A special stage greeting celebrating the release of Saishuu Gakushou Hibike! Euphonium (Final Movement Hibike! Euphonium) Part 2 was held on September 12 at Shinjuku Piccadilly in Tokyo. The post-screening event featured Tomoyo Kurosawa (Kumiko Oumae), Ayaka Asai (Hazuki Katou), Moe Toyoda (Midori Kawashima), Chika Anzai (Reina Kousaka), Haruka Tomatsu (Mayu Kuroe), Haruki Ishitani (Shuuichi Tsukamoto), and director Taichi Ogawa. Ishitani and Toyoda served as MCs for the event.
Tears, Scrunchies, and Golden Trophies
The film is a theatrical completion of Hibike! Euphonium 3, which concluded its TV run in 2024, featuring refined animation and newly added scenes. Part 1 opened on April 24 this year, with Part 2 premiering the previous day on September 11.
Ishitani revealed he had attended a screening the night before, where a friend handed him a golden trophy — which he quietly tucked into his bag and brought to the event. Toyoda, who had seen a preview screening, admitted she forgot her handkerchief and ended up wiping her tears with the large scrunchie on her right wrist. Asai said she was left speechless after the film ended and couldn’t bring herself to stand up for quite some time. Anzai energized the crowd with a call-and-response chant for “Taki-mei.” Tomatsu, who watched Part 2 before bed, joked that her eyes were swollen the next morning, but said she dreamed of the Euphonium members and woke up feeling warm and at peace.
Eleven Years in the Making
The Hibike! Euphonium franchise, produced by Kyoto Animation, first aired as a TV anime in 2015 and has since expanded across multiple TV series, theatrical films, spin-offs, and specials over the course of 11 years. Now, with the Final Movement films, the story reaches its definitive conclusion.
Kurosawa reflected on the experience: “Just like Kumiko, I told myself many times during recording that this was the last time. On that final recording day, something inside me felt complete. It’s a strange and deeply moving feeling to know that everyone here is now sharing that moment together.”
Anzai admitted she hadn’t felt the sense of finality until she stood before an audience that had just finished watching Part 2. She recalled that the last recording session ended without ceremony — no bouquet of flowers, no fanfare, just a quiet goodbye. Kurosawa turned to the audience and said, “Then everyone here is your bouquet,” drawing warm applause from the crowd.
“From Here On, This Is Your Story”
In her closing remarks, Kurosawa addressed the audience through tears:
“I’ve run this far holding onto my manager’s words: ‘Be grateful to everyone, and never forget kindness and respect.’ There were times of anxiety, but so many people supported me along the way. Kumiko’s story — this one drama — has come to a safe and complete end. I have no regrets. From here on, this is your story. Your song is about to begin. With that feeling in my heart, I would like to close the chapter on my Kumiko.”
Director Ogawa, visibly moved, added: “Including pre-production, it’s been 12 years that I’ve devoted to completing this work properly. At our studio, Kyoto Animation, we hold to the idea of ‘creating works that are not consumed and discarded.’ I feel that this time, we’ve proven this is a true work of art, not merely a product. I hope that when you stand at a crossroads in life, you’ll think of Kumiko Oumae and remember her strength.”
Film Details
Staff
- Original Work: Ayano Takeda (novel “Hibike! Euphonium: Kitauji Koukou Suisougakubu, Ketsui no Saishuu Gakushou,” Takarajimasha Bunko)
- Director: Taichi Ogawa
- Chief Director: Tatsuya Ishihara
- Screenplay: Jukki Hanada
- Character Design: Akiko Ikeda, Kazumi Ikeda
- Chief Animation Director: Kazumi Ikeda
- Sound Director: Yota Tsuruoka
- Music: Akito Matsuda
- Music Production: Lantis, Heart Company
- Animation Production: Kyoto Animation
- Production: “Hibike!” Production Committee 2024
- Distribution: Shochiku
Cast
- Kumiko Oumae — Tomoyo Kurosawa
- Hazuki Katou — Ayaka Asai
- Midori Kawashima — Moe Toyoda
- Reina Kousaka — Chika Anzai
- Mayu Kuroe — Haruka Tomatsu
- Shuuichi Tsukamoto — Haruki Ishitani
- Tsubame Kamaya — Ayaka Ohashi
- Kanou Kuishi — Sora Amamiya
- Mirei Suzuki — Ayaka Nanase
- Satsuki Suzuki — Misaki Kuno
- Motomu Tsukinaga — Kamiha Tsuchiya
- Ririka Kenzaki — Shiori Sugiura
- Suzume Kamaya — Shina Natsukawa
- Yayoi Ueishi — Ayane Matsuda
- Kaho Hariya — Momoka Terasawa
- Sari Yoshii — Emiri Suyama
- Noboru Taki — Takahiro Sakurai
- Natsuki Nakagawa — Konomi Fujimura
- Yuuko Yoshikawa — Yuri Yamaoka
- Mizore Yoroizuka — Atsumi Tanezaki
- Nozomi Kasaki — Nao Higashiyama
- Kaori Nakaseko — Minori Kayahara
- Asuka Tanaka — Minako Kotobuki
(แชร์แล้วไปกดรับที่หน้าภารกิจ · วันละ 1 次)
