Hibike! Euphonium S3 — Episode 2 — 10 Second Anime

Transfer student Mayu Kuroe joins the concert band playing the euphonium. The club votes on its competition music.

Episode 2 — “Triangle Syncopation”

Hmm.

Hibike! Euphonium’s most visual feature has always been how it uses reflections to emphasize themes and emotions. That makes sense because of how shiny musical instruments are, but KyoAni’s eye-striking animation puts mirrors everywhere. Playing a game of noticing which reflection means something deeper in a Hibike! Euphonium episode.

Heh.

Mayu Kuroe is a senior transfer student from Seira Girls’ School, a music powerhouse. Midori makes sure Mayu knows to stop calling her “Sapphire.” And Kumiko is not shy! Uh oh. Big sister Tsubame worries her little sister Suzume might disrupt the bass section. How? I see issues of impulse control. Hazuki claims all the bass senpais have superior abs. Kumiko is reluctant to show proof. Kanade still plays Iago or Machiavellian games in Hibike! Euphonium, but at least it’s for Kumiko’s sake now. Haha! Mayu’s nickname used to be “Mama.” Kumiko has competition for mothering skills.

Here comes the first drama of the Hibike! Euphonium season: choose one of three competition pieces to win it all. Taki-sensei uses a MacBook. Taki values his officers because he saw them grow from his first year as a teacher at Kitauji. Hoho. Reina feels jealousy pangs when she sees Shuuichi compliment Kumiko. Or was she miffed that he remarked on Taki’s “trust” in Kumiko? Just don’t make Kumiko cry, okay? Aha. Reina received the focused Shuuichi treatment and didn’t know how to react.

The clarinet section takes its turn in the Hibike! Euphonium eye-catch.

Kanade is such a funny treasure. She orbits close to Kumiko but still makes passive-aggressive comments to elicit sympathy. Here we go. Suzume thinks her older sister is being bullied and goes directly to Kumiko to accuse her. Yup. Poor impulse control. Kumiko can handle her, though. Oops. Tsubame feels embarrassed over her little sister getting the wrong idea. Band leadership is emotionally draining for Kumiko.

The band officers need to choose the composition for upcoming competitions. One needs emotional expression, another needs technical ability, and the third needs both. You already know which one Kitauji will pick. Kumiko, Reina, and Shuuichi are on the same wavelength. But who will play the clarinet for the first note? Someone looks worried (looking at first-year clarinet player Sari Yoshii). The next Hibike! Euphonium piece begins!