Those Snow White Notes
By Marimo Ragawa
When Setsu's grandfather died, so did Setsu's "sound"—his unique creative spark. Grieving, he goes to Tokyo to find himself...but manages to become totally, literally lost on his first day. Only a chance meeting with Yuna—aka Yuka, the hostess—saves him from being robbed. At first glance their lives seem totally different, but they're both striving for their dreams—hers, of being an actress, and his, of developing his talent with the shamisen—and it could just be that life in the raucous, unfeeling urban sprawl of Tokyo could just be what binds their fates together...
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Those Snow White Notes
Volume 1
When Setsu’s grandfather died, so did Setsu’s "sound"—his unique creative spark. Grieving, he goes to Tokyo to find himself...but manages to become totally, literally lost on his first day. Only a chance meeting with Yuna—aka Yuka, the hostess—saves him from being robbed. At first glance their lives seem totally different, but they’re both striving for their dreams—hers, of being an actress, and his, of developing his talent with the shamisen—and it could just be that life in the raucous, unfeeling urban sprawl of Tokyo could just be what binds their fates together...
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Most Recent Volume
Those Snow White Notes
Volume 31
“Become snow.”
Setsu sets out for America to perform with Wakana. Before he departs, how will he express his feelings for Sakura as he leaves her behind? His tale that began when he left Aomori finally plays out on the grand stage of another country. At the end of his long journey, what will be the sound that Setsu arrives at…? This story about Tsugaru shamisen and youth comes to a close here.
more details
Read now for $7.99
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Those Snow White Notes
When Setsu’s grandfather died, so did Setsu’s "sound"—his unique creative spark. Grieving, he goes to Tokyo to find himself...but manages to become totally, literally lost on his first day. Only a chance meeting with Yuna—aka Yuka, the hostess—saves him from being robbed. At first glance their lives seem totally different, but they’re both striving for their dreams—hers, of being an actress, and his, of developing his talent with the shamisen—and it could just be that life in the raucous, unfeeling urban sprawl of Tokyo could just be what binds their fates together...
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Those Snow White Notes
When Setsu moves to a high school in Tokyo, he learns that his classmate, Shuri Maeda, is planning to create a "Tsugaru Shamisen Club." He doesn’t understand why Shuri wants to start a shamisen club even though she doesn’t know anything about it. However, Setsu suddenly recognize a familiar melody on Shuri’s mobile phone, which is undoubtedly a phrase from "Dawn of a spring day," the song left behind by Setsu’s grandfather... Marimo Ragawa presents the one and only Tsugaru shamisen and bloom of youth story in this second volume of "encounter" and "tumult"!!
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Those Snow White Notes
The Tsugaru Shamisen Club is finally up and running, and begins practicing for the "Matsugoro Cup," which was established by Setsu’s mother, Umeko. However, the club is having a hard time getting members and still has no one to guide them!
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Those Snow White Notes
Every member of the Shamisen Club is training hard for the Tsugaru Shamisen Koshien “Matsugoro Cup.” At the suggestion of their mentor Odawara-sensei, the club will set out for a summer training camp… With such little time remaining until the Matsugoro Cup, will they be able to tackle all of these challenges? Knowing that Setsu will be participating in the group competition, tough competitors from all over the country have sprung into action!
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Those Snow White Notes
The Tsugaru Shamisen Koshien “Matsugoro Cup” begins! Before Setsu and the others can take the stage in the group competition, powerhouse teams from all over the country stand in their way! Finally, the competition begins! What kind of performances will these strong opponents from all over Japan like the Fukuoka Team, the Osaka team… and the Aomori team led by Mai Tanuma put on? While anxiety still clings to Setsu’s team, showtime draws closer with every moment…!
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Those Snow White Notes
The awaited Tsugaru Shamisen Koshien “Matsugoro Cup” has begun. Everyone on Setsu’s team from Umezono Private School is fired up for the first day’s group competition. But before their eyes, the Osaka team led by Takaomi Kaji, the Fukuoka team led by Ushio Arakawa, and the Aomori team led by Mai Tanuma show off their relentless performances! Just when everyone is in the midst of nerves and tension, Setsu quietly and slowly lifts their spirits with the words: “Your determination is at its peak.” Now full of courage, Umezono Private School finally takes the stage in the group competition!
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Those Snow White Notes
Things are heating up at the Tsugaru Shamisen Koshien “Matsugoro Cup” with the individual competition! Takaomi Kaji of Osaka, whose flawless performance in the group competition led his team to victory, takes the stage. Getting fired up by the performances of his rivals, Setsu awaits his turn… and what happens when the favorite to win it all, Soichi Tanuma, plays for the crowd?!
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Those Snow White Notes
The Tsugaru Shamisen Koshien “Matsugoro Cup” ends with a thunderous applause for the performance of the genius Soichi Tanuma! Upon hearing that performance, a feeling he’s never known before begins to well up inside of Setsu. With all the shows over, the time has now come to announce those fated results…! A new chapter in our story is beginning!
