24 minSeason 1 • Episode 12
LatestSetsu plays, following his heart. He sets an image within the notes. With all his heart, he tries to convey it. The sound that pours from Setsu' shamisen draws forth memories from everyone who hears it. Then, the favorite for first place, Tanuma Souichiro's performance begins. The sound is overwhelming. Waves of it shake the auditorium and his performance charms the audience. With both of their performances over, the conclusion of the tournament brings...
Matsugorou Sawamura is a shamisen player of legendary talent. Upon his death, his grandson, Setsu Sawamura, lost his ability to play. Having lost his beloved sound, Setsu finds himself in Tokyo in search of a new sound to love. Tachiki Yuna, who works at a club, hooks him up with a gig to play there as a warm up act. Setsu imbues the sound of his shamisen with his many thoughts and feelings he has of others, still searching for his own sound and his own feelings.
Sound
Actual shamisen performances — every note is authentic pain and beauty.
Writing
Grandfather's voice haunts without cliché flashbacks.
Direction
Sound design visualizes music as color and memory.
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
The shamisen was historically associated with blind musicians and marginalized communities; the series reclaims it as raw emotional vocabulary.
Voice actor Nobunaga Shimazaki trained with shamisen players for months; some performance sequences use his actual finger placements.
JP
