“I quit the band.”
Impression
It was coming. I can’t say I’m all that surprised – even at the end of last week’s episode, Aoi-chan wished Kumiko luck with the auditions as if she wasn’t involved with them herself. I was actually hoping for the auditions to take place this week, but an Aoi-chan episode was long overdue too – all we got in terms of the auditions was a hint that Reina is seriously working to earn her trumpet solo, to the displeasure of the ribbon loli-senpai. I do hope she gets it, she plays beautifully and I think Kaori-senpai is level-headed enough to recognize that she has skill.
It was really tense when Aoi-chan quit. Taki-sensei is the kind of teacher that will mercilessly hammer down on individuals and make them feel guilty whilst placing expectations onto them in order to make them improve – but with Aoi-chan, it was too much. I’m actually kind of worried about the repercussions this might have on the rest of the band, even though they’re all taking it seriously now – she literally just stood up, announced her dissatisfaction and quit right there. You could tell that every single band member (and probably Taki-sensei as well) anticipated the possibility that she would actually do it, and she did. I can’t blame her for her decision. It’s not like she was willing to commit herself to anything, given her outspoken opposition towards working for Nationals. If anything, Taki-sensei should have had her marked as the first one to have commitment issues – whilst ribbon loli-senpai is most likely to have disloyalty issues. I actually wonder why she has hung on this long. It would have been better to either not join at the start of the year, or just keep going until the end of the competition – or even just fail the audition on purpose. The latter is what I thought she would have done.
Is it out of devotion to the old members who have now left – the ones who wanted to work seriously? I can see her wanting to try her best for their sakes. It does sound like there were some deep divides going on last year, with the people who said they wanted to take things seriously being tuned out by the ones who wanted to mess about. I didn’t think Natsuki-senpai was one of the slackers, by the way! What happened to her being a secret genius who just happened to be sleepy all the time? At any rate, I would have wanted the slackers to be kicked out – they could have amused themselves in other ways, and would not have fully taken advantage of a position in the concert band. Having the serious members leave was not for the best – if the slackers left, they would have lost less than the serious members now have.
In light of it all, Haruka has never been in an envious position. I was all excited and ready for another Hayami Saori rant, but at the same time I do feel for her – it must have involved a lot of pressure to volunteer to pick up the pieces, especially after Asuka had just refused the role. Haruka tells Kumiko that she is only nice and nothing else – I agree that it’s a place-holder adjective to describe someone when they have no other notable traits (and the way she said it was, to borrow a Reina phrase, ‘something Oumae-san would say’), but it’s neither a bad thing nor a lie. It’s a good thing that someone is nice – and is thus fair, and is willing to hear out both sides in a dispute as divisive as the one Natsuki-senpai and the other second-years went through, even if that someone is also a little weak-willed. Imagine if ribbon loli-senpai took charge of the club. Even a year on, she’s feeling vindicative towards a repentant Natsuki and antagonistic to Reina just because she’s good at the trumpet. Haruka is like a godsend compared to her.
As for Asuka, I haven’t quite figured out my position on her yet. But it has definitely changed, both in light of what she said to Haruka and what Shuichi said to Kumiko. Something doesn’t sit quite right with me, and I want to wait for a couple more episodes to work out exactly what that is. It seems like a concurrent drama has arisen though, and sadly it’s not Kumiko x Reina but rather Hazuki and her budding relationship with Shuichi – which is awkwardly one-sided at the moment. Kumiko and Shuichi have never shown interest in each other at all, so she’ll support Hazuki for sure, right?
I just figure it out that the reason why Saito suddenly quits the band is technically because of the college entrance exams, which makes me very sad and to Kumiko. 🙁 Saito can never let that opportunity following her failing at the high school exams before, to which on my point sounds unexpected. And oh dear that Taki-sensei! I just agree that he’s more than a merciless being but rather wants to put everything to the test.
Kousaka is, as usual, still do her usual way, almost ignoring on what her senpais’ orders (but she’s following them), while for Ogasawara yes, she knows that she’s not perfect as the prez of the entire band (and I was expected more Saori Hayami rants from this show) and to the fact that Tanaka should be in that position. However, when Kaori brought some mashed potatoes, the two gals have some serious points about Tanaka being the vice-prez. Yet to say that I agree on Shuichi while talking to Kumiko on the train, she’s just too perfect!
Another one that is the ribbon-loli senpai, come to think on what she took both Kousaka and Natsuki-senpai on her own pace, ugh dammit! Anyways, I can’t blame Saito on her decision to pursue her college plans yet I do hope everything’s gonna be OK still even without her.
Her college entrance exams is just the reason she gave to Taki-sensei on the surface. It’s one of the reasons, but under it all it’s about how the band is no longer as divided as it was last year – Aoi-chan was on the side of the slackers, who did not want to commit themselves to the point of aiming for gold in the Nationals. Now not only Taki-sensei, but the slackers themselves have all gotten serious, and it’s no longer something Aoi-chan wants to be a part of.
The ribbon loli-senpai got on my nerves as well, yeah. I guess she was one of the serious first-years (now second-years) from last year, who managed to stick it out and not quit after they couldn’t take the slackers any more (which, back then included Natsuki-senpai). It’ll be fine without Aoi-chan, given that they have to cut down numbers through the auditions anyway. The bigger issue is if this prompts any greater shift in commitment or raises any more leadership issues than it already has.
I haven’t read neither the manga nor the novel of Hibike yet, but judging from my own observations while enjoying the show that the band is now in unison with the presence of Kumiko and co. Yet I might say it’ll take some time before reaching their dream on going to the Nationals. On the leadership issues, well I ain’t know what’s gonna happened to Ogasawara if she still be the president of the music club though she might be also an awesome leader as what Kumiko said.
Oh, I almost forgot about Kousaka! She’s just popped out of nowhere in the train while Shuichi and Kumiko were talking. O.o