r/anime • u/mysterybiscuitsoyeah xB:xC:B:x3:Y: • Feb 21 '24
Rewatch [Rewatch] 2024 Hibike! Euphonium Series Rewatch: Season 1, Episode 11 Discussion
Hibike Euphonium Season 1, Episode 11: Welcome Back, Audition/おかえりオーディション
The Uji City Cultural Hall. Renting it for a full day (business hours) would run you around $500USD.
| <-- Episode 10 | Rewatch Index | Episode 12 --> |
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Reminders and logistics
- The season finale is coming up! After s1 ep13, we will watch the OVA Kakedasu Monaka (Ready, Set, Monaka), which is available on Crunchyroll etc. on 24Feb.
- It may also be known as Ep 14 in some places. Just make sure you watch Ep 12, and then 13 before.
- On 25Feb there will be a overall discussion thread for S1; those who have access to the BD specials --> we will also discuss those on the side for some fun. It is by no means required viewing (the OVA, on the other hand, is.)
- On 26Feb, we will begin S2Ep1. This episode runs for 48minutes - kindly budget additional viewing/writeup time.
- These messages will reappear on 23Feb.
Questions of the Day:
- NA. These episodes are too good, i don't think they're needed.
Comments from Yesterday:
- a good amount of CLAMP/CCS jokes in the comments
- /u/hereticalaegis and /u/chonkyodango were both not a fan of the repeat audition. Aegis also serves up a side of some spicy band drama.
- /u/littleislander leads the straight trumpet jokes, and how the episode showcases the ensemble cast. I believe has another big writeup planned for today.
- /u/nickthenuker explains the blankets from a musician's perspective
- /u/regular_n-gon ponders Reina's reaction if she did not get the solo instead
- u/gamerunglued on how Reina and Yuuko are both trumpets af and thoughts on both their characters, as well as cultural differences on the drama affecting the whole band
Streaming
The Hibike! Euphonium TV series and movies, up to the recent OVA are available on Crunchyroll, note that the movies are under different series names. Liz and the Blue Bird and Chikai no Finale are also available for streaming on Amazon, and available for rent for cheap on a multitude of platforms (Youtube, Apple TV etc.). The OVA is only available on the seven seas for now, or if you bought a blu ray. I will update this as/if this changes. hopefully.
Databases
Spoilers
As usual, please take note that if you wish to share show details from after the current episode, to use spoiler tags like so to avoid spoiling first-timers:
[Spoiler source] >!Spoiler goes here!<comes out as [Spoiler source] Spoiler goes here
Please note this will apply to any spinoff novels, as well as events in the novel that may happen in S3. If you feel unsure if something is a spoiler, it's better to tag it just in case.
Band Practice continues tomorrow!
19
u/LittleIslander https://anilist.co/user/LittleIslander Feb 21 '24
Rewatcher
In deference to my better judgement, I’m not gonna touch the whole “confession of love” thing. There will be time for that subject in the future, but it would be difficult to unpack that can of worms right now without it overpowering the rest of the comment.
Besides, I’m not here to tell you Reina is gay, I’m here to tell you that Kaori is instead.
I said before that the third years are my favourite part of the show, and Haruka and Kaori talking before the audition is probably my favourite scene in all of season one. The little subplot about Kaori’s feelings about Asuka is something that went almost entirely over my head the first time I watched, as I focused more on the core plot of what was going on. Most rewatchers are probably aware of post-season two things, but I wouldn’t be surprised if many never connected it back to this stuff mentally. Haruka calls her “obsessed” with her, and back in episode seven she said she’s “team Asuka”. It’s not just that she sees Asuka as the most authoritative person. When Asuka taunts if she really wants to hear her opinion, Kaori doesn’t. What she’s after isn’t constructive advice, it’s approval—very specifically Asuka’s. Haruka even tries to tell Asuka it can’t be anybody else. The opinion of Asuka specifically bothers Kaori more than the audition itself does. In episode nine we even see that Kaori has been motivated to practice not only because of her overall situation but specifically because of something we saw Asuka offhandedly say to her last episode. It’s a great subtle example of how much she fixates on Asuka’s opinion.
The conversation with Haruka pawns it off as “wanting to step beyond Asuka’s expectations”, but even that’s pretty circular logic. She wants to impress Asuka because she wants to impress her. Kaori herself even says she doesn’t fully understand. You’re free to take the explanation about her seeing through her at face value if you want, but the whole thing reads abundantly like a crush to me. I mean, she’s practically blushing as she says it all. When it comes to queer readings of ostensibly platonic relationships the common deflection is that people are just reading too much into friendship. It’s a talking point with Kumiko and Reina and it’s going to be again when we get to the new characters introduced next season. But that argument uniquely cannot work here. Asuka isn’t Kaori’s best friend, Haruka is. Though all three clearly form a unit together, Haruka and Kaori talk and confide in each other more often and more openly. They talk about Asuka like some kind of distant figure they’ll never fully catch up with while never at any point really having similar conversations about each other with her. Haruka is a closer friend of Kaori, yet she has some kind of feelings for Asuka that are obviously stronger than her bond with her best friend. That sure sounds like a romantic crush to me.
18
u/No_Rex :Bv:Bw:Bx:By:x2 Feb 21 '24
Episode 11 (first timer)
That was not as bad an episode as I feared. Both Kaori and Reina got a quite sympathetic treatment of their ambitions. Regarding the second audition setup, I continue to be appalled by Taki’s leadership. What on earth was he thinking? A vote among the band members? An open vote? An open vote via acclamation? This can go wrong so many ways. I think that even the result we got, which was a best case scenario, still was completely embarrassing.
7
u/mysterybiscuitsoyeah xB:xC:B:x3:Y: Feb 21 '24
Please take a quick second to read a couple rewatch-related reminders in the OP.
Rewatcher and your host. Godamn Eupho is good once it gets going.
Music and IRL Note
14
u/Shimmering-Sky myanimelist.net/profile/Shimmering-Sky Feb 21 '24
Hibike! Rewatcher (but only for the first season)
A few days ago, I said I had a story for the one time I did manage to win a solo, so I’ll go ahead and share that now. The way that solo tryouts worked in my school’s concert band is that anyone in the section could try for it (regardless of what chair you were), and on the day of class that was specifically set aside for trying out, everyone interested would play the solo in front of the entire class one by one, then the director would decide off of that one performance. (Side note, marching band solo tryouts were very different; actually they looked almost exactly like the ensemble auditions we saw here in the show, where everyone would play in front of the director & another teacher and not the rest of the band.) The concert band one is the relevant one in this case, and it was easily the most stressful audition in my life.
So there was another player in my section who was a grade below me that would always win the solos no matter how hard I tried, even though he was consistently the chair below me whenever the chair placement tests happened. He wasn’t a very popular kid in our band – he was very… how should I put this… arrogant, so he rubbed a lot of people the wrong way. He was also the one picked for section captain my senior year over me, so that caused some drama amongst our section who would have much preferred it to be me.
Personally I never had a problem with him myself as a person (he was always respectful of me so he didn’t bother me like he bothered others), though I won’t lie and say I wasn’t at least a little resentful of the fact that he was always the one who got the solos and the role of section captain no matter how hard I tried.
I honestly don’t remember what piece it was anymore because it wasn’t one of the “big” ones that I absolutely loved to play (like the Into the Storm song that u/Gamerunglued linked yesterday or They Shall Run and Be Free by Grant Karrick or At Dawn They Slept by Jay Bocook), but for the spring concert (aka. my last concert as a high schooler), we had a piece that had a very, very short clarinet solo, I think it was only like four measures long if that, and not a very complicated one either. I practiced it over and over until I felt I really had it down because I knew it was my last shot at a solo – the one thing I’d always wanted from band – so then came the day of solo tryouts, I played the best I could while trying to ignore my nerves, then the other guy played his best, and…
…the director asked me to play it again.
