(CR) Hibike! Euphonium Season 2

[shanimebib]

Originally Posted by BleedingUranium

I dislike ranking my shows, but I think I'd put it as my #3. I can't decide if it's easier or harder to do this when you don't have very many shows.

For someone like me who has seen over 900 shows, it made into my all time top 10 (currently #10) but it may go a bit up depending on what happens in the final episode. Don't think it will go outside top 10 no matter what happens.

[Kinematics]

Definitely some unexpected bits in there. I was expecting them to hit silver. Bronze was just.. ouch. But, as GMT notes, there was too much drama between the regionals and the nationals to not affect the results.

I would guess that Reina probably did better after the drama than she would have, otherwise. Asuka is iffy; I'm not clear on just how much practice time she missed, but even if she wasn't better in terms of competition, I think the comments from her father indicated that she did better in terms of truly expressing herself.

But the bit that would have really dragged the group down was the loss of cohesion during the Asuka trials. Probably without the extra drama, they might have hit silver.

Reina's confession... Wow, did Taki shoot her down hard. Not that she's going to give up. And of course now the rest of the girls have their own little personal romantic soap opera to watch, so they'll help encourage her. It'll be amusing to watch from the outside, but I expect Taki will eventually have to ask for an intervention from Michie-sensei.

Birthday present. Wiki says Kumiko's birthday is August 21. I don't remember when the national contest was supposed to be, but I'm thinking October? We passed the summer holidays a while back, so it's at least well into September, but I'm not sure if the weeks of Asuka's absence have pushed us to November yet. Regardless, it's been sitting in his pocket for probably at least a couple months now.

And Shuichi shows that he still hasn't improved. He almost, kinda got a little respect for possibly remembering something that Kumiko might have told him (even if she didn't remember it, it would have shown that he really did care about her enough to consider something she said worth remembering), but it turns out it was just Sapphire playing the eternal matchmaker again. Kumiko's face after that kinda said it all.

Overall evaluation hasn't changed compared to what I wrote up last night. Probably not worth posting about, though, so I'll just leave it at that.

Originally Posted by BleedingUranium

Most obscure cameo ever.

Hah! I rewatched that pan a half dozen times, trying to figure out what was significant about that blurred figure. Thanks for solving that mystery.

[AB079]

To me Hibike worked much better in the Novel format than this adaptation, Season 1 have a huge amount of flaws and bad direction thanks to Kyoani while S2 is much better thanks to how close was to the Novel (IMO).

The story itself is good despite the many flaws on it, where it really shines is in the music aspect and the evolution of the characters. For me there are 2 main characters that were always amazing, Asuka and Taki.

Asuka on one hand is one of the strongest girls in the cast and someone who worked really hard even with a massive amount of problems over her shoulders, turning into the main pillar for the group. Taki on the other hand is a mystery, a person you will never know what is thinking or feeling until you analize what he say very carefully, he's smart and kind, someone who defend the people around him and can move the stage to the next place. Is thanks to him that a lot of characters grew up.

Overall the Novel is on my "above average" list, while the series was ok, S1 is around a 4.5/10 and S2 reached a decent 7/10 despite the lack of episodes to dig even deeper into the story (details that could help to avoid misunderstandings).

[BleedingUranium]

Originally Posted by shanimebib

For someone like me who has seen over 900 shows, it made into my all time top 10 (currently #10) but it may go a bit up depending on what happens in the final episode. Don't think it will go outside top 10 no matter what happens.

Well that is an encouraging thought.

Originally Posted by Kinematics

Hah! I rewatched that pan a half dozen times, trying to figure out what was significant about that blurred figure. Thanks for solving that mystery.

Credit goes to someone on reddit. I may pay a lot of attention to the "other" band members, but I definitely didn't notice this.

[Takigan]

I wasn't really watching the thread to be able to see Marina's prophecies that ultimately came true.....but the moment it flashed from the "performance" to the group photo, I actually said out loud "They got copper didn't they?"

Why? Because Kyo-Ani's unrelenting commitment to realism. Because at the real All-Japan National contest there's something like 30-35 bands that advance that far, only 8 or 9 get Gold, and out of those Gold winners, roughly half of them have won Gold at least a couple times in the past 5 years, while nearly all of the remainder have at least made it to Nationals multiple times.

Kwassui is a RL Japanese school in Nagasaki. They haven't been to Nats in....I think ever? They had a legendary band director transfer there (he used to teach at the long-celebrated 'Seika Girls School', for those who've followed my previous comments). He transformed that band in a single year, and they made it to nationals in Fall 2015, but only ended up winning bronze/copper as well.

Bronze is typical for a newcomer...Even for the newcomers that come from the competitive Saitama area of Tokyo, Silver is about where it stops...To go from Prefectural Bronze (Kitauji's previous award) to National Gold in one year is a pipe dream and virtually unheard of. You need 3 solid years of exposition to that winning culture that Kitauji has so that ALL students lived it for those three straight years, plus extraordinary leadership at the top to even have a chance.

