Sangatsu no Lion Medley - Original Soundtracks on Piano

Sangatsu no Lion, or March Comes in Like a Lion, is an anime I stumbled upon just slightly over a year ago. It swept in like a storm and stole my heart, the show a Hina to my Rei. My favorite anime of all time, Sangatsu no Lion is a slice of life written by Umino Chica that can only be best described as the poetry of life. A stroke of laugther, the depth of warmth and kindness, the willpower of spirit, the despair of adversity, the sadness of loss, and the strength of the heart. The orchestration of the show and the wisdom Umino Chica crammed into the story is unbelievable. This anime is a true modern gem that made me a little wiser and so so thankful for the human life I have been given.

Lastly, this arrangement is in tribute to my deceased grandparents. I tell the story of my memories with them below, and the thoughts behind my composition and each movement.

Strategy (0:00)
My conception coming into this world. Apparently it was my grandmother who gave me my first baths and my first few fights and resistances. I knew my experiences with her would be an adventure and memory I will always look forward to as she helps nurtures me into this world. My grandpa would also silently babysit me at times, and overall the exciting, mysterious, what's-to-come feeling felt like a right fit to start this stage of my memories. When arranging this piece, I felt the need to capture that excitement and energy with a mix of staccatos, jumps, and something I kinda wanna call 'soft agitato' techniques.

Through /通じた (1:43)
The feeling of warmth is what this song represents to me. My early days with my grandpa and granny, them telling me to eat and changing my clothes for the resisting bastard that was walking baby me. But they were happy times. Both my grandma and my grandpa were still healthy. And it was a time I wish I could go back to once more. Arranging this, I wanted to capture a homely and warming feeling, to show how happy I felt then and my understanding of it now.

Supper / 夕げ (4:09)
The good times are still there, but the relaxing mood with a tinge of sadness reminds me that these times are times I have taken for granted. In the anime, this variation of supper plays when Hina realizes the weight of each of her Grandfather's mochis, his decision to wake up every morning to support her decision and happiness in attending her school of choice. As I write this, I had wished I knew back then what my grandparents did for me through all their sacrifices. I have taken for granted so many things in my life and the recollection of these memories segue into the constitution of my grievances. Arranging this, I wanted to stick extremely faithfully to the variation and played the episode with the soundtrack over and over again.

One Blow (6:44)
The first signs of tragedy has struck. My grandpa is deaf and my grandmother is bedridden and practically paralyzed. Soon, she required monitoring and more intensive facilitated care. The doctors told us she won't have much long to live, and I recall my mother losing her composure and showing a great depth of fear in her expression and tone. I wanted to capture this anticipated fear and tragedy with some incorporation of Chopin techniques and explosive dynamics.

Rinkaku / 輪郭 (9:34)
A few years later after the events of "One Blow", my grandfather passed away. He was fully deaf by then and perhaps, lived in a world half-emptied, only sustained by the bare vision of seeing his children and grandchildren visit him. He was a gentle man who did no harm in life and found no harm in death, but it still hurt us all to see the silent and humble figure supporting ten children backbreakingly during his parenthood in Vietnam. My grandmother passed away soon after, and once again, the entire family spiraled into turmoil. These losses shocked and damaged us all too well, and even now, my mother cries at night as she herself undergoes her own reflections and recollections.

This song was arranged by PianoSuki on MuseScore and modified with my mom's help to better capture the feeling of loss and denial.

En Fermant Les Yeux (12:54)
I am the person I am today partially because of my grandparents. I wanted to end the medley on a light note because as sad as their passings were, there were many more times they've made us happy. I want to tell everyone going forth that death and loss can be a permanent scar, but it can be one of sadness and pain or one of acceptance and gratitude. I love my grandma and my grandpa, and the only way I know how to express that is to continue doing my best in life, fulfilling my happiness, and making those I love happy too. The song itself is bittersweet yet optimistic and I tried to capture that in my arranging.

Thank you for reading to the end.

Thumbnail: Kentaro Miura

Grandpa: 3/14/2021
Grandma: 4/13/2021

#sangatsunolion #piano