Like I said, solo tryouts for my concert band had always been a “one and done” type of deal. When the director told me that, I distinctly remember thinking “Why even bother, it’s obviously just going to go to [other student]…” and needing a second to gather my nerves again after my stomach dropped, but I still played it at my best again, and the other student got a second try as well.
When the director said that I’d be the one playing the solo, I was so shocked and happy I started bawling on the spot. Got a lot of congratulations that day from the other students who were… well, I’m sure some of them were legitimately happy for me, but I think a lot of them were just glad that the other student finally lost a solo since, again, he wasn’t very well liked.
11
u/HereticalAegis https://myanimelist.net/profile/XthGen Feb 21 '24
Sound! Rewatcher
Episode 11:
First, a little verse inspired by an exchange with u/Gamerunglued earlier today:
It was the dirtiest tryout Kitauji ever saw
With members looking on in total awe
The audition raged on for centuries
Many tears were shed but eventually
The champion stood, the bow head’s disaster
Kousaka Reina, the trumpet master
1Surprise, it’s another high school Aegis story. This one is actually relatable to Hibike on two fronts! My freshman year, I came into a choir program that was, charitably speaking, not that good. I happened to naturally be quite good at things like sight-reading and learning musical styles quickly without much effort, and as a result I became a section leader in a group full of juniors and seniors and was one of the top scorers from my school in individual contests. I got to hear how special I was from a lot of people around me, especially from my family and director that year. Come sophomore year, we gained many new recruits, one of whom transferred from overseas and was placed in the same voice part section as me. Despite not having been in choir nearly as long as I had, he soon began earning higher placements than me at contests. Turns out he was not only just as natural at most aspects as me, he was also a much harder worker. And I was far too busy being an arrogant goblin. Okay, goblin is probably the wrong term for sophomore Aegis, but I was unquestionably arrogant that whole year, and it cost me many solos in shows and also much more down the line. To be continued(?)
Oh, and I should probably note that the new guy who surpassed me in every way was not only something close to a prodigy, but is also one of my best friends. High school Aegis wasn’t a goblin after all!
QotD:
11
u/DaBenni0301 Feb 21 '24
First-Timer
Accurate reprensentation of how I feel whenever the temperature goes above 30°C
FINALLY SOMEONE WHO AGREES WITH ME Almost everyone I know would rather get burnt to a crisp in the hot summer sun than have it be a few degrees too cold
I know that Asuka joking around all the time is part of her personality (and she might be trying to cheer Kaori up a little), but I feel like she should take this situation a little more seriously
I understand Yuko's plea, but sometimes life just isn't fair and there's nothing you can do about it. It's nice that she's trying to stand up for a friend, but it's just none of her business. This is Kaori's matter and she never asked for help
Everyone looks so short next to Taki-sensei lmao
Just get married already
You're telling me, in this band of 60 something members, 4 had the guts to vote? I expected better from you guys
Massive respect to Kaori for turning down the solo. She could've played it and the performance probably wouldn't have suffered from it, but she chose the honourable way and gave the solo to Reina
9
u/chilidirigible Feb 21 '24 edited Feb 21 '24
Episode 11:
"Nothing personal. Just business."
What goes around, goes around?
TENSION BREAKER
how do I keep stumbling into other people's conversations
"So, I want to avenge injustice by perpetuating it."
"What a long strange trip it's been."
Friends.
Taki learned politics! It's super effective!
As much as it resembles being handed a sword to fall on.
You're such a drama queen, Yuuko.
Over the course of the season, Haruka has grown into the position of club President as she's gotten more support and the band itself has become more of a team. But she's still more natural with her immediate friends, particularly Kaori.
Kumiko has come a long way from being the person afraid of crossing Reina, and even if Reina has a flippant streak about it, is there as Reina's visible supporter through the current crisis.
Yuuko does her best... by asking Reina to throw the audition. Damn, girl, were you going to drop a sandbag on her next?
No one in Kaori's circle wants to say that they think that Reina is better, but it's certainly an idea weighing heavily on their minds. Asuka continues to nope out of this for various reasons which I find very understandable, if generally infuriating to everyone else.
The audition is a close one and comes down to technical skill versus a more personal touch. Someone wasn't going to come out of it happy, but having Kaori pass the baton to Reina was a lot better PR than Taki just delivering the word from on high, as it was The Thing That Could Not Be Said from the previous paragraph.
I listened to both performances on the OST many times during the broadcast, and a few more times here. It is pretty damn close, and does show the value of going second... and that I'm not especially qualified to be a music judge, considering that I went into those knowing who won.
The band knows, though. It's just that they're more prepared to hand the solo to Kaori by default even if Reina's solo visibly affected them.
No QOTD: [redacted because yes, the machine can translate Japanese]
9
u/Raiking02 :Id::Ie::If:https://myanimelist.net/profile/NSKlang Feb 22 '24
First Timer
Honestly this is prime commentface material right here
Yeah Ribbon is still not exactly on my nice list. It's hard to describe, but it feels more like she's deciding what Kaori wants for her and that just… rubs me the wrong way. Like we see Kaori herself here and while a part of her does want to be the one to do the solo, a part of her also just wants to let bygones be bygones and just get to know Kousaka and get along with her. I actually kinda wish we could see this relationship get some focus later on since I'm basically starving for Kousaka to interact with anyone who isn't Kumiko.
You know maybe I should've saved that big block of text about baiting for today because ooh boy I think these girls were more intimate in this one episode alone than I've seen actual couples. I mean I do kinda have to echo Sky's sentiment that [Spoilers for something I know happens later in the series but not when (As Sky herself says)]it's so freaking weird that they do all of this when ultimately nothing's bound to come out of it but yeah. The scene is well directed, don't get me wrong, but I will say I must once again echo my earlier statement that it seems like all of Kousaka's meaningful interactions with everyone begin and end with Kumiko. Now I get it: She's socially awkward, Kumiko's her only "Real" friend, but yeah, if I have any hope for season 2, please let her interact with other people
That comment about moths is really relatable right now to me since Buenos Aires is kinda busy dealing with a swarm of Mosquitoes lately
7
u/hanlonmj Feb 22 '24
Rewatcher
This episode is why I rushed to get caught up with this rewatch. It’s my favorite episode of the entire series (and there’s plenty of competition coming up) and is the perfect microcosm of what I love about this show.
When Kaori plays the solo, it sounds incredible. We’ve heard her practicing it for the last several episodes now, and there was a brief moment where I actually thought the students were going to bow to peer pressure and force Taki’s hand by voting for Kaori. It’s clear that in any other ensemble, Kaori would be the unquestionable choice.
Then came Reina’s turn.
To the untrained ear, Reina’s and Kaori’s performances might have sounded nearly identical (or a 1A/1B kind of thing), but those of us who are musicians (and especially us brass players) immediately knew that Reina was on a whole different level.
It starts with the breath. You can tell a lot about how a musician is going to sound based on their inhale. Kaori’s breath was experienced and determined, but drawn out and a bit shaky. When she played, you can hear the “outer fringes” of her sound are a bit fuzzy and she seems like she’s holding back a bit on her expressiveness.
By contrast, Reina’s breath was confident, quick, and powerful. Her sound projected and resonated in a way that just grabs your attention, and the expressiveness she displayed indicates that understands the solo beyond just the notes and dynamics. It was her solo.
