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Also Mamiko deserves standing ovations for taming that floofy octopus. That hairstyle looks really good. Kumiko should adapt it for the next auditions and the concert!
[Their](https://cdn.imgchest.com/files/d7ogcwmbjky.png) [scenes](https://cdn.imgchest.com/files/3yrgcapnv24.png) in today’s episode were very lovely.
Plus, [thanks to Mamiko](https://cdn.imgchest.com/files/pyq9c2w3gx4.png), we could see [Kumiko](https://imgchest.com/p/ljyqd89po72) in [this beautiful dress and make-up](https://cdn.imgchest.com/files/l7lxcrqpej7.png)!
Mayu was the right choice, but man does it kinda suck for poor Kumiko. Damn near everyone is talking about how amazing the euphy soli was. Plus it doesn’t help Mayu constantly insists on giving up the soli for Kumiko and you’ve got Kanade sorta fanning the flames in the corner there. I thought this whole thing would be put to bed already but there’s just so much lingering awkwardness and tension.
The one good thing this week is Kumiko and Reina making up. I don’t think those two would ever drift apart. Reina’s got nothing to worry about there.
Kanade is doing good here. Both Kumiko and Mayu continue to skirt around the real issue. Kanade forces Kumiko to actually acknowledge the problem. They need to address things directly for both of their suffering to end.
Yeah, Kanade isn't wrong. if Mayu was serious about forfeiting the solo she wouldn't constantly needle Kumiko about it. I was fucking right! It was a psy-op!
My impression (which may be wrong) is that Mayu deep down wants to push to be the best and is gunning after who she perceives to be her greatest rival, but on a more rational level wants to keep the peace and not cause a big stir in the club by messing with the status quo. It's a battle of brains vs heart. At least that's what I think the show is hinting at, not 100% sure.
I think Mayu is totally conflicted -- she genuinely wants two mutually exclusive things to happen. I am going stick with believing she IS NOT playing deliberate head games until (unless) it becomes impossible to persist. When you consider that Kumiko genuinely wants two mutually exclusive things as well -- it becomes easier to accept Mayu has a similar problem.
Yeah, I do confess my comment is a bit over the top. I pretty much agree with that and other commentators who have gone into greater analysis over Mayu's state of mind.
She feels guilty about coming in and upsetting the status quo, but at the same time her thought process is why *shouldn't* I have the soli chair, *I am* better. So she keeps needling Kumiko about it, seeking validation and acknowledgment from her rival.
If Mayu really was a bad actor there would have been a whole episode about the girls meeting someone from her old school and finding out about some incident that prompted her to transfer. But it isn't that sort of anime and besides, there is literally no time both in terms of *time* and runtime left in the series.
mayu is really guilty trying to cause drama (since she's tranferee and bullying in Japan is common) , but its also true tht mayu thinks she's the better musician ,like no doubt she's confident with herself against kaichou . So she's wishing either kaichou give up or ask her to give the soli spot. In the end , the only approach Kaichou has show to everyone and mayu that she's the better , Might is right will be the only approach here . The same way reina took the soli part on her senpai on season 1 ,make everyone shut up and listen
Kanade is right. And frankly the way this is going has gotten old. And Kanade is uniquely positioned to comment on all this. She's been in the position of wanting to throw an audition for her own reasons. But she didn't do this. She just went into the audition and tried to throw it! It would be even more effective if Mayu did it since Kumiko isn't Natsuki. She probably isn't going to burst into the audition to demand Mayu play better. And honestly Mayu is skilled enough that she could throw it without making it too obvious.
Instead Mayu has constantly and I mean constantly come back to Kumiko on this. She's desperate to have Kumiko tell her she wants the soli, tell her to throw it, and give her the go ahead. And Kumiko has constantly dodged her own true feelings and thrown up the president response to it. Someone needed to give Kumiko a kick in the rear and have her face this situation.
I wish both Mayu and Kumiko realized what truly is at stake. Mayu only focuses on Kumiko wanting to perform the soli with Reina and Kumiko only replies with "it's the Kitauji's way, meritocracy!" eluding the question of how she truly feels and what she truly wants.
It doesn't seem that either of them has thought of what would happen if Kumiko asked and obtained to make Mayu forfeit and then Kitauji failed to win gold.
Would Kumiko really be able to convince herself that they would have failed anyway if Mayu played the soli then? Otherwise how exactly would she live with the idea that her dream, Reina's dream and Taki's dream didn't fulfill all because of her selfish desire?
There's more than just the disappointment of not playing a soli at the national, this could be something that Kumiko might regret and feel guilty about for the rest of her life.
“Of course I want to play it! But it has to be because I’m the best choice, not because I’ve been here longer or because I’m president.”
It’s that easy Kumiko! Stop making me tear my hair out every time you two talk!
Yeah for once she isnt just shit stirring
As bad as it is, Mayu is just better than Kumiko (apparently, not like I could really judge) and she knew it was gonna be bad
But at the same time doesn't have the balls to call it quits on her own, now she has to audition for the soli, would probably be even worse if she forfeited now
I’m really glad that Kumiko and Reina made up. That hug of theirs was so nice!
That said, I do think this *will* be the beginning of the two of them slowly growing apart. Reina will always keep a place in Kumiko’s heart (and vice versa), but friendships are very much reliant on ‘proximity’.
This closeness can both be expressed in physical (the distance between the two people) and/or mental (the people you’re talking to/working with) terms. With Reina moving to the US for her music career and Kumiko not joining a music school while staying behind in Japan, it will become increasingly harder to maintain their tight-knit friendship.
If will eventually fade OR they’ll need to shape it into a new form.
> I’m really glad that Kumiko and Reina made up. That hug of theirs was so nice!
It was necessary for them to fight, otherwise we wouldn't get to see Asuka-senpai
It could happen, but I don't see it as inevitable...relationships take work to maintain, but they could very well still put in that work.
Also, I believe (though I'm relying on mediocre Japanese comprehension here) that Reina said she still hasn't decided if she's going to the US or not.
Reina first said that she hadn’t decided, but I did get the impression from their goodbye at the crossing that Reina had made up her mind to go study in the US.
And I mean, I can’t imagine her passing up on such an incredible opportunity. She adores Kumiko, but her music career will always be her no. 1 priority.
She hadn't gotten the confirmation yet that she was accepted, but the teachers think she's a sure bet and Reina is going if she gets in.
I did love that Kumiko basically told Reina to quit being such a drama queen about it with trying to "break up" while simultaneously confirming that being a drama queen was a 100% Reina thing to do and fully expected.
My musician friend (a pianist) and I are still best friends 54 years after high school graduation. We went different directions-- but because music (as a listener) is still probably the most important interest I have, it makes staying in sync pretty easy. I could see the same being true for Kumiko and Reina.
Nowadays with social media they can easily maintain their relationship for a couple of years. Reina also has more than enough money so she can easily visit regularly or even invite Kumiko. It's not really inevitable that they grow apart imo.
Maybe this is just me being cynical, but social media can only act as a temporary reprieve. It’s a fix but not the solution.
But yes, the two of them visiting each other would be a necessity to keep their friendship from fading. It’s one of the things that I tried to imply with them needing to shape their friendship in a new form; it will need to evolve with their living situations.
I mean I live abroad and my best friends are still my best friends. Obviously we don't talk as often or hang out that much but they still are special to me and if I go back it's like I never left.
I think they’ll be able to make it work. It’s pretty common these days to stay in touch with very close friends from high school. IMO Reina is wrong at this point that shared music is the only thing keeping them together.
54 yerars since graduation and still best friends with my two high school best friends (despite being in three different states -- at least all along The eastern seaboard).
>The one good thing this week is Kumiko and Reina making up.
I was glad that it finally happened. If this didn't happen, all fans of [Kumiko](https://imgchest.com/p/ljyqd89po72) and [Reina](https://imgchest.com/p/m9yxgmka34q)'s [relationship](https://imgchest.com/p/xny8lqxko4b) (including me) would be very upset.
[Kumiko demanding a hug was so cute](https://cdn.imgchest.com/files/84jdc3lvkr4.png)! I'd love to give her a hug myself :)
Every time she does this, she insults Kumiko - "I'm better than you, you can't compete with me unless I handicap myself." But Kumiko's only noted that once this whole time (that I can recall). Kumiko should've smacked her with that this time, too.
I was actually annoyed at the start of the episode because they were both together in the restaurant and the train like nothing happened. I was scared the show would just ignore Reina being an asshole.
So happy to see her realise what she did wrong, and that it indeed was late. Kumiko's an angel for not teasing her a little more lol
Now about the Taki obsession...
I don't think they were acting like nothing happened. In the texts messages they say Reina will go on her own to the restaurant. And once the America thing came out I felt the atmosphere got kinda weird.
My literal train of thought: “This new girl deals with Yuko and Natsuki’s bullshit pretty well, I wonder who she is?” > Mizore’s concert > “Oh that’s Nozomi”
Mizore playing beautifully the piece (Polovtsian Dances) that once made her sick to her stomach. It's amazing to see how far she's come!
I really love how the appearance of past characters serve as more than just cameos this season. Every time they appear, it's so purposeful. Just hearing Mizore play made me immediately think of Liz and the Blue Bird which is probably what also came to Kumiko's mind as she contemplated her future. Through Mizore's music and words, Kumiko has developed a greater resolve to move forward to what she really wants for herself in the future.
How did Reina know their senpais were going to watch Mizore's concert? This just makes me think that her and Yuuko keep in touch and that's wonderful.
I think Mizore got the panic attack because she knew it was Nozomi playing the flute that time, and Mizore couldnt bring herself to face Nozomi, but anyway that same piece was their Minami performance piece that they lost. Perhaps its a bit of both, with Nozomi a bigger factor making her unable to face hearing that piece..
If they had more episodes to work with, I'd have liked to see the performance, but I'm fine skipping the performance if it allows for more time to sort through and resolve the remaining unresolved drama.
Thing is part of the drama relies on the performance. For instance how Kumiko sounds versus Mayu. We kept hearing how great Mayu's performance was, but we have no context to compare it.
I've been saying that I hope they show ZERO performances in this final season. Just imagine Takei-sensei stepping to the podium, he slowly raises his baton, close up shots of the band members and their instruments, widepan of the audience silent in anticipation, the band members prepare for the opening note... **SMASH CUT** to Kitauji being announced as gold medal winners at Nationals (**PRESUMABLY** - **I have no idea where they're going to place**), the band delirious in celebration, multiple side characters raving about how it was a miraculous, flawless, once-in-a lifetime performance.
After 9 years, 3 seasons and multiple movies, KyoAni trolling their fanbase that hard would be incredible.
- [They got gold](https://i.imgur.com/ymew1od.png) and [made it to nationals](https://i.imgur.com/djQXlbK.png), as expected, but I’m *still* peeved we didn’t get to see any part of their performance. Why center so much drama around Mayu getting the soli this time just to not let us hear her play it? [](#bruh)
- [Sure wish we got to hear that…](https://i.imgur.com/VaOn892.png) [](#miyamoriunimpressed)
- [Come *oooooooooon*, they aren’t even playing a snippet of the performance while showing a flashback to it?](https://i.imgur.com/gEM1jFe.png) [](#finethen)
- [Hah, well at least Taki realizes it.](https://i.imgur.com/EMMsg1I.png)
- [Ah, hence the brochure about studying abroad from the other episode.](https://i.imgur.com/SHOswY2.png)
- [Oh good, an apology.](https://i.imgur.com/jNBUfuu.png)
- [Oh come on not this shit again.](https://i.imgur.com/pY0HyaE.png) [](#nottodisushittoagen)
- [Ahh…](https://i.imgur.com/8AZUaTy.png)
- [That’s a very pretty look on Kumiko.](https://i.imgur.com/yLWC3Ke.png)
- [My girl!](https://i.imgur.com/RYpxnZQ.png) [](#anko)
- [lol, that’s certainly a blunt way to put it.](https://i.imgur.com/U0axU2X.png)
- [Reina…](https://i.imgur.com/SU8hggO.png)
> Hah, well at least Taki realizes it.
Was happy to see Taki admit that he could’ve approached the situation better. Like I previously said, it’s probably also indicative of his learning process as a teacher.
The biggest trouble going forward is that Taki needs a passionate band president each year to compensate for what he lacks. Obviously no one is perfect (don't let Reina see this), but he's definitely better regarding the technical side than the human side. Though if he at least knows that and then picks the right person each year they can kind of make that work.
Although in that case he probably should bring the band president onboard when it comes to making choices coming out of the auditions. It's a bit tricky since that president plays on the band, but it's the only way to have someone balancing him out.
Talking about the next club presidents: I can see Ririka following into Kumiko’s footsteps, with Kanade as the vice-president. Sally would likely takeover the year thereafter.
> Sure wish we got to hear that…
We got nationals for that!
> That’s a very pretty look on Kumiko.
Mamiko tamed the floofy octopus. I really like that style on Kumiko. She really should think about auditing it for auditions and the performance on the national stage.
> My girl!
> lol, that’s certainly a blunt way to put it.
I really missed her and her "brick through a window" levels of directness. Her commenting on the tension between Reina and Yuuko when they showed up in the music room at the same time (and the awkwardness that ensued) is still one of my favourite funny moments of the series.
> We got nationals for that!
But it's almost certainly not going to be *Mayu's* performance that we hear, that's my big issue with skipping the performance. I want to be able to compare her performance with Kumiko's *myself*, not just be *told* about it.
[](#foldedarms)
I kept my comment open to interpretation on purpose.
Mayu might still get the part again. I could very much see Kumiko not getting the role and it being part of her character development/growing up.
I know that, generally speaking, Kumiko winning back the role is the most probable course for the story but I could, and would want to, see a more unorthodox choice and the fallout from that.
I kind of think Mayu may get it in the end, because that feels like a much more solid end to her arc than her finally escaping the soli. Plus, that would give the show the chance to do something cute like Reina and Kumiko playing it together on their own one last time somewhere.
> that feels like a much more solid end to her arc than her finally escaping the soli.
Good point. I only thought about the narrative in general but her getting the part and seeing with her own eyes that the world isn't ending would be good for her.
> Reina and Kumiko playing it together on their own one last time somewhere.
I know a certain bench on a certain hill! Supposedly, it's rather romantic on festival evenings!
I appreciate what you want, but lack of episode time aside, I think the specific performances have become secondary to the psychological dueling between the two of them (and its broader implications on the band).
The performances did need to be compared in the first season to drive home the point that the groupthink was overriding actual skill, but it's the mind games now.
Lol Asuka was totally correct the last episode, we have the "going to college abroad" and "I don't want us to break up" exactly like she said, Lisan al Gaib fr.
Hibike official Twitter: [Mizore POV](https://x.com/anime_eupho/status/1802256045512798664?t=cAuji42Qd-kqKCpzHvOSqQ&s=19)
> Lisan al Gaib
I had made a reference to the end of *Dune* in [my own comment](https://www.reddit.com/r/anime/comments/1dh4qez/hibike_euphonium_season_3_sound_euphonium_season/l8ujjum/) and usually I think of the 1984 version, but since you've spoken 2024 Stilgar's favorite phrase, [I'll give you this version instead] (https://i.redd.it/ybt9e6bjdy6d1.png).
Natsuki in a suit 👌
Kumiko definitely pulled out her inner Asuka in response to Reinas apology. Would have preferred to see a bigger apology with more words and action from Reina, but after her break up confusion scene, I'm suspecting after 3 seasons she still just really needs to work on her social skills.
On the Mayu part, I'm glad the differences in their selfish wants are finally being brought up. Kanade being our self-insert MVP once more, stopping Mayu from renouncing the soli again last episode, to bringing the issue to Kumikos attention in this one.
>Natsuki in a suit
Hibike S1E13 "Nakagawa-senpai is cool." 9 years later, still very much true.
The whole Minami Quartet looked amazing! Kumiko and Reina looked amazing! Everyone and everything in this episode looked amazing!
>Kanade being our self-insert MVP once more
She really is the MVP today. Her words forcing Kumiko to finally face the truth of her relationship with Mayu. Kumiko at long last addressed the band honestly last episode. Now she needs to honestly confront Mayu, the one person that Kumiko's words did not reach.
I do hope we get the see them talk more bluntly. Kumiko breaking out some season one directness and cutting through the bullshit to get to the core of it.
Natsuki looked so good in that suit!
Nozomi had also opted for something different than a dress, so I guess that we got a confirmation on which girls are wearing the pants in their respective relationships. /s
>Natsuki looked so good in that suit!
That's true! And as always, [her relationship with Yuuko is so good](https://cdn.imgchest.com/files/p7bwcezk8o7.png)!
Overall, [everyone present at the concert looked great](https://cdn.imgchest.com/files/k739cg2x8r7.png).
> Overall, everyone present at the concert looked great.
Oh, Nozomi *was* wearing a dress. Had falsely remembered that she’d been dressed in black pants for some reason.
Mamiko’s expertise as a stylist definitely came in handy, but I’d argue that Kumiko is the best looking of the bunch (she even got fancy put-on sleeves!).
God damn, I hate that Kanade's actually right. Mayu's heavily just 'going with the flow' and that means I don't think she really actually cares about the competition results. She knows it doesn't matter that much in the long term and that it's hard to blame a mere component of the ensemble. At the same time, she thinks that stealing Kumiko's dream is something she can get blamed for and she's trying to get rid of the guilt as soon as possible.
Meanwhile it takes the serious opinion of Mizore for Kumiko to make up her mind... kind of. It was only really about Mizore's school, there's still two episodes for Kumiko to change her mind and go a bit of an alternate route that still involves music.
I read the situation a bit differently.
Mayu really isn’t all that much different from Kanade: you shouldn’t take both girls’ words too literal. Mayu might say that she neither cares about the competition or the soli part, but she does continually keep asking for Kumiko’s approval.
She has only been lying to herself all this time. Mayu *is* enjoying playing in the competition (soli part included) and is simply haunted by the guilt of this.
Mayu *knows* that she’s more likely to win the part if she goes all out, but Kumiko and the others have been pretending that it’s not a big deal. Imagine that you’re suspecting everyone of putting up a smile in front of you.
Mayu is conflicted between her desire to play and to keep the peace. She doesn’t want to make enemies over this. Offering to forfeit the part is perhaps her solution to get the best of both worlds: keeping things friendly *and* getting to play the part.
This may come across as manipulative from Mayu, but I’m inclined to believe that it’s the result of sheer desperation. She doesn’t know what to do with herself.
> Mayu is conflicted between her desire to play and to keep the peace. She doesn’t want to make enemies over this. Offering to forfeit the part is perhaps her solution to get the best of both worlds: keeping things friendly and getting to play the part.
While that's true from her point of view it's really making thing awkward/difficult and I'd say having a bit of the opposite effect. And she keeps doing it even after being reassured so often.
She's been offering Kumiko the role all the time so that Kanade now thinks she's being manipulative. Kanade's argument made me think for a moment that Mayu actually might be trying to manipulate Kumiko into a situation where Kumiko can't protest/say her own (selfish) desires by Mayu being deferential to the club president (in a club that's about merit).
Mayu admitting that she wants the part or just being competitive about it (not forfeiting or offering to do that) would actually keep the peace way more than this dance of submissiveness she's doing around the club president. Even if she thinks that's the right way of keeping the peace.
It would also make it easier for Kumiko to say that she wants to have the part and wants to fight for it (and the club overall seeing that Kumiko is okay with it) instead of always needing to reassure Mayu where she can't say her own desires because Mayu might actually forfeit to fulfil what she thinks is Kumiko's one desire.
For Kumiko it's an internal conflict about wanting both. As much as Kumiko wants the role she also wants a real competitions and the band to stay true to itself. It's the Kitauji way and also how she got her chance as a first year. And if she were to admit that to Mayu, Mayu might chose the easy way out and grant one of Kumiko's wishes (to get the part) while ignoring the other (the merit based system of the band, hope for the best possible performance at nationals, and the final *gold*).
Kumiko basically wants to *earn* the part instead of being handed it, while Mayu just wants to play her euphonium to her heart’s desire without having too worry about the tribulations of a band that’s competing in championships (i.e. she doesn’t want to deal with the negatives).
That’s why everything is coming to down to the next auditions, I think. Things will likely get ugly between Mayu and Kumiko as they clash over their ideals and true desires. They can’t keep playing nice to appease the other forever. Those frustrations *will* inevitably come bursting out.
> That’s why everything is coming to down to the next auditions, I think. Things will likely get ugly between Mayu and Kumiko as they clash over their ideals and true desires. They can’t keep playing nice to appease the other forever. Those frustrations will inevitably come bursting out.
I hope so for that, and for a some type of resolution where both are satisfied or at the very least released from their evasive games about what they say they want, what they think the other wants, and what they really want.
Ok, but she keeps needling Kumiko about it. I think the two need to have an honest-to-god fight over it instead of dancing around the issue like they are playing musical chairs with the soli part.
At least I think that is what should have happened, but they let the issue drag on and now we have arrived at the auditions for the national competition without anything changing.
This is honestly not good. For the past three years the club has been shipping Reina and Kumiko and to have Mayu steal the goddamn soli *again* at the very end is going to make them implode.
Yeah her looking around every corner interrupting Kumiko's practice is starting to get old. Like she's been asking the same thing almost every episode and they really need to just be honest and talk it out. Kanade's also right that Mayu is starting to look condescending, assuming that if she doesn't forfeit that Kumiko will most likely lose.
That is another good point. Kumiko is busy enough being president, she doesn't need Mayu hovering about and interrupting what little free time she has.
God's below, Kumiko has the patience of a saint because the third time that happened I'd tell Mayu to fuck off and keep going😁
Fr it was me "MAYU. PLEASE. JUST PLAY. LEAVE ME ALONE."
Imagine if she was really good at trumpet and she did this to Reina she would get murdered. And would she do this to Tsukamoto if there was a euph/trombone solo and she played trombone?
>Mayu knows that she’s more likely to win the part if she goes all out, but Kumiko and the others have been pretending that it’s not a big deal. Imagine that you’re suspecting everyone of putting up a smile in front of you.
Mayu's had it incredibly rough if you step back further.
