(L) New Hibike! Euphonium Films

[FractalFusion]

Just got back into Hibike Euphonium after a long time away. It seems like a lot of things have changed over the past couple years!

I already watched seasons 1 and 2 and the first movie from before. I just finished watching both movie 2 (Todoketai Melody) as well as Liz and the Blue Bird, and it definitely refreshes a lot of my memories of this franchise.

As indicated by others in the thread already, for Kumiko's 2nd year in the band, the official site has a huge character section that covers all of the band members, complete with designs and character bios. It still surprised me a bit that KyoAni were willing to do this for all 80 band members but I'm sure that would get a lot of fans interested.

Looking through the bios, I get the following information:

- All characters who were 1st/2nd year band members in the previous year are in the band as 2nd/3rd years. There are no new 2nd/3rd year members who weren't there before.

- There are a huge number of new 1st years; 43 of them.

- A few of the new 1st years (at least 4) come from Minami Middle.

I had a look at the bios earlier, but after watching Liz and the Blue Bird, some of the bios make a bit more sense. Especially the bios for Kana Etou and Ririka Kenzaki (the flutes got a fair bit of coverage in the movie, and Ririka also got some as well).

I'll talk more about the movies later...

[FractalFusion]

My thoughts on the movies below (plus screenshots for both):

Spoiler for Todoketai Melody (2nd movie):

This movie was rather Asuka-focused (basically like the second half of season 2), which is fine with me. I love that they put in full performances for:

- Provence no Kaze (Winds of Provence) (Prefectural competition)
- Takarajima (Train station)
- Mikazuki no Mai (Crescent Moon Dance) (National competition)

I wish they had some new animations for Mikazuki no Mai though; they are still reusing animations all the way from season 1. :|

Don't have too much else to say about the movie. Enjoy some shots of Asuka:

Spoiler for Liz and the Blue Bird (Liz to Aoi Tori):

I'm not a big fan of Nozomi or Mizore, so I didn't really find this movie as enjoyable as I had hoped. Still, the animation looks wonderful (as I would expect from KyoAni). I'm sure more than a few people have covered the movie already, so I'll go with some new thoughts below.



One thing you will probably notice (other than the characters we have seen dozens of times already) is the the flute section (profiles). Other than Nozomi, the flute section appears maybe three or four times during the movie; all of them have speaking lines. I'm sure you've seen a few of them lurking in the background over the first couple seasons, and then there are also the three new first-year flutes.

(Note: At the time the movie first aired, none of the new first-years, except Ririka, Yume, and the bass section, had their names yet. The official profiles were only posted recently.)



In contrast, there is the oboe/bassoon section (profiles). It is mostly held together by new first-year Ririka, since Mizore is just the loner she always is (Who even is the section leader? The official site doesn't even say). Ririka is a very important character in the movie because of her interactions with Mizore; the other two don't really have much of a presence and they have less speaking lines than the librarian.

I like Ririka; she is quite the cheerful girl and is even willing to bring Mizore into her world. I hope we get to know more about her in the future. As for Mizore, her brain seems to work in mysterious ways. I don't really understand her.

In any case it seems that Mizore can play various instruments; her piano playing is a nice treat. There is even a harp part in the Liz to Aoi Tori music that they are playing; Miyoko Ono, who normally does percussion, is playing the harp here. Now KyoAni just needs to make one of the band members a 🎻violin player and then I can rest happy.

Here are some more screenshots I got from the movie:

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I'll try to translate the character bios on the official site, but I'm not that good at translating; in any case it won't be for a while.

[deadite]

Mizore is now the section leader oh dear

[shanimebib]

4 hours until the first PV of Chikai no Finale! Super excited!

[blakstealth]

Is this a tapestry of all the members? holy moly

https://twitter.com/kyoani/status/1078492005129285632

[shanimebib]

Clingy Kanade is gonna take the movie by storm!



めっちゃ楽しみです~

[shanimebib]

It's coming, minna!

[Marina2]

Whoa!!!!!

However, its BD probably come out in November-December next year....

[shanimebib]

Originally Posted by Marina2

Whoa!!!!!

However, its BD probably come out in November-December next year....