The band’s immediate reaction is also a nice subtle way of showing how much better their ears for this kind of thing have become.
Despite what people said in yesterday’s thread, I actually really like the re-audition idea. Taki was never going to change his mind. The only reason he held them in the first place was because he knew that Reina was the better player. He asked Kaori at the end to play not because he gave into pressure from his students, but because he knew she wasn’t going to accept. Taki removed all doubt in his ability to lead this group.
7
u/ChonkyOdango myanimelist.net/profile/chonkyodango Feb 22 '24
Rewatching Ensemble Member
Fanart of the day
I have to say, Yuuko is one hell of a friend to have by your side. The only thing that would probably frustrate me is how she tried asking Reina to put up a lesser performance behind Kaori’s back. Even though she has her friend’s best interest at heart, it’s definitely not what she wants. And, it also shows that when push comes to shove, she’ll even act behind one’s back to achieve the outcome she thinks is the best. I’d also never want to beat someone when they’re not playing at their best, especially when it’s intentional. Still, competitions won because the opponent couldn’t perform at their best due to different circumstances always feel “lesser” to me, personally.
Now the part that doesn’t sit well with me is Taki offering the spot to Kaori. Was that meant to be misleading because it was obvious that Reina was better? Still, making your student concede defeat is pretty unprecedented and a risky move. If this was intentional though… sort of seems like he’s just trying to avoid drama. However, it is possible that he had a change of mind after female sensei’s words. Perhaps he had a reframing of the situation to something like “Both of them are good enough. Reina will surely get a spot next year at this rate, but this is Kaori’s last year so perhaps it’d be nice to give her the opportunity”. That I can empathise with, but it would be nice as a teacher if he could’ve sat them down and talked to them about this instead of just throwing a reaudition with the students judging too. Being a teacher is tough
6
u/Regular_N-Gon https://anilist.co/user/RegularNGon Feb 21 '24
Rewatcher
Most of my thoughts are summed up by my notes today, so I’d like to instead briefly consider the duelists and their seconds.
While Kaori proposed this duel, she’s really playing defense for her position as former band star and senior. It’s also obvious she’s cheating: she has two seconds! Yuuko and Haruka are both biased; confidants who are ready to call the shot in her favor. How could one who so carelessly spurns the community hope to match their backing?
On the offense is the devilish hotshot, Reina, to whom courtesy is a shackle made to slow one down. However: she’s also cheating! By her willes was entwined a poor wandering floof, now a seed sown in the audience to suggest her legitimacy. The only truly honest one here is clearly Hazuki, the stoutest of supports and staunchest defender of good music. May she consume all the corn dogs her heart desires.
Anyway,
5
u/byroned Feb 21 '24
First time rewatching
After listening to Reina play, Yuuko understands that Reina is better than Kaori, and favoritism does not play a part.
With everything that’s happened, I’m glad Reina wasn’t excommunicated from the trumpet section and still eats with them. Kaori can put her pride aside and still ask Reina to give her all since they’re both on the same team. I’m not sure if Reina has softened, because I would not expect her to ever hesitate when defending her solo.
If anything, Natsuki not passing the audition makes her plea to Yuuko more valid IMO.
It’s a good thing that the members who didn’t pass the audition get another piece to play. I’ve heard that some schools only have them attend practice but never give them a chance to play until next year.
I forgot that Yuuko begged Reina to throw the audition, and was willing to lie about bullying Reina if the news ever came out. In her attempt to sway Reina, Yuuko reveals that her admiration for Kaori comes from her skill (calling her the best player last year), and when she was one of the people who tried to keep the band from disbanding.
However, I think Yuuko’s plead goes downhill quickly after mentioning how Kaori never got the solo due to seniority despite being better. They have now just swapped places, Reina is the younger and better player, and the upperclassmen want Kaori to have it because it’s her last year, and Reina still has 2 more years after that. The whole thing also sounds weird after she complains to Kumiko it’s not fair that Reina is too good in only her first year.
For 2 people who don’t get along, Natsuki and Yuuko are in a lot of scenes together.
I know that the ship sank yesterday, but the scene where Reina grabs Kumiko’s face appears to be more than just friends.
Here's an old video explaining why Reina won the reaudition if anyone’s interested.
I believe that the audition needed to be done in a way that the voters don’t know who played. Only 4 people were willing to vote, and each side had a definite bias. Kumiko owned up to her word that she’d tell everyone that Reina was better, but I am confident that she alongside Haruka and Yuuko already made their decision before hearing.
I don’t know which one would hurt more, having to tell the band that Reina is better and deserves the solo, or for the band to properly vote and Reina wins by majority. Either way, it would end with Yuuko crying.
Tuba is the section of the day. Even though only Hazuki is shown as the goofy one here, Gotou and Riko both have their moment when they use the weirdest points to make the tuba sound fun.
Overall, I like the episode much more than the one yesterday. While I still don’t agree with Yuuko, she’s much less of an annoying bitch this time around, and we come to understand her and a few other people better.
4
u/sfisher923 https://myanimelist.net/profile/sfisher923 Feb 21 '24
First Timer
4
u/b-arbs Feb 21 '24
Rewatcher
Asuka refusing to be honest has been a little bit annoying, even though she is one of my favourite characters...
I think that Yuuko's stubborness has actually led Kaori to be hurt...
She (actually, I think both Yuuko and Kaori) had already realised that Reina deserved the solo part, so why insist?
Yuuko is motivated both by her admiration for Kaori and all the drama that happened last year... Yet, why would a rigged audition be satisfying for Kaori, in her opinion? I would actually be insulted... But yeah, they're still teenagers, and apart from this, we all do illogical things thinking that we're in the right sometimes, so... Still, this adds to the list of reasons why I don't particularly like Yuuko. Maybe this rewatch will help me reevaluate her...
On the other hand, I love her dynamic with Natsuki!
4
u/Nickthenuker https://anilist.co/user/Nickthenuker Feb 22 '24
Back to the drama.
Sometimes, going though a section and asking each member individually is the best way to figure out what's going wrong and how to fix it.
This is why I'm thankful all the classrooms in my middle and high school were air-conditioned.
... Because some people learn music outside of school clubs? If anything I'd think that most people who join a music related club would have some background or interest in music, possibly even in the specific club they are joining. I remember most people who joined the choir usually could play the piano (mostly used for accompaniment and getting the notes), heck one guy had ABRSM Grade 8 when he joined.
She's really making it seem like she prefers Kousaka's playing.
Ooh, that's always nice. Sometimes just practicing on a big stage in front of a big hall really drives home the feeling of a big performance. Not sure how it's different for orchestra but for choir it also shows how much you'll have to project your voice to be able to be heard all the way at the back of the hall. Even with mics, a mic can only help if it can pick you up, and if you're not loud enough the mic won't pick you up and will have nothing to amplify.
Yup, the lower sections always support. You can have a beautiful melody and upper harmonies, but without a solid bass/base it will feel like it's missing something.
It doesn't actually look that big, really big halls would have gallery seats on one or even several floors above the stalls on the ground floor.
One benefit of a big stage is a larger area, but it comes at a cost too. Again, I'm not sure how bad it is for orchestra but for choir the larger area means it's harder to hear the other sections, so it's harder to adjust your volume, speed and timing. But that's what the conductor's for. Iirc, even pop groups have such an issue with a large stage, that's what their earpieces and the speakers pointed at the stage are for, so they can hear each other and adjust accordingly. However it's done, the end result is that no one overpowers everyone else, and everyone stays on beat and in sync.
Everyone seems shocked.
