#Kumiko Kaori

[majokkoradio]

"Wakakusa no Charlotte" - October 29, 1977

[animenostalgia]

"May Flower" - Kumiko Kaori (Wakakusa no Charlotte ending theme, 1977)

[nobbykun]

Artist - かおりくみこ・こおろぎ'73・コロムビアゆりかご会 (Kaori, Kumiko with Korogi '73 & Columbia Yurikago-Kai) Song - レッド･ブルー･イエロー (Red, Blue, Yellow) ["Space Emperor God Sigma" Ending Theme] Release Date - April 1980

Anime: 宇宙大帝ゴッドシグマ (Uchū Taitei God Sigma)

Listen 🎶

My blog: Showa Music Library https://nobbykun.tumblr.com/

[a-titty-ninja]

[izumiwatches]

Truly the most shocking revelation of the season

[kodirox]

i'm going to be living off of the high i got from the asuka cameo for at least another week. this episode was so good it's insane

[fruitymina]

spoiler ❗❗❗

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.

.

.

we are about to witness greatness

[gallade-x-treme]

THEYDIDIT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THEY DID IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!! KITAUJI ENSEMBLE SCORES!!!!!!!!!!!

[angelic-petty]

[waffleweirdo]

Sound Euphonium Season 3 Episode 5:

The contrast of Mayu finally switching over to wearing a Kitauji uniform while simultaneously being the most excluded she’s ever been is so dire.

She tries to forfeit the auditions, Kumiko lies to her about being busy, and when they all take a picture at the festival she is the one who takes it and isn’t in it…

It breaks my heart. I was afraid of what her presence likely meant for Kumiko at first (and I mean probably still means. I can’t imagine the auditions go smoothly), but that’s exactly how the character’s feel too!! I’ve been tricked and it worked perfectly.

Everything about Mayu is dire. I might not survive next week’s episode.

[roaringroa]

going insane cause i’m watching this guy react to liz and the blue bird and he’s 35+ minutes in and still thinks the movie is set in mizore and nozomi’s 1st year

[animebw]

A while back, I speculated that Reina's faith would waver when Mayu started beating Kumiko in the auditions. That she would find herself torn between her faith in Taki-sensei's decisions and her faith in the girl she loves. In retrospect, though, there was one big problem with that prediction: Reina never falters. She didn't back down when out-playing Kaori in her first year, she was the first person with the guts to call out Mizore in Liz and the Blue Bird, she's never let anything or anyone stop her pursuit of perfection. Kumiko was the only thing that might have forced her to betray her ideals. To choose the person who means the world to her over success at any cost.

But in the end... even that wasn't enough.

What I was right about, though?

Is that she could only make that choice by repressing all the agony she feels at betraying her beloved until it was too late to do anything but come undone.

It was the only choice she could have made. Just as it was the only choice Kumiko could have made to set herself up for this loss so Kijauji, and Mayu specifically, could shine as beautifully as possible. At the moment where it mattered most, both of these girls chose to sacrifice their own happiness- to sacrifice each other- for the sake of something bigger than either of them. Two divergent paths leading inexorably to the same conclusion.

In the end, it was inevitable.

And I'll never forgive them for it.

[a-bucket-full-of-feels]

Ok so during my rewatch of S1 I found that the Reina/Kaori audition was especially difficult to watch because despite knowing Reina is the better player and deserving of the solo, you could sympathise with Kaori's desire because it's her final year and Yuuko's frustration because of how much Kaori means to her as a senpai

In S3 Ep 12 they cranked the angst up many times over because:

- The stakes are the highest because it's literally the main character vs "some new girl"

- The soli is shared between Kumiko and Reina, undeniably the most significant pair in the series

- Unlike Kaori vs Reina where it's obvious who is the better player on your first listen, Kumiko and Mayu's skill levels are so close that they were tied among all the members in a blind audition (of course, the folks who know Kumiko and music well like Shuuichi, Midori and Kanade could tell Kumiko's sound apart)

- It was up to Reina herself to break the tie and instead of following her heart and choosing Kumiko (whom she could obviously identify as well), she didn't compromise on her ideals and chose the player whom she thought was better - Mayu. The same way she was chosen by merit in her first year, she chose the euphonium soloist by merit as well

- Similarly, Kanade's frustration for her precious senpai mirrors Yuuko's own frustration, but instead of feeling like she's the villain for standing up in protest initially, you fully sympathise with her because you've seen how her relationship with Kumiko has developed and how her character has grown from the start

As heart wrenching as this plot twist is, I felt that the payoff was excellent as it beautifully wrapped up the character arcs I was discussing in my previous essays on earlier episodes, such as the resolution between Mayu and Kumiko through Kumiko's words of affirmation before the audition, and the battle between what Reina wants emotionally vs her lofty ideals (she ultimately chooses the latter but not without a lot of emotional turmoil and ugly crying). And of course, the final emotional payoff for Kumiko - after facing the biggest trials as the band president, she learns to be honest with her self again, admitting to Mayu that her appearance made her anxious, and that she was upset that she couldn't make it through the audition for the solo despite trying her best.

I love Hibike so much for the nuance in the drama and how it's so true to real life where failure is inevitable even after trying your best because you're often the victim of circumstances, but god it's so difficult to watch in a good way

[nijigasakilove]

Yea kinda figured with that new key visual they dropped yesterday that angst levels would be turnt up to the max and honestly I’m enjoying it. I think this is great for Hibike and keeps things interesting. Reina and Shuichi having blow up is exactly the type of drama I’m looking for lol. Gimme all that teenager drama!

Reina has been a massive asshole these last two episodes because of her love for Taki sensei. No one is just gonna blindly follow him anymore besides her especially when the first years haven’t seen the results that they had last year. I get that he doesn’t wanna seem weak or indecisive in front of the students, but I still think he could’ve communicated a lot better with the club members who weren’t selected. Maybe some constructive feedback or areas to improve? I was hoping Kumiko would’ve straight up asked without thinking why he picked Mayu for the soli, sadly not.

Actually surprised to see Kumiko and Reina on speaking terms so quickly after Reina called Kumiko a failed president.. guess these girls heal like wolverine lmao. Scene by the river was beautiful, and Reina actually made a good point. The people who weren’t chosen are only gonna be satisfied if they’re chosen. Buut at the same time, I’d feel a lot better knowing what I need to improve on. Whether it’s my rhythm, timing, endurance etc. when you just get rejected and not told what the issue is it lets you get trapped in your mind. As someone who’s had many grad school rejections, I can really empathise with these kids.

As always, who can you turn into when there’s trouble at Kitauji? Asuka senpai! Kyoani definitely cooked with her design today too. Wow she was gorgeous but now she’s divine.. nice fanservice too. Pretty sure according to the spin off LN she and Kaori are together too, right? Her thinking that Reina and Kumiko had a lover’s quarrel is so funny because even characters in the story getting Yuri baited 😂

That aside, even after leaving the school she’s still the steadying hand that can help guide things back to order. Her advice was really able to help Kumiko get her focus back and smooth things over at the end of the episode. Her speech to the club gave me goosebumps. What’s done is done the executives apologised and explained why they went with the audition method and now it’s time to move forward, as a unit. Kitauji fight!

Really sucks there’s only a few episodes left I really want some anime original stuff after 😭

[izumiwatches]

"You got through to her." 「響いたんだよ」 (hibiitandayo). What a wonderful verb to use here! To resound, to reverberate! But also to remain or to affect! Despite all her grandstanding, Asuka was moved by Kumiko. (from S3E10)