The appeal and reviews of "Stop This Sound!": An anime with a touching koto sound

"Stop This Sound!": A moving story of youth and the sounds of the koto

"Kono Oto Tomare!" is a TV anime series that aired in 2019, based on the manga of the same name by Amyuu. It aired from April 7 to June 30, 2019, and consisted of 13 episodes. It was broadcast on TOKYO MX and BS11, and aired for 30 minutes every Sunday from 1:00 a.m. This anime is set in the Koto club of Tokise High School, which is on the verge of being disbanded, and depicts a youthful school story woven by unique characters such as a delinquent boy and a genius koto girl.

story

The Tokise High School Koto Club is down to just one member and is on the verge of being disbanded. Meanwhile, the club's captain, Kurata Musashi, is visited by delinquent boy Kuon Ai and his friends, as well as koto genius girl Houzuki Satowa. Despite their own circumstances, they connect with each other through the music of the koto and work hard to revive the club. This is a moving story that depicts the struggles and joys of youth, friendship and romance, and the charm of the traditional musical instrument known as the koto.

Commentary

"Stop This Sound!" is an anime series that focuses on the traditional musical instrument, the koto. The koto is a traditional Japanese stringed instrument that typically has 13 strings. In this anime, the scenes of the koto being played are depicted realistically, drawing viewers in with its beautiful sounds. The anime also deeply moves viewers by depicting the struggles and growth of youth through the activities of the koto club.

cast

The voice actors for the main characters are as follows:

• Kudo Chika/Yuma Uchida
• Musashi Kurata (Kurata Takezo) / Junya Enoki
• Satowa Houzuki/Atsumi Tanezaki

Main Staff

Many talented staff members were involved in the production of this anime. Below is a list of the main staff members:

• Director: Ryoma Mizuno
• Series Composition: Ayumu Kuo
• Screenplay by Ayumu Kuo
• Character design: Junko Yamanaka
• Sub-character design: Toshimitsu Kobayashi
• Chief animation director: Junko Yamanaka, Toshimitsu Kobayashi
• Direction Advisor: Hideaki Ohba
• Sound Director: Hajime Takakuwa
• Music by Kei Haneoka

Main Characters

We will introduce you to the main characters of "Stop This Sound!" in detail.

Kudochika

A first-year student in the Koto Club at Tokise High School, he is known as a delinquent. As a junior high school student, he was constantly fighting, but after living with his grandfather, a koto craftsman, for a time, he became interested in the koto. At first, he is almost forced to join the koto club, but gradually he is drawn to the charm of the koto. Although Kuon Ai has a side to him that makes it difficult for him to express his feelings honestly, the story depicts him growing up together with his friends.

Musashi Kurata

He is a second-year student and the captain of the Koto Club at Tokise High School. After the seniors graduated, he was the only member of the club, so he is working hard to rebuild it. He is a serious and responsible person, and has the leadership skills to bring the club members together. Through his struggle to revive the Koto Club, Musashi embodies the pain and joy of youth.

Satowa Hozuki

Satowa is a first-year student in the Koto Club at Tokise High School and the only daughter of the head of the koto family, the Houzuki family. She is a genius girl who has won numerous awards in the koto world and has extremely high koto playing skills. However, because she grew up in a strict family environment, she has difficulty communicating with others. Satowa depicts her own growth and change by connecting with her friends through the koto.

subtitle

The subtitles and broadcast dates for each episode are as follows:

• #1/New Member (2019/04/07)
• #2/Where to get your qualifications (2019/04/14)
• #3/New Koto Club Launch (2019/04/21)
• #4/First Sound (2019/04/28)
• #5/Let our sounds resonate (2019/05/05)
• #6/Invisible Boundary (2019/05/12)
• #7/Unknown Sound Leaf (2019/05/19)
• #8/Michishirube (2019/05/26)
• #9/The sound of words that pierce (2019/06/02)
• #10/Close yet far distance (2019/06/09)
• #11/The sound I was looking for (2019/06/16)
• #12/Rival (2019/06/23)
• #13/Kuon (2019/06/30)

Related Titles

As a sequel to "Stop This Sound!", "Stop This Sound! Season 2" was broadcast from October to December 2019. The second season has a deeper story and the characters have grown. If you are interested, please be sure to watch the second season.

Theme songs and music

We will introduce the opening and ending themes of "Stop This Sound!"

Opening Theme

• Period: #1 to #13
• Song name/Tone
• Vocals: Shouta Aoi
• Lyricist: Kentaro Sonoda
• Composer: Kentaro Sonoda
• Arrangement: Hirofumi Hibino

Ending Theme

• Period: #1 to #13
• Song title: Speechless
• Vocals: Yuuma Uchida
• Lyricist: Junya Maesako
• Composer: Junya Maesako, Masato Kudo
• Arrangement: Masato Kudo, Hirotaka Hayakawa

Evaluation and Impressions

"Stop This Sound!" has been highly praised as a youthful school story. In particular, the theme of the traditional koto musical instrument was refreshing and deeply moved viewers. The portrayal of the characters' growth, friendship, and romance was also realistic, which no doubt resonated with many viewers. The beautiful koto performance scenes and music were also part of the appeal, and had a soothing effect on the viewers' hearts.

The story unfolds at a good pace, with a good balance of emotional and humorous scenes. The climax scene in the final episode was particularly moving, moving viewers to tears. Each character has a distinct personality, with Kuon Ai's strength and sensitivity as a delinquent boy, Musashi's leadership and sense of responsibility, Satowa's genius talent and communication difficulties, and more.

Recommended points

Here are some reasons why we recommend "Stop This Sound!"

1. The charm of the traditional instrument, the koto

The beautiful sound of the koto and the performance scenes are depicted realistically, drawing viewers in. It also teaches about the history and culture of the koto, so it is especially recommended for those who are interested in traditional musical instruments.

2. A moving story of youth at school

The portrayal of the characters' growth, friendship, and romance is so realistic that it deeply moves viewers. The story, which embodies the pain and joy of youth, is sure to resonate with many viewers.

3. Beautiful music and visuals

The opening theme "Tone" and the ending theme "Speechless" have a soothing effect on the viewers' hearts. In addition, the beautiful koto performance scenes and the high quality animation make this a visual treat.

4. Character Personality and Growth

The story, woven by unique characters such as Ai Kuon, Musashi Kurata, and Satowa Houzuki, draws viewers in. Following their growth and changes will give you an opportunity to reflect on your own youth.

summary

"Stop This Sound!" is a youth school story themed around the traditional koto instrument, and has touched many viewers. This anime is filled with the characters' growth, friendship, and love, beautiful music and visuals, and the charm of the koto, and is definitely worth watching at least once. The story, which embodies the pain and joy of youth, is sure to resonate deeply in the hearts of viewers.

The second season of the related work "Stop This Sound!," which has a deeper story and character development, is also being broadcast. If you are interested, please watch the second season as well. "Stop This Sound!" is a work recommended for anyone who wants to experience the excitement of youth and the beautiful sound of the koto.