#finally some asuka and kumiko

[yukisubmarino]

It doesn’t matter what Kumiko wants.

(Minor Eupho finale spoilers ahead)

That’s the painful reality of Hibike! Euphonium’s third season, especially for the viewer who (presumably) aligns with our hero’s desires.

The third season does an excellent job in rehashing what we all loved about the first, but its biggest success is in twisting our expectations from the familiar to the uncharted. Kumiko becomes president, which means she can exercise greater control in getting what she wants right? Wrong.

As I’ve argued before, this (in part) is what makes Kumiko an excellent president. She realizes her place within the band is as a mediator, a punching bag, a soundboard, and—most importantly—a selfless decision-maker. It doesn’t come without pain, but it’s in learning to live with the disappointment that our hero grows to become the most effective (and successful) leader the Kitauji band has ever seen.

Kumiko isn’t the only one with unfulfilled desires, of course. Asuka doesn’t win gold, Nozomi can’t live out her dream, Shun doesn’t win Kumiko’s heart (yes i know what happens in the source material but let me have this one), Kanade doesn’t play at Nationals, Reina can’t…well…you know. And Kumiko doesn’t get the soli, even when getting the soli would be the most obvious thing in the world to happen for someone who deserves it.

But the thing is, someone else deserves it, too. Someone else will always deserve the thing that you want, and sometimes that means you won’t get it. It happens all the time! But in a medium filled with so much wish-fulfillment, it’s important to get these occasional reminders that disappointment is natural…and that it will all be okay in the end.

There are a lot of reasons why I think Hibike! Euphonium is the greatest televised anime ever made, many of which are technical and aesthetic and lean heavily towards personal taste. But perhaps the biggest reason is how a show about a high school band on the other side of the world—the most innocuous premise conceivable—manages to bring out some of the most important life lessons anyone of any age could possibly learn. Yes, I want what Kumiko wants, and it upset me so much that she doesn’t get it—just as much as it uplifts me to see the results of her growth born from that pain and frustration.

Hibike’s final act is the show’s greatest movement—a soaring testament to KyoAni’s storytelling power and the emotional height of what televised fiction can attain. Perhaps that’s a recency bias showing, but then again—how could I expect less from the greatest anime ever made?

[animebw]

I realize I haven't really said anything about Mayu yet, the new character at the center of most of Eupho S3's drama. Partly that's because Kumirei has sucked up so much of my brain juice that it's hard to focus on anything else (despite the fact there's plenty more going on in this show than just its central relationship). But partly that's because Mayu herself has been a very wait-and-see kind of character. The show very deliberately alienates you from her at first, forcing you and Kumiko to take her in gradually as you try to understand what kind of person she is. Eupho's always been very firmly planted in Kumiko's perspective; we very rarely get scenes without her present, or hear what's going on in other characters' heads unless they're outright telling her. So just as Kumiko feels a massive wall between them, the audience does to- until we're finally able to breach that wall and meet Mayu on her own terms.

Which is funny, because in retrospect, Mayu has always been the most honest character in the entire show! She came onto the scene telling us what she's about- "I don't want to make waves or upset people, I just want to get along with everyone"- and the only real "reveal" about her is the fact that she was being genuine about that. We just assumed there must be something else going on because we're stuck in Kumiko's perspective, and the visual language Mayu is presented with- dark shadows, uncomfortable intrusions on familiar spaces- is a representation of how Kumiko feels about this hotshot new euphonium player threatening to steal her spot. It makes us see her how Kumiko sees her, makes us want to believe there's some sinister motive behind her pleasant smile, some cruelty she masks with kindness. But once Kumiko gets over that discomfort and actually talks to her, she realizes the only person Mayu's really lying to is herself. She does want to get along with everyone. She doesn't want to upset people and mess up Kitauji's status quo. She is genuinely a nice person who wants the best for everyone else. The only thing she was hiding was how much she actually wanted to be a part of the community with everyone instead of keeping herself at a distance to preserve the peace.

And honestly? That's kind of a perfect "antagonist" for Kumiko's final chapter. Every school year has pitted Kumiko against another euphonium player- Asuka, Kanade, now Mayu- who Kumiko can only come to understand and accept by being honest about what she wants and believes. But the difference is Asuka and Kanade were both- and I say this affectionately- manipulative little shits who were very good at hiding their true selves behind a mask to get what they wanted out of other people. So Kumiko had to approach them from a place of honesty, pushing aside their attempts to bluster and drawing their true selves to the surface by showing her own vulnerability. She had to be more honest than them so they could be honest with themselves in turn. But now with Mayu, Kumiko's finally facing someone who's more honest than her, and instead of pulling Mayu up to her level, she has to rise to Mayu's level. Only then can she fully accept who she is and who she wants to be- not someone chasing solitary greatness like Reina, but someone who wants to raise everyone else up with her, even if that means she'll never achieve greatness on her own.

[waffleweirdo]

Mayu’s ‘invasion’ of Kitauji

Mayu’s addition to season 3’s cast brings with it an incredible sense of tension. Not only does she feel out of place, but there’s almost a sense of imminent disaster.

The way her character is handled in such a way to promote this emotion in the audience so that it meshes with the character’s feelings in general. I’ll mostly be talking about what her presence means for Kumiko as she is certainly the most affected, but I think there’s some interesting stuff with Reina and Kanade as well (especially Kanade with the extreme contrast between Mayu and Natsuki, but I digress)

Kumiko’s third year is a tumultuous time already, with her having to take up the mantle of president, deal with her plans for the future, and their last chance at the competition. Amidst an already fraught atmosphere Mayu arrives, and she poses a *threat*, to the band as a whole, but especially to Kumiko.

Interpersonal struggles in the band have been a looming threat since before Kumiko even began at Kitauji with the lasting conflict of the previous year haunting many of the members. The conflict stirred up by Reina playing the solo first year, Kanade and Natsuki fighting in the second year, and everything with Nozomi and Mizore… Kumiko was largely at the center of all those conflicts and knows well what they entail. In a sense Mayu is the embodiment of Kumiko’s hypothesis of why Asuka didn’t want Nozomi to rejoin the band. She is too good, her presence is bound to throw everything off.

And she does. Although leading up to the auditions there haven’t been any massive incidents her presence clearly doesn’t fit. For many episodes she wears a separate uniform to everyone else, literally standing out, and her skill is evident. But at the same time she is blasé about the competition. Thinking it’s fine to just take it easy, or offering to forfeit her audition. The determination by Kitauji to play their best and win was something built up specifically by Taki-sensei. It is largely what keeps their band together, and especially in her position as an incredibly skilled player Mayu disregarding that is off putting.

And of course for Kumiko, who stands at the greatest risk of losing her spot in the competition, or the solo (that is a trumpet and euphonium solo which especially important to her) that is even more worrisome. Kumiko is also her most determined, each year learning more and more how much the band means to her, and how much she wants to improve. Playing in nationals and winning gold is the most important to her that it’s ever been, and it’s her last shot. Combined with the dilemma of being the president as well, and in charge of the band’s harmony Kumiko is stuck.

When Mayu finally does switch to a Kitauji uniform it is almost even more unsettling. It comes on the heels of her offering to forfeit her audition, and asking Kumiko to go to the Agatha Festival with her. She is trying to fit in, but in the wrong way (see Kanade trying to throw the audition in Kumiko’s 2nd year). While Mayu has clearly made Kumiko uncomfortable at times in the past this time, Kumiko feels uncomfortable enough to lie (though you could say a part of that is her wanting to attend with Reina, I think her reaction as a whole makes it evident there is a dislike of Mayu involved). This moment is really interesting because it is a momentary step back for Kumiko into a version of herself similar to her position at the start of her first year, still hiding her true feelings and very distant from others (which is only intensified by the conversation in her teacher meeting later in the episode).

This moment especially is Mayu almost ‘invading’ Kumiko’s Kitauji. With the auditions coming up, combined with Mayu’s presence being uncomfortable and threatening to Kumiko when Mayu tries to get closer Kumiko just can’t bring herself to accept it. Mayu is encroaching… She is someone who shouldn’t be here, as evidenced by her isolation throughout her time at the festival even after going with other band members (she’s the one taking the photo that everyone else is in). Her finally wearing Kitauji’s uniform doesn’t feel right, it’s just another step too close.

Even back in the ensemble contest Kumiko worried about what would happen if someone more talented than her came to Kitauji? Now now that person is possibly here. And the auditions are just around the corner.

But I think that’s only one side of looking at the issue! The narrative and Kumiko’s role as the protagonist certainly drive the audience to feel (if likely not this intensity) a similar feeling to Kumiko. But in reality Mayu is just another member of the band, and she is clearly still isolated and alone and just trying to fit in. From her point of view something like dropping out of the auditions just seems like best way to be able to fit in, even if she is brewing potential conflict it’s not like that’s her goal.

The Kitauji that Kumiko envisions is one that has everyone in it, as seen by her efforts to ease the 1st year members and include everyone. She’s certainly a bit clumsy at it, but as president Kumiko wants to create a place in the band for everyone. Looking at the flip side of her experience in all the past dramas is her desire to help people resolve their issues. She has grown so much and is far more active than she ever was in the past. But now that same conflict isn’t just those around her, but heading for her directly. And she’ll need to struggle to uphold her ideals for the band, and that’s not the path that she’s on now.

I guess all that is to ultimately say that this season has been so amazing so far and I can’t wait for episode 6 and the rest of the season!

[izdatazn]

Welcome To S.U.I.T.S: Initiation By Fire

TERRAN 1 - DREAM?

My legs trembled with impatience as I awaited the bell to ring. The teacher droned on about our upcoming midterms after summer vacation, but I paid little attention, instead gazing out the window. Suddenly, my name was called. "Kobayashi, pay attention!" Startled, I realized that the school bell had rung and summer vacation had finally arrived. Before leaving the classroom, our teacher issued one final warning. "Remember, your midterms will be right after vacation! Enjoy your summer!" With that, our teacher left and a wave of noise erupted from my fellow students. A classmate approached me as I gathered my things. "What are your plans for the break?" she asked. "I'll figure something out," I replied nonchalantly. Several classmates gathered around us as I stood up and slung my backpack over my shoulder. "Right now, though, I have to meet up with some friends. Have fun." And with that, I walked away. As I made my way through the hallway towards the exit of the school building, a group of students ran past me in a frenzy. Descending down to ground level and reaching my shoebox locker area outside, snippets of conversation floated towards me from nearby schoolmates discussing a major incident unfolding in Tokyo. Someone approached me while changing their shoes next to mine at the shoebox location. A soft female voice spoke up: "Have you heard about what's happening in Tokyo? Kobayashi." I nodded in response. "The news is spreading rapidly; it's even trending on our school website." Glancing at her face closely for confirmation of her fears or worries: "Are you afraid too?" She shrugged casually before answering: "It's quite far from Yokohama where we are; we should be fine." "Good," I replied reassuringly before turning away and heading towards the school entrance doors. "Let's hurry because we need to meet up with some people in the city." She followed closely behind as we exited the school.

