Hibike! Euphonium S3 — Episode 12 — 10 Second Anime

The final euphonium solo is so close that Taki-sensei asks the band to vote for Kumiko or Mayu in a blind audition.

Episode 12 — “The Last Soloist”

Hmm.

I wrote this passage when I reviewed the first episode of Hibike! Euphonium’s final season:

When Kumiko first heard Mayu’s euphonium from the riverbank, she thought Asuka had returned from university for a family visit. The question in Kumiko’s mind from the Ensemble Contest movie was, “Would Reina pick me over a better player?” Kumiko better practice if she wants to avoid that question.

The parallels between Reina’s public audition for a trumpet solo in the first season are clear. But I remember one scene that explains how Reina could only choose Mayu over Kumiko. When Kumiko and Reina chose the symphony piece for concert competitions, they realized each instrument would need technical ability and emotional expression for a narrative journey. The Hibike! Euphonium season would supply those emotions. Mayu’s interpretation of the euphonium accompanying Reina’s trumpet matched her mental imagery better. Some of that comes from Mayu’s personality of being behind a camera and observing others. But the bulk of Kumiko’s difference came from Kumiko’s path diverging from Reina’s.

The trumpet player recognized Kumiko’s sound but sadly knew the slightly dissonant tones would detract from the overall musical presentation. The saddest thing about Kumiko and Reina accepting the reality of the audition results is that the situation confirmed their separate paths after graduation. Hibike! Euphonium dealt with Kumiko’s decision in the previous episode. The moment Reina chose the gold medal over sharing a moment of friendship on a national stage was when she said goodbye to her high school times with her best friend. Kumiko and Reina’s tears of mourning were a farewell emotion that should come through at the Nationals. Will it be enough to win the gold? The series finale will reveal that answer.

Heh.

Audition time again, but with extra drama. How do I know? No time for Hibike! Euphonium’s opening credit sequence! Any position changes from the last time? The concert band is on board now, with no grumbling or extra stress. And the soloists? Two euphonium soloists! Taki-sensei explains that Mayu and Kumiko are so close he can’t decide. The band will have to choose which sounds best for the ensemble. Look at the growth. Kumiko isn’t shy about asking for reasons anymore. Taki-sensei believes he’s molded Kitauji to its maximum, but the kids should decide their emotional sound. Kumiko suggests a blind audition so the kids can choose by sound and performance alone. She brought a tear to Taki-sensei’s eyes. He’s close to his goal of winning a gold medal for his late wife’s high school.

Reina says Kumiko better do her part to win. Mutual cheek squishes are part of KyoAni and Hibike! Euphonium. Ah. Kumiko chose her career path for college. Matsumoto-sensei called her predictable! Even Taki-sensei predicted what Kumiko would decide. High school concert bands are weird, huh? Smells like teaching music to me!

Wow. Concealing the euphonium players’ identities for the individual solo involves a complicated production. Mayu asks for one last chance for Kumiko to tell her to quit. Fat chance!

Midori and the contrabass section, both of its members, take their turn in the eye-catches.

Kumiko and Mayu finally have a heart-to-heart discussion. The band president apologizes for acting too much like a club official instead of a classmate and fellow euphonium player. They both had similar traumatic audition stories. It’s late in the schedule for Hibike! Euphonium to show us these flashbacks. Mayu’s best friend quit music because the more talented one always played for competition pieces. Kumiko squeezed out as much talent as possible to keep pace with a genius trumpet player. Is this as far as Kumiko goes? Her selfish wish is that the best person plays, no matter how bad it makes her friends feel. That is selfish, harsh, cruel, and pure. Kumiko holds her friends’ feelings hostage for her principles and single-minded goal to win gold.

So stressful! Kumiko and Mayu wear penny loafers, so we can’t tell which player is first. This is the first time Hibike! Euphonium presented the entire solo duet. This performance is the emotional payoff for the complete series’ relationship arc between Reina and Kumiko. Who captures the melancholy of a farewell the best? The second player had more personality and a ragged sound. But was she the best? The vote is a tie! Who’s missing? Reina’s vote is the tiebreaker. Some in the audience knew for whom exactly they voted. Nice buildup for the decision. Reina broke her heart by voting against Kumiko. Kanade voted for Kumiko and feels worse than she does.

Hibike! Euphonium shows us an inspirational flashback. Reina had better watch out if she stays too long in America. Kumiko could steal Taki-sensei away from her! Kumiko’s response is, again, harsh, cruel, selfish, and pure. Play to win, Kitauji! Win the gold medal!

Reina escapes her heartbreak, but Kumiko knows where to find her. Kanade is mad at Kumiko for never being selfish for herself. Ack. Here come the waterworks at Kumiko and Reina’s special rendezvous. Reina confessed she knew which player was which and voted against Kumiko anyway. Kumiko knew her hesitation about deciding against music school came out in her sound. That was the wrong melancholy for that movement. Oh, KyoAni. You replayed the scene between Kumiko and Reina from Hibike! Euphonium’s first season. Still, it hurts. Growing up is hard.

Now. Win.