Sound! Euphonium is a series of novels written by Japanese author Ayano Takeda. The story is set in Uji, Kyoto and focuses on the Kitauji High School Music Club, whose concert band is steadily improving thanks to the newly appointed adviser's strict instruction. A manga adaptation illustrated by Hami was serialized on the Kono Manga ga Sugoi! Web website. Kyoto Animation produced two seasons of an anime television series adaptation in 2015 and 2016. An animated theatrical film titled Liz and the Blue Bird premiered in April 2018, focusing on two characters from Sound! Euphonium. Another film adaptation, Sound! Euphonium: The Movie – Our Promise: A Brand New Day, premiered in Japan in April 2019. A new anime project has been announced focusing on Kumiko in her third year of high school.
Plot
The Kitauji High School Concert Band Club had at one time participated in national tournaments and was a championship-caliber school, but after the club's adviser changed, they had not been able to even participate in the qualifying tournament. However, thanks to the newly appointed adviser's strict instruction, the students are steadily improving and build up their strength. As they fight over who plays solos, some students give priority to studying and quit club activities. Finally, the long wished-for day of the competition arrives, and the club wins the qualifying tournament.
Characters
Main characters
;Kumiko Oumae ;Reina Kousaka ;Asuka Tanaka ;Noboru Taki
Sound! Euphonium is a 319-page novel written by Ayano Takeda, and features cover art drawn by Nikki Asada. Takarajimasha published the novel on December 5, 2013. Two sequel novels were released on March 5 and April 4, 2015. In addition, a short story collection was released on May 25, 2015. In 2016, a spin-off novel was released in two volumes on August 4 and September 6. Another spin-off novel was released on October 6, 2016. A two-part sequel to the novels was released in August and October 2017; the story takes place in Kumiko's second year and Mizore's third year of high school. Another short story collection was released on April 5, 2018. Two follow-up novel volumes focused on Kumiko's third and final year on high school were released in April and May 2019. Yen Press released the first volume of the novel series in English in June 2017.
Manga
A manga adaptation of the first novel illustrated by Hami was serialized on the Kono Manga ga Sugoi! Web website between November 28, 2014 and October 30, 2015. Takarajimasha published three tankōbon volumes between April 3 and November 20, 2015. A manga adaptation of the second novel followed, and the first volume was released on September 8, 2016; the second volume was released on October 11, 2016. A manga adaptation of the third novel followed; the first volume was released July 20, 2017, and the second volume on August 26, 2017.
Anime
Season 1
A 13-episode anime television series adaptation of the first volume of the novel series, directed by Tatsuya Ishihara, written by Jukki Hanada, and produced by Kyoto Animation, aired in Japan between April 8 and July 1, 2015. Naoko Yamada served as series director, effectively co-directing the series with Ishihara. The opening theme is "Dream Solister" by True, and the ending theme is "Tutti!" by Tomoyo Kurosawa, Ayaka Asai, Moe Toyota, and Chika Anzai. The ending theme for episode 8 is a trumpet and euphonium duet version of "Ai o Mitsuketa Basho" and the ending theme for episode 13 is a wind orchestra version of "Dream Solister". The anime is licensed by Ponycan USA in North America, and by Anime Limited in the United Kingdom. The seventh DVD/BD volume, released on December 16, 2015, bundled an original video animation episode titled "Kakedasu Monaka". Kyoto Animation produced an anime film retelling the events of the television series, which premiered on April 23, 2016.
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Season 2
A second season of the television series began airing on October 6, 2016. The opening theme is "Soundscape" by True, and the ending theme is "Vivace!" by Kurosawa, Asai, Toyota, and Anzai. The ending theme for episode 9 is a euphonium solo version of "Sound! Euphonium" and the ending theme for episode 13 is an orchestra version of "Sound! Euphonium". A short anime, titled "Hanabi-taikai Kiss e Yōkoso", was bundled with the second season's first home video release volume, which was released on December 21, 2016. A second anime film retelling the events of the second season was released on September 30, 2017.
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Films
Two new animated films telling the events of Kumiko's second year at Kitauji High were scheduled for release in 2018. The first film, directed by Naoko Yamada and written by Reiko Yoshida, titled Liz and the Blue Bird, focuses on Nozomi and Mizore and premiered on April 21, 2018. Theatrical distributor Eleven Arts released the film in theaters on November 9, 2018 in the United States. Shout! Factory released it on home video on March 5, 2019. The second film, titled Gekijō-ban Hibike! Euphonium: Chikai no Finale and originally scheduled for release in 2018, is directed by Tatsuya Ishihara and focuses on Kumiko as a student in her second year and premiered on April 19, 2019. The film was released in select US theaters on July 11, 2019, and the English dub debuted on July 15, 2019. Eleven Arts released the film under the title of Sound! Euphonium—Our Promise: A Brand New Day. It has a different voice cast compared to Liz and the Blue Bird, though Sarah Anne Williams, Ryan Bartley and Megan Harvey reprised their roles as Natsuki, Satomi and Yuko, respectively. The film was released on a DVD/Blu-Ray set on June 2, 2020 from Shout Factory.
Season 3
A new anime project has been announced. It focuses on Kumiko as a student in her third year.
Music
Wind ensemble music for both seasons were performed by the 2014 Freshman Wind Ensemble of the Senzoku Gakuen College of Music. Original music was composed and some featured pieces was arranged by Akito Matsuda.
Reception
In April 2018, it was reported that the novels had more than 1.4 million copies in print in Japan.
