Now that Kumiko Oumae has enrolled in Kitauji High School, she hopes to forget about her past. Despite her desire for a fresh start, she gets dragged into the school's band club by her new friends—Sapphire Kawashima and Hazuki Katou—and is once again stuck playing the euphonium.
As the band currently stands, they won't be able to participate in the local festival, Sunfest, let alone compete at a national level. The band's new advisor, Noboru Taki, gives them a choice: they can relax and have fun, or practice hard and attempt to get into nationals. Not wanting to repeat her mistakes from middle school, Kumiko is doubtful as to whether they should try for nationals. Amidst the chaos, she learns that her old bandmate, Reina Kousaka (who she had a bitter relationship with) has joined Kitauji's band club. Under the pressure of Noboru's strict training, Kumiko and her bandmates must learn to overcome their struggles and find success together.
[Written by MAL Rewrite]
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Glacialis
This is it, their grand return. While the past number of shows they’ve animated may not have quite hit the mark in terms of greatness, KyoAni has captured the magic of what made me fall in love with the studio in the first place with their newest work, Sound! Euphonium. What many brushed off as just a K-On! 2.0, Sound! Euphonium is one of the best anime that I have seen in a long time. Sound! Euphonium follows the Kitauji High School Concert Band, a group that sounds fairly mediocre, and follows their journey as they grow both as musicians and as people in theirefforts to truly accomplish what they before just claimed as a pipe dream: make the nationals of the Kansai Band Competition. The story itself is fairly simplistic, but the real meat of it is focusing in on the journey that is walked to achieve their goals. The band must constantly overcome the internal conflicts that it faces as a result of being a collection of individuals, but watching them overcome these conflicts and grow as individuals as well as a group is what I believe to be a rewarding experience.
But of course, none of that matters if we don’t care about the individuals that make up the group in the first place. However, that’s one of what I believe to be the two things that really shine in this show that pushes it to be amazing. These characters feel real. They’re not one-dimensional drawings that the creators expect us to care about just because they’re there. They feel alive. Each character has depth to them in a way that makes it so that I can’t really describe them in just a few words. In particular, I think that Kumiko is probably one of the best main characters that KyoAni has put out there, putting her up there or above the heights of some of their best like Oreki or Kyon. She feels like a person that I could relate with, rather than some exaggerated caricature. She’s a little distant, but still a little lively. She’s a little self-conscious, but still a little confident. She’s not skewed so far in any one direction that makes her seem like, well, an anime character. The supporting cast all bring some depth to the table as well, with some standouts being Reina, Natsuki, Asuka, Taki-sensei, Haruka, and Kaori. And they’re not just there; they grow as well. From being distant to becoming a little more open, from being apathetic to lighting their passion, they all change, some a little, others more noticeably, and this really makes Sound! Euphonium stand out from the rest.
The other part of what I believe makes Sound! Euphonium stand out is the attention to detail. That goes for in the artwork, the sound, the direction, and all the little parts of the show, coming together to make this a beautiful work of art. KyoAni is known for having great animation, but this is probably the best they’ve put out. Every motion feels fluid and draws me in; the scenery and lighting are beautifully drawn and lit up or dimmed; and the background music or the lack thereof only serves that enhance the atmosphere. And then the camera work. The camera work really stands out in a way that enhances every scene, from focusing onto a specific point, or lightly moving around a whole scene. Two scenes in particular, in Episode 8 and Episode 12, just really stand above the rest in how these aspects are used and come together, and to me are some of the most outstanding scenes I’ve seen throughout the entirety of anime. All these little things come together to paint a work of art that really shines, and it is a beauty to behold.
And not just in those areas either; as a musician myself, I really appreciated the attention focused into the musical side of things. When the band first played, you didn’t have to just rely on the words of the characters to know they were bad. If you listened, you could tell they were bad. All the instruments were made with a polish and shine that made them look like real instruments, and when they were being played, they even used correct fingerings. As this is something that is usually overlooked in the majority of anime, the amount of detail that KyoAni put into the musical aspect is amazing. They also captured the essence of a high school band beautifully. While there of course were some differences as it was a club rather than a class, the amount of work that was put in, the internal drama that the band members faced, the conflicting attitudes of how hard the students want to work, and then the tension that precedes a performance and the excitement or disappointment that comes afterwards was captured in a way that really exemplified the high school band experience.
There are few loose ends that aren’t really tied up, mostly in the romantic department, just due to the nature of it being an adaption of a different work, but I don’t believe that to be any fault of the show itself, and they are easily overlooked when compared to everything else that is done great.
Many people believe KyoAni has fallen from grace, and whether or not that is true can be debated, but shows like Sound! Euphonium prove that KyoAni is still capable of creating works of art, and illustrate why some people have come to see this studio as one of the most capable out there. I only look forward to see what the studio has in store after bringing us a masterpiece like Sound! Euphonium.
Tl;dr: Great characters and attention to detail come together to provide a masterful work of art.
Divin3Wind_
This will be a very long review (I dare to call it an essay!), and while it may not exactly contain spoilers, I have included 'hints' which one may wish to look out for in watching this anime. Personally, out of all the other studios, I find myself following and noticing trends in Kyoani's releases the most. After all, while the moe wave was not (exactly) started by them, K-On contributed hugely to it, and from there, I found myself observing how Kyoani seems to have very acute marketing tendencies - they would just somehow hit the demographics right, appealing to various clusters of viewers whilestill producing what are basically decent anime.
I was not expecting very much from Hibike! Euphonium at all. After all, its resemblances to K-On are pretty eerie, and not being a great fan of how K-On turned out, I was not anticipating much out of this either. Still, I decided that I would give it a try - such is my inclination towards music.
It was only after I finished watching the whole series that I discovered something that pretty much explained why I felt Hibike was so successful. Just like one of Kyoani's previous works, Hyouka, Hibike is an adaptation of a novel. In my opinion, the novel as a medium presents a view quite distinct from that of the manga and the light novel. Mangas and Light novels are by no means simple or immature, in case you misunderstand, but the target audience and marketing intention behind those two mediums as opposed to the novel is quite different. I would argue that the novel is in general less geared towards entertainment than it is towards art. As such, the novel as a medium gives the studio a better base to build their anime upon - for its style and language offers a different perspective and vision to those reading it as opposed to other forms of media.
In this respect, the first important feature of Hibike that sets it apart from many other anime is its focus on the music itself. I played in a Jazz Band during my high school years, so I do have some experience in the field, albeit in a different context. Either way, I found that some of the scenes portrayed in the music room were indeed real - although dramatized. Furthermore, as a musical anime, Hibike actually shows the band playing music, with both individuals and the collective struggling to 'find their sound.' Even more impressive is the level of detail in the performances; I think that for a skilled player to play badly on purpose is difficult. Yet when the band plays badly, it is obvious enough to tell who went wrong. The pieces themselves were indeed impressive - every time that trumpet solo played, I would feel myself tingle, going, "My goodness that is indeed a beautiful solo." That the studio would even go so far as to get the fingerings and etc correct for each instrument is impressive.
One indisputable thing about Kyoani is their art. They have always been famous for taking actual scenes in real life and casting them into the anime mould - and with such detail and precision! I could even recognize some Kyoto scenes from the images in the anime itself! The studio has taken realism in anime to another level in this sense. Yet I couldn't help but feel that this was the best I'd seen from Kyoani just yet.
The story itself is nothing very complicated. In fact, it is precisely because it is not complicated that it relays what it should be about: music, and the things that stem from people trying to get that music together. As such, certain plot developments were not entirely unexpected (meaning that some others were, of course :P). In speaking about Slice of Life anime though, I find it crucial to speak about characters in relation to the plot - for it is the characters and their reactions that drive the plot forward. Yes, the characters have the typical cute Kyoani design, but none of them are moeblobs, or 'useless,' in the broad sense of the word.
The protagonist of the story, Kumiko, is arguably nothing very special. I didn't expect very much from her. I perceive her as sometimes being more of the sort that 'just wants things to go by smoothly,' even if she does not give such a strong vibe of that sentiment. This begins to change once she starts coming into contact with all the different personalities of the band. This is Hibike's greatest strength: for with such a diverse cast of characters, I find that they have fleshed out a large number of them very well, such that the events and drama between each one actually has effects on the others. What is more amazing is that each one of them is actually very unique in their own right; just like how we humans are in real life. We all react to situations differently, and Hibike's characters are no different. For example, I find that contrasting the attitudes of 'Ribbon girl' with Asuka-senpai would be one combination where the viewer can see two highly contrasting attitudes to a situation. For me to list out all the combinations and characters would be impossible, for that is precisely how much development and thought has gone into many of them.
Life is a magical thing, and Hibike has shown that to be true. For only certain moments can be deemed magical in order for them to stand out and make a deep impressions upon us. While most of our lives may come across as mundane, there are times we reflect upon in great wonder, having been enchanted by the atmosphere of the moment. There are such moments in Hibike, the most prominent of these being the development of the relationship between Kumiko and the mysterious Reina. Amongst all the characters in Hibike, Reina is the one I find most enchanting, for she is so distanced from everything else. Yet when she finally gets close to Kumiko, even i was left mesmerised by her entire being - such was the beauty of that scene and moment that I replayed it many times - for it was then that the novel's art reveals itself through in the monologues of Kumiko's mind and later the exchange between the two. For there is a depth and grace surrounding Reina that is an indescribable inspiration - and that portrayal is undoubtedly the product of Kyoani's vision. Yet in the episodes thereafter, that magic did not last - exactly like what life is, for nothing that's good can last; we can only hope to continue developing it slowly and cherishing what we were honoured to have.
Hibike is however, by no means a show drowned in unreachable sentiments. There's definitely plenty, but it has many other elements in it as well that constitute the various aspects of school life. One example would be the hints and touches of vague romance within it, for I find that any anime not focused on romance yet display it are some of the sweetest that there can be - and trust me, there are plenty here. It leaves one guessing - but love comes in many forms, and it is our decision as to how we wish to perceive it. For romance to be a feature in an anime focusing on high school life is nothing surprising - but it is merely a part, even if it could be a big one. I would challenge all potential viewers to not dig too deep onto the romance portion of this anime, even if it is so tempting and inviting.
Such are slice of life animes. They aim at portraying the world to us viewers in a certain manner and form that is familiar to us, yet they are filled with more drama and sentiment than our lives would typically be - because that's how we are entertained. I believe that Kyoani has attained a certain peak with this anime that have not seen in a while. In all the studio's attention to detail is the creation of an anime that while simple - is art in itself. For it has been executed so well that I felt myself vicariously going through much of what the characters did. Again I cannot help but make it clear that this is nothing like K-On; here, I felt that Kyoani decided to get serious. They were fully intent on creating something great, something worthy of the lives that we live and aspire to live, even if we may not be successful in doing so. In the process, it has shown that there are no means more suitable than through the expression of music - as each note rings in this anime, be it from an individual character, or when bonds are made between groups, I find it hard to feel otherwise, for even it made me want 'to be something special.'
Full kudos to Kyoani on what I think is their best anime so far in a while, for it is the culmination of the ideals I feel they had been looking to achieve. Through adapting a novel with an excellent foundation, Kyoani's Hibike surpassed all my expectations, and while it is not a true masterpiece, I don't know how else to rate this series.
Stark700
I’d like to think of music as a form of art. It’s a vocal expression by taking the form of instrumental emotion. And by talent, we see the beauty of it. What does that mean for a show like Hibike Euphonium? A lot. To me, this series is a musical adventure. If you’re interested in a series about following dreams, building strong friendships, and exploring youth with an unforgettable experience, then you’re in the right place. What is Hibike! Euphonium? (Sound! Euphonium) It’s an anime adaptation of a Japanese novel written by Ayano Takeda. Taking place in Kyoto, the series has its focus on agroup known as the Kitauji High School Music Club. Directed by Tatsuya Ishihara with storyboard written by Jukki Hanada, this series is an explosive youth of the coming ages.