We strolled along the bustling shopping street in Yokohama, engaged in lively conversation. Kumiko had been a close friend ever since we met during our second year of middle school. In fact, she was part of our tight-knit circle of friends, who we were on our way to meet. As we walked, I noticed two men in black suits pass by us. They seemed out of place among the crowd but didn't bother us as we continued chatting. Eventually, we reached a café and took a seat near a corner while waiting for our friends to arrive. As we chatted away, I caught sight of a woman wearing a vibrant dress passing by the window. It barely registered as one of our friends entered the café and joined us at our table. "Welcome back to the land of the living, Daisuke," I joked playfully. "How's your research going?" Daisuke sighed deeply before replying: "It's been taking its toll on me; thanks for inviting me out for this break." He called over a waitress and ordered himself a burger before asking about how high school life was treating us. Daisuke's introduction into our group had been quite complicated; all that mattered was that he had graduated from Tokyo University and looked slightly older due to his intense studies and research work there. "Where's Asuka?" Daisuke queried curiously. "I received a text from her," Kumiko answered. Pausing briefly before continuing: "She should be here soon." Kumiko observed intently as Asuka burst through the café door moments later, breathless from an extended tennis match that caused delays due to blocked streets on her way there. She quickly grabbed an available seat at our table and joined in on the conversation. Confused, I asked: "Blocked streets? We didn't encounter any obstacles on our way here." Kumiko nodded in agreement, dropping her tennis bag and propping it up against the table. "I did notice some men in black suits while I was making my way here," Daisuke chimed in, confirming Kumiko's observation. As we peered through the transparent café window, we noticed a pair of suits walking by. However, we dismissed it as many people dressed like that could be seen around this busy area due to office workers finishing their day. Asuka attended a different school but was in the same grade as Kumiko and me. Her school was located on the opposite side of our city and had a tennis rivalry with ours. We first met her during our primary school days at a playground, and since then, she had become one of our closest friends alongside Daisuke. Unfazed by these strange occurrences, we shifted the topic of conversation. After several minutes passed, Kumiko suddenly pointed out something odd happening outside on the streets. We all turned to look and saw that other customers and employees were also drawn to whatever was unfolding before us—an alarming sight of hundreds of people screaming and fleeing from an unknown threat. Then darkness enveloped everything.

Muffled screams filled my ears as I gradually regained consciousness. My body felt heavy as I attempted to move; my vision remained blurry for a few moments until clarity returned—revealing the night sky above me. Strangely enough, no panic gripped me despite blood staining half my face and torn clothing covering my body. Cautiously shifting debris off myself while fixating on a flickering light amidst the wreckage of what used to be a café terrified me further when I noticed someone standing beneath it—a figure tightly gripping an unsuspecting victim's neck.

The figure spoke with derision towards its captive: "Humans are pitifully weak." It then callously threw the lifeless body aside. In silence, I watched as the figure took a step forward, seizing another individual who was barely breathing. The figure chuckled before uttering: "You survived; how fortunate." With a swift motion, it thrust its arm through the person's chest, holding their heart in its hand.

"But it's so easy to take away something so precious." The arm retracted, and the discarded body fell to the ground as the figure took a bite out of the stolen heart. I observed as its eyes slowly turned blood-red and our gazes locked for what felt like an eternity. Breaking this eerie connection with words, the figure declared: "You're still alive? Stop pretending you're dead, human." As I remained silent and motionless, two more bodies emerged from beneath the rubble. A female voice proclaimed: "And here we thought we could surprise you with your demise." She drew a knife from her holster and continued coldly: "Too bad."

From my dark corner, I watched intently as light flickered beneath that menacing figure. A sudden gust of wind caught my attention for an instant—the light briefly went out before flickering back on again. In that fleeting moment of darkness, all three figures vanished from sight within that demolished café. Remaining still in silence until I detected noise emanating from across the room—Kumiko calling my name faintly—I crawled to my feet using support from a nearby wall. Staggering towards her location while clutching my wounded stomach, I dropped to my knees upon finding her buried under debris. "What happened?" she whispered weakly. We heard distant explosions followed by violent tremors shaking everything around us. Struggling against pain myself while clearing debris off her form with urgency—knowing we needed to escape—I responded urgently: "I don't know what's going on exactly but we have to get out of here." After several minutes of freeing her and helping her stand, I supported her weight on my shoulder as we exited the café.

Emerging onto the streets, it became apparent that not only the café but also the entire surrounding area resembled a war zone. Amidst our progress, another shockwave from above rattled us, yet we pressed forward. Approaching a street corner, our focus shifted to two men in black attire dashing into view. Both abruptly halted mid-street before opening fire in retreat. One fell backward after being struck by some sort of throwing knife hurled at him. Frozen in place, we observed a woman dressed in red appear from around the corner. She produced another throwing knife and flung it towards the second gunman firing shots at her—hitting him square in the chest—but he remained standing. Pulling out and brandishing his own knife, he lunged toward her as she neared.

However, she sidestepped his attack effortlessly—swiftly gripping his wrist with one hand while slashing his arm with the other—then kicked him backward successfully. Mockingly taunting her fallen opponent: "Is that all you've got?" Her attention shifted to face us as she dropped his severed arm to speak further: "You're here to hinder us at every turn." Suddenly, an intense gust violently blew against us—a figure materializing a few feet away from where she stood moments ago.

The figure hurled its weapon toward her; though she evaded it once again when it boomeranged back towards her direction. Seizing hold of both weapons while sliding on knees forward rapidly—it cleanly sliced across her waistline. While this blow did inflict injury upon the red-clad woman's body, she swiftly retaliated by snatching hold of this figure's ankle and pulling them closer instead. We watched with bated breath as a sharp blade appeared within her grasp; however, their clash was fierce—neither gaining an immediate advantage. The figure unleashed a whirlwind of strikes with its weapon, creating a violent storm of wind. Ultimately, the red-clad woman released her hold on the weapons amidst the tempest that tore at her dress. The figure vanished from sight behind her and reappeared in an instant—thrusting its weapon forward and piercing through her body.

A brief moment of calm ensued before an even more violent gust ripped through the red-clad woman. As this maelstrom subsided, she remained standing despite appearing battered by this assault of wind. Standing there silently but with a hint of laughter in her voice: "You've grown stronger indeed, but that won't kill me yet." Her blood-red gaze locked onto mine as smoke enveloped her form; miraculously, I witnessed the devastating wound healing before my eyes. "I still have use for him." In one swift motion, she leaped towards us. Reacting instantly, I shielded Kumiko with my body and prepared to defend ourselves. But then everything turned into a blur as another figure materialized before me—the last thing I saw before my eyes closed.

My eyes flew open as I jolted upright in bed. Frantically checking myself for any injuries but finding none, I felt relief wash over me while my heart raced and breaths came in heavy gasps. Taking stock of my surroundings and realizing that I was safely back in my room at home—sunlight streaming through the window and birds chirping outside—I whispered to myself: "It was just a dream."

[x0401x]

this is going to keep me up at night so I have to ask, at the end of Euphonium, where was Asuka? The other club presidents were there but I find it hard to believe the girl who gives Kumiko the title of the anime not to see their competition. Was it rushed in some way or simply she just wasn't there?

Really? An Eupho ask right in front of my New KyoAni Series Announcement TM? The one I can’t freaking see yet because I’m still in Brazil and Twitter is still banned?

I love you, Anon.

Okay, I’ll start by saying this: I think the pacing of the whole season was messy, not just the finale. But damn, the last episode was by far the worst offender in that aspect. I’m pretty sure KyoAni would’ve wanted to include Asuka but couldn’t fit her in because there just wasn’t enough time. That’s not too much of a problem to me, but it’s one of the telltale signs that this season was in the hands of episode directors who are really bad with pacing.

I think the real problem here is that they concentrated too much on making the face-off between Kumiko and Mayu into the peak of this season. This gave very little space to everything that came afterward, which was what’s supposed to make the whole deception feel worthwhile. In the end, it was like all the emotion I had felt in the previous episode had gone to waste, because the last one didn’t really follow along. It was underwhelming as hell.

I think Asuka’s presence would’ve enhanced this episode by a million but it would still have all of these problems. But I’m not blaming KyoAni for that one. The pacing issue isn’t news, yet it’s probably worse now, since the studio has lost many experienced and visionary animators in the arson and definitely hasn’t had the time to make up for that, if there even is any way to make up for it, I mean.

I’ve come to terms with the fact that the arson has affected KyoAni’s production values permanently and that we’ll keep seeing the effects of it. That is, unless someone who is very well-acquainted with the true essence of the studio takes over. I’m placing bets on Takase and Fujita for that, but the male directors are always protecting each other over there, so as always, I don’t have high expectations.

[ceosato]

Im trash

[skylineofspace]

Tagged by @docholligay , so here’s my response to the questions:

Three Ships: I’m not really a big shipping person in general; most of the time I’m happy to go along with whatever’s presented by the work and not pursue it much further. Occasionally though, there will be something that really catches my eye. Here are 3 ships that I have actively sought out fanworks of: Kumiko x Asuka (Hibike Euphonium), Velvet x Magilou (Tales of Berseria), Cloud x Aerith x Tifa poly trio (Final Fantasy 7).  

Last Song: Kakusei covered by Hoshimachi Suisei (original song by Superfly)

Last Movie: The last real movie I watched was Kajillionaire (Directed by Miranda July), excellent film about a family of con artists and how messed up your relationship with your parents can be. (The honest answer to this is the newest Code Geass movie, but that’s much more like the latest episode of a show than it is a standalone movie.)

Currently Watching: Not much, really. Haven’t watched any western TV shows for quite some time. Of the seasonal anime I’m following, The Aquatrope on White Sand (PA Works) looks most promising. Summary: Fuka leaves Tokyo after failing to make it as an idol singer, and on a whim books a ticket to rural Okinawa instead of going back home. There she meets Kukuru, a young girl desperately trying to keep her local aquarium afloat in the face of it’s poor financial situation, and decides to work to support Kukuru at keeping her dream alive. It looks good so far, though I have absolutely zero trust in any anime to end well right now, thanks to the Wonder Egg fiasco (I am still mad at that show). 

