December 27, 2018

Kono Oto Tomare [Chapter 75 - Ichiei High]

Drawing an infinitely great dream on this vast sky.
Chika and others has finally arrived at the venue for the Nagano music festival. It is a huge sparkling auditorium surrounded by windows. Scowling Chika says, “...is it here...the enemy’s headquarters...”

Tense Sane says that no wonder it is the Big Boss, the venue is really quite imposing. Kouta gulps. Rallying up the three, Chika exclaims, “Okay! Kids!! Let’s press forward!!”

The three holds up their arms and shouts, yo!! Suzuka tells the stupid kids to calm down a bit and this isn’t the headquarters. Isaki tells Akira that they came just in time. Akira agrees with her.
Isaki asks Suzuka if Ichiei is the first one going on stage. Suzuka says yes, they are the opening act of this music festival. Hiro says that she is so nervous. “I wonder what kind of performance is it. Kurata and Suzuka-chan had heard their performance five years ago, right? Through DVD.”

Takezou hesitantly says yes...he has heard of it... Hiro is puzzled by that answer. Suzuka tells them that every year, Ichiei would replace all of its members. This surprises Hiro and Satowa that she asks, replace all...
Suzuka explains that every year, only the first years will appear during the preliminaries and and when they are in second year, all of them will perform in the Nationals.

“So, in this five years, only first years are in the preliminaries and only second year students are in the Nationals. This is a continuous cycle. Every year, it is new members and new performance. Even if it is like that, they still always get the first place.”
Aghast Sane asks what is that... Kouta and Michi hug each other. “Scary~~” Sparkling Chika muses, “So that is saying that, this year it will be their first defeat because we will be the victors.” Sane exclaims, “It appeared! Optimistic idiot!!! You’re really amazing. For real!!”

With cutie eyes, Michi says no, for Chika to be like that in this kind of degree, he already has deep respect for Chika... And Chika angrily gives them a lump on their heads.

Michi says that he is praising him!! Chika shouts that his eyes had already sold him out earlier on! Kouta cries why he was also hit. Akira asks Suzuka if Ichiei’s level is the same every year.
Suzuka says no, every year there is still a bit of difference. “But, each year’s piece and required skill suit their level. It can display the students’ strength at its extreme level. They ought to have a very good coach.”

Aghast Hiro says that no wonder it is a school Satowa is originally prepared go to... She asks Satowa, “What kind of feeling will today’s performance have. Since it is the Japanese music department of a music school, I reckon that the atmosphere isn’t the same with a club activity, right?”

Satowa replies, “...yes, I think-- inside, ought to be people whose goal is to become professionals.”
Inside the room, Miran is frantically playing the koto. Tougo calls out to her and tells her that is quite enough. “Otherwise, you’re already tired before getting on stage.” Mira continues to play.

Lucas laughs and says that right now, she couldn’t hear them talk. “Ah, really quite amazing.” A ponytailed punk-looking girl asks if that is amazing, isn’t she crazy. “Who’ll go and force her to stop. If this keeps up, she’ll play until she’s tired.”  

Fox-looking guy says, “Hanahata-san, there’s no way of stopping Miran-san by just depending on us.” Scowling Hanahata says that Kio is really no good, and even if his head is small, he is considered a guy. [<- I think it is about girls = small-sized head/cute]
Kio says she’s joking right. “When she [Miran] is playing and I go near her, hell knows what she’ll do. Someone tells them that it is alright, he’ll do it. They shout, Kifune-sensei!

Kifune says that even if he wants Miran to play to her heart’s content but it is already time to go. He tells the others to go prepare. Standing up, Hanahata exclaims oookay!

Kifune says that there are many visitors [/audience] and it really makes him happy~ Kifune calls out Miran’s name. This startles Miran that she quickly stops playing.
Kifune apologizes for making her stop at this time but they have to go on stage. “Can you go and prepare for a while?” Standing up, Miran says, okay, she’s very sorry.

He tells her there’s no need to be so tense. Kio says that no wonder it is the teacher. Hanahata says that they cannot even compared to him. Turning to them, Kifune tells them, okay, let’s go.

In the fully packed auditorium, Sane says ah, what’s with this line-up~~ Kouta asks him what is it. Sane tells them to quickly look at the program. “Each Ichiei members have their own independent introduction!”
Looking at it, Kouta exclaims that there is even an accompanying picture!? Sane reads, “Takamura Tougo awardee on the 29th National koto competition junior high level and second place on the 30th...