The series is pretty straightforward to be quite honest. It brings a rather strange nostalgia-like feeling when just thinking about the premise. Remember those halcyon days when you first sung a song or played an instrument? That’s what kind of feels like when watching this series. To start off, we have a young girl named Kumiko Oumae coming from Kita Middle School. Now fresh with a new start at her high school, what better way than to make a first impression? Well, the catch is that Kumiko is reluctant in joining the school’s brass band club. Despite having some talent in playing the euphonium, the series makes it clear that she had some sort of negative experience in the past with another member of the club. That would be Reina Kosaka. However, fate has it that she join the club anyway and the instrument she ends up with is none other than the euphonium.
With its direction of the first few episodes, one must be wondering what sort of relationship Kumiko used to have with Kousaka. Before that though, we also meet her other friends including her classmates Kazuki and Sapphire. A series like this will leave a first impression that music is not just the main focus. No, it’s about also establishing a forte and build relationships to survive their spots. This is because the club’s advisor, Taki-sensei has a goal in mind. He wants the club to go on and compete in the Nationals. Small group and big dreams. The series brings up a lot of questions for the first half. Many of them aims at the main characters’ potentials and what their dreams are. Not to mention, we also don’t know much about most of their past. This is why it take some patience to get through the show. Admittingly, there are some pacing issues and parts that are omitted from the novel. However, the series does its job to capture the vocal expression of the characters. Some of them are confident to make the game while others have doubts. For Kumiko, I’d say that she’s somewhere in between. In regards with the other characters, it’s quite diverse. Characters like Hazuki and Asuka are surely confident in themselves while Sapphire has a more timid nature. Then, there’s Reina, a character I’d describe as a lone wolf, the ice queen, and in general someone that is not easy to make friends with. She’s not unfriendly though but just someone who is very dedicated in pursuing her goals. Her past shows that she has some emotional problems with Kumiko and thus is a reason why the two have somewhat of a mixed relationship in the present storyline. Or is it?
A good part of this series also makes time to craft their moments together. Every episode shows a bit of their chemistry whether it’s direct or indirect. Some of the moments may be short but are meaningful, especially for Kumiko. One of the later episodes really take this forward to another level in both friendship and perhaps a bit even subtle yuri by their body language. And that’s another thing I find interesting about the series. Music on the surface is an expression but the characters themselves too show genuine human emotions with body language. Every concrete detail has some sort of meaning to reflect the actions of our characters. Even when it’s hard to notice, it depicts part of their personality. This is important as relationships in the series are forged by their experiences. Each episode shows us more about the main characters. Each episode wants us to learn even more. Each episode gets to show us why they are there. And by the end of the day, it can win the audience with all these ideas mixed in its story.
Of course, competition is also there. Rivalries are established especially for something as big as the Nationals. If you’ve ever been involved in some sort of contest, your goal is to win right? Unfortunately, the series puts less emphasis on actual rivalries but more on the characters’ development themselves. I wouldn’t say this is a drawback though especially since it gives on insight on characters’ behaviors. Characters who quit or doubt themselves brings a saddening emotion into the show. Likewise, there are also others who truly wishes to inspire and bring a light of hope. Regardless, Hibike Euphonium also likes to play a lot with its character cast and their roles. A main course of this series involves their development with one another as well as their individual progress. Even romance is part of the series although much of it is subtle and thus not a central element. To enjoy a series like this, it’s important to realize why the characters are there and what they do in the story. It can even be supplemented by the charming comedy especially with the clever usage of its dialogues. Indeed, this series can feel snarky at times but accomplishes with humor in a sort of cheeky delight.
How do I describe the feeling of the artwork? Imagine a color blind person seeing color for the very first time. That’s pretty much a gist of it. Kyoto Animation not only takes the character designs to a whole new level but also with its stellar visual quality. Beauty is expressed by the colorful backgrounds and rich resources. There’s also a great amount of focus on character expressions. Like I mentioned before, this series expresses music with ensemble through human emotions. In essence, the artwork adapts that to precision and understands how to portray them each episode. This is also enhanced by the noticeable body gestures where characters can at times express their actions without dialogues. There’s probably a lot more words to describe the overall tone of the artwork but this series knows what the audience wants and lives up to the hype of what the studio stands for.
When it comes to soundtrack and music, the series is well aware of what it needs to do. Music after all, is a centerpiece of this series. Without it, it would be like a grey little world without color. But with its colorful music, the series enlighten itself to its highest degree thanks to its instrumental music. There’s all types of sound you’ll hear from this show ranging from those played from the tuba, contrabass, trumpet, and of course euphonium. Now, I’m not a big expert on music but the show achieves its purpose to deliver what the audience needs to hear. The OP and ED theme songs are also decorative with an uninformative style on par with its musical merit. In addition, the show does a decent job to weed out the strongest and weakest links through music talents. Finally, voice mannerisms are tolerable especially for our main cast. Each of them shows a different personality that is quite diverse and matching thanks to their voice. From Sapphire’s timid voice tone to Reina’s cool yet confident style, it’s something that’s hard to miss.
Hibike Euphonium takes the idea of music and brings in a story with charm, emotion, inspiration, and youthful appeal. In a musical genre where there’s emotions, you’d have to believe what the characters are doing. Thanks to its execution, the show accomplishes that in a variety of ways. From the experiences and relationships that our characters forges, its shows that Hibike Euphonium is more than just about producing music. This series is a lot easier to understand though once you appreciate what it’s trying to do. It’s a combination of feeling easy, familiar, and also a bit of fun. And it also shows that talents aren’t born but earned. After all, there’s no such thing as free lunch.
vegetablespirit
Kyoto Animation's success with K-On gave a new face to the genre of music anime—a face that focused on the activities of cute girls in a group, and to a lesser extent, their relationships. Hibike Euphonium is more or less the same formula, but on a much larger scale; a school band of boys and girls alike. Said school band is aiming for a mere shot at the nationals with the help of an instructor much stricter than they'd prefer. It's by no means an original concept, but it would be acceptable if it showcased the trials a band faces in an admirable fashion; instead,Hibike is more concerned about weak shoujo ai coupled with the insecurities of its characters.
Kumiko and her friends are the main source of those insecurities, and they're not much more than what you'd expect from a teenage group of anime characters: naïve, overstating, and worried about love. Little can be said about unique characteristics or personalities, since aside from a few cute quirks (like a character naming her tuba 'Tubacabra'), there are next to none. To balance this weakness out, the show introduces the collected and beautiful bandmate Reina, whose mutual admiration with Kumiko tends to go a little overboard. There's a load of flirting between the two without any romantic development, which leads me to believe the relationship is only there to give a reason to the protagonist's unnatural success; the two are driven by a non-existent love for each other, and it is not convincing in the slightest.
That wasted screentime could have been better used on the development of the school band, who the viewer only gets to know about a quarter of. Because of that lack of focus, there is no unifying element of teamwork to the storyline—you are merely watching a few people surrounded by background characters whenever they play. Their instructor, Taki, is often pointing out musical flaws or weaknesses in certain sections of the band, but the lack of familiarity with the members makes their struggle to improve near meaningless. Unless you're driven by any personal nostalgia, it is seemingly impossible to empathize with anyone. It really makes the end goal to reach the nationals both predictable and uninteresting, as well as boring to watch.
The animation of Hibike Euphonium is great. Crisp, fluid, and full of detail, it's something that can only be expected of the notorious studio behind it. The art itself isn't as impressive, but acceptable; everything looks as if it's been bathed in layers upon layers of oil, even excessive by the standards of teenage hygiene. Regardless, watching each instrument as it's being played is always a real treat.
Hearing them is pretty nice, too. It's likely the only real indicator of progress in the series, as they go from sounding like your average school band to something deserving of recognition pretty quickly. In fact, it's a little too abrupt of an improvement. Later performances begin to sound too professional for their age level, and as beautiful as it is, it's immersion-breaking. For better or for worse, you can tell that the soundtrack was performed by a group that makes its anime counterpart pale in comparison.
Clumsiness aside, Hibike manages to fit into the formula its predecessors put in place, albeit quite half-heartedly. The fundamentals are all there, but the soul is missing. It's drab, often slow, and questionable in focus, but it is what it is. If you're looking for something light and simplistic, go nuts. Just don't expect much in the drama department, OK?
FurankuSan
EDIT: Now that the series has finished, here are my thoughts of the series. I am sick and tired of seeing people saying that this is just another show like "K-ON!". Because it's KyoAni, people will think that this show is less on music and more on moe blobs. Seriously? It isn't. The story is really simple and I like it because it stays that way. It doesn't go overboard and it doesn't even complicate stuff. The story is about a struggle of one band trying to get in the Nationals and take home the gold. And guess what? They portray the story realistically. It portrays so muchreal life problems of a band and KyoAni really pulled it off so well.
Now, I am not a band geek nor have I joined a band but probably, those things happen.
If you're asking if there is some romance on this anime well, just a bit. There's one episode where it's pure romance but then they get back to music on the later episodes. This anime is heavy on Slice of Life, Drama and Music. Not Romance.
Yes, this anime does have some moe stuff on it but trust me, it's more than the moe stuff they show.
The ending of this season was also well executed. That's how you end a season.
The only flaw of the series is the part on who is going to play the solo for the trumpet. Now, actually it was good at first but the execution was bad and corny.
For the animation, it's colorful and amazing. Everything on this anime has details. Well, not as detailed as Zankyou no Terror but for a music anime and placing a lot of moe blob, it doesn't really need to go overboard and it works already. The fluidity of the animation when they play the instruments was really good and KyoAni did a great job on that one.
For the sound, maybe I'll just give it a 9/10. I am not onto trumpets and stuff but, I really like the music. The opening theme is also really catchy.
For the characters, they portray it so well. The conflicts of each character are portrayed realistically.
We have Kumiko. She's just a normal character. Now, this isn't a character where she's so passionate about music. No, this character is different. She doesn't have a lot of passion in music (Anymore... Maybe) and yet, she ends up joining the band but why is that?
Well, it's probably because of Kumiko's experience when she was on a band in middle-school. The anime portrays a lot of flashbacks about Kumiko's experience such as not getting into the Nationals, her getting in the audition but her rival failed, etc. These emotional flashbacks affected Kumiko but why is she joining the band? Well, this is my opinion but something is telling me that she isn't ready to let go with the band. Deep inside that if she lets go, she doesn't know what to do anymore. She doesn't even like playing the Euphonium but she ends up playing with it because that's her signature instrument and that's where she is good at.
Another main character is Reina who really strives getting into the Nationals and take home the Gold. Unlike Kumiko, she has a passion on the band and she has a passion on playing the trumpet like her Dad. She takes the band very seriously and she doesn't take the band just to have fun. She really tries hard to get into the Nationals.
There are still more characters on this anime who portrayed a life of a band in High-school really well.
So, why are you not enjoying the show? It's either you cannot relate to it or you're looking for something deeper on other than this. I can't even relate to bands and yet, this anime tries their best to let me understand on what a life of a band in High-school is about.
This is one underrated anime of Spring 2015 and I think it deserves more attention. Especially for people who hated K-ON! thinks this show will be bad and I think they're wrong. I haven't watch K-ON! but, I think this isn't another K-ON!. I've seen other reviews about K-ON! and it's flaws are not found here on Hibike! Euphonium. This isn't another show where they focus heavily on Comedy and focuses a lot on MOE BLOBS. Unlike K-ON!, this show portrays the struggle of a band really well.
If you love the first 2 episodes, watch further. However, if you were bored to death on the first 2 episodes, it's best if you drop the show.
The director of this show is Ishihara Tatsuya - the one who directed The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya. He has shown his potential on how great he is in directing.
Hopefully, there'll be a second season of this show. This time, how they will become No. 1 in Japan.
Score: 9.4/10 - FINAL SCORE
lollith
As a person who has had his fair share of pointless Moe blob shows I admit that my initial impression of Sound! Euphonium wasn't the best. In all honesty, The moment I saw the cover of the show I dismissed it as another Moe blob show and skipped it without much thought, and It was only through high ratings and numerous recommendations that I decided I would give it a chance. But even then I wasn't convinced. I went into the first episode with a face of disdain. Only to watch further and further until I realized how terribly wrong I was. Sound! Euphonium gaveme a slap in the face and made me realize how shallow I have become. I shall never judge a book by it's cover again.