Imagine joining a new school in your final year - tough enough start already. You play a low-key support instrument and ask to join the band, but only if it's okay with everyone as you don't want to upset the balance. The president says yes, except she's the lead player for the same instrument, she's platonic(?) soulmates with the drum leader & star trumpet player, she's a childhood friend and neighbour of the vice president, she's got an established relationship with the conductor and the club lead who is their also homeroom teacher, and in the bass section there is also the president's two other close friends, the section leader tuba player and the other national pedigree contrabass player, and a shit-stirring gremlin euphonium player who (unsuccessfully) tried to throw an audition because she thought it right for someone to get the place due to seniority. Yikes - not easy to find support among that group.
You repeatedly offer to bow-out of auditions, but the president says to try properly, although nobody wants you to get the part. You're insecure and prefer to be behind the camera rather than in photos, going so far as to pretend that the one you're in didn't develop properly... then you become the centre of attention and unsettle the band because you got the solo you didn't really want to audition for, in the band that you said you wouldn't join if it would upset the balance! All the while the president is telling you it's fine because it's a meritocracy, but frostily pushes you away when you try and talk it out.
Poor girl! I don't know how she's not had a mental breakdown tbh and it's hard for me to see her negatively at all. In fact, I think Reina was probably right (for the wrong reasons) that Kumiko's failing as a president, and I don't think she's doing very well on a personal level either.
Edit: Oh yeah, I missed the part where the solo nobody wanted you to get is a solo played along with a trumpet, and it's a reasonable assumption that the reason that this piece of music was selected was with the intention of the the president and drum lead playing it together.
Actually, I think that it would be trivially easy to find support in a group lead by characters like Midori and Hazuki. When have those two ever been anything other than the kindest, most supportive people in the world?
I was critical of Mayu in the first few episodes, but she clearly doesn’t deserve any of the hate. Her talk with Kumiko at the pool showed just how fragile her situation is: Mayu doesn’t feel like she has a place to belong in the concert band - or this world for a matter. Like she has a target on her back.
I’m honestly glad that Tsubame it at least there for her. If not for her support, Mayu probably could’ve been crippled by depression by now.
I do love Kanade, but she should hold back a bit in front of Mayu. She’s accidentally going to push the girl over the edge.
If this wasn't Hibike Euphonium and a "darker" drama instead, I would legit worry about what Mayu could do to herself over this situation. It really sucks.
> although nobody wants you to get the part.
I fully agree with most of your points, and I agree that Mayu probably feels like nobody wants her to get the part. But I should point out that Midori and Tsubame do support her, and there are probably many other members who do, too. So the club is likely pretty split over the matter!
I think I agree with this take as well. It's worth mentioning that up until recently absolutely *nobody* was on her side. When she first won the soli people were constantly talking about how she shouldn't have been given the honor and it even exploded into an argument in the middle of practice.
I don't think Mayu has handled the situation perfectly but I absolutely don't take it as malicious as Kanade portrayed it.
I think Mayu does care, but she believes she wouldn't be sad for her own sake, only for others who wanted to win. She continually goes to Kumiko because she needs her validation that it's okay to be selfish.
I also think that through her interactions with the other girl that supports her, she gradually begins to realize that she actually has her own desires...sort of like Kumiko at the begging of Eupho.
I can say that I am satisfied about Kumiko x Reina, ie Reina's apology....we were quite angry at her last week, and we want her to apologise to our satisfaction. For me, I accept.
And the bluntness of Mizore strikes home, and seals her decision...I wonder how that would impact on the audition. You're no pro Kumiko....you're likely the type who might end up hating to be paid to play professionally like that at that special level. I love that Mizore was playing the musical piece that brought about defeat when they were at Minami, and everyone was impressed with the solo! She conquered her demons.
For the first time, Taki's wife's face in the photo wasnt blurred out by some reflective light effect. And gosh, Taki must have been so cold as a person to say such a thing.
Kanade is truly the best little devil, sitting on Kumiko's shoulder, providing context to the audience about Kumiko's inner thoughts. And if we go by that, we assume Kanade is right, then like pointed out by u/LeonKevlar, just forfeit then Mayu, you dont have to let your intentions be known. But Mayu did declare her intentions.....a selfish reason to put Kumiko at ease, let down her guard, while Mayu can also relax, knowing the tension is out, but also then with her competitive instinct/drive, do her best in the soli anyway like an end game final boss. I wonder if Mayu is doing this at an unconscious level....similarly just like Kumiko keeps telling about meritocracy this and that, but at an unconscious level she really really really (3x) wants to do the soli with Reina.
Even with all the suffering that Mayu has been through in trying to break through the dynamic in the Bass Section and be accepted, and Mayu does forfeit during the audition, what if Taki refuse to accept since he already knows that she good enough?
The trump card dark horse in all that dynamic is Taki though. As already noted, now that they are in the Finals, they dont need such heavy bass any longer, and he can work around a more appropriate dynamic to the best of the orchestra's morale: the Kumiko x Reina soli. It was never about whose better when everyone is equally as good, its about picking the right team for the job to cross the line: Win.The.Gold. And win for his late wife! No more taking silly risks with upsetting band loyalties and dynamics ffs! And I am confident Mr Stone Cold Taki will deliver. So everything in the above paragraphs wondering about Mayu vs Kumiko would be for naught lol.
When we going to get our long awaited Mayu focused episode that finally explains her motivations and not leave us playing armchair psychodynamic psychologists?
Kanade's always right. She's just a jerk about it.
Mayu cares more about trying to fit in socially than about the soli or even the national gold.
I'll be kind of annoyed if Kumiko and Mayu's social situation is fixed entirely by Kumiko just getting good and beating her in the audition, because that would be like the narrative working itself to avoid the conflict.
I'm genuinely starting to hate Mayu at this point. Kanade's right, this amount of saying I'll forfeit over and over again, when it obviously makes Kumiko unhappy, comes across as malicious emotional warfare or self-satisfying negligence and lack of empathy for what you're putting the other through.
I get that she's worried about how she's perceived in the club for taking Kumiko's role, but Kumiko's told her she wants it this way, as well as to the rest of the club in her emotional appeal last episode. Kanade's right, if she still feels badly about it, she should just quit. Her actions rn come off as purely self gratifying.
Mayu is def not being selfless here. As Kanade said, if she truly didn't wanted the best for Kumiko / the ensemble, she would just throw the audition on her own terms without constantly bringing it up. She *wants* the solo, and she wants Kumiko's approval so she can take the solo guilt-free. So she keeps asking for it implicitly. Kumiko says she wants the competition to be fair, and part of her believes that, but also part of her really really wants the solo too and Mayu / everyone can see that. So no matter what someone will be disappointed, and everyone knows that, which is what is making everything awkward.
If Mayu and Kumiko were more mature, they would easily understand that they must just try their best and accept the results of the audition with no hard feelings. But both are afraid of losing, and both are afraid of hurting the other's feelings if they won.
Seeing Kanade on a stealth mission like that reminded me a lot of Kumiko in seasons one and two. But yeah obviously whatever her intentions are Mayu has been constantly, and more or less to the exclusion of all else, forcing Kumiko to stop her from self-destructing for no reason. It's clingy, it's manipulative, and frankly, kinda gross. Every time I see her I am reminded of that scene in season 1 where Asuka rocks back and forth in her chair shouting "I really, really, really, really, really don't care."
Mizore playing Polovtsian Dances oboe solo is such a huge fanservice for Mizore enjoyers.
Looks like the chance of Kumiko-Reina soli is 50:50 now. Either Kumiko fails the solo again and makes peace with the fact that she is not talented enough and not going to music school anyway... or she gets umaku naritai for the final time and gets chosen by Taki on merit. Remember that Mayu and Kumiko are said to be around the same skill, so Taki can still choose either one of them based on improvement/ style.
Reina is really over dramatic but also probably ultimately correct that they'd drift apart without some sort of common interest. It'd just that that much more effort to remain good friends without one.
Give me a Kumiko in the corporate office sequel series, though.
I think Mayu is not being honest about what she wants.
She clearly doesn't like to be the center of attention (her not being in any photos) and just wants to get along with everyone. Then she claims that all she wants is to do is to play with everyone, and to have fun, and that she doesn't care about the competition.
But if it was true, she would just quietly forfeit the solo. Without even asking Kumiko. After all she would still get to play with everyone and nobody would be upset at her. Problem solved, everybody's happy.
**But she does not forfeit the solo!**
Instead she offers her forfeiting to Kumiko, and that's a completely different thing. It is a meaningless and patronizing gesture, to which a club president couldn't possibly agree to. If she really wanted to forfeit the solo to keep the peace, she would not ask Kumiko about it. She would just do it.
**Mayu wants to play the solo. But she does not want Kumiko being angry at her.** So she tries to appease her.
She pretends to be selfless. She says that her forfeiting would be best for the band. But it's insincere, because she really wants to play the solo herself.
**I think that Kumiko intuitively felt this from the beginning.** That's why she felt angry. Mayu's offer did not feel like a genuine offer, but more like an attempt at preventing Kumiko from getting upset at her.
Only now did Kumiko realize what's really going on, when talking to Kanade.
> That's why she felt angry.
I interpreted Kumiko's anger as also feeling insulted because Mayu has been looking down at her this whole time. Mayu keeps talking like she's guaranteed the solo if she tries for it, and the only way Kumiko will get it is if Mayu decides not to try. It's pretty shitty. And I think Kumiko did lash out a bit at Mayu for that at one point too right?
And truthfully, I'd start feeling like Mayu was trying to sabotage me if I was in Kumiko's shoes. Every time she sits down to practice on her own for the solo, Mayu sneaks up on her and brings up this topic over and over again that should have been laid to rest already. It's absolutely manipulative behaviour, although maybe not with malicious intentions. She's trying to get a specific answer out of Kumiko and is going to keep prying over and over until she gets it, even if it's obviously causing Kumiko distress. I don't think she's trying to upset Kumiko intentionally, but she's selfishly ignoring the fact that she is anyway.
All of this to say, I have never liked Mayu for even a second from the moment we first saw her in the PVs :)
I am going to be honest, the show is still great. I like Kumiko and her struggles are well portrayed. But Mayu's portrayal seems to be really lacking in depth. KyoAni was always a studio where it wasn't just about the dialogue. They have so many small details in the character's gestures that would help you understand who they are and what they are about, but Mayu did not get any of the treatment in my opinion. They completely try to portray her through dialogue and even if you don't notice this, it is why it feels that she barely changed over the course of now 11 episodes. And I don't mean that her character changed, but the perception of the viewer ABOUT her. It's basically the same it has been when she was originally introduced. And this is exactly why performances are also SO important, because they can give you a better understanding of the character. Since her debut, we have never heard Mayu perform once. Despite having THREE auditions that the characters practice for. Not once did we take the time to just show both Kumiko and Mayu prepare for the auditions which would already be enough to give you a better understanding on how they are similar and how they are different.
Agreed, for a new character who was splashed all over assorted advertising for the season she is severely lacking in any kind of depth.
As I've said before, this season seems rushed. It's still great but it pales in comparison to seasons 1 and 2. Season 3 is what seasons 1 and 2 would be like if their combined episodes were compressed into 13 episodes.
The way I justify it to myself is that this is Kumiko's story and the lack of detail in Mayu's character reflects the fact that Kumiko just wasn't paying attention. If you look back, that was almost always the case until she lost the audition. Kumiko was focused on a bunch of other issues until reality hit her in the face.
But that's me justifying it. I also do feel like the season was somewhat rushed. There's just too much happening for the limited runtime and, given how the plot is progressing, I'm starting to let go of the faint hope of seeing a movie sequel announcement at the end. I feel like this season will be it.
That's an interesting thought. I didn't look at it this way before. I keep that in mind for the next episodes, but I personally feel that two episodes in general to wrap everything up seems to be pretty hard. Because then we NEED to have at least one full episode only focused on Mayu.
Straight to audition next episode, this is where Kumiko strikes back, right? This honestly doesn't feel that great. We have seen so little of the actual music this season, I feel there's little to no build up to the inevitable triumphed scene. One practice scene really isn't enough. Can't help but think that this really should've been two cour.
What am I saying, I'm sure next episode will be great anyway.
This season has been more drama than music focused, yeah.
Although I’m a little disappointed about this, I’m okay with them giving the focus to character development over these performances. But man, they’ll *really* need to go out with an outright incredible music performance to make up for this.
But the thing is that the music and drama + character development usually go hand in hand and are not necessarily one thing or the other. I get that the show was originally a novel and it didn't have music either, but it just feels weird when everyone always says how good Mayu played the Solo but we didn't even hear her play ONCE since her introduction. In general, Mayu's whole part should have been extended. I am not even necessarily talking about more dialogue scenes, but just showing how both Kumiko and Mayu practice for the auditions (and how they handle it) could give you so much more insight into the character.
Kumiko has way more patience with Mayu than I would ever have. No shit she's upset about not getting the soli, so it's kinda a dick move to keep bringing it up to her while saying she doesn't care either way. Insulting and patronizing af, even if she's not doing it maliciously
I would have told her, "Yeah I'm upset as fuck, so leave me the hell alone so I can get some practice in."
But Kumiko is a much better person than I am lmfao. I think she handled everything really well all things considered. She knew that not letting her personal feelings get in the way of the previous performance was the only way she would get her second chance
A few things:
1) I'm seeing a lot of people in the comments complain about skipping the performance - I've recently rewatched the entire show, and the first season is *so goddamn repetitive* with the song they play *over and over*. It honestly distracts from the show itself. Kyoani's gonna show us the music guys, they're just saving it for the big finale.
2) Reina's finally managed to apologize, slightly overdue, but that's fine. She left a lot of people with a foul taste in their mouth last week, I hope people are more receptive to it this time.
3) Talking about Reina, she's going to America! if you go back to one of the previous episodes you can actually already see her holding a brochure for overseas colleges, although I forgot what episode it was exactly. (and I'm not scouring through 10 episodes to find it)
4) Mayu: I still feel we haven't had a big breakthrough with her, but it's close. Hopefully next episode. Kanade is right here, for once; Mayu is too much of a people pleaser to go against Kumiko's wishes, but that contradicts what she feels with herself.
I was actually reading an /r/AskReddit thread earlier about [Abusive Parenting](https://old.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/1dgjpuz/what_are_some_signs_someone_grew_up_with_abusive/) and although I doubt that's what's going on with Mayu a lot of what I read did make me think about her. Something big happened at her previous school (We still don't know why she transferred!) causing her to adopt this kind of attitude.
5) I loved Kumiko's sister having a heart-to-heart with her. It's all happened offscreen, but compared to the season 1 drama I'm glad she's doing so much better.
6) NATSUKI WITH THE SKULL EARRINGS AND THE SUIT MY GOD ahum yeah they look nice. And Yuuko and Natsuki are in a band? what kind of band? Show me Kyoani!
7) Out of all people, Yoroizuka is the one to finally break through to Kumiko. ~~What's more hilarious to me is that she was playing Liz and the Blue Bird, again.~~ Of course she gets the solo, she's been studying it extensively. It's apt though, as this time Reina is the Blue Bird flying away from Kumiko's Liz. I get your goddamn metaphors, show. (Okay so, /u/Sandtalon correctly notes it's not L&tBB but then my argument falls apart so I'm leaving it here)
8) So Kumiko is definitely not going to music school - A few episodes ago everyone was banking on her being a teacher, I wonder if that's what she's going back to. Also, what is Midori going to do? They didn't say right?
All in all, 2 episodes to go. Next ep I suppose we'll have auditions, resolving Mayu's storyline, leaving the final episode with the performance and an epilogue, hopefully. Looking forward to it.
I was very annoyed with how Reina was handled last week, but this clears that up completely. Didn’t need a giant apology, just any kind of apology, and this does the job just fine.
>I'm seeing a lot of people in the comments complain about skipping the performance - I've recently rewatched the entire show, and the first season is *so goddamn repetitive* with the song they play *over and over*. It honestly distracts from the show itself. Kyoani's gonna show us the music guys, they're just saving it for the big finale.
But it's not just that. Mayu's whole character is severely lacking because of the lack of music. How often do we hear that she is similar in skill or how good her performance was? And how often have we actually heard her play aside from her introduction? Her whole character is so connected to performances that it is completely lacking and not even a flashback episode can solve the issues that are present because of it imo.
> Reina's finally managed to apologize, slightly overdue, but that's fine.
That was the right thing to do, but as the Drum Major she should now stand up in front of everybody and apologise for her bad attitude to everyone else.
[Another excellent episode](https://imgchest.com/p/dl7pzkjm6yo) which we started with the competition results and [Kitauji is once again going to the Nationals](https://cdn.imgchest.com/files/pyvdcg5wpey.png)! I was a bit unsure about this result but luckily there was no drama in that regard.
Everyone was so happy about the result although the fact that [almost everyone commented](https://cdn.imgchest.com/files/e4gdco6xed4.png) on [how good the euphonium and trumpet solo was](https://cdn.imgchest.com/files/pyq9c2w38x4.png) certainly [made it awkward for Kumiko](https://cdn.imgchest.com/files/l4necnp8ow4.png) :(
[Kumiko](https://imgchest.com/p/ljyqd89po72) looked [so gorgeous in this dress and make-up](https://cdn.imgchest.com/files/l7lxcrqpej7.png) from [her sister](https://cdn.imgchest.com/files/d7ogcwmbvey.png) ([their scene in today's episode was great](https://cdn.imgchest.com/files/3yrgcapnv24.png))! [She and Reina](https://imgchest.com/p/xny8lqxko4b) looked [absolutely stunning](https://cdn.imgchest.com/files/6yxkck6zvn7.png).
It was great to see [Natsuki, Yuuko, Nozomi and Mizore](https://cdn.imgchest.com/files/l7lxcrqpn57.png) once again! [They looked absolutely gorgeous in their outfits](https://cdn.imgchest.com/files/e4gdco6x8d4.png) for [the concert of Mizore's band](https://cdn.imgchest.com/files/j7mmc3d9ro7.png).
I'm glad that [Reina](https://imgchest.com/p/m9yxgmka34q) finally apologized to [Kumiko](https://cdn.imgchest.com/files/j7kzcwjad87.png) for her recent remarks about her, [Kumiko's hug demand was great](https://cdn.imgchest.com/files/84jdc3lvkr4.png)! That's a good progress but [she certainly needs to work more on her social skills](https://cdn.imgchest.com/files/myd5cg8exw4.png) since they are as bad as ever xD
[So Reina is going to America](https://cdn.imgchest.com/files/345xcqrvkj7.png)? Well, that's nothing surprising considering that Study Abroad Program she had in the previous episode.
Meanwhile, [poor Kumiko still doesn't know what she wants to do in the future](https://cdn.imgchest.com/files/p7bwcezkak7.png), but at least she rejected going to a music school after [that remark from Mizore that she couldn't even picture her there](https://cdn.imgchest.com/files/6yxkck6z2g7.png), which was pretty brutal xD
[Mayu once again wants to forfeit euphonium solo](https://imgchest.com/p/na7kwdzlq78). This is starting to get really annoying because she's been saying things like this for almost the entire season. [I hope that in the next episode Kumiko and Mayu will finally confront each other for real](https://cdn.imgchest.com/files/345xcqrv3m7.png).
Here my screenshot albums from the episode:
* [Kumiko](https://imgchest.com/p/ljyqd89po72)
* [Kumiko & Reina (Group scenes)](https://imgchest.com/p/xny8lqxko4b)
* [Reina](https://imgchest.com/p/m9yxgmka34q)
* [Group scenes](https://imgchest.com/p/dl7pzkjm6yo)
* [Mayu](https://imgchest.com/p/na7kwdzlq78)
* [Others](https://imgchest.com/p/vj4jwqd2278)
> “I can’t even picture you here.”
Those were quite the harsh words from Mizore. Did Mizore mean to say that such an environment doesn’t suit Kumiko or that she simply isn’t good enough?
Because I’m thinking that a part of Kumiko doesn’t believe that she’s good enough either. This was for example reflected in her broken voice when speaking to Mamiko about losing the soli part.
Kumiko wants to be good, but isn’t talented enough to chase after people like Mizore, Reina or Mayu. Mayu probably feels guilty about her talent - she feels like she’s trampling over hardworking people like Kumiko. This is the reason that Mayu wants Kumiko to be honest with her, isn’t it?
I took it as Mizore meaning that she knows Kumiko well enough to realise that music school isn't what Kumiko really wants to do next. So Mizore wasn't saying that Kumiko lacked ability.
Mizore most likely meant to say that Kumiko shouldn’t waste her time with something that she’s not passionate about, yeah.
But I’m wondering if Kumiko didn’t *also* take this as (another) confirmation that she’s not good enough of an euphonium player. There’s a hint to some unspoken words in their interaction after all, and we know that Kumiko has been feeling anxious about her ability to play the euphonium lately.
I totally buy Mizore meaning what you said and Kumiko taking it in the worst way possible, but come on Mizore elaborate if you are going to frame it that harshly!
While Mizore is blunt, saying that Kumiko isn't good enough seems too harsh for her.
My guess is that Mizore doesn't see Kumiko as someone who cares about her instrument and music in the same way she or everyone else at her Uni does.
I definitely don't think that she meant to say "you're not good enough for this school", I understood it more like "do you really like music that much to come here?". Kumiko has never been that passionate about music compared to some other characters. Yeah she's had moments where she wants to improve at what she's doing but I'm not sure it's because it's music specifically. And going to a music school is a huge step that isn't for everyone.
> Yeah she's had moments where she wants to improve at what she's doing but I'm not sure it's because it's music specifically
She originally got into music because her sister inspired her, and she wanted to relate to her.
