Hibike! Euphonium – 07
Applause for a well written, well directed episode…
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…we open with rainy days, and the rain just keeps coming. For a few series, Drama Warning would be an apt description, and one that might say “avoid”; but KyoAni has kept this program even keeled throughout, so drama is a adequate description without everything going all crazy like and off putting. |
A little more imposing
She’s here to tsun and chew dere-gum, and she’s all out of dere-gum
If there was one plot element that has taken center stage it would be the long standing “Second Year” issue. With a few simple interactions we get a ton of tells about what happened the previous school year. And while the account is neither gossipy, or exacting in blow by blow detail, we can see that there have been rainy days before, and can tell there will be rainy days still to come. We get plenty of push and shove from Yuuko, the eternally snippy trumpet player, and some give with Aoi making her decision her way.
So what made the show well written? The issues, and there were many, had time to breathe. They’ve been casting the wide net since the show began, so many of these issues weren’t out of hand, nor abrupt. They felt natural, without a hint of over-written fingerprints all over them. Aoi-sempai’s growing discomfort was there from the second episode and had been woven in to the mix gracefully.
They took time with the scenes, allowing the pieces to grow, layer by layer until the right moment. We get evesdropped information, another bit added in a shelter from the rain, and then on until the issue is no longer contained in short spans. It happened “abruptly” with Kumiko wondering about the skip from Spring to Fall.
And still the Second Year issue hangs around with a very good handing off of that problem with Aoi’s departure. Haruka picks it up and adds her own, growing, sense of insecurity. She was never happy taking the role of club president, preferring Asuka in charge. But the euphist isn’t hearing it. There was a great sense of give and take in the conversation, such as it was, between the Haruka and Kumiko.
“Nice”. It does have a bit of a sting to it, especially when you are searching for who you are in the sense of a larger role. But, I think she dismisses that quality to soon, to much. It’s better than being hated, or dismissed. She does her job, and does it well providing support where needed, and leading when few other want to take the role. I’ve often felt it’s better to be necessary than right or wrong in leadership roles, and Haruka may just be that.
This is still on Kumiko’s mind, and is one of a couple of distractions
“They say music vanishes once it’s play, and that you can never take it back”. There’s a good deal to take in about what happened the previous year. Part of that years class wanted to go far in nationals, and wanted to take practice more seriously. But, for the most part, the rest of the younger club was uninterested. They preferred the informality, and as Natsuki reveals, they just didn’t want to take the time and energy to practice.
It caused quite a few sparks, and Kaori, Haruka, and Aoi all tried to contain the situation, and keep the more ardent members from leaving. As Natsuki says, Asuka was in the middle, not preferring to take sides. I could take guesses as to why, but I feel that that issue is waiting to be dealt with, and will allow it the time to do so. But as Karoi says, Asuka is the smart one, and Haruka is the brave one.
But with those passages allowing themselves to move the way they need, a few more bits and pieces are added in. Shuuichi expresses doubts about Asuka. I have to admit, I can see where he is coming from, but just a touch. I don’t see her as being perfect, but she does have a great deal of confidence and talent. So, that’s one more thing to look forward to in her future development.
And last we have the heart to heart between Haruka and Aoi near the end of the program. I don’t know if Aoi is fooling herself or not, about not having much interest. But it does provide a great contrast to Haruka unspoken answer about whether or not she does. Sometimes thing are a work in progress.
A few more issues
There a few more bits and pieces in there which are going to come out to the fore as the weeks progress. After the show aired, Highway asked, in our Skype channel, if the show is actually going to show the competition. Given that so much happened with characterization this time around, and more is sure to come it’s a good question. I’m thinking that the trumpets may be having some issues soon or should I say, “tsun”. We have those private thoughts that Kumiko keeps having. And to round it out, I don’t think that Taki-sensei’s private scene is going to rest there. So, five more shows? Will there be enough time for a grand finale. I think that there will be. We have an original score in Crescent Moon Dance, and given that KyoAni has pulled out a great many stops in concern band accuracy, I harely think they would short change an original piece of music. With all that in mind, the show is really going places…
…it went here for one thing. And it was awesome!
About skylion
All around nerd that enjoys just about any anime genre. I love history, politics, public policy, the sciences, literature, arts...pretty much anything can make me geeky...except sports. Follow me @theskylion
POWUH: 800-899 and Flying Sage with 856 comments
Yes, another good episode. I’m glad things came to a head with Haruka. Her lack of confidence has been obvious pretty much from the start.
As to what’s in store for the rest of the run, I hope to see a big concert scene that is full of emotion. Let’s face it, KyoAni is particularly well suited to deliver something like this. This most likely means we see the band win the competition. I do agree, however, that we have been set up for some sort of personal drama, wich could involve various cast members. Looking forward to seeing how it turns out.