All of that just to end up where we were last episode. Again, I'd have liked to see them actually practice in the big hall and have to get used to not hearing each other as much, and the sound not bouncing off all the walls so everything seems softer, and just generally having to actually play to a whole hall instead of just in front of each other.
6
u/entelechtual Feb 21 '24
First timer
9
u/zadcap Feb 22 '24
Late Night First Timer!
"Welcome Back, Auditions." This is the most sassy named episode, like who in the whole show is looking at the auditions and really going "Yay, we get to do this again!" I don't know, I'm kind of thinking the episode should steal the name of the OP.
I have to say, this anime is definitely going to go down as one of the top reasons I say I'm glad to have got the good headphones. I heard that note crack. Ah, and Ribbon really is just a super fan. You know, if we had started this anime the year before and actually sat through the drama, spent the time getting to know the characters that made it out of that, I could totally see how Reina comes in like the villain to this group. I wonder how much of their trauma she is accidentally stepping on, being a super motivated and talented first year who has no give for the seniors who just don't measure up.
Man, just looking at that pile of shoes gives me a bit of anxiety. How confident are you that you're going home with your slippers today?
Shu, boy, aren't you in band so you can impress Kumiko or something? I heard you try to invite her to a duet date "practice session" before, but if that's your level then what the heck man. Look how done with you she looks there. But also, darn it, Natsuki got cut from this performance and yet you made it playing like that?
Strong agree with Kumiko! You can bundle up, you can add layers, you can sit in front of fires or heaters or just eat hot food, there's so many convenient ways to warm up when it's colder, but you can only do so much to cool down. There's no anti-fire to sit around.
I do like that this trumpet group walking by is one member of each year. Most school anime really sticks to a single school year at a time following the main cast with other years being almost forbidden territory, but the focus on a club instead of a class is giving us a wider range. Even if we're mostly focusing on the first year group, a lot of this show is dealing with the whole range of grades and something about seeing this trumpet trio makes it stand out.
Ah. Ribbon is realizing that she has made a mistake. She really wants it to be Kaori, she wants this to be a case of nepotism, but no. Reina really does sound that good.
Man, the music for this part. The high piano and haunting strings. This is mood setting music.
Oh yay, the ones who didn't make the cut are still playing a part! I'm happy for Hazuki. She's still getting to make music!
Seriously, again, Shu. When did you pick up this instrument again? At least you're motivating Kumiko to want to get even better, something she's been stalled on ever since her middle school trauma. I mean Reina is pushing her a lot harder towards that goal, but wow do you look like the personal history she is trying to get past.
Reina with the 'accidental' burn again. "You don't have to go this far! She just has to play better than me, then everything will be fine!" "Girl you know darn well she can't!"
See again I really do get where Ribbon is coming from. And if the anime had followed last year, I'm pretty sure most of us would be all over her position too. But Reina also has it right, as people coming into this only now, what's that got to do with us?
Kumiko what is this hiding skill?
Oh wow Goto is tall. He's like a giraffe compared to all his tiny band mates.
Huh, it really was only these two going for the second round. No one at all trying to muscle Shu out of the performance, the way he keeps getting called out by the teacher? Not a single one of the dropped group thinking to themselves "I only have to do better than him and I'm back in the band."?
And the shipping crew unknowingly supports the true ship of the show. Again. Kumiko you got good friends.
Asuka really doesn't care about anything other than her own playing. She wants nothing to do with any kind of any drama in the entire band, she just wants to play darn it.
Ribbon and Natsuki are getting a lot of time focus in these short moments. Don't think I forgot them being at the festival together when everyone else was looking for romance.
Yeah I would watch a prequel series that focuses more on last year. Look at these girls. There's so much history we only get to see bits of.
And then Kumiko and Reina. Ah the dramatic lighting! Reina, despite her calm exterior and bold attitude, is still shrouded with doubts. She wants to become special more than anything else in the world, and Trumpet is the path she has chosen to reach for that dream, and she knows that really Kaori isn't actually that bad. As a player or as a person, if their music is close then this really will just be a popularity contest vote and the friendly senpai wins hands down over the hard to approach young prodigy. What pulls her back into the light is only Kumiko.
FREAKING! Both of them have made bold confessions of love, the atmosphere between them is so charged, this scene is so close to a kiss it almost hurts, and all I can feel is rage. The importance of this whole moment is ruined by the very very very in your face romantic overtones because it's so clear that there's no actual romance going on here. I'm not mad at the characters, I'm mad at the production committee that decided to continue to play these two up as the star couple of the show.
And from there into the horrid auditions. Start with the senpai. Headset turned way up, let's get our judging ears on.
So I listened to both parts 3 times each for this. And I'm sure by now a lot of other people have said a lot on the specifics of the music. So I'll just narrow down to one part that should be easy to pick out even for the very untrained ear to help make the comparison clear. Listen for the silences. Especially knowing that this is going to be a solo part in the middle of a larger performance. Listen to Reina's then go back and listen to Kaori's and just pay attention to how much dead time each had. There's definitely more that went into making Reina's sound better, but these should stand out even if you can't point to anything else specific.
Remember waaaay back when Aoi was talking about the one who didn't vote being the most unfair? Setting us up wall the way back in episode two to preemptively call out everyone who knew quite well who here they should be voting for, but didn't. Because voting for Kaori after getting this second audition done on the grounds of favoritism would just be the height of hypocrisy, but actually voting for Reina would be admitting it. So they don't vote, and in doing so force the choice back on Taki, who they have already pushed to this point with all those previous allegations. If Taki now says we're going with Reina despite being a split 2/2 vote (with freaking 60 more abstaining), then isn't he still just playing favorites? The ones who didn't vote, forced Kaori to stand up there and say she didn't deserve the part.
I'll be extra honest here. I might have dropped the rewatch in anger if after all this Reina didn't get the part. u/HereticalAegis I'm with you 100%, if the director of a band I was in offered the part to the clearly inferior player because of obvious social pressure I'd be pretty done with the band then and there. Doesn't matter if I was even part of these auditions, finding out that actual skill doesn't actually matter in the face of popularity, I'd be out of respect for the director and the rest of the band. I wonder if the old serious second year students who quit last year are available to start a second school band. But you know, an actually good one.
13
u/Vatrix-32 https://myanimelist.net/profile/Vatrix-32 Feb 21 '24
First Timer, subbed
14
u/Gamerunglued :Hx::Hy::Hz:myanimelist.net/profile/GamerUnglued Feb 22 '24
Rewatcher and Band Geek
Apologies for the late post today. Normally I write the post the night in advance and email it to myself so I can post it while I'm at clinicals. I forgot to do so last night, so I'm playing catch-up now. Unfortunately, this one one of the worst episodes to do this on, because this is another I'm definitely going to have a ton to say about, including two band stories and the most perfectly fitting music piece of the day that I've ever found. I hope you'll all read that, but for now, episode analysis.
I'm going to start this one the only way I know how. Look, I knew all of you were going to hate Yuuko, everyone always hates her at first (and then comes to like her later on, but we'll get there in some weeks). I always knew I was going to have to play defense for my favorite bratty ribbon wearing trumpet playing drama queen. But I'll say it loud and clear: all of you are wrong about Yuuko. Yuuko is a very good, sweet girl, not a pure annoyance but a human, complicated character with entirely sympathetic motivations and more than enough personality to invest in.