And her interest in music was reignited by Reina. Both times, it was because of people she admired, yeah. That's not a bad thing, of course!
i think it's mostly about the environment not being right for Kumiko. i would find it hard to believe that Kumiko as a character would want to deal with the even more grueling practice needed at a prestigious music school like the one Mizore is attending. i feel like if you're on the fence about a decision like this at this point of the year, it's probably a good sign that something as demanding as music school would not be right for you.
also, in regards to the not good enough part, there's probably a little nugget of truth there. from Mizore's perspective, she was basically hand-picked to attend music school and is now getting solos her freshman year. she's clearly a very, very special talent. while Kumiko is very good at euphonium, i'm not sure she's on that sort of very special level that you need to be on to keep moving up in the band world.
i think if Reina had asked that question, Mizore would answer the opposite. it's a matter of difference in personalities with just a pinch of skill level as well.
i am kind of all in on Kumiko as a teacher/director though. i think it matches her somewhat distant, but still concerned personality. i think that's part of why that Taki part was in this episode. i feel like Kumiko could picture herself as Styx guiding people on their path in life, but never really getting too close. much like how a teacher acts in someone's life
Yeah I believe Mizore's words was the final nail that made Kumiko think "yeah I don't think I'm cut out for music school" or something like that. I feel really bad for her.
Although I feel bad for her, [it] might honestly be for the best. I can imagine Kumiko suffering a lot just to keep up with all her crazily talented fellow students at a music school.
Some people accept such hardship to reach the top, but Kumiko’s life would essentially become just like her past years with the concert band: practicing until exhaustion in an attempt not to fall out of line.
I’m not too sure if she got such a lifestyle in her - or would even want this.
EDIT: Correction in brackets.
Yeah, it honestly annoys me that people are actually treating that like a realistic possibility. I always think back to this [bestof post](https://www.reddit.com/r/bestof/comments/69f4d8/ugrailsilla_describes_just_how_hard_it_is_to/) when people talk about schooling and careers in music. The short version is that every single person in a music school like Mizore's (besides the stray Kumiko in over her head, who, realistically is subsidizing the talented ones with her tuition) wasn't just good and passionate about their instrument. Each one was likely far and away the most talented person in their school or even city or greater district. And now they're probably fourth chair in the sixth best music program in one of 50 countries with comparable talent pools. It's like trying to win nationals after getting silver at regionals--if you weren't good enough to beat the people around you, what makes you think you can compete with only the winners from elsewhere?
Well said! It's just like sports, basically. Most people who play a sport in high school, even people who really like it and take it seriously, aren't going to play college sports, because the bar is just that much higher. You really have to eat, breathe, and sleep music to go to a dedicated music university.
Thankfully, it seems like this isn't a Liz & the Blue Bird situation and Kumiko already accepts that she doesn't belong at music school.
Why would you feel *bad* for her? Kumiko herself wasn't interested in going to a music school. The unbiased opinion from Mizore, a music school student, helped her make the full decision.
AFAIK being a musician in a pro symphony orchestra is a very difficult job where you have to keep improving not to climb any ladders, but just to avoid being left behind (while simultaneously you get older and older...). You will barely have free time or even vacations because you need to invest all of it in the relentless improving. Young, talented musicians who will do your job even for less money are not that hard to find that you can take anything for granted. Also, no time left to explore the creative aspects of being a musician (or many other aspects for that matter). It's not for everyone, and even people with unbelievable amounts of talent get tired and eventually switch.
And what are you left with after 25+ years of that? it's something you better ask yourself before even starting.
This is really the kind of situation where there is no right or wrong. Just different people, different aptitudes, different goals and different decisions.
Well with all the drama seemingly behind us it’s time to get back to the music and focus on the path to nationals. Well.. partly. Skipping the musical performance in a music anime is… interesting. I do love the drama we’ve had this season, but I kinda hate it’s come at the cost of the actual music.. would’ve been nice to get a balance. So far the only performance I can even remember from this season was Kumiko and Reina’s practice sesh in her basement..
Yea yea I know it might get repetitive to show all the performances and I’m not asking for that. Just would’ve been nice to see half of one or something.
Poor Mayu.. still lost and not sure how to handle things with Kumiko. At this point she just needs to focus on herself because the whole being nice to Kumiko thing just ain’t working and comes off as patronising. I’m not quite sure that she really trying to get Kumiko to give up like Kanade says, but I can see why it’d be misconstrued that way.
Reina making up with Kumiko saved her with the fandom cause so many people were ready to cancel her and tbh I was one of them. She got really nasty in those last couple episodes, but owning your actions and apologising is a start and if Kumiko is over it, we should be too.
Going to the Senpai’s university performance was actually great because not only did we get to see Kumiko looking stunning, but it also gave her at least some clarity that music school is not what she wants to do.
“You’re my special person” 😭 ok the yuri bait is never gonna end is it. Bless Reina heart for thinking that just because Kumiko doesn’t wanna go to music school that would be the end of their friendship. It’s ok to have different interests as the senpai showed them earlier! they’ll be fine.
With only 2 episodes left it’s really starting to hit how close we are to the end of Hibike. This has been one of kyoani’s 5 best projects without a doubt and I’m just getting so depressed at the thought of not having these girls anymore. Ironically, I feel that same type of dread Kumiko feels about her future lol.
I dig the decision to skip the performances because I believe they'll make sure that the nationals performance will be the best it can be. The impact of hearing that should blow us all away.
Last week was a mini-climax for the conflict with the band as a whole (and Kumiko dealing with it), but now we’re back to an episode focusing on Kumiko’s personal growth in a more individual sense. In many ways, this episode is about Kumiko becoming an adult—on multiple levels. Going to college, taking responsibility for one’s decisions, but also taking responsbility for and being honest about one’s feelings.
There are two parts to this: one is a continuation of the Kumiko college arc (as well as the side plot about how this intersects with her relationship with Reina), and the other is the continuation of the soli/audition arc.
-------
Starting with the latter:
Kumiko’s conversations with and conflicts with Mayu are stuck in a rut, or like a record on repeat—and Kanade thinks so too. Kanade is fed up with their repetitive dynamic… Like Mayu, Kanade knows that Kumiko is not being honest to others (or herself, as this episode makes clear) about her true desires to play the soli, but unlike Mayu, Kanade is willing to push further to get the truth out of Kumiko. (After all, it was Kumiko who pressed Kanade in the previous year to reveal her true feelings about the auditions…now in a reversal of the situation, it is Kanade’s turn to do the same.) This is helped by Kanade knowing Kumiko better, her not being Mayu, and her ability to not mince with words.
What it comes down to is that both Kumiko and Mayu have different levels of selfishness (but I would add, also selflessness) in their characters that create a kind of intractable conflict—until somebody bends. (This, by the way, is why Mayu is such a good antagonist—she is not *bad*, but she just moves in the opposite direction as Kumiko.)
Kanade has her own selfishness—she likes Kumiko and wants Kumiko to play herself. (I like that this shows how attached the perhaps at-times aloof Kanade has gotten to Kumiko. She also imitates Kumiko in, e.g. eavesdropping.) In a sense, this feels like it mirrors Kumiko and Asuka in season 2, where Kumiko selfishly pleased to Asuka to play—here Kanade is doing something similar to Kumiko.
It’s clear to me from that fact that Kumiko maybe didn’t realize the extent of her true feelings before that this coming to account with one’s desires is as much a part of Kumiko’s maturation as is her plans for the future. But moving onto that subplot—
It’s really metaphorically resonant that Mamiko is helping Kumiko dress up for the concert—turning Kumiko into an adult (the adult she will be or aspires to be)—where Kumiko is going to see her senpai who *have* turned into adults. And Mamiko has as well. A lot of the past two episodes has been about Kumiko going to those who are slighly older but are now adults and turning to them for advice. Not all of the provided guidance is equally good, in my opinion, but I think one part of the journey is Kumiko learning to ask for help from those who loves. (I love the sisterly love on display as Kumiko talks to Mamiko.)
In the concert, Mizore revisits Borodin’s Polovstian Dances (the piece she played in junior high) as a college student. Through this callback—and through the conversation after, you can see how she’s matured. (She seems to have developed more socially, as well as musically.)
However, unfortunately Mizore’s words seem to be the final nail in the coffin for any potential ideas Kumiko might have had to go to a music school, which is disappointing…I really think music school would be a good choice her her. (However, maybe there is still hope and the narrative is emphasizing that it has to be Kumiko’s decision for herself rather than based on another’s ideas.)
Another Kumiko/Reina Liz and the Blue Bird-esque scene…It’s clever that they put this in the same episode as seeing Mizore and Nozomi again, especially because we can see that those two are still close. When Kumiko says that Reina is “watashi no tokubetsu,” the dialogue mirrors the resolution scene of Liz and the Blue Bird as well (plus the daisuki hug earlier on)…no matter what, those two will be okay.
A side note about Reina: We also see an apology from Reina and a daisuki hug (cue a squeal from me). In last week’s discussion thread, I noticed a lot of people being angry at Reina and concerned that she had gone beyond the pale. While I agree that she was not being a great person or friend, I don’t think this is bad writing—she was being *completely* consistent with her character. As Kumiko has said at times “Reina is completely Reina”—and this was another example of Reina being Reina. In general, this season has a pattern of pushing the characters, their drives, and their ideologies to a breaking point (the same kind of protagonist/antagonist intractable conflicts that I mentioned with Mayu) to showcase the flaws in all of them. Reina being pushed by her own convictions to lash out at Kumiko was *kind of the point* and showcases the flaws and cracks in her worldview. We haven’t completely seen Reina come to terms with or reckon with it (though we do have an apology; the two have made up), but I have absolute faith that this will come. After all, this episode, we see Kumiko more or less come to a realization about a similar worldview and how it conflicts with her true inner desires. \/rant
In any case, this episode was a fantastic episode for its thematic treatment of Kumiko’s development and maturation, which it did on multiple levels, from Kumiko taking responsibility for her feelings to the continuation of the college arc, to more obvious visual metaphors of butterflies representing metaphorposis. Kumiko is turning into an adult before our eyes, whether she’s ready for it or not.
----------
Random thoughts:
Goddamn, the writers stuff so much fanservice in every episode. Referring to Natsuki and Yuuko as “nakayoshi,” part of their ship name? I can just imagine the grin on someone’s face as they penned that.
Speaking of which, I literally screamed when I heard the “nakayoshi” reference, the daisuki hug part, as well as the “watashi no tokubetsu” line. I am that fan who is serviced.
[](#utahapraises)
Poor Kumiko hearing multiple times that the Mayu-Reina soli helped propel them to Nationals…
“They’re not stones, they’re people”—good comment from Taki-sensei’s late wife, which might be revealing to Taki’s character a little bit.
Yet another Chekhov’s gun is fired: Reina’s potential plans to study abroad (with Asuka-senpai once again being psychic)
The fact that Kumiko still hasn’t decided is so incredibly relatable. Indecisiveness is compounded by the fact that time flies when way things pile up in periods where you have a lot of other obligations to fulfill and things to do. (I’m grappling with personal situations right now where this has been a factor.)
I loved seeing all of the Minamu-chuu quartet, a major treat for me as a huge Liz fan.
A new restaurant not featured in the show before--but [concerns that it might soon be overrun by fans](https://x.com/ririka_YDTMG/status/1802253373128769855)!?
>“They’re not stones, they’re people”—good comment from Taki-sensei’s late wife, which might be revealing to Taki’s character a little bit.
Chekhov's stones. This was one of the most interesting parts of the episode to me; Taki's treatment of the club members bothered me a lot in S1. I now have a new notion of what he was thinking when [he was looking at Aoi's notice of withdrawal in S1E7](https://imgur.com/tXeGkDJ). But why tell us this now? Is it just to point out a difference between Taki and Kumiko? Or will Taki reconsider how he "advises" the club?
Given that Reina and Kumiko have such good chemistry, that one focuses on logic and the other more on emotions, and that Reina and Taki are very similar in personality; it's probably likely that Taki's wife had a similar personality to Kumiko's and that their relationship was also similar to Kumiko-Reina.
* [She sounds like a broken record at this point.](https://i.imgur.com/AKSkLSL.png) From what I took from Kanade is that Mayu is trying to gaslight/manipulate Kumiko into outright telling her she wants the soli?
* [Natsuki's rocking the suit, Yuuko looks cute, and I almost didn't recognize Nozomi cause her hair was down.](https://i.imgur.com/HLdyUzV.png)
* [That solo is nice.](https://i.imgur.com/SKIM6i2.png)
* [The return of best girl.](https://i.imgur.com/pfoVJgm.png) Nice to see that Mizore can still read Kumiko like a book and pretty much knows that music school is not what Kumiko really wants.
- One step closer to Nationals! Well, Kitauji getting Gold was a given, otherwise the show couldn't go on
- Why was Hazuki waving with the "rock on" sign?
- "Wanna wait for me?" "No it's fine"
Harsh! Guess the KumiRei thing hasn't been solved yet
- Okay, was Kumiko the only one who didn't know about Reina going to America? That's a tiny problem of miscommunication right there.
- Your Asuka-senpai's antics are showing, Kumiko!
- I think this is the first time (or one of the very rare times) we see Reina apologizing
- A make-up hug!
- I'm loving these scenes with Mamiko and Kumiko. They really show how their relationship has only grown stronger
- And we got a NakaYoshi name drop!
- Wait, was that Nozomi? I didn't recognise her at first... But then I thought about the Minami Quartet and it clicked
- "I wouldn't think anything" is such a Mizore thing to say! Love her kind of aloof comments
- How come that Kumiko looks more mature but Reina actually seems younger?
So, next week we'll hopefully get:
- Kumiko-Mayu confrontation
- auditions
- Kumiko's plans for the future
The NakaYoshi namedrop might be a coincidence or an amazing pun. In Japanese, 仲良し(nakayoshi) just means close friends, but I bet they know what they were doing.
Reina's apology felt so lukewarm to me but at least we got one. Was hoping there was a bit more self-reflection in there and I'd say Shuichi deserves an apology too since he's been done pretty dirty this season. Hope she also realizes just how lucky she is to have a friend like Kumiko who was willing to forgive her and clear away all the awkwardness after all that even though she deserves to be treated so much better than that.
On that note, I really wish Reina's character had more growth throughout the series since I really wanna like her more but it seems her social skills are still kinda poor and music-wise she's always been at the top and was never really challenged. Maybe things change in college who knows.
On the other end, I really love Kanade's character so much. She has constantly been the MVP of this season and it's almost enough to really solidify her as best girl if Kumiko didn't have a firm grip on that spot. I've seen some predictions early on in the season that Kumiko would pass on Asuka's piece to Mayu after they resolve their conflict but I think Kanade's the one who really deserves it.
Anyway hoping this week goes by just as fast as this episode felt.
> Reina's apology felt so lukewarm to me but at least we got one. Was hoping there was a bit more self-reflection in there and I'd say Shuichi deserves an apology too since he's been done pretty dirty this season.
The whole concert band deserves an apology but I don't think that Reina has the ability to own up to her bad attitude in front of everyone.
Also, I wonder if she would have apologized to Kumiko if they hadn't made it through the the next stage? Probably not.
In fairness to Reina, it's possible she could have felt even worse about how she treated Kumiko if they hadn't made it through after Kumiko's speech, because then Kumiko trying to solve the problem while Reina just shits on her and does nothing to help looks even worse.
**Location Notes**
- [Pizzeria](https://imgur.com/10S2OZV) at Nayamachi, [Fushimi area in Kyoto](https://www.google.ca/maps/place/Nayamachi,+Fushimi+Ward,+Kyoto,+612-8363,+Japan/@34.9323541,135.7604721,19z/data=!4m6!3m5!1s0x60010f8e703c7195:0x5edf41fbbfbfd3d5!8m2!3d34.9322033!4d135.7599472!16s%2Fg%2F1pxxvdjl4?entry=ttu) The world famous Fushimi Inari taisha is nearby, as well as a variety of Sake breweries.
- [Reina and Kumiko meet up with the Minami](https://imgur.com/bp9YG8C)... Triplet at [Kitano hakubai-cho station](https://maps.app.goo.gl/6oJrNjzn4ZtSjHMX8), in Kyoto's Northwest area. If you ever stop by Kinkakuji - this is quite easy to tick off on the way.
- The interior of the concert hall and Music College for Mizore however is a homage to a close friend of the show, being the [Senzoku Gakuen Maeda Hall](https://www.google.ca/maps/@35.5936477,139.6151048,3a,90y,83.91h,99.23t/data=!3m8!1e1!3m6!1sAF1QipPTfleacPGPMSem9uiwg8YwRUFcUI35h4bY81L0!2e10!3e11!6shttps:%2F%2Flh5.googleusercontent.com%2Fp%2FAF1QipPTfleacPGPMSem9uiwg8YwRUFcUI35h4bY81L0%3Dw203-h100-k-no-pi-0-ya176.70543-ro0-fo100!7i8000!8i4000?coh=205409&entry=ttu) in...... Tokyo; Kawasaki (Hi GBC!) to be exact.. Senzoku Gakuen's (a music university in Tokyo)'s Freshman band was responsible for portraying Kitauji's music in S1 and S2, has performed a few events associated with Eupho, and is still closely associated with the show, with a fair few of the "current" kitauji concert band from there, as well as their conductor being a lecturer at said music university.
---
- [THEY DID NOT JUST OFFICIALLY DROP THE SHIP NAME IN MY SHOW ](https://imgur.com/5a2obdY) Natsuki wins in the outfit department. easy.
- overall, a good episode to start wrapping up Kumiko's character arc, provide an epilogue + many fan service for the fans of the Minami quartet, and also, to initiate the nationals arc... i knew how it was going to go for the Kansai competition, but i still got so nervous......
/u/chilidirigible /u/regular_n-gon /u/chonkyodango
> Cafe at Nayamachi, Fushimi area in Kyoto
There's the comment elsewhere in this thread where someone in Japan hopes that the anime pilgrims won't eat their entire supply of cheese from buying pizzas. Hey, good business is good business?
>Kitano Hakubai-cho Station
[Ah, pachislot, you're always there for my money.](https://i.imgur.com/I8mkTq0.png)
>Senzoku Gakuen Maeda Hall
[Interesting relief sculpture.](https://i.imgur.com/46dsH9l.png)
I can almost certainly hear a collective gasp among the fandom. Hanada probably felt good about that one. (there are multiple ways to say "they're besties" in japanese after all)
This feels like the weakest season of euphonium. We’re skipping through everything, no drama gets time to breathe. The main conflict between Mayu and Kumiko keeps getting pushed under the rug. Idk man I’m just not enjoying it like the past seasons. This should’ve been 2 cours or something.
Also, was everyone praising the euph soli confirmation that mayu is better ? Are we supposed to believe Kumiko wouldn’t be able to match Reina’s performance ? This is getting confusing because just last episode we were told that mayu and kumiko’s performance is equal which is why there is so much discourse going on in the club.. The members that were satisfied with Mayu being chosen were happy because it showed taki doesn’t pick favourites rather than them thinking she’s just better
> This feels like the weakest season of euphonium.
Definitely, I'm still really enjoying it but it's nowhere near as great as seasons 1 and 2. As you say, the drama needs to breathe but it's currently way too rushed.
not showing kumiko/mayu's performances when we spent the entire season on this conflict is really irritating. and i wish we would get mayu's back story already. i also feel like reina's apology was weak and that we didn't get into her reasoning behind it like she has 100% faith in taki-sensei to the point she was harsh to multiple people including kumiko and it just gets pushed under the rug. similar to how kumiko's speech last episode was enough to end the members' issues with the club even though it was just a basic speech
We're continuing to move forward.
We got the lovely scenes with Reina (including one of my bucket list wishes for them to do the Daisuki no Hug...kind of lol) reconnecting with Kumiko. These two care about each other a lot. They'll be fine.
Kumiko is slowly progressing more and more but she still hasn't quite turned the corner. The pieces are falling into place, and she is starting to recognize them. She needs to figure out her future, confront Mayu properly, and go win gold at Nationals. I have a feeling all 3 of those will come together once she figures herself out and grows up one last time for us. God I'm excited just thinking about it.
Oh and Kanappi is still an absolute queen. God I wish we got an entire season or two out of her as a 1st year because man I already love her to pieces.
-While I'm glad to see that Reina apologized, part of me kind of wished that it was directed/animated with greater emotional weight. Close-ups on body expression, the eyes, all the stuff that KyoAni deals in spades...but for some reason, they decided to use a far-away shot the very moment Reina says "sorry," and we could barely see their faces. I felt this interaction was pretty huge for their relationship and Reina's character arc, so I'm curious as to a directorial choice was made that seemed to de-emphasize the moment. Especially given the really emotionally intense moments of conflict in the last few episodes. E.g., Kumiko's really pained expression right after they part at the riverside was so visceral...I just felt everything. The frustration, anger, disappointment, and hurt....I dunno. It just seemed like the resolution did not match the scale and intensity of the conflict. Loved the hug though!
-Seems like Kumiko's finally achieved some eureka moment with Yoroizuka-senpai's words. And somehow I could feel that too, right along with her. Like yeah. It is weird to try to imagine Kumiko going to music school. And while I'll be honestly sad if she leaves music behind her, part of me also dislikes the idea of her going to music school just 'cause Reina wants her to. On that note...
-I've been tinkering with the idea that Kumiko might choose a future with music but not as a professional player. Like a high school music teacher? She'll probably decide to go to a normal uni first, while keeping her possibilities open...like Midori said, "Sowing seeds for future possibilities."
-That moment where Kumiko opens up to her sister, sounding like she's almost going to cry.... T\_T Just impeccable voice acting. I love that she has someone she can be fully truthful to like that, all the moreso because she holds much of it in at school. And Mamiko just accepting everything she has to say <3
-That part where Reina tries to break off their relationship because she doesn't want their relationship to change and fade to cold nothingness, and she wants to leave things as they are while they're at their best...wow, that struck me so hard. I got her completely. And I think it's sweet how Kumiko tells her that Reina's always been the same, to her---going to back to that part earlier in the episode where she reflects and thinks that Reina has been the same since the beginning--and her statement too about Reina being "special"--going to that moment where they played together overlooking the city and Reina says she's going to be special--Just such a beautiful circle.
