Sound! Euphonium (2015) s01e06 Episode Script

1
All right.
Go on and show them
what Kitauji's made of.
[ALL]
Yes.
[SPECTATOR 1] Which school
is playing right now?
[SPECTATOR 2]
They're actually not bad.
[SPECTATOR 3]
No way! It's Kitauji?
[SPECTATOR 4] Were they
ever this good before?
♪
[KUMIKO] Even though
SunFest was a success,
the sense of accomplishment
I felt was short-lived
because I had my first
high school midterm exams.
Midterm Exam
10:05 - 10:55 English
[KUMIKO] I scored only
slightly higher than average,
which I guess isn't worth being
particularly happy
or sad about.
[KUMIKO]
After exams,
practice started for
this year's summer competition.
[NOBORU]
Okay, everyone.
I've passed around a schedule
for the next few weeks.
Kyoto Prefectural
Competition Preparations
[KUMIKO]
The summer competition
is to concert band,
as Koshien is to baseball.
Bronze Kitauji Prefectural
High School Concert Band
[KUMIKO]
For a school concert band,
there is no bigger competition.
High School
In our area,
there's a system where
a school is chosen
to represent their prefecture
and then chosen to represent
the Kansai region in Nationals.
[KUMIKO] But for
the past ten straight years,
Kitauji High School has never
gotten past the prefecturals.
Not even dud-gold.
We've never
done better than bronze.
This year will be
a little different
from last year, everyone.
Because this year you'll each
have to audition for your seat.
-[HARUKA] What? Audition?
-[indistinct chatter]
[NOBORU]
Correct.
I will listen to each of you
play a piece I've selected,
then,
based on your performances,
I'll choose the members
and instrumentation
for the competition.
[all gasp]
♪
Episode 6
Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Tuba
HS Group A HS Group B
HS Group Small Ensemble
[KUMIKO] Out
of three possible categories,
we'll be competing
in Category A.
In this category,
we play one piece
out of a required set
and another of our choosing,
in a group
of 55 members at most.
Since only
that many are allowed to play,
any extra musicians
would have to sit out.
[KUMIKO] In past years
at Kitauji High School,
the third years
always had priority
in playing competitions.
And that usually
meant the beginners
and first-year students
were excluded.
But now,
auditions could
change everything.
[KUMIKO]
And, so naturally
there was a lot of opposition.
[NOBORU]
It isn't as complicated
as you might think.
If the third-years are better
than the first-years,
then all's well.
Of course,
if you're a third year
who isn't as good
as the first-years
and you still want
to compete for Nationals,
that's a different situation.
[KUMIKO]
Mister Taki,
who had
the well-earned nickname
of "Cute, Meddling Demon,"
left everyone unable to object
to his passive-aggressive
comment.
[KUMIKO]
And it was agreed
that we'd hold auditions.
[HAZUKI]
But you're the only
contrabass auditioning, Midori.
[HAZUKI] Doesn't that
make you a shoo-in?
[MIDORI]
Not if I play badly,
and Mister Taki decides
he wants to form a group
that doesn't have contrabass.
I think you're going
to be just fine, Midori.
Yeah,
but there are three tubas.
[HAZUKI]
Will we all make it?
Hmm.
[MYSTERIOUS WOMEN] Do you
think that this is funny?
[RIKO]
Don't let that scare you,
all the tubas could make it in
if they play well enough.
Even a beginner could?
Yeah, that's the whole point
in holding auditions, Hazuki.
If you can put on a proper
performance for Mr. Taki
during the audition,
he might let you in.
No way! My playing
really stinks right now!
But I know I'm going
to work hard and improve,
so maybe next year.
-Look behind you.
-Look behind you.
[screams]
Hey there, Asuka!
I guess your meeting's over,
huh?
[ASUKA] Don't change
the subject, Hazuki!
It's auditions!
Don't you get it?
You can't completely
blow them off.
The better players
end up regulars.
That's how it works.
That part I knew already.
But do you understand
that if you aren't good enough
in your audition this year,
then you might not
make it in next year
or even the year after that.
Huh?
