Ep 12. Rivals

Kono Oto Tomare!: Sounds of Life is a Japanese anime series that follows the story of a high school koto club that was on the verge of disbanding. The students decide to keep the club going and strive to become better koto players. Season 1 episode 12, titled "Rivals," features the koto club as they prepare for a big competition.

The episode begins with the members of the koto club practicing for the upcoming competition. They are determined to win but know that they have a lot of work ahead of them. As they practice, they are interrupted by a group of students from another school. These students are also part of a koto club and have come to challenge the members of the koto club to a friendly competition.

The members of the koto club are initially hesitant, but eventually agree to the challenge as they see it as an opportunity to improve their skills. The competition is set for the following day, and both teams begin their preparations.

On the day of the competition, the members of the koto club arrive at the venue and are surprised to see that many people have gathered to watch the competition. The members of the other koto club arrive shortly after, and the competition begins.

As the two teams play, it becomes clear that they are evenly matched. Both teams have put in a lot of effort and are playing their hearts out. The members of the koto club are particularly impressed with their opponents and begin to see them as rivals rather than enemies.

The competition comes to an end, and both teams await the judges' decision. In the end, the members of the koto club are declared the winners. However, they are quick to offer their congratulations to the members of the other koto club and thank them for the challenging competition.

In the aftermath of the competition, the members of the koto club reflect on what they have learned. They realize that having rivals who push them to be better is a good thing and that they should always strive to improve. The episode ends with the members of the koto club looking forward to their next challenge and the opportunity to become even better koto players.