Your Lie In April: Across The Multiverse

YLIA x Multiverse Episode 22: Fall Talent Show

Episode 22: Fall Talent Show

"AY! AY! AY! AY!"

The crowd's upbeat chant, backed by their energetic clapping to the beat of the blaring hip-hop rhythm, sent a thrill through Kousei's body as he and Kaori watched the two men in the large circle continue to throw spiraling kicks at one another. But what was this spectacle, exactly? Were these two men resolving their differences and the spectators thought it to be a game?

Far from it. For these two men weren't fighting. They were playing! And their dance was none other than the traditional art form of Brazilian Capoeira!

"WOO-HOO!" Kaori whooped in Kousei's ear as she gripped her half-finished cone of New York vanilla ice cream. Kousei winced instinctively due to the close proximity of his girlfriend's high-pitched fanfare. The grin on his face did not fade, though, for this was the most fun he'd had in a while! A date with Kaori out in the sprawling metropolis of New York City on a Saturday afternoon? He'd have to be crazy to turn that down!

As Kousei continued to clap along with the rest of the crowd, the Capoeira performers continued to get increasingly flashy with their moves! One of them suddenly stood on his head and executed a perfect windmill kick, to which the other dancer swiftly weaved beneath in the nick of time! The two tall, muscular Brazilian men continued to kick and lunge at one another until finally, the two of them shook hands and stepped out of the circle.

The onlookers continued to clap and cheer as another Capoeira dancer, a shorter man dressed in matching white pants and shirt, stepped into the circle. Kousei saw the man begin to point at random crowd members, inviting one of them to partake in the dance with him. Kousei tried to shrink back at first, and it would've worked...

Had Kaori not been standing right behind him.

"Go on, Promoted Friend A!" she suddenly shoved him with a wicked gleam in her eye. "Show em what you got!"

"What the—Kaori you—!"

But his grumbling was drowned out as the surrounding spectators suddenly pointed, smiled, and clapped for him, urging him to go on and meet the other man head-on in the dance battle.

"AY! AY! AY! AY!" they continued to chant.

Defeated, Kousei nervously approached the older man, and tensed his body up in anticipation of the crazy kicks that were about to come his way. Lucky for Kousei though, the man smiled and offered his hand first.

"Mestre Cardoso!" the Capoeira instructor greeted him, his accented voice slightly raised so Kousei could hear him. "What's your name?"

"Kousei Arima!" Kousei greeted in return, then looked around with a flustered look on his face. "I was kinda shoved into here actually...I don't know the first thing about any type of dancing. I hope I'm not a bother."

"Not at all, my friend!" the Mestre replied. "We won't do anything too difficult. Just watch me as I guide you through the moves. It's simple, trust me!"

"Okay!" Kousei smiled, now just a bit more confident.

After leading Kousei through a few basic kicks and dodges, Mestre Cardoso taught him the proper posture, which was an odd, almost Spider-man-like kneeling position that allowed both players to move around with great freedom. Kousei was glad to be wearing his jeans, not only because it was cold out, but because they would allow him to emulate the arcing moves of the Mestre with greater ease!