Imagine, say,
a really exceptional
tuba player from Seijo
like Sapphire Kawashima
joins the concert band?
♪
New First-year
I'm Ruby Kawashima.
I play tuba.
♪
[HAZUKI]
She's good!
I'm Platinum Diamond
Kawashima.
I play tuba.
♪
[HAZUKI]
So, so good!
So good!
So what if something like that
actually happens?
Ah, no way!
[HAZUKI]
Midori, you suck!
Uh!
Me?
[ASUKA]
You have to work hard,
starting this year,
so you can become a regular.
You don't want
to freeze to death
like that grasshopper
in the fable.
[gasps]
Okay,
now I'm sure I understand.
I'm not sure
that's how the story went.
Did the grasshopper
really freeze to death?
Don't lose the point!
What I'm saying is,
practicing every day
is important.
[door slides open]
-[ALL] Huh?
-I got sheet music and CDs
for both parts
of the competition.
2015 All-Japan Band Competition
Required Repertoire
[TAKUYA] Naoki Tasaka's
"Wind of Provence"
from the required repertoire
and Namie Horikawa's
"Crescent Moon Dance"
for our free-choice piece.
[ASUKA] All right!
Mr. Taki totally gets it!
-What do you mean by that?
-Oh, wow.
Have you guys not heard
of Namie Horikawa?
She's an up and coming
female composer from Kyoto.
She's a young talent,
and she specializes in brass
-and concert band music.
-Here we go again.
We should just listen to it.
♪
[HAZUKI]
Ooh! This is awesome.
[MIDORI]
Yeah, it is.
[Asuka chuckles]
[ASUKA] The bass
in this piece is great.
[KUMIKO]
It's a very dynamic piece.
Technical too.
Which means any screw-ups
will sound terrible.
That's when it hit me,
Mister Taki is definitely
aiming for Nationals this year.
And here's
everyone's sheet music.
[RIKO] I went ahead
and circled the parts
that we'll be playing
for the auditions.
[NATSUKI]
Thanks.
Okay, let me try this.
♪
[Hazuki gasps]
[HAZUKI]
You can play it already?
So, in the audition,
we're playing
from here to here, huh?
Seems like Mister Taki
wants to torture us.
Kumiko, can you play it, too?
Uh-huh, but not as well
as she played it.
♪
[footsteps approaching]
-[NATSUKI] You're good.
-[gasps]
[KUMIKO]
Oh! Um, thank you.
How long did you say
you've been
playing the euphonium?
I started in fourth grade.
I kind of followed
my sister into it.
So it's your seventh year,
then.
No wonder you're so good, huh?
'Kay, gonna go practice alone.
Oh, okay.
What does she mean "so good?"
Well, never mind that,
take this.
Try practicing
using this one instead.
I wrote in
your fingerings for you.
[inhales deeply]
♪
[RIKO]
Don't panic.
Think about
playing each note well,
just take it one at a time.
[groaning]
It's so difficult.
I broke my instrument!
No, don't worry,
it just came apart.
Don't you remember
how to do maintenance on it?
Maintenance?
I mean, I do apply
rotary oil regularly.
[both gasp]
[both sigh]
Have we not taught you, yet?
[HAZUKI] Tubacabra:
The Dismembering!
[MIDORI] [gasps]
May your wandering soul
rest in peace.
Oh, real funny. It's not like
it's broken, you guys!
[HAZUKI]
But it is awfully big,
now that I look at it.
[MIDORI]
Sure is a long tube, huh?
Your breath goes through here,
and then through this pipe
and then through that one here,
and then right through there.
Wow, Tubacabra!
Look, once in a while,
you have to do maintenance
on your instrument, like this.
You have to clean off
all the gunk with a soft brush
getting all the build up inside
and outside
of the connecting pieces.
Then, once it's all clean,
you give it a little grease
and put everything
back together.
[KUMIKO] As you know,
the oil is just for the valves.
Right. But, wait,
I better do it myself.
[HAZUKI]
Otherwise, I'll never learn.
And I can finish off
with a little of this.
Ooh, it's all shiny.
Ahh!
That's my Tubacabra.
