Kin'iro no Corda (金色のコルダ, Kin'iro no Koruda?), is a role-playing game from Koei's Neoromance series. The title is also sometimes written La Corda d'oro, Italian for The Golden String.
The story has been adapted into a shōjo manga series by Yuki Kure serialized in the Japanese shōjo manga magazine LaLa. Currently, eight volumes have been released in Japan with more on the way. The manga series has also been licenced by Viz Media and released its first volume on October 3, 2006. Chuang Yi english manga has also recently licensed the manga series in Singapore.
An anime series based on this manga called Kin'iro no Corda ~primo passo~ aired its first episode on October 1, 2006.
Plot summary:
Hino Kahoko is a second year student at a Seisou Academy, a school where the students are divided into two groups: those who wear the gray uniforms, the General Education students, and those who wear the cream colored blazers, who have chosen a musical instrument as their course of study. One day Lili, the mischievous musical fairy who had blessed the original founder of the school, finds Kahoko running late to class. Delighted that she is able to see him, Lili grants Kahoko a magical violin, and a place in the school's annual musical competition, which many students in the music department wish to partake in.
Kahoko refuses, only to be pressed on by the fairy, who constantly nags her until she finally gives way to his pleads. She reluctantly accepts the instrument.
As she practices her pieces, Kahoko is amazed that she can play any piece on the violin as long as she knows the tune.
characters:
Kahoko Hino (日野 香穂子, Hino Kahoko?)
Voiced by: Reiko Takagi
Violin by: Yuuki Nakajima
The protagonist. Kahoko has a slim figure, with scarlet hair and brown eyes. She is very friendly and is very honest. She is a second year at Seisou Academy and is in the General Education department. Hino never played or touched a violin in her life until she meets the strange fairy, Lili. Though at first reluctant about playing the violin, she soon becomes more in depth with her music. She is a polite and considerate girl who puts other's feelings before her own, though at times she can appear rather naive, especially in music. The boys involved in the concours have obvious crushes on her, though she cannot figure that out. She lives in an apartment with her mother and older sister.
Lili (リリ, Riri?)
Voiced by: Kaori Mizuhashi
The fairy that lives on the campus of Seisou and is the one who gives Kahoko the magical violin. Lili is the same fairy that promised the creator of the Academy that he will bless the school with music. He flies around the school waiting for people to notice him, and if they respond, he blesses them with a "magical" musical talent or whim.
Len Tsukimori (月森 蓮, Tsukimori Ren?)
Voiced by: Kishou Taniyama
Violin by: Kouichirou Muroya
A surly, blue-haired, violin player who normally behaves contemptuously toward everyone. He was a child prodigy, coming from a family of musicians. His mother, Misa Hamai, is a very famous pianist and his father is a well-known violinist. Because of this, many people take his brilliance for granted. He seems very cold towards those that he comes into contact with, even his admirers, to whom he rarely pays attention to.
Before he met Hino he didn't think that music was enjoyable, though after spending time with her, he began to slowly enjoy music and his music changes because of her. He slowly warms up towards Hino and even gives her advice on how to hold and stand properly with the violin. People think that he acts harshly towards Hino, but deep down in his heart he is really concerned about her (though he may not show it). As the series progresses, he realizes his feelings for her. He's slowly affected by Hino and his mother says that he has changed his character. His mother knows that Hino is the one that affected him or changed his personality.
Ryoutarou Tsuchiura (土浦 梁太郎, Tsuchiura Ryōtarō?)
Voiced by: Kentarou Itou and Ayumi Tsunematsu (young Tsuchiura)
Piano by: Masaru Okada
Another second year General Education department student, and Hino's friend. He and Kahoko met after he ran into her, nearly knocking her down a staircase, saving her in the nick of time. Their friendship eventually grows, and she even confesses she knew nothing of violin playing. He is a very gifted pianist but quit playing in public because of an unpleasant experience at a junior concert. Ryotaro is the star of the soccer team, being very skilled at the sport (and even outdoing some third years). After he helped Kahoko in the first round of the concours by being her accompanist, he, as well, joined the concours. He does not like Len Tsukimori, and they often get into many disagreements. His feelings for Hino gradually deepens as the series progresses.
Kazuki Hihara (火原 和樹, Hihara Kazuki?)
