The BEST episodes of La Corda d'Oro ~Primo Passo~

#1 - A Melodic Experiment

Season 3 - Episode 3 - Aired 4/20/2014

#2 - A Funfare for You

Season 1 - Episode 22 - Aired 3/4/2007

Since Hino has started to play the violin without the magic, it sounds horrible. She tries her best and keeps on practicing. Moreover, it has been the talk of the school. Hihara is greatly affected of what is happening and Hino tries to cheer him up. Hihara also tells her his story about the time he quit track team to play the trumpet. Because of the intrigue about her around the school, her friends cheer her up. Hino is about to go home then she saw Yunoki's car at the gate. He takes her away by force to have his last dinner in Japan with her.

#3 - Our Cadenza

Season 1 - Episode 23 - Aired 3/11/2007

Yunoki has already left and the theme for the final selection has been decided. “Setting Free”. After class, Hino returns Amou's lost negatives to her. While returning the negatives to their closet, Amou drops a box of old stuff from a shelf. The girls find a cassette tape in it which Amou plays on her tape player to hear a mysterious male opera singer. Kanazawa then rushes into the room and tells the girls to not tell anyone about the tape. At home, Tsukimori accepts his mother's offer to accompany her in a charity concert. The next day, Hino goes to Manami Instruments to buy a tuning fork and sees Tsuchiura practicing. Outside the store, Hihara and Tsukimori are there. Hihara tells that in front of the store was where he decided that he would leave track team to join the brass band. Inside the store, the storeowner shows a video of Tsukimori when he was still in elementary where he joined a concourse. This video was the one that inspired Tsuchiura to join a concourse once when he was in elementary, too. Going home, they meet Osaki with some children handing flyers to a volunteer concert. Hihara and Tsuchiura plays Entertainer to get the attention of people so that they can handout the flyers. After that, Tsuchiura walks Hino home and told her that just as Paganini inspired Liszt, her violin playing inspires him and Hino started to blush.

#4 - A Heart Filling Harmony

Season 1 - Episode 24 - Aired 3/18/2007

At the rooftop, Hino meets Tsukimori and gives her a ticket to the charity concert. He says he wants her to hear his music. The next day, practicing at the park, Kazuki waits for Kahoko to finish practice and they go to a cake shop. Lili says to Kahoko that she and not anyone else play the violin. Keiichi also tells her that her sheet music is in her heart. Before the concert begins, Kahoko sees Tsukimori on the seaside and tells her that her music is sincere. At the concert hall, Kahoko sees the other concourse participants. Kahoko is surprised to know that all of them got their ticket from Misa Hamai, Tsukimori’s mom. She realizes that she is the only one that he invited. Tsuchiura somehow realizes that and gets a little irritated. After the concert, all of them went backstage to the waiting room to thank his mother for the wonderful concert. After the concert, Hino tells everyone that she will play a song that is more like her and says she's going to do her best. She then hugs Shoko and Kazuki is somehow jealous. Then she invites Shoko to eat cake and all the guys were fascinated to see the real Hino.

#5 - The Beloved Ave Maria

Season 1 - Episode 25 - Aired 3/25/2007

It's the day of the last selection and everyone is surprised to know that Yunoki has come back from England. He only went there to cancel the transfer. Hino is in the dressing room to change outfits but is interrupted by Amou and Mori with some bad news. Mori's arm is sprained. She got in a bicycle accident. Making it even worse is that Hino is supposed to be the first to perform. Having no accompanist, Shoji, her former accompanist, replaces Mori. Everyone also agrees to change the order of performance for Hino to practice with Shoji. First to perform is Yunoki. She thanks him because he is the reason that she forgave herself for deceiving everyone because he himself deceives everyone. Second, to perform is Hihara. She says that he is the first person who told her to enjoy music and he has always helped her. She will do her best performance in gratitude of his encouragement. Next is Fuyuumi. She is not as nervous as she was before when the concourse started. Next, to perform is Shimizu. He changed his cello to a baroque style to fit with his song. She thanks him because he taught her many things about music and she learned a lot from him as well. Next is Tsukimori. Hino is called to come back from practice because it's almost time for her to perform. She thanks him because he is the first person who showed her the beauty of the sound of the violin. Second to the last, Tsuchiura. He has always been worried of Hino. She says that she wouldn't have gotten this far if it wasn't of his encouragements. Lastly, she performs Ave Maria in her school uniform. She thanks the violin for it brought her to many wonderful encounters and memories. She thanks Lili because he was the one who introduced her to music. At the end of the selection, Tsuchiura, Tsukimori, Yunoki, Hihara and Shimizu plays Elgar’s Salut d'Amour for Hino.

