Your Lie in April Musical Makes Its West End Debut

It seems another anime series has made its stage debut outside of Japan. Not long after Death Note: The Musical made its debut in England, the West End has turned its eyes to Your Lie in April. The anime musical just made its English launch, and it seems the adaptation has left theatre fans begging for more shows.

If you did not know, Your Lie in April made its move to the stage in 2017. The live-action production was announced in May before AiiA 2.5 Theater Tokyo welcomed its first show in the fall. Kaori Miura penned the show’s script while Naohiro Ise directed. Featuring live violin and piano performances, the stage show was a hit, and it inspired a musical in 2019.

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This musical is what made its move to the West End after a successful run in Tokyo in 2020. Frank Wildhorn composed the show’s music with lyrics by Tracy Miller and Carly Robyn Green. Following the musical’s premiere, it faced a lengthy break due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but its tour resumed in 2022. And now, the Theatre Royal has brought Your Lie in April to life on West End in England.

At this time, there are no plans to bring the musical to other markets like the United States. However, you can bet anime fans are eager for Broadway to welcome more anime. After all, a number of high-profile anime series have been adapted into musicals, and few if any of them have been shown stateside.

If you are not familiar with Your Lie in April, the romanic drama was released as a manga by Kodansha in April 2011. Creator Naoshi Arakawa oversaw the story through its finale in 2015. With solid sales under its belt, Your Lie in April convinced A-1 Pictures to invest in an anime adaptation that earned rave reviews. You can watch the tear-jerking series now on Crunchyroll. So for more info on Your Lie in April, you can read its official synopsis below:

“Kosei Arima was a piano prodigy until his cruel taskmaster of a mother died suddenly, changing his life forever. Driven by his pain to abandon piano, Kosei now lives in a monotonous, colorless world. Having resigned himself to a bland life, he is surprised when he meets Kaori Miyazono, a violinist with an unorthodox style. Can she bring Kosei back to music, and back to life?”

What do you think about this take on Your Lie in April? Let us know what you think in the comments below as well as on Twitter and Instagram. You can also hit me up @MeganPetersCB to share your take!