...Houshou Kio seventh generation of Yamada school’s [/style of playing; I wrote Yamata before ^^; it is Atsumu’s way of playing] Akane Group.” Atsumu exclaims that it is Yamada school. Aghast Takezou mutters seventh generation...

Sane continues to read, “Hanahata Imari second place in the 29th Nationals koto competition junior high division and various other competition awards. *aghast Michi says that this is really bad...* Lucas Chevalier.”
Kouta exclaims that they unexpectedly have a foreigner. Looking at the picture, Chika asks how come only this guy has flowers in the background...

Sane says, “In the 6th international music competition for national music division, ...most...most outstanding award... How can it be, some of these people who got awards from competition... how come they’ll even join a club competition...”

Chika exclaims what about it, and speaking of awards, Satowa also got a pile of them and isn’t it amazing. “Besides, isn’t it all first place!? Right!?” Satowa says he can say that...
Sparkling Chika looks at the others with a lofty expression. Sane says what is he looking smug about. Chika asks, ha!? Sane says it’s nothing, he is obviously very happy.

Akira giggles as Isaki says that no matter where they go, they’re very lively. Suzuka looks at the other name, Saotome [guesswork surname from 早乙女] Miran under the guidance of composer Kifune Youji [guesswork name from 耀司].

Ichiei will play the piece ‘Frolic’ composed by Kifune Youji. Suzuka wonders if frolic is about playing. Then, it is announced that the performance is about to start.
Takezou thinks that finally, it’s starting. “...in the last five years, Ichiei’s performance are indeed quite amazing. Each person’s musical skill is in its completion... including Meiryou and Himesaka, are totally not the overwhelming opponents for first place... [<- not too sure about this sentence]

...If it was the previous us, I definitely cannot imagine that there will be a day when we can become Ichiei’s opponent. –but, if it is right now... if it is with us, this group...!!”

The curtain is pulled up. The announcer introduces their opening act which will participate in the comprehensive culture festival, Ichiei High’s Japanese music’s ‘Frolic’.
After Frolic was mentioned, Mira immediately swings her hand through the koto. Trang. Imari lightly plays. Mira continues her playing. Kio joins in as well as Tougo. Imaginary ribbons start to form.

In Mira’s music world, it is dark and it starts to rain. All naked, she looks at her feet getting wet. She looks up to the rain in the black void sky. She notices some ribbons floating around. She grabs the ribbons around her and starts running.

She looks up the black sky and its rain. She starts to laugh and happily dance around with the ribbons. Then, she steps on a light. Multiple lights cover the ground that used to be all black.
Mira goes back to reality. Lucas had already started playing. She glances back at smiling Lucas. Lucas continues to play and Mira’s world start to brighten up. Soon, the sun is shining bright up the sky. Mira is standing in a field of flowers.

While waterfalls are gushing behind her, birds are flying and singing around. The other three players join in with Lucas’ playing. The darkness cowers away behind Mira and it is gone. Mira bends down as she starts to play frantically. It was a clash between the light and the darkness like a whirlwind. And it seems the light won.

The performance ends. Chika looks surprised and tense. Mira is sweating profusely and breathing hard. Watching them from the side, Kifune thinks that compared to the previous ones, whether talent or strong ego, this year’s students are strong, not just for a tiny bit. “Actually, they are quite awesome. This performance can really be said as music is frolicking.”

Most of the people in the audience look stunned and tense whereas Suzuka seems to be thinking of something.
Comment: Ah, isn’t Ichiei OP [overpowered]? Is this the final boss? So, their opponents are mostly multi-awarded students. The one is quite an eccentric. They have a coach-composer who can make compose a piece to bring out their playing skill and combine them flawlessly.

And, this is just an ordinary public performance. Most likely for the Nationals, they’ll play an even harder piece to ensure their victory. Apparently, this is the best group so far in Youji’s perspective even if they are pulling off a cycle of whole members that are replaced every year.

I wonder how the Chika and others would react over this. Can they still find some hope in beating this group? Will Suzuka revise the piece again? Anyway, if there is something the Ichei group is lacking, I guess it is the sense of unity that Tokize has.

Somehow, I felt that Mira’s playing was somehow manipulated. In this piece, it seems like they ganged up on her. ^^; So, was she playing hard before the practice in the hopes of ‘defeating the light’? Anyway, she looks quite frustrated after the performance.

