Hibike! Euphonium 2 – 12
*Honk Honk*
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Finally time for Nationals. Will they? Or Won’t they? |
Overnight Trip
What is this weird pat-a-cake game?
And there’s definitely something between these two
Nagoya isn’t really that far from Kyoto. It’s under a 2 hour car trip. But still, the band goes a day early and makes it an overnight trip (which gives us a chance to find out that the 4th girl in the room with Hazuki, Reina, and Kumiko at the training camp was the clarinet girl playing the weird juggling ball pat-a-cake game with the strange glasses girl. Now I want a side story about the Clarinet Yuri relationship between Opaque-Glasses-senpai (Maina Kase) and Long-Gray-Hair-kouhai (Chieri Takahisa). It’s convenient that, once again, Kumiko can’t sleep, because that gives her alone time for other story advancement, but it’s also weird that everyone else can sleep. Hell, I can’t sleep before something special happening when I’m at home in my own bed I’m comfortable with, much less in a strange place with a bunch of different people.
A nice present
To that story advancement: Kumiko goes to get something to drink, and is run into by Shuuichi. This is the most relaxed conversation the two of them have had. Maybe it’s cause Kumiko’s tired and isn’t really interested in being as cold to him, or maybe she’s warming up to him a bit, after his faux pas with her in middle school. But the important thing now is that Shuuichi gives Kumiko her birthday present, a flower hair pin with an Italian White on it (which I’m sure Irrepressible Love Fairy Midori knew what that would signal to Kumiko). If this was Shuuichi’s story, there would have been months of “I need to give this to her, but I’m afraid to. Ok, I’m going to wait up and see if she goes to get a drink and then I’ll talk to her. Now’s my chance!” Kumiko’s birthday was August 21st, two full months ago, and he just happens to have her gift in his wallet, when they go to Nationals? There’s no ‘just happened’ there at all. There’s not even any way that he bought that for her birthday! Midori didn’t know that Kumiko liked those flowers until waaaay after the Kansai Regional competition, after the camp, after her birthday. But it still worked out for Shuuichi, at least for now. Kumiko likes the pin (enough to bring it on stage with her), and we’ll see what the last episode holds for the two of them.
Iyo Iyo Honban Desu
Fangirling out
Giving it her all and smiling while she does it
Finally, the long-awaited day of the National competition arrives (how many times did they say “iyo iyo”, which essentially is “the thing we were waiting for that’s finally here”?). Midori pulls out the other side of her personality, Concert Band Otaku, when they arrive, but settles down enough. The backstage preparations were nice and cute, although it was kind of strange to not see Reina with Kumiko this time. I kind of like the extra weight that was conferred with Mizore coming over to talk to Kumiko. They’re not the best of friends, but it gives the feeling that Kumiko is the rare someone Mizore is more comfortable with and maybe even feels a bit indebted to. And I loved the line “Today’s is my best reed.” All reed players have that best reed. Mine had a bit of a crack in it, but it just felt better than any other one. And you try the other ones, cause you want to find a backup, or at least break some others in, but it’s hard to match that best one.
I love the way Kumiko and Midori are looking at Reina
Ahh, the problems of a teenage girl in love with her teacher
I have no problem with them not showing any of the performance. We saw that before. I don’t think it’s a surprise that Reina was looking a little down and all by herself, even before the results were announced. They’ve spent 6 months preparing for that, and now it’s done. Just like that. Kumiko voiced the same reservations to Shuuichi, and so did Asuka to Kumiko. You move on to the next thing. But I think that they, after the initial disappointment of the results, come to terms with it. It’s hard to move up and get gold your first year. All those other groups that Midori was fangirling over? They’ve got reputations. The judges know those reputations, and they’re just more likely to get better scores than newcomer Kitauji. But we finally get to see these characters relax a little. Asuka, Haruka, and Kaori talking about going to the cafe and also about retiring. And we see Reina finally confess to Taki-sensei. Twice even, although he doesn’t realize that it’s a confession the first time, and he just blows past it the second time. At least the second time the rest of the trumpets realize that it was a confession of love. And Taki-sensei’s pretty oblivious, so it’s likely he just didn’t realize what she was saying.