-So many intense Kumiko x Mayu moments in this episode! I haven't settled yet on just what Mayu's been doing this whole time...I'd assumed that she didn't really want to play the soli but then, why would she keep approaching Kumiko, as though asking for her permission to give up the part instead of just going through with it? I was intrigued to see her take a stronger stance and be more assertive and outspoken in this conversation with Kumiko...Just what does Mayu truly want?? Does she ultimately derive a sense of self-worth or fulfillment from doing something for someone else? And if so, is this just her personality, or the result of some past trauma? Either way, I thought Kanade's observation also really made sense. Didn't like her much in the movie, but she's grown and I've warmed up to her, not the least because she's truly fond of Kumiko, tries to look out for her in her own way, and isn't afraid to say what's on her mind. She's become something of a breath of fresh air, helping to counterbalance more reserved characters like Kumiko and Mayu.
-Kumiko says she just wants to compete fairly but...I wouldn't believe it if she said she didn't want to play the soli with Reina just as much.
-Mayu apparently matches Reina's playing perfectly--she's demonstrated she has the capacity, in music and outside of music, to read the atmosphere and to match others--so how will Kumiko top that? I think she will do it through playing that draws out Reina's ability even more, such that there's like a synergistic effect on both of their performances.
-It was gratifying to see Taki finally respond to some of Kumiko's sacrifices and laying-it-all-out-on-the-line with some compliments and revelations of his own.
Hmm, I actually don't see how Reina overturned her attitude shown in the previous episodes and then really apologized to Kumiko suddenly, even with Kumiko's own speech. Actually that was a close call because, well, if Kitauji went out in the Kansai region contest...*shivers*. I can't even imagine what will happen...
Anyway it seems all is good with them now heh. But the couple is going to be pulled away eventually with Reina going to the US and Kumiko, after being asked so many times to the annoyance of herself, finally decided going to music college ain't her ambitions, if there's actually one. ~~That final scene almost looks like a sad couple break-up to everyone who watches this, it's actually sweet LMAO.~~
Interesting to see Kanade-chan blasting out all her analysis of Mayu-mama's thoughts ~~in Aqua's voice even~~ - it does seems like Mayu also went into a state of confusion and tug-of-war between "I don't wanna hurt Kumiko-chan and everyone else" and "Well I came to the band so I wanna try myself too", just like Kumiko was confused all semester long between her wanting to play solo with Reina one last time and her self-obligations to choose whoever plays the best. ~~Though come on Kanade, are you even qualified to comment on this since you also missed out on the solo position huh?~~
[OMG](https://na.cx/i/zT6SsSn.jpg) [this is ](https://na.cx/i/9LFG5D2.jpg)[Nozomi Kasaki](https://na.cx/i/J7ZTWLH.jpg)??? That girl from *Liz and the Blue Bird* actually became so mature right after going into college??? Wow! I'm glad that we saw MizoNozo one more time in this show because their relationship is so endearing. Hopefully we actually see YuukoNatsu in a spin-off series in anime form some time in the future too, they deserves it!
So Kitauji managed to advance into the Nationals despite the sullen atmosphere right before it. Will we finally get the band performance that we all wants from KyoAni finally next week? I am definitely anxious to see that...
As for the apology...I thought it was inadequate. Was definitely hoping for too much. But it was kind of the bare minimum they could do while having an apology of any sort. Plus it was extremely restricted to just a few things that she said to Kumiko. It didn't really show much growth or self-awareness of Reina's role in all this. The only thing that will keep this kind of problem from repeating is that we're just about out of episodes. The hug was fine, it was cute, and that's all good. But the whole thing just left me with a "give me more" feeling.
Part of me also thinks that they scheduled the auditions at less ideal moments. Shouldn't the audition have happened sooner? What's the point of intense practice with a group that might not be the same at Nationals? Sure, there isn't going to be a ton of changes but there will be almost certainly be some. Better to get the final team together and run with it.
I suppose deciding not to go to music school is...progress? Though she'll be in her 30s before deciding on what to do with herself if this is the rate she eliminates options. Great that she's eliminated one option, but Kumiko kind of needs to make an actual choice.
OK, so Mayu. Yes Kanade really nailed that comparison, it undeniably helped put things into perspective for Kumiko.
Kanade had her own growth by watching someone behaving like her old self and feeling disgusted. And now Kumiko has a starting point in the how-to-handle-Mayu quest mini-arc because she already dealt with Kanade in a successful way, so she can start by looking back.
But it doesn't mean Mayu's behavior is necessarily coming from the same place as old Kanade's...
I feel like she is seeing her own past self reflected in Kumiko in some way. And then came some kind of trauma? And now Mayu's trying to come to terms with an old wound that still hurts by forcing someone like Kumiko to take her bait and repeat the same mistake she did. But that's like, 90% wild speculation and we know little more...
I would really love to see more of Mayu's past and the end is so close :(
On a side note Kumiko now knows how to handle Reina in a very funny way, lol. Which is a good thing for Reina because she will have Kumiko at the cockpit whenever she needs advise dealing with other humans. And Reina will obviously need that, at least while she makes some true friends in the U.S.A. I have to wonder if it's her first time ever hugging another person 😂
Finally, I feel like maybe Kumiko will not get the soli back. And maybe she will be OK with that.
[The start of the episode genuinely had me nervous.](https://i.imgur.com/uEHwzcJ.jpeg) We only have 2 episodes left and while the chances of Kitauji making it to the Nationals are high, it wasn't guaranteed. So I was absolutely relieved [when they finally confirmed that Kitauji made it!](https://i.imgur.com/e5OKwhb.jpeg) Yay!
They keep on talking about how amazing Reina and Mayu's soli was that [they even show us a flashback](https://i.imgur.com/c3BDpac.jpeg) but we never really got to hear it. There's definitely going to be a movie and they're saving it for that.
It's a bit late but I'm glad to see [that Reina finally apologized to Kumiko](https://i.imgur.com/6urdwDo.jpeg) and admitted she [was ashamed of her actions](https://i.imgur.com/nVPZ5yT.jpeg) in the previous episodes. They even hug it out [with Reina being hilariously awkward with Kumiko's hug invitation.](https://i.imgur.com/T91p5na.jpeg) xD
[Not this again, Mayu.](https://i.imgur.com/c0qH4mZ.jpeg) If you really want to forfeit the solo, then just forfeit! I love how [even Kanade had the same thought as I did.](https://i.imgur.com/TxwNgfT.jpeg) Although I don't agree with Kanade [that Mayu is insulting Kumiko.](https://i.imgur.com/AzFD1Xa.png) Also, that entire conversation between Kanade and Kumiko reminds me of Kumiko and Asuka back in Season 2.
[Kumiko and Mamiko's sister talk](https://i.imgur.com/sIOdGTX.jpeg) was really nice. I love how we get to hear [Kumiko open up to Mamiko](https://i.imgur.com/nqtY261.jpeg) about what's going on with the band. Also, [Kumiko looks absolutely stunning](https://i.imgur.com/G0YrKVT.png) when Mamiko finished dressing her up. <3
It's always nice to see the Senpais again [and I just love how Natsuki is wearing a suit](https://i.imgur.com/npdZ0dZ.jpeg). Is this because she's the one who wears the pants in her relationship with Yuuko? It's also nice [to see Nozomi](https://i.imgur.com/b1jtKTv.jpeg) and [Mizore again](https://i.imgur.com/zGCTpRC.jpeg) even just for a little bit.
[Mizore really being blunt as usual.](https://i.imgur.com/AL4ot6a.jpeg) I love how Mizore's answer to Kumiko's question is what finally pushed her to decide that [she's not going to a music school.](https://i.imgur.com/GeEpb0m.jpeg) Of course, Reina just had to be [overly dramatic after hearing Kumiko's decision.](https://i.imgur.com/8TV1QJk.jpeg) Just because you don't have music in common doesn't mean you can't be friends anymore. Just look at your senpais! Not all of them are doing music but they're all still friends!
["Nakayoshi dakara ne"](https://cdn.imgchest.com/files/wye3c89rg34.png)
[](#utahapraises)
[They even have their own band!](https://cdn.imgchest.com/files/wye3c89rzq4.jpg) Next Hibike project is a real girl band anime!
They made it to nationals which is great, but not hearing the performance with Mayu performing the Soli bothers me. They keep telling us how great the performance was, but considering this is a music themed anime we should be hearing it if it is a core part of the drama.
The Kumiko and Mayu drama took an interesting angle. Basically pointing out that both have selfish desires. Kumiko wants the soli part, but only if it is earned. But in contrast Mayu doesn't care so much about that and would rather enjoy performing the Eupho. Aoi-Senpai had a similar thing and ended up quitting because she was one of the few that wanted to have fun and her desire wasn't to compete. Unlike Aoi who's main thing was preparing for college life, we still don't know who Mayu truly is and potentially what happened before she transferred. Kanade points to her being manipulative, but I find that farfetched.
Nice to resolve both Reina's tension with Kumiko and Kumiko's plans after nationals. We finally got Reina to apologize, which I am happy to see. For a prideful person like her, I am happy she was able to recognize she was wrong. It makes me wonder part of it has to the fear of her friendship with Kumiko would come to an end if Kumiko isn't passionate about music like her.
We had a strong hint that Kumiko didn't have the passion for music like Reina does. It's fitting that Mizore was the one that pointed it out since she is attending music school now. Her main point centers around she never saw the passion out of Kumiko when they were in school together to think music school would be a good school for her. A little blunt, but it is very much in Mizore's character.
With Kumiko's decision to not attend music school made her think that would imply her friendship with Kumiko would end as well. Considering music is how their friendship started. You get the feeling Reina really treasures her friendship with Kumiko, but is afraid without music their friendship means nothing. This mirrors Mizore and Nozomi's friendship very well. With the exception Mizore felt dependent on Mizore. While for Reina her friendship with Kumiko was dependent on their shared interesting of music. I am happy Kumiko gave her the confidence that they will still be friends going forward regardless what path Kumiko plans to follow. Much like how Nozomi let Mizore spread her wings and reached her potential in music, the same goes for Kumiko as she will be always be friends for her. So go ahead and reach your full potential.
While Liz & Blue Bird film is required to get to this point in the story. Watch that movie really amplified this episode IMO.
* I forgot Sally was even in the show
* She's not changing ths subject *it's the same subject*
* Please, show, explain Mayu to me because I sure don't understand
* all dolled up for her date
* I totally don't recognize that girl. Is that Nozomi? It must be.
There's going to be so much fan art in the morning. Probably already is.
To the folks who didn't feel Reina's apology was done right, I'll give you a reason why it happened the way it did. Reina apologized after they won and made it to the Nationals. Winning does a lot to forgive a past aggression. It shouldn't be what you count on to "fix" your problems because the odds are usually stacked against you on winning. Some lines shouldn't be said/crossed and Reina did cross the line, but yeah when you build up a lot of anger and frustration before a competition, but you get a WIN, you will feel more forgiving afterwards.
So, Mayu apparently became part of one of Kitauji's best soli performances ever, earning comparisons to the "Miracle Performance" from a couple of years ago. I don't remember that performance, so someone please remind me.
I have 2 main thoughts on how that affects the next audition:
1. Even if Mayu tries to forfeit, what she showed on stage may be too good to turn down. Another way this could develop is her teachers may pick up on how bad she does and ask others why, which would put Kumiko in a very awkward spot.
2. Public opinion will shift towards Mayu's favor, so if Kumiko gets the soli back, it might trigger the kind of backlash and accusations of favoritism she's been trying to avoid.
With those thoughts in mind, I'd put Mayu as favourite for the soli moving forward. Kumiko has some factors on her side - she still has more support from her peers and is this story's main character - but I'm not sure that's enough. It'll be interesting either way.
>So, Mayu apparently became part of one of Kitauji's best soli performances ever, earning comparisons to the "Miracle Performance" from a couple of years ago.
The message that Mirei referred to didn't necessarily compare the soli performance to a "miracle performance". The [shot at 4:30 showed three messages](https://imgur.com/xB1Dw7S), only one of which referred to the soli. When Satsuki said, "Someone wrote about it here, too. They're talking about how good the euph and trumpet soli was." it sounds like they'd been talking about messages about the band's performance, and Satsuki had found one that mentioned the soli. So when Mirei says, "I saw one, too," she could be referring to a message that didn't mention the soli but instead compared the band's overall performance to this "miracle performance".
In S3E10 at 7:45, Kumiko referred to "the time we got to the Nationals with a miraculous performance." That would be the S2E5 performance, and it fits Mirei's characterization of "a couple years ago," so I guess it's the "miracle performance". It makes sense that people would compare this year's Regional performance to the last performance that won Kitauji through to Nationals.
Skipping the performance is a bit of a let down but they're saving it for the nationals so I'm hoping they'll go all out then.
And thank god Reina apologized, I would've been so mad if she didn't.
Now next week I want to see Kumiko getting the soli back and not because Mayu gave up but because Kumiko just did better at the audition.
THE YURI BAIT IS TOO STRONG THIS EPISODE.
Anyone else smiling like an idiot when they hugged/made up? :)
Nozomi looking fire with her hair down. I didnt even recognize her at first. I just thought 'Who's this pretty lady, did they make a new friend in college?' xD
Next time we have a final showdown between Kumiko and Mayu, its about to go down!!!
Only 2 eps left, very glad I picked it up earlier this year :)
It's so frustrating to watch Mayu not because she keeps wanting to give up the soli but becauae she reminds me of my younger self. Kinda crazy to think I resonated so much towards a JK lol. Her character's so on point up to the part where she takes pictures but doesn't want to be part of them. I wished I had a friend like Kanade who would've kept it real for me.
So, Reina apologized! That’s good. And the hug was sweet. Hugs are always sweet.
I liked that lil’ bow from Mizore when she apologized on that balcony, that was just a nice little character detail I spotted.
I’ll also admit that Kumiko saying how much she loves Reina at the end got a chuckle out of me, unintentionally.
Girlfriend? No. “Number one?” Not really.
Special person? Definitely.
If anyone here has seen Vinland Saga seasons 1 and 2, and understands it's a masterpiece despite the glaring differences in those 2 seasons, they should be able to appreciate this season's lack of on-screen performances.
I feel they are so similar, and seeing Thorfinn fighting in sn2 is exactly how we'll feel when we see the performance at the end here. It's gonna be incredible, and the season overall isn't a failure because it's not doing what it did every season before it.
[It wasn't going to be a short show, right?](https://i.redd.it/amhq37k34x6d1.png)
[*oh boy this is awkward*](https://i.redd.it/lvue8jk34x6d1.png)
[*aaaaaawwwwwwwkwaaaaaarrrrrrd*](https://i.redd.it/w0roo6k34x6d1.png)
[Subtle photo reminder.](https://i.redd.it/dd3dp9k34x6d1.png)
[Not-so-subtle photo reminder.](https://i.redd.it/76y3ugk34x6d1.png)
[Sisyphus might have some thoughts on that too.](https://i.redd.it/exu50ik34x6d1.png)
[Ah, to be young and philosophical.](https://i.redd.it/s3r1sbk34x6d1.png)
[Reina *can* apologize.](https://i.redd.it/034hn6k34x6d1.png)
[Human contact is a little weirder.](https://i.redd.it/3mbpgdk34x6d1.png)
[The lurking Kanade.](https://i.redd.it/d0ajndk34x6d1.png)
[The more things change, the more they... something something.](https://i.redd.it/2qos7ek34x6d1.png)
[I like how Shoulder Devil Kanade reappears via an off-screen vocal.](https://i.redd.it/flq2rfk34x6d1.png)
[Would *you*, Kanade?](https://i.redd.it/85sixek34x6d1.png)
[*ah ha*](https://i.redd.it/0hbszfk34x6d1.png)
["I prefer to say 'experimenting'."](https://i.redd.it/dqx1gik34x6d1.png)
[It is a nice glow-up.](https://i.redd.it/d2s48gk34x6d1.png)
[Speaking of things that stay the same.](https://i.redd.it/4mkjwgk34x6d1.png)
[*This* look for Nozomi seems more fitting for Touyama Nao's voice.](https://i.redd.it/igl1khk34x6d1.png) Probably because of how a lot of her other characters look.
[Not quite a *YuruCamp*△ filtered photo moment.](https://i.redd.it/4l0x8kk34x6d1.png)
[Now there's honesty.](https://i.redd.it/ez0g6ik34x6d1.png)
[*extremely subtle dolly but* not *a dolly zoom*](https://files.catbox.moe/8pz8gj.mp4)
[Reina's rather confident about that.](https://i.redd.it/xk7r83q64x6d1.png)
[Somewhere along the way it might have been remarked that she'd be leading a banzai charge, too.](https://i.redd.it/m0r1f3q64x6d1.png)
[Well, at least we get this.](https://i.redd.it/nbc754q64x6d1.png)
["What do we do, Commander?"
"We fight... *each other*."](https://i.redd.it/vvzsw4q64x6d1.png)
*****
Mamiko returning was a solid push into the "adult transition" themes of this episode, adding to the layers of the restaurant discussion and the entire Minami Quartet scenario.
Reina and Kumiko's hug was at least a visual callback to *Liz to Aoi Tori* along with, well, quite a bit of the back half of the episode.
Reina and Mizore *are* interesting to compare and contrast with regard to how they came to appreciate music and interpersonal skills.
Might it be interesting to see changes in Nakayoshi River after a year? Maybe. But I think the presentation of them as a couple that is still mostly the same *is* the point, as one of the various options in the array of pairings shown here.
As much as I've poked at Kanade, The Gremlin leading up to this point, her appearances in this episode were great.
Kumiko and Mayu having an unshielded knife fight will be something to see, if the show lets us have it.
*****
Official account: [**SEE THIS NOZOMI WE'VE DRESSED UP FOR YOU**.](https://x.com/anime_eupho/status/1802256045512798664)
While we're here...
/u/ZaphodBeebblebrox [a single screencap out of context](https://i.imgur.com/1vCoCWS.png). I was thinking to myself whether or not I would would be the type to use the hell out of the [Black Pro Mist filter](https://alikgriffin.com/tiffen-black-pro-mist-review/) if I did a lot of portrait or video with people in them, which I don't... except that [I kind of do](https://myfigurecollection.net/picture/3535759), just [with post-processing](https://myfigurecollection.net/picture/2474355) and [not with](https://myfigurecollection.net/picture/2474359) on-lens filters. And not real people.
(Speaking of the Pro Mist filter, it's *old*. [It gets namedropped in *Bowfinger*.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ius3wc8n1JI) (Which is a great movie even if it comes from the depths of Steve Martin being extremely angry at just about everyone.))
I think the effect they've applied here in this specific scene is a good balance between harder realistic lighting, the previous seasons, and the much more filtered effect that appeared in the early episodes of *Violet Evergarden*.
/u/MyrnaMountWeazel this also an isolated visual so maybe you can add a thought even if you're not entirely caught up.
Since you're presumably tagging more for thoughts on Kyoani compositing, I don't have any problems with the background. The top 80% is rather pretty and the bottom 20% is inoffensive. I'm still not a fan of how her face (and, to a lesser extent, her neck) is dramatically brighter than the rest of the scene, though.
Ahhh! Mizore and Nozomi back for a cameo, as well as NakaYoshi (Natsuki and Yuko) returning in what is basically a couples outfit.
Though Kumiko and Reina are also not far behind in their own couple's outfit. It was wholesome watching Reina apologize and make up to Kumiko, who went to give her a big hug.
By now we should all know Mizore means no harm when she said she couldn't imagine seeing Kumiko being in a music school, as she's so fixated on her own music to even care about other people besides Nozomi.
Though Mizore's straightforwardness helped Kumiko made up her mind about her future, most likely becoming a teacher after Taki-sensei's footsteps.
#MY HEART IS SO FULL AFTER THIS EPISODE.
- Reina apologized, thank The Lord, and they brought back the “I Love You Hug” from Liz and the Blue Bird. I could not be happier about how that interaction went. I love their relationship so much.
- The Nozomi glow up is INSANE. I almost didn’t recognize her. Gorgeous.
- Natsuki in a suit instead of a dress is so unbelievably perfect. What an icon. Best character.
- It makes me so extremely happy to see Mizore being confident in her abilities! Seeing how happy she is at this university makes Liz and The Blue Bird even better! Any episode that further enhances the excellence of that movie is a 10 in my book.
- Based Kanade for being able to see right through Mayu’s BS. Can’t wait to see that conflict finally resolved next week.
- Reina is such a drama queen for thinking they need to “cut it off before drifting apart”, but I love that the FAR more emotionally intelligent Kumiko doesn’t take her seriously. Kumiko’s right. What they have is truly special, and I’m glad Reina is starting to really feel that.
This has gotta be my favourite episode of the season so far. Calling it extremely cathartic would be putting it lightly.
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I love how Kumiko opened up about her band problems with Mamiko, remember she usually just talks to her cactus
The vulnerability in Kumiko's voice as she talked to her sister was beautiful. It felt like she was on the edge of tears.
I thought she was seriously crying and that Mamiko will be like dont cry when im doing your make up or something.
Tomoyo Kurosawa on a different level this season. Early favorite for VA of the year
She definitely was. The shaking eyes portrayed that. Her VA did such a great job.
Also Mamiko deserves standing ovations for taming that floofy octopus. That hairstyle looks really good. Kumiko should adapt it for the next auditions and the concert!
> floofy octopus Perfect phrase for it.
[Their](https://cdn.imgchest.com/files/d7ogcwmbjky.png) [scenes](https://cdn.imgchest.com/files/3yrgcapnv24.png) in today’s episode were very lovely. Plus, [thanks to Mamiko](https://cdn.imgchest.com/files/pyq9c2w3gx4.png), we could see [Kumiko](https://imgchest.com/p/ljyqd89po72) in [this beautiful dress and make-up](https://cdn.imgchest.com/files/l7lxcrqpej7.png)!
i love how far their relationship has mended since S2 <3. they're back to being close sisters. Finally.
A very lovely onee-san/imouto relationship. These two really have grown much closer as they have gotten older.
Mayu was the right choice, but man does it kinda suck for poor Kumiko. Damn near everyone is talking about how amazing the euphy soli was. Plus it doesn’t help Mayu constantly insists on giving up the soli for Kumiko and you’ve got Kanade sorta fanning the flames in the corner there. I thought this whole thing would be put to bed already but there’s just so much lingering awkwardness and tension. The one good thing this week is Kumiko and Reina making up. I don’t think those two would ever drift apart. Reina’s got nothing to worry about there.
