Mashiro no oto

Those Snow White Notes season one has an absolutely brilliant first episode and a pretty good finale, but the rest is just a weaker version of Kono Oto Tomare! Sounds of Life. The beginning is great, a brief emotional story that feels quite realistic introduces us to the main female protagonist and makes it easy for the viewer to get behind it. There are other very likable and interesting characters, and if the whole anime series had been set in this world, then maybe it would have been better. Unfortunately, Umeko's appearance in the show changes the whole direction and very quickly turns this into just another show about a school music club, in other words, it becomes the most conventional music anime series, and after such an intriguing introduction you might actually (like me) feel quite cheated. What then follows is the classic set-up of the club, introducing characters and their problems, and their interactions that slowly resolve some of the more mundane issues. Compared to the aforementioned Kono Oto Tomare! Sounds of Life, it lacks depth. The dramatic scenes and issues dealt with in the middle of the season are not as significant or well-presented as to keep me glued to the screen. Yes, there are some cool bits, like when the brothers play together at the temple, which is quite charming, however, in my opinion, in most scenes, the main protagonist and other characters are just sort of soullessly floundering in a show that fails to use them to their full potential. After all that, the finale is much more interesting. The tournament (yes - I know it is the biggest cliché of them all) is well executed in my opinion. This anime series succeeds in showing the motivations of the newly introduced characters quite well, it creates the atmosphere/ambiance of the competition and uses it well, making it lighter at certain points. The musical performances are expressive, they are memorable and enjoyable. The producers really knew how to use the imagery and musical elements well, and used them so that the important competitors left an impression on the audience. In my opinion, the last episode is very good, though it ends predictably, however, at the same time it is very emotional so that some of the audience can connect with the feelings of the main protagonist. Thanks to the final moments in this season, you might even start wanting a second season as soon as possible... The musical part of the show was a pleasant surprise, the opening is absolutely great and I am glad I was introduced to shamisen, and can now understand how much music and how many different sounds can be produced with just three strings. I am awarding it 7.2/10. (2021.06.19)