For a country where half of all band directors are female, yet only one band director at Nats last year was female, I wouldn't doubt there's a strong amount of politics in the judging system as well that requires the new blood to "pay their dues".

[GMT]

Originally Posted by AB079

To me Hibike worked much better in the Novel format than this adaptation, Season 1 have a huge amount of flaws and bad direction thanks to Kyoani while S2 is much better thanks to how close was to the Novel (IMO).

I got the exact opposite impression. Series 1 stood very well on its own. But KyoAni really dropped the ball on Series 2. They tried some horrible combination of slavish adherence to canon and random application of the elements they introduced during the first series. They should've stuck with threads they'd set up in the first series to maintain some sense of narrative consistency; or, as you've suggested, spent the first series not straying far from the source novel to begin with.

The story itself is good despite the many flaws on it, where it really shines is in the music aspect and the evolution of the characters. For me there are 2 main characters that were always amazing, Asuka and Taki

That, right there, is one of my biggest nits to pick with the second series (when the mood strikes me to actually go looking for things to complain about.) There are many times where feel that Kumiko isn't amazing. She sits square in the center of the uncanny valley between dispassionate narrator and dreadfully passive protagonist. The Nozomi/Mizore story could've done with less Kumiko (it's a story, I think, where it would've made sense to give Kumiko the Shuichi treatment, i.e. have her lurking silently in the wings with no lines) ... in fact, Asuka actually points out that all she does is watch. Reina x Taki would've been stronger with less Kumiko; or at least if it were told from Reina's POV. The strongest Kumiko story of the season was Asuka's family drama, and that's only because Kumiko acts like an actual protagonist throughout.

[BleedingUranium]

Originally Posted by Takigan

Kwassui is a RL Japanese school in Nagasaki. They haven't been to Nats in....I think ever? They had a legendary band director transfer there (he used to teach at the long-celebrated 'Seika Girls School', for those who've followed my previous comments). He transformed that band in a single year, and they made it to nationals in Fall 2015, but only ended up winning bronze/copper as well.

Huh. The show is set in 2015, and that's a neat coincidence they couldn't have planned during S1.

So basically, they did really well. At this point I've come to terms with that, it's actually a good result, arguably an amazing result. I suppose I should leave it to the real finale to close out the story properly.

Originally Posted by GMT

in fact, Asuka actually points out that all she does is watch.

It's almost like that was intention and actually the entire point. I think Kumiko has been fantastic in S2, and the Vol 2/Mizore arc may be my favourite of the four arcs.

[Takigan]

Originally Posted by Kinematics

Wiki says Kumiko's birthday is August 21. I don't remember when the national contest was supposed to be, but I'm thinking October? We passed the summer holidays a while back, so it's at least well into September, but I'm not sure if the weeks of Asuka's absence have pushed us to November yet. Regardless, it's been sitting in his pocket for probably at least a couple months now.

Nationals for the secondary schools in 2015 was held at the Nagoya Congress Center from October 31st - November 1st 2015. So he had it in his pocket for a good 2 1/2 months.

The animators did a good job on the render of this venue as well. Here's some comparisons between the real version and Kyo-Ani's version:

Images

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[BleedingUranium]

Originally Posted by Takigan

Nationals for the secondary schools in 2015 was held at the Nagoya Congress Center from October 31st - November 1st 2015. So he had it in his pocket for a good 2 1/2 months.

The animators did a good job on the render of this venue as well. Here's some comparisons between the real version and Kyo-Ani's version:

This stuff never fails to impress me. <3 Also, we saw it at the very end of S1's OP.

About the performances, I do get why they didn't show Kitauji's it makes sense from a story-telling perspective. But there was something else missing as well. Before the SunFes performance, Kyoto, and Kansai we got to hear the band that was immediately before them play while they were preparing. This time it was simply part of the score, no in-universe music. That was definitely a let-down.

[Wandering Soul]

I was expecting them to get sliver, but getting bronze instead was sort of surprising. They'll have a chance to go for the gold next year, but unfortunately several seniors like Asuka won't be with them anymore.

Other than that there were several great moments. Special mention goes to Kumiko's smile upon receiving the haripin, Reina confessing her love for Taki(not once, but twice), and Kumiko's scene with her sister.

[Marcus H.]

Watching Shuuichi during the first practice scene tells me that he's struggling just as hard as Kumiko in his emotions. He took this long to give her birthday gift. At least, Kumiko seems to have appreciated the gesture.

The worst part of the episode was the utter absence of any performances, even from Seira or the other schools. It causes confusion as to why Kitauji got bronze, and it did not allow the viewers to place the performances of Kitauji against the big hitters. Takigan's explanation does help, but that's outside of the anime.