The story follows Oumae Kumiko, a former Euphonium player who looks to change her life as a High School Freshman. Ironically although she wants to avoid the High School Brass Band she gets pulled into joining along with her two new friends, and there she accidentally meets her former bandmate Kousaka Reina. A girl she accidentally insulted in junior high.
The story itself is pretty simple and isn't very original.If that's the case then what exactly is so good about this show? One of the reasons is because of Euphonium's representation of youth. Sure Euphonium is a show about music. The show is centered around music. But even more than that Euphonium is a show about hardships, ambition, frustration, friendships,life. Euphonium is just so much more than an anime about music.
That doesn't mean the music is overlooked or anything. On the contrary the music in Euphonium is absolutely spectacular. The band pieces that the club plays sounds exactly like an actual brass band. When I say that I am not only talking about the good pieces but also the bad pieces in the beginning of the show. The band sounds very much like an actual High School Band and I definitely appreciate that.The soundtrack apart from the actual music pieces are also quite varied and all fit the mood quite well.
As a show created by KyoAni you would normally expect the usual eyegasm inducing animation that the studio has become commonly known for. Well let me tell you Euphonium takes Kyoani's standards and puts it on a whole new level.I am not kidding at all.The amount of detail from the fingerings of the instruments,character expressions,backgrounds,etc are just amazing. There is also a hint of realism in the animation that fits the show just perfectly. I really couldn't do the animation justice explaining it here. You just have to go see yourself.
It's nice to see that Euphonium has a nice story, stunning animation, and beautiful sound. But that would all go to waste if the characters weren't good. Well fear not, for Euphonium's strongest aspect comes from it's characters.
You have Oumae Kumiko, A High school freshman who doesn't seem to have any special goals in her life, and wants to have a fresh start at her new school. At face value Kumiko doesn't seem very interesting, but dig a little deeper and you realize that there is so much more to Kumiko than your average female lead. Probably the most enjoyable part of her is watching her change along with her interactions with the other people in the band. Seeing her grow over the course of the show from an indecisive person who doesn't really know what to do with her life to a person who hungers to get better with her Euphonium is truly a rewarding experience.
On the other hand you have Kousaka Reina. A cold and seemingly distant trumpet player. Reina to me is a person that puzzles me constantly because it is often very hard to see what she's thinking. On the outside she has this cold demeanor but through her various interactions with Kumiko you realize that there is so much more to Reina than what you see on the surface.
Most people who has ever been in a school band can probably attest to this when I say that usually not everyone is on the same page. What I mean by this is that not everyone has the same goal in mind. Some people are in the school Band to just have fun playing their instrument while there are others who take music more seriously and want to start a career out of it. Some people are naturally better at others while there are others who drag the whole band down. It's not as simple as just putting up a goal and working towards it. Everyone has their own opinions and their own ideals. Sound! Euphonium knows this and represents this perfectly. The side characters are not just there to become background characters with little relevance, but each of them have their own personalities, their own opinions, their own motives. Probably one of the greatest examples of this would be Tanaka Asuka. An eccentric but extremely talented Euphonium player who is liked by most people. Her energetic personality and humorous demeanor makes her a very fun person to watch, but as I watched deeper and deeper I realized that there was much more to Asuka than meets the eye. Honestly speaking Asuka couldn't care less about the emotional drama that happens in the club. Asuka is always neutral. She never picks sides and always distances herself away from the drama that goes into the club. Asuka doesn't have any emotional investment whatsoever with the members. This can probably be seen best in a scene where Kumiko asks her who she thinks should be the solo, and Asuka answers frankly that she doesn't care. It's these types of differing attitudes that make the club seem like an actual school band, and not one that is conveniently made for anime.
Honestly speaking one of the reasons why I have become so attached to this show is because of the chemistry between Kumiko and Reina. At the start of the show part of the reason Kumiko didn't want to continue the Euphonium was partly because of Reina. In the beginning of the show Kumiko seems to have a really hard time understanding why other people can play with such dedication, and this is evident when Kumiko asks if Reina thought that they would actually make it to the nationals in Junior High. If anything Kumiko just seems to want fun with playing the Euphonium. She doesn't want to be so devoted playing an instrument at the beginning. Through the course of the show though Kumiko ends up finding the motivation to play from none other than Reina herself. Although they seem to be completely different from each other. They are similar in the fact that they both isolate others from getting too close to them. Reina realizes later on that Kumiko is isolated like herself and wants to become close with her, because she thinks that Kumiko might be able to understand her motivations for wanting to stand out from the others. This is what becomes the motivation for Kumiko to take playing the Euphonium seriously. After learning more about Reina's ambitions. Kumiko wants to become special to. She doesn't want to be left behind by Reina. This intimate relationship between the two characters is just absolutely beautiful.
That's not to say the show is completely devoid of any problems though. Kumiko and Reina's chemistry end up taking up too much of the spotlight which ends up making the other potential romance completely fizzle out and become something that completely gets shadowed over.This is a very minor problem but its still worth pointing out.
To say that Sound! Euphonium was surprising to me would be an understatement. It completely blew away my expectations and then some. If there was anyone who was in a similar situation like me and decided to skip this show I urge you to give this show a chance. You might be surprised to see what you find.
Tavinreyes257
Hibike! Euphonium was absolutely gorgeous and blew away my expectations in every field. Kyoto Animation at their best what I mean by that is their ability to make the viewer fully engaged into a slice of life anime. Throughout my extensive catalog of anime I have had my fair share of the slice of life genre and I can say with the utmost confidence that Euphonium is definitely one to check out. I started watching the anime on the pretext of a group of people saying it may be the anime of the season. Upon hearing that statement from my high horse I decided thatit may be worth looking into. In the course of watching the show I constantly reminded myself that SNAFU Zoku was the anime of the season and as I completed the final episode of Euphonium I painfully, but not regrettably, give Euphonium anime of the season.
Story - You have to "love" anime Synopsis' because they merely scratch the surface. The Story focuses on a band club that commits to make it into the national competition little did they know how far away they were from meeting that goal.
Art - The backgrounds! The highlights! I haven't been shown the beauty of 2015 animation until Euphonium premiered. Kyoto Animation really made an outstanding piece of work. No matter how familiar I am with their works it still did not prepare me for the beautiful display of emotional scenes that were blissfully captured.
Sound - Its of the Music genre of course the music would be emphasized. The music was very dependent on the skill of the club so as you would watch the show from beginning to end you could see their growth as well as hear it. I am no where near a person that can critique music but if you listen closely you could see how just a small change of sound and a strength of breath can take music a long way.
Characters - Kumiko by far was my favorite as her inspiration was Reina who possessed an undying dedication to music as well as her future. Kumiko broke my preconceived image of her as the optimistic protagonist we have all seen before within the first episode. These two made for the most stunningly beautiful scenes I have ever seen in a long time. In the beginning each club member was made to make a decision not only as a club but also as individuals. The characters that were focused on in the anime each had something different that would propel them past their limits.
Enjoyment - Hands down this is a contender for anime of the year. I enjoyed every episode and I can potentially see myself rewatching Euphonium in the future.
For my closing remarks I would like to talk about how good of an anime it was for the music genre instead of the slice of life aspect I have been ranting on about. Musically, it was superb for an anime for being set in high school. So for my final piece, I would like to say Euphonium is better than "Your Lie In April" for many reasons that I wish I could disclose to the general public, however, I am afraid I cannot incorporate spoilers in this review. I know it is a bold claim as I too, am a fan of "Your Lie In April". In whichever case I hope you take this review into account when you decide on your next anime.
AmbiguousMonster
Hibike! Euphonium is a curios production that in narrative, visuals and music has moments where it truly shines, but sadly they are diluted by mediocre plot points, unnecessary characters and unusual story structure, taking what could have been a strong and emotionally resonant series down to a pleasant, but ultimately scarcely memorable watch. The story, centered around Kumiko Oumae and her music class companions as they try to get to the nationals, is very inconsistent in terms of emotional intensity, pacing and enjoyment. Throughout the early episodes, the story is focussed on introducing Kumiko and her friends, Midori and Hazuki, to the audience, however this islittle initial tension or overbearing atmosphere to keep the audience engaged through this middling introduction. Hazuki increasing her capacity to breate, though insightful to those who are interested in the qualities required to play a wind instrument, is neither comedic nor engaging; even worse, it feels as though the audience are being forcefully pulled away from the considerably more interesting side characters like Asuka, Reina and the instructor, Taki. As the narrative progresses, other characters do become more relevant, but the results are mixed. An entire episode is spent focussing on a love triangle that goes nowhere, a conspiracy of nepotism that adds nothing and the main character faltering the episode before the climax. However, that’s not to say that the story is a failure; specific moments are so well written and directed that they are simply breathtaking, such as second halves of episodes 8, 11 and 13. On the whole, this leads to a story that feels too long in some ways, as it has many redundant gears that simple exist to pad out the series, yet too short in others, as the more interesting and resonant parts are never given the focus they deserve. Tragically, though all the ingredients were there to construct a heart-warming, memorable story, they were not handled with the competence required to make this a truly great slice of life series.
The characters are much like the story in terms of how mixed they are. Reina Kousaka is without a doubt the highlight character, boasting a stoic and occasionally cryptic attitude that makes her intriguing, but having sufficient depth and believability to make her relatable. Her scene on the mountain with Kumiko was the magnum opus of this anime, having sufficient build-up to warrant the reveal of her ideals without feeling cheap or melodramatic. However, her full potential isn’t quite reached, as conflicts are introduced regarding her, yet they rarely reach a resolution. Taki, the instructor, is also a very watchable character, but he gets little development or screen time, which, given the conspiracy surrounding his relationship with Reina, is quite a missed opportunity. Speaking of missed opportunities, Asuka has little done with her character after it is established, though thankfully this fault isn't nearly as glaring, as her interactions with the rest of the cast more than make up for it. However, regarding the character cast of Hibike! Euphonium, the praise ends there. The other characters all fall into the categories of being either disappointingly mediocre or outright boring. Kumiko joins the former category; perhaps she was intended to act as a character through which the audience could view the others, but this approach leaves much to be desired, because she seems like too much of a blank slate. She does have some development in the penultimate episode, but by then it is too little, too late, coming off as more of a desperate attempt at character growth instead of a relatable problem.
Instead of giving her more consistent growth, time is wasted on her friends, Midori and Hazuki, whose company would perhaps be more appreciated if they didn’t distract from the emotional core of the series, Kumiko and Reina’s relationship. As they are, they’re annoying, uninteresting friends who say way too much and add much too little. Though other characters, like Natsuki and Aoi aren’t bad by any means, they waste ample time in an anime that really needs to pick and choose its foci better. However, though everything mentioned thus far is mixed to a varying degree, there is one constant in Hibike! The comedy is uniformally bad. There is not one genuine laugh provided even though every trick in the moe-book-of-laughs is used. Breast gags come off as more obnoxious than anything else, awkward character interactions make the audience feel just as uncomfortable and the over the top facial expressions don’t gel with the more dramatic nature of the series. Sometimes the comedy and drama are shifted between with so little grace that the audience suffer from tonal whiplash, and occasionally it feels like even the series doesn’t know what it’s trying to communicate. That’s not to say the drama is done poorly; quite the contrary. The climax of the series sent chills down my spine, and the aforementioned conversation between Reina and Kumiko in Episode 8 resonated to my very soul. If there were more moments like this, Euphonium might have been great, but it must simply settle for being decent.
