I loved 2012’s Girls Und Panzer. Initially perceived to be some maudlin, meaningless, moe animu with a gimmicky contrivance, it turned out to be the exact opposite. It was a brisk, well-executed, tale with likable characters, great camaraderie, great production values, and most importantly a genuine desire to make the latter part of the title (tanks), authentic as all get out. It did not get bogged down by hyper-existential dilemmas, pointless filler, cynicism, or even apocalyptic endgame scenarios. It was a well-crafted tale of a bunch of girls and their tanks as they grow together as a team and as individuals on the road to glory.
…No wonder Hibike! Euphonium, Kyoto Animation’s newest show, resonates just as well. It hits all those notes and then some (no pun intended).
So Kumiko Oumae, in an attempt to make a fresh break, enrolls in Kitauji High School. Unfortunately for her, the high school was once home to a once prestigious band club, and the last thing she wants to do is join such a group after a rather unpleasant experience in junior high. However, with some cheerful persuasion from new friends, a gentle but incredibly dedicated new band instructor, and an individual connected to that aforementioned experience, she takes up her instrument of choice once again, the euphonium. Now, it is up to her and the rest of the class to find out whether they have what it takes to make it to the National competition.
Like Girls Und Panzer, Euphonium’s world is filled with an ardent desire to make the experience authentic as all get out. The meticulous detail given to the function and sounds of musical instruments is exceptional and, like the Panzers in the other show, provides a lot of weight to the actions of characters. Midori’s contrabass, Hazuki’s tuba, or Kumiko’s euphonium are not just gimmicky contrivances they wield to vanquish those that stand in their way, but complex machinery they must learn and master enough of to make it to their goal. Lots of respect must be given to a show going the extra mile in making the world a bit more genuine.
However, where Euphonium excels over the other is its dogged pursuit in providing character dynamics of not just the main characters, but quite a bit of the band club as well. Given the band instructor, Taki-sensei, and his proclivity to push them towards their goal, there arises a myriad of tension. Rivalries and preferences are brought to light, commitments are strained, and at times there rises a theme between meritocracy and seniority. It works out wonderfully as it gives a great picture of what may go through the minds of youth when they are met with frayed nerves to perform. Some just want to toot their own horn and avoid drama (Asuka-senpai), some want to see those they admire take part in something they were incapable of due to the vanity of former upperclassmen (Yuko), and some want to aspire to greater heights (Reina). The harmonies you will eventually hear at the big competitions arise from the chaos in the hearts of youth, and it makes Euphonium all the more endearing. The greatest enemies in this anime aren’t the snooty rivals from another band club or some malevolent dark force, but that very disorder that comes from moving forward towards a shared goal and whatever sacrifices or heartache it will entail in a closely knit group that will hang separately if it doesn’t hang together.
It sounds a bit too serious for its own good, but it is not. Euphonium is bereft of cynicism and is also filled with happy, charming, moments. For all the stress put on them, the friendship of Kumiko, Hazuki, and Midori (never call her Sapphire), is ever so endearing and very sweet. Each one has got each other’s back, and all help one another to grow as not just band club members but friends. Kumiko’s a great protagonist in that while she is always earnest and well-intentioned, she has her own foibles, including self-doubt, her penchant to think aloud and the awkward way she maintains frayed relationships with people like Reina or her childhood friend Shuichi. Asuka-senpai is a joy to watch, as her interactions with the rest of the cast are filled with a uniquely enigmatic playfulness that’s fascinating and unpredictable. Even characters like Reina and Natsuki-senpai, who in other anime might have some foreboding element to their persona, have their own winning personality traits that… like the rest of the cast I guess, are a joy to watch.
Anime that’s filled with genuinely happy, quirky, characters is always welcome. Those are kinda awesome, and Euphonium is one of them.
Anime that’s just gorgeous to look at is also welcome. Every frame is not wasted in this one, and everybody glistens like morning dew. Youth.
The only really big flaw (if you can call it one) in this anime is that really… it ends. It’s a brisk 13 episode run that while filled with all those nice character dynamics, still is incredibly focused upon ending where the show decided to end. The goal was set at the beginning of the show and was achieved at the end. Anything else is not part of the objective, even if it would’ve been nice to see them at the Nationals. Perhaps it would have also been nice to develop that relationship stuff further, especially when it comes to Kumiko vis-à-vis Shuichi or Reina (the anime takes great strides to make a union form with the latter, it never truly goes through with it, making it somewhat superfluous), never mind times when Reina is part of Kumiko, Hazuki, and Midori’s group. Heck it would’ve been nice to learn more about the enigmatic Asuka-senpai. However, they were not part of the show’s objective, sadly, and unless a second season is greenlit they will be left as they were. Still, that is not something to be sad about, as Euphonium ends its love story triumphantly.
Yes, Hibike! Euphonium is a love story. Not between two people, but between a girl and her horn. Throughout all the tension, misunderstanding, self-doubt, and so forth, Kumiko realizes the deep love she has for playing the euphonium. That embrace of her destiny, rising from the chaos of youth, sets her forth into a more focused character, and allows her to play a part in the final endgame. The authenticity of each blow from her Euphonium, coupled with all the interactions she and other characters have had with one another good or bad, and a striking visual design, come together for one hell of an anime.
If you’re not tooting the praises of this Horn Anime, then you’re missing out. Get eupho-ric for Hibike! Euphonium.