[HAZUKI]
You're so pretty.
I'm in love again.
She reminds me
of the first time
I picked up my instrument,
you know?
[HAZUKI]
You're just the sweetest!
Hmm.
[gently blows air]
[MAMIKO]
Nice work!
Look how shiny it's getting.
[giggles]
[HAZUKI]
Huh?
It's stuck.
It won't come out.
[MIDORI]
I don't think you put it
back together right.
[Kumiko gasps]
Yeah, no.
That's all wrong.
-Oh, no. Really?
-Let me see it.
Oh, man! That's really stuck.
How did you--
I'll help,
just tell me what I can do.
Are you sure we can fix it?
[KUMIKO] Don't worry.
You two hold that end.
-Ready?
-[HAZUKI, MIDORI] Yeah.
[KUMIKO]
Ready, set, pull!
Ready, set, pull!
[Hazuki whimpers]
[HAZUKI]
If Asuka sees what I did,
she'll kill me.
[all gasp]
So, um
Tubacabra?
More like Useless-cabra!
Can you help, please?
[REINA]
She wants a soft tuba case?
[KUMIKO] Yeah.
Hazuki is really determined
to practice at home more.
I thought maybe you'd know,
since you're in charge
of managing instruments.
Hang on a sec, I'll check.
[REINA]
There's just the one.
Really?
I'll assign it to her,
and she can take it home.
[KUMIKO]
Hm, that's great, thanks.
Practicing alone?
[REINA]
Yeah, we have trumpet auditions
coming up soon, so
Hold on.
You're going to play the solo?
I don't know yet,
but Mr. Taki did say
he'd use our auditions
to decide the soloist,
didn't he?
[KUMIKO]
Yeah, I guess so.
♪
[REINA]
Kaori.
She's real good.
She's one of the bands
best leaders.
Her high notes
are pretty amazing.
Anyway,
she can take it home now.
♪
You always speak your truth,
Reina.
[gasps]
[REINA] Well, you always
speak your truth, right?
I guess that makes two of us.
[chuckles softly]
I suppose it does.
Thanks for the help
with the case.
[footsteps receding]
[sighs]
[birds chirping]
♪
[KUMIKO] So,
you're really taking it home?
[HAZUKI]
I've come this far.
I can't let
one big hurdle stop me now.
You just
carry it like this, right?
[all whimpering]
[KUMIKO]
Are you okay?
There we go.
[sighs]
It looks more like
the tuba's carrying you.
Uh, Kumiko.
You said that out loud.
[gasps]
♪
I should've gone with
the matcha ice cream instead.
[HAZUKI]
Why can't I do it?
I really want to play it well,
but I just can't!
I think it's sounding
way better than before.
-Right?
-Mm-hmm.
You don't have to lie,
I'm aware of how I sound.
[both sigh]
Back in middle school,
the same thing happened
with tennis club.
[HAZUKI] I could never
play the way that I wanted.
And I really
wanted to improve as a player,
so I practiced a lot.
But it didn't matter.
I couldn't win
at the final competition.
Now all I want
is to get better at tuba.
[HAZUKI]
And I'm not stopping
until I'm satisfied
with myself.
Hazuki!
What?
What are you doing?
Your words have inspired me.
I want you
to have my ice cream.
-Matcha, ew! -People
can really change anything.
Anything in
the whole wide world!
[sighs]
Mm-hmm.
I'll do my best.
[MIDORI]
That's the spirit. Eat.
[HAZUKI]
No, Midori, it's so cold!
-[MIDORI] You deserve it!
-[HAZUKI] Stop, you're
getting it everywhere!
[MIDORI]
I love you, Hazuki.
[Hazuki whimpering]
[KUMIKO]
Let's do our best.
-[HAZUKI] Yeah.
-[MIDORI] Yeah.
♪
[pen clicks]
What I like about playing tuba?
[MIDORI] Yeah. If you have
anything inspiring to say,
we're looking
for something motivational.
-[RIKO] Uh, let's see.
-[MIDORI] Don't you have
anything positive to say, Riko?
Well, it's big and heavy.