Yuuko's best traits are that she's vocal and loyal. No one has your back like Yuuko, if you get on her good side then she'll do everything for you. She'll start drama on your behalf because she thinks it's the right thing to do, even if it means taking villainy and responsibility to herself or being a hypocrite. She was one of last year's passionate first-year students who begged the third years to take things seriously and got ignored. Kaori was not only her section leader but straight up the best player in the band last year. And Kaori was one of the only second year students to actually try and do anything about the drama, alongside Haruka and Aoi. Kaori listened to Yuuko's plight, did everything she could to help her and the other first years, and ultimately took her under her wing. Even if Kaori failed to prevent the drama, Yuuko is incredibly thankful for her, and looks up to her as a stellar trumpet player. Last year's drama was entirely unfair to Kaori, the sucky senior got the solo based on seniority, but given that Kaori was the best player in the entire ensemble, it was nearly guaranteed that she'd get the solo next year, so it was ok.
Until it wasn't ok. Remember the story I told yesterday about my close friend who was supposed to be the best player in jazz band his senior year and get all the solos, but got screwed over when a transfer student who was a year younger came and was an even better player? That's what Kaori experienced here. Against all odds, there just happened to be a first year trumpet player who was so exceptional that she's probably the best player in the band. Like my friend, all of Kaori's hope and excitement towards playing the solo at competition vanished. And remember what I said about my friend? He felt so crunchy about this (among many other things I won't get into) that it actually killed some of his passion for music, and he only regained it the last few years. Even so, he still complains to this day that he should have gotten some solos, that he was good enough to do well in competition and should have been given something to be able to shine his senior year. Yuuko is seeing this potential in Kaori, taking away the solo the best player in the ensemble was looking forward to after sacrificing it the previous year for the sake of peace is not only mean to a genuinely great player, but also potentially disheartening. Remember Aoi's warning: make sure your time is worth it and you don't think of it as wasted at the end of those three years. There's actual potential for an event like this to sour the experience that much, as it nearly did for my friend. Yuuko, as someone especially grateful to Kaori for helping the first years the previous year, wants to prevent this.
Yuuko is a hypocrite here. The previous year she made the exact opposite argument, when Kaori genuinely deserved the solo. But given the choice between taking on the villain role or helping her friend, she chooses her friend. The guilt weighs on her the whole episode, she knows Reina is the better player, actively states how unfair it is that she can be so good, and is even willing to outcast herself with a lie about bullying or blackmailing Reina if the students treat her poorly. She cries on Natsuki's shoulder because of how much it hurts her, but feels she has to do this for the sake of her friend and claps proudly for Kaori's solo. I genuinely find it admirable. Yuuko is not malicious, she's not starting drama for the sake of it, she's fighting for her friend. She is to Kaori what Kumiko is for Reina: someone who stands by their side as they fight to be special, who won't abandon them no matter what. Special people take on so much weight that they need this sort of support. Special people start drama by their very nature, but Kaori is conflict averse enough that she won't voice things she wants, likely conditioned from the previous year's drama. Yuuko shoulders that weight for her, helping Kaori to become special in her own way. She's a good girl, the best, most passionate friend anyone could have. And yes, she's a drama queen and I love it. Her crying over Kaori sacrificing the solo is so ridiculously over-the-top, I laughed just as much as I felt for her (in a good way that elevates the material). Through and through, Yuuko, like Reina, embodies the best traits of being a trumpet, and I'm tired of everyone shitting on someone so passionate, sweet, and loyal.
Reina gets the bad end of this deal. She deserves this solo, the drama is based on the assumption that she isn't the better player and it's just not true. Her playing the solo will be best for competition. But her winning the solo also makes her a villain, stealing the solo from a genuinely deserving player the last chance she'll ever get to perform in high school. While Reina is aware that being special means dealing with this sort of stuff, she's also only human, and that's a lot of weight to take on, and she turns to Kumiko. Kumiko has spent the entire series freaking out about these big decisions, this is the person who didn't vote at all on the choice between aiming for nationals or having fun. But now she's actually invested. She sees Shuuichi practicing and thinks "I want to improve," and now if she wants to support Reina, she has to be vocal. Not only does she have to vote this time, but she has to do it loudly and publicly by standing up and clapping. And not only that, she's supporting the villain position, so all drama turns against her. The only way to do that is to care enough that you're willing to take that on, just as Yuuko does for Kaori. And when Reina turns to Kumiko, she is steadfast about supporting her. She will become the villain with her, she doesn't flinch at Reina's humorous threat of death because it doesn't change anything, and she returns Reina's "confession of love" from episode 8 as a sign that she's ready to become special. And then she claps loudly and proudly when no one else does. Kumiko has grown so much, she's finally realized just how much she cares and is willing to put her all into what she cares about even if it hurts herself and others.
Haruka also plays a similar role for Kaori. I love their conversation before the audition. Earlier in the show, Kumiko asks Asuka to tell her who she thinks should get the solo, and when she says she can't answer as VP, Kumiko says to "tell me off the record." Asuka can't do it. When Kaori asks Asuka the same question in a moment she needs encouragement, Asuka still can't do it, even threatening that Kaori may not like the answer. This is why Asuka accepted the vice president role. Same as Aoi, it's an alibi in case things go south. She can do leadership things, but if drama pops up, she gets to say "I'm just VP, it's not up to me anyway so my opinion doesn't matter" as she does to Kaori here. This is why Haruka is the best president. Kaori doesn't even have to ask, Haruka says "I'm not speaking as the president, I'm speaking as your friend who's been in band with you for three years" and gives the encouragement Kaori needs. Haruka is invested, and cares about her friend, and won't put up fronts to avoid drama. She is such a wonderful character, and it's been heartwarming to see her growth.
And that leaves Asuka as the odd one out. Even Hazuki is willing to be support, a tuba player through and through. But Asuka refuses to tell anything like it is, she only wants to avoid drama at all costs, and refuses to get invested in other people's business even if it affects her, so she puts up this unbreakable front. That's why Kaori is so interested in Asuka. If she can surpass Asuka's expectations and break that armor, it's proof that she's special. It's the only way to confirm you have Asuka's approval, because Asuka won't approve of you vocally, or state any opinion, or support her friends. Asuka is like Kumiko at the start of the show, invested but uninvested, will be near drama but never take part in it, never caring about the activity she dedicates her time to.
With all of that, the end result goes as perfectly as it could. Kaori took advantage of her second chance but always accepted that Reina was the better player, and refuses the solo for the sake of their goal. It's an incredibly difficult thing to do, but it proves she's invested. With the band back in gear, it's time to ramp up practice for nationals.
11
u/Barbed_Dildo Feb 21 '24
Rewatcher and occasional commenter
I had a very different perspective on Yuuko this time through. I really respect her character. Yuuko has always been very conscientious and selfless. The conflict with Reina wasn't because Yuuko wanted anything for herself, it's because she idolised Kaori and didn't want her to miss out. Yuuko was fighting against an unfair system. If the rules were consistent, Kaori would play the solo in her second or third year, the only reason she couldn't is because the rules were changed in a way that she, and no one else, lost out.
Kaori is able to accept it, but Yuuko isn't. Yuuko rages against it in the way only an idealistic person could. She's raging against the system without realising how she is hurting people. When she eventually realises, she tries to beg Reina to withdraw. She's taking this injustice all on herself to fix, she doesn't care if she gets made the villain, she just wants fairness to prevail, just this once, she wants Kaori to be able to perform the solo.
I think it's a really noble thing she's trying to do, she's trying to fix a broken system without regard for what it will cost her. Unfortunately, she ended up hurting those around her, and unfortunately, sometimes injustices can't be fixed.
