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E21 - Meaning and Role

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(Please feel free to edit the speaker names if incomplete or inaccurate. Names are handled on a best-effort basis depending on the info on the source file. Dialogue is left as is.)
[01:30] ---
    "Koto Club"
    "#21 Meaning and Role"
[01:31] ---
    "Koto Club"
    "#21 Meaning and Role"
    I wondered what it was about when
    you told me to come in at 5:00 am.
[01:35] ---
    You've been starting your practice
    this early every day?
[01:39] ---
    No wonder you're always here first.
[01:41] ---
    Aren't you sleepy, though?
    You're not exactly a morning person.
[01:43] ---
    I wanna dive into my bed right now.
[01:47] ---
    The ensemble by Hozuki and
    Miss Dojima was incredible.
[01:51] ---
    Yeah.
[01:53] ---
    All this time,
[01:54] ---
    I've been thinking that I should be able
    to play like Hozuki by nationals,
[01:58] ---
    but I might've been wrong.
[01:59] ---
    What do you mean?
[02:06] ---
    I feel we should find our own way
    and stand alongside her.
[02:12] ---
    "Find our own way"?
[02:14] ---
    Takinami said something about
[02:16] ---
    thinking about the meaning
    and role of our sound, right?
[02:19] ---
    Well, I still don't know the answer at all,
[02:23] ---
    but I think it goes beyond just playing
    each note with care and skill.
[02:28] ---
    True. I thought... I had to
    practice harder, too, but...
[02:33] ---
    Chika... Seriously... I sometimes feel
    like you're leaving me in the dust.
[02:38] ---
    But... "we"... huh?
[02:43] ---
    Okay!
[02:44] ---
    Let's give a 17-string performance
    grand enough
[02:46] ---
    to match Hozuki's performance!
[02:48] ---
    Yeah!
[02:50] ---
    --First, we'll double our current practice time.
[02:50] ---
    --Hey, Chika... I wanna make sure that I
    stand alongside you, too, you know.
    --First, we'll double our current practice time.
[02:53] ---
    --Hey, Chika... I wanna make sure that I
    stand alongside you, too, you know.
    --Do you know how many hours are in a day?
[02:59] ---
    You and Mizuhara are becoming
    in tune for the second koto part.
[03:02] ---
    Yeah! Kota has been practicing super hard!
[03:05] ---
    You and Mittsu seem to be doing well
    without any problems.
[03:08] ---
    Mittsu's performance sounds
    delicate and beautiful.
[03:11] ---
    Yeah!
[03:13] ---
    But... our first koto performance is plain.
[03:17] ---
    What?!
[03:18] ---
    It's kinda serious.
[03:22] ---
    It's not a laughing matter! We're told
[03:24] ---
    that the expression of
    the piece changes depending on
[03:26] ---
    how the first and second kotos
    are played together, you know!
[03:30] ---
    This has been bothering me for quite
    some time... "Serious and boring."
[03:33] ---
    What? It's not boring! It's cool!
[03:37] ---
    What?
[03:38] ---
    Being "serious" is cool!
[03:43] ---
    So make the best of it. You guys on
    first koto play with some serious style.
[03:48] ---
    And we, the second koto,
    aim to make it lively.
[03:52] ---
    And...
[03:58] ---
    Hey, Kurata! Are you listening?!
[04:00] ---
    Yes, I'm listening! I'm sorry!
[04:03] ---
    Oh? Miss Dojima! You're early.
[04:06] ---
    Adachi...
[04:07] ---
    Are you okay today?
[04:09] ---
    What?
[04:10] ---
    Your eyes. If you get dust in them again
[04:12] ---
    or something happens,
    please don't hesitate to tell us.
[04:18] ---
    I'll probably be okay.
[04:20] ---
    That's good.
[04:25] ---
    Whoa! I'm the first here! Lucky me!
    I can have Miss Dojima all to myself!
[04:29] ---
    Please give me special training
    until the others come!
[04:36] ---
    You've been working very hard, Adachi.
[04:38] ---
    You think so? But Chika works
    a lot harder than I do.
[04:43] ---
    He can play better and has
    a better ear for music than me,
[04:45] ---
    but he practices a lot more than I do.
[04:48] ---
    Mr. Takinami was talking about
    the meaning and the role of our sound.
[04:52] ---
    I think Chika has a reason to feel this
    is really important to him for sure...
[04:56] ---
    But to be honest, my sound doesn't...