Currently Reading: Current book I am reading is A Memory Called Empire, by Arkady Martine. A Sci-Fi book examining the effects of cultural imperialism - what it looks like when a nation becomes so omnipresent that they affect all of your country’s decisions and values out of economic necessity. Pulls a really neat narrative move in the first couple chapters that really helped get me invested in the main character.

Additional Shout-out to Look Back, a recent one-shot manga by Tatsuki Fujimoto. A really moving read about art (manga specifically but it applies well to writing or other creative endeavors too); why we make it and what it can mean to people. It is free to read on Viz’s website, and I highly recommend it if you have the time (it is 145 comic pages).

Currently Craving: Ummmm, a thematically satisfying conclusion to an ongoing piece of visual media that showed promise in its early episodes? (I thought about Wonder Egg Priority earlier and am still mad)

Not tagging anyone, but if someone does see this and wants to do it, feel free!

[theokamiproject]

[REVIEW: SPOILERS] The Music of Hibike! Euphonium is Unforgettable.

“Hibike! Euphonium. I’ll never forget how warm it sounds.”

— Kumiko Oumae

If I was to sum up my experience with Hibike! Euphonium in just one phrase, this would be it. The final quote from our “protagonist” of this story, if that’s what you want to call her.

I wouldn’t though.

I love you too, Kumiko.

Kumiko Oumae wasn’t the protagonist of this story. Reina Kousaka, Asuka Tanaka, Mizore Yoroizuka. None of these characters were the protagonist of Hibike! Euphonium, but instead protagonists of their own story within the compilation that is Hibike! Euphonium.

I’ll get into my review soon, but before I comment on anything else, I want to make this clear. I cried watching this series. It wasn’t during Yoroizuka’s story that had felt like a punch to my gut. It wasn’t during the competition finale where our favorite team earned bronze. It wasn’t when Reina realized that her love was lost… for now. No, I cried at the same place where KyoAni made me cry before. The same place where I cried during the beautiful ending of K-On!. The Graduation Ceremony.

High School anime is a popular genre, and we all know it, but nothing is worse than when a high school anime is so good that you care about every character so deeply, that you end up balling your eyes out just knowing they’re leaving. As someone who graduated this previous Spring, and watched as the underclassmen waved us off, I feel like it hurt just a little more this time. Enough about me being a crybaby over fictional goodbyes though (or lack of goodbyes), I’ll get into my final thoughts.

From the beginning, I loved the story and idea of Hibike! Euphonium. It was a simple one just following a concert band in their goal to win the national championship, topped nicely with drama, worldbuilding, and characters that made me want to love each and every one of them dearly. Just this second season, especially after the first 3 episodes which were a bit slow, was some of the best anime I have watched. I love idol anime, as you can easily figure out just by looking over my list, and I have a passion for music like I think we all do. Music is something that can move the world, and connect with someone no matter where they are, proven solely by the fact that all across the world, we listen to these songs that traverse barriers and ignore warfare, from Korean Music being celebrated in the US to J-Pop making its way around the globe because of this medium that we adore so much. Though, no music traverses the globe as well as an orchestra. No music can move people the way simple instruments can. That’s why Hibike managed to melt its way into my heart so easily, and why the music in this series is what really tops it all off.

From the animation to characters to story, this show was another masterpiece from Kyoto Animation. It was beautiful and smooth, every character felt important and led a role that no one else could fill, with Kumiko acting as our way into this world, Asuka keeping us more attached to an empty character than seemingly possible, and Reina showing us that love doesn’t just mean romance, and that sometimes the strongest love we can show is through the things, not the people, that we love. Through all of this though, the sound is what brought this series to greatness. From the roles each VA played, perfectly capturing us in scenes when they demanded the attention, from the melancholy tracks that played throughout the underlying sadness that continued to be built off of in this high school series, all the way to the music that we listened to the band play, the music that carried the characters into our hearts, the music that made our emotions sway like a pendulum, the music that connected the world to this simple series, and most importantly, the music that even the cast held close to their hearts.

Hibike! Euphonium.

Score: 95/100

[arbitrarygreay]

Our Promise: A Brand New Day

So I finally got to watch Brand New Day (and rewatch Liz) courtesy of Tubi. THERE ARE MAJOR SPOILERS IN THIS POST. Overall, a good continuation of the series themes (the tension between artistic passion and social mores), and quite interesting to see how the band's traumatic history continues to have reverberations in the present, even as fewer people have actually met the ruinous seniors in question. There were some parts of the Mirei storyline that didn't breathe, and they seemed to have cut an entire storyline around Motomu, so those parts could have fared better in a show format, but a show format would also lose the intense focus exercise of Liz and the Blue Bird, as well as, UGH, stretching out the Shuichi storyline over time. Which, by the way, was an extremely muddled effort. At least they did demonstrate that these two do have fun with each other, but Kumiko, girl, you are not into it. There's zero reason to make excuses about waiting, or the appropriate time to kiss. You are just not into it. And in the breakup scene, did she imply that he should wait until after competition season of the third year!? lol. And since competition season got cut short, shouldn't that open up space now, or is she going to pull college exams as an excuse, because SHE IS NOT ACTUALLY INTO IT? If she was, she wouldn't have compartmentalised Reina and Shuichi into "music" and "not-music." He's a section-or-grade leader! We literally see a case where Shuichi stopping to be a good trombone senpai gets in the way of Shuichi and Kumiko interacting, so it's established that Kumiko is incapable of connecting with him in a music context the way she does with Reina, and it's her choice to do so. Shuichi is ready and able. Honestly, there's not even a "bisexual Kumiko" reading here. The execution comes across that she's simply not into him as a romantic prospect, and I went into the film willing to grudgingly support the het if they made a case for it. Like, if this is REMOTELY what Japan's het teenage dating looks like, no wonder their birth rate is in the toilet lol. Kumiko and Reina wear matching bikinis at the pool lol. H!E franchise ranking: Liz >>>>> S1 >= Asuka arc > Brand New Day > S2 NozoMizo arc One of the things that really stood out to me was how the different aesthetic styles impacted the effectiveness of the dub in BND vs. Liz. BND not only follows more anime conventions, but it forces most of the layered subtext of the characters to be carried by the voice acting, layers that it doesn't seem that the dub director seems to have picked up on. First of all, Erica Mendez is NOT a good match for Kumiko, at all. Erica's good with bombastic extroverts like LWA's Akko. Kumiko needs to be someone who flies under the radar most of the time. Laura is too flat and muted as Reina. Doesn't capture her casual haughtiness, the ambition. (To be fair, Christina Vee and and Courtney Shaw weren't able to make Kumiko and Reina pop in their brief moments in Liz, to where I didn't even realize they were different VAs.) The clearest indictment of the dub director is Christine Marie Cabanos's Kanade, who does well with Kanade's big dramatic moments of upset, but fails to convey her manipulative layer in the first half of the film. Everyone else is pretty good! Sarah Anne Williams and Megan Harvey are still excellent standouts as Natsuki and Yuuko. No wonder they were weren't recasted from Liz. Reba Buhr captures Asuka's charisma in her seconds of screentime. Kayli Mills rescues Midori from the moeblob pile into actual humanity! In contrast, though, Liz is such a focused tonal exercise that many of its elements make it easier for the dub actors to find the layers. Every line has more time to breathe, but the script style is also more naturalistic dialogue to begin with, since they're chasing an atmosphere instead of narrative beats. In addition, all of the layers are there in the visuals, so the VAs aren't so dependent on the dub director pointing out the nuances they should capture. Finally, the arteeeestic cinematography of Liz means that much of the dialogue is not beholden to lipflaps, lol.

[mistyheartrbs]

finale oath Thoughts

an anon asked me what i thought about finale oath, so here are my recollections from when i saw it in the theatre back in july, and also my thoughts now that i’ve had several months to think back on it:

-it was better than i thought it would be but still not, like, great. it’s easily the weakest entry in the hibike franchise, due largely to its format - s2 felt cramped because it was two books crammed into one season, this was two books crammed into one movie. characters appear and disappear once their mini-arc is finished, and tonal shifts are sudden and bizarre between these character arcs (one of them is about a girl who wants to make friends but has trouble reaching out. another is about a girl who can’t play in the band anymore because she has early onset jaw arthritis). the entire film is more or less moving from point a to point b without giving the characters much time to breathe, and kumiko’s involvement with all of these individual character arcs starts to feel kinda forced and artificial; she intervenes because she’s the protagonist, not because she as a person would have much motivation to do so - it makes me wonder if the final movement project (fingers crossed for s3) will feature a steven universe-esque arc of kumiko actually realizing how much getting involved all of these people’s lives has weighed her down.

-i know you’re waiting for my reaction to the shuumiko content. my reaction is that i didn’t hate it quite as much as i thought i would because it, to me, actually solidified that kumiko is undoubtably a lesbian. they could hardly have made a more convincing story about comphet if they’d tried (which maybe they did! i don’t know). we hardly ever see kumiko and shuichi actually “dating.” the dreaded moment from the trailers is at the very beginning of the movie and is the only time kumiko gets kind of flustered around shuichi, which is easy to construe as her just being caught off-guard. they never actually do anything that comes close to the casual couple-ness of, say, gotou and riko - hell, they sit on opposite ends of an empty train at one point, a stark contrast to how close kumiko and reina sit. reina compares kumiko and shuichi to herself and taki-sensei. the one scene that really made my skin crawl was kumiko and shuichi at the festival, but even that felt very...artificial, like kumiko was pretending. and then when shuichi drops her off at her apartment and tries to kiss her she HITS HIM WITH AN UMBRELLA I’M NOT MAKING THIS UP and then GOES UP MT. DAIKICHI TO MEET WITH REINA who says “i didn’t think you’d come” (“i thought you were with him, i thought you weren’t like me after all”) and then they talk about the future and reina says she’s worried that she and kumiko will drift apart like liz and the blue bird. shuichi texts kumiko that he’s sorry while she’s on the mountain and then we don’t see him again until she dumps him. while i still wish that it hadn’t happened at all and i could just continue to headcanon kumiko as a lesbian who’s fairly confident in her identity and is just closeted, this is probably the best thing that could’ve happened given the circumstances.

