After stellar character development in powerful scenes in the eight episode of “Hibike! Euphonium”, showing Reina and Kumino are inexorably drawn to each other, was quite curious to see what route they would take when it came to the nature of their relationship.
Are Kumiko and Reina simply two young girls who finally found someone they can truly be themselves with, whereas their personalities usually drive away others or are hidden beneath a mask they wear in public? Or are there deeper emotions blossoming between them?
As a yuri aficionado, I hope that the creators will take the opportunity to craft a touching romantic story between Kumiko and Reina, after the terrific character interaction and development of their bond we have seen so far, they certainly seem capable of doing so.
However, this week’s episode suggests Reina and Kumiko will not have a romantic relationship but instead share a unique friendship, one where they can be their true selves in each other’s company. With Reina admitting to Kumiko that she loves their teacher Taki, and hints Kumiko might have feelings for Shuichi after all, a real yuri development seems out of the question.
Still, am still pleasantly surprised this anime features such a refreshingly deep and intriguing bond between Kumino and Reina. Thought at first it would merely be a superficial friendship, much like Kumiko’s friendship with her classmates Hazuki and Sapphire, so am quite glad that even if we will not get a yuri tinted tale, they will bring us the story of two peculiar people sharing a unique bond.
Who knows, perhaps we might even get a more melodramatic development where one of them develops romantic feelings for the other but those feelings turn out to be one-sided?
You can watch “Hibike! Euphonium” on Crunchyroll.
