Those Snow White Notes Review: A Shamisen Prodigy Runs from His Grandfather's Legacy to Find His Own Sound
by Marimo Ragawa
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Quick Take
- The shamisen as the center of a coming-of-age story is unusual and the series earns it — the instrument's specific qualities and its place in Japanese musical tradition are depicted with genuine knowledge
- Setsu's artistic crisis — playing the shamisen without having found his own voice inside it — is a real and interesting problem that the series develops honestly
- 13 volumes complete; one of the best music manga available in English
Who Is This Manga For?
- Readers who want music manga centered on a traditional Japanese instrument
- Anyone interested in artistic identity questions — finding your own sound rather than imitating a mentor
- Fans of Blue Giant or Beck who want music manga about traditional forms
- Readers looking for complete coming-of-age music manga
Content Warnings & Age Rating
Age Rating: T (Teen) Content Warnings: Grief over a lost mentor; artistic crisis; family pressure; mild romantic elements
T rating — appropriate for all readers; emotionally substantive but not graphic.
Yu's Rating
| Category | Score |
|---|---|
| Story Depth | ★★★★★ |
| Art Style | ★★★★☆ |
| Character Development | ★★★★★ |
| Accessibility for Non-Japanese Readers | ★★★★☆ |
| Reread Value | ★★★★★ |
Story Overview
Setsu Sawamura could play the shamisen before he could do most things. His grandfather, Matsugorou — a legendary shamisen player whose sound was recognized as incomparable — was his teacher and model. When Matsugorou dies, Setsu cannot play.
It is not that he has forgotten the technique. He cannot play because he has never had a sound of his own. He learned to reproduce his grandfather's sound so completely that without his grandfather to reproduce, he has nothing to play. The shamisen produces notes; the music requires a person behind them.
Setsu arrives in Tokyo with this unresolved problem. He encounters a shamisen teacher, joins a performance group at school, and begins the slow process of finding what he has to say through the instrument.
Characters
Setsu Sawamura — A protagonist whose artistic crisis is specific and genuine: he is technically masterful and artistically empty because he has only ever played as an extension of someone else.
Yuna Koudzuki — An aspiring singer who becomes important to Setsu's Tokyo life and who represents an audience that does not know his grandfather's legacy.
The shamisen players in his life — Various musicians whose different relationships to the instrument demonstrate the range of what playing can mean.
Art Style
Ragawa's art handles the shamisen performance sequences with visual inventiveness — depicting sound in a still medium requires a specific approach, and the series uses panel composition and expression to convey what the playing sounds like. Character work is expressive and emotionally clear.
Cultural Context
The shamisen is a three-stringed Japanese instrument with roots in Okinawan music, widely used in Edo-period entertainment and still central to various Japanese musical traditions. Those Snow White Notes places the instrument in a contemporary coming-of-age context while taking its tradition seriously — the different schools of shamisen playing, the role of improvisation, and the relationship between technical mastery and personal expression are all present.
What I Love About It
The specific nature of Setsu's problem. He is not lacking technique — he has too much of someone else's. Finding his own sound means dismantling the thing he was best at. That is a harder artistic journey than learning from zero, and the series understands this completely.
What English-Speaking Fans Say
Western readers describe Those Snow White Notes as an underseen music manga that rivals the best in the genre — specifically noted for the shamisen being an unusual and engaging instrument for a music manga, for Setsu's artistic crisis being handled with real depth, and for the performance sequences being exceptionally realized in a static medium. Consistently cited as underrated.
Memorable Scene ⚠️ Spoiler Warning
The first time Setsu plays and something of his own emerges — not his grandfather, not imitation, something that is specifically him — is the series' most musically and emotionally significant moment.
Similar Manga
- Blue Giant — Jazz music and artistic identity in similar register
- Beck — Rock music and finding a band's sound
- Chihayafuru — Traditional Japanese art (karuta) and competitive excellence
- Kids on the Slope — Jazz music and coming-of-age with similar emotional depth
Reading Order / Where to Start
Volume 1 — Setsu's loss of his grandfather, his inability to play, and his arrival in Tokyo establish the artistic and emotional premise.
Official English Translation Status
Kodansha published the complete English series. All 13 volumes available.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Shamisen as instrument is genuinely interesting
- Artistic identity question is handled with real depth
- Performance sequences are well-realized
- Complete in 13 volumes
Cons
- Less accessible without some knowledge of Japanese music
- Slower pace than most music manga
- Supporting cast development varies
Format Comparison
| Format | Notes |
|---|---|
| Individual Volumes | Kodansha; complete series |
| Digital | Available |
Where to Buy
Get Those Snow White Notes Vol. 1 on Amazon →
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*Affiliate link — I earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Written by
Yu
Manga Enthusiast from Japan
I grew up in Japan and manga literally saved me during a tough time in elementary school. My English isn't perfect, but my love for manga is real — and I want to share it with you.
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you.