-also reina hits shuichi with a soap bottle

-i didn’t really feel one way or another about kanade - she was just kinda there, not nearly as interesting as the older characters imo, but i am glad natsuki finally sorta got a character arc.

-i’m glad motomu and midori didn’t become a couple or anything and instead midori took one look at this grumpy lad who is taller than her and went “that’s my son now”

-after the sheer perfection that was liz and the blue bird it was admittedly hard to go back to the old hibike artstyle and the slight, uncomfortable undercurrent of sexualization - did we really need a scene at the pool? did the sunfes uniforms really need to look like that? since my second-favorite anime of all time is literally kill la kill it’s not like i’m unexperienced with acknowledging the problematic elements of the things i like but it was still disappointing.

-and that tied into the differences from the novels too. it was something i noticed comparing the novel (and manga) versions of yuuko and mizore’s scene in 2x04 with what we got in the anime - in the novels, yuuko is much angrier and natsuki actually has to physically hold her back from punching mizore in the face, while in the anime she just kinda...squishes her face, and it’s a weirdly comical and “cutesy” moment in what’s supposed to be a serious scene. they do the same thing in this movie; towards the end natsuki just kinda weakly grabs kanade’s hand when she’s mad at her, while in the novel she kabedons her. coupled with the fact that they were still comfortable showing asuka’s mother (unequivocally a character we rooted against, and an older woman to boot) slapping asuka, it gives off the sense that “good” female characters (read: protags) aren’t allowed to be violent, are only allowed to be multifaceted in a marketable way, and furthermore are really only allowed to be a narrow sort of feminine, when you think about the way they changed natsuki’s design from her novel descriptions and the manga and how they changed the concert uniforms from suits to just the winter uniform.

-they got rid of kumiko’s narration throughout the movie which was kind of a bummer

-animation was still beautiful though - highlights include daikichi 3 (obviously), kumiko and kanade in the rain, and the final performance

-yuuko isn’t given much to do in this movie, but (no spoilers) she and natsuki have one of the most impactful shots of the whole thing

-and i liked how some of the characters had subtle design changes - you can tell they’re getting a little older

-“you two seem close” -mirei suzuki, visibly butch, talking to kumiko and reina

-yuuko’s crush on kaori is still very much intact

-the ending theme still slaps

-overall it was...solid, i guess? it didn’t, like, ruin the hibike franchise for me but it didn’t inspire me in the same way the series or even liz managed to do. but kumirei is still the number one ship in my heart

[kitsukyouno]

So, watch the movie of Hibike Euphonium and ignoring all the music stuff, the intent of romance betwen Kumiko and Shoes were weak, basically Shoes confess to her, for her first reation she wasn´t into and this relationship stay in some stand by, maybe it was a dating but is very barely show even with a weak intent of Kumiko been jealous, the festival also proof how poor chemistry both had that end badly and Kumiko went to talk with Reina as usual, and finally she rejecting Shoes that just proof they don´t work together comparing Kumiko relationship with Reina and other girls like the kohai and Asuka

Still La Pucelle will mercer and unmercifully tail all the woman specially this teacher

[animebw]

The climax of episode 10 has been a long time in the making. All Kumiko’s growth over the course of the last two seasons, all the cracks in Asuka’s facade we’ve seen grow the course during the second season, all the hard-earned sweat and effort put into making these characters let their guard down around each other so they can finally talk with no inhibitions or deflections, it all comes to a head here. In a lot of ways, this is the real climax of Hibike season 2, possibly of the entire show up until this point. It has so much fucking riding on it, so it needs to absolutely knock it out of the park. So how do you deliver on such colossal buildup?

Well, you have Kumiko and Asuka methodically strip each other’s defenses away in one last confrontation until they’re left with no more lies to tell each other. Asuka dismantles Kumiko’s pleas for her to rejoin one by one, pointing out how childish and self-centered she’s really being. They have no way of knowing if everyone in the band really wants Asuka back or if they’re just saying that to be nice. And Kumiko has constantly distanced herself from band drama since the very first episode, watching on the sidelines as everyone else has run around and collided with each other. Even as she’s started making strides to shake her apathy off and confront her desires head-on, to truly commit to something for the first time in a long time, that fear has lingered within her and kept her at arm’s length, from Reina, from Nozomi and Mizore, from Yuko, from Natsuki, and, of course, from Asuka. Even in this conversation, she’s dancing around the heart of the matter by telling Asuka “everyone wants you back” without knowing that for sure, spouting a nice-sounding platitude to try and ease the situation over without subjecting herself to the emotional turmoil of seriously engaging with the human connection before her. Just like she did with Haruka back in season 1 when Aoi left the band. If she wants Asuka back, she can’t stop holding back. She needs to let fucking loose.

And that’s exactly what she does.

I know I’ve praised Tomoyo Kurosawa to hell and back for her performance as Kumiko. But all the compliments I’ve already given her are nothing compared to how utterly she fucking nails this rant. It’s one of the most human, honest emotional breakdowns I’ve ever seen in anime, an explosion of tears and anger and desperation and sincerity that cuts through all the bullshit and apprehension and lay down the honest truth: Kumiko wants to play with Asuka because that’s what she wants, and it’s what Asuka wants, and fuck everyone else, be they bandmate or parent, who tells them they don’t get to decide how to live their lives. Yes, it’s childish and selfish, but so what? They’re high school students, they shouldn’t have to be carrying the weight of adult responsibility on their shoulders yet. They should do the things they want to do and follow the paths that make them happy as long as they possibly can. Otherwise, they’ll just end up like Mamiko, full of regrets and only starting to figure their lives out after their freest days have passed them by. They’re not special, they’re not above everyone else, they’re just kids who want to play some fucking music. So get over your bullshit, Asuka, and play because it’s what you want to do.

Just... goddamn. What more can I say? It’s perfect. It’s utterly fucking perfect. It’s the perfect resolution to the masterpiece that was episode 9, the perfect end to this arc, the perfect capstone on a series-long arc that finally sees Kumiko as someone capable of fighting for the things she cares about no matter what obstacles lie in her way. And Asuka hiding her face from Kumiko because she doesn’t want her to see how grateful she is for being called out on her bullshit is the perfect coda to it all. Take another bow, Hibike Euphonium. Take all the bows in the world.

[liz-and-the-blue-bird]

Kurt’s Hibike Rewatch Notes (1/?)

Well, I haven’t talked about anime seriously in a while on tumblr for a while now, but since tumblr still seems to be standing (a surprise for everyone involved, even tumblr), and I’m rewatching hibike to recap before watching the sequel movie on thursday, let’s talk. 

If you wanna follow along with me, i’ll put timestamps to all the stuff i’m talking about, and you can watch Hibike Eupho right on Crunchyroll! #NotAnAd #UnlessCrunchyrollWantsToSponsorMe #ThatWouldBeGreatBTW

Hibike has always had a special place in my heart, because, well, I played euphonium. And also it’s Kyoani. I love Kyoani, they also have a special place in my heart. I mean, do you see my URL right now? 

I just watched season 1, episode 1 and 2 again. I’m going to basically just hit highlight reel of scenes that really stuck out to me as super amazing now that I’ve watched the entire show and now that I’m watching it as someone who’s way older. 

So let’s start with episode 1. 

Right off the rip, I appreciate that the show doesn’t drop me with a bunch of exposition (man, maybe that means i’ve been watching too many isekai). We get a super dramatic scene of Kumiko and Reina’s middle school band winning dud gold. 

(Briefly, I want to emphasize here the inclusion of Kumiko’s nameless friend. You know, this one: 

Her reaction is important, it tells to the audience how a “normal” person would react to getting Dud Gold.)

They get dud gold. The show doesn’t explain what dud gold means, though, I suppose you could look it up. If you have ever been in a high school band, the concept should be pretty straightforward (for public school bands/orchestras/choirs here in Texas, it’d be like getting a 1 in Regional UIL, but not advancing to the state level). But it’s important to assume that the audience hasn’t been to band ever, so what gives? Well the show actually does explain it, it just does it way later: 

13 mins in. So the audience isn’t left to hang, but they don’t get “talked-down-to” by the show, which is a really common sin by anime. I mean, fair enough, a lot of anime have ridiculous plot lines: 

But it’s nice when a show doesn’t do it. 

Next, the scene introducing the Kitaju high school band. It’s at about 3:00. If you have a good ear or have any experience with music, you can probably hear how bad the band sounds. They’re not on beat, they’re out of tune, and then for emphasis there’s a woodwind that squeaks at 3:16—the cardinal sin of woodwind players. But again, the show needs to target the layman, so we get our first taste of “kumiko noises” to convey to the audience that, well, they suck. This is again emphasized later in the episode: 

And also, comedically in the scenes like this: 

Asuka: “Get her a form right now!” 

We’re doing our best here to avoid leaving behind the layperson, but without insulting the layperson’s intelligence by outright telling them “hey they suck.” 

Finally, I never realized how much interaction we get with Kumiko and a million minor characters in just this first episode. All the interactions are all about Kumiko joining bad too. Obviously we get Reina’s entry, with the slow-mo Kumiko noise, but she also gets asked to join by Midori Sapphire-chan multiple times, we get a Shuichi scene, and a nice flashback with her older sister. It’s cute, and really drives home that this is a show that is about Kumiko, but not by how she leads other people with her ideology. Instead, it is the other way around. This episode is a microcosm the entire series thus far: it’s a show about Kumiko’s story, but that story is about how other people push her to do things. A leaf in the wind. 

But with all that said and done, we do get to move to episode 2, which had 3 scenes that really struck me as brilliant. 

Let’s start with the president and the vice president. The scene is about 15:55 in episode 2, when the president replies to the new Sensei. The important part is 16:34 though, where the president hesitates and Asuka takes over. This is when we really start to see that Asuka is the more charismatic character, especially given her scenes earlier this episode. She knows what to do, she cares a bunch about the band, she’s fun to be with, but how come she’s not president huh? This is super important for the later arcs in season 2, and it’s amazing that they’re including this kind of characterization now, in episode 2 of season 1 of a show they don’t even know will get a season 2! 

This scene also does one other thing that may not be obvious, and that is it removes all guilt from Taki-sensei. Later on, you get a lot of characters kind of hating on Taki because of how hard he is on the band to improve and be ready for nationals. But it’s important because of a different later arc (Spoilers!) that he is absolved of all guilt, and this show does that by introducing the aim for nationals as the kid’s choice. Taki really emphasizes that too: 

(another super minor thing, there’s a scene transition at 18:45 that’s friggin brilliant, where they do a match cut, but don’t stop midori’s line until Kumiko screams in the new scene, so you don’t actually get time to dwell on the line that midori drops. This works much better in japanese where you can’t just read the subtitle, but hey.) 

