We’re wrapping up 2025 by revealing the top ten most-viewed scores published over the past year, and now we’ve reached the halfway point. Coming in at number five is AtonisPat‘s gorgeous solo piano version of “Chasing Kou” from the 2016 film “Drowning Love.” Nearly a decade after its premiere, Shuichi Sakamoto‘s emotionally charged composition has become a favorite for players for its cinematic atmosphere.
Covers of “Chasing Kou” are sometimes shared as “Drowning Love” or incorrectly attributed to the anime Tokyo Ghoul, due to confusion about its origin. “Drowning Love” is a film based on a manga by the same name, which is a coming-of-age love story. Natsume is a teen idol working in Tokyo who is forced to return to her father’s hometown to help run her family’s inn. Shen then meets Kou, but things take a turn for the worse. As South China Morning Post reviewer Edmund Lee puts it, “a sex crime halfway through, and how it is treated, leaves a sour taste in the mouth.”
Just one listen to “Chasing Kou” and it’s clear what makes it so appealing. It begins dramatically with rolling arpeggios that pull you into a world of quiet intensity. The left hand begins each phrase, which is then picked up by the right hand in the treble staff to create a cascading effect, like waves of emotion pouring out of the piano – or the swirl of feelings going through Natsume’s mind in the film.
Aside from the rhythmic excitement, Sakamoto uses the harmony to pique the listener’s interest. The key signature has five flats, and the song opens on a Bbmin chord, leading one to believe it’s in the key of Bb minor. However, the chord progression moves to Ab, Gbadd9, and Dbmaj7. Once we land on the Db, the music has a sense of resolution, suggesting we should think of the song in Db major. In that case, the opening chord progression could be represented numerically as vi-V-IV-I. The next section creates a sense of longing again by beginning on Gb (the IV chord) and resolving to F minor, creating a feeling of incompleteness and further mirroring the film’s turbulent story.
Sakamoto also wrote the harmonic rhythm, or the rate at which the chords change, to be brisk. “Chasing Kou” is in 6/8, and its intro features chords that change twice per bar. To keep things from getting muddy, AntonisPat wrote in when to press and release the sustain pedal, ensuring the notes from each idea blend without bleeding into the next chord.
They also added a fun technique in bars 15, 19, and 23. A flurry of 16th notes in the right hand is punctuated by the left hand (represented by L.H. in the score) reaching over top to play a chord. This spells out the harmony while reinforcing the division of the measure.
More drama ensues, with a drop in tempo at measure 27 to highlight a more poignant phrase. However, the main theme returns at bar 35, this time up a minor third in the key of E.
In the end, “Chasing Kou” works so well because it gives intermediate pianists what they want: a cinematic piece that’s emotionally deep yet still within reach. That’s why AtonisPat’s arrangement has become one of MuseScore’s most-viewed scores. It’s a modern favorite that keeps pulling players back in, one wave of arpeggios at a time.
Watch AntonisPat perform his arrangement:
