Room 3-3 - the classroom Kumiko Oumae, Reina Kousaka, Sapphire Kawashima and Hazuki Katou are take part in. As seniors in Kitauji High, they hold a big responsability in the current year. It's their last year in school, and also their final opportunity in reaching the Nationals. A goal that was postponed for two years, but always improving in every way each year and after every try.
Kumiko, the club president, holds the trust of not only her classmates but also her seniors who already took their separate ways. Not only trust, but the responsability towards the club's stability due to the seriousness adopted by Reina, creating some conflict with the first years. There, the need to conciliate perfection with friendship and union rises. With it, the biggest and most important task, that should not be ignored in the process: keeping the quality and managing the class so that it won't fall apart in the process.
Along with all the turmoil and anxiety, comes the internal struggle. The clash between personal wish and objetive duty. The arrival of Kuroe Mayu, and the consequences of this event to Kumiko. The indecision towards the self and the capacity. Everything developed at a moderate pacing, with a plot that grew little by little, with more focus on the characters and their relationships - the bonds and feelings that come along with it. It's really clear that the direction chosen by Tatsuya Ishihara and the main staff leaned more towards the cast as people, and also in their growth along the path they chose. Even though I still don't agree with some changes in the storyline, I acknowledge the courage it takes to surprise the readers of the original material like it was done. As a consequence that came along, most performances were skipped, a decision that made me confused initially due to how the previous two seasons were plotwise.
Kyoto Animation didn't disappoint with their level of quality. Everything is classy and beautiful as always; the voice acting is at its best. Chika Anzai, Tomoyo Kurosawa and the whole cast surprised me in several moments throughout this season. Musically speaking, ReCoda and Neiro no Kanata (opening and ending respectively) are two great themes; even though the previous season themes were slightly more catchy to me, these both songs grew on me emotionally every week.
All in all, Hibike! Euphonium 3 is a more than welcome and awaited conclusion to one of KyoAni's most memorable works. Honestly and sincerely, even with the change of directions taken later, I am truly glad.
Thank you for reading.
