Those Snow White Notes

Synopsis

After his grandfather, the legendary shamisen player Matsugorou Sawamura, passes away, Setsu Sawamura leaves his quiet home in the countryside. Before his death, Matsugorou told Setsu to give up the shamisen if he couldn't find his own unique style of playing. Overwhelmed by grief, Setsu goes to Tokyo, hoping the lively city will help him discover his own individuality. But the noisy urban environment of Tokyo drowns out everything else, leaving him feeling adrift. Worried about her son, Setsu's wealthy and successful mother, Umeko, comes back into his life and enrolls him at Umezono Academy. There, Setsu meets Shuri Maeda, a girl who is fascinated by the Tsugaru shamisen and wants to recreate a song her grandmother once heard long ago. Shuri starts a shamisen appreciation club and persuades Setsu to teach its members. As he gets more involved with the club, can Setsu rekindle his love for the shamisen and discover the distinctive sound he is searching for?