Now then, the other two scenes I want to really talk about are about the character we get introduced to in this episode: 

The first is in an earlier scene, right after the instrument choosing scene. It starts at about 13:28, with Kumiko and Aoi walking home from school. What really struck me is two lines actually, right here. 

Kumiko: 

Aoi: 

Then, we get a Kumiko noise: 

And we’re back on the wide shot: 

This line does a few things. First of all, it’s a really great pun after following the entire Kazuki joke just a few minutes ago, you know, this part: 

But, by using this pun, it can also deliver to the audience Aoi’s entire arc. She doesn’t really see the tenor sax, and, by extension, the band, as something she’s willing to work with for the rest of her life. This storyline is something we’re going to keep coming back to with hibike eupho, even taking center stage in the spin off movie, Liz and the Blue Bird (big recs for that show, obviously). It’s a brilliant wordplay and a great use of a joke as an important plot point. 

But this last scene is what actually made me want to write this entire essay. And this scene is the 2nd-to-last scene in this episode, where Aoi and Kumiko talk about the vote. Time stamp is 18:47ish, right when Kumiko yells in the distance. 

This is another bit of symbolism I loved. The important part is at 19:07, where Kumiko pulls a leaf (with peas in it?) out of the ground and uses it to buzz: 

19:31 she takes out the peas: 

and 19:35, she buzzes: 

(gorgeous shot btw, I love KyoAni.) 

Aoi: 

Kumiko: 

Bam. Right there. That’s where the magic happens. In this moment, we, the audience, now associate the leaf with the wind ensemble. 

What’s so special about this? Well, nothing yet. Aoi then grabs a leaf too:

Aoi and Kumiko then talk about the voting process some more, why they voted like they did, etc. for around, a minute or two, though, from the scene montage, it’s clear it’s a bit longer than that. We even get a nice shot of them buzzing together: 

Now here’s the 2nd part to the magic trick, how the conversation ends. 20:54 time stamp btw. 

Alright sounds good, she’s still holding the leaf btw, which might be a super minor thing to a lot of people (it was to me), until... 

Preparing to toss and... 

There’s a freaking close up. 

Why is there a close up? We could have animated this on twos just like the rest of this chibi scene, saved on some budget, could have sent the animators home early for this one. 

But the director called for a close up, because the leaf symbolizes the wind ensemble, and we need Aoi to really emphasize throwing it away due to her priorities (which she just talked about in the scene with Kumiko). 

Now that’s showing, not telling. .

Bottom line, watch Hibike Eupho. I’ll catch you guys next time. 

[izdatazn]

S.U.I.T.S - Outbreak

TERRAN 2 - BLOCKADE

"Daisuke, what is this?" I asked, seething with anger. "You cannot assign my team to babysit a group of young children! Asuka and Kumiko should not be responsible for them either!"

At the moment, my group is currently in warp space, making our way towards our designated destination. Asuka and Kumiko have joined us in holographic form. They are not the only participants in this private meeting; Aikawa, Miyoung, Isabel, Viktor, and I are also present.

"What do you mean?" Daisuke questioned, nonchalantly.

"Most of these kids are 18 years old, with one being a 16-year-old girl," I explained. “How did she clear the vetting process and the exams at the young age of 14! They are not mentally, physically, or emotionally prepared for this!"

"What about you?" Daisuke retorted.

I gestured towards myself and confidently declared, "I am an immortal, enhanced superhuman who has been revived using SUITS technology." Then, I directed my hand towards Aikawa and explained, "He, too, is an immortal, enhanced superhuman resurrected using SUITS technology." Finally, I pointed towards the door and remarked, "On the other hand, they are ordinary humans, fated to perish far from their home!" My frustration continued to boil. "I am currently leading a group of experienced SUITS veterans, hoping they will successfully return to Earth. However, I harbor doubts about our survival chances on this mission. Do you really think I can effectively lead another group of ill-prepared teenagers?”

"Don't forget, Kobayashi, that you have a squad of special forces with you," Daisuke reminded.

"That still doesn't help the situation!" I yelled, frustration pouring out. "Please, Daisuke."

"This decision is not mine, Kobayashi," Daisuke replied calmly. "You know that." I remained silent as he continued, "Zion Aurelien made the decision for all three of you to experience responsibility."

"They are going to die, Daisuke," I responded.

Daisuke proceeded to explain, "Zion has provided you and Asuka with 500 million soldiers each, divided into five fleets. Among these troops, half consist of SUITS and the other half are young adults aged 16 to 30."

"They are going to die," I uttered solemnly.

"Daisuke stated, 'It is a sacrifice that Zion is willing to make. They are committed to protecting their homeworld. We must also be prepared to make the necessary sacrifices, even if they tarnish the image the population has of us as heroes. Having lived for a considerable amount of time, I have come to understand this. You will eventually learn this too, Kobayashi.' There was a prolonged silence in the room. Daisuke continued, 'You should examine their statistics. They have been carefully selected as the best of the best by Zion. You should arrange a meeting with them, Kobayashi. This meeting is now adjourned.'"

I exited the meeting room alongside my colleagues and hastily made my way to the living area. As I surveyed the space, I noticed some individuals casually chatting and enjoying themselves, creating a loud atmosphere. Upon spotting me, a few of my comrades became aware of my presence and gradually ceased their conversations. A silence ensued shortly after. Despite my efforts to maintain a composed demeanor, it appeared that my calm expression did not entirely fool the others.

Finally, I shattered the silence and addressed the group, saying, "May I ask the chosen few to step forward and assemble in the center right away?"

In mere seconds, the eight individuals hurriedly surged forward and formed a line in the middle of the room. It was evident from the young kids' faces that they had bright and innocent expressions as they saluted me. The four selected special forces personnel standing behind them also saluted, their faces portraying a sense of tranquility and seriousness, which indicated that they had experienced numerous battles on their own.

I addressed the room, "Let's all introduce ourselves with clear voices, starting from the young female who is 16 years old." The room was filled with murmurs and chatter from my comrades.

She spoke next, saying, "My name is Dren Shehu and I am from Albania. I am 16 years old and have been chosen as the squad leader because I am among the best of the best. I am in the assault class."

The next person introduced themselves, saying, "My name is Aleksander Dordevic and I am from Serbia. I am 19 years old and have been selected as the second squad leader. I am in the support class."

The third person then spoke, stating, "I am Lawan Na from Laos. I am 18 years old and have been chosen as the third member. I hold the role of medic class."

Finally, the last person introduced themselves, saying, "My name is Marko Navolsky and I come from Ukraine. I am 21 years old and have been picked as the last member. I am in the heavy class.”

The first veteran spoke, "I am Filip Bosok from Poland. I served in the Polish Special Forces, GROM, for 25 years. I am 40 years old."

The second veteran spoke, "My name is Mia Bailey from the United States. I served in the U.S Army for 4 years, Rangers for 6 years, and Green Berets for 2 years. I am 32 years old."

The third veteran spoke, "I am Anya Morozov from Russia. I served in the Russian army for six years and the Spetsnaz for seven years. I am 35 years old."

The last veteran spoke, "I am Archie Harris from the United Kingdom. I served in the British Armed Forces for five years, and the SAS for 7 years. I am 33 years old.”

I nodded in satisfaction and said, "It's wonderful to hear the young kids and veteran elites expressing their opinions clearly and loudly." However, I continued, "Unfortunately, this won't be enough to assist us on the battlefield. The veteran elites understand this, but the young kids may not. I appreciate your passion, but we mustn't overlook the fact that we are in a unique situation, where half of our fleet consists of inexperienced individuals who are not immortal like the rest of us. We are up against a distinct enemy across the Milky Way Galaxy, and they perceive us as being at the very bottom of the food chain. Thanks to SUITS technology, the veterans have successfully acquired their second-generation augmentation, even amid controversy surrounding the initial generation. As for the young, ambitious individuals present here, they will soon be equipped with Blackstone-Seunghoon's groundbreaking hybrid Immortal armor, which represents the first of its kind. Mr. Noah Tinkerer, would you kindly elaborate on this matter?”

Noah confidently stepped forward and provided an explanation, stating, "The Nebula Program represents the Establishment's determined endeavor to create advanced augmented super soldiers through the utilization of SUITS biochemical technology. Initially, the Nebula Program sought to employ young adults aged between 20 and 30. However, both the Establishments and SUITS soon acknowledged that augmenting young adults led to an astonishing failure rate of 100 percent. Regrettably, their bodies were simply unable to withstand the extreme torment caused by the constant production of new variants using SUITS biochemical technology. Consequently, the Establishment decided that veteran soldiers from special forces should undergo surgical, genetic, and cybernetic enhancements to achieve the next level of human progress. Here with us today, we have examples of these enhanced soldiers, namely Filip, Mia, Anya, and Archie. The success rate has improved to 50 percent as the Establishment has now progressed to the third generation of the Nebula Program. However, it is important to note that while they have advanced to the next stage of human development, they are by no means superior to the individuals standing right here in this room.”

Noah continued, stating, "The second generation hybrid Immortal Armored Suit is a collaborative effort between Blackstone-Seunghoon, aimed at meeting the needs of the fleet's young soldiers. This armor is able to adapt to various environments, has its own basic energy shield, and can withstand different kinetic and energy-based weapons. It also includes a motion tracker to monitor both enemy and friendly movements, as well as a pressure seal that keeps the suit airtight when submerged underwater or in space. Although it may not match the capabilities of The Nebula Program and SUITS' biochemical technology, the Immortal Armor Program effectively accomplishes the most essential tasks. Currently, Blackstone, Seunghoon, and SUITs are working on creating a third generation Immortal Armor that combines the Nebula Program. o deter our enemies and prevent the risk of our extinction, humanity must commence its next stage of evolution.” Noah stepped back, signaling his end of his speech.

“With that out of the way, while you are protective with the Immortal Suit, please be cautious in the battlefield and surroundings. It won’t protect you forever.” I continued. “Admiral Alexander, good day to you sir.” A massive holographic figure of the Admiral appeared.

"This is Admiral Alexander of The Cardinal Fleet speaking to you from The Thesus, The Establishment's flagship carrier," announced Alexander. Alexander the Great of Macedon was revived by SUITS after his death in June 356 BC. His memory was erased, and he was put into stasis, only to be recently awakened from it. He serves as one of the seven Admirals of The Establishment’s defense fleet. He was chosen on this mission. 

