Kono Oto Tomare! 2nd Season

We'll be fine.

Because we've practiced...

...more than anyone for sure!

You'll be fine.

You survived my tough lessons.

Don't forget.

What's important isn't going to nationals itself,

but why you want to go to nationals.

So to them, it's their last chance.

I don't want it to end yet.

I wish it could go on forever.

Next year won't work for you guys!

Next year... will be too late.

We're gonna go to nationals for sure!

"#25 Tenkyu"

I can't believe it! What kind of performance is that?!

It's evenly matched with ours... though how it was done was quite different...

Judges' votes will probably be split, too.

What's with these high-level performances...? What's happening?

Himesaka and Hakuto... Only one of them can go to nationals...?

You gotta be kidding me...!

It was amazing...

It's like Hakuto was amazing in a totally different way than Himesaka.

Yeah... they were... I bet the judges are gonna have a hard time deciding.

With music, how do they decide which one's better?

The difficulty and degree of perfection of the piece?

Yeah, they're important. But when schools are at the same level for both,

I think it'll depend on what each judge values...

Do they value an aesthetic of staying together?

Or do they value how the sound was expressed?

Honey! Takezo and the others are taking the stage!

I wonder if he'll be okay? He often makes mistakes at critical times.

Calm down, dear.

Good, Granny. We made it back just in time.

Yeah.

Takezo...! Everyone...! Go for it!

This isn't like me. I'm getting kinda nervous.

They'll be fine...

...since they've practiced like crazy.

Mr. Tsukaji!

The next school has five boys! This is amazing!

To think that they're playing after Hakuto... I feel bad for them.

Honestly, I don't even want to hear the crappy performances coming up.

It's likely that either Himesaka or Hakuto will win anyway...

Tokise...

Program number 13.

Tokise High School.

"Tenkyu."

The words I repeated so many times in my head...

Your koto... is like a weapon to me.

How pathetic... that I'm afraid of hearing my own daughter's performance...

I never understood it. I couldn't face it.

But now...

Ahh... That's right. This is it.

This is completely different from that time.

A single note...

I have to work hard, too.

So that you can always have a smile on your face.

How can she play...

...a sound like this...?

Satowa...

She's already in a class of her own.

But there's no way that the others can match her sound!

Is this really possible...?!

This can't be happening... Those vulgar delinquents can...?

You're not worthy to play the koto with Satowa!

If you consider the 17-string and the solo as the "root" and "trunk" of a tree...

...the first and second kotos are leaves and blossoms that lend colors to it.

Hold on a sec...

What the heck is going on?! This sound...!

It's not just the solo part...?!

Their sound is completely different from the other schools.

The care they put into each note... How it resonates... The others are no match.

Who are these kids...? How did they become like this?

Just how much time... did they spend practicing?!

I liked your performance.

It was a good performance.

You guys can become even better.

So I don't want the next competition to be our last.

With those guys... I'll give it everything I've got until the very end.

I wanna get better as soon as possible.

There are things we need to do before we complain!

That sound is your soul itself.

It's your soul itself.

After suddenly losing someone precious to me,

I had to protect that which was left behind.

I thought I could somehow manage it... and overcome it...

...because I had my daughter.

But I was weak.

I was weaker... a lot weaker than I thought...

...that I let go of...

...the only light I had.

I thought I'd quit...

I thought there was no point in playing the koto anymore if I couldn't help Mom.

But...

The theme moves from part to part every two beats!

High-level techniques are used at important spots.

But they play in a way that we pay no attention to them

by completely hiding the difficulty of their performance.

That's how music should be.

The highlight scene for each part is starting now.

Oh... I'm so happy...