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「かぜひきラプソデイー」 (Kazehiki Rapusodi)
“Rhapsody in Flu”
It may not have been last season’s equivalent episode, but we did get fluffy Kumiko instead. I just wanted to get that point out of this way: This was no episode 8 by the standards of last year’s Hibike! Euphonium. In complete contrast, this was the quietest episode of the second season, and probably my least favourite. I’d still class it as a damn good episode, but it felt like enough content for half an episode rather than a full one. That may be a result of stretching out the material so this second season adapts just the right amount of the novels, or maybe this current content just isn’t as compelling as it could be. Things are still bubbling beneath the surface, and I’m just waiting for things to totally erupt and the real drama to unfold.
That being said, it’s nice to have a Kumiko-centric episode, where her input and opinions are important to the content. Every episode at least had her as the point of view – whether as the centre of the drama or an outsider looking in – which is one thing this second season has balanced well, but it feels good to have some dedicated Kumiko time, especially some cute little Kumiko time. Her hair is fluffier as ever, and we finally see what made her want to play in a concert band in the first place: her sister. The contrast between their experiences with high school band is painful knowing where Mamiko goes with her choices, while Kumiko is currently doing what she enjoys and isn’t being pressured to give up her passion by the wish of her parents.
Mamiko went through what Asuka is going through right now, which ties these two family drama together. Again, it’s all good stuff, but I feel this episode could have been a bit… juicier. I hope that’s because next episode is saving up for the goods, which is very likely since “Hibike! Euphonium” is the title of the episode, which can only mean big things. Either way, the choices these characters have to make is being put front and centre. Mamiko clearly regrets her decision and wishes she stuck with what made her happy, but she knows she should have stood up more to her parents back then… yet I can see that she would feel pressured being the first child. It’s a shame she hasn’t gone to see Kumiko perform – likely due to the resentment she holds for her succeeding at what she wanted to pursue – but that talk with Shuuichi is sure to change things. In fact, it already has by the end of the episode.
Also, it looks like Shuuichi is once again a character of this series. Welcome back! His presence has grown these past couple episodes to the point where it almost feels like Reina is admitting defeat and losing the focus, even when she got the more intimate scenes with Kumiko and showed how true their bond is. Their scenes in Kumiko’s bedroom were sweet, but it looks like Shuuichi’s presence is here to stay, for better or worse. I don’t mind his character all that much, but I wish we’d seen more of him or at least knew who he was as an individual outside of his childhood crush for Kumiko. It’s cute enough, but compared to what we’ve seen with Kumiko and Reina, whether romantic or not, their relationship is simply not as interesting. Kumiko is still inching away from him whenever he appears beside her, which may be read as a sign of hidden feelings, or it may just be Kumiko being oblivious to his advances and just trying to get on with her high school life.
And to the commenter last week who pointed out that Kumiko sounded like she was developing a cold, good call! That’s exactly what it was. Another neat KyoAni touch, as expected.
https://randomc.net/image/Hibike!%20Euphonium/Hibike!%20Euphonium%202%20-%2008%20-%20Large%2002.jpg
HNNNNNNNNNNGGGGGGGGGGGG!!!!! SMOL!!!!!
Sadly, this’s the problem any series will have by adapting a Light Novel series while trying new stuff, even if Reina and Kumiko’s relationship looks more plausible, KyoAni will most likely following the original material and so, I’ll be very piss.
Well, we’re hre for the music and drama, not the “romance” we wish to see.
https://randomc.net/image/Hibike!%20Euphonium/Hibike!%20Euphonium%202%20-%2008%20-%20Large%2028.jpg
I really liked Shuuichi’s role this episode. He managed to make Mamiko understand Kumiko’s feelings from a simple conversation. I hope she will get influenced by her little sister’s playing as Kumiko did with Mamiko in the past.
I didn’t notice it the first time but my friend pointed out that there was a brief distance between Kumiko and Reina when she asked Reina why she came to her house. I wonder why that happened.
I also liked that Shuuichi at least had a purpose this episode, for the first time ever. He’s moving the plot along for once, so I can’t complain about that. But I just don’t see them getting together being plausible quite yet…
Shuuichi should date the sister. Sometimes that’s the only way to get Kumiko to pay attention.
I think that age difference would be a bit scandalous. It seems like Shuuichi is destined to be paired with kumiko, sadly…
Oops, I didn’t mean to reply to your post, Li. If anything, I’ll just point out that Hibike! Euphonium is based off a novel series. Like Hyouka, another novel series that was adapted by Kyoto Animation, there is a different approach in the storytelling compared to a light novel.
Hmm i wonder how kyoani are supposed to fit the resolution of the story about asuka’s mom and kumiko’s sister. 4 episodes left. I hope it wont be something rushed. What made this anime effective is the slow, detailed story delivery. Rushing it would make people ask questions more.
Probably a Season 3 or a movie. You could tell they would have continued K-On! if it had somewhere to go, unlike this show K-On! reached a sorta natural ending. At least with Sound Euphonium there’s still more to cover, even after this season ends.
5 episodes, for what it’s worth.