"I am here to assist you and our allies, Mr. Kobayashi and the team," Alexander continued. "It is January 18th, 2082, in the Earth Time Zone, three days after our departure. We will arrive at our destination, Bisonet, in less than a couple of hours. General Viphons has been blockading colony planets for centuries in an attempt to weaken the Krilleal's influential territories. The Krilleal's have remained passive until recently, when they started reclaiming their colony worlds and their influence. General Viphon has established a specific blockade chokehold on this colony world, although the reason for it remains unknown. We will assist the Krilleal's and Bog Bolesjed's fleet in dismantling General Viphons' blockade on their colony world.”

Bisonet, a planet in the Niturdan System, is situated in Quadrant 1, to the North West of the Milky Way Galaxy. The Niturdan System consists of three other planets. Bisonet is 3.5 times larger than Earth and has a similar atmospheric temperature. It is positioned within the Goldilocks zone, albeit at a slight distance from its sun. The planet boasts rich flora and fauna, with three large continents comprising 30% of its landmass. Due to being a relatively new colony world, the ocean floor has not yet been fully explored, as Krilleal's exploration efforts were obstructed by a blockade long ago.

Krilleal's homeworld, located in the Pyroum Sector near the Niturdan System, is called Gallifrey that orbits just outside the goldilocks zone and home to 14 other planets. Within the Vraan species, Krilleal's is the dominant subspecies and has governed Bisonet for countless eras under the matriarchal rule of the Krilleal.

I prepared myself in the Thesus hanger bay, alongside several other crew members. Admiral Alexander had commanded all of us from our starship to gear up and position ourselves inside the single or multi-functional drop pods. Seunghoon, from the Atlas Program, had provided me with a body armor and helmet, even though it was outdated compared to newer programs. However, it had served me well on my previous mission, and my squad agreed.

In the vicinity, I observed Filip in his bulky Nebular Combat Suit, receiving assistance from the engineers. Judging by its appearance, it seemed to be heavier than what I had seen in the schematics. I then turned to witness Dren struggling with the pressure as she equipped her Immortal Combat Suit. It looks much smaller compared to Filip’s suit. I approached her and offered my help.

"Take a deep breath and calm down," I advised. "You're nervous, Dren. You're not prepared for this."

"I am indeed ready and capable," she responded. "I don't need your opinion on this matter.”

Admiral Alexander's voice echoed abruptly, "We will exit warp space in three... two... one." The transition was flawlessly smooth; I couldn't detect any turbulence upon entering the system. After a brief pause, distant explosions reverberated through the walls. "Get into your pods. Kobayashi and his team will lead the first strike operation, aiding the Krilleal's and the locals on the surface. Our objective is to establish a long-lasting presence on the planet near Bisonet's capital planet, Pernrith, while we push against our adversaries. We will break through the blockade."

The remaining vacant seats were filled by others, while some occupants chose the larger multiple occupant pods that accommodated a whole squad. I joined my team at the back of the room as they settled into their respective seats. To my left, Viktor and Miyoung occupied their pods, leaving an empty one next to Isabel. I climbed into my pod and adjusted my position. As the doors sealed shut, I fastened my helmet securely. Through the transparent window of my pod, I had a clear view of Viktor and Miyoung in their pods. I tapped on my communication device.

"Make sure to stay safe, guys." They responded to me with the same sentiment.

I could feel my heartbeat quicken as The Thesus's hull shook vigorously, causing silence to fill my pod. I attempted to calm myself for the remaining minutes ahead. A red light illuminated the dark room and blared, indicating the departure of the drop pods from the left side of the ship. The pods gradually moved closer, with Viktor being the next to leave, followed by Miyoung. Finally, it was my turn as my pod was launched into space.

What I witnessed through the transparent window was something unlike anything I had ever seen before. In the forefront, a space battle unfolded as variant fleets clashed in combat in low orbit. Overhead, the Thesus faced direct hits from enemy fleets, retaliating with its own firepower. A honeycomb-shaped starship unleashed a concentrated yellow beam of light, piercing and tearing an enemy ship in half. Hundreds of smaller honeycomb starfighters zoomed past my view, engaging with other small starfighters. It was an overwhelming spectacle, to say the least.

As we reached the atmospheric level, the space battle showed no signs of stopping, and the ground battle below seemed to be escalating as we descended further. My pod started shaking violently as flak cannons targeted us. Suddenly, an enemy starship appeared above the city and directed its aim towards us. In an instant, everything turned white as my pod took a direct hit.

I woke up feeling completely awake and took deep breaths for a few seconds. I quickly assessed myself and the surrounding area, realizing that I was on a grassy hill with a view of a busy city. This was the same dream I had encountered multiple times before. In this dream, I observed an energy tether lifting an elevator to a space station located above the clouds. I was unable to move from my position; I could only observe what was happening. 

Suddenly, a solitary helicopter flew past me, followed by a formation of VTOLs. Shortly after, two soldiers sprinted by, accompanied by a squadron of tanks. Afterward, two SUITS hovercraft passed me, followed by more and more hovercraft and aircraft advancing towards the city. As I observed, a colossal creature slowly descended from the clouds while hundreds of meteorites fell onto the bustling city. The creature then revealed its numerous tentacles, destroying the cityscape. It reached for another elevator being raised to the space station, demolishing the energy tether along with it. 

Upon witnessing this ongoing situation, the space station descended above the city, engulfed in flames but still intact. As the space station collided with the city, it exploded, releasing a violent mushroom cloud as the thick smog spread outward, destroying everything in its path. I watched as the thick smog lifted up a hovercraft and hurled it towards me. I reacted by trying to avoid it, but in this dream, I was static. I did everything I could to jump out of the way, but my legs were held down by the hundreds of dead bodies crawling out from underneath me.

Their faces were distinct. It was Asuka, Kumiko, Daisuke, Miyoung, Viktor, Isabel, and many others, their bloodied faces staring into my eyes as they desperately held me down. They kept crawling onto my body as I tried to push them away.

"You've failed, Kobayashi," Asuka groaned, reaching for my shoulder. "Why did you let this happen, Issei?"

I observed the hovercraft descending towards me while they repeatedly uttered the same words, with an increasing number of lifeless bodies piling on top of each other. Tears streamed down my face as I tightly closed my eyes, bracing for impact. The hovercraft collided directly with me. Following that, there came a whisper from Asuka, “You have failed us, Issei.” After a brief silence, I heard my name being echoed multiple times by various voices. “Kobayashi!"

I was rudely awakened from my dream as Isabel vigorously shook me. Startled, I quickly assessed my surroundings. I found myself in the midst of a battlefield, with both enemies and allies surrounding me. Isabel stood by my side, while nearby, Miyoung and Viktor stood firm in a defensive formation. Supported by Aikawa, Anya, Lawan, Aleksander, and Archie, they returned fire at the enemies.

"Are you okay, Kobayashi?" Isabel asked, continuing to shake my shoulder.

"I'm fine!" I replied. As I composed myself, Viktor manipulated the ground beneath us to provide more cover for defense. Chaos filled the air as allies engaged enemies in close combat, a burning enemy spacecraft loomed above us, and countless star fighters zoomed past us. "What's the situation? How long have I’ve been out?”

“"Five minutes," Isabel responded confidently. "We are currently transitioning the battlefield in our favor." As an explosion resonated, clearly hitting our defenses, she continued, "Our initial objective has been accomplished - we have regained air superiority while we await the arrival of our hovercrafts. Our current focus is to eliminate the ground leader located two clicks from our position, which poses a considerable challenge due to their overwhelming numbers and armored vehicles. Although a few of our comrades have been injured during the assault, fortunately, we have not suffered any fatalities thus far.”

"I'm ready," I said, tapping my comms. "Squad leaders, what's your status?"

"Sizwe Zivai squad 2 is active and ready for duty," Sizwe responded. “We are a a couple of clicks away from you.

"Good morning, Kobayashi," Ingrid replied. "Squad 3 is prepared to move. We are under heavy fire a half a click away from you.”

"I hope you had a good rest," Younghee chimed in. "Squad 4 is on the move! We are pinned down by enemy fire a full click away from you.”

"Dren's Serpent Squadron is ready," Aleksander announced.

"Filip's Blitz Crew is in formation," Filip confirmed.

“Good,” I said, unstrapping my assault rifle. “Let’s begin.”

I led my squad in scaling the defense, charging forward alongside half of the crews from Serpent and Blitz. As we made progress, we quickly took down enemy forces until we reached Ingrid's squad just a few feet ahead. With their assistance, we efficiently eliminated any obstacles in our path. Along the way, I noticed someone seeking shelter behind a pile of lifeless bodies. It was Dren, clutching her thigh as her other leg had been completely torn off and was hanging by a thin layer of skin. Mia and Filip were supporting her, defending against overwhelming enemies. While my comrades continued forward, I changed my course towards Dren's position. Sizwe was also nearby, so he proceeded with his squad.

Despite wearing a helmet, I could sense the panic emanating from her due to the chaotic surroundings. Thankfully, her wound was properly sealed before she lost consciousness from blood loss. However, I doubted that her limb could be reattached to her thigh. Carefully, I removed her helmet and did the same with mine.

"Dren, look at me," I said calmly. "You are going to be fine, Dren." I gently grasped her face and compelled her to meet my gaze. "Isabel will take care of you. You will be alright," I reassured her. "Repeat after me, Dren, to let me know you understand your situation."

She responded, albeit slowly and in a slurred manner. "I will be fine.”

"That's a good girl," I whispered softly. "You will be patched up immediately." I put my helmet back on and signaled for Isabel to come closer and lend assistance to Dren. "Mia, Filip, stick with me."

I climbed over the heap of lifeless bodies and fought back against the enemy as we made our way towards Ingrid's group and their defensive formation. Even though we encountered increasingly challenging opponents, we persisted. I made the decision to abandon my assault gun and draw my sword, and my comrades followed suit with their own specialized weapons as we engaged the enemy in close-range combat. We joined Ingrid's squad and continued to advance towards Younghee's location.

With skilled precision, I gracefully sliced through a horde of attackers converging on me from all directions, with Viktor and Miyoung providing invaluable backup. Together, we flawlessly executed a series of coordinated group assaults, effectively neutralizing adversaries who were both heavier and more numerous than us. Our rigorous training had prepared us for this very moment. However, our momentum came to an abrupt halt when an enemy vehicle, stationed at a distance, unleashed a barrage of fire upon us. As we fended off enemies on the ground, they inadvertently became casualties in the crossfire from the vehicular assault.