If they somehow managed to defeat Ichiei, it will be a huge ‘talk of the country’ and perhaps, that is where the news reporter earlier will come in ^^ I guess in order to win this, they have to level up everything and/or pull out something that can enable them to surpass Ichiei. Scans by 二次元秘店

Word of the day:
We thank God for beautiful music, for it’s like a preview of heaven, where the glory of God will dwell forever and where praise for Him will never cease. ~ Our Daily Bread

13 comments:

  1. This is certainly a... colorful cast, I wonder if Chika and the others might have a chance to directly interact with them before they leave. Here's hoping in the next chapter ;)

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    1. True, KrimzonStriker.

      I'm not sure if they can interact with all of them but somehow, I get a feeling that they/one of them would get to interact with Lucas. =P

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  2. Thank you for this holiday treat, Kat ❄️

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  3. Darn, I really want our guys to win so badly after watching their journey so far... introducing this 'super' group seems cruel but I guess it is meant to make the final showdown much more exciting.

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  4. As always Kat, thanks for the chapter. Can't call it a summary anymore, not when you practically translate each panel, such hard and dedication, thank you very much for keeping doing this for us, really.

    About the chapter, I felt somewhat lost, in the sense that I don't know what to make of this girl. She's like the other genius and weird kid from that other school, forget his name now, of all things, T__T. But in this case, is she fine in the dark? Is she the dark? Does she like to be in the dark? Does she like the dark? Does she dislikes the light the guy seems to drag her into? Too many things going on my mind right now regards that, especially if she really likes the dark/don't want to get out into the light and wants to be in dark. This thing can be a lot of things, my mind can't stop working on theories - all of'em crazy so I won't bother tell any of'em, lol - but aside for that, I quite liked the chapter. It shows that despite having clearly a "solist" genius, the whole gang aren't behind in skill and can actually not only support but keep up with and give her space enough for her talent to show while showing the others too. But she's really a mystery to me, as of now at least, lol.
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    Regarding Shingeki, man, did I love Levi in that chapter. The need, the urge I felt to cross b*tch slap Eren's before was all gone after what Levi did. The irony in that was him being as fierce as a damn angry beast towards the beast itself, lol. I just wonder, to what or whom Levi Ackerman's blood is tied to. It wasn't Erwin, don't think it was his uncle - maybe, but I don't want to think that - it wasn't his mother, so what? Humanity itself? It'd be way too cliche, but I can't I'd dislike it, not for now.
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    And sorry for the very late replies, besides the health issues that are randomly affecting me, I've been "wasting" too much time working on videos for my youtube channel, not only videos, but editing music for Street Fighter mods, too - and I'm terrible at editing videos. Music I can do, easily even, but videos, dear God it took me almost three days to make only one, lol.

    Take care Kat, and thanks again, for everything.

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    1. Thank you for reading and the comment, Fê ^-^

      True...a different kind of 'weirdo genius' but somehow, made to shine thanks to the coach. I actually got a bit confused...is she a girl? I mean, her tie is on her pocket and that kind of look. =P Was it a typo about the 'she'...and, she's wearing a skirt so... =P

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      Ya. Very decisive especially because any hesitation means 'the end'. Slap Eren...for what he told Mikasa? I actually wonder if he was playing a role for everyone to hate but later on sacrifice himself for the good...like in Code Geass. I don't know if you watched that anime.

      Hm...is it possible to be like that for humanity as a whole? Is it possible that he is an exception? Or maybe, they'll say that after a certain age/condition, one can 'break the ties'.

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      It's alright. ^^ Glad you're having fun. You were also up and about enough for the holiday parties. That's really good ^^

      Hope that the health issues won't happen that frequently ^^

      Same to you ^^ Take care ^^

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    2. Think she's a girl, yea, a real strange one, but a girl nonetheless.
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      Yea, I watched Code Geass, it's really good and I held in my top 10 for quite a while, only after having watching tons of animes that I found some that are actually better, even still, I didn't feel like slap Lelouch at all, even when his sister died. But right now, Eren, if I were to see him on the streets, lol.

      The age thing'd be a backpedal imo, his uncle seemed to have "awakened" after meeting the king, in unlikely that Levi had his because of him or Erwin, it might have had to do with his "gang" back when he was still underground and saw much of his friends dieing for a lot of reasons. But it'd be nice to have a break the ties thing, at least Mikasa could be free, though none of them (us) are really free like Eren wants to be, not even he and he himself doesn't even realize that, the irony, lol.
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      Not so much fun, doing the videos are kinda fun, the challenges and stuff, but edition, dear God preserve me, lol. Yea, but the backlash of those parties were being a couple of days in bed, straight out in bed, hahaha.
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      You too, and with this trip of yours, extra careful. See you around.

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  5. This is bad.... They were like facing a team with 5 Satowas in it

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