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Sound! Euphonium: Ensemble Contest Arc Review

By DoubleSama | April 11, 2024 | Comments 0 Comment

Sound! Euphonium: Ensemble Contest Arc anime movie cover art — Sound! Euphonium: Ensemble Contest Arc

Transitioning From Second to Third Year

Sound! Euphonium: Ensemble Contest Arc (Hibike! Euphonium: Ensemble Contest-hen / 『響け！ユーフォニアム』アンサンブルコンテスト編) is the fourth Sound! Euphonium movie. But, it’s a bit different from the previous three movies. The first three movies are a trilogy, with the first two being recap and the third being a sequel to Season 2.

So, how is the Ensemble Contest Arc different? Well, for starters, it came out four years after the other movies. It’s also not numbered like the first three; this isn’t “Movie 4.” And, it’s shorter than the first three, only being an hour long.

Alright, but, is the Ensemble Contest Arc worth watching? This is the same question I asked in my review of Movie 3. And, my answer is still the same. Yes, you should (probably) watch the Ensemble Contest arc before watching Season 3. Why? For the same reason as why you should watch Movie 3.

Kumiko hugging Reina from the anime movie Sound! Euphonium: Ensemble Contest Arc — Kumiko hugging Reina

The first two seasons of the series covered Kumiko’s first year at Kitauji High School. Movie 3 covers the majority of her second year. And, the Ensemble Contest Arc covers the end of her second year. That’s important because Season 3 takes place during Kumiko’s third year.

Now, before watching this movie, I thought the Ensemble Contest Arc took place during the third year. Kumiko’s the club president, so she must be a third-year student, right? Not quite. Yes, she’s the president, but the grade above her hasn’t graduated yet. This movie takes place in a transitional period.

The Ensemble Contest Arc takes place at the end of the year as the older students are stepping back from the band. The students in Kumiko’s grade are taking on bigger roles within the band. And, we’re getting to know more of the first — soon-to-be second — year students.

The Ensemble Contest

Okay, but what is the Ensemble Contest, anyway? It’s not the same as the other competitions we’ve seen the band compete in. In the Ensemble Contest, the full band doesn’t play. Instead, groups of 2-8 compete, with only one group from each school allowed.

But, how do you decide who gets to play in the contest? You have another, mini-contest. The band members are going to split themselves up into small groups and perform. Then, there’s going to be a public vote involving both current and outgoing students to determine which group gets to compete.

This system is supposed to be a bit more transparent. However, it has its own set of problems. This didn’t end up happening, but the public vote could have turned into a popularity contest. What did end up happening, though, is that some students were left out.

Sari Takahashi and Juri Sawada fighting over a first-year student from the anime movie Sound! Euphonium: Ensemble Contest Arc — Sari Takahashi and Juri Sawada fighting over a first-year student

Since the students weren’t assigned groups, they had to form their own. And, if a student isn’t particularly close to other students in the band, they’re not going to be a first choice. We saw this happen with quite a few students who ended up forming a hodgepodge group.

What I liked about this movie is that it didn’t have the same drama as the previous two seasons and movie. It had its own drama — like seeing Kumiko struggle with how to get every member of the band involved as the club president.

I was actually far more interested in seeing that side of things than seeing the petty drama. Hopefully, Season 3 continues with more of this kind of content. I know the first episode of Season 3 is already out. But, I haven’t watched it yet because I wanted to wait until after this review.

Prequel to Season 3

Let’s make some predictions about Season 3 based on this movie (and Movie 3). Then, after Season 3 finishes, I’ll revisit my predictions in that review and see how well I did. Or, what’s also possible is that I forget I made these predictions and never bring them up again.

It seems very clear that a few of the first-year students were positioned to be important in their second year. In particular, there are Kanade, Mirei, and Satsuki from Movie 3, who were also in this movie. And, there’s Tsubame Kamaya, the featured first-year student of the Ensemble Contest Arc.