#6 - A Summer Encore

Season 1 - Episode 26 - Aired 10/26/2007

The principal arranged for a 3 day-2 night training camp. The theme is “The one and only tune”. Hino wants to go sight seeing but doesn't know where to start so Hihara asks her to go with him to the park. They both played Gavotte there. After they play, Hino goes by herself but gets lost. Fortunately, Osaki, who's there to help a friend in a beach resort, finds her in the street. At the rest house, Yunoki tells Hino to go to the entrance hall after dinner. Yunoki shows Hino the Queen of the Night flower which only blooms once on a summer night. He plays a song just for her while the flowers bloom. It's already late at night and Hino can't sleep. She finds Kanazawa making a snack for himself and asks her to join him. Next day, they go to the beach to have some fun. Then Shimizu asks Hino if she can listen to his music. He takes her to a church and plays. After that, she goes to the aquarium where she sees Tsukimori. He was asked to help cheer up a dolphin by playing the violin. Before dinner, Tsuchiura asks Hino to accompany him. He plays a song just for her and as the room is filled with a romantic feeling, the ceiling lights up and shows the constellation. It's the last night of the camp and Amou shows up. Everyone then asks Hino to play a song for them, she then plays Elgar’s Salut d'Amour, being accompanied by Fuyumi.

#7 - First Movement

Season 2 - Episode 1 - Aired 3/26/2009

The contest has long ended. Kahoko continues to play the violin. A mysterious student transfers into her class. The new principal decides to form an ensemble out of the participants in the contest, but excludes only Kahoko.

#8 - Second Movement

Season 2 - Episode 2 - Aired 6/5/2009

Kahoko struggles with her self-doubt and admits to being afraid of appearing on stage again while Kaji says that he'd long given up on playing music. Kaji faces the stage again and plays beautifully with everyone, after Hino plays her violin in Osaki's place. To thank her Kaji kisses her hand.

#9 - The Opening Partita

Season 3 - Episode 1 - Aired 4/6/2014

#10 - Sighs and Ave Maria

Season 3 - Episode 2 - Aired 4/13/2014

#11 - Once More, Andante

Season 1 - Episode 21 - Aired 2/25/2007

Hino asks Tsukimori how to restring violins. He takes her to a violin artisan, Mr. Nakata, out-of-town. Mr. Nakata is amazed how the violin was build but he is surprised not to see any label on the violin. After going to Mr. Nakata, they go to Manami Instruments to buy new string. They meet Tsuchiura, playing the piano, there. After picking and restringing the violin, Tsuchiura helps Hino on tuning the violin though it doesn't sound good. The next day, Hino starts to practice again. Tsuchiura finally decides to quit soccer to pursue the concourse. He then thanks Hino for helping him play in public again.

#12 - Summery Einsatz

Season 3 - Episode 4 - Aired 4/27/2014

#13 - Aida of Heroes

Season 3 - Episode 5 - Aired 5/4/2014

#14 - The Forbidden Passage

Season 3 - Episode 6 - Aired 5/11/2014

#15 - The Wandering Rhapsody

Season 3 - Episode 7 - Aired 5/18/2014

#16 - Brillante of the Noble Rose

Season 3 - Episode 8 - Aired 5/25/2014

#17 - The Roaring Tarantella

Season 3 - Episode 9 - Aired 6/1/2014

#18 - Da Capo of Memories

Season 3 - Episode 10 - Aired 6/8/2014

#19 - Elegy of Love and Hate

Season 3 - Episode 11 - Aired 6/15/2014

#20 - Blue Sky Grand Finale

Season 3 - Episode 12 - Aired 6/22/2014

#21 - The Black and White Adagio

Season 1 - Episode 11 - Aired 12/10/2006

Hino begins to feel guilty about getting second place when she's not using her own talent but the magic violin's. Hihara cheers her up when he asks Hino and Yunoki to help him find a present for his older brother. After shopping for the present (a cap), they rest for a while near the harbor, where Hihara explains to the curious Hino how he and Yunoki met. After the flashback, Hihara reveals that after high school, he will be attending a university that has musicology. Yunoki, on the other hand, will abandon music to study business, which surprises Hino, who believed Yunoki will pursue music. The next day, Hino goes to the roof to practice, hoping to immerse herself with practice other than drowning in her guilt, discovers Yunoki already practicing on the roof. After exchanging pleasantries, Yunoki begins to get hostile and calls Hino annoying.