[05:01] ---
    A-Anyway, I'll work hard so that
    I won't hold the others back.
[05:04] ---
    Your sound harmonizes very well
    with all the others'.
[05:09] ---
    What?
[05:09] ---
    Mr. Takinami told me the reason why
    he picked you for the 17-string.
[05:16] ---
    The sound quality of our club
    members are all different, right?
[05:19] ---
    So if things go wrong, the music could
    become completely disorganized.
[05:24] ---
    But Adachi's sound harmonizes very well
    with all those different sounds.
[05:27] ---
    It connects everyone's sound very nicely.
[05:31] ---
    That's why he assigned you the 17-string,
    which is the core of the piece.
[05:38] ---
    He said so, and I agree with him.
[05:41] ---
    It connects... everyone's sound...
[05:47] ---
    Thank you very much...
[05:50] ---
    I'll work hard!
[05:54] ---
    "Koto Club"
[05:55] ---
    "Koto Club"
    Sane.
[05:57] ---
    Did you change how you play?
[05:59] ---
    What? You think so? I can't tell
    a difference myself, though.
[06:03] ---
    It might be because I figured out
    the meaning and role of my sound.
[06:08] ---
    What? You did?! What is it?!
[06:11] ---
    What? It's a secret.
[06:12] ---
    It's embarrassing to say it myself.
[06:14] ---
    --Don't "it's a secret" me!
[06:15] ---
    --Satowa. Did you change how you play a little?
    --Don't "it's a secret" me!
[06:18] ---
    Yes. My index finger has always been weak.
[06:23] ---
    I do think it's getting a lot better lately,
[06:26] ---
    but after I heard your performance,
[06:28] ---
    I realized I still had
    a long way to go after all.
[06:31] ---
    I'm having a hard time giving
    every note the same weight.
[06:35] ---
    If you'd like, please use this.
[06:38] ---
    Play wearing this. I often practice that way.
[06:41] ---
    Your total attention goes to your ears
    and your senses get finely honed,
[06:45] ---
    which makes it easier to
    converse with your own sound.
[06:48] ---
    You can have it, so try it
    when you practice alone.
[06:54] ---
    Thank you very much.
[06:56] ---
    You're welcome.
[07:06] ---
    I have to hurry up and move forward, too.
[07:14] ---
    "Chika Kudo"
[07:15] ---
    "Chika Kudo"
    I have to hurry up and stand alongside her.
[07:16] ---
    I have to hurry up and stand alongside her.
[07:20] ---
    I have to... hurry up...
[07:26] ---
    Crap... I feel kinda woozy.
[07:30] ---
    Oh, good morning. I was finally able
    to come in before you.
[07:34] ---
    Four-eyes...
[07:36] ---
    You've been practicing
    this early every day, huh?
[07:39] ---
    Not really...
[07:40] ---
    I'm a total morning person,
    so I wake up early.
[07:44] ---
    Well, it's not convincing
    when you look so sleepy.
[07:49] ---
    Kudo. Aren't you overdoing it
    with practice lately?
[07:52] ---
    Hm? What do you mean? I'm not overdoing it.
[07:55] ---
    Rather, I'm not practicing enough.
[07:58] ---
    We've got only one month
    before the competition.
[08:03] ---
    His fingers...! Just how much
    has he been practicing...?!
[08:06] ---
    You're practicing too much!
[08:08] ---
    I said it's not enough!
[08:09] ---
    As it stands, we can't go to nationals!
    I have to practice more!
[08:14] ---
    I do get how you feel, but you're
    still a first-year student!
[08:18] ---
    So don't be so hasty.
[08:20] ---
    You'll still have a chance next year to--
[08:22] ---
    Next year won't work for you guys!
[08:28] ---
    Next year... will be too late.
[08:35] ---
    If you get it, move. You're in the way of--
[08:37] ---
    I forbid you to practice!
[08:39] ---
    --What?!
    --Doing it too much is counterproductive!
[08:41] ---
    Shut up! I can't get better
    without practicing, you idiot!
[08:44] ---
    I'm telling you to think about how you do it!
[08:46] ---
    Shut the hell up!
[08:48] ---
    --Hey! I said no practice!
    --Let go of me!
[08:52] ---
    Dammit! What are we doing?
    We wasted a lot of time.
[08:57] ---
    It was a good diversion, wasn't it?
[09:01] ---
    There's something I've been wondering...
[09:05] ---
    ...about your sound.
[09:07] ---
    Wh-What is it?!
[09:09] ---
    Your sound... sometimes shines...
[09:12] ---
    "Sh-Shines"...?
[09:14] ---
    Yeah. Sometimes.
[09:16] ---
    It shines...
[09:18] ---
    ...very gently...
[09:20] ---
    ...and warmly.
[09:23] ---
    I've been curious what that sound
    is about all this time...
[09:27] ---
    But I think I finally know what it is.
[09:32] ---
    That sound is your soul itself.
[09:39] ---
    It's your soul itself.
[09:43] ---
    Shoot! I said exactly what
    I thought without thinking!
[09:47] ---
    What the heck? You must've
    hit your head or something.
[09:51] ---
    I shouldn't have said that.
[09:54] ---
    Hey, Chika.
[09:58] ---
    You know sound? It touches people's souls.
[10:02] ---
    And pieces of music are the souls
    of the people who create them.
[10:07] ---
    I don't know what this piece
    means to you, but...
[10:11] ---
    To tell you the truth,
    I played this piece hoping
[10:14] ---
    that people would smile after listening to it.
[10:17] ---
    See the entire piece thoroughly.
    Understand its flow.
[10:22] ---
    Akira. We have guests,
    so please prepare some tea for them.
[10:27] ---
    Guests?
[10:30] ---
    Mr. Takagi... The others are all senior
    members of the Hozuki School, too.
[10:36] ---
    Come see them later to say hello.
[10:39] ---
    Make tea for the grand master, too.
[10:43] ---
    Grandmother.
[10:44] ---
    Is it okay... for me to sit in the meeting, too?
[10:51] ---
    Sure. Come with me.
[10:55] ---
    Hmph. I don't like the look in her eyes...
[10:58] ---
    But she won't be able to do anything anyway.
[11:01] ---
    Well, she can just sit there and watch quietly.
[11:05] ---
    Since Akira is taking her time
    shutting down that club,
[11:08] ---
    I'll put an end to it for good.
[11:13] ---
    What is this about?
[11:17] ---
    "I wanna do it, too."
[11:21] ---
    I called for this meeting in order to
    discuss the grand master's daughter.
[11:26] ---
    She was excommunicated after causing
    trouble for the school before
[11:31] ---
    and now, she is about to
    jeopardize the school again.
[11:37] ---
    "Jeopardize the school"?
[11:39] ---
    Satowa belongs to a koto club
    at her high school right now.
[11:43] ---
    But it's only a koto club in name.
    They're a group of delinquents.
[11:52] ---
    Oh, I'm sorry. It was just anticlimactic, so...
[11:55] ---
    That's Mr. Takagi's son...
[11:58] ---
    I wondered what this was about.
[11:59] ---
    The excommunicated daughter's club activities?
[12:03] ---
    It's not something we, adults,
    have to meet and--
[12:05] ---
    Even if one of the delinquents has
    gotten into trouble with the police?
[12:12] ---
    "Strawberry Au Lait"
[12:13] ---
    "Strawberry Au Lait"
    Oh? Chika. Aren't you going to
    the lunch-break practice today?
[12:15] ---
    Oh? Chika. Aren't you going to
    the lunch-break practice today?
[12:17] ---
    That damn four-eyes forbade me
    to go until my hand heals.
[12:21] ---
    Your hand?
[12:22] ---
    Oh, I get it. You practiced like an idiot,
    right? Use your head at little.
[12:26] ---
    Shut up.
[12:27] ---
    Satowa. You're going to the practice now?
[12:29] ---
    Yeah.
[12:31] ---
    Well then, see you later.
[12:34] ---
    Kudo...
[12:35] ---
    Got a minute?
[12:36] ---
    Huh?
[12:37] ---
    Ahhh! What's going on?!
[12:39] ---
    --Is he gonna confess his love?!
[12:39] ---
    --I was worried about Satowa,
    so I investigated the club.
    --Is he gonna confess his love?!
[12:43] ---
    I heard that one of the club members
    named Kudo is a famous delinquent.
[12:48] ---
    He got in trouble with the police
    many times due to his violence.
[12:53] ---
    Violence?!
[12:54] ---
    It seems that his grandfather is a koto maker.
[12:58] ---
    This is hard to believe, but he even caused
    an outrageous incident last year,
[13:03] ---
    attacking his grandfather's house
    with his delinquent friends.
[13:07] ---
    Attack?!
[13:09] ---
    Rather than just a delinquent,
    that sounds like he's a criminal.
[13:14] ---
    Kudo did...?