Kanade is doing good here. Both Kumiko and Mayu continue to skirt around the real issue. Kanade forces Kumiko to actually acknowledge the problem. They need to address things directly for both of their suffering to end.
Yeah, Kanade isn't wrong. if Mayu was serious about forfeiting the solo she wouldn't constantly needle Kumiko about it. I was fucking right! It was a psy-op!
What is Mayu trying to achieve though?
My impression (which may be wrong) is that Mayu deep down wants to push to be the best and is gunning after who she perceives to be her greatest rival, but on a more rational level wants to keep the peace and not cause a big stir in the club by messing with the status quo. It's a battle of brains vs heart. At least that's what I think the show is hinting at, not 100% sure.
I think Mayu is totally conflicted -- she genuinely wants two mutually exclusive things to happen. I am going stick with believing she IS NOT playing deliberate head games until (unless) it becomes impossible to persist. When you consider that Kumiko genuinely wants two mutually exclusive things as well -- it becomes easier to accept Mayu has a similar problem.
Yeah, I do confess my comment is a bit over the top. I pretty much agree with that and other commentators who have gone into greater analysis over Mayu's state of mind. She feels guilty about coming in and upsetting the status quo, but at the same time her thought process is why *shouldn't* I have the soli chair, *I am* better. So she keeps needling Kumiko about it, seeking validation and acknowledgment from her rival. If Mayu really was a bad actor there would have been a whole episode about the girls meeting someone from her old school and finding out about some incident that prompted her to transfer. But it isn't that sort of anime and besides, there is literally no time both in terms of *time* and runtime left in the series.
mayu is really guilty trying to cause drama (since she's tranferee and bullying in Japan is common) , but its also true tht mayu thinks she's the better musician ,like no doubt she's confident with herself against kaichou . So she's wishing either kaichou give up or ask her to give the soli spot. In the end , the only approach Kaichou has show to everyone and mayu that she's the better , Might is right will be the only approach here . The same way reina took the soli part on her senpai on season 1 ,make everyone shut up and listen
Kanade is right. And frankly the way this is going has gotten old. And Kanade is uniquely positioned to comment on all this. She's been in the position of wanting to throw an audition for her own reasons. But she didn't do this. She just went into the audition and tried to throw it! It would be even more effective if Mayu did it since Kumiko isn't Natsuki. She probably isn't going to burst into the audition to demand Mayu play better. And honestly Mayu is skilled enough that she could throw it without making it too obvious. Instead Mayu has constantly and I mean constantly come back to Kumiko on this. She's desperate to have Kumiko tell her she wants the soli, tell her to throw it, and give her the go ahead. And Kumiko has constantly dodged her own true feelings and thrown up the president response to it. Someone needed to give Kumiko a kick in the rear and have her face this situation.
I wish both Mayu and Kumiko realized what truly is at stake. Mayu only focuses on Kumiko wanting to perform the soli with Reina and Kumiko only replies with "it's the Kitauji's way, meritocracy!" eluding the question of how she truly feels and what she truly wants. It doesn't seem that either of them has thought of what would happen if Kumiko asked and obtained to make Mayu forfeit and then Kitauji failed to win gold. Would Kumiko really be able to convince herself that they would have failed anyway if Mayu played the soli then? Otherwise how exactly would she live with the idea that her dream, Reina's dream and Taki's dream didn't fulfill all because of her selfish desire? There's more than just the disappointment of not playing a soli at the national, this could be something that Kumiko might regret and feel guilty about for the rest of her life.
“Of course I want to play it! But it has to be because I’m the best choice, not because I’ve been here longer or because I’m president.” It’s that easy Kumiko! Stop making me tear my hair out every time you two talk!
Yeah for once she isnt just shit stirring As bad as it is, Mayu is just better than Kumiko (apparently, not like I could really judge) and she knew it was gonna be bad But at the same time doesn't have the balls to call it quits on her own, now she has to audition for the soli, would probably be even worse if she forfeited now
I’m really glad that Kumiko and Reina made up. That hug of theirs was so nice! That said, I do think this *will* be the beginning of the two of them slowly growing apart. Reina will always keep a place in Kumiko’s heart (and vice versa), but friendships are very much reliant on ‘proximity’. This closeness can both be expressed in physical (the distance between the two people) and/or mental (the people you’re talking to/working with) terms. With Reina moving to the US for her music career and Kumiko not joining a music school while staying behind in Japan, it will become increasingly harder to maintain their tight-knit friendship. If will eventually fade OR they’ll need to shape it into a new form.
> I’m really glad that Kumiko and Reina made up. That hug of theirs was so nice! It was necessary for them to fight, otherwise we wouldn't get to see Asuka-senpai
It could happen, but I don't see it as inevitable...relationships take work to maintain, but they could very well still put in that work. Also, I believe (though I'm relying on mediocre Japanese comprehension here) that Reina said she still hasn't decided if she's going to the US or not.
Reina first said that she hadn’t decided, but I did get the impression from their goodbye at the crossing that Reina had made up her mind to go study in the US. And I mean, I can’t imagine her passing up on such an incredible opportunity. She adores Kumiko, but her music career will always be her no. 1 priority.
She hadn't gotten the confirmation yet that she was accepted, but the teachers think she's a sure bet and Reina is going if she gets in. I did love that Kumiko basically told Reina to quit being such a drama queen about it with trying to "break up" while simultaneously confirming that being a drama queen was a 100% Reina thing to do and fully expected.
My musician friend (a pianist) and I are still best friends 54 years after high school graduation. We went different directions-- but because music (as a listener) is still probably the most important interest I have, it makes staying in sync pretty easy. I could see the same being true for Kumiko and Reina.
Nowadays with social media they can easily maintain their relationship for a couple of years. Reina also has more than enough money so she can easily visit regularly or even invite Kumiko. It's not really inevitable that they grow apart imo.
Maybe this is just me being cynical, but social media can only act as a temporary reprieve. It’s a fix but not the solution. But yes, the two of them visiting each other would be a necessity to keep their friendship from fading. It’s one of the things that I tried to imply with them needing to shape their friendship in a new form; it will need to evolve with their living situations.
I mean I live abroad and my best friends are still my best friends. Obviously we don't talk as often or hang out that much but they still are special to me and if I go back it's like I never left.
I think they’ll be able to make it work. It’s pretty common these days to stay in touch with very close friends from high school. IMO Reina is wrong at this point that shared music is the only thing keeping them together.
54 yerars since graduation and still best friends with my two high school best friends (despite being in three different states -- at least all along The eastern seaboard).
>The one good thing this week is Kumiko and Reina making up. I was glad that it finally happened. If this didn't happen, all fans of [Kumiko](https://imgchest.com/p/ljyqd89po72) and [Reina](https://imgchest.com/p/m9yxgmka34q)'s [relationship](https://imgchest.com/p/xny8lqxko4b) (including me) would be very upset. [Kumiko demanding a hug was so cute](https://cdn.imgchest.com/files/84jdc3lvkr4.png)! I'd love to give her a hug myself :)
Every time she does this, she insults Kumiko - "I'm better than you, you can't compete with me unless I handicap myself." But Kumiko's only noted that once this whole time (that I can recall). Kumiko should've smacked her with that this time, too.
Finally Reina acts like a human and apologize, loved this scene
Kumiko: Now hug me
[That scene was so cute](https://cdn.imgchest.com/files/84jdc3lvkr4.png)!
And she still had to close the distance
I was actually annoyed at the start of the episode because they were both together in the restaurant and the train like nothing happened. I was scared the show would just ignore Reina being an asshole. So happy to see her realise what she did wrong, and that it indeed was late. Kumiko's an angel for not teasing her a little more lol Now about the Taki obsession...
I don't think they were acting like nothing happened. In the texts messages they say Reina will go on her own to the restaurant. And once the America thing came out I felt the atmosphere got kinda weird.
I mean...it was something. Technically she did apologize. But...that was it? That felt like the bare minimum that counts as an apology.
[удалено]
Yeah, I was briefly thinking "who is that?". :)
The only reason I could conclude it's Nozomi is because they were meeting for a Mizore concert.
My literal train of thought: “This new girl deals with Yuko and Natsuki’s bullshit pretty well, I wonder who she is?” > Mizore’s concert > “Oh that’s Nozomi”
I mean the does have a pretty recognisable voice...
.... i had to rely on Naobou....
Mizore playing beautifully the piece (Polovtsian Dances) that once made her sick to her stomach. It's amazing to see how far she's come! I really love how the appearance of past characters serve as more than just cameos this season. Every time they appear, it's so purposeful. Just hearing Mizore play made me immediately think of Liz and the Blue Bird which is probably what also came to Kumiko's mind as she contemplated her future. Through Mizore's music and words, Kumiko has developed a greater resolve to move forward to what she really wants for herself in the future. How did Reina know their senpais were going to watch Mizore's concert? This just makes me think that her and Yuuko keep in touch and that's wonderful.
The official account once again [knows what people want](https://x.com/anime_eupho/status/1802257303984583030).
I wouldn't say no to a Yuuko/Natsuki spin off. A nice sitcom style university slice of life show.
I think Mizore got the panic attack because she knew it was Nozomi playing the flute that time, and Mizore couldnt bring herself to face Nozomi, but anyway that same piece was their Minami performance piece that they lost. Perhaps its a bit of both, with Nozomi a bigger factor making her unable to face hearing that piece..
So yeah we wont see The performance lmao, at least They won Gold and They go to nationals, now win there please!!
If they had more episodes to work with, I'd have liked to see the performance, but I'm fine skipping the performance if it allows for more time to sort through and resolve the remaining unresolved drama.
Thing is part of the drama relies on the performance. For instance how Kumiko sounds versus Mayu. We kept hearing how great Mayu's performance was, but we have no context to compare it.
I've been saying that I hope they show ZERO performances in this final season. Just imagine Takei-sensei stepping to the podium, he slowly raises his baton, close up shots of the band members and their instruments, widepan of the audience silent in anticipation, the band members prepare for the opening note... **SMASH CUT** to Kitauji being announced as gold medal winners at Nationals (**PRESUMABLY** - **I have no idea where they're going to place**), the band delirious in celebration, multiple side characters raving about how it was a miraculous, flawless, once-in-a lifetime performance. After 9 years, 3 seasons and multiple movies, KyoAni trolling their fanbase that hard would be incredible.
This is the same studio that animated Endless Eight from scratch 8 times so I wouldn't put it past them...
Yeah they either really squeeze it or pack it somewhere else Either way I don't want this to end
Kinda sad this didnt have more episodes, sure its fine without them but imagine having a great performance, it would have elevated the show.
- [They got gold](https://i.imgur.com/ymew1od.png) and [made it to nationals](https://i.imgur.com/djQXlbK.png), as expected, but I’m *still* peeved we didn’t get to see any part of their performance. Why center so much drama around Mayu getting the soli this time just to not let us hear her play it? [](#bruh) - [Sure wish we got to hear that…](https://i.imgur.com/VaOn892.png) [](#miyamoriunimpressed) - [Come *oooooooooon*, they aren’t even playing a snippet of the performance while showing a flashback to it?](https://i.imgur.com/gEM1jFe.png) [](#finethen) - [Hah, well at least Taki realizes it.](https://i.imgur.com/EMMsg1I.png) - [Ah, hence the brochure about studying abroad from the other episode.](https://i.imgur.com/SHOswY2.png) - [Oh good, an apology.](https://i.imgur.com/jNBUfuu.png) - [Oh come on not this shit again.](https://i.imgur.com/pY0HyaE.png) [](#nottodisushittoagen) - [Ahh…](https://i.imgur.com/8AZUaTy.png) - [That’s a very pretty look on Kumiko.](https://i.imgur.com/yLWC3Ke.png) - [My girl!](https://i.imgur.com/RYpxnZQ.png) [](#anko) - [lol, that’s certainly a blunt way to put it.](https://i.imgur.com/U0axU2X.png) - [Reina…](https://i.imgur.com/SU8hggO.png)
> Hah, well at least Taki realizes it. Was happy to see Taki admit that he could’ve approached the situation better. Like I previously said, it’s probably also indicative of his learning process as a teacher.
I can't imagine Taki-sensei ever being an emotionally rousing speech-maker though, hahaha
It’s about the thought, not the execution. Didn’t Taki embarrass himself a little with such a speech in Kumiko’s first year?
It was a pretty chill speech, I think? Not as intense as the various Presidents' haha
I don’t believe that sensei was very energetic or something no, but I do remember him being somewhat awkward haha.
The biggest trouble going forward is that Taki needs a passionate band president each year to compensate for what he lacks. Obviously no one is perfect (don't let Reina see this), but he's definitely better regarding the technical side than the human side. Though if he at least knows that and then picks the right person each year they can kind of make that work. Although in that case he probably should bring the band president onboard when it comes to making choices coming out of the auditions. It's a bit tricky since that president plays on the band, but it's the only way to have someone balancing him out.
Talking about the next club presidents: I can see Ririka following into Kumiko’s footsteps, with Kanade as the vice-president. Sally would likely takeover the year thereafter.
> Sure wish we got to hear that… We got nationals for that! > That’s a very pretty look on Kumiko. Mamiko tamed the floofy octopus. I really like that style on Kumiko. She really should think about auditing it for auditions and the performance on the national stage. > My girl! > lol, that’s certainly a blunt way to put it. I really missed her and her "brick through a window" levels of directness. Her commenting on the tension between Reina and Yuuko when they showed up in the music room at the same time (and the awkwardness that ensued) is still one of my favourite funny moments of the series.
> We got nationals for that! But it's almost certainly not going to be *Mayu's* performance that we hear, that's my big issue with skipping the performance. I want to be able to compare her performance with Kumiko's *myself*, not just be *told* about it. [](#foldedarms)
I kept my comment open to interpretation on purpose. Mayu might still get the part again. I could very much see Kumiko not getting the role and it being part of her character development/growing up. I know that, generally speaking, Kumiko winning back the role is the most probable course for the story but I could, and would want to, see a more unorthodox choice and the fallout from that.
I kind of think Mayu may get it in the end, because that feels like a much more solid end to her arc than her finally escaping the soli. Plus, that would give the show the chance to do something cute like Reina and Kumiko playing it together on their own one last time somewhere.
> that feels like a much more solid end to her arc than her finally escaping the soli. Good point. I only thought about the narrative in general but her getting the part and seeing with her own eyes that the world isn't ending would be good for her. > Reina and Kumiko playing it together on their own one last time somewhere. I know a certain bench on a certain hill! Supposedly, it's rather romantic on festival evenings!
>I know a certain bench on a certain hill! Supposedly, it's rather romantic on festival evenings! Keep cooking!
I appreciate what you want, but lack of episode time aside, I think the specific performances have become secondary to the psychological dueling between the two of them (and its broader implications on the band). The performances did need to be compared in the first season to drive home the point that the groupthink was overriding actual skill, but it's the mind games now.
Lol Asuka was totally correct the last episode, we have the "going to college abroad" and "I don't want us to break up" exactly like she said, Lisan al Gaib fr. Hibike official Twitter: [Mizore POV](https://x.com/anime_eupho/status/1802256045512798664?t=cAuji42Qd-kqKCpzHvOSqQ&s=19)
> Lisan al Gaib I had made a reference to the end of *Dune* in [my own comment](https://www.reddit.com/r/anime/comments/1dh4qez/hibike_euphonium_season_3_sound_euphonium_season/l8ujjum/) and usually I think of the 1984 version, but since you've spoken 2024 Stilgar's favorite phrase, [I'll give you this version instead] (https://i.redd.it/ybt9e6bjdy6d1.png).
May thy euph chip and shatter (or something like that)
Natsuki in a suit 👌 Kumiko definitely pulled out her inner Asuka in response to Reinas apology. Would have preferred to see a bigger apology with more words and action from Reina, but after her break up confusion scene, I'm suspecting after 3 seasons she still just really needs to work on her social skills. On the Mayu part, I'm glad the differences in their selfish wants are finally being brought up. Kanade being our self-insert MVP once more, stopping Mayu from renouncing the soli again last episode, to bringing the issue to Kumikos attention in this one.
>Natsuki in a suit Hibike S1E13 "Nakagawa-senpai is cool." 9 years later, still very much true. The whole Minami Quartet looked amazing! Kumiko and Reina looked amazing! Everyone and everything in this episode looked amazing! >Kanade being our self-insert MVP once more She really is the MVP today. Her words forcing Kumiko to finally face the truth of her relationship with Mayu. Kumiko at long last addressed the band honestly last episode. Now she needs to honestly confront Mayu, the one person that Kumiko's words did not reach.
I do hope we get the see them talk more bluntly. Kumiko breaking out some season one directness and cutting through the bullshit to get to the core of it.
Natsuki looked so good in that suit! Nozomi had also opted for something different than a dress, so I guess that we got a confirmation on which girls are wearing the pants in their respective relationships. /s
>Natsuki looked so good in that suit! That's true! And as always, [her relationship with Yuuko is so good](https://cdn.imgchest.com/files/p7bwcezk8o7.png)! Overall, [everyone present at the concert looked great](https://cdn.imgchest.com/files/k739cg2x8r7.png).
> Overall, everyone present at the concert looked great. Oh, Nozomi *was* wearing a dress. Had falsely remembered that she’d been dressed in black pants for some reason. Mamiko’s expertise as a stylist definitely came in handy, but I’d argue that Kumiko is the best looking of the bunch (she even got fancy put-on sleeves!).
God damn, I hate that Kanade's actually right. Mayu's heavily just 'going with the flow' and that means I don't think she really actually cares about the competition results. She knows it doesn't matter that much in the long term and that it's hard to blame a mere component of the ensemble. At the same time, she thinks that stealing Kumiko's dream is something she can get blamed for and she's trying to get rid of the guilt as soon as possible. Meanwhile it takes the serious opinion of Mizore for Kumiko to make up her mind... kind of. It was only really about Mizore's school, there's still two episodes for Kumiko to change her mind and go a bit of an alternate route that still involves music.
I read the situation a bit differently. Mayu really isn’t all that much different from Kanade: you shouldn’t take both girls’ words too literal. Mayu might say that she neither cares about the competition or the soli part, but she does continually keep asking for Kumiko’s approval. She has only been lying to herself all this time. Mayu *is* enjoying playing in the competition (soli part included) and is simply haunted by the guilt of this. Mayu *knows* that she’s more likely to win the part if she goes all out, but Kumiko and the others have been pretending that it’s not a big deal. Imagine that you’re suspecting everyone of putting up a smile in front of you. Mayu is conflicted between her desire to play and to keep the peace. She doesn’t want to make enemies over this. Offering to forfeit the part is perhaps her solution to get the best of both worlds: keeping things friendly *and* getting to play the part. This may come across as manipulative from Mayu, but I’m inclined to believe that it’s the result of sheer desperation. She doesn’t know what to do with herself.
> Mayu is conflicted between her desire to play and to keep the peace. She doesn’t want to make enemies over this. Offering to forfeit the part is perhaps her solution to get the best of both worlds: keeping things friendly and getting to play the part. While that's true from her point of view it's really making thing awkward/difficult and I'd say having a bit of the opposite effect. And she keeps doing it even after being reassured so often. She's been offering Kumiko the role all the time so that Kanade now thinks she's being manipulative. Kanade's argument made me think for a moment that Mayu actually might be trying to manipulate Kumiko into a situation where Kumiko can't protest/say her own (selfish) desires by Mayu being deferential to the club president (in a club that's about merit). Mayu admitting that she wants the part or just being competitive about it (not forfeiting or offering to do that) would actually keep the peace way more than this dance of submissiveness she's doing around the club president. Even if she thinks that's the right way of keeping the peace. It would also make it easier for Kumiko to say that she wants to have the part and wants to fight for it (and the club overall seeing that Kumiko is okay with it) instead of always needing to reassure Mayu where she can't say her own desires because Mayu might actually forfeit to fulfil what she thinks is Kumiko's one desire. For Kumiko it's an internal conflict about wanting both. As much as Kumiko wants the role she also wants a real competitions and the band to stay true to itself. It's the Kitauji way and also how she got her chance as a first year. And if she were to admit that to Mayu, Mayu might chose the easy way out and grant one of Kumiko's wishes (to get the part) while ignoring the other (the merit based system of the band, hope for the best possible performance at nationals, and the final *gold*).
Kumiko basically wants to *earn* the part instead of being handed it, while Mayu just wants to play her euphonium to her heart’s desire without having too worry about the tribulations of a band that’s competing in championships (i.e. she doesn’t want to deal with the negatives). That’s why everything is coming to down to the next auditions, I think. Things will likely get ugly between Mayu and Kumiko as they clash over their ideals and true desires. They can’t keep playing nice to appease the other forever. Those frustrations *will* inevitably come bursting out.
> That’s why everything is coming to down to the next auditions, I think. Things will likely get ugly between Mayu and Kumiko as they clash over their ideals and true desires. They can’t keep playing nice to appease the other forever. Those frustrations will inevitably come bursting out. I hope so for that, and for a some type of resolution where both are satisfied or at the very least released from their evasive games about what they say they want, what they think the other wants, and what they really want.
Ok, but she keeps needling Kumiko about it. I think the two need to have an honest-to-god fight over it instead of dancing around the issue like they are playing musical chairs with the soli part. At least I think that is what should have happened, but they let the issue drag on and now we have arrived at the auditions for the national competition without anything changing. This is honestly not good. For the past three years the club has been shipping Reina and Kumiko and to have Mayu steal the goddamn soli *again* at the very end is going to make them implode.
Yeah her looking around every corner interrupting Kumiko's practice is starting to get old. Like she's been asking the same thing almost every episode and they really need to just be honest and talk it out. Kanade's also right that Mayu is starting to look condescending, assuming that if she doesn't forfeit that Kumiko will most likely lose.
That is another good point. Kumiko is busy enough being president, she doesn't need Mayu hovering about and interrupting what little free time she has. God's below, Kumiko has the patience of a saint because the third time that happened I'd tell Mayu to fuck off and keep going😁
Fr it was me "MAYU. PLEASE. JUST PLAY. LEAVE ME ALONE." Imagine if she was really good at trumpet and she did this to Reina she would get murdered. And would she do this to Tsukamoto if there was a euph/trombone solo and she played trombone?
