First Impressions / Hibike! Euphonium

「きせきのハーモニー」 (Kise ki no Hamoni)
“Miraculous Harmony”

That was magical.

This episode of Hibike! Euphonium speaks for itself, dedicating the second half to the performance that’s been practiced and stressed over for the past four weeks. The payoff is immense, gorgeous, and you could argue challenges the limits of TV anime. Frankly, nothing else this season is as consistent as Hibike! Euphonium, which is exactly how I felt last year. There are plenty of other shows with bursts or creativity or certain episodes that stand out, but week-in-week-out, Kyoto Animation delivers the goods as if it’s an expectation and not an anomaly. They’re on their own trajectory when it comes to producing high quality output, and it’s almost unfair that in comparison so few shows out there can compete on the same playing field.

The effort and detail put into this grand performance was essential in selling their earned success to the audience. They had to do what they always succeed at doing: showing, not telling. They’re the best studio for the job, who understand the importance of the little moments, of slight character animation, and changes in expressions. Here, they had to meld that understanding into the music and the characters’ performances. Kumiko’s confidence has increased this season, as she’s given more to show of and has proven herself when it comes to Taki-sensei (especially compared to the harsh words he had for her throughout the first season). Yet there was a brief moment when Asuka and Kumiko were playing together when Asuka gave her a look that I read as distasteful, as if Kumiko made an error. That never came across thereafter, but it’s a brief moment that stood out to me that perhaps just hints at the underlying mystery behind Asuka’s mannerisms and true character.

Mizore and Nozomi’s arcs have been the key focus of the past few episodes, and their efforts are shown in this performance, both on the stage and off it. After the big moment last week, Mizore seems to have regained her passion and is able to express emotion in her oboe playing; that certainly felt true in her solo, which was pleasant on the ear and rewarding to watch. We’ve only known this character for a few episodes yet I’m glad she’s come full circle and is giving the best she can. Similarly, Nozomi’s assistance from behind the scenes is important and effective, especially since she’s literally welcoming us onto the stage. While everyone else listens on with teary eyes and visible anxiety, Nozomi is calm, enjoying every moment of the performance with confidence. We haven’t delved too far into her character past the surface drama, and I doubt we ever will, but her being part of the group again and being able to experience victory, even if as a support figure rather than performing on stage herself, is a satisfying end to her arc.

Throughout the episode there was a real sense of tension accompanied by the oppressing summer heat, as even Taki-sensei was sweating during the performances. It’s a perfect opportunity to combine the heat of summer with the impending nerves as they approach their performance. And then by the end of the episode we’re stuck in the dark seats far from the stage as they awaits the results, which provides a nice contrast in atmosphere. In the end, it was obvious they were going to win and progress through to nationals, but the fact that we can feel tense awaiting what seems like an obvious conclusion is testament to how well crafted this episode was in building up to that one moment. Sure, there may have been some scenes that were recycled from last year’s finale, but there was so much more on offer this time around that I can’t complain. I hope they perform a new song for nationals and we get something completely different from what we’ve seen from now, but for the time being Kitauji’s golden win is earned and I’m rooting for them to continue to improve, and can’t wait to see what drama awaits.

25 Comments

  1. “In the end, it was obvious they were going to win and progress through to nationals”

    Not gonna lie, I had my doubts. Maybe false and baseless doubts, but still doubts. It’s not that their performance was lacking (it was anything but), but it’s like the episode tricked me into thinking there were gonna lose despite that, when it displayed those memories of them together being happy and all. Like a point of no return. For a moment there I really thought the anime would go the Haikyuu!! route and make them lose. Needless to say, glad I was wrong. And it did add some tension on my end XD.

    Other than that, their performance this time around did display more parts that we haven’t heard the first time around, not the least of which of course is Mizore’s solo. Even if we did hear it before, we didn’t actually get to hear it to the same capacity as Reina’s solo. That was a really terrific addition.

    “We haven’t delved too far into her character past the surface drama, and I doubt we ever will”
    Well, if Yuuko’s surprising character arc is any indication, we definitely haven’t seen the last of Nozomi, and I can only be happy for that because her character is great within the scope of Hibike.

    yoloalchemist
    Reply

  2. i say it time and time again: a show doesnt have to be unpredictable to be good or make you feel tense; it was to genuinely immerse you in the narrative with its characters so that you can feel the way they do. It’s really hard to do but when it happens, maaaaan does it happen good. “Pushes the limits of tv anime?” pfft kyoani has been borderline directing eupho season 2 like a movie; the limit been broke man

    sonicsenryaku
    Reply

      1. At the risk of “opening the bag”, it’s perfectly acceptable to show support for a ship. As long as comments don’t get malicious, I don’t see why fans shouldn’t be able to speak on that subject here. It’s not about shipping wars, it’s about respecting peoples’ viewpoints and I don’t think the original comment warranted this response.

        innerchihiro
        Reply

      2. @innerchihiro
        Thing is, some people just can’t bring themselves to accept the relationship between Kumiko and Reina as it is now. Why? What is it about their relationship that doesn’t satisfy them? Is it not enough that those 2 share a bond of friendship so deep, beautiful and complex that it is one of the story’s strong points? Is it not enough that through this bond, those 2 helped each other develop further than it would’ve been possible without it?

