English Dub Season Review: Kono Oto Tomare!: Sounds of Life Season One

Misfits come together to form a koto club in an exciting drama about becoming a team.

Overview (Spoilers Below):

Takezo is the last remaining member of the koto club at his school. All the seniors have graduated, leaving him to either disband or take up the mantle of the club. To his credit, Takezo takes on the task and tries to keep the group alive. It’s a hard struggle, with even the vice principal actively rooting against him. But his passion for the koto is contagious, and eventually he forms a group of misfits who all come together to play the koto. They encounter many trials along the way, including friendship spats, a lax advisor, and an infiltration from a mean girl who turns out to just be looking for belonging. In the end, they’ve learned that friendship can be just as lovely as music from the koto.

Our Take:

Koto Oto Tomare! wasn’t really on my radar at the beginning on this season, I have to admit. There’s usually at least a couple of music-type shows every year, and I usually end up liking them quite a lot (Hibike! Euphonium, HaruChika, etc.). But I was not planning on watching this series before starting to review it. I sure am glad I got the chance to watch it though!

The characters are really the core of the show. Kono Oto Tomare! may be a show about the koto, but these noble instruments can’t play themselves. Takezo Kurata is the club president, but not by choice. Takezo was the only remaining member of the koto club who didn’t graduate last year, and so it falls on him to guide the club in the new school semester. He’s a really cool character to watch, because he struggles with something a lot of real life people struggle with: taking on the responsibilities that come with being a leader. The show explores his experience with feeling inadequate as a club president, and tracks the storyline all the way to the end, where he has grown a whole lot. You might argue that the real ‘main character’ is Chika Kudou, the ruffian turned koto player. It’s true that he has a lot of focus in the series, as it chronicles things like his grandfather’s death and what playing the koto means to Chika. I didn’t find him the most exciting character, though I did like his dynamic with Satowa. Satowa Houzuki is the last of the main three, and the most experienced with the koto. Her introductory episode sets her up to be the vain professional who scoffs at those below her. Luckily, this trope is quickly subverted and she winds up being one of the best things that could’ve happened to the club.

At its heart, Kono Oto Tomare! is really a show about teamwork and how people who have nothing in common can come together and learn to play beautifully as a group. The show does a great job on their side and background characters, creating unique individuals like Mr. Takinami and the elderly lady who runs the music store. Giving thought to even one-off characters means the show feels all the more real, and I appreciated the level of detail that went into every interaction in the series.

These things are all good and well, but how about the music? It’s wonderful! Sure, there are a few performance scenes that may drag on a bit, but overall I’m pleased to report that koto music is super cool and oddly relaxing to listen to at times. I’ll definitely be picking up the OST when it releases. The animation is nothing to write home about, but it remains fine throughout the shows run. The English dub is really good on the whole, with awesome casting that includes Daman Mills as Chika, Amber Lee Connors as Satowa, and Alejandro Saab as Takezo.

Looking back on this series, it’s safe to say that it has become one of my favorite musical dramas in the last few years. When you combine a dynamic set of characters along with a solid storyline that doesn’t make too many detours or remain too static and boring, the results are bound to be fun to watch. Seeing the koto club members grow stronger in their skills with every passing episode was a blast, and I’m excited to hear them make beautiful music again when season two comes around soon.