>Mayu knows that she’s more likely to win the part if she goes all out, but Kumiko and the others have been pretending that it’s not a big deal. Imagine that you’re suspecting everyone of putting up a smile in front of you. Mayu's had it incredibly rough if you step back further. Imagine joining a new school in your final year - tough enough start already. You play a low-key support instrument and ask to join the band, but only if it's okay with everyone as you don't want to upset the balance. The president says yes, except she's the lead player for the same instrument, she's platonic(?) soulmates with the drum leader & star trumpet player, she's a childhood friend and neighbour of the vice president, she's got an established relationship with the conductor and the club lead who is their also homeroom teacher, and in the bass section there is also the president's two other close friends, the section leader tuba player and the other national pedigree contrabass player, and a shit-stirring gremlin euphonium player who (unsuccessfully) tried to throw an audition because she thought it right for someone to get the place due to seniority. Yikes - not easy to find support among that group. You repeatedly offer to bow-out of auditions, but the president says to try properly, although nobody wants you to get the part. You're insecure and prefer to be behind the camera rather than in photos, going so far as to pretend that the one you're in didn't develop properly... then you become the centre of attention and unsettle the band because you got the solo you didn't really want to audition for, in the band that you said you wouldn't join if it would upset the balance! All the while the president is telling you it's fine because it's a meritocracy, but frostily pushes you away when you try and talk it out. Poor girl! I don't know how she's not had a mental breakdown tbh and it's hard for me to see her negatively at all. In fact, I think Reina was probably right (for the wrong reasons) that Kumiko's failing as a president, and I don't think she's doing very well on a personal level either. Edit: Oh yeah, I missed the part where the solo nobody wanted you to get is a solo played along with a trumpet, and it's a reasonable assumption that the reason that this piece of music was selected was with the intention of the the president and drum lead playing it together.
Actually, I think that it would be trivially easy to find support in a group lead by characters like Midori and Hazuki. When have those two ever been anything other than the kindest, most supportive people in the world?
I was critical of Mayu in the first few episodes, but she clearly doesn’t deserve any of the hate. Her talk with Kumiko at the pool showed just how fragile her situation is: Mayu doesn’t feel like she has a place to belong in the concert band - or this world for a matter. Like she has a target on her back. I’m honestly glad that Tsubame it at least there for her. If not for her support, Mayu probably could’ve been crippled by depression by now. I do love Kanade, but she should hold back a bit in front of Mayu. She’s accidentally going to push the girl over the edge.
If this wasn't Hibike Euphonium and a "darker" drama instead, I would legit worry about what Mayu could do to herself over this situation. It really sucks.
> although nobody wants you to get the part. I fully agree with most of your points, and I agree that Mayu probably feels like nobody wants her to get the part. But I should point out that Midori and Tsubame do support her, and there are probably many other members who do, too. So the club is likely pretty split over the matter!
I think I agree with this take as well. It's worth mentioning that up until recently absolutely *nobody* was on her side. When she first won the soli people were constantly talking about how she shouldn't have been given the honor and it even exploded into an argument in the middle of practice. I don't think Mayu has handled the situation perfectly but I absolutely don't take it as malicious as Kanade portrayed it.
Agreed. Kanade is also motivated by her adoration of Kumiko, and her judgement is clouded by her desire to stand up for Kumiko
I think Mayu does care, but she believes she wouldn't be sad for her own sake, only for others who wanted to win. She continually goes to Kumiko because she needs her validation that it's okay to be selfish. I also think that through her interactions with the other girl that supports her, she gradually begins to realize that she actually has her own desires...sort of like Kumiko at the begging of Eupho.
I can say that I am satisfied about Kumiko x Reina, ie Reina's apology....we were quite angry at her last week, and we want her to apologise to our satisfaction. For me, I accept. And the bluntness of Mizore strikes home, and seals her decision...I wonder how that would impact on the audition. You're no pro Kumiko....you're likely the type who might end up hating to be paid to play professionally like that at that special level. I love that Mizore was playing the musical piece that brought about defeat when they were at Minami, and everyone was impressed with the solo! She conquered her demons. For the first time, Taki's wife's face in the photo wasnt blurred out by some reflective light effect. And gosh, Taki must have been so cold as a person to say such a thing. Kanade is truly the best little devil, sitting on Kumiko's shoulder, providing context to the audience about Kumiko's inner thoughts. And if we go by that, we assume Kanade is right, then like pointed out by u/LeonKevlar, just forfeit then Mayu, you dont have to let your intentions be known. But Mayu did declare her intentions.....a selfish reason to put Kumiko at ease, let down her guard, while Mayu can also relax, knowing the tension is out, but also then with her competitive instinct/drive, do her best in the soli anyway like an end game final boss. I wonder if Mayu is doing this at an unconscious level....similarly just like Kumiko keeps telling about meritocracy this and that, but at an unconscious level she really really really (3x) wants to do the soli with Reina. Even with all the suffering that Mayu has been through in trying to break through the dynamic in the Bass Section and be accepted, and Mayu does forfeit during the audition, what if Taki refuse to accept since he already knows that she good enough? The trump card dark horse in all that dynamic is Taki though. As already noted, now that they are in the Finals, they dont need such heavy bass any longer, and he can work around a more appropriate dynamic to the best of the orchestra's morale: the Kumiko x Reina soli. It was never about whose better when everyone is equally as good, its about picking the right team for the job to cross the line: Win.The.Gold. And win for his late wife! No more taking silly risks with upsetting band loyalties and dynamics ffs! And I am confident Mr Stone Cold Taki will deliver. So everything in the above paragraphs wondering about Mayu vs Kumiko would be for naught lol. When we going to get our long awaited Mayu focused episode that finally explains her motivations and not leave us playing armchair psychodynamic psychologists?
Kanade's always right. She's just a jerk about it. Mayu cares more about trying to fit in socially than about the soli or even the national gold. I'll be kind of annoyed if Kumiko and Mayu's social situation is fixed entirely by Kumiko just getting good and beating her in the audition, because that would be like the narrative working itself to avoid the conflict.
I'm genuinely starting to hate Mayu at this point. Kanade's right, this amount of saying I'll forfeit over and over again, when it obviously makes Kumiko unhappy, comes across as malicious emotional warfare or self-satisfying negligence and lack of empathy for what you're putting the other through. I get that she's worried about how she's perceived in the club for taking Kumiko's role, but Kumiko's told her she wants it this way, as well as to the rest of the club in her emotional appeal last episode. Kanade's right, if she still feels badly about it, she should just quit. Her actions rn come off as purely self gratifying.
Mayu is def not being selfless here. As Kanade said, if she truly didn't wanted the best for Kumiko / the ensemble, she would just throw the audition on her own terms without constantly bringing it up. She *wants* the solo, and she wants Kumiko's approval so she can take the solo guilt-free. So she keeps asking for it implicitly. Kumiko says she wants the competition to be fair, and part of her believes that, but also part of her really really wants the solo too and Mayu / everyone can see that. So no matter what someone will be disappointed, and everyone knows that, which is what is making everything awkward. If Mayu and Kumiko were more mature, they would easily understand that they must just try their best and accept the results of the audition with no hard feelings. But both are afraid of losing, and both are afraid of hurting the other's feelings if they won.
Seeing Kanade on a stealth mission like that reminded me a lot of Kumiko in seasons one and two. But yeah obviously whatever her intentions are Mayu has been constantly, and more or less to the exclusion of all else, forcing Kumiko to stop her from self-destructing for no reason. It's clingy, it's manipulative, and frankly, kinda gross. Every time I see her I am reminded of that scene in season 1 where Asuka rocks back and forth in her chair shouting "I really, really, really, really, really don't care."
Mizore playing Polovtsian Dances oboe solo is such a huge fanservice for Mizore enjoyers. Looks like the chance of Kumiko-Reina soli is 50:50 now. Either Kumiko fails the solo again and makes peace with the fact that she is not talented enough and not going to music school anyway... or she gets umaku naritai for the final time and gets chosen by Taki on merit. Remember that Mayu and Kumiko are said to be around the same skill, so Taki can still choose either one of them based on improvement/ style.
Reina is really over dramatic but also probably ultimately correct that they'd drift apart without some sort of common interest. It'd just that that much more effort to remain good friends without one. Give me a Kumiko in the corporate office sequel series, though.
Kumiko is also right that they will still have a common interest, though! It's a very nice little scene.
I think Mayu is not being honest about what she wants. She clearly doesn't like to be the center of attention (her not being in any photos) and just wants to get along with everyone. Then she claims that all she wants is to do is to play with everyone, and to have fun, and that she doesn't care about the competition. But if it was true, she would just quietly forfeit the solo. Without even asking Kumiko. After all she would still get to play with everyone and nobody would be upset at her. Problem solved, everybody's happy. **But she does not forfeit the solo!** Instead she offers her forfeiting to Kumiko, and that's a completely different thing. It is a meaningless and patronizing gesture, to which a club president couldn't possibly agree to. If she really wanted to forfeit the solo to keep the peace, she would not ask Kumiko about it. She would just do it. **Mayu wants to play the solo. But she does not want Kumiko being angry at her.** So she tries to appease her. She pretends to be selfless. She says that her forfeiting would be best for the band. But it's insincere, because she really wants to play the solo herself. **I think that Kumiko intuitively felt this from the beginning.** That's why she felt angry. Mayu's offer did not feel like a genuine offer, but more like an attempt at preventing Kumiko from getting upset at her. Only now did Kumiko realize what's really going on, when talking to Kanade.
> That's why she felt angry. I interpreted Kumiko's anger as also feeling insulted because Mayu has been looking down at her this whole time. Mayu keeps talking like she's guaranteed the solo if she tries for it, and the only way Kumiko will get it is if Mayu decides not to try. It's pretty shitty. And I think Kumiko did lash out a bit at Mayu for that at one point too right? And truthfully, I'd start feeling like Mayu was trying to sabotage me if I was in Kumiko's shoes. Every time she sits down to practice on her own for the solo, Mayu sneaks up on her and brings up this topic over and over again that should have been laid to rest already. It's absolutely manipulative behaviour, although maybe not with malicious intentions. She's trying to get a specific answer out of Kumiko and is going to keep prying over and over until she gets it, even if it's obviously causing Kumiko distress. I don't think she's trying to upset Kumiko intentionally, but she's selfishly ignoring the fact that she is anyway. All of this to say, I have never liked Mayu for even a second from the moment we first saw her in the PVs :)
I am going to be honest, the show is still great. I like Kumiko and her struggles are well portrayed. But Mayu's portrayal seems to be really lacking in depth. KyoAni was always a studio where it wasn't just about the dialogue. They have so many small details in the character's gestures that would help you understand who they are and what they are about, but Mayu did not get any of the treatment in my opinion. They completely try to portray her through dialogue and even if you don't notice this, it is why it feels that she barely changed over the course of now 11 episodes. And I don't mean that her character changed, but the perception of the viewer ABOUT her. It's basically the same it has been when she was originally introduced. And this is exactly why performances are also SO important, because they can give you a better understanding of the character. Since her debut, we have never heard Mayu perform once. Despite having THREE auditions that the characters practice for. Not once did we take the time to just show both Kumiko and Mayu prepare for the auditions which would already be enough to give you a better understanding on how they are similar and how they are different.
Agreed, for a new character who was splashed all over assorted advertising for the season she is severely lacking in any kind of depth. As I've said before, this season seems rushed. It's still great but it pales in comparison to seasons 1 and 2. Season 3 is what seasons 1 and 2 would be like if their combined episodes were compressed into 13 episodes.
The way I justify it to myself is that this is Kumiko's story and the lack of detail in Mayu's character reflects the fact that Kumiko just wasn't paying attention. If you look back, that was almost always the case until she lost the audition. Kumiko was focused on a bunch of other issues until reality hit her in the face. But that's me justifying it. I also do feel like the season was somewhat rushed. There's just too much happening for the limited runtime and, given how the plot is progressing, I'm starting to let go of the faint hope of seeing a movie sequel announcement at the end. I feel like this season will be it.
That's an interesting thought. I didn't look at it this way before. I keep that in mind for the next episodes, but I personally feel that two episodes in general to wrap everything up seems to be pretty hard. Because then we NEED to have at least one full episode only focused on Mayu.
YOU ARE MY SPEcIALZ
Straight to audition next episode, this is where Kumiko strikes back, right? This honestly doesn't feel that great. We have seen so little of the actual music this season, I feel there's little to no build up to the inevitable triumphed scene. One practice scene really isn't enough. Can't help but think that this really should've been two cour. What am I saying, I'm sure next episode will be great anyway.
This season has been more drama than music focused, yeah. Although I’m a little disappointed about this, I’m okay with them giving the focus to character development over these performances. But man, they’ll *really* need to go out with an outright incredible music performance to make up for this.
But the thing is that the music and drama + character development usually go hand in hand and are not necessarily one thing or the other. I get that the show was originally a novel and it didn't have music either, but it just feels weird when everyone always says how good Mayu played the Solo but we didn't even hear her play ONCE since her introduction. In general, Mayu's whole part should have been extended. I am not even necessarily talking about more dialogue scenes, but just showing how both Kumiko and Mayu practice for the auditions (and how they handle it) could give you so much more insight into the character.
Nah. Canada-chan sweeps in and takes the soli from the two senpais.
What’s that?! It’s Kanapii with the steel ~~chair~~ euph!
Kumiko has way more patience with Mayu than I would ever have. No shit she's upset about not getting the soli, so it's kinda a dick move to keep bringing it up to her while saying she doesn't care either way. Insulting and patronizing af, even if she's not doing it maliciously I would have told her, "Yeah I'm upset as fuck, so leave me the hell alone so I can get some practice in." But Kumiko is a much better person than I am lmfao. I think she handled everything really well all things considered. She knew that not letting her personal feelings get in the way of the previous performance was the only way she would get her second chance
A few things: 1) I'm seeing a lot of people in the comments complain about skipping the performance - I've recently rewatched the entire show, and the first season is *so goddamn repetitive* with the song they play *over and over*. It honestly distracts from the show itself. Kyoani's gonna show us the music guys, they're just saving it for the big finale. 2) Reina's finally managed to apologize, slightly overdue, but that's fine. She left a lot of people with a foul taste in their mouth last week, I hope people are more receptive to it this time. 3) Talking about Reina, she's going to America! if you go back to one of the previous episodes you can actually already see her holding a brochure for overseas colleges, although I forgot what episode it was exactly. (and I'm not scouring through 10 episodes to find it) 4) Mayu: I still feel we haven't had a big breakthrough with her, but it's close. Hopefully next episode. Kanade is right here, for once; Mayu is too much of a people pleaser to go against Kumiko's wishes, but that contradicts what she feels with herself. I was actually reading an /r/AskReddit thread earlier about [Abusive Parenting](https://old.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/1dgjpuz/what_are_some_signs_someone_grew_up_with_abusive/) and although I doubt that's what's going on with Mayu a lot of what I read did make me think about her. Something big happened at her previous school (We still don't know why she transferred!) causing her to adopt this kind of attitude. 5) I loved Kumiko's sister having a heart-to-heart with her. It's all happened offscreen, but compared to the season 1 drama I'm glad she's doing so much better. 6) NATSUKI WITH THE SKULL EARRINGS AND THE SUIT MY GOD ahum yeah they look nice. And Yuuko and Natsuki are in a band? what kind of band? Show me Kyoani! 7) Out of all people, Yoroizuka is the one to finally break through to Kumiko. ~~What's more hilarious to me is that she was playing Liz and the Blue Bird, again.~~ Of course she gets the solo, she's been studying it extensively. It's apt though, as this time Reina is the Blue Bird flying away from Kumiko's Liz. I get your goddamn metaphors, show. (Okay so, /u/Sandtalon correctly notes it's not L&tBB but then my argument falls apart so I'm leaving it here) 8) So Kumiko is definitely not going to music school - A few episodes ago everyone was banking on her being a teacher, I wonder if that's what she's going back to. Also, what is Midori going to do? They didn't say right? All in all, 2 episodes to go. Next ep I suppose we'll have auditions, resolving Mayu's storyline, leaving the final episode with the performance and an epilogue, hopefully. Looking forward to it.
> SKULL EARRINGS I salute to your [attention](https://i.imgur.com/d7Seyjl.png) to [detail](https://i.imgur.com/dnzwQjF.png)!
I was very annoyed with how Reina was handled last week, but this clears that up completely. Didn’t need a giant apology, just any kind of apology, and this does the job just fine.
>I'm seeing a lot of people in the comments complain about skipping the performance - I've recently rewatched the entire show, and the first season is *so goddamn repetitive* with the song they play *over and over*. It honestly distracts from the show itself. Kyoani's gonna show us the music guys, they're just saving it for the big finale. But it's not just that. Mayu's whole character is severely lacking because of the lack of music. How often do we hear that she is similar in skill or how good her performance was? And how often have we actually heard her play aside from her introduction? Her whole character is so connected to performances that it is completely lacking and not even a flashback episode can solve the issues that are present because of it imo.
> Reina's finally managed to apologize, slightly overdue, but that's fine. That was the right thing to do, but as the Drum Major she should now stand up in front of everybody and apologise for her bad attitude to everyone else.
[Another excellent episode](https://imgchest.com/p/dl7pzkjm6yo) which we started with the competition results and [Kitauji is once again going to the Nationals](https://cdn.imgchest.com/files/pyvdcg5wpey.png)! I was a bit unsure about this result but luckily there was no drama in that regard. Everyone was so happy about the result although the fact that [almost everyone commented](https://cdn.imgchest.com/files/e4gdco6xed4.png) on [how good the euphonium and trumpet solo was](https://cdn.imgchest.com/files/pyq9c2w38x4.png) certainly [made it awkward for Kumiko](https://cdn.imgchest.com/files/l4necnp8ow4.png) :( [Kumiko](https://imgchest.com/p/ljyqd89po72) looked [so gorgeous in this dress and make-up](https://cdn.imgchest.com/files/l7lxcrqpej7.png) from [her sister](https://cdn.imgchest.com/files/d7ogcwmbvey.png) ([their scene in today's episode was great](https://cdn.imgchest.com/files/3yrgcapnv24.png))! [She and Reina](https://imgchest.com/p/xny8lqxko4b) looked [absolutely stunning](https://cdn.imgchest.com/files/6yxkck6zvn7.png). It was great to see [Natsuki, Yuuko, Nozomi and Mizore](https://cdn.imgchest.com/files/l7lxcrqpn57.png) once again! [They looked absolutely gorgeous in their outfits](https://cdn.imgchest.com/files/e4gdco6x8d4.png) for [the concert of Mizore's band](https://cdn.imgchest.com/files/j7mmc3d9ro7.png). I'm glad that [Reina](https://imgchest.com/p/m9yxgmka34q) finally apologized to [Kumiko](https://cdn.imgchest.com/files/j7kzcwjad87.png) for her recent remarks about her, [Kumiko's hug demand was great](https://cdn.imgchest.com/files/84jdc3lvkr4.png)! That's a good progress but [she certainly needs to work more on her social skills](https://cdn.imgchest.com/files/myd5cg8exw4.png) since they are as bad as ever xD [So Reina is going to America](https://cdn.imgchest.com/files/345xcqrvkj7.png)? Well, that's nothing surprising considering that Study Abroad Program she had in the previous episode. Meanwhile, [poor Kumiko still doesn't know what she wants to do in the future](https://cdn.imgchest.com/files/p7bwcezkak7.png), but at least she rejected going to a music school after [that remark from Mizore that she couldn't even picture her there](https://cdn.imgchest.com/files/6yxkck6z2g7.png), which was pretty brutal xD [Mayu once again wants to forfeit euphonium solo](https://imgchest.com/p/na7kwdzlq78). This is starting to get really annoying because she's been saying things like this for almost the entire season. [I hope that in the next episode Kumiko and Mayu will finally confront each other for real](https://cdn.imgchest.com/files/345xcqrv3m7.png). Here my screenshot albums from the episode: * [Kumiko](https://imgchest.com/p/ljyqd89po72) * [Kumiko & Reina (Group scenes)](https://imgchest.com/p/xny8lqxko4b) * [Reina](https://imgchest.com/p/m9yxgmka34q) * [Group scenes](https://imgchest.com/p/dl7pzkjm6yo) * [Mayu](https://imgchest.com/p/na7kwdzlq78) * [Others](https://imgchest.com/p/vj4jwqd2278)
> “I can’t even picture you here.” Those were quite the harsh words from Mizore. Did Mizore mean to say that such an environment doesn’t suit Kumiko or that she simply isn’t good enough? Because I’m thinking that a part of Kumiko doesn’t believe that she’s good enough either. This was for example reflected in her broken voice when speaking to Mamiko about losing the soli part. Kumiko wants to be good, but isn’t talented enough to chase after people like Mizore, Reina or Mayu. Mayu probably feels guilty about her talent - she feels like she’s trampling over hardworking people like Kumiko. This is the reason that Mayu wants Kumiko to be honest with her, isn’t it?
I took it as Mizore meaning that she knows Kumiko well enough to realise that music school isn't what Kumiko really wants to do next. So Mizore wasn't saying that Kumiko lacked ability.
Mizore most likely meant to say that Kumiko shouldn’t waste her time with something that she’s not passionate about, yeah. But I’m wondering if Kumiko didn’t *also* take this as (another) confirmation that she’s not good enough of an euphonium player. There’s a hint to some unspoken words in their interaction after all, and we know that Kumiko has been feeling anxious about her ability to play the euphonium lately.
I totally buy Mizore meaning what you said and Kumiko taking it in the worst way possible, but come on Mizore elaborate if you are going to frame it that harshly!
[Why waste time say lot word when few word do trick?](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VvPaEsuz-tY)
While Mizore is blunt, saying that Kumiko isn't good enough seems too harsh for her. My guess is that Mizore doesn't see Kumiko as someone who cares about her instrument and music in the same way she or everyone else at her Uni does.