[13:16] ---
    I really wanna know what
    kind of piece "Tenkyu" is.
[13:20] ---
    "What kind"?
[13:22] ---
    I wanna know what kind of situation
    you were in at the time,
[13:25] ---
    what you were thinking,
    and who you created this piece for.
[13:33] ---
    My granddad said...
[13:36] ---
    ...that pieces of music are "the souls
    of the people who create them."
[13:44] ---
    So I don't wanna play it without
    knowing those things.
[13:47] ---
    Actually, since I've been playing it
    without knowing them,
[13:49] ---
    I feel like something has been
    missing all this time.
[13:52] ---
    It'll be a story solely about my family.
[13:56] ---
    Is that gonna help your performance?
[13:59] ---
    It'll help a lot!
[14:05] ---
    Okay.
[14:06] ---
    You're saying that Satowa is hanging out
    with such a dangerous boy?
[14:10] ---
    Yes. Satowa must hate Hozuki
    since she was excommunicated.
[14:15] ---
    This boy and Satowa being in
    a koto club together made me think...
[14:19] ---
    ...that they might be plotting
    something like "revenge."
[14:27] ---
    Play one more time.
[14:29] ---
    We're not neglecting them.
[14:31] ---
    I threw a tantrum on that big stage.
[14:35] ---
    I-I'd like to play... with you.
[14:39] ---
    Satowa's actions at the competition
    severely demeaned the Hozuki name.
[14:44] ---
    We must do everything to prevent
    further damage to Hozuki's reputation.
[14:49] ---
    We'll ask the school to disband the club
    and have Satowa transfer to another--
[14:54] ---
    How stupid...
[14:57] ---
    What?
[14:58] ---
    You couldn't hear me? I said, "How stupid."
[15:04] ---
    Akira...? What're you--?
[15:07] ---
    I've held my tongue as you talked,
    but "revenge"? That's ridiculous.
[15:11] ---
    How can you say things like that when
    you don't know anything about Kudo?
[15:16] ---
    You're the one who's plotting
    something, right, Grandmother?!
[15:20] ---
    You've been secretly snooping
    around on high school students
[15:22] ---
    and now you're just saying whatever,
    whether it's true or not!
[15:25] ---
    You're the one who is outrageous,
    Grandmother!
[15:28] ---
    Do you know this student Kudo?
[15:32] ---
    Yes. I've been giving lessons
    to that koto club.
[15:37] ---
    The idea they're plotting
    "revenge" is nonsense.
[15:39] ---
    I see. Then--
[15:41] ---
    Akira! You poor dear!
    It must be that you're exhausted!
[15:46] ---
    You must not know what you're saying.
[15:50] ---
    No, I do know very well what I'm saying.
[15:53] ---
    But you should take a second
    look at yourself, Grandmother.
[15:56] ---
    Wha...?!
[15:57] ---
    It's true... that due to
    the preconceptions I had,
[16:01] ---
    I just assumed that the students
    were not serious about the koto.
[16:06] ---
    But I was wrong.
[16:07] ---
    Kudo and Satowa, and of course,
    the other members too,
[16:11] ---
    face the koto very seriously.
[16:15] ---
    They just purely love the koto...
[16:17] ---
    ...and want to become better at it.
[16:20] ---
    You're the only one who cannot
    always face the koto, Grandmother!
[16:26] ---
    All you think about
    are things like your position,
[16:29] ---
    making the school famous,
    and dragging others down.
[16:32] ---
    Why don't you stop that and face
    the koto for a change?
[16:36] ---
    A-A-Akira... Who do you think
    you're talking--?
[16:41] ---
    Ms. Dojima...
[16:42] ---
    That's enough. You put your granddaughter
    in this difficult position.
[16:47] ---
    Mr. Takagi...
[16:49] ---
    Akira. Is this student Kudo really someone
[16:52] ---
    who's going to be harmful
    to Satowa or the Hozuki School?
[16:57] ---
    I don't know what he was like in the past,
[17:01] ---
    but right now, his attitude towards
    the koto is very earnest and sincere.
[17:11] ---
    I see.
[17:13] ---
    What do you guys think? I don't think
    we need to be concerned right--
[17:17] ---
    Hold on a second, please!
    Even if he's not causing problems now,
[17:20] ---
    human nature doesn't change so easi--
[17:23] ---
    That's enough!
[17:25] ---
    No further discussion
    on this subject is necessary.
[17:28] ---
    Ms. Dojima. Please show them out.