These four are going to be taking the place of the upperclassmen who are now gone. Mirei and Satsuki have a similar relationship to Yuuko and Natsuki. Kanade is like Asuka. And, Tsubame reminds me a lot of Mizore. I see these four characters continuing the roles of their predecessors.

Tsubame Kamaya from the anime movie Sound! Euphonium: Ensemble Contest Arc — Tsubame Kamaya

Characters aside, I’m also expecting the Ensemble Contest to be a sort of B-plot in Season 3. We didn’t actually get to see the competition happen in this movie. The Ensemble Contest Arc was all about forming groups and deciding who was going to compete.

Since the competition didn’t happen in the movie, I’m guessing it’ll happen in Season 3. And, that could be a source of drama in the season. Did splitting into these smaller groups fracture the unity of the band? Will the incoming first-years feel left out because they didn’t get a chance at the Ensemble Contest?

I know the key visuals for Season 3 highlight one first-year girl, in particular. So, I’m interested in seeing where she fits in. How is she going to disrupt things? I’m guessing Kanade, the resident pot-stirrer, is going to cause problems for this new girl.

Final Thoughts

I gave Sound! Euphonium: Ensemble Contest Arc a 6/10. As with the previous movie, It’s pretty good. If you like Sound! Euphonium, you’ll like it. But, it is only an hour long, so there’s not that much time to explore the new drama. And, it also features a literal slide show, which was an interesting choice.

If you enjoyed this review, remember to share it with everyone you know. Also, follow me on your social media of choice so you don’t miss out on any future articles — links are in the footer.

Finally, I’d like to thank Roman and JasonHK for supporting DoubleSama.com at the Heika tier this month. To learn more about the perks of supporting this blog, check out DoubleSama.com/support.

KonoSuba: God’s Blessing on This Wonderful World! 3 Episode 1 Review

By DoubleSama | April 10, 2024 | Comments 0 Comment

Kazuma Becomes a Monk

The gang is back in KonoSuba: God’s Blessing on This Wonderful World! 3 Episode 1. And, it was a good first episode. Even after all this time, KonoSuba is still as funny as it’s always been. But, Kazuma was the one who stole the show in this episode.

I hope you watched the Legend of Crimson movie because this season is a direct sequel to that, not Season 2. In that movie, Kazuma & co. protected the Crimson Demon Village from Sylvia of the Demon Lord’s Eight Generals.

In case you didn’t watch it or forgot, Sylvia is a chimera who has both male and female genitalia. And, that’s the trauma Kazuma was dealing with in this episode. Kazuma thought he was going to get laid by Sylvia only to find out that he was the one who was going to get penetrated.

Kazuma and Megumin sitting by a campfire from the anime series KonoSuba: God's Blessing on This Wonderful World! 3 Episode 1 — Kazuma and Megumin sitting by a campfire

That trauma, combined with his lack of success with other women, led Kazuma to make a radical decision. He’s going to give up adventuring and become a monk. He doesn’t care what denomination he follows as long as it’s not the Axis Sect (Aqua’s church).

As you might expect, this decision doesn’t go down well his his companions. Megumin has a crush on Kazuma, so wants him to stick around. The same is true for Darknes. And, Aqua needs Kazuma to defeat the Demon Lord so she can return to heaven. However, none of them bring up these reasons.

Instead, Megumin and Darkness talk about how much fun it’s been with the four of them together. Meanwhile, in classic Aqua fashion, Aqua ridiculed Kazuma and said he’d come home within a day. As a monk, Kazuma wouldn’t be able to drink, which Aqua knows will be a dealbreaker for him.

Tranquility Girls

In this first episode, we’re introduced to a new type of monster: Tranquility Girls. These are plant-based monsters that take the form of cute girls in need of help. They use their appearance to lure in adventurers before killing them. They then bury the bodies beneath their roots for nutrients.

Kazuma and his companions come across a Tranquility Girl on their way from Axel to the nearby monastery. And, when they do, Aqua, Megumin, and Darkness want to help her. But, Kazuma isn’t falling for the monster’s trick.