        This bond is special. It doesn’t need to get any bigger than that. Bigger isn’t always better. That’s the one and only thing I will say about this matter.

        yoloalchemist
        Reply

  4. Yet there was a brief moment when Asuka and Kumiko were playing together when Asuka gave her a look that I read as distasteful, as if Kumiko made an error. That never came across thereafter, but it’s a brief moment that stood out to me that perhaps just hints at the underlying mystery behind Asuka’s mannerisms and true character.

    I thought Asuka might be jealous with how Kumiko can freely express her emotions. Asuka always puts on a mask where no one seems to truly know what she is thinking or feeling. Kumiko’s presence however is gradually changing that. The main focus also seems to be shifting toward an Asuka arc so we can finally see what is going on with her.

    ichigo
    Reply

    1. Apparently that was the exact part Kumiko was having so much trouble with in season 1, which is why Asuka looks over at her, possibly wondering if Kumiko’ll mess up again here.

      I said apparently, because that’s what I read. It’s been so long I can’t tell any more. ._.

      Hanabira.Kage
      Reply

    2. First a note to Samu: I suspect you intended to link to this closeup of Asuka rather than a closeup of Kumiko.

      I doubt there’s anything negative in Asuka’s looks at Kumiko. For one thing, her expression looks neutral to me. Also, playing an instrument can make one’s expression look unusual. But mostly there’s nothing negative in Asuka’s other interactions with Kumiko. In fact it’s just the opposite: the bass section thinks that Asuka respects Kumiko (S1E10), Asuka answers Kumiko’s questions when Kumiko insists (S1E10 and S2E3), Asuka reacts to Kumiko’s comment about her cynicism with a genial laugh (S2E4), and Kumiko seems to have had some influence on Asuka’s change in attitude toward the band’s success (S1E13 and S2E4). I think the most we can say is that Kumiko is on Asuka’s mind. It might be nothing more than a senior watching over a promising junior, but the closeup seems too pointed for it to be just that. Maybe Asuka, like Kaori just before the performance, is thinking of the future of the band; the notebook in the S2E1 opening the association of that notebook with Asuka in the ED suggest that Asuka will pass something on to Kumiko. I suspect the closeup foreshadows a closer connection between the Asuka and Kumiko (which the OP also suggests).

      proper1420
      Reply

  5. This is the first time that i have root so much on a fictional band… During their performance i was kinda hoping that they will not make any mistakes. Good job kyoani for making me nervous on a fictional competition.

    Jeffers
    Reply

  6. Kyoani went all out on this one. I’m just in awe of the level of detail they went to on the instruments and the playing. Even to the point of having the drumsticks bending and Midori’s bass strings flexing when she fingered them. Just amazing.

    I found a reference to the piece they played here. It’s original! And I think it’s a great band piece.

    Asuka, yeah there’s a lot going on behind those glasses.

    Bear
    Reply

    1. They even had a shot of Mizore moistening her reeds in her mouth right before the performance (our band director always told us to use the water fountain because saliva can soften the reeds).

      Kling_Klang
      Reply

  7. I enjoyed this week’s episode, but at the same time I was a little non-plussed that the performance was so heavily pulled from S1 and the first OP. Maybe it was because I had recently watched the S1 finale again, but the same shots kept sticking out to me. However, I am really glad how they gave us a totally new recorded track. KyoAni’s always made the right call in letting the music speak for itself and not explaining each performance to the audience through some sort of verbal quantification. You could really hear the difference in the performances, and that’s all that was necessary. That said, Reina’s solo surprised me. After much talk of who she was “playing for” last week and this week, it was interesting how the solo felt much more aggressive, loud and less fluid than it did in the S1 finale/the audition. I’m really curious as to why, but I doubt we’ll get a straight answer explaining that.

    I wondered about Kumiko making an error too, but I also noticed Asuka looked at Kumiko again right before Reina started to play. Maybe there’s some other explanation for the level of attention Asuka was showing Kumiko there.

    Speaking of Asuka, I’m surprised you didn’t mention her speech at all. I was quite surprised by that development. I’ve always been wary of her as a character, but she finally proved to me this episode that she really does care because she was willing to express it out loud in front of the whole band, not just by playing by herself in a field somewhere 🙂

    As for Mizore… hate to be a downer but after sitting on last week’s ep I guess I’m just not a huge fan of that whole plot line. I just found the drama to be lacking (the “it was all a misunderstanding!” trope is uninspired writing imo) compared to S1. Not to mention, any time Reina is sidelined as a character is a real shame; she’s my favorite secondary character and I still feel that Kumiko and Reina’s relationship is the heart of the show, doesn’t matter if it’s romantic or not. Not to say it was horrible or anything, it’s still H!E so it’s a cut above the rest, but I’m happy to be moving on.

