So I'm a bit of a fan of the anime Hibike! Euphonium. To summarize it in one sentence, it's about a high school girl and her bandmates going through not only the troubles of high school band, but high school emotions in general. And it's incredibly relatable.

Without going into detail, what this anime does so well is make every character feel real. Not just their dialogue, which for the most part feels more natural than the usual, but their intentions and motivations. Or in the case of the main character, the lack of motivation at all! The world feels lived in; not built to be centered around one character, and this point is emphasized by the fact that Liz and the Blue Bird, a movie that only passingly includes the main character, even exists at all.

That's also not going into the music. The pieces that this high school band plays are recorded by a real concert band, and most of them are separate from the Hibike! Euphonium concept. Even music from T-SQUARE, a jazz fusion band, shows up (I really like "OMENS OF LOVE" by the way). But the shining jewels of Hibike's music are those composed by Akito Matsuda specifically for the anime: Crescent Moon Dance, Liz and the Blue Bird, and Song of One Year. I can't describe these with words; go listen to them! Preferably after you watch the anime, but even if you don't these are great.

A frame from Crescent Moon Dance.

A frame of their performance of Crescent Moon Dance from S2E5.

Lastly, there's an important etude that's introduced in the second season. I won't say much about it apart from the fact that it's my favorite piece to come from Hibike! Euphonium. It's a solo that I, as a euphonium player, play every single time I pick up the instrument.

Two euphonium players sitting by the river.

By psylduck.

Basically, what I'm saying is that Hibike! Euphonium is awesome and you should go watch it.