He tells the others that she’s a monster and that his enemy detection skill is going crazy. At first, they believe him. However, the Tranquility Girl begins to look at them with pleading eyes and even starts to cry. So, Aqua, Megumin, and Darkness decide that Kazuma’s just being his usual mean self. Surely, he’s wrong about this girl.

A Tranquility Girl monster from the anime series KonoSuba: God's Blessing on This Wonderful World! 3 Episode 1 — A Tranquility Girl monster

At this point, I was really hoping for the Tranquility Girl to reveal her true nature/form. I thought she would transform into some kind of carnivorous plant. Or, that it would be revealed that the girl is nothing more than a lure on the monster’s much larger body.

But, neither of those things happened — at least, not right away. Instead, the Tranquility Girl speaks and says that she hopes she’s reborn as a human after Kazuma kills her. And, that line was enough to thaw even Kazuma’s ice-cold heart. He decides not to kill the monster and the quartet continue on their way to the monastery.

As we saw, though, Kazuma doubles back because he figures he can make a deal with the monster. He’ll bring her food if she promises not to attack any travelers. But, that’s when he finds out about her true personality.

The Gang Heads to the Princess’s Dinner Party

At the end of the episode, we get a glimpse of what the rest of this season is probably going to be about. Kazuma, via Darkness, receives a letter of invitation from the first princess, Iris.

She’s heard about his exploits in defeating some of the Demon Lord’s Eight Generals. And, she wants to hear more of his heroic tales in person. So, she’s invited him to a dinner party, presumably at the castle. Aqua and Megumin also assume they’re invited, though this isn’t stated.

It’s clear from Darkness’s reaction that she and Iris don’t get along. In fact, it might be that Iris invited Kazuma specifically because he’s one of Darkness’s companions. Darkness says that if things go wrong, Kazuma could be beheaded. But, I have a feeling that’s not what she’s actually worried about.

Aqua, Megumin, and Kazuma giving each other thumbs-up from the anime series KonoSuba: God's Blessing on This Wonderful World! 3 Episode 1 — Aqua, Megumin, and Kazuma giving each other thumbs-up

What this could be is a case of Iris trying to steal Kazuma from Darkness. With what little information we have, that’s my prediction. And, I have a feeling that Iris isn’t going to be thrilled with Kazuma bringing three women along with him.

However, more than anything, this sounds like the setup for the gang having to take down another of the Eight Generals. It’s possible that Iris is going to request that Kazuma defeat another one — or the Demon Lord himself. But, I could also see it being that one of the Eight Generals attacks this dinner party.

Regardless of what happens at this dinner party, I think it’ll be what ignites the main plot of this season. Yes, I know there’s not that much plot in KonoSuba. It does still have a plot, though. The plot is the thread that connects all the wild situations the gang finds themselves in.

Final Thoughts

What do you think of KonoSuba 3 Episode 1? Are you disappointed that Kazuma didn’t even make it to the monastery before turning back? How did you think the Tranquility Girl reveal was going to happen? And, what are your predictions for the dinner party with the princess?

If you enjoyed this review, remember to share it with everyone you know. Also, follow me on your social media of choice so you don’t miss out on any future articles — links are in the footer.

One Piece Episode 1100 Review

By DoubleSama | April 8, 2024 | Comments 0 Comment

Luffy vs. Rob Lucci – Round 2

One Piec Episode 1100 is the first amazing episode of the Egghead Arc. It had the same crazy animation we saw a few times in the latter half of Wano — specifically during Luffy’s fights against Kaido. Anytime the animation looks like this, it’s a great episode.

This time around, though, Luffy isn’t fighting an Emperor of the Sea. Luffy is the Emperor of the Sea in this battle. And, the one challenging him is Rob Lucci of CP-0. So, will this fight go the same way as it did back on Water 7? Or, will Rob Lucci take the win?