[17:31] ---
    You, too, Grand Master?!
[17:32] ---
    Also...
[17:34] ---
    I won't allow you to investigate
    my daughter and her friends
[17:37] ---
    and say whatever you like!
    I find it repugnant!
[17:41] ---
    Although I did excommunicate her...
[17:44] ---
    ...she's still my daughter.
[17:51] ---
    Grand Master.
[17:52] ---
    She feels that club and her friends
    are precious enough for her
[17:55] ---
    to even get down on her hands and
    knees to ask a favor of me, right?
[18:00] ---
    I think so.
[18:02] ---
    Then that's fine.
[18:04] ---
    The qualifier for nationals
    will be held next month.
[18:07] ---
    Satowa will perform, too.
[18:09] ---
    Grand Master, why don't you come see it?
[18:13] ---
    I no longer have...
[18:15] ---
    ...the right to do that.
[18:22] ---
    Mr. Takagi. I'm sorry for behaving
    like that in front of everyone.
[18:27] ---
    That's okay.
[18:28] ---
    I was relieved to find out
[18:29] ---
    that Hozuki still has a young person
    like you with such backbone.
[18:33] ---
    I look forward to your successful future.
[18:36] ---
    Thank you very much.
[18:39] ---
    Hmph! Backbone, he said?!
[18:41] ---
    That club is full of troublemakers.
    I bet they'll cause trouble someday.
[18:46] ---
    When they do, don't come crying to me!
[18:56] ---
    So it was like that...
[18:59] ---
    ...up to the point when "Tenkyu" was created.
[19:03] ---
    I see.
[19:05] ---
    Got it. Thanks.
[19:10] ---
    Hey, do you mind telling the others
    what you just told me?
[19:14] ---
    What?
[19:15] ---
    I finally feel like I can figure out
    how I should play that piece.
[19:19] ---
    But stories about my family would only be...
[19:21] ---
    It might irritate us if it were a family story
    of someone we don't care about,
[19:25] ---
    but it's different in your case.
[19:27] ---
    Different?
[19:32] ---
    We do care about you.
[19:37] ---
    Well, I'm not gonna force you, though.
[19:40] ---
    Why... is Kudo always like this?
[19:45] ---
    Always...
[19:51] ---
    Kudo. I'll treat you to a Paplico.
[19:53] ---
    What?! Why?!
[19:55] ---
    I just felt like it.
[19:56] ---
    I wonder someday...
[19:58] ---
    ...if I could return...
[20:01] ---
    ...the same amount of warmth...
    you gave me...
[20:08] ---
    Someday...
[20:10] ---
    "Koto Club"
[20:11] ---
    "Koto Club"
    There.
[20:13] ---
    "Koto Club"
[20:14] ---
    The spot where it livens up while
    each part becomes the theme in turn...
[20:18] ---
    Can you make those handoffs smoother?
[20:21] ---
    Smoother?
[20:23] ---
    So smooth that the listener
    can't tell when they happened.
[20:26] ---
    And, from there, it's like you'll
    gradually show your own tone color.
[20:30] ---
    You can sing to your heart's content.
[20:31] ---
    Just make sure you lock down the tempo.
[20:34] ---
    I see...
[20:35] ---
    This is the best part of the piece,
    so play with your sound
[20:38] ---
    to your heart's content.
[20:40] ---
    And Hozuki.
[20:42] ---
    You play the start of the piece very softly,
    but can you make it a little tense?
[20:47] ---
    Tense?
[20:49] ---
    You're probably doing it unconsciously,
    but your sound is overall gentle.
[20:54] ---
    You seem to completely deny your
    performance from the competition,
[20:58] ---
    but that sound had an incredible power.
[21:01] ---
    Don't get rid of it. Make the best use of it.
[21:03] ---
    By putting that sound in the piece,
    the other parts will shine more.
[21:13] ---
    Okay.
[21:17] ---
    Sounds like it'll be an amazing performance.
[21:22] ---
    I wonder when the last time was...
[21:25] ---
    ...that I felt excited like this...
[21:27] ---
    "Keishi"
[21:30] ---
    Thus...
[21:32] ---
    ...with each of us conveying
    our feelings in our sound...
[21:42] ---
    "Ms. Chiharu Hozuki"
[21:49] ---
    ...the qualifier for nationals...
[21:51] ---
    ...was about to begin.
[23:38] ---
    Next time, "Morning of the Showdown."
[23:41] ---
    "#22 Morning of the Showdown"