Voiced by: Masakazu Morita
Trumpet by: Kazuki Abe
Hihara is an energetic third year at Seisou who plays the trumpet. He is tall and in shape (he runs every morning), and has green hair and eyes. He's aggressively friendly and outgoing and has little sense of social boundary. Hihara has an enormous appetite, as he is constantly eating (especially baked goods). He quickly befriends Kahoko. In the middle of the series, he starts to call Kahoko "Kaho-chan", instead of the usual "Hino-chan", this suggesting he has a rather obvious crush on the girl. He also admits he has a crush to Azuma, saying "don't make fun of me" when asked. Basketball is one of his favorite sports.
Azuma Yunoki (柚木 梓馬, Yunoki Azuma?)
Voiced by: Daisuke Kishio
Flute by: Shin Endou
A student in his third year, he appears to be a very considerate and kind, this helps to hide a meaner and more intimidating man. He is tall and slim, his hair a deep purple and longer than that of the female characters. He comes from a family of flower arranging. He also used to play the piano, but due to the law that the youngest son cannot be better that his brothers, he turned to the flute. The charming and considerate flautist "prince" of the harem, he has a worshipful trio of fans that hate any girl he shows any attention to, Kahoko in particular. He has strong feelings for Kahoko, but acts like he really hates her.
Keiichi Shimizu (志水 桂一, Shimizu Keiichi?)
Voiced by: Jun Fukuyama
Cello by: Tomoki Tai
A blond 'bishounen' and also is the youngest male competitor, he plays the cello. He is very drowsy all the time and often seems confused. Shimizu can be found sleeping anywhere, anytime, so Kahoko first meets him lying on the ground fast asleep. His life seems to revolve around music (he tells Hino that he sleeps, wakes up, plays the cello, then repeats the process, other than eating and visiting the library), and he loves to play his instrument. He enjoys reading and studying music history and structures of instruments. In time, he becomes interested in Hino because of her carefree music.
Shouko Fuyuumi (冬海 笙子, Fuyuumi Shōko?)
Voiced by: Akemi Satou
Clarinet by Tomoko Nishizaki
The other female competitor from the school, she plays the clarinetand is also shown to play a little piano from episode 26. Fuyuumi is a first year at Seisou, a small, slim girl with cyan hair and eyes. She is very hesitant and easily intimidated, and very shy. During the training camp, her vacation house was used, indicating she comes from a wealthy family. She looks up to Kahoko as a role model and wants to be like her.
Nami Amou (天羽 菜美, Amou Nami?)
Voiced by: Yuki Masuda
A brunette female general education student in her second year. She is from the press club and is set to report on the contest. Most often she does crazy things just to get the "juiciest" articles. She befriends Kahoko and Fuyuumi.
Hiroto Kanazawa (金澤 紘人, Kanazawa Hiroto?)
Voiced by: Hideo Ishikawa
Tenor Vocal by: Naoki Tokorodani
The lazy music teacher with greyish-lavender hair who is the head of the competition. He is always seen smoking, and sometimes when outdoors he is seen feeding his cat. He seems to know about Lili, but claims that he cannot see him. In the anime, his talent is singing.
Shinobu Ousaki (王崎 信武, Ōsaki Shinobu?)
Voiced by: Katsuyuki Konishi
Violin by: Kouichirou Muroya; Viola by: Yuri Matsumoto
He is a Seisou graduate, with reddish-orange hair and who is also in his 3rd year in a university currently and as a support teacher for the orchestral club. In the past when he was still in high school, he won first place in the competition. His reason for playing the violin is to make listeners happy. He has a gentle heart, and he was the one who cheered up Kahoko after she started questioning her abilities of relying on the magical violin compared to the music department's students hard work in episode 12. He also enjoys teaching young children to play the violin, and has even gotten some of the concour participants to help him with it.
Aoi Kaji (加地 葵, Kaji Aoi?)
Voiced by: Mamoru Miyano
Aoi, who's a blond, is one of the new characters who appears in the 2nd La Corda game. He's a student in the Regular Department, who transfers into the heroine's class, he previously played the violin but dropped it and now plays the viola. He first meets the heroine (Kahoko) on the streets of town when he first hears her playing her violin and is now her number one fan.
Akihiko Kira (吉羅 暁彦, Kira Akihiko?)
Voiced by: Yuuya Uchida
Akihiko, who has black hair and currently 31 years old, is the other new character who appears in the 2nd La Corda game. He doesn't remember people's faces well at all, so even if someone had met him before, he won't remember them. He's the son of the family that founded Seiso Academy and the most recent and youngest director in the history of the school. In the 2nd La Corda game, it is revealed that Kanazawa was his senior when both of them are still in school. It appears that Kira has some obscure relationship with the Fata, Lili.