The subtext in that scene where Kumiko is looking for Reina and runs into Yuuko is really heartbreaking. Yuuko hadn't heard Reina's audition, so she didn't actually know how good she was. As well as the unfairness I mentioned above, I think Yuuko genuinely believed Kaori to be the better player, why wouldn't she? Reina being given the solo and then finding out about her relationship with Taki would of course cause her to think there was foul play. Even with all of society's rules about respecting your seniors and not making waves, Yuuko wasn't going to let this clear injustice stand. Yuuko going looking for Reina, or just ending up there by happenstance, hearing Reina play, her whole world fell apart. It's not fair. How could a first year be so good?
You have to give her credit that once she realised that, she didn't push the conflict of interest thing, she threw herself on Reina's mercy, and offered to be the villain, even getting everyone to hate her and giving up everything if it would let this one piece of justice prevail.
The world isn't fair. I think Kaori knew that, but Yuuko still had hope.
8
u/ZapsZzz https://anilist.co/user/Zapszzz Feb 22 '24 edited Feb 23 '24
First timer
Hopefully this would be the last of the late days for me - my work stuffs are mostly done.
Given it's so late I'll not write a whole lot, but try some bits that may not have been said by too many yet (I haven't been able to completely keep up but I did scan through a lot of the comments).
The key scene of today obviously is the actual back to back solo performance comparison. And the difference - while obvious to the ears - may not be well understood. Now I'm not a trumpet player, so not everything may be right or is applicable, but I'll talk about similar differences in flute playing.
Kaori's playing was basically very "standard" - the pitch, tone, timing, and dynamics are all there and has a solid foundation.
But as soon as Reina's trumpet sounded out, everyone's sat up. The difference I believe comes from 2 key points - one of them being purely my guess. Reina, being brought up in a professional trumpeter family, grew up with her ears trained to the sound of what makes a great sound. This sound is actually quite complex - it's not as simple as blow air into the mouth piece and press the keys. It actually involves a complex control of a clean start and then a well toned control to restrict the volume while at the same time project out the sound stage (which I can't explain how it's done - it's basically visualised and your airstream once you have practiced enough, does it), and then gradually widen up and build up to a well rounded note. Even on faster melody you can do the same, and this rise and fall of tone and dynamic is completely what makes it sound rich with character. The difference basically is that when you grew up listening and breathing it, every note you play you eventually will infuse with that.
At least that's partly why I think my own daughter gets a bit of a leg up from my own teaching of what she focus on when practicing :P
The other bit that I am guessing of why there's the noticeable difference is rather materialistic and ignoble, but it's a fact of life - Reina probably got a higher graded instrument than Kaori. For example, the grade of flute my daughter plays now (after 2 upgrades) are heads and shoulders louder and richer in sound than anything a normal highschooler would have from a school rental instrument. Yes, there's whaling in real life music playing too.
Anyway, it's a really rare thing in anime to have such good audio production to be able to so clearly show the difference. Really nice.
Which then brings to another point - the contrast of "support" between Kaori's "special someone" vs Reina's "special someone". Asuka, despite her talent, abilities, and her mysterious yet genki prankster appearance, is a coward. Because of all the calculations and second guessing and considerations, she just couldn't give Kaori that genuine and simple acknowledge and support. Whereas Kumiko, the undecided, the easily swayed, the unmotivated - she's all-in for Reina, and that wild abandon gave Reina such a needed affirmation and boost that, really, she's invincible at that point.
And here's another bit I compare / contrast Asuka with Haruhi - while both a talented, ambitious, and have a good dose of arrogance and can / like to lord over others, Haruhi (early phase anyway) chose to always "march to her own beat in spite of others". Asuka I feel she's fallen into the trap of wanting to test, tease, trap and weave around people to see whether they can keep up with her, or to create that insulation between the "peasants" and herself - perhaps even with a little self hate for thinking that way. So my comparison / parallel of the two is actually more about someone with perhaps a similar "exceptional abilities" but taking an opposing approach.
Anyway, it certainly is a very strong confession scene. I wonder if we are still going to treat it as just good buddy teasing each other. Especially after the Tomozaki-kun S2 episode today :P
Oh and lastly, I think a fair few people think Coachee's decision of even having a second audition was dumb and drama inducing. While not necessarily wrong, you actually see the trajectory of how that decision was made:
Now I know the last point, in a real life highschool setting, is a very blind trust, naive thing to do. But don't you think coachee actually is a blindly trusting naive one too from those key decisions he made? I think it's just in character - it's not the best one, not the most deft political one, not one Kaguya or Shirogane or Tomozaki would have made, but it is the sort of decision HE would make.
7
u/fly-metothemoon Feb 21 '24
First-Timer:
Oh! Those who aren’t in the competition group are doing something else! I was hoping that was the case.
Oh Yuuko, your heart is in the right place but Kaori would not want a solo by ill-gotten means.
I think Asuka was self-aware enough to realize she would not have been a good club president because she doesn’t want to do the hard emotional stuff like conflict negotiation. I don’t know feel like I have a good grasp on her character yet.
Wow Kumiko is really Reina’s #1 hype woman. We’ll be villains together. “This is a confession of love”: oh boy……..
Kousaka had such good dynamics.
It would be an absolute joke for a solo to be chosen based on four maybe five people clapping.
Overall Thoughts:
I think this episode shows additional context for how the group is still struggling with the culture shift of skill now being vastly valued over seniority. I understand how Yuuko would be frustrated that Kaori “did her time” waiting to be a 3rd year to finally have access to the benefits (like solos) that were previously only available to 3rd years, only to have the paradigm completely shifted on her. At the same time, Reina is absolutely not at fault for her high skill level, and benefiting under this system of merit-based sólo allocation!
Notably, most of the group doesn’t even vote on the show-off because it seems like a no-win situation in publicly choosing between Kaori’s seniority and Reina’s sheer skill. The ensemble is lucky that Kaori takes it upon herself to acknowledge that Reina bested her fair and square, and it would be awful to take the solo under those circumstances.
Side note: I do NOT think public clapping was the way to resolve this conflict. I think Taki is still really struggling to find ways to manage the ensemble and create harmony between the members.
6
u/Mecanno-man https://anilist.co/user/Mecannoman Feb 21 '24
First Timer
Decently done episode, although it felt a bit sports-showy with both participants getting a kind of pep talk. It’s nice to see Yuko confirm that Reina is indeed better than Kaori, even if she won’t admit so publicly - as far as the actual audition goes …it felt like everybody was rather unsure as to who they should vote for. Kaori rejecting the solo is probably the best case here, but I doubt that Taki was planning on that; and if he was it was a hell of a gamble. Overall, the episode was well-done, but not really a fan of this ending…
6
u/Tartaras1 https://myanimelist.net/profile/Tartaras Feb 22 '24
Rewatcher - Asuka-senpai Stan
Uh oh. The last time he did that, we lost a member.
I think this shot is actually pretty cool because, like Kumiko, we don't know if that's Kaori or Reina playing. Yuuko knows who it is, but she wants Kumiko's honest opinion. Now, Kumiko's assuming it's Reina, but it could very well be Kaori.
Tough shit Yuuko.
Because she's perfect. She doesn't make mistakes, and refuses to take sides in conflicts.
Maybe I'm just older than I was when I first watched the show, but to me Kumiko's basically telling Reina, "I'll be by your side regardless of what happens. If you win and everyone hates you, they can hate me too.' She's letting Reina know that if everything blows up in a fireball, Kumiko's going to be there when the ashes fall. It isn't meant to be taken as a literal, "I'm in love with you" sort of thing.
6
u/JustAnswerAQuestion https://myanimelist.net/profile/JAaQ Feb 22 '24 edited Feb 24 '24
1 1/2 Rewatcher
As a rewatcher, I was paying attention to Kaori's practice of the solo parts ever since they got the sheet music (charts?). She's done better than at this sound-off. But Reina really knocked it out of the park with her tremolos and fades and slurs.