Surely the animation is its saving grace, right? Kyoto animation always delivers in this regard, right? Well, if you consider a spotless glass of water to be beautiful, then this will probably appeal to you. However, for me it didn’t stick out nearly enough most of the time to make this series a real spectacle. The character designs are bright and consistent, fluid and detailed, but lack a sense of identity needed to make them memorable. Chuunibyou’s character designs had a exuded a sense of silly optimism, giving the audience an idea of who they are before they even spoke. Hibike! Euphonium’s character designs, on the other hand, didn’t really have much emotion. Aside from Reina, who the animators seemed to priorities above everyone else just like the writers did, Kumiko and the others, particularly the males, are monotonous to watch, with their plain uniforms and uninteresting expressions. The animators not only seemed to put their best efforts into the best characters, but the best scenes as well. For the most part, the series is set in a detailed, yet ultimately blandly coloured and designed room, feeling very claustrophobic and unengaging, both visually and narratively. On top of that, wind instruments are, by design, not particularly notable visual stimulants, and the anime fails to work around this. Aside from the occasional mouth movement, the euphonium and trumpet players only occasionally move a single finger, and that’s in the rare instance that the frame is focussed on them. That's not to say the instruments themselves were bad, as they are extremely well drawn and lit, but they weren't utilised properly. The occasionally visited lake, however, is absolutely breathtaking, as is Reina’s resplendent white dress in episode 8 and the bridge shown during Kumiko’s meltdown in episode 12, which, along with the accompanying strong facial animation and soaring music, leaves me both wistful to see more, and disappointed that such well-directed scenes are so few and far between. On the whole, Hibike! Is easy on the eye, but serves very little purpose for the vast majority of the anime.
The score is much like the visuals; technically, it’s high quality, with crisp sound effects and realistic instrument sounds, but it feels much too safe and by-the-numbers to impress like it should, particularly in an anime the focusses so heavily on music. The OP and ED are both completely forgettable, often starkly contrasting the more dramatics episodes in the series and they’re both overall weak, generic songs in their own right. The voice acting for the male characters in this series is completely forgettable, even for Taki-sensei, barring one or two emotional moments. Kumiko’s fairly good, Asuka and Reina are both great, but Midori and Hazuki are nails on a chalk board, absolutely irritating in every line they speak. Interestingly, I think the voice actress for Kaori was the stand out, capturing the emotional intensity and restraint of her character in a role that would have been very easy to fumble in. The OST doesn’t back up this relatively strong group of voice actors very well, shining only, as was mentioned earlier, in the same moments as the characters and visuals, but being disappointingly mediocre in every other respect. It’s pleasant, certainly, and keeps up with the pace, but nothing is memorable or evoking, as the series further proves its inability to reach its potential.
The themes presented in Hibike! Euphonium, at least on paper, are resonant, relatable to people regardless of their age and should make for some emotionally satisfying moments. Themes such as being the underdog, finding self-acceptance and self-value and enjoying the little moments in life are all present. However, much like every other aspect of Hibike!, they’re a mixed bag. Reina herself struggles with her love for Taki, while also feeling slightly uncomfortable around him and very defensive of him, though this never reaches anything. Kumiko struggles with her ability, though after an outstanding character moment, this is resolved too easily and too late. Such themes and scenarios are peppered throughout, but the series messily tangles them, introducing too many and resolving few of them. Even Asuka is hinted to have some hidden secrets, but they never come to fruition.
Overall, Hibike! Euphonium is a can-see anime. If it looks like it will appeal to you, if you have fond memories of being in a school band or aren’t as concerned about messy structure, then you will by no means regret this. It’s pretty to look at, sound pleasant, and has some stand out moments that elevates it from so-so to decent, though if, like me, you would prefer something with a more decisive and competent handling of its themes and characters, there are better anime out there for you. However, a second season could blow many of my problems away, and if there is a second season, I’ll be watching.
(On a side note, the translation of Hibike! Euphonium to Sound! Euphonium is one I disprove of. Instead, direct and more tonally accurate translate would be “You Can Play! Euphonium”, though perhaps this would make the product less marketable. )
Neetfriek
I really don’t know about this series. I know for sure that it WAS NOT good, but I don’t really know what to think about it and what exactly I liked and disliked about the series. I know that it looked really pretty and there were some beautiful moments, but many of these key scenes didn’t have a purpose that was fulfilled by how they looked. Its as if the show wanted to look nice just to look nice and the images didn’t enhance the plot as much as they should have. Speaking of the plot, it was mostly hit or miss with both thefirst and second halves feeling weak in their own ways. The first half had some enjoyable parts but the main cast didn’t really mesh together in any real or believable way, and most characters didn’t have anything to really like about them. Many were bland and didn’t have much purpose aside from either being an obstacle or fulfilling an aside that fed into the main conflict. Kumiko was likable to an extent and received the most development, and I can really appreciate that she isn’t put into a certain mold and feels conflicting and layered enough that she feels the most real, but she was a character that would have been better served in a better plot.
The plot was, personally, the weakest part of the series in part to how inconsequential it felt at times, and how many of the surrounding elements did not service it in a meaningful way. What I mean by this is that many of the asides that the series which served to either flesh out the world, provide character development, or explain the situation in a practical way, didn’t seem to have much impact because the time spent developing these scenes did not, in turn, provide a similarly large effect on the world. Often the understandings of other characters to what is happening or the status quo does not change and it feels like most of these moments could have easily been tossed aside and it almost seems like they were. That is not to say that certain scenes such as Kumiko and Rikka on the mountain aren’t memorable, but that it instead feels like it came out of nowhere and disappeared without any real impact on what is going on. You could call it subtlety and say that development on these characters is meant to be subdued and realistic, but even in that case it doesn’t work because we do not spend enough time getting to know these people to really know how their feeling. Other than Kumiko who, admittedly, did believably change over the course of the series.
Aside from this, the series feels the need to shove all development down our throat with useless narration which often repeats to us things we could understand just by watching what is happening, and most of the time comes off as redundant and unnecessary which ultimately takes you out of the experience.
As a whole, the plot showed promise, particularly at the beginning where the destination and the obstacles were made clear and the possibilities of truly coming together while working towards something meaningful as a group seemed like what the series was aiming for, while emphasizing the attempted repair of an awkward friendship. The problem, I think, is that the series was too short. I faulted the series’ inconsequential asides but I believe if this same story was told over more episodes and we really got to know more members of the band then while seeing them all interact would have given the story more impact as we see how the events of the story matter to them and better understand what makes them who they are. Instead nothing feels like it really matters because as certain elements are introduced, they often don’t have a worthwhile conclusion or don’t add anything to the story. They may tell you more but not enough that you know why it matters.
As the story progresses certain events only add unnecessary drama or hold the overall plot back either because the whole story also has the misfortune of being largely predictable, and because they do not add any further tension when the stakes were clearly established and characters act in a way that defy what is best for everyone and holds everyone back.
Finally, and this is much more personal, I did not enjoy Kumiko and Rikka’s relationship. To be clear, most of the characters lacked meaningful relationships, but I did not see a reason to enjoy their’s in particular. Nor did I see any reason to justify them as a yuri pairing. NONE AT ALL. I am being entirely serious. None of their interactions in the beginning gave me any reason to believe either of them even liked each other nor do they even seem to get along most of the time. They just have vaguely romantic moments that serve no purpose and feel very out of place.
All in all, I don’t hate the series, but I do have many problems with it, and would easily say that it is my least favorite Kyoto Animation show of recent memory. I can give credit to Kumiko being likable enough to make some parts bearable, and for the ending actually feeling fulfilling. However, most everything else was not enjoyable and I began to actively dislike the show by the 3rd quarter. I didn’t like the characters, I didn’t like how the plot flowed, and while the show is beautiful, the art does not add anything nor do anything to bring you closer to the world. Its pretty but without substance.
ChrissyKay
I'm a music person. I've always been one, though at the beginning it was in heart alone. In middle school I played violin, trumpet and sang in the choir, and I was told promptly and I quote that I sounded like "a cat being run over by a lawnmower". This didn't get me down though (for some reason,) in fact I saw my apparent absolute lack of any talent whatsoever to be a sign that I was meant to pursue music. I continued to practice much to the suffering of everyone around me, and though I experienced harsh criticism along the way I'm now incollege and I'm part of two prestigious music groups and consider myself to be a functioning member of the music community. I can look back and track my progress from hopeless wannabe to soloing for Joe Biden at his Christmas party at the National Observatory. I still have the napkins I stole from his bathroom. Hopefully no NSA cameras were watching.
Sound! Euphonium is a show all about this struggle, the burning desire to make your seemingly impossible ambitions come to life, and so while I am obviously laden with personal bias due to my background I will still stand here and testify as an equally great fan of storytelling that as the great Euphonium yuri shipping fad of Spring 2015 comes to an end, what we're left with is... a pretty spectacular show.
Kyoto Animation has developed quite the reputation for itself over the past decade with shows such as Haruhi Suzumiya, Clannad, K-On and Hyouka, to name a few. Anyone who's seen more than one of these has probably noticed a trend; it's not something they try to hide. KyoAni loves three things, or rather they know that anime viewers love them: high school, slice-of-life, and moe. Literally everything they've put out in over ten years has had these traits, and they've been spectacularly effective at least in part due to them. I've heard a lot of people complain about how KyoAni's endless fluff shows are ruining anime, and to that I would say: KyoAni really hasn't made that many shows. Blame other studios trying to replicate their success for the moeblob spam that inevitably flood every season. When KyoAni DOES make a show, however, anyone who is willing to put up with the inevitable fluff should check it out, and Sound! Euphonium is no exception. Actually, I would go so far as to say that Sound! Euphonium is one of the best KyoAni shows to ever be produced. Euphonium is pretty much the perfected embodiment of KyoAni's strengths: the art is stunning. The character animation is out of this WORLD. The writing and drama are strong and honest. The music... ohhhh the music.
As the name would imply (and contrary to what many lusting fans seem to believe,) Euphonium is a show about music. Yes, there are drama and romance in it but its first-and-foremost focus is on the growth of the high-school band in which our protagonist Kumiko is a euphonium player. Because of this, the show has a very group-oriented focus, because hey, bands are a group effort. The band cannot succeed without the effort and cooperation of ALL of its members, not just the protagonists, and while Kumiko and her close friends strive for personal improvement both in attitude and talent Euphonium shows us time and again that they are inevitably only part of a collective whole that must all come together in this way in order to be successful. This is the first aspect in which the show absolutely wowed me:
THE CHARACTERS
Euphonium is a short 13 episodes, and yet not only does it manage to deeply develop the protagonist and her close relationships but also follow a supporting cast of an unbelievable size. More than ten characters have full arcs across the length of the show and countless others gets development and recognizable personalities. Despite this, the show never feels rushed and it never feels as though its detracting attention from either the main cast or the band itself. It does this by carefully weaving the character's struggles together so that each episode focuses on a plethora of conflicts, showing how they may or may not be connected but also how they all matter as part of the band's dynamic. No one gets left behind: there are small, quick scenes all over the place keeping tabs on all of the characters, and by the end when I'm watching the band preform it feels like I'm actually connected to the ensemble rather than just some of the people that are in it.
On the other hand, the main cast are individually compelling as well: Kumiko is definitely up there as one of the best female protagonists of all time, as someone who is relatable, charismatic, and a touch-- dare I say-- deep? She begins the show as directionless but contemplative, and as her obviously intense thought process slowly guides her towards something she cares about she experiences some of the most profound moments I've ever seen in an anime: spectacularly executed scenes about the pursuit of passion and trying to weigh what's supposed to matter against what matters to you personally. (Of course, the show handles these ideas in a much more tactful way than I just did, and that's really what sells it.) Her exceptionally driven comrade (and secret lesbian lover) Reina is actually equally compelling: her frustration with others apathy, her honesty about her own ambition, and her struggle to try to interact with others in a way that is more tactful but still honest all add up to make her a suitable romantic counte-- I mean, "best friend" for Kumiko, the protagonist. You'll get plenty of heartwarming scenes from the two of them, but you'll also get ones that are powerful and true: Euphonium is one of KyoAni's most driven shows, and it is not content to just sit back and be cute and charming. Much like Reina and Kumiko it wants to go places, and go places it does.
