Sound! Euphonium: Secret Stories from the Kitauji High School Concert Band (響け! ユーフォニアム 北宇治高校吹奏楽部のヒミツの話 Hibike! Euphonium : Kitauji Kōkō Suisōgaku-bu no Himitsu no Hanashi) is the fourth novel of the Hibike! Euphonium series. It was released on May 25, 2015.[1]
Description[]
This volume is the collection of 14 short stories. Some take place during or between the event of volume 1,2 and 3 and some take place after the end of volume 3. The stories happen within the timeframe of Kumiko Oumae's first year at Kitauji High School. They explore events from the viewpoints of many different characters.
Chapters[]
1 - An Ordinary Day for the Kitauji High School Concert Band[]
- Synopsis
The story follows Kumiko, Hazuki Katou and Sapphire Kawashima 3 days in since the start of the band club activities. Hazuki has troubles being able to play the tuba, but Kumiko and Midori, soon joined by Asuka Tanaka, try to help her. They also go through spellings of the word euphonium in Japanese and its meaning.[note 1] As they guide Hazuki through the hardships of producing steady and beautiful sounds, Asuka then decide they should play Twinkle Twinkle Little Star together. Playing the piece, Hazuki is completely dazzled by the feeling of playing together with other people. This reminisces Kumiko of her beginnings and the events of the previous year when her middle school band failed to reach Nationals. They then all decide they want to play the song again.
- Comparison to the anime
This story was told partly in Hibike! Euphonium Episode 4 and Hibike! Euphonium Episode 6, the latter containing most of the story, and appropriately named Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Tuba. In the anime, the other senior members of the bass section play a much more important role, especially Takuya Gotou, in helping Hazuki through those hardships. It also takes place later on in the story.
The part about writings and meaning of the euphonium have not been adapted.
2 - Kyouko-san from the Science Preparatory Room[]
Over lunch, Kumiko, Hazuki and Midori talk about the latest rumor of the school. Apparently there is a ghost named "Kyouka-san" in the science preparation room that will yell "YOU'RE NEXT" if you wonder near it. The three of them decide to investigate it that day, thus they stay late for practice. At 8pm the building is empty and dark so they start moving. On the way, Hazuki and Midori decide to stop at a bathroom, leaving Kumiko waiting alone in the corridor. But footsteps appear and Kumiko catches a glimpse of a girl with the school uniform. Kumiko is frightened but the two others do not believe her. They keep on going and eventually reach the infamous room, which is lit.
After a little fright, it appears it was Kyouko Kiyama, but also Kaori Nakaseko and other third years. They are deciding what the SunFes uniforms should be, with the help of the drama club vice president, Kyouko, as the band budget is very limited. However, those girls do not look like the one Kumiko saw in the hallway, prompting Midori to go solve this new mystery.
3 - That Girl is a Prodigy[]
While studying alone in her classroom and watching the band practice outside, Aoi Saitou tells her story. In middle school she was considered a gifted child and everyone told her she would go anywhere. To her surprise, she failed and got into Kitauji like the others which made her fall into a depression. And there she met an actual prodigy that made her rethink everything. Asuka Tanaka appeared to her like a special, different and beautiful person. Asuka then appears in the classroom and asks Aoi about her departure from the band and Haruka Ogasawara's duties as band president. The conversations then moves on to studying, with Asuka pretending she is not as great as Aoi sees her. This whole conversation leaves Aoi feeling useless and a little angry at herself, as she leaves the school.
4 - Life like Shojo Manga[]
5 - The Person I Like’s Person They Like (Part 1)[]
6 - The Person I Like’s Person They Like (Part 2)[]
7 - Cats and Dogs and Mothers[]
8 - Stretching Higher[]
9 - Complex[]
10 - The Day When You’re Not Here[]
11 - Kitauji High School Cultural Festival[]
12 - New Third Year Assembly[]
13 - Brother and Father[]
14 - A Wintery Day[]
Major Events[]
- Yuuko gets elected to be the next band president while Natsuki gets elected to be the next band vice-president.
Notes[]
- ↑ The 3 spellings she encounters are ユーフォニアム, ユーフォニウム and ユーフォニューム
References[]
| Kitauji High School |
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|---|---|
| Rikka High School | |
| Adaptations |
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