I think most of us saw this fight as only going one way. Regardless of how much stronger Rob Lucci has gotten since then, he’s up against Luffy. But, I don’t mean that Luffy will win because he’s the protagonist — he’s lost many times before, like against Kaido.

Rob Lucci shirtless from the anime series One Piece Episode 1100 — Rob Lucci shirtless

What makes Luffy such a bad opponent for Rob Lucci is the ceiling of their abilities. Rob Lucci is a normal Zoan-type Devil Fruit user. Luffy is a Mythical Zoan-type Devil Fruit user whose ability works more like a Paramecia. There’s an inherent difference between the two.

Also, let’s not forget how Kaku and Stussy were telling Rob Lucci not to fight Luffy. They knew this wasn’t going to end well. Sure, they were worried about going against orders and starting a war. However, I also think they simply couldn’t see Rob Lucci coming out victorious.

The best-case scenario for Rob Lucci is that the fight is a tie. And, even in that scenario, he still started a fight with one of the Emperors of the Sea. But, what was always more likely was that Luffy dominated Rob Lucci. Only the Admirals are on par with Emperors.

Cat-Cat Fruit, Model: Leopard, Awakened Form

It turns out that Rob Lucci did have an ace up his sleeve. Luffy’s not the only one who’s awakened his Devil Fruit since they last fought. And, we learned quite a lot about Zoan-type Devil Fruit awakenings thanks to Rob Lucci.

Let’s start with the appearance of Rob Lucci’s awakened form. It doesn’t make much sense, to me. Why does his tail have a black flame on it? Why does he have a black flame hagoromo around his shoulders? Luffy’s hagoromo makes sense since Nika is a god. Rob Lucci’s doesn’t.

But, the answer may lie in something Dr. Vegapunk says after seeing Rob Lucci’s awakened form. He’s surprised that Rob Lucci hasn’t gone berserk. Think back to the jailer beasts of Impel Down or Chopper’s Monster Point transformation. Those are also awakened Zoan-type forms, as far as we know.

Rob Lucci's awakened Devil Fruit form from the anime series One Piece Episode 1100 — Rob Lucci’s awakened Devil Fruit form

Sure, Chopper can now control himself, for the most part, while in Monster Point. But, he still hasn’t mastered using it. So, it looks like the difference between Rob Lucci’s awakening and that of other awakened Zoan-type users is his mastery over it. And, that’s something he and Luffy may have in common.

It’s possible that any awakened Zoan-type user who’s mastered their awakening would get a hagoromo like these two have. At this point, we simply don’t have enough information to confirm or deny that. Luffy and Rob Lucci are the only awakened Zoan-type users we know of who look like this.

However, if the hagoromo is the sign that a Zoan-type user has mastered their awakening, what about Kaido? Kaido didn’t have one. And, there was never any mention of Kaido’s Devil Fruit being awakened. But, are we seriously assuming Kaido never awakened his Devil Fruit?

Vegapunk’s Devil Fruit Theory

As cool as the fight between Luffy and Rob Lucci was, I wouldn’t even call that the highlight of the episode. The highlight was Dr. Vegapunk revealing his theory about the origins of Devil Fruit.

Where the Devil Fruit come from and why they exist, in the first place, has been a huge mystery for the entire series. We still don’t have a hard confirmation. But, this is Dr. Vegapunk we’re talking about. If he has a theory, there seems to be a pretty good chance that it’s correct.

So, where does Dr. Vegapunk think Devil Fruit come from? He believes that the desires of humans cause them to pop up into existence. Every Devil Fruit represents something that someone on the planet has desired. For example, Rob Lucci’s Devil Fruit came from the desire to be a leopard.

Dr. Vegapunk revealing his Devil Fruit theory from the anime series One Piece Episode 1100 — Dr. Vegapunk revealing his Devil Fruit theory

That doesn’t mean that the users of each fruit had those desires, though. Rob Lucci himself may never have desired to be a leopard. He just happened to eat the fruit that manifested in response to that desire existing.

This is a very interesting theory for a few reasons.