The resolutions for Asuka and Kumiko were nice, but considering Kumiko treating Reina the same way she did ("Don't worry, they don't notice that it was a romantic confession!") and how she showed her love to Mamiko (a very public "I love you!") shows that she's made steps to changing her personality, but is still far off.

Next episode is gonna be graduation, where the band will lose their seniors and Kumiko will inevitably be the only euphonium for the band. I wonder who will become the band's president.

[SPARTAN 119]

Not what I expected from a final episode, and yet a very strong, emotional finish overall, what with Reina's confession, Kumiko and her sister, and Asuka's speech to the departing class. That said, I would have liked it better if Shindo had actually met Asuka in person.

Personally, I was expecting at least a silver, if not for them to get gold first try, but I guess there has to be something for the cast to shoot for next year, and it means we have the potential for a season 3, assuming Takeda keeps publishing light novels. Personally, I would like to see her continue the story until Kitauji actually makes the gold. That said, if the LN and anime are continued, I will definitely miss Asuka- she just had such a presence in the anime, and was by far my favorite character. Here's hoping she makes good on her promise to show up and check on the band next year!

On another note, sequel or no, that OP is going to be stuck in my head for a while.

[Pen3]

Originally Posted by Marcus H.

Kumiko will inevitably be the only euphonium for the band. I wonder who will become the band's president.

How can you forget about Natsuki already? From the late interactions between her and Asuka, i am betting that Natsuki will be the new VP.

[Marcus H.]

I dunno. She was chosen to substitute for Asuka, but she also belonged to Team Monaka.
In any case, there will be big shoes to fill as soon as Asuka leaves.

[deadite]

Why are some of you talking as if this is the last episode? There's still another one next week.

[larethian]

Originally Posted by MeoTwister5

So season 3 confirmed?

There's no more source content for season 3 after our final episode next week. They can make some OVA though.

Originally Posted by shanimebib

Copying from MAL:

My absolute favourite screenshot of the episode:

~ image snipped ~

Mamiko is standing on the bridge and Kumiko just stopped few steps from the bridge. This could have been in any place. But no. Kyoto Animation decided to put the scene on a bridge. Two sisters, one who has started to cross the bridge and another is yet to start but is almost there. How they manage to think of such scenes leaves me at awe and appreciate their work more than any other studios.

No anime, absolutely no anime can match what Kyoto Animation can do with the surroundings, the place and the timing that make them stand head and shoulders above other studios when it comes to directing.

This is what I like about Kyo Ani shows. Their attention to details and well-placed subtlety as well. But sometimes I do feel conflicted when they decide to give a new and different interpretation to components of a story they are adapting.

[Marcus H.]

^ Sometimes though, I feel bad that I can't catch those subtleties all the time, and if you try hard in finding those subtleties, then it would undermine one's enjoyment in the process.

[BleedingUranium]

Originally Posted by SPARTAN 119

Not what I expected from a final episode, and yet a very strong, emotional finish overall, what with Reina's confession, Kumiko and her sister, and Asuka's speech to the departing class. That said, I would have liked it better if Shindo had actually met Asuka in person.

Personally, I was expecting at least a silver, if not for them to get gold first try, but I guess there has to be something for the cast to shoot for next year, and it means we have the potential for a season 3, assuming Takeda keeps publishing light novels. Personally, I would like to see her continue the story until Kitauji actually makes the gold. That said, if the LN and anime are continued, I will definitely miss Asuka- she just had such a presence in the anime, and was by far my favorite character. Here's hoping she makes good on her promise to show up and check on the band next year!

On another note, sequel or no, that OP is going to be stuck in my head for a while.

I'd hoped he would as well.

From a writing perspective, I could definitely see them getting silver next year under the current second years, then gold in the third year, under Kumiko's year. It just... would require her to write considerably more, and KyoAni's track record with (not) adapting sequels seems pretty bad. I'm looking at you, K-ON! season 3.

Damn right it is! S2's OP, both visuals and song, are is by far one of my favourite OPs of all time.

Originally Posted by deadite

Why are some of you talking as if this is the last episode? There's still another one next week.

It's like watching everyone leave the theatre before the end of the credits at a Marvel movie.

[deadite]

If Takeda writes a story about Kumiko's 3rd year I actually hope we have new main character and Kumiko acting as their mentor.

[BleedingUranium]

Originally Posted by deadite

If Takeda writes a story about Kumiko's 3rd year I actually hope we have new main character and Kumiko acting as their mentor.

Novels set in year two with new lead first year character.

Novels set in year three with different new first year character, replacing old-new character.

Many, many novels later:

Novels featuring new-new-new-new-new first year character, with Kumiko as Kitauji's concert band instructor, Hazuki and Sapphire as her old buddies that come in to help, and Taki is a judge at the competition.