THE PLOT
I was actually amazed by how much story the show managed to cover in thirteen episodes. Much like an elegant trombone slide the story of the show progresses fast but smooth, blending together with the character's development to achieve that most desirable effect that all slice-of-life shows dream of: a plot that is driven by countless small moments rather than a few obvious big ones. Life doesn't move in big shifts, it moves through countless small moments, and Euphonium captures that. The band grows and improves, both in sound quality and relationship, such that it is an unrecognizable ensemble by the end of the show. Progress and change are steady in the show, but they aren't dramatized. You can look back and see how far the band and the characters have come (and they do the same thing) but it's not something where you can point to a specific moment and say "this is where things changed". Things are ALWAYS changing. What I will say, without spoiling anything, is that Euphonium has a definitive story and conclusion. It isn't just a slice-of-life where stuff happens and then at the end some stuff has happened and it teeters off: Both Euphonium and its characters have a goal, and by the end of the show we are given a definitive resolution to that goal. While a sequel would be both possible and much desired, it is not required as the show does a great job (especially amongst anime, which are known for having obnoxious unresolved conclusions) of having a powerful and definitive ending, with what was in my opinion the best episode of the season (and maybe even the year if not for episode 9 of Death Parade) thanks to its top-tier character moments and ABSOLUTELY FRIGGING GORGEOUS MUSIC
THE SOUND
This is the VERY BEST soundtrack I have EVER experienced. Not because it's the prettiest or catchiest music-- though it is extremely enjoyable, but because like everything else in the show it is the most impressively nuanced thing I've ever heard. People don't comically suck in Euphonium: they're usually just kind of sloppy and sad, so that you can tell not just that they're not great but exactly how "not great" they are. When the band first plays, it's not an abomination: it's simply lacking, morose, and full of small yet noticeable errors in tempo and pitch. It's not hard on the ears, but it's not fun to listen to either. However, as everyone improves and the talent of both the individuals and the group gets spectacularly better you can HEAR it. You can hear the marked improvement, even though there are still errors. You can hear the energy and vitality that begins to seep into everyone's performance. You can hear each rehearsal as the pitch becomes clearer and the parts begin to line up crisper. As I mentioned earlier I'm a music person myself, so I obviously have a little bias here. But I still firmly believe that this show NAILS IT with carefully executed performances and a stunning attention to detail when it comes to comparing and contrasting different sounds. One scene that jumps to mind (without spoiling anything: I'll be vague) is when characters are auditioning for a solo part and two markedly stunning performances are given... and yet despite how good one of them is you can still hear just how much better the other is. I was blown away. The show respects the audience, playing the music as it would be and letting them decide for themselves what they think sounds best rather than making the gap in performance qualities obvious enough that anyone can notice it as a contrived indication of talent.
THE ART
is gorgeous. Remember Hyouka? Well, it's more of that. It might even be prettier in some scenes. The attention to character movements and details is on-point, the direction is godlike, the backgrounds and instruments are both drawn gorgeously. One of my favorite things about the animation is that it ensures that characters are always subtly shifting or moving in some way, as people do, as opposed to using the classic "person standing here and only their mouth or maybe one hand is moving." People move constantly, especially in conversation, and Euphonium captures that bringing everyone in the show to more vibrant life. I'm not holding that against other shows at all though: it's great that KyoAni can do that, but that's pretty much only because they're rich as fuck and can literally bring worlds to life by throwing money at the screen. What they can get credit for though is the way that the scenes and character motions are framed: aka GORGEOUS and indicative of the countless complicated feelings and relationships the various band members have between themselves. This also is some of the most obvious and solid proof of Kumiko and Reina's steamy future, but that's besides the point.
ENJOYMENT
I loved watching this. I loved the performances, as they were borderline epic. I loved the characters, as they were compelling and sweet and diverse and were portrayed in a plethora of environments and moods. I loved the romance, which was touching and adorable and didn't overshadow the actual story. I actually signed up for a crunchyroll trial so that I could watch the new episodes sooner, and I'll be adding this to the top tier of my sequel wishlist. It's short, its amazingly well executed, it's compelling, and I'd pretty much recommend it to anyone. Anime of the season.
OVERALL: 9/10, Most impressive soundtrack of all time, Needs R-rated spinoff.
Reinhath
Hibike! Euphonium is like a symphony. It starts off slow and mellow, then comes at you full force, not letting you go until the very end. Story: Being that it's a KyoAni work, many people deemed the show "K-On in Concert Band" without further thought. From the first two episodes, the show seemed to just be a simplistic slice-of-life, albeit a cute and fun one. However, the plot picks up surprisingly quickly from the show's brilliant third episode. From that point on, Hibike! Euphonium becomes a terrific coming-of-age story, that roused feelings of nostalgia from my very core. The storyline is paced wonderfully, never goingtoo slow or too fast. Plot threads reveal and close themselves in beautiful ways. Sadly, Hibike! Euphonium is based off a series too large to adapt in one cour, so there isn't a defining conclusion. But, because of that same fact, we can hope for a second season.
Art: KyoAni has great animation. It's a well known fact. However, what amazes me is that KyoAni upped their game even more. Every single side character has a unique character design, full of personality, even if they never speak a single line. The particle effects that fill the show make it burst with personality and life. The lighting and colors on the instruments are almost like photographs. The backgrounds are gorgeous. Everything about the art is just perfect. I could rave about it forever.
Sound: This is an anime about music. Unsurprisingly, the music in it is great. The actual soundtrack is orchestrated wonderfully, driving in the emotion of powerful scenes. However, the sound truly shines when the characters play their instruments. The amount of work that must've gone into the subtle differences between each player and each time they play a song astounds me. I mean, the show literally has Sound (Hibike) in the name. The sound better damn well be astounding.
Character: This is where the show truly shines. Well, I give everything about this show a 10/10, so I guess I have to give character an 11/10. The character development is just so realistically written, it hurts. It reminds me of my own high school experiences and the sometimes dumb, confusing ways I felt. I don't know if I can think of another show that has character development so fluid and natural. At the same time, every character is multi-layered in amazing ways. Even some of the side characters who only make a few appearances get their time to show off development or multiple dimensions. You'll love some characters and you'll hate some characters, but ultimately, you'll appreciate how all of them grow.
Everything in Hibike! Euphonium comes together to create a piece that I think is truly special. Give it a shot. You won't regret it.
codydang
"Music is nice. You can't lie. You can only admit when something sounds good." Isn't that so true? Whether or not you like Kyoto Animation, it's hard to deny that Hibike Euphonium sounds amazing. Hibike sounds alive. I don't know how they pulled it off, but the show sounds so human. You hear as students warm up and tune their instruments together, you hear when the trombone players goof up, you hear the protagonist's tone change as she develops her skills, and when the whole band plays together, it's a real treat. This is great sound design--this is music anime donewell.
Besides the music, Hibike looks fantastic too! The attention to detail is especially high with instruments, and with how well the animation syncs with the sound. The combined result of vibrant visuals and lush sound is a truly immersive show.
But what's so cool about this show is that unlike K-on (...which I still guiltily like), this show is a kept promise.
Looking at the poster, you are sold the promise of good orchestral music and cute characters.
And if you came for that...you will not be let down.
But, saying this show is JUST cute girls playing music would be slighting it. The show undersells itself with its moe-looking setup. Hibike tells relatable tales about the struggle of not feeling good enough, shooting for goals that seem out of reach, and of course, relying on friendship and love to power through it all.
But believe me when I say that none of it is cheesy--not everything has to be cynical and brooding like 'Whiplash' to be awe-inspiring like Hibike can be. I would point out specific moments, but you just have to see them...and hear them.
Hibike is a classic example of "short but sweet." The 13-episode length keeps the action rolling and the production value consistent.
As you watch these 13 episodes, you'll be introduced to underdogs you can root for and relate to, as well as geniuses you can admire. You'll follow the steady growth of one determined orchestra band as they reach for the top of their game. And through it all, you'll hear everyone's music, and whether or not you like the soundtrack as much as I did, you won't be wrong--after all, music can't lie.
Tozzy
Watching a Kyoto Animation anime is like being served up a delicious cake. It’s the same cake every time but you know what to expect. There’s icing on top, being the pretty visuals and animation, but usually plays it safe with a ‘vanilla’ group of characters. It’s easy to digest. Hibike! Euphonium however wants to be different. Not only does it comes with sprinkles of substance but it has layers to it, different flavours working in harmony. They aren’t the most incredible flavours you’ve ever tasted but they are still enough to put a smile on your dial. This high school, musical showpiece took meby surprise with its fun blend of band politics and self-improvement. While it hit the odd sour note in the dialogue and story department, this sill became an easily recommendable music feast.
Story
We follow the story of Kumiko Oumae in her first year at Kitauji High School. A long-time player of the euphonium, she finds herself looking for a fresh start in the concert band. She makes friends with Hazuki Katou and Sapphire ‘Midori’ Kawashima along the way and the group look to breathe life back into the band. Former band dramas come to the fore however when Kumiko’s former junior high bandmate Reina Kousaka enters the frame – the two not leaving on the happiest note last time they saw each other. With an unmotivated and underperforming band to work with, things are shaping up to be tough for the new members.
Euphonium is definitely one of those shows that needs to be approached with the right mindset. If you watch this expecting music to be at the forefront 24/7 then you may end up disappointed. The music is instead a vehicle for exploring the motivations of the different band members. While that may sound a little too deep for a show about cute girls playing instruments, you’d be surprised. Those with concert band experience and music students will take a lot away from the drama behind the curtains. That said, you can still take a lot away from the show without such involvement.
The show loves diving into a lot of the little intricacies that go into learning an instrument and learning to play as a group. People get singled out at practice and people have to make sacrifices. Such is life when you want to reach new heights. This isn’t some happy-go-lucky musical field trip. Some students contemplate their future and how band could impact it while others think about their impact on the band’s morale and ability. You can bet relationships get strained over it. The drama is rarely overbearing and makes sense given the current situation of the band. I always was interested to see how disagreements could be resolved, in the musical and the personal department.
I was a little turned off by some of the over-dramatic dialogue. You can find most of these examples when the cast talk to each about wanting to reach another level in their playing. None of these conversations feel natural at all. They sound like they should be standing on a podium with a microphone in front of them. It’s a common complaint I could make about a lot of anime conversations though. It’s nothing new and it’s very easy to overlook.
The romance elements also feel a little shoehorned at times. Love has its own part to play but it’s at its best when it’s being subtle. Some moments simply aren’t, and whenever they come around I’d think to myself ‘I wish they’d just get back to the music already’. To delve any deeper into this goes into spoiler territory so it’s one of those areas you have to judge for yourself.
Characters
One of Kumiko’s most interesting points as a character is watching her reasons to play changing. Different events make her want to back away from it all while others spur her on. While maybe having the least distinct personality of the lead quintet Kumiko is never dull. I wasn’t too interested in her over the opening half of the show but as things change, and she’s forced to become more proactive, her story is more engaging. She isn’t the most memorable main character ever made but she’s one you want to see succeed as the episodes roll by.
Reina is an enigma. She’s easily the most interesting person in the show with that combination of her brooding nature and a desire to be at the top. You can never be sure what she’s thinking. Reina is focused, driven and shut off from the more upbeat personalities she’s surrounded by. I liked how alien Reina behaves in that area. She’s the necessary cool head in a sea of more emotional classmates, but of course she has her own flaws. Her relationship with Kumiko is assessed on a few occasions, they being some of the series’ turning points. At times she steals the show and feels more like the main character.
Hazuki bounces up and down in relevance. She has her moments but feels swept under the rug beyond a certain point in the show. Her energy is infectious and she could have been used a little more often. Then there’s Midori who could have been invisible the whole time and it wouldn’t have made a difference. It’s a pity because there’s something about a tiny contrabass player that’s amusing. I needed more of that.
I love that most of the characters have some value to them, even those on the sidelines. It’s rewarding as viewer to see side characters develop and watch them constantly interacting with our main players. In a show with a large group together like Hibike! Euphonium it helps the concert band feel dynamic. Whether it be the quiet club president Haruka Ogasawara or her polar opposite vice president Asuka Tanaka, they’re all fun to watch. It could have been easy to let this show play out just focusing on one or two characters, but I’m glad they didn’t.