First, Vegapunk mentions how a Devil Fruit will continue to exist as long as someone desires it. So, if it stops being desirable, it won’t respawn. Does this mean Luffy will be the last Nika-Nika Fruit user? If he frees the entire world, there won’t necessarily be a need for that Devil Fruit to come back.

On the other hand, this also means that new Devil Fruit can pop up at any point. If a new desire arises, it can spawn an entirely new Devil Fruit. Vegapunk says the Gum-Gum Fruit doesn’t exist in the old encyclopedias. But, that doesn’t mean won’t ever exist.

Final Thoughts

What do you think of One Piece Episode 1100? Do you think Rob Lucci actually had a decent matchup against Luffy? How do you feel about the appearance of Rob Lucci’s awakened form? And, do you like Dr. Vegapunk’s theory about where Devil Fruit come from?

If you enjoyed this review, remember to share it with everyone you know. Also, follow me on your social media of choice so you don’t miss out on any future articles — links are in the footer.

Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation Season 2 Part 2 Episode 13 Review

By DoubleSama | April 7, 2024 | Comments 2 comments

Manhood Restored

Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation Season 2 Part 2 Episode 13 is here. And, yes, I’m calling this Episode 13 because it’s the 13th episode of Season 2. This isn’t Season 2 Part 2 Episode 1. So, if you meet anyone confused about that, let them know.

Now, as far as Mushoku Tensei episodes go, this one wasn’t all that good. That’s kind of to be expected as it’s the first episode of this half of the season. It was a bit of a warm-up episode. But, there was still some good content in it.

For example, everyone in Rudy’s class notices that he has a certain glow about him now. Why? Because Sylphie restored his manhood. Rudy’s no longer suffering from ED. And, he’s so happy about this that you’d think he just lost his virginity.

Pursena and Linia talking about Rudy being in heat from the anime series Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation Season 2 Episode 13 — Pursena and Linia talking about Rudy being in heat

This is actually sort of important context for how Rudy was looking at Linia and Pursena in this episode. Like, sure, Rudy’s always a pervert. Him looking at those two like that isn’t something special. However, the context here is that, for the first time since he’s met them, he felt something when looking at them.

I’m not going to go so far as to call that character development. But, we shouldn’t ignore the significance of this for Rudy. For the past few years, he’s felt like a broken man. Now, he’s finally back to his old self. It’s an important step for him.

Will he try anything with Linia and Pursena now that his drive is back? I doubt it. He might grope them. But, I don’t see him trying to go all the way. He seems pretty devoted to Sylphie, for now. That’ll probably change when he reunites with Eris and Roxy.

Three Dweebs Go Ghost Busting

The best content of the episode came in the middle when Rudy, Zanoba, and Cliff explored a haunted mansion. Rudy was looking to buy a house so he could marry Sylphie. And, this was the only large house within his price range.

It’s a little more than haunted, though. Sounds have been reported by previous tenants, so there’s that. But, more worryingly, some of the previous tenants were also killed by something in the house. So, there’s definitely something dangerous lurking within.

Eventually, the trio discovers that an automaton is responsible for both the sounds and the deaths. Zanoba’s able to stop it thanks to his blessing which gives him super strength. And, as a connoisseur of figures and dolls, he immediately recognizes what a big find this is. Living dolls are a game changer if he can figure out how they work.

Rudy, Zanoba, and Cliff exploring a haunted mansion from the anime series Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation Season 2 Episode 13 — Rudy, Zanoba, and Cliff exploring a haunted mansion

Alright, but the living doll isn’t actually why I liked this part of the episode. I liked it because of everything else that had to do with Zanoba. This was the most entertaining I’ve ever seen him. For example, right from the start, he rips the door of the mansion off its hinges to open it.

Did you also notice his weapon? Rudy and Griff have their staves. But, what did Zanoba have? Did he have a staff, too? No. Zanoba was literally carrying a wooden club. That’s amazing. Did he do that before and I didn’t notice?

