When Kousaka declared the concert band would be going for Gold, that meant she would be taking no prisoners when it came to preparing for that goal, starting with SunFes, which is now only a few days away. She stops the marching formation to point out individual first-years who are coming up short, and does not provide a shoulder for them to cry on … and cry they do.
This creates friction that weighs on the first-years’ de facto leader Yoshii Sari, AKA Sally-chan. From her morning where she prays at a shrine with a sigh, to her reaction to Reina’s strict criticism of her more fragile peers, she simply doesn’t look like she’s having a good time.
Kumiko finds herself so busy presiding over the club that she doesn’t have time to think too much about her future, despite having some paperwork to fill out to that effect as part of her responsibilities as a third-year. Reina says she’d like to see her get into musical education.
During their brief morning visit to the teacher’s lounge Kumiko sees all of the stuff on Taki-sensei’s desk and thinks out loud how being an adult must be rough. He admits there are times he thinks he’s an overgrown kid. Reina would prefer Kumiko not waste her crush’s time on psychoanalysis.
Sally looks like she might be ready to finally say something to Kumiko, but Suzume gets to her first. Her first question is whether Kumiko and Shuu are dating, because rumors among first-years are running wild. Once Kumiko declares they aren’t, Suzume moves on to the real reason she wanted to meet with her: she believes the first-years are close to a boycott, or rather a mass resignation.
Suzume’s warning seems to have teeth when one day four first-years don’t come to school. Mayu, AKA “Mama”, whom Midori described as a pretty jellyfish, delivers the second of two stings this week (the first flaunting to Kumiko how her marching outfit shirt is too tight): Why not just let those who are falling behind quit, so that those who want to stay can focus on the performance?
That’s a convenient option, but not one Kumiko is willing to entertain; certainly not as a default or first resort. As she declares in the band notes she Reina and Shuu share: they’re not Kitauji unless they’re all together. She decides to make a pilgrimage to Sally’s home, which happens to be on the grounds of a shrine, and finds Suzume, Yayoi, and Kaho there, the latter two in shrine maiden outfits.
Sally stayed home sick, possibly brought on by stress, but is recovering fever. Her friends didn’t skip school because they’re quitting the club, but to be there for their friend. Suzume in particular knows things are weighing on Sally and the best solution is for Kumiko, the president, to speak to her one-on-one.
Confirming the vibe of her previous interactions, Sally admits that there’s some tension between her and Reina, though she makes clear she doesn’t hate or despise her. It’s just she doesn’t like how Reina’s strict instruction is making her fellow first years feel. Both she and Kumiko are leaders who had that leadership thrust upon them organically simply due to who they are.
This makes Kumiko, who is also pretty emotionally intelligent and empathetic, well-positioned to get Sally to open up. And really, that’s all Sally needs: to be heard, and to be told that if she or anyone else ever has something weighing on them, they can always, always bring it to Kumiko.
Separating advanced members from newbies was always an option, but not the option for Kumiko. She feels it’s her job as president to bring everyone’s hopes and wishes together. It may be messy sometimes, but through that mess comes understanding and growth. It’s a moving scene filled with gorgeous light, subtle facial and hand expressions, and some truly terrific voice acting from Kurosawa Tomoyo and relative newbie Sayuma Emiri.
Suzume reveals herself to be far more than the bamboo shoot bun-wearing goofball she appears to be, and the next day, with SunFes right around the corner, Sally greets Kumiko and Reina with a smile and hearty good morning, having arrived at the practice room early. Now that she’s bought back in thanks to Kumiko showing that she’ll be there for her and the first years, the threat of them quitting has passed.
I love how Kumiko was able to resolve this issue in the way she did, which is her way: through openness, honesty, and dialogue. She didn’t go to Reina and tell her to ease up on the newbies. She knows, just as Sally does, that Reina has to be hard on everyone if they want to make Gold. I hope that through her success this week Kumiko has shown herself that she has what it takes to be a leader, as Reina told her—both in the club now, and in a future that’s closer than she thinks.
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