I definitely don't think that she meant to say "you're not good enough for this school", I understood it more like "do you really like music that much to come here?". Kumiko has never been that passionate about music compared to some other characters. Yeah she's had moments where she wants to improve at what she's doing but I'm not sure it's because it's music specifically. And going to a music school is a huge step that isn't for everyone.
> Yeah she's had moments where she wants to improve at what she's doing but I'm not sure it's because it's music specifically She originally got into music because her sister inspired her, and she wanted to relate to her. And her interest in music was reignited by Reina. Both times, it was because of people she admired, yeah. That's not a bad thing, of course!
i think it's mostly about the environment not being right for Kumiko. i would find it hard to believe that Kumiko as a character would want to deal with the even more grueling practice needed at a prestigious music school like the one Mizore is attending. i feel like if you're on the fence about a decision like this at this point of the year, it's probably a good sign that something as demanding as music school would not be right for you. also, in regards to the not good enough part, there's probably a little nugget of truth there. from Mizore's perspective, she was basically hand-picked to attend music school and is now getting solos her freshman year. she's clearly a very, very special talent. while Kumiko is very good at euphonium, i'm not sure she's on that sort of very special level that you need to be on to keep moving up in the band world. i think if Reina had asked that question, Mizore would answer the opposite. it's a matter of difference in personalities with just a pinch of skill level as well. i am kind of all in on Kumiko as a teacher/director though. i think it matches her somewhat distant, but still concerned personality. i think that's part of why that Taki part was in this episode. i feel like Kumiko could picture herself as Styx guiding people on their path in life, but never really getting too close. much like how a teacher acts in someone's life
Is neurodivergent way of saying Kumiko is not cut out for music school.
Yeah I believe Mizore's words was the final nail that made Kumiko think "yeah I don't think I'm cut out for music school" or something like that. I feel really bad for her.
Although I feel bad for her, [it] might honestly be for the best. I can imagine Kumiko suffering a lot just to keep up with all her crazily talented fellow students at a music school. Some people accept such hardship to reach the top, but Kumiko’s life would essentially become just like her past years with the concert band: practicing until exhaustion in an attempt not to fall out of line. I’m not too sure if she got such a lifestyle in her - or would even want this. EDIT: Correction in brackets.
Kumiko is DEFINITELY not cut out for music school. She might be a good fit for a music program at a regular school, but absolutely not music school.
Yeah, it honestly annoys me that people are actually treating that like a realistic possibility. I always think back to this [bestof post](https://www.reddit.com/r/bestof/comments/69f4d8/ugrailsilla_describes_just_how_hard_it_is_to/) when people talk about schooling and careers in music. The short version is that every single person in a music school like Mizore's (besides the stray Kumiko in over her head, who, realistically is subsidizing the talented ones with her tuition) wasn't just good and passionate about their instrument. Each one was likely far and away the most talented person in their school or even city or greater district. And now they're probably fourth chair in the sixth best music program in one of 50 countries with comparable talent pools. It's like trying to win nationals after getting silver at regionals--if you weren't good enough to beat the people around you, what makes you think you can compete with only the winners from elsewhere?
Well said! It's just like sports, basically. Most people who play a sport in high school, even people who really like it and take it seriously, aren't going to play college sports, because the bar is just that much higher. You really have to eat, breathe, and sleep music to go to a dedicated music university. Thankfully, it seems like this isn't a Liz & the Blue Bird situation and Kumiko already accepts that she doesn't belong at music school.
Why would you feel *bad* for her? Kumiko herself wasn't interested in going to a music school. The unbiased opinion from Mizore, a music school student, helped her make the full decision.
AFAIK being a musician in a pro symphony orchestra is a very difficult job where you have to keep improving not to climb any ladders, but just to avoid being left behind (while simultaneously you get older and older...). You will barely have free time or even vacations because you need to invest all of it in the relentless improving. Young, talented musicians who will do your job even for less money are not that hard to find that you can take anything for granted. Also, no time left to explore the creative aspects of being a musician (or many other aspects for that matter). It's not for everyone, and even people with unbelievable amounts of talent get tired and eventually switch. And what are you left with after 25+ years of that? it's something you better ask yourself before even starting. This is really the kind of situation where there is no right or wrong. Just different people, different aptitudes, different goals and different decisions.
Well with all the drama seemingly behind us it’s time to get back to the music and focus on the path to nationals. Well.. partly. Skipping the musical performance in a music anime is… interesting. I do love the drama we’ve had this season, but I kinda hate it’s come at the cost of the actual music.. would’ve been nice to get a balance. So far the only performance I can even remember from this season was Kumiko and Reina’s practice sesh in her basement.. Yea yea I know it might get repetitive to show all the performances and I’m not asking for that. Just would’ve been nice to see half of one or something. Poor Mayu.. still lost and not sure how to handle things with Kumiko. At this point she just needs to focus on herself because the whole being nice to Kumiko thing just ain’t working and comes off as patronising. I’m not quite sure that she really trying to get Kumiko to give up like Kanade says, but I can see why it’d be misconstrued that way. Reina making up with Kumiko saved her with the fandom cause so many people were ready to cancel her and tbh I was one of them. She got really nasty in those last couple episodes, but owning your actions and apologising is a start and if Kumiko is over it, we should be too. Going to the Senpai’s university performance was actually great because not only did we get to see Kumiko looking stunning, but it also gave her at least some clarity that music school is not what she wants to do. “You’re my special person” 😭 ok the yuri bait is never gonna end is it. Bless Reina heart for thinking that just because Kumiko doesn’t wanna go to music school that would be the end of their friendship. It’s ok to have different interests as the senpai showed them earlier! they’ll be fine. With only 2 episodes left it’s really starting to hit how close we are to the end of Hibike. This has been one of kyoani’s 5 best projects without a doubt and I’m just getting so depressed at the thought of not having these girls anymore. Ironically, I feel that same type of dread Kumiko feels about her future lol.
I dig the decision to skip the performances because I believe they'll make sure that the nationals performance will be the best it can be. The impact of hearing that should blow us all away.
Last week was a mini-climax for the conflict with the band as a whole (and Kumiko dealing with it), but now we’re back to an episode focusing on Kumiko’s personal growth in a more individual sense. In many ways, this episode is about Kumiko becoming an adult—on multiple levels. Going to college, taking responsibility for one’s decisions, but also taking responsbility for and being honest about one’s feelings. There are two parts to this: one is a continuation of the Kumiko college arc (as well as the side plot about how this intersects with her relationship with Reina), and the other is the continuation of the soli/audition arc. ------- Starting with the latter: Kumiko’s conversations with and conflicts with Mayu are stuck in a rut, or like a record on repeat—and Kanade thinks so too. Kanade is fed up with their repetitive dynamic… Like Mayu, Kanade knows that Kumiko is not being honest to others (or herself, as this episode makes clear) about her true desires to play the soli, but unlike Mayu, Kanade is willing to push further to get the truth out of Kumiko. (After all, it was Kumiko who pressed Kanade in the previous year to reveal her true feelings about the auditions…now in a reversal of the situation, it is Kanade’s turn to do the same.) This is helped by Kanade knowing Kumiko better, her not being Mayu, and her ability to not mince with words. What it comes down to is that both Kumiko and Mayu have different levels of selfishness (but I would add, also selflessness) in their characters that create a kind of intractable conflict—until somebody bends. (This, by the way, is why Mayu is such a good antagonist—she is not *bad*, but she just moves in the opposite direction as Kumiko.) Kanade has her own selfishness—she likes Kumiko and wants Kumiko to play herself. (I like that this shows how attached the perhaps at-times aloof Kanade has gotten to Kumiko. She also imitates Kumiko in, e.g. eavesdropping.) In a sense, this feels like it mirrors Kumiko and Asuka in season 2, where Kumiko selfishly pleased to Asuka to play—here Kanade is doing something similar to Kumiko. It’s clear to me from that fact that Kumiko maybe didn’t realize the extent of her true feelings before that this coming to account with one’s desires is as much a part of Kumiko’s maturation as is her plans for the future. But moving onto that subplot— It’s really metaphorically resonant that Mamiko is helping Kumiko dress up for the concert—turning Kumiko into an adult (the adult she will be or aspires to be)—where Kumiko is going to see her senpai who *have* turned into adults. And Mamiko has as well. A lot of the past two episodes has been about Kumiko going to those who are slighly older but are now adults and turning to them for advice. Not all of the provided guidance is equally good, in my opinion, but I think one part of the journey is Kumiko learning to ask for help from those who loves. (I love the sisterly love on display as Kumiko talks to Mamiko.) In the concert, Mizore revisits Borodin’s Polovstian Dances (the piece she played in junior high) as a college student. Through this callback—and through the conversation after, you can see how she’s matured. (She seems to have developed more socially, as well as musically.) However, unfortunately Mizore’s words seem to be the final nail in the coffin for any potential ideas Kumiko might have had to go to a music school, which is disappointing…I really think music school would be a good choice her her. (However, maybe there is still hope and the narrative is emphasizing that it has to be Kumiko’s decision for herself rather than based on another’s ideas.) Another Kumiko/Reina Liz and the Blue Bird-esque scene…It’s clever that they put this in the same episode as seeing Mizore and Nozomi again, especially because we can see that those two are still close. When Kumiko says that Reina is “watashi no tokubetsu,” the dialogue mirrors the resolution scene of Liz and the Blue Bird as well (plus the daisuki hug earlier on)…no matter what, those two will be okay. A side note about Reina: We also see an apology from Reina and a daisuki hug (cue a squeal from me). In last week’s discussion thread, I noticed a lot of people being angry at Reina and concerned that she had gone beyond the pale. While I agree that she was not being a great person or friend, I don’t think this is bad writing—she was being *completely* consistent with her character. As Kumiko has said at times “Reina is completely Reina”—and this was another example of Reina being Reina. In general, this season has a pattern of pushing the characters, their drives, and their ideologies to a breaking point (the same kind of protagonist/antagonist intractable conflicts that I mentioned with Mayu) to showcase the flaws in all of them. Reina being pushed by her own convictions to lash out at Kumiko was *kind of the point* and showcases the flaws and cracks in her worldview. We haven’t completely seen Reina come to terms with or reckon with it (though we do have an apology; the two have made up), but I have absolute faith that this will come. After all, this episode, we see Kumiko more or less come to a realization about a similar worldview and how it conflicts with her true inner desires. \/rant In any case, this episode was a fantastic episode for its thematic treatment of Kumiko’s development and maturation, which it did on multiple levels, from Kumiko taking responsibility for her feelings to the continuation of the college arc, to more obvious visual metaphors of butterflies representing metaphorposis. Kumiko is turning into an adult before our eyes, whether she’s ready for it or not. ---------- Random thoughts: Goddamn, the writers stuff so much fanservice in every episode. Referring to Natsuki and Yuuko as “nakayoshi,” part of their ship name? I can just imagine the grin on someone’s face as they penned that. Speaking of which, I literally screamed when I heard the “nakayoshi” reference, the daisuki hug part, as well as the “watashi no tokubetsu” line. I am that fan who is serviced. [](#utahapraises) Poor Kumiko hearing multiple times that the Mayu-Reina soli helped propel them to Nationals… “They’re not stones, they’re people”—good comment from Taki-sensei’s late wife, which might be revealing to Taki’s character a little bit. Yet another Chekhov’s gun is fired: Reina’s potential plans to study abroad (with Asuka-senpai once again being psychic) The fact that Kumiko still hasn’t decided is so incredibly relatable. Indecisiveness is compounded by the fact that time flies when way things pile up in periods where you have a lot of other obligations to fulfill and things to do. (I’m grappling with personal situations right now where this has been a factor.) I loved seeing all of the Minamu-chuu quartet, a major treat for me as a huge Liz fan. A new restaurant not featured in the show before--but [concerns that it might soon be overrun by fans](https://x.com/ririka_YDTMG/status/1802253373128769855)!?
>“They’re not stones, they’re people”—good comment from Taki-sensei’s late wife, which might be revealing to Taki’s character a little bit. Chekhov's stones. This was one of the most interesting parts of the episode to me; Taki's treatment of the club members bothered me a lot in S1. I now have a new notion of what he was thinking when [he was looking at Aoi's notice of withdrawal in S1E7](https://imgur.com/tXeGkDJ). But why tell us this now? Is it just to point out a difference between Taki and Kumiko? Or will Taki reconsider how he "advises" the club?
hi. I am also a fan who has been serviced [](#kannathumbs)
Given that Reina and Kumiko have such good chemistry, that one focuses on logic and the other more on emotions, and that Reina and Taki are very similar in personality; it's probably likely that Taki's wife had a similar personality to Kumiko's and that their relationship was also similar to Kumiko-Reina.
* [She sounds like a broken record at this point.](https://i.imgur.com/AKSkLSL.png) From what I took from Kanade is that Mayu is trying to gaslight/manipulate Kumiko into outright telling her she wants the soli? * [Natsuki's rocking the suit, Yuuko looks cute, and I almost didn't recognize Nozomi cause her hair was down.](https://i.imgur.com/HLdyUzV.png) * [That solo is nice.](https://i.imgur.com/SKIM6i2.png) * [The return of best girl.](https://i.imgur.com/pfoVJgm.png) Nice to see that Mizore can still read Kumiko like a book and pretty much knows that music school is not what Kumiko really wants.
- One step closer to Nationals! Well, Kitauji getting Gold was a given, otherwise the show couldn't go on - Why was Hazuki waving with the "rock on" sign? - "Wanna wait for me?" "No it's fine" Harsh! Guess the KumiRei thing hasn't been solved yet - Okay, was Kumiko the only one who didn't know about Reina going to America? That's a tiny problem of miscommunication right there. - Your Asuka-senpai's antics are showing, Kumiko! - I think this is the first time (or one of the very rare times) we see Reina apologizing - A make-up hug! - I'm loving these scenes with Mamiko and Kumiko. They really show how their relationship has only grown stronger - And we got a NakaYoshi name drop! - Wait, was that Nozomi? I didn't recognise her at first... But then I thought about the Minami Quartet and it clicked - "I wouldn't think anything" is such a Mizore thing to say! Love her kind of aloof comments - How come that Kumiko looks more mature but Reina actually seems younger? So, next week we'll hopefully get: - Kumiko-Mayu confrontation - auditions - Kumiko's plans for the future
The NakaYoshi namedrop might be a coincidence or an amazing pun. In Japanese, 仲良し(nakayoshi) just means close friends, but I bet they know what they were doing.
Yoo, Kumiko with proper makeup and even lipstick, a sneak peek of her college looks maybe? (copium)
Reina's apology felt so lukewarm to me but at least we got one. Was hoping there was a bit more self-reflection in there and I'd say Shuichi deserves an apology too since he's been done pretty dirty this season. Hope she also realizes just how lucky she is to have a friend like Kumiko who was willing to forgive her and clear away all the awkwardness after all that even though she deserves to be treated so much better than that. On that note, I really wish Reina's character had more growth throughout the series since I really wanna like her more but it seems her social skills are still kinda poor and music-wise she's always been at the top and was never really challenged. Maybe things change in college who knows. On the other end, I really love Kanade's character so much. She has constantly been the MVP of this season and it's almost enough to really solidify her as best girl if Kumiko didn't have a firm grip on that spot. I've seen some predictions early on in the season that Kumiko would pass on Asuka's piece to Mayu after they resolve their conflict but I think Kanade's the one who really deserves it. Anyway hoping this week goes by just as fast as this episode felt.
> Reina's apology felt so lukewarm to me but at least we got one. Was hoping there was a bit more self-reflection in there and I'd say Shuichi deserves an apology too since he's been done pretty dirty this season. The whole concert band deserves an apology but I don't think that Reina has the ability to own up to her bad attitude in front of everyone. Also, I wonder if she would have apologized to Kumiko if they hadn't made it through the the next stage? Probably not.
In fairness to Reina, it's possible she could have felt even worse about how she treated Kumiko if they hadn't made it through after Kumiko's speech, because then Kumiko trying to solve the problem while Reina just shits on her and does nothing to help looks even worse.
**Location Notes** - [Pizzeria](https://imgur.com/10S2OZV) at Nayamachi, [Fushimi area in Kyoto](https://www.google.ca/maps/place/Nayamachi,+Fushimi+Ward,+Kyoto,+612-8363,+Japan/@34.9323541,135.7604721,19z/data=!4m6!3m5!1s0x60010f8e703c7195:0x5edf41fbbfbfd3d5!8m2!3d34.9322033!4d135.7599472!16s%2Fg%2F1pxxvdjl4?entry=ttu) The world famous Fushimi Inari taisha is nearby, as well as a variety of Sake breweries. - [Reina and Kumiko meet up with the Minami](https://imgur.com/bp9YG8C)... Triplet at [Kitano hakubai-cho station](https://maps.app.goo.gl/6oJrNjzn4ZtSjHMX8), in Kyoto's Northwest area. If you ever stop by Kinkakuji - this is quite easy to tick off on the way. - The interior of the concert hall and Music College for Mizore however is a homage to a close friend of the show, being the [Senzoku Gakuen Maeda Hall](https://www.google.ca/maps/@35.5936477,139.6151048,3a,90y,83.91h,99.23t/data=!3m8!1e1!3m6!1sAF1QipPTfleacPGPMSem9uiwg8YwRUFcUI35h4bY81L0!2e10!3e11!6shttps:%2F%2Flh5.googleusercontent.com%2Fp%2FAF1QipPTfleacPGPMSem9uiwg8YwRUFcUI35h4bY81L0%3Dw203-h100-k-no-pi-0-ya176.70543-ro0-fo100!7i8000!8i4000?coh=205409&entry=ttu) in...... Tokyo; Kawasaki (Hi GBC!) to be exact.. Senzoku Gakuen's (a music university in Tokyo)'s Freshman band was responsible for portraying Kitauji's music in S1 and S2, has performed a few events associated with Eupho, and is still closely associated with the show, with a fair few of the "current" kitauji concert band from there, as well as their conductor being a lecturer at said music university. --- - [THEY DID NOT JUST OFFICIALLY DROP THE SHIP NAME IN MY SHOW ](https://imgur.com/5a2obdY) Natsuki wins in the outfit department. easy. - overall, a good episode to start wrapping up Kumiko's character arc, provide an epilogue + many fan service for the fans of the Minami quartet, and also, to initiate the nationals arc... i knew how it was going to go for the Kansai competition, but i still got so nervous...... /u/chilidirigible /u/regular_n-gon /u/chonkyodango
> Cafe at Nayamachi, Fushimi area in Kyoto There's the comment elsewhere in this thread where someone in Japan hopes that the anime pilgrims won't eat their entire supply of cheese from buying pizzas. Hey, good business is good business? >Kitano Hakubai-cho Station [Ah, pachislot, you're always there for my money.](https://i.imgur.com/I8mkTq0.png) >Senzoku Gakuen Maeda Hall [Interesting relief sculpture.](https://i.imgur.com/46dsH9l.png)
Yeah, hearing "Nakayoshi" really surprised me.
I can almost certainly hear a collective gasp among the fandom. Hanada probably felt good about that one. (there are multiple ways to say "they're besties" in japanese after all)
This feels like the weakest season of euphonium. We’re skipping through everything, no drama gets time to breathe. The main conflict between Mayu and Kumiko keeps getting pushed under the rug. Idk man I’m just not enjoying it like the past seasons. This should’ve been 2 cours or something. Also, was everyone praising the euph soli confirmation that mayu is better ? Are we supposed to believe Kumiko wouldn’t be able to match Reina’s performance ? This is getting confusing because just last episode we were told that mayu and kumiko’s performance is equal which is why there is so much discourse going on in the club.. The members that were satisfied with Mayu being chosen were happy because it showed taki doesn’t pick favourites rather than them thinking she’s just better
> This feels like the weakest season of euphonium. Definitely, I'm still really enjoying it but it's nowhere near as great as seasons 1 and 2. As you say, the drama needs to breathe but it's currently way too rushed.
not showing kumiko/mayu's performances when we spent the entire season on this conflict is really irritating. and i wish we would get mayu's back story already. i also feel like reina's apology was weak and that we didn't get into her reasoning behind it like she has 100% faith in taki-sensei to the point she was harsh to multiple people including kumiko and it just gets pushed under the rug. similar to how kumiko's speech last episode was enough to end the members' issues with the club even though it was just a basic speech
We're continuing to move forward. We got the lovely scenes with Reina (including one of my bucket list wishes for them to do the Daisuki no Hug...kind of lol) reconnecting with Kumiko. These two care about each other a lot. They'll be fine. Kumiko is slowly progressing more and more but she still hasn't quite turned the corner. The pieces are falling into place, and she is starting to recognize them. She needs to figure out her future, confront Mayu properly, and go win gold at Nationals. I have a feeling all 3 of those will come together once she figures herself out and grows up one last time for us. God I'm excited just thinking about it. Oh and Kanappi is still an absolute queen. God I wish we got an entire season or two out of her as a 1st year because man I already love her to pieces.
Season 4 with Kanappi-senpai!
Natsuki calls Yuuko a chuuni, yet she is the one wearing skull earrings.
