in April. It explores the pressures many teens feel; from the desire to be in a relationship, to stand out, and pressures from parents. Kaori experienced this from his mother before she died -- even though she loved him, she wanted his success because she didn't have her own. It's poetic, dramatic, and is sure to elicit tears from even the most hardened anime watcher. Not to mention the animation is gorgeous, with cherry blossoms signifying the lightness of spring, and a lovely musical soundtrack. This is an outstanding "beginner" anime for those unfamiliar with the genre.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about music. Why do you think it's so powerful? How does it affect the characters in this anime?

  • How do the friends support each other during hard times? Does their friendship change throughout the series?

TV Details

  • Premiere date : January 1, 2014
  • Network : Max
  • Genre : Anime
  • TV rating : TV-PG
  • Last updated : October 9, 2025

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by

Your Lie in April TV Poster Image

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