Finally, there was also the part when Zanoba grabbed Cliff by the face. This part wasn’t so much Zanoba being funny. But, he was the one instigating the comedy. I loved how after Zanoba let go of Cliff, we heard Cliff casting a healing spell on himself off-screen.

A New House and a Proposal

I was thinking that Rudy had already proposed to Sylphie back in Episode 12. But, after looking back at my review, that’s not the case. He vowed that he would marry her and Princess Ariel referred to Sylphie as Sylphiette Greyrat.

There was never a formal proposal, though.

That changed in this episode. Rudy didn’t go the traditional route and get down on one knee to present Sylphie a ring. Instead, he went a bit further by presenting her with an entire house. And, he asked her to marry him while they were sitting on their bed.

When the first half of this season ended, I was wondering how their marriage was going to work. Well, we now have the answer. They weren’t married simply because Ariel declared them to be. There’s actually going to be a wedding.

Sylphie looking at her new house from the anime series Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation Season 2 Episode 13 — Sylphie looking at her new house

But, what does married life look like for these two? They’re still attending the Ranoa University of Magic and Sylphie is still working as Ariel’s guard. Sure, they can live together in the mansion since it’s not far from the university. What comes after they graduate, though?

I can’t be the only one who questioned the location of this house. Are Rudy and Sylphie actually going to live here long-term? At some point, Rudy’s going to have to go back out into the world in search of his family. And, after that, is he going to return here instead of to Fittoa?

To me, it would make way more sense for Rudy and Sylphie to settle down back in Fittoa. That’s where they’re from and ever since the mana calamity, they’ve been searching for survivors. Shouldn’t they want to rebuild their lives there? Or, is it just me who thinks that?

Final Thoughts

What do you think about Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation Season 2 Part 2 Episode 13? Was this episode a good start to the second half of the season? Did you think Rudy had already proposed to Sylphie? And, where do you think they should settle down?

If you enjoyed this review, remember to share it with everyone you know. Also, follow me on your social media of choice so you don’t miss out on any future articles — links are in the footer.

My review of Episode 14 is available now.

Sound! Euphonium: Our Promise: A Brand New Day Review

By DoubleSama | April 6, 2024 | Comments 0 Comment

Sound! Euphonium: Our Promise: A Brand New Day

New Year, New Band Members

Sound! Euphonium: Our Promise: A Brand New Day (Hibike! Euphonium Movie 3: Chikai no Finale / 劇場版響け！ユーフォニアム～誓いのフィナーレ～) is the sequel to Season 2. To some of you, that might not make sense. How is the third movie the sequel to Season 2? What about the other movies? What about Season 3?

Allow me to explain the order of this series. First, there’s Season 1. Second, there’s Season 2. Then, the first two movies are recap movies of Seasons 1 & 2. So, you can skip those. After those comes Movie 3 (this movie), which follows Season 2.

Do we go to Season 3 next? Nope. Following Movie 3, there’s the Ensemble Contest Arc, which is another (shorter) movie. And, finally, after that, we get to Season 3 which begins airing tomorrow. But, can’t you just skip the movies and go right from Season 2 to Season 3 anyway? I wouldn’t recommend it.

Kumiko Oumae and Kanade Hisaishi

You see, this movie covers the entire second year. Seasons 1 & 2 covered Kumiko’s first year at Kitauji High School. The entire second year is condensed down into this one movie, which felt really weird. And then the Ensemble Contest Arc and Season 3 both take place during the third year.

So, why shouldn’t you skip Movie 3? The simple answer is that it introduces quite a few new characters. Now that Kumiko and the gang are second-years, we get new first-year students. Those new students are still going to be around in Season 3 as second-years.

That’s the big chronological reason why you should watch this movie. But, there’s another reason. If you’re planning to watch Season 3, you probably like Sound! Euphonium. So, why would you skip this movie? It gives you more, canon, Sound! Euphonium content.

From “It’s So Over” to “We’re So Back”

I’m sure it comes as no surprise to many of you reading this that I’m on the Kumiko x Reina hype train. Kumiko might not know it, but she’s in love with Reina. And, Reina might not know it, but she’s in love with Kumiko.