This isn’t a show built on deep characters. It’s a show built on different personalities clashing against one another. I personally found that a good experience, one that matched KyoAni’s setting and design well. You could have taken a more serious route through a different studio, and that could have been fine, but I like what’s been put to screen here.
Visuals & Sound
Speaking of setting and design, there are some mesmerising scenes in this show. There are even scenes that made me say ‘wow’ simply based on its animation quality. Background art is lovely and the instruments look and sound wonderful. KyoAni don’t shy away from animating finger movements at regular intervals, showing off both their handy staff and their budget. That’s an area most like to avoid when it comes to animating musical performances.
They’re also at the top of their game when it comes to animating minor facial expressions and details. It’s the little things that can make a show engaging. There’s twitches, shrugs and other movements studios often decide to leave out of the process. These keep coming at you every episode in Euphonium. Kumiko and Asuka are big winners in this area. It’s also nice to see KyoAni break away ever so slightly from their regular, predictable character designs. Eye design and colouring are the big points there. They’re almost hypnotic. They’ve made some adjustments from the source material that really help bring some spark to certain characters, fusing their own style with the novel perfectly.
It’s a show based on music so the sound better be on point. Thankfully it is. There’s a selection of great group pieces and some amazing solo efforts. Overall it’s a great audio package. I don’t normally make space to discuss OP’s and ED’s either but both deserve a round of applause. Both upbeat blaring brass numbers “Dream Solister” and “Tutti” capture the energy and tone of the show perfectly.
Summary
When you strip back all of the gorgeous KyoAni visuals there is still plenty to be found in both the story and characters department. All the conflict makes sense and people have to make tough decisions. In the face of that, Euphonium rarely becomes too serious for its own good. There are times when it does jump that shark however, particularly in the dialogue department.
The show is at its strongest when the focus is on band politics. The balance between music and romance thankfully favours the music side of things, with the latter’s handling a little clunky. In spite of that, Hibike! Euphonium remains one of the most interesting shows and surprising success stories from the spring 2015 season.
Score: 7/10 (Good)
CodeBlazeFate
There is a sense of wonder and grandeur that hit upon witnessing the first episode of Hibike Euphonium. Perhaps it was due to the outstanding score or the sheer glow the characters had. Perhaps it was how its main character, Kumiko, was immediately presented. It’s hard to quantify such a feeling, but it’s an undoubtedly great feeling as you discover that you’re going to fall in love with a show that is confident in its own greatness. Perhaps the most immediate aspect to hit me was the soundtrack composed by Akito Matsuda. Several of the show’s background pieces convey a sense of tenderness and swelling emotionthat few OSTs can truly match. “Hajimari No Senritsu” stands out as the first piece to provide that intimate and wondrous feeling the soundtrack wishes to convey, and others such as “Shintenchi”, “Iroasenu Kako”, “Ichiho Zutsu Mae”, and especially “Unmei no Nagare” also excel in this regard. It’s impossible for me to do this monumental OST justice, as it’s become one of my favorites in the medium to date and there are several stunning tracks yet to be mentioned such as “Tsutaetai Omoi”, “Ishiki no Houga”, and “Ao Haru no Kunou”. This also fails to include the pieces played by the Kitauji High School band over the course of the show such as the jazzy “Starting the Project (Big Band ver.)” and the centerpiece of the second half: “Mikazuki no Mai (Reina Trumpet Solo ver.)”. On top of that, the show does a wonderful job at cueing the audience into the differences in quality of a character or band’s performance over time and when something sounds perfectly cohesive or disorganized. The epic, expressive, and swelling vocals and instrumentals on the OP, “DREAM SOLISTER” by TRUE is another great song that keeps up with the OST. The ED, “Tutti!” by Kitauji Quartet is also amazing with wonderfully cheerful vocals from the seiyuu of the main 4 characters, and how everything swells up in the climax of the song. It might even be preferable to the OP, which just further highlights how outstanding the show’s music is.
Another fascinating aspect of the show is its unique sense of lighting. Kyoto Animation is generally known for its outstanding attention to detail in its animation and artwork, and this show is no exception. There are several wonderful facial expressions and pieces of highly detailed animation to be found. However, outside of a few slideshow dips, this isn’t what caught my eye the most about the show’s wonderful visuals. The character designs by Shoko Ikeda are beautiful adaptations of the original designs by Nikki Asada, as there’s a sense of shininess to them that takes full advantage of the show’s lighting. Unlike shows such as Mahouka Koukou no Rettousei and The Asterisk War which just have gaudy, oversaturated lighting for no reason, this show has a natural sense of lighting complemented by its beautiful art direction. Water and sweat glisten more vividly than any other show I’ve seen, and whenever characters or their instruments are surrounded by street lights or any other light source, there’s an organic glow that radiates from them. Instruments shine intricately during major performances for similar reasons, and these scenes are all sights to behold. The direction by Tatsuya Ishihara only enhances this, as it rivals his work on The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya. The presentation feels so intimate and tender, which brings the most out of the show’s mesmerizing music, lively lighting, and wonderful writing. Everything feels so organic and lovely that it’s astounding.
This organic nature is also what makes the writing so much better than it could have been. Melodrama has become a dirty word in the anime community, describing an overdramatization of conflict which several fans deride. This is most common in high school dramas, which this show happens to be. There are certainly melodramatic characters in the show which drive a lot of the conflict in the latter half of the season such as Yuuko and Reina. However, the show highlights them in contrast to a lot of the more grounded characters such as Kumiko and Asuka. Kumiko is a wonderful main lead, as she feels particularly natural. Her penchant for thinking out loud and accidentally letting things slip is such a rare trait in anime that the show explores, and the character herself is very expressive yet down to earth. Perhaps more so than anyone else, she feels like a genuine, complicated person with her own well-defined feelings towards others. Others such as Hazuki and Midori have their own fun quirks and struggles with how they play or whenever Midori finds herself catching hopeless feelings for someone with his own complicated relationship with Kumiko.
The last 7 episodes feel especially great at managing a careful tenuous balance between its drama and the show’s tender, more down to earth nature. Melodramatic conflicts such as love triangles, rumors, and competitions for a specific spot that a competitor’s adoring friend escalates are all handled tactfully and are never overplayed in this second half. Even events that Kumiko is haunted by that seem like they might repeat have a wholesome resolution that feels earned and natural to every character involved. Even those such as Asuka and Natsuki, who clearly have their own somber sides that the former hides and the latter exudes at first feel natural and multi-layered when contrasting those sides with their more understanding, cheerful, and good-natured selves that we see them as most often. Even more minor characters have their own personal struggles and layers that are made abundantly clear such as Kumiko’s sister, and events such as the audition tryouts and reminders of the turbulent year had before present-day bring out the most in them with how everything is explored so tactfully and earnestly. It’s hard not to feel sorrow or joy in several moments in the show because of that. Everything feels earnest and natural, rather than forced. This isn’t even mentioning every character and subplot that gets intricately woven together and addressed, otherwise we’d be here all day with spoilers throughout.
The first season of Hibike Euphonium is an astounding show that is far better than I could have anticipated. Its uniquely lively sense of lighting is matched only by its tender and resonant nature exemplified by its direction and music. The natural character writing and drama that rarely feels overplayed only add to how lovely this show is. Sure, there are minor issues such as Kumiko’s narration sometimes feeling unnecessary or there being a few slideshow moments, but they mean little in the face of such a great show. Here’s hoping season 2 matches the quality of this first outing.
CSKaori
Sound Euphonium is an anime with an amazing amount of talent attached to it. The production studio is Kyoto Animation, which has produced no small number of stellar works since its inception. Its animation director Tatsuya Ishihara happened to direct not only The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya, but the masterpiece Clannad: After Story, after having already directed the original Clannad series, which itself was very good. The most important part of having directed After Story is that it shows clearly that Ishihara knows how to craft amazing stories and life-changing experiences that happen to be rooted in surprising realism. Clannad: After Story is an excellentexample of a story whose characters felt like they lived and breathed in a believable world. Just read the 10/10 reviews for it yourself. If you take away the pseudo-fantastical elements, the second half of After Story works wonderfully as a realistic character drama. Its ability to tell a story about interpersonal relationships and how they are able to serve a greater theme is one of the reasons why Sound Euphonium was lucky to get an incredible director like Tatsuya Ishihara.
In order to rightfully understand why Sound Euphonium works so well, you needn’t look further than its two primary characters - Kumiko Oumae and Reina Kousaka.
“Did you really think we could make the nationals?”
Kumiko Oumae is one of the most complex main characters I have ever seen in an anime, full stop. The layers upon layers upon layers of depth surrounding her are remarkable. Though it is not difficult to see how cynics could think otherwise, as not much of her character's creation is ever acknowledged out loud. In fact, Reina is the one person in the entire main cast to realize that there’s more to her than her outward appearance shows.
On the very surface, she seems like any normal high school freshman. She’s cheerful, happy and does most of the things others would on first impression regard as "normal". However there is a hidden apathy to be found within her. While she has a welcoming exterior, it's shown that she cannot bring herself to care about most things and that actually, she is really cold and distant at heart. She has many contrary opinions in her mind that most people do not know about, despite her tendency to unconsciously say her thoughts out loud. It is her apathy that causes Reina to become attracted to her though, and people never realise this until around the 8th episode. Kumiko’s coldness is shown clearly in the first episode, where she is not afraid to admit she never thought her middle school band had a realistic chance to compete at nationals, which seems to upset Reina a lot. When she hears Kitauji’s concert band play for the first time, she notices that they play quite awfully. Her insensitivity plays a huge role in shaping who she is.
Another one of Kumiko’s defining features once again involves her apathy, this time manifesting as peer-pressure. Whenever anyone suggests what Kumiko should do, she tends to do it, but this is not because of an unwilling Kumiko doing something she does not wish to do. In fact, Kumiko finds comfort in what others tell her what to and not to do since it is far easier than doing what she believes is right. She feels she should not apologize to Reina for being insensitive as she believes she was completely correct and in the right by saying it, but she does so anyway because of her newfound friends. In a similar way, Kumiko did not wish to play in Kitauji’s concert band but was persuaded instead by her friends. Kumiko had not enjoyed the concert band for a while and just wanted to leave it all behind her, but she found it easier to simply do what others suggested. She even lets Asuka talk her into playing the euphonium despite her wanting to play the trombone. At any of these moments, Kumiko fails to put up much of a fight, instead going with the flow and not striking out on her own.
Like I said earlier, Kumiko’s coldness comes up in a bunch of different ways. Another one of these is how she treats her relationships with other people. When Midori or Hazuki do or say something that she sees as stupid, Kumiko makes a mental note that she does believes what they are doing is stupid, although she never reveals this to them. Her apathy can also clearly be seen with Shuichi, her childhood friend. Despite knowing each other for a long time, Kumiko does not seem to care about him at all. They happen to both be in concert band with Shuichi even having a crush on Kumiko, but her apathy engulfs their relationship. When Hazuki questions Kumiko on if she likes him, she shuts her down immediately, saying that any attraction she has to him is preposterous. She says she sees nothing there and simply does not want to talk to him. Kumiko also seems eager getting Hazuki to go out with Shuichi, if only to get him off her back.
It is also important to address a adverse effect of Kumiko’s apathy: her large disregard for music. Kumiko is a talented musician, but it is obvious that Kumiko does not realize that, or if she does, she does not care for it. Kumiko is the type of person who chooses her high school based on what their school uniforms look like and does not care much about her grades. She is adrift in her own perception about life. This is obvious in almost every scene early on in the show where she is wallowing by herself in her room.
This may seem like a list of reasons why Kumiko Oumae is a terrible person, one who cannot bring herself to care about anything. And you would be correct in that presumption. As Reina even says at one point, “You sure are an awful person.” However, Kumiko does begin to mellow out as the story progresses. A large part of that (some would say the only reason why she changes the way she is) is because of Reina Kousaka.
“I want to become special. I don’t want to be the same as the others.”