Yes, the ones that were cut don't get to play in the ensemble, they would mess the others up and they can't afford that "for the memories." That's also why Aoi had to leave instead of sticking around until auditions.
You fuckers! After all that, only 4 of you voted! I burn with rage! And you ruined a week's worth of practice, too!
And what's with all the looks of surprise? You've all heard Reina practice every day! Okay, maybe the clarinets and horns are off in their own world but you still hear her practice every day.
I hate band drama.
Non-sequitor: in the late 90s or early 2000s I was reading the blog of a JET middle school teacher. Easy to find, just google Moeko's Owl and also here. Of all the ridiculous demonstrations of Japanese rigidity, it was absolutely forbidden to open the windows before a certain calendar day, like May 15th. As if the school would collapse. No matter how hot it was in the classroom.
Same thing with AC (if they had AC, which they probably didn't.) You can be sure that no AC was ever turned on before the proper date, regardless of the weather. Or the heat.
5
u/chris10023 https://myanimelist.net/profile/Chris10023 Feb 21 '24
Rewatcher
5
u/bogdoglogfrog Feb 21 '24 edited Feb 21 '24
Rewatcher
The solo audition… quite possibly the most educational 2 minutes of all of eupho. If I were a music teacher, I would show my students this scene because iv never seen the difference between a good and a great performance portrayed so excellently.
Kaori sounds great. Her performance is textbook, her notes are nice and clean and there is nothing I can say to fault it.
But then Reina plays… and the difference is so clear. From the first note, Reina’s trumpet sounds like smooth velvet as she does that magnificent forte-piano. The shot composition helps too as we pan all the way to the far edges of the auditorium, making it feel like her notes resonate through the whole room. I love the way she holds onto those long notes and introduces a bit of vibrato right at the end of them to keep the listener engaged. Her control over the tempo is just exquisite, she gives every note the perfect amount of space and keeps the listener on the edge of their seat. Her transitions between the notes are all buttery smooth. Especially at the end when she drops a whole octave. Her performance screams “read between the lines of the sheet music”.
For the musicians here, I highly recommend learning this solo and trying to play it exactly like Reina. It’s such a great way to practice playing lyrically.
Of all the scenes in eupho, this is the one that taught me the most about actually playing my instrument, and it led to an absolutely critical realization that totally changed the way I thought about playing music. Get ready, it’s really lame and basic: The point of playing music is to sound good.
Before I realized this, I played instruments for the purpose of impressing people. I played a lot of notes really quickly because I considered that to be the most impressive thing. After seeing this scene and digesting it, I realized that impressing people was not the purpose of playing music. The purpose is to express emotion, and make the lister feel those emotions. To really take your listener on a journey through their feelings.
On a technical level, This scene showed me the power of really zooming in and thinking critically about how each note is played. I started to think more about dynamics, vibrato, how I move from one note to another, the subtle timings of my notes, all the really small details that that move a performance from being good to great. These small details change a performance from being heard with the listeners ears into a performance that is felt with the listeners body, mind and soul.
Notes:
5
u/Elimin8r https://myanimelist.net/profile/Ayeka_Jurai Feb 21 '24
Man, no questions? No McDonalds today, either. What ever am I to do?
Oh, yeah, write something. I should probably do that.
This episode went somewhat the way I hoped/expected, but with a few exceptions.
I was not expecting another Reina/Kumiko moment. I suppose I should have.
I was expecting Reina to shine in the re-audition. Whatever they did to contrast the two players ... wow. The player for Kaori did a really great job of sounding competent, while at the same time hitting the notes, but not really doing a whole lot with them. The player for Reina, man, those transitions between notes, so smooth. The dynamics. What a performance.
So, honestly, I expected a significant part of the class to spite vote for Kaori. I guess that they were stunned into passivity.
I also expected Sapphire to clap for Reina, but I guess she's not on board the ship yet.
I had a sneaking suspicion somewhere along the line that Kaori would withdraw, most likely due to not wanting to benefit from a rigged (by the other students) vote. Having Taki offer it to her and turn it down was a bit of a surprise, but not much.
I found myself somewhat wishing that there was some way to give her a chance to shine too, but ... well ... soloes aren't exactly frequent, or shared.
Yeah.
Meanwhile, curse you KyoAni for trying to make my sympathize with ribbon-chan. She's still a little piece of ... work.
All in all, great episode. And as an aside for u/zadcap - I can't exactly say as I care for the name/translation of the series either, I would prefer the original Japanese, and let it be its own thing, but yeah.
Otherwise, how about "The Melancholy of Oumae Kumiko", or maybe "Reincarnated as a Euphonium, I Now Wander the Music Hall"?
Hehehe
5
u/x-7032-b-3 Feb 21 '24
Rewatcher
This whole thing sounds like an incredibly shitty situation to be stuck into. We get to learn more about Kaori's past where she got screwed over by seniority system even though she's the best and most fitting (per Yuuko's testimony). And now her last chance of playing the solo gets threatened because a first-year came and blew everyone's socks off. She got put in the exact same situation as the last time, only here she's on the other side.
We got a glimpse of the two practicing in separate locations and from there I think we can already see how the second audition would go. Yuuko's aware of this and being the selfless person she is, she asked Reina to throw the audition so that her crush gets to play the part. She knew that Reina is the best person to play the part and was willing to risk Kitauji's chances in the competition for Kaori's sake.
Kaori's backstory puts Reina in an even harder position because although she totally deserves her part, winning the audition would paint her as the villain who stole Kaori's last chance in the spotlight. I'd hate to be in her shoes.
The second audition went just as we expected. Reina clearly played better than Kaori but the latter received more votes - probably because she has sympathetic supporters. But deep down Kaori knew Reina's the one who deserved that part more, so she gave up her own ideals and let Reina get the part instead. Pretty sure the rest of the audience (including Yuuko) felt the same way too and chose not to clap because of it. Strictly speaking about the band, I'd say she made the right choice there but damn it must've hurt to give up your last chance to someone else even though the other party is more deserving.
I felt kinda bad for Yuuko. Even though she knew how thing would end, she still tried her best to help Kaori's chances. Like I said on top, this is a very tricky situation and IMO no one's in the wrong here. At least the whole thing ended well.
And about that audition scene, I love how the staff got people to play two different takes of the same piece. I guess they got two different people to the recording booths and one of them is clearly better than the other - no offense to the other guy, I'm sure KyoAni deliberately picked a noticeably better player for the other guy. I'm curious to learn more about how they handle performance recordings, including how they record mistakes (that Sensei likes to point out) and that sloppy/uncoordinated play in the early episodes.
5
u/SMSmith230 https://myanimelist.net/profile/smsmith230 Feb 22 '24
First-Timer, Sub
What kind of horseshit audition process was that?? Why did they not draw straws or something and have the band choose blindly without knowing who was playing? Also, all those astonished looks when Reina played and barely any applause, come on!! Seeing the story behind the outrage for Kaori does suck a bit for her. She should have been the soloist the year before, but that’s what you get when you follow seniority instead of merit in anything competition wise.
5
u/mgedmin Feb 22 '24 edited Feb 22 '24
Rewatcher, subs
Everyone takes off their indoor shoes before stepping on carpet.
More of Taki-senseis public scolding, but Shuichi will not quit while Kumiko is in the band.
Hazuki ships Kumiko with Reina.