#22 - The Gavotte's Grim Future

Season 1 - Episode 2 - Aired 10/8/2006

Episode two introduces Len Tsukimori, a highly talented but very conceited second year music student. He is disdainful towards Hino and her friend Ryoutarou, a member of the Soccer Club, when they meet. Despite this, when she hears Tsukimori practicing the violin, she is greatly moved and give him great praise, which he haughtily dismisses. After hearing him play, Hino is able to recall the feelings and with the magic violin, she is able to play the piece, which Lili tells her is Schubert's Ave Maria. Hino also meets the friendly, outgoing third-year music student, Kazuki Hihara, on the rooftop. Hihara tries playing Gavotte, Hino's practice piece, on his trumpet, but Hino is puzzled that the melody sounds different from when she plays it.

#23 - The Anonymous Chopin

Season 1 - Episode 3 - Aired 10/15/2006

Hino has decided to help Lili and practice hard. Hino rescues Tsukimori from being cornered by two other music students by splashing them with water from a vase; however, the vase breaks and cuts her fingers. Tsukimori shows concern, though ostensibly because this will affect the overall performance of the concours, and not on Hino's behalf. Later Tsukimori and Tsuchiura get into an altercation over Hino and music. Tsukimori informs Tsuchiura disdainfully that general education students have no right to say anything about music. Afterwards, Hino was informed that she needs an accompanist for the first selection. Then, Hino discovers Tsuchiura playing the piano beautifully in a music shop. When Tsuchiura notices Hino, he becomes upset and makes Hino promise not to tell anybody about it.

#24 - Waltz Of The Bewildered Heart

Season 1 - Episode 4 - Aired 10/22/2006

Hino seeks a piano accompanist, which proves difficult because she is a general education student. She is wary of an offer by Azuma Yunoki to find her an accompanist. Eventually another girl offers to accompany her and she accepts. She visits the shop after practice, where the manager offers to show her a video recording of a young prodigy, who turns out to be Tsuchiura. She is amazed at his piano playing, and is overwhelmed with emotion, which makes her cry. She laments that as a violinist, she cannot play Chopin’s pieces. The manager manages to find the score, Chopin's Allegro, for the violin. She makes up her mind to play this in the concours. Later, Hino encounters Tsuchiura, and on her request, he plays for her. When she tells him about the video she saw, the feelings about his playing, and her regret that he no longer plays the piano in public, Tsuchiura becomes upset and leaves but then regrets it.

#25 - The Barefooted Vibrato

Season 1 - Episode 5 - Aired 10/29/2006

On the day of the first selection, Hino turns up dressed informally through her ignorance. Thankfully, Lili shows up in her dressing room and uses magic to provide her with a selection of dresses. At one point, Hihara enters without knocking and sees her wearing a nun's habit. However, Lili quickly switches her back to the school uniform and Hino attempts to pass it off as "seeing things". A teacher then directs Hihara away from the girls’ dressing room. Hino and Lili eventually choose a knee-length white dress. During the performance, Hino's accompanist ducks out, criticizing Hino's lack of commitment to music practice. Tsukimori arrives at the scene and defends Hino, while her accompanist runs away crying. Hino goes on without accompaniment; after a few notes, she is asked to leave the stage because all participants are required to have an accompaniment. Tsuchiura steps forward from the audience and takes the place of Hino's accompaniment. Tsuchiura tells Hino to forget their arguments, and the two take the stage. Hino plays Chopin's Tristesse, or "song of parting" but she feels that it is not an ending, but a beginning, during the performance; Tsuchiura admires Hino and her way of performing. Everybody, even the judges, remarks on how joyful and vibrant the piece sounds when Hino plays it. The concourse members, too, are overcome with emotion. Then Tsukimori goes on and gives a powerful performance. In the end, Hino comes last in the selection and Tsukimori comes first.