It’s Love Everywhere
Pure joy from Asuka
There are other expressions of love as well. Even though Asuka didn’t contact her father (which probably would have been big trouble anyway), Taki-sensei delivers a message to “the Euphoniums” from Masakazu Shindo (because he’d probably get in trouble too if he addressed it to Asuka specifically). But I’m guessing that Shindo made a special point to talk to Taki-sensei to pass on this message, because it’s one of the few chances he can get. The amount of control that both Asuka and Kumiko exhibit in not reacting is pretty amazing, but the message is clear, the voice of a proud parent coming through praising his daughter. And you wonder if there wasn’t a little bit of doubt in Asuka’s mind if he even remembered her, all blown away by a short message.
The hills she has to overcome
And a last one in this episode, as Kumiko finally sees Mamiko in the crowd at the end of the day. She even runs away from Asuka’s retirement speech to chase her sister. Kumiko is SO intent on catching Mamiko that she actually opens a second door to go out of the concert hall! That is putting all the effort in (not kidding at all). And when she finally catches up to her, Kumiko shouts her love for her sister, and the inspiration and desire to play in the band that grew in her because of her sister’s influence. Neither one closes the distance between them, and I wonder if it’s something that would actually happen as a result of Mamiko’s breaking ties with her parents’ household, or whether it was just a metaphorical device, showing that even though there’s been distance between them, Mamiko and Kumiko do both still love each other. Either way, it was a nice wrap-up to the sisters’ story.
There might be distance between them…
But the feelings are getting through
So only one more episode of Hibike! Euphonium. And we’ll see what the content is, even though I have a good idea it’s about Shuuichi. After he finally got enough nerve to give her her present, he’s probably emboldened to try something more committal. I’m also hoping that we get a nice reprise of normal school girl things, like the whole group going home, or Midori and Hazuki being goofs, now that the big band deal is done with. Will there also be some speculation about who the new leaders of the band are? Who is the Bass part leader? I’d think Natsuki: now that she’s engaged with the band, she’s got the respect of the other members, and the personality more than Gotou or Riko. That’s probably why Asuka said “I’m counting on you” to her, also. I have no clue who would be the Club president tho. Of the characters we’ve met, the only one who’s got anything like the temperament would be Nozomi, but her history of quitting wouldn’t be looked on particularly favorably, I don’t think. Or maybe it wouldn’t matter.
About Highway
Proving that you don't have to be young to love anime, I enjoy all genres and styles of shows. If it's not hurting anyone else, you should never be ashamed of what you like!
POWUH: Meta Resident with 1692 comments
I have to agree that not winning gold was realistic and the best choice for the show.
Next episode should deal with things like who’s the new brass section leader, the new club president and the Kumiko & Shuuichi relationship. Does she finally show any interest in him and they grow closer? Plus does Reina finally realize her crush on Taki-sensei is hopeless and it is just a crush and not love?
POWUH: Meta Team and Spammy Tamer with 7115 comments
We’ll see about Kumiko and Shuuichi. Shuuichi’s definitely had his heart set on her, and it’s not like Kumiko dislikes Shuuichi. I think she’s mostly been harboring a little bit of a grudge the whole time because of the way he treated her in middle school. And I think that’s awesome, and it shows that she was thinking of him as well. I do think the others have been a bit more aggressive in shipping KumikoxShuuichi than is warranted, and I think that Kumiko really hasn’t been very interested in Shuuichi that way. They’ve just been friends.
POWUH: Meta Resident with 1692 comments
Spammy, it’s Christmas! Stop being a grinch and give back my comment!
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10998 comments
Just call me Cindy-Loo…
POWUH: Meta Resident with 1692 comments
Who?
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10998 comments
What?
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10998 comments
I recall saying in a Rifftrax-like-way, while watching the episode, “Darn you….ingrained…Japanese ::oops::…manners…::and through!::”
The Clarinet Relationship: Two Reeds. I think they might give this at least some service in one of the BD Specials? It seems like just the right container for it.
As for Suuichi? I’m guessing a “not next episode” for this. Instead, it might make it to the for the second series, cause that is where they did the side story for the band members that got cut, which was a B story in the main show, more or less. Kumiko’s relationships were night quite down to B level this series, but it seems like a natural place to put it into an OVA for both her potential boyfriend and to wrap things up with her sister.
POWUH: Meta Resident with 1692 comments
As for Kumiko and Suuichi, next episode could end with her agreeing to go on a date. The date itself and further development of their relationship could come in an OVA or movie. I really think there has to be some resolution to their relationship, either it’s about to go to the next stage or she lets him know she just doesn’t have any romantic feelings towards him.
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10998 comments
He is a fixture of her life that she can’t decide what to do with…of all the people she says, “the right things” to, he isn’t one of them…
POWUH: Meta Resident with 1692 comments
Spammy is still being a Grinch.