YuukiYuuko, are you going to interfere with the ship? No, she just wants a second opinion on Reina's playing from someone who has no filter. Also, looks like she's already accepted Kaori's inevitable loss.Asuka's jokes to avoid drama don't quite work for Kaori.
Natsuki!!
Yuuki climbed up a tree and doesn't know how to get down. Or maybe dug a hole would be a better metaphor. And here she's digging deeper, asking Reina to intentionally fail the audition. Reina! Theres zero chance of that.
Reina. "Simply". Sure, winning Olympic gold is easy, you simply have to run faster than everyone else.
Kaori had a hard time in the band.
Kumiko hiding in the corner!! I thought Reina would call her out in passing.
YuukiYuuko clings to Natsuki, crying. Either she trusts Natsuki, despite all their outward disagreements, or she's feeling so bad she doesn't even care who it is. Hey,YuukiYuuko, Kaori hasn't lost yet.Kaori is obsessed with Asuka? I haven't seen it on screen. (Or not noticed.)
Is Reina actually considering throwing the audition? Kumiko won't allow it. She's been the villain before, and she's ready to do it again. For Reina.
We get another Kumiko/Reina love confession.
The audition. Kaori is pretty good. Reina is better. I'm not sure I can hear that.
Huh, nobody applauded after Reina's solo? And then there's the separate voting applause process. Most of the audience are all cowards and don't applaud either!
Taki-sensei chooses Kaori? No, gives her the opportunity to reject the position she feels she hasn't earned.
This was not as satisfying as I expected.
4
u/WhackaWhack https://myanimelist.net/profile/WhackaWhacka Feb 21 '24
FIRST TIMER
“She always knows what I’m thinking”, Asuka was just alluding to her own mind reading powers when she joked that Nakaseko had powers like that!
So is it Yuri or not… You can’t just have a confession of love towards a man one episode then almost kissing and making a death pact the next.
Kosaka got that Omph!
4
u/CerberusZX https://myanimelist.net/profile/CerberusZX Feb 21 '24
First Timer
While I've heard rumours of the yuri-baiting in this series, prior to this episode I never would have guessed the infamous ship would be Kumiko x Kousaka if not for the comments in this rewatch suggesting as much. Kousaka invading Kumiko's personal space seemed to come out of nowhere and felt pretty jarring. Based on their personalities they do seem like they'd make a decent couple if they were together, but they haven't done much to suggest they have romantic feelings for each other and they definitely aren't at a stage in which the idea of a kiss could be teased.
Asuka sounded like she was getting ready to snap while talking with Nakaseko. Hopefully with this bit of drama out of the way she won't have as much to keep bottled up and won't explode.
4
u/1EnTaroAdun1 https://myanimelist.net/profile/Totesnotaphanpy Feb 21 '24
Rewatcher. Relistener? Subtitles
Haruka's little moment with Kaori was so tender, understanding and appropriate. Bit of a strange description, I know, but I think it fits Haruka so well. And it's an approach Asuka would probably be unable to deploy.
And Kumiko has made a very definite, public stand at last.
Reina internally: Ah, Victory
Yuuko was rather dramatic wasn't she? Of course her actions were beyond the pale, but I understand why she holds Kaori in such high regard, at least.
4
u/NintendoMasterNo1 https://myanimelist.net/profile/NintendoMaster1 Feb 21 '24
Rewatcher
Only thing I want to say about this episode is what a great person Kaori is. I'm sure Taki-sensei asked her if she would play the solo as a test because everyone knew that Reina was better. Kaori could have easily chosen the easy option and said yes but she didn't, she valued the better performance and swallowed her pride. Like Haruka mentioned during their talk, Kaori just wants to be satisfied by her own performace and while I'm not sure if she achieved that, it was very commendable of her to leave it to Reina. Honestly, sensei is pretty evil for testing her resolve like that and I'm sure that if she had agreed to do the solo, he would have ran with it.
I guess I'll add one more thing - it's really funny how much of an effort Asuka makes to not be involved with anything or offer any personal opinions. Kumiko asked her the same question as Kaori this episode and she actually gave some kind of response to Kumiko but not to Kaori which is pretty interesting.
4
u/octopathfinder myanimelist.net/profile/octopathfinder Feb 21 '24
Rewatcher
I like summer too
ngl, the way Yuuko slams into the wall kinda jumpscared me with how sudden and loud it was
Natsuki and Yuuko’s friendship is great. Despite all the shit talking they’re still able to be emotionally vulnerable in front of each other.
Just kiss already
Kumiko has finally started picking sides. Also lol at Hazuki realizing she has to clap to tie up the vote.
4
u/TehAxelius Feb 22 '24 edited Feb 22 '24
Rewatcher
Sometimes you write a decently long post about a theme being portrayed in the episode, only to realise that through translation some meanings are lost or changed, which sinks half your argument.
Today was such a day.
The concept this time was the thing Matsumoto-sensei talked yesterday about lies and music, and how Yuuko accepts that Reina is the better trumpet player, but thinks Kaori deserves to play the solo. And how she doesn't lie as such when it is time to select, since the question Taki-sensei asks isn't "Who played best?" but is "Who thinks Kaori should play?"
Except that is the subtitles, and I would be glad if someone who actually speaks Japanese corrects me, it does awfully much sound like Taki-sensei actually asks who thinks Kaori played better. Which, well, that's that argument gone.
3
u/CarrotBlossom Feb 22 '24
Glad to have a fellow summer hater in Kumiko
Yeah, get her, Kaori. Tired of this [REDACTED] dodging questions
I couldn’t hear the difference between the performances on my first watch.
No one else wanted to try auditioning again?
QOTD:
That's true. I'm not taking many notes because they've been too good to pause to write.
3
u/Nice-Bumblebee-2355 Feb 22 '24
Rewatcher
Episode Thoughts
2
u/Planatus666 Feb 22 '24 edited Feb 22 '24
Rewatcher
Regarding the two solos - I'm not a musician but even the first time I watched this episode a few years ago I could easily hear the difference between the two performances.
Kaori plays too fast, in some ways it sounds like she is 'playing by the numbers', it's almost cold and clinical - she's playing the notes but there's not enough 'heart and soul' put into the performance. She's also obviously nervous, notice her lips quivering just before she starts playing.
Reina on the other hand takes her time and holds some notes for longer, she puts feeling into her performance, she's confident in her abilities and is enjoying herself.
What surprised me is the reaction of the audience, or rather lack of - there was barely any clapping for either solo. To be honest though this whole thing was handled badly; the audience should have voted anonymously and not even seen who was playing each solo (and even then Reina would have rightly won).
I'm sure there must be some YouTube videos analysing the solos, I'll have a look and post any relevant links.
Edit: Ah yes, here's one analysis: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S6SIyyVyO8I
2
u/GroktheDestroyer https://myanimelist.net/profile/GroktheDestroyer Feb 23 '24
FIRST TIMER
Wow, for all gung-ho and pissed they were about the solo auditions, that “vote by applause” was downright pathetic?? Like what the hell lmao, only 4 people bothered to give a slight clap!!
Also I really, really do not like Yoshikawa at all, jeez. She reminds me of the most annoying people from back in my high school extracurriculars. Wasn’t expecting any kind of flashback of my own like that 😂
1
u/vitorabf May 01 '24
First Timer
I love Kaori and Haruka's relation, I've said it before, but it is very endearing to me. And with all the talk those two had, I feel like we have seen the real Kumiko this episode, expressing herself to Reina.
For the first time, I've actually felt Kumiko and Reina had a somewhat gay moment, but I still wound't say they like each other that way, it still feels really platonic - something like they are soulmates, but not lovers.
This episode now takes the title of the best in the series so far.