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Those Snow White Notes
Plunging into a new composition! With a new feeling and a desire as a performer, Setsu decides to drop out of high school, after having lost to Soichi Tanuma in the Tsugaru Shamisen Koshien “Matsugoro Cup”. The door he knocks on is that of a Minyo Izakaya “Take no Hana.” With new stages and new companions, what will happen in the new world of shamisen?!
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Those Snow White Notes
Being unable to match his playing with the songs of others, Setsu continues to struggle to find his sound. Will he ever be able to pull himself out of that darkness?! On top of that, a performer who used to compete with Setsu has joined the group at Take no Hana?!
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Those Snow White Notes
Setsu and Mani are heading to the Azumanomiya Cup Folk Music National Championship!! They’ll face off against powerhouses gathered from around the country as well as the championship’s exclusive accompanist, Seiryu Kamiki!! Who will win the championship crown…?!
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Those Snow White Notes
Yuna Tatsuki was the first woman Setsu met in Tokyo who captivated his heart. The two, tied by fate, are reunited!? Having won the Azumanomiya Cup Folk Music National Championship, Setsu now sets his sights on performing at the Hirosaki Tsugaru Shamisen National Championship. However, due to adjusting his performances to suit others in accompaniment, Setsu has lost sight of his own sound. In search of answers, he departs for Fukuoka where he encounters Yuna Tatsuki, the woman with whom he shared a deep emotional connection…
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Those Snow White Notes
At the Hibiya Shamisen National Championship, the competition favorite, Soichi Tanuma, overwhelms the venue with a performance which leaves everyone else in the dust. Amidst the atmosphere that Tanuma created which no one else can break, Taiga takes the stage. After setbacks in his childhood, the time he was picked up and put back on his feet by the proprietress at Take no Hana, and after meeting Setsu…what sort of performance will Taiga give at his first competition in 13 years?! Then, it’s on to the most important stage where the best in Japan is decided: The Hirosaki Tsugaru Shamisen National Championship. Setsu, Soichi, and Seiryu finally clash!!
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Those Snow White Notes
Setsu, Seiryu, and Sochi come together under one roof to compete in the individual competition of the Hirosaki Tsugaru Shamisen National Championship. After first participating in the group competition as a member of Team Take no Hana, Setsu is reunited with the members of the Umezono Private School Shamisen Club with whom he used to play. Meanwhile, Kaji from Take no Hana and Setsu’s older brother, Wakana, enter the Tsugaru Shamisen Best in Japan Championship in Aomori. With two competitions on the same day, who will be the victor of each?
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Those Snow White Notes
Setsu, Seiryu, and Soichi come together under one roof to compete in the individual competition of the Hirosaki Tsugaru Shamisen National Championship. Following Soichi’s flawless performance and Seiryu Kamiki(Kosuke Ogata)’s beautiful performances, Setsu’s performance is finally about to begin. Though Setsu’s sound feels much as it always has, there’s somehow something different about it…
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Those Snow White Notes
A new chapter begins! Setsu makes his artist’s debut. But his rivals are Umeko and Wakana?! Three months following his victory at the Hirosaki Tsugaru Shamisen National Championship, Setsu is invited to join a music agency by Kinjo-san, a regular at Take no Hana. Meanwhile, Wakana dominates the competitions at Aomori and Kanagi and suddenly bursts on the scene, becoming yet another “Best in Japan.” Inheriting the blood of the famed Matsugoro Sawamura, who left this world without ever taking center stage, the time has come for his two grandsons to set out into the world!!
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Those Snow White Notes
After being asked to join a music agency, Setsu realized that he wanted to compose a unique improvisational piece and play it in front of as many people as possible. Setsu forms a new unit with Kaji, Arakawa, and Soichi Tanuma’s little sister, Mai. The four of them record a new album that will breathe new life into the music world!! However, with his impressive abilities and Umeko’s production, Setsu’s older brother, Wakana, has already caused a huge sensation of his own…?!
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Those Snow White Notes
After forming a new unit, STC (“Square the Circle”), Setsu sets out on a national tour with Kaji and Arakawa. From Kanagawa to Shizuoka and Aichi, Kaji and Arakawa feel a response to their efforts in each place they play their concerts, whereas Setsu feels something is off about the unit’s sound. Pondering the fundamental question of what STC’s sound actually is, they set out to play their first solo concert. What lies ahead for them on the road of their sound…?!
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Those Snow White Notes
STC’s (Square the Circle) national live tour finally reaches Kyushu! There, they unexpectedly get their first offer to appear on TV. And the reporter turns out to be Setsu’s first love, Yuna Tachiki! But an unthinkable incident occurs in their big moment…! This wasn’t the response STC was hoping for, was it?! Then, Setsu and Yuna finally get an evening alone…
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Those Snow White Notes
STC’s national tour finally reaches its climax. They head to Setsu’s hometown of Aomori City! After Mai joins the band as a full member, Setsu’s real father, Ryugen Kamiki, opens for STC. Ryugen then shows off a rendition of Setsu’s grandfather Matsugoro’s Jongara. Infuriated by this, what sort of sound will Setsu play? Meanwhile, as Wakana faces a turning point with the announcement of the winner of the Japan Cable Awards, STC heads towards its major debut!
