Hibike! Euphonium S3 — Episode 8 — 10 Second Anime

Kitauji holds its summer camp. But, the retreat becomes more stressful with the second round of auditions.

Episode 8 — “Melancholy Ostinato”

Hmm.

We knew the auditions would add compounding drama and frustration for the Kitauji band members. Hibike! Euphonium had slowly built up the tension between Mayu and Kumiko. Both are competent euphonium players, so they never worried about failing to join the band for the concerts. The contention came from joining the trumpet soloist. And so, in the second round of auditions, Kumiko lost to Mayu. There’s still the third round before Kitauji moves on to the national level, so Kumiko should be there. I have no doubt.

Here’s where the frustration and distrust of audition criteria rises exponentially in Hibike! Euphonium. The third-year students had been used to a single audition based on merit. But what if they made the first round and lost in the second? What changed? Did someone else get better? Did they get worse? Or did Taki-sensei change his mind? What’s the deal? Kumiko will have to explain how auditions work to choose the best sound for the sake of the orchestra as an ensemble. But what if she’s not sure herself? Kumiko had better find a confident voice before the concert band implodes from recriminations, resentment, and self-doubt.

Heh.

Whoa! The second audition will be at the summer camp! All stress, no fun. Kumiko and Reina are in the bus’s front row. Yay! Taki’s friends are back to make jokes and look pretty. Poor Kanade. She lost someone to tease after Motomu reconciled with his grandpa. Mayu still has reservations about auditioning for the euphonium solo. Hibike! Euphonium, we get it. This show loves hammering on the same thing. Reina worries that Kumiko hasn’t paid enough attention to Taki’s suggestions. We get it! The foreshadowing is so thick right now. Ah! Mayu finally blew up at Kumiko about being the transfer student who would make everyone mad if she should get the part.

Kumiko tells Mayu about how Kitauji used to favor seniority over merit for orchestra members. But that was when the club prioritized a high school experience instead of winning a national award. Uh oh. It’s a summer camp, so you know we’ll see teenage hijinks. Motomu wants to “talk” with Midori! Duh. There’s your parallel for rejection in Hibike! Euphonium. Thick, thick foreshadowing!

The eye catches center Mayu at her audition and Tsukamoto’s trombone section. I’m sure everyone has warned Kumiko about how many girls compared to boys are in the section already.

Haha! Reina wants Taki-sensei’s juice! Ho. Tsukamoto thinks it’s likely that the euphonium section will change for the next concert. That’s news to Kumiko! Also, Tsukamoto anticipates even more fallout from the auditions after Taki-sensei announces seat changes. Aw. Midori rejected Motomu, but Kanade left him a get-better-soon gift. Aw, even more! Reina gave her “cherished” juice to Midori.

Hit me in all the feels, Hibike! Euphonium! Kumiko plays Asuka’s theme at her last summer camp. She keeps a postcard with Asuka’s address on it. Important! Look at the T-shirt Mayu wears: it’s a camera! Here are the results of the auditions. More tubas, only two euphoniums, and Kumiko lost the solo! Reina doesn’t look that surprised.