10 Second Anime - Hibike! Euphonium S2 - Episode 3

Asuka tells Kumiko why she won't let Nozomi back into the band.

Episode 3 - "Troubled Nocturnes"

Hmm.

Not a lot happened Kumiko's after dinner conversations, but a lot was made clearer about Mizore's feelings about Nozomi. It's like we need a relationship chart to know how the drama between them has secondary effects among their other friends.

Another great thing about this episode was how Kumiko's relationship with Asuka got more layers. It started with Kumiko's skill with the euphonium being recognized by Taki.

Putting Kumiko on the same level as Asuka, even briefly, for a musical piece allowed others to gain respect for her. By contrast, Asuka sees music and social dynamics as totally separate things, which is always shown by the other kids treating her as if she were the real president.

Still, this professional bond between Asuka and Kumiko allows us to see how Kumiko would treat the problem between Nozomi and Mizore. Asuka knew everything, except what the trauma was that started making Mizore sick to see Nozomi, but her solution of keeping Nozomi out of the band was the same reason Nozomi didn't ask Mizore to quit with her: because she was the only oboe. I suspect that Mizore felt abandoned by Nozomi there, which might be the traumatic event.

Asuka is all about the music, so she doesn't care about repairing friendships. She cares that their only oboist needs to play well. Kumiko, trying to find her own voice and thoughts on the matter, may be the one to offer a better solution, because right now, as Hashimoto has already noticed along with Kumiko, that Mizore's playing is robotic. That could be a factor in the judging of their piece at the next contest and Kumiko helping Mizore and Nozomi find their friendship again could be where our nosy narrator's story goes next.

Complicating that thread will be how Natsuki is better friends with Nozomi and Yuko is better friends with Mizore. Neither Natsuki nor Nozomi know there's a problem with how Mizore feels about Nozomi. As I've said before, there ain't no drama like band drama.

Speaking of drama, Taki-sensei appears to have gone through a lot of it. Now we know who was in that picture he keeps with him: his dead wife. Hashimoto is a good buddy, and I started feeling man-tears welling up too when he told Kumiko about it. Older people really like talking to Kumiko...

Yuko and Natsuki are the pairing that keeps on giving. Their dynamic was so fun to watch last season and that continues into this one. Yuko seems to be at the nexus of all this drama too, first with her love of Kaori-senpai and now with her friendship with Mizore. Natsuki might have a rougher time dealing with her because of her loyalty to Nozomi.

Kumiko finally got to talk to Asuka for way longer than all the recruitment jokes she laid down on her last season. Their conversation confirmed some things about her character, such as keeping music separate from everything else in her life. She told Kumiko that she would like to keep the serious stuff limited to music. On a deeper level, considering Mizore's dry oboe solo, this friendship stuff with Nozomi is serious music stuff.

I wonder if there's going to be competitive angle on Kumiko's and Asuka's relationship going forward because of the Euphonium duo for their musical piece. That's something to be on the lookout for.

Heh.

Everybody's married! Or was married. Except Hashimoto. Maybe he's married too... to Niiyama-sensei!

Everybody older than Kumiko just can't stop spilling secrets! She must have one of those faces for listening.

I think everyone knows Reina has a crush on Taki-sensei. Kumiko shouldn't be so surprised that Hashimoto figured it out.

People are still talking about their opinions on how competitions are being judged, but most of them accept it. Mizore will have to learn that just playing music as its written isn't good enough.

Reina says that only the winners get to say whether competitions should be judged on medals. Losers sound like complaining about sour grapes. So, just get good enough to complain about the judging. Problem solved?

The Fun Stuff.

Nozomi's flute has the eye catch this week.

Yuko is a pouting machine.

Kumiko reciprocated Reina's face-grabbing. Reina sure does fall asleep easy. She could never be the main character that way. Who will all the senpais talk to?

Har. Reina thought Kumiko was sneaking around with Shuuichi. He wishes.

Asuka! Asuka! Asuka!

Next time, I want to see some fireworks between Nozomi and Mizore when they get home from band camp. They've been building this up a good deal, so now's the time to light that fuse and see what happens after the explosion.