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Those Snow White Notes
Setsu and Wakana’s feelings diverge concerning Spring Dawn. STC records Stormy Melody, an original song which channels Setsu’s frustration over that, and the band achieves its major debut! However, their album goes on sale on the same day as Wakana’s second album… What direction will this sibling showdown through the music market take?! Meanwhile, STC contends on a new stage with Seiryu Kamiki and Soichi Tanuma, their worthy rivals who carry the future of Tsugaru shamisen on their backs!!
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Those Snow White Notes
STC’s hard work pays off and their career reaches orbit. As their album gradually starts to sell, they begin to get more jobs, and they finally get an offer to perform the theme song of a movie! Riding this wave, will they get even more opportunities to reach a wider audience?! But, while things are going swimmingly for STC, tragedy suddenly strikes Sakura’s father. Hearing the news reminds Setsu of the loss of his own grandfather, shaking him to the core. What will Setsu do for Sakura as she stands at the edge of the abyss of despair?!
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Those Snow White Notes
STC felt like they were in a slump after the discussion of performing a movie theme song fell through, but the live venue restaurant targeting foreign tourists finally opens! Hoping to make a recovery, STC prepares to perform in this new venue. As they gradually draw more attention, they attract ever larger audiences. Then, one day, Director Jankovic, a film director who had attended the Newcomers’ Concert, is spotted amidst the passionate audience! After their performance, Director Jankovic approaches Setsu with a proposal…?!
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Those Snow White Notes
Suspicions suddenly arise that Wakana uses a ghost-performer. Umeko sends a message to Setsu, who is worried about his brother, saying that she wants him to play Spring Dawn. With his thoughts on Wakana, and also having freed himself from his teacher Matsugoro’s sound, Setsu begins to play Spring Dawn in his own way. Just then, Wakana—who was at the same venue—approaches him…!?
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Those Snow White Notes
Setsu performs in a TV program with his biological father, Ryugen Kamiki. In a dog eat dog competition, Setsu bites back so as not to get swallowed up by Ryugen’s Jongara Bushi which reverberates to his very core. What will their performance lead to?! Their intertwining and harmonizing sounds send out waves which impact Wakana, Mai, and others…
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Those Snow White Notes
STC’s highly anticipated second album, Next, is finally released!! As Mai sets her sights on maturing even more as a performer and Kaji racks his brain about how he should be as a leader, members of the band feel a mix of anticipation and anxiety. Dealing with their feelings, they set out on a tour of Northern Japan. Arriving at the first venue of their tour in Hokkaido, Setsu happens to see a relic of his grandfather Matsugoro’s past…?!
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Those Snow White Notes
STC’s Northern Japan tour comes to its conclusion with a roaring success at their Aomori concert. Their performance creates memories of Matsugoro for a new generation. The following day, Ryugen Kamiki gives STC shamisen lessons. There, through Setsu’s performance of Spring Dawn for Ryugen, the two open up to each other for the first time as father and son. Meanwhile, Director Jankovic’s film nears its completion…
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Those Snow White Notes
“Now that I want to play Spring Dawn, Grandpa’s sound is coming back to me…?” Through their tour, Setsu connects with the “roots” of his sound and performs Spring Dawn with the other members of STC in their final show. As its melody transforms at the height of their performance, will it move the heart of the film director, Alexei?! Meanwhile, Setsu’s older brother, Wakana, makes a big splash worldwide as his anime theme song, Kaede, becomes a major hit. However, his feelings are far from at ease when he gets word that Setsu has performed Spring Dawn…?
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Those Snow White Notes
“I’m going to stop being your brother until we’re able to play Spring Dawn on the same stage.” To gain some personal perspective, Wakana returns home to Aomori. With the support of Soichi Tanuma, he begins to train under Setsu’s father, Ryugen Kamiki. Will Wakana gain some understanding amidst his worries? Meanwhile, shaken by Wakana’s words, Setsu brings Sakura to the riverbank where he first played the shamisen after moving to Tokyo. What will Setsu encounter after returning to where he started?
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Those Snow White Notes
“Setsu is pushing things forward. I’m passing down the tradition.” Understanding the path he needs to take, Wakana teams up with Alexei. The video they make gains popularity with children around the world…?! Meanwhile, Setsu doesn’t know what to do when his affection for Sakura is pointed out. Just then, Yuna-san, the woman he used to admire, comes to visit him. What will Setsu do after reuniting with her after nearly two years?
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Those Snow White Notes
“Become snow.”
Setsu sets out for America to perform with Wakana. Before he departs, how will he express his feelings for Sakura as he leaves her behind? His tale that began when he left Aomori finally plays out on the grand stage of another country. At the end of his long journey, what will be the sound that Setsu arrives at…? This story about Tsugaru shamisen and youth comes to a close here.
Read now for $7.99