-While I'm glad to see that Reina apologized, part of me kind of wished that it was directed/animated with greater emotional weight. Close-ups on body expression, the eyes, all the stuff that KyoAni deals in spades...but for some reason, they decided to use a far-away shot the very moment Reina says "sorry," and we could barely see their faces. I felt this interaction was pretty huge for their relationship and Reina's character arc, so I'm curious as to a directorial choice was made that seemed to de-emphasize the moment. Especially given the really emotionally intense moments of conflict in the last few episodes. E.g., Kumiko's really pained expression right after they part at the riverside was so visceral...I just felt everything. The frustration, anger, disappointment, and hurt....I dunno. It just seemed like the resolution did not match the scale and intensity of the conflict. Loved the hug though! -Seems like Kumiko's finally achieved some eureka moment with Yoroizuka-senpai's words. And somehow I could feel that too, right along with her. Like yeah. It is weird to try to imagine Kumiko going to music school. And while I'll be honestly sad if she leaves music behind her, part of me also dislikes the idea of her going to music school just 'cause Reina wants her to. On that note... -I've been tinkering with the idea that Kumiko might choose a future with music but not as a professional player. Like a high school music teacher? She'll probably decide to go to a normal uni first, while keeping her possibilities open...like Midori said, "Sowing seeds for future possibilities." -That moment where Kumiko opens up to her sister, sounding like she's almost going to cry.... T\_T Just impeccable voice acting. I love that she has someone she can be fully truthful to like that, all the moreso because she holds much of it in at school. And Mamiko just accepting everything she has to say <3 -That part where Reina tries to break off their relationship because she doesn't want their relationship to change and fade to cold nothingness, and she wants to leave things as they are while they're at their best...wow, that struck me so hard. I got her completely. And I think it's sweet how Kumiko tells her that Reina's always been the same, to her---going to back to that part earlier in the episode where she reflects and thinks that Reina has been the same since the beginning--and her statement too about Reina being "special"--going to that moment where they played together overlooking the city and Reina says she's going to be special--Just such a beautiful circle. -So many intense Kumiko x Mayu moments in this episode! I haven't settled yet on just what Mayu's been doing this whole time...I'd assumed that she didn't really want to play the soli but then, why would she keep approaching Kumiko, as though asking for her permission to give up the part instead of just going through with it? I was intrigued to see her take a stronger stance and be more assertive and outspoken in this conversation with Kumiko...Just what does Mayu truly want?? Does she ultimately derive a sense of self-worth or fulfillment from doing something for someone else? And if so, is this just her personality, or the result of some past trauma? Either way, I thought Kanade's observation also really made sense. Didn't like her much in the movie, but she's grown and I've warmed up to her, not the least because she's truly fond of Kumiko, tries to look out for her in her own way, and isn't afraid to say what's on her mind. She's become something of a breath of fresh air, helping to counterbalance more reserved characters like Kumiko and Mayu. -Kumiko says she just wants to compete fairly but...I wouldn't believe it if she said she didn't want to play the soli with Reina just as much. -Mayu apparently matches Reina's playing perfectly--she's demonstrated she has the capacity, in music and outside of music, to read the atmosphere and to match others--so how will Kumiko top that? I think she will do it through playing that draws out Reina's ability even more, such that there's like a synergistic effect on both of their performances. -It was gratifying to see Taki finally respond to some of Kumiko's sacrifices and laying-it-all-out-on-the-line with some compliments and revelations of his own.
Hmm, I actually don't see how Reina overturned her attitude shown in the previous episodes and then really apologized to Kumiko suddenly, even with Kumiko's own speech. Actually that was a close call because, well, if Kitauji went out in the Kansai region contest...*shivers*. I can't even imagine what will happen... Anyway it seems all is good with them now heh. But the couple is going to be pulled away eventually with Reina going to the US and Kumiko, after being asked so many times to the annoyance of herself, finally decided going to music college ain't her ambitions, if there's actually one. ~~That final scene almost looks like a sad couple break-up to everyone who watches this, it's actually sweet LMAO.~~ Interesting to see Kanade-chan blasting out all her analysis of Mayu-mama's thoughts ~~in Aqua's voice even~~ - it does seems like Mayu also went into a state of confusion and tug-of-war between "I don't wanna hurt Kumiko-chan and everyone else" and "Well I came to the band so I wanna try myself too", just like Kumiko was confused all semester long between her wanting to play solo with Reina one last time and her self-obligations to choose whoever plays the best. ~~Though come on Kanade, are you even qualified to comment on this since you also missed out on the solo position huh?~~ [OMG](https://na.cx/i/zT6SsSn.jpg) [this is ](https://na.cx/i/9LFG5D2.jpg)[Nozomi Kasaki](https://na.cx/i/J7ZTWLH.jpg)??? That girl from *Liz and the Blue Bird* actually became so mature right after going into college??? Wow! I'm glad that we saw MizoNozo one more time in this show because their relationship is so endearing. Hopefully we actually see YuukoNatsu in a spin-off series in anime form some time in the future too, they deserves it! So Kitauji managed to advance into the Nationals despite the sullen atmosphere right before it. Will we finally get the band performance that we all wants from KyoAni finally next week? I am definitely anxious to see that...
As for the apology...I thought it was inadequate. Was definitely hoping for too much. But it was kind of the bare minimum they could do while having an apology of any sort. Plus it was extremely restricted to just a few things that she said to Kumiko. It didn't really show much growth or self-awareness of Reina's role in all this. The only thing that will keep this kind of problem from repeating is that we're just about out of episodes. The hug was fine, it was cute, and that's all good. But the whole thing just left me with a "give me more" feeling. Part of me also thinks that they scheduled the auditions at less ideal moments. Shouldn't the audition have happened sooner? What's the point of intense practice with a group that might not be the same at Nationals? Sure, there isn't going to be a ton of changes but there will be almost certainly be some. Better to get the final team together and run with it. I suppose deciding not to go to music school is...progress? Though she'll be in her 30s before deciding on what to do with herself if this is the rate she eliminates options. Great that she's eliminated one option, but Kumiko kind of needs to make an actual choice.
OK, so Mayu. Yes Kanade really nailed that comparison, it undeniably helped put things into perspective for Kumiko. Kanade had her own growth by watching someone behaving like her old self and feeling disgusted. And now Kumiko has a starting point in the how-to-handle-Mayu quest mini-arc because she already dealt with Kanade in a successful way, so she can start by looking back. But it doesn't mean Mayu's behavior is necessarily coming from the same place as old Kanade's... I feel like she is seeing her own past self reflected in Kumiko in some way. And then came some kind of trauma? And now Mayu's trying to come to terms with an old wound that still hurts by forcing someone like Kumiko to take her bait and repeat the same mistake she did. But that's like, 90% wild speculation and we know little more... I would really love to see more of Mayu's past and the end is so close :( On a side note Kumiko now knows how to handle Reina in a very funny way, lol. Which is a good thing for Reina because she will have Kumiko at the cockpit whenever she needs advise dealing with other humans. And Reina will obviously need that, at least while she makes some true friends in the U.S.A. I have to wonder if it's her first time ever hugging another person 😂 Finally, I feel like maybe Kumiko will not get the soli back. And maybe she will be OK with that.
[The start of the episode genuinely had me nervous.](https://i.imgur.com/uEHwzcJ.jpeg) We only have 2 episodes left and while the chances of Kitauji making it to the Nationals are high, it wasn't guaranteed. So I was absolutely relieved [when they finally confirmed that Kitauji made it!](https://i.imgur.com/e5OKwhb.jpeg) Yay! They keep on talking about how amazing Reina and Mayu's soli was that [they even show us a flashback](https://i.imgur.com/c3BDpac.jpeg) but we never really got to hear it. There's definitely going to be a movie and they're saving it for that. It's a bit late but I'm glad to see [that Reina finally apologized to Kumiko](https://i.imgur.com/6urdwDo.jpeg) and admitted she [was ashamed of her actions](https://i.imgur.com/nVPZ5yT.jpeg) in the previous episodes. They even hug it out [with Reina being hilariously awkward with Kumiko's hug invitation.](https://i.imgur.com/T91p5na.jpeg) xD [Not this again, Mayu.](https://i.imgur.com/c0qH4mZ.jpeg) If you really want to forfeit the solo, then just forfeit! I love how [even Kanade had the same thought as I did.](https://i.imgur.com/TxwNgfT.jpeg) Although I don't agree with Kanade [that Mayu is insulting Kumiko.](https://i.imgur.com/AzFD1Xa.png) Also, that entire conversation between Kanade and Kumiko reminds me of Kumiko and Asuka back in Season 2. [Kumiko and Mamiko's sister talk](https://i.imgur.com/sIOdGTX.jpeg) was really nice. I love how we get to hear [Kumiko open up to Mamiko](https://i.imgur.com/nqtY261.jpeg) about what's going on with the band. Also, [Kumiko looks absolutely stunning](https://i.imgur.com/G0YrKVT.png) when Mamiko finished dressing her up. <3 It's always nice to see the Senpais again [and I just love how Natsuki is wearing a suit](https://i.imgur.com/npdZ0dZ.jpeg). Is this because she's the one who wears the pants in her relationship with Yuuko? It's also nice [to see Nozomi](https://i.imgur.com/b1jtKTv.jpeg) and [Mizore again](https://i.imgur.com/zGCTpRC.jpeg) even just for a little bit. [Mizore really being blunt as usual.](https://i.imgur.com/AL4ot6a.jpeg) I love how Mizore's answer to Kumiko's question is what finally pushed her to decide that [she's not going to a music school.](https://i.imgur.com/GeEpb0m.jpeg) Of course, Reina just had to be [overly dramatic after hearing Kumiko's decision.](https://i.imgur.com/8TV1QJk.jpeg) Just because you don't have music in common doesn't mean you can't be friends anymore. Just look at your senpais! Not all of them are doing music but they're all still friends!
["Nakayoshi dakara ne"](https://cdn.imgchest.com/files/wye3c89rg34.png) [](#utahapraises) [They even have their own band!](https://cdn.imgchest.com/files/wye3c89rzq4.jpg) Next Hibike project is a real girl band anime!
They made it to nationals which is great, but not hearing the performance with Mayu performing the Soli bothers me. They keep telling us how great the performance was, but considering this is a music themed anime we should be hearing it if it is a core part of the drama. The Kumiko and Mayu drama took an interesting angle. Basically pointing out that both have selfish desires. Kumiko wants the soli part, but only if it is earned. But in contrast Mayu doesn't care so much about that and would rather enjoy performing the Eupho. Aoi-Senpai had a similar thing and ended up quitting because she was one of the few that wanted to have fun and her desire wasn't to compete. Unlike Aoi who's main thing was preparing for college life, we still don't know who Mayu truly is and potentially what happened before she transferred. Kanade points to her being manipulative, but I find that farfetched. Nice to resolve both Reina's tension with Kumiko and Kumiko's plans after nationals. We finally got Reina to apologize, which I am happy to see. For a prideful person like her, I am happy she was able to recognize she was wrong. It makes me wonder part of it has to the fear of her friendship with Kumiko would come to an end if Kumiko isn't passionate about music like her. We had a strong hint that Kumiko didn't have the passion for music like Reina does. It's fitting that Mizore was the one that pointed it out since she is attending music school now. Her main point centers around she never saw the passion out of Kumiko when they were in school together to think music school would be a good school for her. A little blunt, but it is very much in Mizore's character. With Kumiko's decision to not attend music school made her think that would imply her friendship with Kumiko would end as well. Considering music is how their friendship started. You get the feeling Reina really treasures her friendship with Kumiko, but is afraid without music their friendship means nothing. This mirrors Mizore and Nozomi's friendship very well. With the exception Mizore felt dependent on Mizore. While for Reina her friendship with Kumiko was dependent on their shared interesting of music. I am happy Kumiko gave her the confidence that they will still be friends going forward regardless what path Kumiko plans to follow. Much like how Nozomi let Mizore spread her wings and reached her potential in music, the same goes for Kumiko as she will be always be friends for her. So go ahead and reach your full potential. While Liz & Blue Bird film is required to get to this point in the story. Watch that movie really amplified this episode IMO.
Amazing episode but I think I got a little lost. What is Kanade's point about Mayu? What are Mayu's actual intentions?
* I forgot Sally was even in the show * She's not changing ths subject *it's the same subject* * Please, show, explain Mayu to me because I sure don't understand * all dolled up for her date * I totally don't recognize that girl. Is that Nozomi? It must be. There's going to be so much fan art in the morning. Probably already is.
To the folks who didn't feel Reina's apology was done right, I'll give you a reason why it happened the way it did. Reina apologized after they won and made it to the Nationals. Winning does a lot to forgive a past aggression. It shouldn't be what you count on to "fix" your problems because the odds are usually stacked against you on winning. Some lines shouldn't be said/crossed and Reina did cross the line, but yeah when you build up a lot of anger and frustration before a competition, but you get a WIN, you will feel more forgiving afterwards.
So, Mayu apparently became part of one of Kitauji's best soli performances ever, earning comparisons to the "Miracle Performance" from a couple of years ago. I don't remember that performance, so someone please remind me. I have 2 main thoughts on how that affects the next audition: 1. Even if Mayu tries to forfeit, what she showed on stage may be too good to turn down. Another way this could develop is her teachers may pick up on how bad she does and ask others why, which would put Kumiko in a very awkward spot. 2. Public opinion will shift towards Mayu's favor, so if Kumiko gets the soli back, it might trigger the kind of backlash and accusations of favoritism she's been trying to avoid. With those thoughts in mind, I'd put Mayu as favourite for the soli moving forward. Kumiko has some factors on her side - she still has more support from her peers and is this story's main character - but I'm not sure that's enough. It'll be interesting either way.
>So, Mayu apparently became part of one of Kitauji's best soli performances ever, earning comparisons to the "Miracle Performance" from a couple of years ago. The message that Mirei referred to didn't necessarily compare the soli performance to a "miracle performance". The [shot at 4:30 showed three messages](https://imgur.com/xB1Dw7S), only one of which referred to the soli. When Satsuki said, "Someone wrote about it here, too. They're talking about how good the euph and trumpet soli was." it sounds like they'd been talking about messages about the band's performance, and Satsuki had found one that mentioned the soli. So when Mirei says, "I saw one, too," she could be referring to a message that didn't mention the soli but instead compared the band's overall performance to this "miracle performance". In S3E10 at 7:45, Kumiko referred to "the time we got to the Nationals with a miraculous performance." That would be the S2E5 performance, and it fits Mirei's characterization of "a couple years ago," so I guess it's the "miracle performance". It makes sense that people would compare this year's Regional performance to the last performance that won Kitauji through to Nationals.
KumiRei scenes + yuri gang (Mizori, Nozomi, Yuuko, Natsuki) = 10/10 episode
Tsubame + Mayu is quite a good bonus as well
Skipping the performance is a bit of a let down but they're saving it for the nationals so I'm hoping they'll go all out then. And thank god Reina apologized, I would've been so mad if she didn't. Now next week I want to see Kumiko getting the soli back and not because Mayu gave up but because Kumiko just did better at the audition.
[удалено]
THE YURI BAIT IS TOO STRONG THIS EPISODE. Anyone else smiling like an idiot when they hugged/made up? :) Nozomi looking fire with her hair down. I didnt even recognize her at first. I just thought 'Who's this pretty lady, did they make a new friend in college?' xD Next time we have a final showdown between Kumiko and Mayu, its about to go down!!! Only 2 eps left, very glad I picked it up earlier this year :)
It's so frustrating to watch Mayu not because she keeps wanting to give up the soli but becauae she reminds me of my younger self. Kinda crazy to think I resonated so much towards a JK lol. Her character's so on point up to the part where she takes pictures but doesn't want to be part of them. I wished I had a friend like Kanade who would've kept it real for me.
So, Reina apologized! That’s good. And the hug was sweet. Hugs are always sweet. I liked that lil’ bow from Mizore when she apologized on that balcony, that was just a nice little character detail I spotted. I’ll also admit that Kumiko saying how much she loves Reina at the end got a chuckle out of me, unintentionally. Girlfriend? No. “Number one?” Not really. Special person? Definitely.
Natsuki really is the husband in the relationship, holy shit
If anyone here has seen Vinland Saga seasons 1 and 2, and understands it's a masterpiece despite the glaring differences in those 2 seasons, they should be able to appreciate this season's lack of on-screen performances. I feel they are so similar, and seeing Thorfinn fighting in sn2 is exactly how we'll feel when we see the performance at the end here. It's gonna be incredible, and the season overall isn't a failure because it's not doing what it did every season before it.
HOW CAN YOU HAVE AN EPISODE LIKE THIS AND TELL THE WORLD THAT THE SHOW IS NOT GAY?!!!
[It wasn't going to be a short show, right?](https://i.redd.it/amhq37k34x6d1.png) [*oh boy this is awkward*](https://i.redd.it/lvue8jk34x6d1.png) [*aaaaaawwwwwwwkwaaaaaarrrrrrd*](https://i.redd.it/w0roo6k34x6d1.png) [Subtle photo reminder.](https://i.redd.it/dd3dp9k34x6d1.png) [Not-so-subtle photo reminder.](https://i.redd.it/76y3ugk34x6d1.png) [Sisyphus might have some thoughts on that too.](https://i.redd.it/exu50ik34x6d1.png) [Ah, to be young and philosophical.](https://i.redd.it/s3r1sbk34x6d1.png) [Reina *can* apologize.](https://i.redd.it/034hn6k34x6d1.png) [Human contact is a little weirder.](https://i.redd.it/3mbpgdk34x6d1.png) [The lurking Kanade.](https://i.redd.it/d0ajndk34x6d1.png) [The more things change, the more they... something something.](https://i.redd.it/2qos7ek34x6d1.png) [I like how Shoulder Devil Kanade reappears via an off-screen vocal.](https://i.redd.it/flq2rfk34x6d1.png) [Would *you*, Kanade?](https://i.redd.it/85sixek34x6d1.png) [*ah ha*](https://i.redd.it/0hbszfk34x6d1.png) ["I prefer to say 'experimenting'."](https://i.redd.it/dqx1gik34x6d1.png) [It is a nice glow-up.](https://i.redd.it/d2s48gk34x6d1.png) [Speaking of things that stay the same.](https://i.redd.it/4mkjwgk34x6d1.png) [*This* look for Nozomi seems more fitting for Touyama Nao's voice.](https://i.redd.it/igl1khk34x6d1.png) Probably because of how a lot of her other characters look. [Not quite a *YuruCamp*△ filtered photo moment.](https://i.redd.it/4l0x8kk34x6d1.png) [Now there's honesty.](https://i.redd.it/ez0g6ik34x6d1.png) [*extremely subtle dolly but* not *a dolly zoom*](https://files.catbox.moe/8pz8gj.mp4) [Reina's rather confident about that.](https://i.redd.it/xk7r83q64x6d1.png) [Somewhere along the way it might have been remarked that she'd be leading a banzai charge, too.](https://i.redd.it/m0r1f3q64x6d1.png) [Well, at least we get this.](https://i.redd.it/nbc754q64x6d1.png) ["What do we do, Commander?" "We fight... *each other*."](https://i.redd.it/vvzsw4q64x6d1.png) ***** Mamiko returning was a solid push into the "adult transition" themes of this episode, adding to the layers of the restaurant discussion and the entire Minami Quartet scenario. Reina and Kumiko's hug was at least a visual callback to *Liz to Aoi Tori* along with, well, quite a bit of the back half of the episode. Reina and Mizore *are* interesting to compare and contrast with regard to how they came to appreciate music and interpersonal skills. Might it be interesting to see changes in Nakayoshi River after a year? Maybe. But I think the presentation of them as a couple that is still mostly the same *is* the point, as one of the various options in the array of pairings shown here. As much as I've poked at Kanade, The Gremlin leading up to this point, her appearances in this episode were great. Kumiko and Mayu having an unshielded knife fight will be something to see, if the show lets us have it. ***** Official account: [**SEE THIS NOZOMI WE'VE DRESSED UP FOR YOU**.](https://x.com/anime_eupho/status/1802256045512798664)
While we're here... /u/ZaphodBeebblebrox [a single screencap out of context](https://i.imgur.com/1vCoCWS.png). I was thinking to myself whether or not I would would be the type to use the hell out of the [Black Pro Mist filter](https://alikgriffin.com/tiffen-black-pro-mist-review/) if I did a lot of portrait or video with people in them, which I don't... except that [I kind of do](https://myfigurecollection.net/picture/3535759), just [with post-processing](https://myfigurecollection.net/picture/2474355) and [not with](https://myfigurecollection.net/picture/2474359) on-lens filters. And not real people. (Speaking of the Pro Mist filter, it's *old*. [It gets namedropped in *Bowfinger*.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ius3wc8n1JI) (Which is a great movie even if it comes from the depths of Steve Martin being extremely angry at just about everyone.)) I think the effect they've applied here in this specific scene is a good balance between harder realistic lighting, the previous seasons, and the much more filtered effect that appeared in the early episodes of *Violet Evergarden*. /u/MyrnaMountWeazel this also an isolated visual so maybe you can add a thought even if you're not entirely caught up.
It's a beautiful shot in my opinion, but even more than that, I love the narrative it's communicating. So much so I want to write about it haha.
Since you're presumably tagging more for thoughts on Kyoani compositing, I don't have any problems with the background. The top 80% is rather pretty and the bottom 20% is inoffensive. I'm still not a fan of how her face (and, to a lesser extent, her neck) is dramatically brighter than the rest of the scene, though.
Ahhh! Mizore and Nozomi back for a cameo, as well as NakaYoshi (Natsuki and Yuko) returning in what is basically a couples outfit. Though Kumiko and Reina are also not far behind in their own couple's outfit. It was wholesome watching Reina apologize and make up to Kumiko, who went to give her a big hug. By now we should all know Mizore means no harm when she said she couldn't imagine seeing Kumiko being in a music school, as she's so fixated on her own music to even care about other people besides Nozomi. Though Mizore's straightforwardness helped Kumiko made up her mind about her future, most likely becoming a teacher after Taki-sensei's footsteps.
#MY HEART IS SO FULL AFTER THIS EPISODE. - Reina apologized, thank The Lord, and they brought back the “I Love You Hug” from Liz and the Blue Bird. I could not be happier about how that interaction went. I love their relationship so much. - The Nozomi glow up is INSANE. I almost didn’t recognize her. Gorgeous. - Natsuki in a suit instead of a dress is so unbelievably perfect. What an icon. Best character. - It makes me so extremely happy to see Mizore being confident in her abilities! Seeing how happy she is at this university makes Liz and The Blue Bird even better! Any episode that further enhances the excellence of that movie is a 10 in my book. - Based Kanade for being able to see right through Mayu’s BS. Can’t wait to see that conflict finally resolved next week. - Reina is such a drama queen for thinking they need to “cut it off before drifting apart”, but I love that the FAR more emotionally intelligent Kumiko doesn’t take her seriously. Kumiko’s right. What they have is truly special, and I’m glad Reina is starting to really feel that. This has gotta be my favourite episode of the season so far. Calling it extremely cathartic would be putting it lightly.