It's sad watching a series I've cared deeply about finally come to an end, yet joyous at the same time. Many great series fail to stick the landing. While Sound Euphonium may have stumbled a bit here and there, it still made for a satisfying journey, both for Kumiko and me.
For those that don't know, Sound Euphonium is a high school drama anime series produced by Kyoani (Kyoto Animation), revolving around the Kitauji High School Concert Band and its various members. The anime came out in 2015 and, at the time of this review, has recently come to an end after a nine-year run. It has three seasons plus a movie. There's also a spinoff film called Liz and the Blue Bird, and a special OVA called Ensemble Concert. While both these specials are good, and worth viewing they're not required to understand the main story. However, for those interested, you need to watch the movie, Chikai no Finale, after season 2 before proceeding to season 3 or you will miss out and be confused on many things.
Sound Euphonium was a series I've known about since it first released but was one I put off watching for years. Mostly because school life anime wasn't something that appealed much to me at the time, though that has changed in recent years. I wasn't fan of two other prominent school life anime Kyoani had made beforehand. I know I'm in the minority, but I'm one of the few anime fans who doesn't like either Haruhi Suzumiya or K-ON. I didn't like them when they first came out, and I don't care for them now.
However, in 2021 I had come down with Covid, and was in lockdown. For some reason I was in the mood to watch a school life anime, so I chose Sound Euphonium. I had binged the entire series up to that point, and found myself not only enjoying it, but became a fan. Now, I will say it's my second favorite work by Kyoani, just behind Hyouka.
I would say season 2 is the peak of the series. S2 I would say is great if not amazing. However, I like every entry in this franchise. I really enjoyed season 1, Chikai no Finale, Liz and the Blue Bird, and Ensemble Concert. S3 I would say is the weakest part of the franchise. My major issues with the series lie in that season, but I still enjoyed it overall.
Like with every Kyoani work, the art, character designs, and overall animation are spectacular, and it only improves with each season. By the time we get to S3 the animation is almost immaculate. The music is also a plus, as it should be given it's an anime that revolves around music. Everything regarding the presentation of this series is top tier.
This show also has a bit of relatability for me personally, as I was actually in the band as a kid, throughout all of middle school and part of high school. I played the flute, same as the character Nozomi. This is part of the reason she's one of my favorite characters. We played the same instrument.
However, it's not mainly the animation nor the performances that make me a fan of this anime (though they are still big reason), but the characters in it. This show has some really fun and memorable characters: Nozomi, Mizore, Kanade, Hazuki, Sapphire, Asuka, Kaori, Haruka, Natsuki, and so on. Even characters like Yuko or Taki, who I couldn't stand at first, I grew to like more as the series progressed (mainly Yuko).
However, no character can compete with Kumiko for me. I will go as far as to say that Kumiko Omae has become one of my favorite female protagonists in anime for me. Seeing her grow throughout this story is like watching your daughter come into adulthood. She goes from being a mostly passive character to a leader that brings out the best in others and brings everyone together. Her journey is the main reason I kept with this show.
I do have some issues with the series. Most are minor, but there are a couple notable ones. Firstly, the romance subplots with our two leads, Kumiko and Reina, aren't handled that great. I didn't the romantic elements particularly annoying or intrusive, which is more than I can say for a lot of school drama series I've watched. However, it's mostly treated as an afterthought compared to everything else. It feels like it was put in the series because this is a high school drama series, and some romantic tension is expected to be in there. And this show can get a bit melodramatic at points.
Also, there is some yuri baiting in this series, if you didn't already know. Sorry yuri fans out there, but the two lead characters aren't lesbians in a relationship, even if some scenes, taken out of context, make it seem that they are.
However, the big issues for me come in the form of two characters. Most of the characters in this series I like, love, or at least am indifferent to. However, there are two I don't care for. One is the second female lead of the story, Reina. She's a character I never got that into. She has a great design, but her personality was always off-putting for me. Though, I could deal with her in most of the series. But when we get to S3 she gets pretty incorrigible.
The other character I don't particularly like is Mayu, though for very different reasons. She's introduced in S3 as a rival for Kumiko, but she comes off as more of a plot device than an actual character. Just someone meant to stirrup drama.
Despite some grievances, I still deeply appreciate this series. It's not for everybody to be sure. If you're not a fan of school life types shows, this is probably not for you. If you can't stand melodrama in any capacity, this isn't for you either.
However, if you do like high school dramas, music anime, or are just a fan of Kyoani in general this is a show you should definitely watch if you haven't already. I'd give it an 8.5 out of 10, but I'll round it up to a 9 for this review.
For a show I put off for so long, and was unsure about, it has become a favorite of mine. I would say the best way to judge which movies, shows, games, books, or anime are your favorites is how much go back and revisit them. Sound Euphonium is a series I've rewatched many times since I got into it in 2021, and I'll no doubt rewatch it many more times in the future.