Wait, is that supposed
to be a good thing?
Honestly, it's modest
and hard to notice,
but suffocating.
And it can often
be kinda painful.
I'm pretty sure
none of those are good things.
For some reason, tubas are
the one's that get a bad rap.
[RIKO] But, yeah,
that about covers it.
[pen clicks]
[TAKUYA]
What do I like about the tuba?
[KUMIKO]
Yeah. You said yourself
you have an obvious love
for the Tuba.
It would be really helpful
if we could teach
that sentiment to Hazuki.
Hmm.
-[TAKUYA] Hazuki.
-[HAZUKI] Yes?
[TAKUYA]
The best thing about the tuba.
[HAZUKI]
Yes?
[TAKUYA] I mean, the thing
that makes it really nice,
is that it doesn't have
anything going for it.
What?
Seriously?
Yeah, it's a boring instrument,
but we still try hard.
And we play our hearts out.
That's what's so good about it.
No, you know what?
That's why it's the best!
[TAKUYA]
And if you can understand that,
then you have the makings
of a great tuba player.
Okay.
Well said, Gotou.
[KUMIKO]
How can you say that?
Clearly, he just
made up some nonsense
to make it sound better!
[RIKO]
That's not true.
He's saying love
and confidence are important.
[ALL]
Oh.
[ASUKA]
Girl, you should've come to me
way sooner!
[ASUKA]
Don't be so shy!
[MIDORI]
According to Riko,
love and confidence
are what's most important.
[ASUKA]
Well, then,
in that case,
I have the perfect thing
to help in this situation,
girly!
Let's go, Katou!
What am I looking at?
[ASUKA]
The fingerings are written in.
You can sight-read it, right?
Yeah, maybe.
♪
Is it a practice piece?
That's correct,
it's intended for beginners.
But it doesn't matter
how simple it is.
Because if you nail it,
then it feels amazing!
So you're trying to give her
a taste of success
before she has to move on
to the next difficult thing?
Yeah.
That's it exactly.
You're so clever,
Miss Sapphire.
[chuckles]
Could you please just
call me Midori, though?
[ASUKA]
See, you can do it.
-Whatever!
-[ASUKA] Keep it up,
and you'll make the audition,
too.
But this is so easy to play.
[ASUKA]
Wait, what?
Who wants to play
something so easy?
Plus, it's boring and slow.
[HAZUKI]
Weren't you listening just now?
I don't know why you think
this is perfect for me,
but your idea of practice
Don't you forget
who you are, Hazuki!
[HAZUKI]
No. Ow. Stop it, please,
-my stomach hurts!
-[ASUKA] That's because
your abs aren't toned,
you slacker!
[ASUKA]
I must use the secret weapon.
[KUMIKO]
Already?
Sapphire Kawashima,
in 15 minutes,
I want you
to bring Hazuki here.
It's Midori, though.
-And, Kumiko?
-[KUMIKO] Yes?
I'm afraid I'm going to need
you to take one for the team.
[birds chirping]
♪
That's perfect.
We made it for
last year's school festival.
Oh, so when Hazuki gets here,
say
"I'm Tubacabra.
And you were born to play me,
Hazuki, my dear!
It's your destiny"
[KUMIKO] I feel like
I'm being tricked, here.
No, this is just
to get a laugh out of Hazuki.
[KUMIKO]
Liar.
How dare
you talk to me like that?
[KUMIKO]
You're totally having fun
with this, aren't you?
Hmm?
[KUMIKO]
And this isn't Tubacabra,
this is just an ordinary tuba.
[ASUKA]
Huh, really?
[KUMIKO]
The keychain on my bag
is the same one.
Why do you have a tuba
when you're a euph?
[KUMIKO]
Because they won't make
a euphonium in the series.
The tuba was the closest.
[ASUKA] Euphoniums
still get neglected, huh?
[HAZUKI] What is it,
what's the rush?
Okay, the time has come,
princess Cinderella.
Here's some magic
from your fairy godmother!
Good luck.
[KUMIKO]
Uh.
Tuba!
Ah.
[KUMIKO]
Uh-oh.