Reina Kousaka starts off as a mysterious yet prominent figure. She is aloof and distant, she does not seem to want to socialize with anyone. In fact, her only interest seems to only be in joining Kitauji’s concert band. This is not without a good reason because, as it turns out, Reina is the most skilled trumpet player in the entire band. This does not put people into her good graces because when it came time to choose between just a good trumpet player and Reina, she ends up one-upping those senior to her.
Reina’s mysteriousness is on screen through much of the series. In that amount of time, we learn only a few things about her. The most important thing is something we learn in the first minute of the first episode - she loves music and is passionate about it. Music is not just something she does for fun, it is something she has based her life around. Her passion for music extends to every corner of her life, including what school she decided to go to. Kitauji was not traditionally a musically-inclined school, but their new teacher Taki is the son of a famous band conductor. Reina’s and Taki’s parents knew each other, and so Reina knew Taki. Her belief and passion in Taki fuels her decision to go to Kitauji, and is one of the many decisions in her life that is affected greatly by her love of music.
Not to be outdone, Reina’s main character trait happens to be her drive to be truly special. Reina wants to be different from everyone else, she wants to be the one that stands out from the crowd. It does not matter whether someone is older than her or whether they’ve been doing it longer, she wants to win. She does this, not by cheating or trying to win over people (like Yuko in the band), but by proving herself to be the best all the time. To Reina, those that are best get the reward. This may seem obvious and you may find it bizarre that I’m noting a trait most musicians have or at least should have. But it is important to place this aspect of Reina under the lens of Japanese culture.
In Japan seniority is king and Kitauji has a seniority system in place which favors the third-years. But Reina does not believe in a system like that. “I’m better than her!” she states when Yuko rejects the notion Reina should play the solo at the competition, instead saying that Kaori should play due to seniority. The notion of the meritocracy is originally a Western idea, not one that the Japanese are often noted for. Therefore it is important to note how Reina’s ideals are strange and full of arrogance when seen through a traditional Japanese lens, and that is why Reina is so unique and why it fits her character so well. Her character is one bent on being as distant from the crowd as possible, to be as special as possible. And you can bet your money that she deserves it.
Another important part of Reina’s character that is revealed slowly through the course of the show (though is present even from the first episode) is the stoic face she puts up. Reina is a person that is absolutely burning with emotion, so much so that it feels as if she is burdened by it. No one around her has as much idealism, happiness, sadness or confidence in themselves. She lives her life believing in so many ideals, but rarely shows them to anyone. The reason is never outright stated but it can be deduced from her background as the daughter of a famous and talented musician that she wants to live up to (and maybe even surpass) in that particular field of music. She is driven and motivated to fulfill what she wants to accomplish. She works hard, does everything she has to in order to succeed, and is frustrated when others around her do not seem to work as hard as she does. This is the reason why Reina screams so much. Whenever she screams, all of the negative emotions she had held inside her are let out. Her cries of frustration are so loud that they echo from whatever high place she chose to scream from.
Reina Kousaka is a person motivated by passion and emotion, though it may not seem like it at first. She knows what she wants and she does what she needs to in order to get it. But that’s not where it ends, because Reina is also an incomplete person who sorely needs someone in her life to balance out her intense emotion. And that person is Kumiko Oumae.
“You won’t abandon me?”
“If I do, you can kill me.”
“I’ll actually kill you.”
“I know you would, Reina.”
The connection binding Kumiko Oumae and Reina Kousaka together is something so obvious just from the end credits of every episode alone. In the credits, Kumiko and Reina are bound together by a red string. In literary terms, this refers to the “red string of fate” where two individuals whose specific destinies are intertwined in a particular way. There is no better way to describe their relationship. They are the perfect foils for each other.
Kumiko is introduced an apathetic and cold person, though this is not obvious to anyone. Reina however, sees right through Kumiko’s facade. Reina’s fascination with Kumiko started the day they won the dud gold and failed to enter nationals. Kumiko’s insensitive remark about not believing they could make nationals sends a teary-eyed Reina sprinting away. Kumiko had always regretted her insensitivity, but she believed what she had said all the same. Despite Kumiko’s regret, it later turned out that Reina had not hated her for that remark. In fact, Reina became attracted to her after that remark. She admired Kumiko’s ability to keep the coldness inside her under wraps. Reina was so intrigued that it made her want to peel that good-girl armor off of her. It is confusing at first trying to understand why Reina is so intrigued by Kumiko exactly. However, what was clear is that Reina sees a lot of herself in Kumiko. Her facade of cheeriness is quite similar to Reina’s own stone faced disposition.
Kumiko was also deeply affected by Reina running away due to them not making nationals. Deep down, Kumiko is perfectly capable of working hard, being passionate, and being just as special as Reina. But instead, she buries all of that deep within herself. It is easier to ignore it all and go with the flow. But that moment when they got the dud gold and Reina ran away was the first time that those aspects of Kumiko started slowly clawing their way out of her. Kumiko is disturbed by this, but ignores it much as she does with many things in her life. It is not until she is confronted by the prospect that Reina is going to be at Kitauji that she begins to feel afraid again. It is important to note at this point that Reina is the only person that has made Kumiko feel this way. Kumiko too had felt a connection form at that moment when Reina ran away. This is when the red string began to be threaded.
All of these desparate emotions and attractions to each other comes to a head when Kumiko invites Reina to go to the Agata Festival with her. Reina seized this is an opportunity to finally tell Kumiko of the emotions that she’d been feeling, though it was not obvious to Kumiko at first. To her and anyone else who would have observed this happening, it would have been simply another example of Reina’s aloofness. Reina had informed Kumiko that they would be bringing their instruments to the mountain with them. A side detail that is quite important here is how Kumiko was willing to drag her euphonium up the mountain with Reina despite her unwillingness to bring it to practice with Shuichi. Kumiko once again subconsciously does something for Reina that she would never do for anybody else.
Once they begin hiking, the chemistry between the two is instant. Kumiko is instantly attracted to Reina, whose outward persona begins to fade the further they get up the mountain. Kumiko’s inhibitions follow and she speaks her mind clearly and honestly in the same way. Reina confesses her “love” for Kumiko, though Kumiko is at first weirded out by it. This “love” is Reina’s appreciation and admiration for the way that Kumiko is - her detachment and her ability to be brutally honest. They reach the top of the summit and it is a lovely view. This is when it becomes clear that sparks really do fly. Kumiko’s mentions that being with Reina is like “losing [her] life to beauty,” and follows that up with saying that she would not mind such at all. They follow this by a discussion on Reina’s wish to be special, capped off by an instrumental duet which, incidentally, is titled “The Place We Found Love.” It is clear from this moment onward that Kumiko begins to “love” Reina the way that Reina loves her.
It is important to stop here again before discussing anything else that the “love” being talked about in this review is not necessary the traditional form of “love.” The connection that begins to be formed between Kumiko and Reina that began at losing the competition but crescendos at the mountain summit is much more than any burgeoning homosexual relationship or anything like that. It is a mental and emotional connection of understanding that surpasses most notions of “friendship” without necessarily being erotic. It is romantic, to be sure, but it never reaches any levels of eroticism. It is an innocent, pure love motivated by mutual admiration, respect, and understanding.
That being said, things change between Kumiko and Reina very quickly after the mountain hike. Kumiko begins to open up more and becomes more like Reina. She begins to exhibit more hard work, more passion, more dedication motivated by seeing just how hard everyone else is working. The “old” Kumiko would have responded in simple apathy but this “new” Kumiko, who has been changed by Reina’s passion, responds much more like Reina would. Furthermore, Kumiko begins to declare her emotions to Reina much more plainly. She doesn’t hesitate to support Reina - openly, even - against Yuko’s support for Kaori. Reina’s effect on Kumiko reaches its apex when Kumiko struggles with the euphonium piece that Taki has asked her to play - screaming at the top of her lungs and shouting, “I want to improve!”
These are both things that Reina would have done. Similarly, Reina begins to express what she feels more, as well. Kumiko is the only person for whom she truly ever smiles. Whenever she smiles it is a momentous event and the show places a large amount of gravitas whenever it occurs. Reina also begins to be much more physical with Kumiko, a contrast with her initially reserved and stoic nature. There is no shortage of hugs or intimate moments between the two of them after what happens on the mountain. Kumiko even confesses her own “love” for Reina right before the reaudition that pitted Reina against Kaori. Kumiko brings out in Reina the passion and fire that hide deep within her, bringing them to the surface.
Kumiko Oumae and Reina Kousaka are two of the most delightfully complex characters that I have ever seen in anime. These two serve as perfect foils and counterparts. Their chemistry with each other is unmatched. They share a bond that transcends most descriptors of a relationship with a mutual understanding of each other and their places in each other’s lives. A relationship where each sees herself in the other. An emotional connection where their differences only serve to compliment each other, allowing both of them to grow further as people. It is a relationship bound by fate, bound by the red string.
NuclearBoofluff
Who knew that English class would actually help me in a Japanese anime? There is so much subtle character development going on that people who usually watch shallow fighting anime (like me) would think that this sucked. At first, I only watched this for the art. Yes, it was so amazing that I couldn't watch any anime e.g. Fullmetal Alchemist during the same week, because of the clear overpowering art of this one. 10/10 The story was decent at first; it was pretty generic (some people using teamwork to get a goal). But then, I felt as if I was missing something. I rewatched it, and noticed howall of the character development going on. It was like putting my head under water in a coral reef for the first time. Hint: watch how Kumiko's physical spacing with particular people change over time. It's actually important to the story. And yes, KyoAni has worked to that extent on bringing the story into the animation. 10/10
Music is really catchy, especially the op and the ending. I even have the op band version as my ringtone. The band songs they played are also really good. (did you know that they were made specifically for the anime?) 10/10
Characters are basically the story. This show is way more about the characters than the plot. It's the characters, in fact, which are the plot. And each one of them is developed very well, even the useless-ish Midori. Reina and Kumiko are by far, the best though. 10/10
Verdict: WATCH IT! If you have never seen anime, WATCH IT! If you have seen anime, WATCH IT!
The only people who I do not recommend to watch are those who aren't too interested in literature which requires thinking
e.g. Hunger Games, Sword Art Online don't require too much thinking
PyraXadon
Ah, band. The fond memories of a music player such as I, remembers the time back when you were but one of a group of 50+ students, playing a piece conducted by the music teacher at your school. But since there isn't much anime out there that encapsulates such an idea, this season of Spring 2015 brought us Hibike! Euphonium, a show that truly does capture the essence that is the high school band. Story (7.66/10): Euphonium follows the story of Oumae Kumiko, a Euphonium player (basically the instrument is that of a smaller tuba) our main female protagonist of this series. Aftera brutal experience in middle school with her middle school band not making it to the ever coveted spot of being a participant in Japan's band Nationals, she becomes very distraught by the experience and swears not to join again. But, as chance may have it, her new friends want to join the band, and so by peer pressure, she does too. Now, she is once again holding the instrument she has been playing all her life with a band that has quite a divided history.
In essence, Hibike! Euphonium is an anime deconstruction of the idea of a high school band. Every part of what the characters do for the most part is what actual bands do. The sectionals where all the different instruments split off and practice individually, the tuning of the instrument before practice, the instrument maintenance, competing for that coveted solo part, and even the general attitudes both positive and negative from members within a band. It accurately shows what one is to expect whenever they join a band, which makes it a great watch for those who haven't actually been in one (if they're curious as to what they do), and for those who have just to say "yep, I've done that before."
One of the bigger ways the show showcases these trials within a band are through the use of small character arcs, each of which dealing with a different member within the band who has an issue with the way the band politics are working out. Each of these different arcs vary in importance and length in terms of screentime, but they make the show more interesting because it isn't always fun and games with band. Each of these small arcs are different and require the use of different character each time, hence a lot more use of the band and in the end, make for a much better storyline cause it's different people having different problems, making things more interesting.