Viktor, Kiri, Miles, and Xiuying used their abilities to raise the ground beneath us, securing a solid defense against the fortified enemy gun placements while more enemy vehicles drove around us, suddenly surrounding us. We found ourselves momentarily trapped until I noticed a dozen assault vehicle carriers descending upon our position at a low altitude. We held our ground as the vehicle carriers dropped our hovercraft around our outer defense before swiftly soaring back into the sky. The hovercraft immediately maneuvered around our outer defense, effectively dealing with the persistently annoying enemy vehicles.

"The Super Heavy Assault Carrier Hovercraft, The Bertha III, reports for duty," the Bertha announced, as it crashed into multiple enemy vehicles.

"The Super Heavy Assault Carrier Hovercraft, The Impundulu, reports for duty," Sizwe responded.

"The Medium Support Hovercraft, Yi Sao, reports for duty," Xiuying added.

"The Light Assault Hovercraft, Kapre, reports for duty," Buwan spoke.

"The Light Assault Hovercraft, Dvarapala, reports for duty," Davuth announced.

"The Super Heavy Assault Carrier Hovercraft, The Baba Yaga, inquires, 'reporting for duty?'" Ingrid asked.

"The Heavy Support Hovercraft, Garuda, is online," Onon stated.

"The Light Assault Hovercraft, Batara Kala, is present," Intan added.

"The Medium Assault Hovercraft, The Don, reports for duty," Miles declared.

"The Super Heavy Assault Carrier Hovercraft, Haechi, reports for duty," Younghee voiced.

"The Medium Support Hovercraft, The Joan, is active and ready," Jade replied.

"The Medium Assault Hovercraft, Taniwha, is here," Kiri stated.

"The Light Assault Hovercraft, Menehune, reports for duty," Talei announced.

Every vehicle halted completely, strengthening the outer defense. We boarded our assigned hovercraft. The four-member Blitz Crew and the remaining Serpent Squadron quickly entered the vacant vehicles in The Bertha III's hangar bay. Each hovercraft surged forward towards the enemy camp, with Blitz and Serpent launching themselves out of the bay, closely trailing us. The remainder of the hovercrafts formed a close formation as we proceeded deeper into enemy territory, where we encountered even more robust and intimidating armored vehicles. Nevertheless, they posed no challenge to us as we effortlessly plowed through them.

The enemy's defense guns initiated fire on our position as soon as we entered their range. Our hovercraft sustained direct hits, but our shield held and our formation remained unscathed. Despite the overwhelming attacks from every direction, we pressed on tirelessly until we reached our intended destination. Breaking through the walls, we plunged their front yard into disarray. Swiftly disembarking from our hovercrafts, we promptly neutralized the enemy defenses, swiftly diminishing their forces until only a few remained standing.

The leader and his remaining guards remained motionless deeper within their defense. I had Intan, Miles, and Xiuying accompanying me as we continued to advance into the enemy base, while Miyoung and Onon provided support from a distance. The guards fought alongside my temporary squad as I confronted the leader. They effortlessly dealt with them, leaving me to engage in a one-on-one battle with the leader. Swiftly, I incapacitated the leader before they could react.

"What are you waiting for?" the leader asked. "Aren't you going to kill me?"

With my sword pointed near their neck, I responded, "You possess intelligence regarding the whereabouts of our enemies. My intention is to extract information from you prior to your demise." Xiuying, Intan, and Miles swiftly grabbed their disrupter weapons, immobilizing the leader with an electric net.

I removed my helmet and accessed my communication device. "The leader has been apprehended. Our mission has been accomplished. We have successfully secured our Forward Operating Base and safeguarded the capital city, Penrith.”

I strolled amidst the aftermath of the battlefield, carefully observing my surroundings. My eyes took in the grim sight of lifeless bodies, scattered star fighters, war machines, and a multitude of scattered debris. Surprisingly, the atmosphere had become somewhat tranquil in comparison to the chaotic scene I had witnessed only moments before. Above me, transport ships gracefully descended onto the planet's surface, depositing much-needed equipments and resources for both our team and the local inhabitants.

"What is the current status?" I inquired.

Admiral Alexander spoke, "Both our fleet and Krilleal's fleet have incurred minor damage. We have successfully dismantled their blockade."

I stood before the rows of deceased bodies, shrouded in white sheets. "What is the status?" I asked.

Isabel responded, "A few hundred SUITS and humans have been killed in action, with several hundred more sustaining injuries. We are still calculating the exact number of casualties, but our losses are relatively low."

"Minor casualties?" I questioned, puzzled, while scratching my head and releasing a sigh. "During simulations, it was predicted that we would have lost hundreds of thousands of humans and SUITs in this assault." I let out another sigh. "We have surpassed the expectations set by the simulation."

I knelt down next to a lifeless human soldier, who lay beneath a white sheet, their blood-stained dog tag placed on the top. I extended my hand and firmly grabbed hold of it. The dog tag unveiled its inscription: "Yamamoto Arata, 18 years old, deceased." I descended into silence again and gently murmured, "There was nothing I could have done to save them all."

I stood up and made my way towards the medic tent where the injured units were being treated. The sound of muffled screams could be heard from various rooms where operations were taking place. When I arrived at my destination, I noticed Aleksander and Marko standing next to Dren's bed, where she lay. Despite being fully awake, she covered her face with her hand and quietly sobbed out of frustration. Her remaining thigh had been patched up thoroughly. I gently placed my hand on her shoulder as she continued to cry. "Don't worry, Dren, everything will be alright."

"I'm sorry about everything, Mr. Kobayashi," Dren muffled. "I was overwhelmed on the battlefield and inadvertently killed my own teammates." She cried. "I'm sorry, Mr. Kobayashi."

"Dren, we learn from our mistakes," I spoke solemnly. "I have made many mistakes in the past and worked on improving myself. From what I've heard, you did an outstanding job guiding the group in defending yourselves against overwhelming odds. Lift your head up with pride, Dren. You have done well." Dren wiped her tears and nodded in agreement.

Afterwards, I turned around and exited the medical tent. Aikawa stood there, his arms crossed, as I walked past him with him trailing behind me.

"I don't need to say it," I stated bluntly.

"You already said it, Issei," Aikawa replied. "It's written all over your face. Why don't you just say it?"

So, I said it. "Dren wasn't ready to be the team leader. Bringing a sixteen-year-old into the unknown space instead of staying home and gossiping about life was a mistake. It will give her nightmares," I explained, looking at him as I lifted the flap of another tent. "You know I'm right," I added, feeling frustrated.

"I didn't disagree with you, Issei," Aikawa reassured.

Together, Aikawa and I entered a tent where the others were already waiting around a table. I asked, "So, what's our next mission?"

[khaleesirin]

First Love Euphonium

Pairing: Kumiko Oumae and Reina Kousaka

Anime: Hibike! Euphonium

Summary: If I have been given the right to write a retelling of First Love Trumpet (which I think is a beautiful episode),while taking some liberty here and there. A more (or very) introspective Kumiko.

For love and for euphonium.  

One-Shot:

------****------

They're at it again. Not talking, wanting to talk but not speaking. She's at it again. Giving a cold shoulder, taking all the strides as if no one is there to join the ride with her, as if no one is there to interest her enough. She's at it again. Believing that she's better off alone.

But that's not it, is it?

Kumiko knew what went wrong. Or she thinks she knew what’s going on. She knew it doesn't have to do with her suddenly not interesting enough in the eyes of Reina. Reina has been thoroughly clear on that, at least. In all honesty, she came to like those conversations, those weird confessions that Reina had been throwing at her, despite herself. She came to like the fact that of all the people Reina could've reached out, it's Kumiko she wants to peel the mask off. Naked, bare, unmasked, with edges outlined by the fingertip of one lady trumpet. The Kumiko Oumae that Reina wanted, the Kumiko Oumae that she herself couldn't yet understand. Did she take those for granted? Or did she underestimate the passion, the intensity of Reina's weird confession of love?

She could've asked Reina, but then again, she's not the one who broke the communication.

Wishy-Washy.

But even if she knew what's going on, she also doesn't think she's wrong. Like before, she told Hazuki and Midori that whatever was going on, she doesn't find any reason to apologize. And like before, she still doesn't feel any relief over that admission. She doesn't like not talking to Reina, but she's afraid to tell her "I'm not leaving you behind." Can she even have the courage to say those words?

Because if she says that, Kumiko would just be telling Reina that she's not really special. Would Reina admit that she's avoiding her because she felt left out? Is Kumiko assuming too much about who Reina is? But more than anything, does she want to hurt Reina that bad?

Right. She just couldn't.

Almost automatically, her eyes followed the movements of Reina in the practice room. The flick of her fingers, the stump of her foot, and that striking confidence when she stood up and walked across the room. All without giving a single glance to Kumiko.

Yup, they're at it again.

Kumiko is angry, she's pouting. Here's a girl she admired the most, who took her breath away, whose taste for adventure made her want to accept death willingly, as if it's a confession of her own love. Her best friend, the person who reminded her why she picked up the euphonium again. Suddenly ignoring her. Strangers. As if there’s nothing between them, with the desire to reach out left heavily on one side.

She's angry because she thinks they're both failing, failing to connect all those times. Misunderstanding each other in the wave of filling the spaces between them.

She's angry because she can see through Reina now. She can see through but still, can't reach out. Is this why Kaori pushed her to talk to Asuka instead? A closeness born out of too much admiration, too much wanting to know, too much wanting to believe; closeness in believing that they're the same, in believing that the other is too different.

As Reina stepped out of the room, Kumiko quivered. She'd seen it. It was not that visible, but it happened. There was a slight tremor, a slight movement of the eye, of those lips. And she knew that the Reina who stepped out, was not building up her walls, she was hiding the broken pieces. And it dawned on her.

"Ahhh, Kumiko, you really are a terrible person," she whispered to herself.

She’s been so fascinated and greatly enamored by Reina that she has been unwittingly feeding her things she shouldn't have. Reina isn't special. Reina is not always mature. Reina has been alone for so long, clinging to a thread of love for Taki-sensei that couldn't make her afloat. And she had been supporting that.

A tap from behind. It was Asuka-senpai.

"Hey Oumae, want to practice together?"

Kumiko knew what that meant, and she only nodded in response.

------****------

"A lovers' quarrel? Eh eh, let me help you with that," Asuka teased Kumiko over their neglected euphoniums.

