Let it Ring

Shiatsu Was Kimi No Uso is a joyful, but melancholy story of rebirth. It is a beautiful book that should be read by people who feel held down by something. it tells a story of 3 virtuosos who go through an arc of discovering themselves as musicians. The fallen doyen, Arima Kosei, the fiery genius, Takeshi Aiza, and the declining virtuoso, Emi Igawa, are three relatable and unique characters who together tell an 2 year long, intertwining and beautiful story of the joys of playing music all taking place in the span of 30 minutes.

Each of these three characters are held down by someone as many of us have experienced, be them dead or alive. Arima is struggling with the death of his abusive mother who even still stopped him from playing for two whole years, his PTSD was so extreme he can’t hear the piano when he plays. Takeshi Aiza has always been good but now he is at the top of his game, but there is one thing holding him down from expanding his horizons to german competitions, but there is one thing holding him down, Arima Kosei. Emi Igawa was once considered a virtuoso with true emotion and joy behind her playing, but two years ago she fell from grace, ever since Arima left playing she has fallen two number 4, number 5, and eventually only to an honorable mention. This is because she has lost her one motivation, to be an antonym to Arima. These three characters are bogged down by relatable issues like rivalries and loss of motivation. As each of these characters play their music, we discover them as both musicians and people, Kosei’s confusion, Takeshi’s anger, and Emi’s fatigue.

When Takeshi receives the invitation to the Schuberstein competition his mentor is overjoyed, the moment he reads the letter he outright says “It’s on the same date as the Maihou competition, but let’s just cancel that!” but Takeshi’s response is “No, I’ll join the Maihou competition. I… I won't go to Germany. Because.. He might be there.” Referring of course to his true rival arima. This shows the spiral of obsession that Takeshi is on, drifting away from his goals as a pianist and to join prove himself to his hero arima and to beat him.

As Emi is about to walk on stage her mentor is talking to Takeshi’s mentor she says “trying to keep her motivated… these past two years, it was difficult because the person she had to defeat.. Disappeared” we are told by Kaori that she has been declining and her teacher says mentoring her has been difficult, alluding to the fact that her only motivation was Kosei, this is strengthened even further by the fact that she talks about how she got so emotional at Kosei’s first performance.

As Kosei walks onstage he is prepared, he has practiced for hours on end and is ready to reclaim his title as number 1. He is confident, his blood is boiling he knows he can do it, but then… His mom appears, even with her, with those memories he still walks on and begins. And it is perfect. Everything is perfect, nothing is going wrong… Until his mom appears in his mind, she sits there watching him, and he falters, he sink back into that pure sea of despair. 

These characters are all held down by something, something that we can all relate to, be it anger, confusion, or fatigue, These characters tell a beautiful story of rebirth like all people who have been held down by something.