    But I will say I was thrilled with Yuko’s development, and that even gets a nod here before the performance. I always liked Yuko because she’s a flawed character who doesn’t always do the right thing, but she does it for the right reason. She’s just a very compassionate young lady and I can dig that.

    BONUS: Shuichi and his Taki-impersonating look-alike are friends! Check out the celebration shots at the end of the ep. (Aw, good for Shuichi! That dude needs a buddy lol)

    innerchihiro
    Reply

    1. That guy with Shuichi is Noguchi Hideri, the head of the trombone section. So picture an Asuka – Kumiko relationship, except he seems to be a lot more straight forward compared to Asuka. Shuichi’s best buddy seem to be the 1st year who plays the tenor sax. They hangout a lot out of school.

      theirs
      Reply

    2. The Hibike! Euphonium specials had one episode about Shuichi talking about how’s life for the boys in the band. It’s a very short special, 2 minutes long, that gives a new perspective. Shuichi confirmed that all 7 male members of the band get along really well.

      During the previous the training camp episodes, Shuichi was seen in the background eating or hanging out with several male members, if you pay attention you can catch several shots.
      The boy imitating Taki-sensei is Noguchi Hideri, the leader of trombone section. In the special there is a flashback of how happy he was to see Shuichi in his section when he joined the band.

      But Shuichi is closest to Chikao Takigawa, the boy from sax section that went with him to the festival in episode 1, helped Shuichi drag Taki-sensei to the group photo in the last episode of season 1/first episode of season 2, and during the previous season they went home together and ate wieners.

      Coincidentally, Kurosawa Tomoyo (Kumiko seiyuu) mentioned multiple times that Chikao is her favorite character.

      More info about Shuichi and Chikao from the staff commentary:
      – Takao: I’ve been given a question to ask—I’ll read it out: why does Shuuichi get onto the train from this station? Does he get off at that station just to buy that sausage bun?
      – Ishihara: No. Well, you could say that he buys it because he’s there. What happened is that—the person he was with is Chikao, who plays the sax. And in this band, they are the only two first year guys, and that’s why they get along really well. So they often go home together, and Obaku is Chikao’s stop. But Shuuichi gets off to keep chatting for a while—eating that bun we always see him with.
      http://whiteboxgems.tumblr.com/post/139849699707/eupho-bffs-the-case-of-chikao-and-shuuichi

      eu
      Reply

    3. That said, Reina’s solo surprised me. After much talk of who she was “playing for” last week and this week, it was interesting how the solo felt much more aggressive, loud and less fluid than it did in the S1 finale/the audition.

      I listened to the S1E13 and S2E5 trumpet solos side-by-side, and except for two longer pauses in the S2E5 performance, they sounded the same to me. I suspect they are the same actual performance with the pauses inserted artificially. On the other hand, the audition performance in S1E11 does sound like a different actual performance, and to me it does sound better: stronger vibrato and generally more dynamic.

      Speaking of Asuka, I’m surprised you didn’t mention her speech at all. I was quite surprised by that development. I’ve always been wary of her as a character, but she finally proved to me this episode that she really does care because she was willing to express it out loud in front of the whole band, not just by playing by herself in a field somewhere 🙂

      This is a good point. The speech nails down the change in Asuka’s attitude toward the band, the first sign of which we can perhaps see in her trying to protect Mizore from Nozomi. It’s a counterpoint to her announcement to the band in S1E7 that she is just there to flirt with her instrument. I’d only say that I think you were right to be wary of her; I think she was being truthful when she said in S1E10 that she didn’t care. She’s changed, and I suspect we’ll find out why in the remaining episodes.

      proper1420
      Reply

  8. You say “magical”, for me the word that came to my mind while watching this was simply “masterful”. There’s KyoAni, and there’s everyone else.

    The result really shouldn’t be in doubt…but the seeds of doubt were lingering in my mind. And they even put the result announcement after the credits, haha. Oh, my heart.

    Since season 1, I had my own trepidation about Asuka…maybe that “mask” of hers would crack soon. I don’t really hate her, but she’s not among my favorite characters…not even my favorite senpai. That accolade still belongs to Natsuki. 🙂

    Danny Zeto
    Reply

  9. After watching this episode, I rewatched the season 1 finale and indeed there were recycled shots, but it really isn’t noticeable. This episode could have been a finale and still be an awesome finale. I had my doubts that KyoAni would keep up with a quality this high mid-season especially when a lot of anime series tend to drop quality fast in the middle. As other people have said, this episode was indeed “magical” “masterful” “tense” and downright enjoyable. Expectations will be unfairly high for the coming episodes.

    MMX
    Reply

  10. I believe KyoAni is making a record for the longest duration of silent animation as far as TV anime is concerned. This is really a big difference consider we are so used being told what is happening in the story.

    kobato
    Reply

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