"Ehhhhhhh? No, no, no, no," she crossed her hands for emphasis, the rapid succession of the "no's" blurring the line between not wanting help and denying that it's a lovers' quarrel, or that they are lovers for that matter. After the satisfied laugh from Asuka and more sighs from Kumiko, they settled into a comfortable silence.

"Asuka-senpai?"

"Hmmm?

"Does it really happen?"

Pause.

"Kumiko, stop stalling. What?"

"You know, when the closest person to you is also the person you misunderstood the most. Uhmmmmm, I dunno, but I feel like it's happening with me. . . and Reina." Two sentences Kumiko outlined in sincere awkwardness. Asuka would have laughed under different circumstances.

Yet there’s only a shuffle, a movement of hand from air to instrument, from amusement to concern.

"Oumae, you really are a wishy-washy person. You should have known the answer by now. Let me correct that. You already know the answer to that. I think you went overboard last time you cried in front of me. . . ” Asuka suddenly broke her gaze on Kumiko, seemingly lost in her own thoughts, like a river in its last journey to the ocean-- a vast strange place, yet home.

"I'm sorry." A weak apology left hanging in the air, completely ignored. Rather, a smile floated from the lips of Asuka towards the school field outside. Below, their bandmates, standing on the open field, waiting for a friend, a lover, a team, while others hold their instruments.Tightly, Asuka’s smile seems to think.

She's happy, Kumiko realized.

“Thank you.”

“Ehh?”

"You know, that's what I need. Someone who wouldn't just tie my shoelaces and walk away. You're a terrible person who speaks her mind. But for me, and maybe for Kousaka as well, a person who can remind us that we're immature, that we are really just children, is a special person."

A shuffle, a movement of hand from instrument to air, from concern to relief.

Stunned, Kumiko looked into the eyes of Asuka, trying to find herself in there.

"Hey, Kumiko, are you falling in love with me?"

"Senpai, it's a confession of love. I have to go. Thanks"

This time, it’s not just a shuffle, but a rapid movement of air from stillness to storm. This time, Asuka stood still, speechless.

Asuka, you really are getting rusty.

------****------

She said it's a confession of love. She said she had to go, for Reina. To reach her. But, now, every inch of her body screams at her to run away. They're here again, at Mt. Daikichi. As it turned out, she really didn’t need to collect some sturdiness of will to finally speak to Reina. The girl already did that for her. Even at this moment, she just had to follow her lead.

Following the flow of water, of current. Always following, but never deciding.

“Reina, are you sure it's ok to go up here? It's already dark.”

“If you don't want to go, you could have said so.”

That hurts. Her voice, so different from the last time they went here. So much indifference from the girl who once decided to climb this mountain on heels, in a dress, for a night Kumiko could only describe as beautiful; an unforgettable memory of looking at a goddess who swept her heart to the sky, as if she's in heaven, as if she is heaven. She only shivered now.

“So cold.”

Reina stopped. And for a moment she just stood there. Kumiko could only see her back since Reina never did turn her head to look at her. Not once. She stopped. They had been too silent, too distracted from not wanting to hurt, from not wanting to get hurt.

And here they are both, suffering the cold.

Finally, Reina spoke. “I know.” She started to walk again.

They didn't exchange any words until they reached the top. Looking at the night lights, Kumiko reminded herself that this is the place they built that bridge, for a truly meaningful relationship. For a truly meaningful intertwining of their songs, from trumpet to euphonium, from solo to duet. Standing here again, Kumiko is afraid that this same night light, the background that outlines every contour of Reina’s body, of Reina's being, would only give light to a grave reality: the drifting away of music that they once shared here.

So when Reina walked to the edge, she could only stay in the middle, looking down at her.

So when Reina screamed out loud, she could only listen in silence, looking out for her.

So when Reina admitted her own weakness, recognizing her own childishness, she could only stare at her.

So when Reina asked her “you knew, didn't you,” she could only say yes.

“Why did you hide it from me?”

“I didn't want to hurt you.” This isn't right. None of what Kumiko is saying, or not doing, is right. She realized that her heart beats differently now, a thumping of chest for finally seeing a naked, bare, unmasked Reina Kousaka. Out of the white dress and heels, but before the burning lights of something ungodly, yet real.

“...even so, I would have wanted to hear it from you.”

Kumiko, you left her. Maybe, after all, Reina doesn’t need  someone interesting, but someone who can give her the reality, an un-pretence, someone who has the naivity to bring Reina back from heaven, to make her stand on her feet; not a goddess, but a flawed and frail human being.It rings cruelly in Kumiko’s mind, I would have wanted to hear it from you. Reina is aware,she acknowledges her own insecurity, and within those words, of a child who never really had the experience of having a real friend. She is aware of her own selfish loneliness.

That's right. Reina is angry at her because she kept a secret from her. With a trust doubted outside the walls of a reality unspoken. In not wanting to hurt, she doubted the trust Reina willingly gave her-- the love to Taki-sensei, the desire to be special.  And her love for the words of a Kumiko who never thinks before she speaks.

Just how far can she say she will not leave her alone, when she felt short in speaking the reality of Reina?

Is this what drove her to say that Taki-sensei’s wife is dead? Not so much as to appease Reina, but to finally erase the goddess in her eyes, to clearly see Reina than is falling, that is hurting. To be responsible for her unmasking. If Reina wants to have the real Kumiko in front of her, she would be willing to hurt her. She would, even her heart doesn't want to.

In a voice that is unusually too somber, too subdued, perhaps because she knew her words do not really communicate comfort, almost a whisper she said, “I am rooting for you.” Holding her hand, gripping it tightly, Kumiko is rooting Reina back, for her.

Reina looked at her, lilac eyes trying to speak the sound of the broken melody inside her heart. Of course. There's no comfort in knowing that the person Taki-sensei loves is dead. Of course. There's no thank you for the words that don’t really communicate support. She doesn't know if this is how people should communicate, but perhaps in that uniqueness, in not always knowing what the right words to say, in stumbling, in that imperfection, that people want to seek each other out.

Right there, as Reina finally met her reality, Kumiko saw her own.

You're a terrible person.

Kumiko had known it then. She knew it before her hand let go of Reina’s. Knew it before her fingers traveled forward to brush Reina’s tears. She painfully, yet decidedly, knew it as her palm rested on Reina's sunken cheek. And when her feet closed the distance between the two of them, she could only say these words.  

“Reina, I’m sorry. But I will hurt you more.”

She's opening herself now, peeling her mask off, as her lips touched Reina's own.

And now, the next piece begins.

[jjr1971]

Finally finished Sound! Euphonium, Seasons 1 & 2.  Let me start by declaring I could be COMPLETELY wrong in my analysis here.  But for me, it was a very beautiful series, and emotionally satisfying. Definitely not "Binge" material but rather something to be sampled a few episodes at a time, over time. Kind of like how I watched all 3 seasons of Aria. oh and ******SPOILERS FOLLOW***** (duh) It was interesting how they built interest/tension in the latter half of the series....Asuka is such a joker, but there's serious intent behind everything she says and does. Like inviting Kumiko over to her home (which she hasn't done for anyone else)...then playfully asking her if she's going to confess her love to her....then later playfully telling Kumiko on the street "I love you, Kumiko"...but always with plausible deniability. If not for her obsession with the music teacher, Reina and Kumiko could definitely be a thing...but that obsession is a thorn in the side of their otherwise beautiful relationship. Not to mention Kumiko starts to neglect Reina because she's so focused on trying to help Asuka stay in the band. I was pleasantly surprised by Kumiko's love confession to Asuka after graduation. Senpai noticed her.  Also, Asuka gifts Kumiko her father’s notebook of Euphonium music...the title of which is where we get the title for the whole franchise. It's a subtle and all subtext, of course...it's not overt but Kumiko always gave me vibes that she was gay. Unlike her straight friends, shows zero interest in boys, etc. Reina is probably bisexual; she is obsessed with the teacher, but her relationship with Kumiko is intense and affectionate also. And Asuka is probably a lesbian too...very pretty, no boyfriend, shows no interest in boys...all subtext but plausible.  In the first season Reina doesn’t have any friends and is very intense and dedicated to her craft as a musician....only very slowly does she learn to open up to Kumiko and befriend her.  They become deeply affectionate towards each other.  Kumiko’s relationship with Asuka is a bit more complicated and to an extent always at a distance due to Asuka being slightly older.  Not an adult, but definitely her senpai.  Kumiko goes the extra mile to help and encourage Asuka for the latter half of Season 2.  Asuka is kind to Kumiko but maintains an ironic distance.  It is Kumiko who forces Asuka to confront the seriousness of her situation and the intensity of Kumiko’s feelings about her, wanting her to play in the band despite Asuka’s mother’s objections, etc. The show is about striving to be the best you can be, of course; in this case an ensemble of youthful musicians...but their relationships with each other are the most interesting aspects of the show. I also like how Kumiko reconciled with her older sister by the end and how she confessed that she had been Kumiko's inspiration from early on, when big sis was a trombone player herself back in High School. Kumiko was given the Euphonium because the her junior band had plenty of trombones already and nobody else wanted the Euphonium. In High School, there are only 3 Euphonium players...and only Asuka and Kumiko were good enough to go to nationals. It was a really sweet scene when, with Asuka graduating, Kumiko is practicing alone and two friends pop in expecting to see Asuka and compliment Kumiko by saying her playing now sounds just like Asuka senpai. I suppose at some point I will go track down the additional movies that continue this story. I did see Liz and the Blue Bird in theaters, and surprisingly, this one was picked up for an English dub...I was only able to see the sub version since the English dub wasn't being screened in my area that I could see. But Liz and the Blue Bird is a side story and doesn't really advance the main plot...it's a shift in focus to 2 side characters Mizore and Nozomi, the oboist and the flautist, respectively. I don't see the rest of the franchise getting dubbed necessarily. It's kind of a niche show. I'm surprised one of its movies got dubbed. I might try to buy Liz and the Blue Bird on Blu-Ray once it gets a physical release, so I can re-watch it with the English dub. Just curious to see the performances. Plus the show would probably be a nightmare from the sound design/music rights angles. Reproducing the music just right for the dub, securing the music rights for all the songs not in public domain, etc. In any case, Sound! Euphonium is a beautiful series that I’m glad to have watched.  After concluding the final episode of Season 2, I then turned to watch a few more episodes of Anonymous Noise, which I will review later, but which is also about teen musicians in school and their screwed up relationships.