[MIDORI]
Hi, Tuba!
[KUMIKO]
No, wait!
I have to talk to Hazuki!
Wow, Kumiko,
what are you doing?
No.
Uh, I'm not Kumiko!
Finish what you start
Take care of Katou!!
[KUMIKO]
Gotou!
Right.
I have to do this!
For Hazuki!
[KUMIKO]
Hazuki.
I am Tubacabra!
She's gone!
Don't worry!
I'll never leave you, Tuba!
Oh yeah, this is so good!
[KUMIKO]
I knew it was a trick.
Why did I still agree to it?
Oh, come on, Kumiko.
There's no need to overreact.
[ASUKA]
Humor is also important
for concert band, isn't it?
[KUMIKO]
Yeah, I mean, sort of, but
But why are you
so worried about Hazuki
all of a sudden, Kumiko?
Well, because
I remember that feeling.
When you can't play well,
and I think it hurts
a lot more than,
maybe, people realize.
[KUMIKO]
She's still so busy
learning all kinds
of new things,
which can really
take the fun out of playing.
[KUMIKO] So, I'm worried
she'll get sick of it
unless she finds
a source of motivation.
[MIDORI]
Didn't she initially say
she wanted to play
a different instrument
like trumpet or sax?
You know,
a lot of bass section players
started out with dreams
of playing
a totally different instrument.
[RIKO] So we need
to find her motivation, huh?
My motivation
is to play in the ensemble.
[KUMIKO]
What do you mean?
Well, what I mean is,
I've never liked
playing tuba by myself
because It's just one boring
phrase after another.
But in an ensemble,
when you hear
all the other parts combine,
it becomes music.
[TAKUYA]
There's harmony.
And you know
you're carrying the piece.
Ever since experiencing that,
I've loved the tuba.
Hang on, Gotou, why didn't
you say that to Hazuki?
[TAKUYA] Guess I felt
kind of shy about it.
I don't think Hazuki's played
in an ensemble before.
What about
at the Sunrise Festival?
I think I saw her
walking with pom-poms.
What about the ensemble
practice before that?
I think she sat that one out
because she was still
just a beginner.
[ALL]
Wait a minute!
Hazuki's been doing nothing
but practicing the basics.
No ensembles?
I know!
I have a piece she can play.
[HAZUKI] [groans]
Aw man, my lips hurt, so bad.
Hmph.
Hey, you guys.
I'm ready now!
[HAZUKI] B-But, wait?
Where'd everyone go?
Hey, Hazuki,
I thought this song might
be fun to play together.
I don't think I'm ready
to play in an ensemble yet.
Hm? Oh?
This is what you want to play?
[inhales deeply]
♪
What did you think?
[gasps]
It was,
it was like, like real music!
So that's what
all this work's been about.
Man, I like the tuba!
It's totally worth it!
[KUMIKO] I see you're
taking your tuba home again.
[HAZUKI]
Yeah,
it doesn't feel right
when I'm apart from it.
What's your excuse
for taking your instrument
home today?
Well, you inspired me.
[HAZUKI] That's good.
You could work harder, Kumiko.
[KUMIKO]
Wow. That's kinda rude.
Huh?
Oh, this is my stop.
[Hazuki groans]
Thanks again for the case.
[train bell rings]
Hmm.
[screams]
[groans]
Well, that hurt.
Or not.
I gotcha.
You doin' all right there?
[gasps]
[wind blowing]
Is this a tuba?
[SHUUICHI]
Wow, you carry this thing home?
[HAZUKI] Yeah, I want
to practice for auditions.
[SHUUICHI]
Oh? Well,
best of luck
to both of us, then.
[HAZUKI]
Yeah.
♪
[KUMIKO] And so, we
each set out toward our goals,
in preparation
for the competition.
♪
Look at that.
Lucky you, Kumiko.
[KUMIKO]
Aoi.
[KUMIKO]
Putting our whole hearts
into what we want
to accomplish.
[inhales deeply]
Hey, best of luck
at your audition!
W-What?
[wind whooshing]
[KUMIKO]
And so, the next piece begins!
To Be Continued