Those Snow White Notes

Setsu Sawamura leaves his hometown after the death of his grandfather, Matsugorou Sawamura, a renowned shamisen master. On his deathbed, Matsugorou told Setsu to stop playing the shamisen if he could only mimic others instead of finding his own style. Lost and grieving, Setsu travels to Tokyo, hoping the city will help him uncover his musical identity. But the overwhelming noise of urban life stifles his creativity instead. His estranged mother, Umeko-wealthy and influential-reappears in his life, worried about his direction. She pressures him into attending Umezono Academy, where he meets Shuri Maeda, a girl captivated by the Tsugaru shamisen. Shuri dreams of playing a song her grandmother once heard long ago. She forms a shamisen club and persuades Setsu to teach its members. As he grows closer to the group, will Setsu rediscover his passion for the shamisen and finally develop the distinct sound he’s been missing?