# Kono Oto Tomare!: Sounds of Life (2019)

> A lone member of a dying traditional koto club must recruit new players and tame a boisterous newcomer to keep the club alive.

Canonical page: https://ember.film/tv/72918

## Facts

- Seasons: 1
- Episodes: 26
- Episode runtime: 24 min
- Status: Ended
- Genres: animation, drama
- Network: BS11, AT-X, Tochigi TV, HTB, WOWOW Prime, TOKYO MX
- Cast: Yuma Uchida, Junya Enoki, Atsumi Tanezaki, Haruki Ishiya, Yuichi Iguchi, Makoto Furukawa, Sara Matsumoto, Daisuke Namikawa
- TMDB rating: 8.1/10
- IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt9886006/

## Ember's analysis

- Pacing: measured
- Intensity: mild
- Complexity: simple
- Violence: none
- Tone: warm, uplifting, lively, earnest, comedic

## What critics say

Audiences rate the series positively for its warm, music-centered school club story and likable cast.

## Synopsis

Kono Oto Tomare!: Sounds of Life (2019) is a Japanese animated slice of life series created for anime broadcast, adapted from the manga by Shueisha and produced by King Records. Takezou Kurata (Junya Enoki) is the last remaining member of his high school koto club, a traditional Japanese string instrument ensemble, and he must find new players before the club is shut down. His plans are upended when Chika Kudo (Yuma Uchida), a loud and unruly newcomer, barges into the near-empty clubroom demanding to join. Supporting characters including Satowa Hozuki (Atsumi Tanezaki) and Saneyasu Adachi (Haruki Ishiya) round out the club and its rivals. Across one season of twenty-six episodes, the engine is simple and concrete: practice sessions, recruitment drives, and competitive performances that test whether a fragile group can hold together. The tone is warm, lively and earnest, with comedic friction giving way to genuine musical passion and friendship. Set in a contemporary Japanese high school, the show treats traditional music as something young people can make their own. Fans of Bocchi the Rock!, K-On! and Your Lie in April will find a similar blend of music, youthful striving and gentle humor.

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