Now, Reina has always been very open about how she has a crush on Taki-sensei. But, I don’t see that going anywhere. He’s quite a bit older than her, has already been married before, is her teacher, and has known her since she was a kid.

Considering all of those factors, it’s pretty easy for me to brush Reina’s crush aside. Kumiko is a bit of a different story. There’s always been something between her an Shuuichi. However, it never amounted to much. In most cases, it felt like a one-sided crush on Shuuichi’s part.

Shuuichi Tsukamoto and Kumiko Oumae

This all changes in Movie 3. Much to my horror, Kumiko and Shuiichi actually started dating. I’ll admit that it was cute seeing them going on dates and holding hands. But, the main thing I was thinking was, “It’s so over. The Kumiko x Reina ship has sunk.”

Luckily for all the Kumiko x Reina stans out there, this isn’t where things ended. Kumiko and Shuuichi broke up. We’re so back! The Kumiko x Reina ship was salvaged from the ocean floor, repaired, and set sail once again. At least, for now.

Kumiko and Shuuichi mutually decided that this wasn’t the right time for them to be together. But, they left the door open to rekindle their relationship at a later point. I haven’t seen the Ensemble Contest Arc yet, so I don’t know if it happens in that movie. But, if not, it’ll probably happen in Season 3, unfortunately.

Seasons 1 & 2 Drama, Revisited

Alright, it’s finally time to talk about the main plot of the movie. New students come into the Kitauji High School band and have some concerns. They want to know if who gets to perform in competitions is based on merit or seniority.

By that, I mean they want to know if third-year students get preference or if it’s purely based on skill. And, if that sounds familiar, it’s because it is. We did this whole song and dance already back in Season 1 when Kumiko was a first-year student.

Remember how Reina was chosen over Asuka to perform the solo in the competition? Yeah, the same exact thing is happening again. And, it’s also very similar to what happened in Season 2, which focused on the mess that occurred two years ago. Basically, this movie doesn’t do anything new.

Mirei Suzuki playing the tuba

So, what exactly is the drama? Wasn’t this all solved last year? Yes and no. It was solved as far as the current second and third-year students are concerned. They know that Kitauji’s competition band is merit-based and have come to accept that. The incoming first-year students, however, were not around for that.

Some of the first-year students don’t believe that this is a true meritocracy. Or, if they do, they believe they’ll be punished for outperforming the upperclassmen. For example, the rule might be that a first-year who’s better than a third-year gets the spot. But, will the upperclassmen then shun that first-year student?

We know the answer is no. And the second and third-year students know the answer is no. However, the first-year students still aren’t so sure. They’ve also heard about what happened two years ago. So, it makes sense that they’d be wary. Some students from back then are still around.

Final Thoughts

Sound! Euphonium: Our Promise: A Brand New Day gets a 6/10 from me. It was a fine movie and I enjoyed watching it. But, the big issue was that it reintroduced the same drama that we just saw for two entire seasons. If it did something — anything — different, it would be a better movie.

If you enjoyed this review, remember to share it with everyone you know. Also, follow me on your social media of choice so you don’t miss out on any future articles — links are in the footer.

My review of the Ensemble Contest Arc is available now.

Transitioning From Second to Third Year

The Ensemble Contest

Prequel to Season 3

Final Thoughts

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Kazuma Becomes a Monk

Tranquility Girls

The Gang Heads to the Princess’s Dinner Party

Final Thoughts

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Luffy vs. Rob Lucci – Round 2

Cat-Cat Fruit, Model: Leopard, Awakened Form

Vegapunk’s Devil Fruit Theory

Final Thoughts

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Manhood Restored

Three Dweebs Go Ghost Busting

A New House and a Proposal

Final Thoughts

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New Year, New Band Members

From “It’s So Over” to “We’re So Back”

Seasons 1 & 2 Drama, Revisited

Final Thoughts

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