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10998 comments
…yeah, I am pretty much 100% certain that there will be a grand gala performance before the end of the show. Even if you are wary of the OP, cause they lie sometimes…
POWUH: Meta Resident with 1692 comments
After all this setup and having an original piece of music, there has got to be the big concert performance in the final episode. If not, KyoAni will have totally trolled the viewers.
I think Asuka was right not to have become the president. And it’s probably not just due to lack of courage. Remember what Shuuichi said about how he feels about her. There are probably other band members with similar feelings regarding her.
Some of that may be that she comes across as too perfect, too talented and too confident, which can be intimidating to others less sure of themselves. And some may be due to her brash personality. Let’s not forget how much Japanese society values harmony and consensus.
Asuka may have many good qualities a leader needs, but the most important one is that others must be willing to follow you. If there are enough band members with doubts about her then she’d be disruptive as a leader. And the band already had enough turmoil the previous year. That may be why she didn’t take sides then–she may have felt doing so would only make matters worse. This year the band needs a soothing personality to be president and that is Haruka in spades.
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10998 comments
I know I’m overselling it when I say that I am poised for a bruvara concert set piece; as in “shut up and take my money” poised. But I can be of two minds and see it the other way.
As far as “other’s less sure of themselves”, I’m seeing this as a mire of mediocrity, especially with a mind towards consensus. But that is sometimes the nature of leadership.
POWUH: Meta Team and Spammy Tamer with 7115 comments
I feel I should point out that KyoAni’s bread and butter is the small scale drama. The personal is their wheelhouse. So I think it’s entirely possible that they will continue in this vein, and the actual band performance will be a brief interlude, as it has been so far. Just enough to show that they come together for the performance.
I really do love the characterizations here. Haruka’s doubt at her own leadership ability, Asuka’s pointing out that there was at least a part of her that felt she could do it (“you could have refused just like I did”), Kaori’s faith in both of them. I really like the story role that they have given the third years, with the major early plot.
There is so much potential story here that I wish there were more than 12 episodes.
POWUH: Meta Resident with 1692 comments
Yes, this should be two couer.
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10998 comments
I’m never one to argue with having more of a good thing. But I don’t know if two cour is the immediate answer. Don’t know if split cour is either. I go back to KimiUso, which could have done with the “less is more” mentality halfway through it’s second cour; and it was about 98% faithful to the manga. I’ve not read the novel upon which Hibike! is based, but at around 319 (Japanese count) pages….well, I’m stumped about the adaptation as much as the next person, I suppose.
It does have two sequel novels, Sound! Euphonium 2 The Hottest Summer of Kitauji High School’s Musical Instrument Club, and Sound! Euphonium 3 The Greatest Crisis of Kitauji High School’s Musical Instrument Club. So if they really want to continue, they surely can.
As it is, I’m willing to let the story unbox itself….
POWUH: Meta Team and Spammy Tamer with 7115 comments
I’m not sure about two-cour either. I don’t want them to feel like they’re stretching either. Given those titles, it seems like the novels don’t cover more than one round of the competition each. So maybe they’ll be getting through the first one or one and a half.
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10998 comments
I agree on that bread and butter approach,but they have also shown they can rise to the occasion and tickle the audience in just the right way; KnK’s rich combat sequences, Chu2Koi’s flight’s of imagination, Haruhi’s idiosyncratic weirdness, etc. So, as HannoX points out, it would be a bit of a cheat not to give us that.
I think I have more inherent trust in a leader that has the capacity for reflection, and a bit of self-doubt. Goodness knows our own leaders could use that quality more often than not.
POWUH: Meta Resident with 1692 comments
I think they can do the personal during a full performance of “Crescent Moon Dance.” Just focus in on the faces of the band members one by one as they are playing and let us see the expressions on their faces.
POWUH: Meta Team and Spammy Tamer with 7115 comments
I dunno, that might break some realism for me. When you’re playing and concentrating, you’re not really interesting to look at. There’s already a bit of an issue watching them play, because it already doesn’t feel like they are breathing properly to look at.
POWUH: Lovely-pyon~ with 261 comments
So That Saxophone Girl has leave the building…pity
If there is only one saxophone user, who will going to replace her…uh…oops…I’am just asking!
POWUH: Meta Team and Meta-Analyst with 3844 comments
William Jefferson Clinton.
POWUH: Meta Resident with 1692 comments
LOL!
POWUH: Lovely-pyon~ with 261 comments
UH…You mean a democrat guy who encounter a scandal!
and BTW…Try to pick an asian one! please…
POWUH: Meta Team and Meta-Analyst with 3844 comments
Please select from Eurovision then. 😛