Story:
The story is simplistic, yet holds a lot more than meets the eye. There re so many key aspects to it. From the relationship of Kumiko and Reina, a connection of all the band members as one, The band council, and so much more! And I believe that it unfolds perfectly, even though if I didn't agree much on one decision, but that doesn't break the deal. I also like how realistic band drama is, like how people get jealous, pressure, and the occasional break in the case. The story is well done.
Art:
Hibike! Euphonium has some really great art pieces! The background design is absolutely gorgeous, the animation is great, which compliments the art, and OH MY GOD DO THE INSTRUMENTS LOOK ABSOLUTELY AMAZING. The design and the realistic shine from the brass is very pretty and was one of the key aspects of the show. Even the woodwinds had that occasional shine! The art, truly stands out from many other animes!
Sound:
From this being an anime around music, It still has that slice of life feeling, which in no way is bad. The background score has that simple charm to add into the mood, and is fairly quiet yet simplistic. And you don't necessarily want a loud and obnoxious feeling! However, the concert band songs, ARE GREAT! Especially the two songs they used for the competition, they gave me chills the whole entire time! So the soundtrack, is fairly great!
Character:
The characters of Hibike! are very quirky and lovable. What I thought was really cool about this anime was that the background characters still uphold a lot of detail, yet the main characters stand out by many things by wearing different socks, hair tie, etc. and that is what makes me so happy, because band is for uniting and they do! Kumiko and her shyness to Reina is very cute and makes me giggle at some points but ASUKA IS AMAZING. She is perfect as being the vice president and section leader, yet still makes you laugh and be slightly aroused. She truly is the comedic act of the show and it shines! I love her role as for thee others and can't wait to see more!
Enjoyment:
If you don't like slice of life, you probably won't enjoy it as much as I did, but if you are very musical, you will love it! As for me, I really enjoyed it! This made me so happy about how realistic, and fun it was to watch! I loved everything about this show and I never wanted it to end!
Overall, Hibike! Euphonium reaches a new pinnacle of music oriented anime and has given people like me the outstanding lift of something new and original. I am very looking forward to season two and hope to see more original animes like this come out fondly soon.
