Hibike! Euphonium S2 – 13 Review

You just gotta end a sentimental series like Hibike! Euphonium with a love confession, right? Except, well, it isn’t really a love confession – since, I guess, in this series’ universe girls say that all the time to each other apparently.

Hibike! Euphonium S2 13: Graduation! The third-years go, new first-years arrive…

It’s a time of goodbyes and new beginnings but Kumiko has one regret! She has yet to confess to her beloved Senpai!

I mean, this would be like the third woman she has confessed her love to within a year, but hey, what can you do, right? That’s what being young is all about!

And all the while people keep yammering about how she should be in love with Shuichi. That joke never gets old, I guess.

Hibike! Euphonium S2 – 11 Review

Great job heckling the teenager who just has gone through a lot in her private life!

Hibike! Euphonium S2 11: The question you gotta ask yourself is: “Do characters in this show actually have a life when Kumiko isn’t around to just observe it?”

Not that Kumiko personally cares. But Reina’s such a drag, she just has to give a shit about that teacher she’s supposedly in love with! So high-maintenance, right?! When you have friends like that… and so on and so forth.

Hibike! Euphonium S2 – 10 Review

It took this series over 20 episodes to finally confront Kumiko with some hard truths. If this show isn’t getting a third season, it’s a weird decision to only acknowledge shortly before the end that the series-protagonist is a big wimp who has a lot of growing-up to do.

Hibike! Euphonium S2 10: Kumiko’s little visit to Asuka hasn’t changed anything unsurprisingly.

After this failure, things only get tougher for Kumiko as both Mamiko and Asuka show her that she’s still far away from being an efficient trouble-solver.

But hey, she’s just a child, so it’s fine, right? No need to already behave like an adult in high school. I’m sure there are a ton of YA-stories out there that show how growing up isn’t a priority when you’re in high school, right? The coming-of-age-genre generally deals with all these kids in their twenties who finally learn what being an adult means, right?!

Hibike! Euphonium S2 – 09 Review

I wonder if Natsuki could still pass the Turing-test in that moment. Forget about the question if a teenager could be this selfless, can a person, in general, be THAT selfless?! Isn’t the whole point of her relentless practicing to get the position she currently has? Shouldn’t she sound at least a tiny bit conflicted…?

Hibike Euphonium S2 09: Asuka is still in self-imposed exile and there’s only ONE person who can save her!

Or at least that’s what everyone seems to think.

I don’t know, does Asuka have any friends who might have an interest in helping her…? I guess not… And so it falls to Kumiko to be the most Euphonium-like person ever – which is a good thing apparently.

Hibike! Euphonium S2 – 05-08 Review

Then simply don’t do it!

Hibike! Euphonium 05-08: And with that, the ensemble wins another competition!

And… since this wasn’t the Nationals, literally nothing has changed for the ensemble. I guess, they just have to continue being try-hards and it will all be fine.

BUT!

Asuka’s mother raises her daughter alone and has decided to start some trouble. Trouble, which keeps Asuka away from the ensemble despite her wishes. And Kumiko’s sister’s in trouble because she has stopped playing the trombone despite her own wishes all those years ago! What a coincidence!

Also, Taki has a dead wife. Good to know and… that’s really all you need to know about that character.

Hibike! Euphonium S2 – 04 Review

I guess, this robot’s AI still needs some work.

Hibike! Euphonium S2 04: For a moment, I really feared that Yoroizuka’s problems won’t ever get resolved. Especially since her BFF turned out to be a huge asshole. It’s incredible how much Nozomi thinks doesn’t need to be said. But somehow, it’s still Yoroizuka’s fault for not getting that, of course. How dare she make assumptions about Nozomi’s opinion, right?! When someone isn’t talking to you and suddenly does something drastic and surprising, you go to that person and demand answers!

Oh, and if you’re the person who decided to do something drastic and surprising… Well, you just sit back and have fun! Nothing wrong with that!

Hibike! Euphonium S2 – 03 Review

Constructive criticism that every teenager would like to hear, I’m sure!

Hibike! Euphonium S2 03: Kumiko finally uncovers the root of the problem: It’s Yoroizuka! Apparently, Nozomi makes her vomit! That’s quite the problem to have as a teenager… I never knew PTSD was part of the coming-of-age experience.

Also, Kumiko finds out that Taki’s past is quite the sob-story.

Hibike! Euphonium S2 – 01/02 Review

… Which needs to be fixed! The goal is to become a human jukebox for classical music!

Hibike! Euphonium S2 01/02: The ensemble has won a competition but the Nationals are still far away! Sure, they’re good – but they need to get better! Because that’s ALL that matters to these kids!

Isn’t adolescence great?!

But some girl who quit the ensemble during its dark year due to bullying (what a loser!) wants to rejoin the ensemble. Of course, the senpais are against it. There’s no forgiveness for quitters. But Kumiko musters some courage and shows some compassion.

Is it deserved? Who knows…

Hibike! Euphonium OVA: Dash, Monaka – Review

… even if it’s the worst moment of your life!

This time I review:

Hibike! Euphonium OVA: A bunch of failures learn the hard lesson of not living up to expectations by happily becoming a cheering fan-club for the rest for the ensemble! Also, Hazuki gets convinced to try her luck with Shuichi and (naturally) quickly changes her tune to cheering him on to get his shit together and start a relationship with Kumiko… because you know she’s been waiting since… I guess, it must have been after the time she showed no interest whatsoever in going on a date with him.

But before you think, this means that she’s into Reina… wait a minute… it’s a bit more complicated than you’d think.

Hibike! Euphonium – 13 Review

So the next time you blow out your birthday-candles, remember to shout at all the attendants what you wish for.

This time I review:

Hibike! Euphonium 13: The ensemble has to overcome one last hurdle before it can go to the Nationals. Everybody’s nervous – but all their hard work pays off (big surprise…). Also, Kumiko and Shuichi are friends again, I guess.