However, Euphonium sometimes does miss a note or two. One of the more prominent things about it is the fact that it is a KyoAni show. KyoAni as of late has had a track record of moe shows, and as a result, Euphonium does showcase quite a few of your stereotypical moe moments for the sake of comedy. Of course, to me, this doesn't hamper the show all that much, but if you're not a fan of moe, then here's the warning for that. One of the bigger problems that Euphonium has with itself is the fact that there are unnecessary conflicts. In some cases, the show attempts to fill its runtime with conflicts within the band that sometimes feel unnecessary. There're moments where other characters attempt to change whatever's happened within the band to no avail, thus going back to the show's status quo, and even a romantic sideplot that was completely unneeded, all parts of the story which I think bring down the overall quality of the show.
Overall though, Euphonium as a whole brought to the table a deconstruction of a topic that hasn't really been talked about in anime. While there were parts of its story that were somewhat unfavorable, the end result was still able to showcase what the true feeling of being in a concert band was, and was able to deliver that concept very well.
Overall Score:
+ Deconstruction of band
+ Show's problems are similar to that of a band's
+/- Moe moments (this is good or bad depending on your taste in anime.)
- Unnecessary developments (like romantic sideplot)
Characters (7.41/10): The characters in Euphonium differ than what you would normally see in a general anime in terms of presentation. Rather than having a true, defined set of main and supporting cast, the show bounces back and forth with character importance, with each mini character arc dealing with a different problem focusing on a different member/section of the band.
But let's start with the main character of all of this, Oumae Kumiko. As a Euphonium player, Kumiko wished to follow in her sister's footsteps at a young age and started playing the Euphonium just like her sister did. Now in high school and the tragedy that was her middle school audition for nationals, Kumiko has become somewhat pessimistic, and very unmotivated to continue on band even when her friends say they're going to join as well. Kumiko's character is very different from the other kinds of characters that KyoAni has made the star of the show. Rather than being all cutesy and fussing adorably, Kumiko is a rather mischievous and downright mean character at times which I personally find to be a nice change, seeing how this is a much different personality than you would see in your standard moe fluff. In terms of development, Kumiko, in simple terms, gets her instrumental spark reignited, the spark that encourages one who plays an instrument to do better, play better, and perform better.
And then we have Kousaka Reina, Kumiko's middle school friend who is also a trumpet player. From the start of the series, Reina's ideals are plastered on the idea of becoming special, becoming a better player and standing out from everyone else. Representing that player in the band that never lets go of their instrument, Reina never lets go of that trumpet, and holds the brass instrument dearly, playing it even when there's no one else around. While she doesn't particularly change all that much within the anime itself, she does spark some changes in other characters, creating her role to be more of that of a push onto other characters rather than herself. She also makes her own contributions to the show in other different ways, but for the most part, she doesn't really change much herself.
The rest of the characters in Euphonium vary in terms of importance, but for the most part, all serve to represent different members of a concert band. (Though Midori is a special case. I don't remember having a double bass in MY band.) While not all of the sections and their problems get featured within this anime, the supporting cast was still able to fill up the show's runtime with the various problems and issues that goes into participating in a band. With every new group of characters, comes a different problem that needs to be resolved. As a result, these characters are for the most part plot devices, but it works well for the show since you both learn about the character and progress through the story with every new change. Still not a fan of Hazuki and Midori basically becoming the moe fluff of the show.
Overview:
+ Good main protagonists
+ Actively utilized more of the band
+/- Side characters were mostly treated as plot devices
- Some of the main characters were basically moe fluff
Art and Sound (8.44/10 and 7.99/10): As usual with KyoAni's work, Hibike! Euphonium is a very high quality looking show that has a moe flair to it because that's really all KyoAni's been doing for the past couple of years. As such, Euphonium has a very bright look to it, utilizing a bright and colorful color scheme that gives off this very glossy and refined look. In addition, KyoAni puts a lot of attention to detail, seeing as how all of the instruments all look staggeringly great with the way they're animated and the attention to detail for each individual button, valve, and tube on the different woodwinds, brass, and percussion.
In addition, the character design is something that has to be noted for this show. Rather than pointing out the main characters in the series by giving them a unique character design and making the other 50 members plain by comparison, the show does the opposite by giving each of band members a different character design which is something that has to be applauded all on its own because it makes each section feel more vibrant and adds to the fact that there're other characters aside from the main ones that have significance in the story. Although, since this is KyoAni, the show is drawn in a moe artstyle where the girls look and act all cutesy, so if you're not a big fan of that, here's the warning.
In terms of sound, Euphonium provides us with a very big band and loud opening which is certainly an opening to remember. It's an opening that is very brass heavy, just like all of the main characters in this show. It's loud, it's proud, and its a pretty memorable piece. On the other hand though, the ED doesn't really pose as much of a memorable feel as the ED does, but it still works to help the show in the soundtrack area. (Also, there was a completely instrumental version of the opening in the ending credits of the show, and that was lovely to hear as well.)
And because this is a show that is completely centered around the idea of making music, the fact that KyoAni was able to get these numerous sound bites in order to create the bits of music in the show in different qualities representing different things like an individual practice where someone misses a note, the altogether sound of the band, the solo, and even that trailoff of sound by random instruments that happens whenever the teacher stops in the middle of the piece to fix a mistake, all of these things are in the sound of the show which I find to be extremely impressive.
Overview:
+ Good, memorable OP
+ Fantastic, colorful artwork
+ Attention to sound detail
+/- Moe artstyle (This is good or bad depending on your tastes)
- ED wasn't as memorable
Personal Enjoyment (7.47/10): In the end, Hibike! Euphonium was a good watch. While there were developments in show that felt a little forced on and sometimes kind of unneeded, I would say that this show encapsulated my experience in band. (I was the 6th chair flute in middle school. Didn't really enjoy always been told to play the second parts.)
Did I like this show?
Yes, I did. While the story itself didn't always reflect a positive outlook from me, I still enjoy how the show represented the idea of band in animated form. If nothing else, that was the better reason for me to continue watching this show, and I enjoyed it. The characters in the show display progression in both their character and their playing right up to the date of their performance, which is also the fun in band, playing your hard learned piece with the precision and detail that you've been working hard in. Also, I love Kumiko's character. There are quite a few memorable scenes with her.
What didn't I like about the show?
I wasn't really a big fan on how the show popped in a couple moe moments here and there. It didn't really feel right with the show and I wasn't happy with some of the characters and their contributions, because they were the reason there were some of the more unfavorable plot developments within the series.
Would I recommend this show?
If you're someone that has participated in a band in your life, or you want to know how a high school band works, then Euphonium is the perfect anime for you. The show completely encapsulates the idea of how a band functions, how a band progresses, and what kind of effort and work is needed in order to play wonderfully on that final concert stage. To me, it reflected my experience in band to a tee, and it was great seeing that. (Also, the trumpets ACTUALLY hold their bells up when they play! My band's trumpet players NEVER did that!)
Overall Score: 7.89/10
Kayobee
I've never written a review before so I may not have the best insight but nevertheless it'll be an honest and pure opinion! I actually watched Liz to Aoi Tori before starting this which is what piqued my curiosity regarding the original anime. I'm so happy that I made the choice to just sit down and give it a chance. I loved everything about the anime series. Story-wise it's nothing earth-shattering. It's your typical high-school club / life drama but by no means does this mean it's bad. It's just all so relatable and it really pulls you into the life of all the wonderful characters. Itmakes you care about what they're all going through at this point in their life and you want to know what happens next.
Speaking of characters - the cast is amazing. There are a lot, makes sense since the story revolves around a high school band, but each one serves a purpose and are all so likeable. Kyoani really went all out to make sure you could spot and notice every single member of the band, sitting with the appropriate band members, interacting with everybody else. It was just an awesome thing to see. You'll fall in love with more than a handful of them, not just the main characters.
And of course the art and sound? Do I need to say more? It's beautiful. The amount of detail into the art, characters, environs is what you expect from Kyoani and this one definitely delivers. It's all so well realized and makes you feel like you're actually there. Voice acting is top notch, the cast did a remarkable job bringing everybody to life. Interaction between characters actually felt like genuine high-school conversations and the emotion is all there.
And the music? What good is an anime about a high school band if the instruments and music itself was subpar? Thankfully, again this was done extremely well. It's all done beautifully and makes you want to pick up an instrument and just play.
I think it's pretty obvious but this is one of my favourite animes of all time. Because everything just fits together so well. It made me want to go back to high school and just play musical instruments with my friends again. Give it a chance, I promise you'll fall in love with the world, the story, the characters, the music and everything else in between.
... And the next piece begins!
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tl;dr: Do you want to watch movie-quality animation for 13 episodes? I'd recommend you at least give this anime a try. I originally gave this show an 8 when I initially watched it, but after a re-watch with the Blu-ray version and the subtitles off, my personal enjoyment of this show rose enough to get a 10 from me. There were just too many details that I missed staring at the bottom of the screen. I thought the story was solid, but probably a bit slow-paced for people not into slice of life shows. I'm not a big critic of either story,characters, or sound however, and Ithink other people probably have a more nuanced opinion that's more worth your time, so I won't waste time talking too much about those aspects. What I really like are visuals, and KyoAni did such a good job here with it that it elevated the other areas enough for me to rank this as a 10.
The best way to describe Hibike! is "lifelike." It feels like this show has twice the amount of frames of other shows. Hair will bounce with movement and settle on surfaces. Characters will turn their head and blink at appropriate moments in their speech. As much as they can, KyoAni tries to have the characters doing something, be it walking between places, cleaning an instrument, or fiddling with something or other. This amount of movement is so consistent that, when characters don't move, it becomes a potent storytelling choice. The entire ensemble being motionless while tuning, for example, doesn't feel lazy, but rather feels like they are listening as hard as they can.
Most of the time though, when things aren't moving, KyoAni cuts the camera. The courage with which KyoAni cuts the camera, and the angles with which they take, is amazing. Overhead shots, close-ups on fingers playing instruments, far shots of the whole ensemble with half of them reacting to something; I felt like I could see every little thing happening in a scene.
Another word that comes to mind with Hibike! is "detailed." Every background is placed in a location that is heavily referenced and grounded in real life. All the rooms are filled with small living details that signify that someone lives there, such as water bottles left under chairs or chalk stains on the floor below the boards. When they're outside, there's always some sort of movement to make the scene come alive, be it wind-blown petals or river water reflecting the city life. In regards to the characters, the hair always has a ridiculous amount of strands, and the clothing folds go far beyond the "necessary" amount to convey softness. And, every single ensemble member has a unique design, even if they have no lines in the show. While effort like this can sometimes end up over-detailing, in Hibike!'s case, it really does help establish that this is a "real" world, that moved before the show, and will continue to move after it.
Finally, the effects and lighting really make this show look like a movie instead of a TV season. The best way I can describe it is "cinematic." There's a consistent use of depth of field, blurring out different distances to the camera, such that there isn't a single scene that lacks depth in Hibike!. Most, if not all, scenes are set in a deliberately color-keyed environment, and the range is breathtaking; from vibrant, orange sunsets, to cloudy, greenish days, to cool, blue nights. If things are bright, they blow out things properly, adding a glow to everything they touch and revealing dust motes in the air.
But a fair criticism of the show is KyoAni's tendency for "style over substance," and it's something that I too felt when I watched the show for the first time. However, when I watched without being glued to subtitles, I began to pick up on all of the character acting that KyoAni lovingly scattered all over this thing. How do the characters feel at any point? Watch them. They'll nod according to what's being said, or look hastily away as someone enters the room, or shoot glances at someone else. They'll play with their hair, kick their feet, or suddenly begin to walk faster. Yes, sometimes the characters say what they're feeling, but more often than not, they SHOW you, to the point where the dramatic points evoked an emotional response from me despite not understanding half of it. And this is why I think the animation elevates this to a 10 for me; the animation IS the story.
Frankly, this level of visual quality isn't even present in half the movies I watch, and KyoAni does it for a whole season. It might not be something you'd be willing to watch with no subtitles, sure. But if you get this in that crisp Blu-Ray quality and don't read the subtitles so much, this is a treat for anyone that loves visuals as much as I do.
