Holiday Review #23: SHONEN NOTE

The holidays are a time that's full of music (whether you want it or not), so it felt like as good of a time as any to talk about this one.

SHONEN NOTE, by Yuhki Kamitani.  First published in 2010 and first published in North America in 2022.

PLOT:

Yutaka Aoi loves music.  It's not just that he has a beautiful, expressive soprano singing voice, it's that good music can bring him to tears and the sounds of the everyday world are like music to him.  He overhears the choir practicing at his new junior high school and immediately wants to join.  Not every member is thrilled by this first-year upstart, but others are awed by his talent and hope that he can lead them to bigger, better things.  All the while, there's always the concern that Yutaka could lose this special talent once puberty kicks in....

STORY:

At its heart, Shonen Note is the sort of story we've all seen countless times before, the kind where a motley group of kids find purpose and friendship through a school club.  Mercifully, Kamitani is no hack and presents us with a version of this tale that's a little less rote.  This is not a plucky group trying to get a club off the ground or save it from ending, but instead trying to overcome the indifference of both their staff sponsor and the student body.  That's not even getting into the drama within the club.  Some see Yutaka as an interloper who isn't taking things seriously, while others see him as their first real shot at any sort of attention or prestige.  It's not all hunky-dory and it's not the sort of conflict that can always be tidily wrapped up, and this approach gives this well-worn story formula a bit of versimilitude.

But the real heart of the story is Yutaka himself.  At times he threatens to be too precious to bear with his angelic looks, sunny outlook, and sincere and overwhelming love of music.  That being said, I do wonder if Kamitani was trying to imply that he might be autistic.  Is his deflection of mockery mere cleverness or him not really grasping their intent?  Is his ability to visualize the music and sounds around him a form of synesthesia or just imagination?  I can't say with certainty and I'll leave it to those with more knowledge and experience with autism to make their own call.

Yutaka is more than just a force of joy for those around him, though.  He's also a wellspring of possibility.  Over and over we see others discussing his potential as a singer, and much of the conflict in this volume comes over whether he should stick with just the school choir, try to pursue a more professional career in singing, or attempt to do both.  That being said, that discussion always comes hand-in-hand with the fact that Yutaka's heavenly soprano is likely a temporary thing.  Puberty is just around the corner, and Yutaka is likely facing years of squeaky vocal transition and a radically different (and much less extraordinary) vocal range at the end of it.  This fact hangs like a shadow over what is otherwise a fairly wholesome and sweet tale.

ART:

One of the things that any manga about music struggles with is how to visualize how good a piece of music or performance may be without sound.  Some try to visualize it, but most fall back on having others explain (and often over-explain) how wonderful it is.  After seeing the amazing visual metaphors Kamitani employed in Our Dreams At Dusk, I had hope that they might be able to beat the odds and capture the beauty of music in image alone.  

Admittedly, this series predates Our Dreams At Dusk by years so Kamitani was still developing as an artist but I did not walk away disappointed.  Yutaka's visions are very much rooted in nature, as he sees the music taking the shape of rippling water, moving planets, and musical notes swirling like petals in the wind.   They don't occur that often, but are striking when they do.  That's not to say that their art is lacking outside of that.  If anything, this manga is a real showcase for Kamitani's character designs with their wide eyes, expressive faces and cute, realistic fashion.  

RATING:

Shonen Note is a harmonious blend of emotive art, nuanced writing, and the fleeting, ephemeral joy of music.  It's an excellent drama that puts a welcome spin on a well-worn premise.

This series is published by Kodansha Comics.  This series is complete in Japan with 8 volumes available.  1 volume has been published and is currently in print.

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