Extremely likely. That's how it has been thus far.

I wonder though whether there will be an announcement of S3 soon. Just like KyoAni did with Free! These two anime has been their flagships for the past few years.

[Marina2]

Do you guys know that artist who release art books of characters from GuP in their underwear? He is releasing new art book for Liz and the bluebird in C95.
https://twitter.com/okotanpekoe/stat...03252547477505

Originally Posted by shanimebib

Extremely likely. That's how it has been thus far.

I wonder though whether there will be an announcement of S3 soon. Just like KyoAni did with Free! These two anime has been their flagships for the past few years.

Kumiko 3rd year novels are coming out next years. They are likely to become a film too.

EDIT: Opp..yeah C95.

[shanimebib]

You mean C95. But good to know he has golden taste! I love GuP. Panzer vor!

I know the novels are scheduled for early Q2 2019. But a movie would be nice too, although I would want to see a full season.

[Archon_Wing]

Shu: Can I has screentime?
Kumiko: Maybe
Shu: That's a deal!

[shanimebib]

Uji station visit! These girls are hilarious!

[Infinite Zenith]

Finally watched Liz and the Blue Bird: it's a fairly enjoyable movie, and sets the anticipation up for Oath's End coming this April.

With Liz and the Blue Bird now in the books, there were a few misconceptions floating around that should be rectified.

Fairytale and folktale references were also woven into the animated TV series but in 『リズと青い鳥』 such "stories within a story" are made a central focus upfront. Perhaps this film and its -even more- explicit symbolism will inspire people to re-watch and re-examine the two seasons of the TV series as well. Sounds like quite a few people are rather dismissive of this element and how it is -visually- presented in 『リズと青い鳥』 , too, however.

The reason why we can be dismissive of the symbolism we're being asked to is because it isn't as important as the characters' own growth and development. The fairy tale in the film is not a real-world story and acts as a parallel to visualise Mizore and Nozomi's relationship, and moreover, it is not essential to have an extensive background in Japanese folklore or fairy tales of any kind to enjoy Liz and the Blue Bird. Hibike! Euphonium has always been about the characters, not obscure literary references, so if viewers intended to rewatch the series, it certainly won't be for things requiring a PhD in Japanese literature to get.

Minimalist. In a word. In assigning a label to this film. Despite the obvious embellishments -in narrative style, visuals and soundscape- "Liz and the Blue Bird" nevertheless feels like its creators embraced minimalism -although they quite obviously didn't let that be their only guiding principle- which is a contradiction in itself. But also the point, perhaps. Conformity. Non-conformity. I love that about this film. The contrasts in styles. Anticipated since the first announcements, the film delivers what has been promised. I'm glad to have had the opportunity, to see "Liz and the Blue Bird" on a big screen with these compositions coming through a theatre sound system.

This is also incorrect; minimalism is a deliberate choice, to do more with less, and the film does not unnecessarily abstract out or remove things. Had this been the case, Nozomi and Mizore's stories would've been told in a vacuum without the major presence of other characters. The appropriate term is "simplicity": the art style and story is deliberately chosen to focus on the characters. By comparison, the rich and vivid style of Hibike! Euphonium proper is to show that Kumiko and Reina are part of a bigger picture. The film is not about contradictions, conformity or non-conformity, it's about seeing past oneself and letting go to embrace the future.

[deadite]

Did Liz and the Blue Bird accidentally spoil who makes in the audition? I was trying to look for

Spoiler:

Hazuki and Natsuki

in the band post auditions but couldn't find them.

[shanimebib]

Originally Posted by deadite

Did Liz and the Blue Bird accidentally spoil who makes in the audition? I was trying to look for

Spoiler:

Hazuki and Natsuki

in the band post auditions but couldn't find them.

Sometimes it can be a very dangerous thing to be paying too much attention, you know. I won't say anymore than that!

[shanimebib]

Kuyashii road. LMAO.

These girls sure adore Shuuichi. Haha!

[Archon_Wing]

Did someone say Kuyashii?

[shanimebib]

More quality stuff!

The fist bump has become a new fad I see!

[shanimebib]

Absolutely magical! <3



This is for pair tickets!