And based on what readers of the source material have said, the three main novels will be adapted after this second season, as might some of the side stories from the fourth novel. I think it’s best to assume this is the last from what we’ll see of the Hibike! Euphonium anime, unless they decide to adapt absolutely everything, or go ahead with the Rikka spin-off novels afterwards.
Shu who? Was there someone in this series with a name like that?
Eh. Couldn’t have been anyone important.
I liked the part where the instructor asks if Kumiko was even playing when Asuka isn’t there beside her. I’ve always felt that playing an instrument in a band by yourself is harder than playing a solo, there are dozens of people playing different parts at the same time to distract you.
hey Shuichi was in another episode and he did something useful! kinda sucks that he had little to no screen time in this series, was it like this in the light novels
As for Kumiko’s and Reina’s relationship, this round table discussion the novel’s author and anime was interesting:
https://ultimatemegax.wordpress.com/2015/09/27/sound-euphonium-roundtable-director-tatsuya-ishihara-series-director-naoko-yamada-author-ayano-takeda/
Also Yen Press has the rights to publish the novel in English
Personally, I thought this was one of the best episodes of this season so far. Really pulling together the characters as characters, because they don’t need to waste so much time on setup anymore.
It feels like we’re still partially in the setup stages, or at least the major drama hasn’t kicked in yet. Don’t want to make it seem like I didn’t like the episode – it was still really, really good imo.
I can understand how it was your least favorite, but I was on the edge of my seat in the first half! I can relate to sibling family problems.
The first half was definitely strong in its own right, especially in creating that tension from Mamiko’s point of view and with Kumiko listening in awkwardly from the sidelines.
I’m just surprised about the huge age difference between Mamiko and Kumiko. KyoAni could throw everyone for a loop by inserting a story about the child their parents gave up for adoption and came back or some sort of fatality that only the parents know. 😉
Are they really that far apart in age? High school and college age doesn’t seem too big to me. I would consider that adoption plot but they look so damn alike I don’t think it’s possible.
I was thinking about a third child. Kumiko is in her first year of high school and Mamiko has one more year of college. That would place them four years apart at a minimum and six years apart at the maximum. Most parents I know have their children close together to make things easier to care for (unless there was an “accident”). There is enough time between them for a third child… I’m just joking around, but it would be original content.
Doesn’t seem like a huge age difference to me. Seems rather normal. Besides, it means they manage to avoid the dreaded scenario of having a new born and a two year old. Oh the terrible twos.
When it comes to huge age differences, I know someone who was in college and his next sibling was in kindergarten.
I tend to agree that this was a bit of a slow episode, but I loved the sister drama and particularly the focus on Kumiko and her reflection time. The only thing I wish was that this episode had a little more style, some more music, it just felt very quiet.
Your assessment that Shuichi is, indeed, a character on this show is brilliant 🙂 I was happy to see the plot move forward because of something he had done, but still just frustrated by the path they are walking with his character. We literally know nothing about the guy, and here I thought Shuichi would actually go and visit Kumiko while she was sick, but we just cut away from that scene immediately. Did Reina and Shuichi speak? Will we return to that moment later? It really was an odd sort of way to end the episode.
And speaking of Reina, what the hell is going on with Reina this season?? I feel like her character hasn’t been tapped for quite a while. Sure we get scenes like this one where she and Kumiko are generally being sweet with one another, but I miss the Reina that slaps her thighs when she’s mad and climbs mountains in heels. I stand by what I said at the beginning of the season: Kumiko and Reina are the heart of the show. When you move away from either character for too long, the show suffers for it.
Anyway that’s all I got. Can’t wait for next week!
Still not sure how they’re going to link Asuka’s and Mamiko’s story, but hopefully Asuka won’t fall on the exact same path as Mamiko. That would be rather sad. Though I do wonder what exactly happened to Mamiko. Someone on a similar position as her that I know actually finished college before running of to music. Not finishing means it probably went real bad there.
Now about Shuuichi, I really want to ship him and Mamiko. Shuuichi did switch to the trombone after all. The same instrument she used to play. But on second thought, maybe he switched to try to impress Kumiko. Considering how much she looked up to her sister. And he notices it too.
Really laughed at this scene:
https://randomc.net/image/Hibike!%20Euphonium/Hibike!%20Euphonium%202%20-%2008%20-%2007.jpg
The good thing for Shuuichi though, a negative reaction is better than no reaction. Not sure how long it’ll last if he manages to turn it around, but at least he has her attention. Good luck with that. XD
It seems like such a tiny thing compared to the other interesting things that this episode gave us to chew over, but did anyone else notice how Reina and Kumiko thought that the CD they were listening to (the professional euphonium player) sounded like Asuka’s playing??? I wonder how that will end up being significant to the plot, if it will be at all. I’m thinking it might have some links to how Asuka’s mother said that she was being ‘mocked’ by the fact Asuka plays the euphonium, but I’m not sure how those things would link…
I may just be overthinking, as usual. But I’m definitely curious about that!
I bet the person playing on the CD is Asuka’s father, but that would be too obvious. And if that is true, then the story is too predictable. =P
Halfway until the next episode!