Sound! Euphonium the Movie: Oath’s Finale – alternately titled as Sound! Euphonium: the Movie - Our Promise: A Brand New Day – is set after the events of the second season of the anime series, and concurrent with the events of Liz and the Blue Bird. It was released last year by KyoAni (a few months before suffering a horrible arson attack), but I’ve only got to see it recently.
Also, two recap movies – one each for covering the series’ two seasons – were made available prior its release, and while I didn’t really need to watch them to be prepped for it, I still did since they have extended cuts of the series’ most notable musical numbers.
Anyway, Oath’s Finale once again follows euphonium player Kumiko Oumae, who is now a second-year high school student, and her friends in the Kitauji High School Concert Band. After achieving their goal – qualifying for the nationals (see Sound! Euphonium season 1) – and then winning bronze (see Sound! Euphonium season 2) last year, the club aims for something higher this time around: gold. Meanwhile, Kumiko, who’ve been assigned to look after the new freshmen members, is somewhat being driven round the bend by the constant drama arising from her charges.
To be honest, I didn’t really care much for its plot. It feels pretty basic, especially when compared to the thought-provoking storytelling of Liz and the Blue Bird. That being said, it’s still decently engaging and has adequate emotional depth. And since it only has a feature-length runtime instead of an entire season to cover a school year, its pacing is fast, which makes it easier for the narrative – which is already competent on its own – to keep the audience’s attention from wandering off.
Besides, I don’t watch Sound! Euphonium primarily for its narrative anyway. I watch it for the music and animation. And, boy, Oath’s Finale is superb in both. The vivid, breathtaking animation and compelling music – especially in combination – automatically makes this film an utter delight.
Lastly, watching the masterful Liz and the Blue Bird may prove detrimental to Oath’s Finale by way of comparison. On the other hand, if you’ve seen Liz and the Blue Bird, you may be able to appreciate Oath’s Finalemore. For it’s in Oath’s Finale that the contest performance of “Liz and the Blue Bird” is shown (in Liz and the Blue Bird, only the rehearsal of the obo-flute duet was shown in full, although it’s more powerful there since the theme of the piece ties up with the theme of the story).
All in all, Sound! Euphonium the Movie: Oath’s Finale is a charming, gorgeous, enjoyable anime film that will not only satisfy fans, but also has a good chance of winning new ones over on its own.
Next up: Sound! Euphonium season 3 – which will see Kumiko in her third year and as the new president of the club.
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