Kyoto Animation is giving Sound! Euphonium fans one more reason to catch The Final Movie Part 1 in cinemas — but for now, this bonus is Japan-only.
The staff for Sound! Euphonium, The Final Movie Part 1 has announced that moviegoers in Japan will receive one of three original short stories written by Ayano Takeda, the author of the original Sound! Euphonium novels. The giveaway will run in limited quantities during the film’s third week of screenings, from May 8 to May 14.
The three short stories are titled:
- Kimi wa Kawaii, Kimi ga Kawaii (You Are Cute, You Are Adorable)
- Yosan wa Go-sen Yen Made desu. (Our Budget is Up to 5,000 Yen.)
- Shabon-dama no Yukue wa Shiranai. (I Don’t Know Where the Soap Bubbles Went)
For longtime fans, this is the kind of cinema bonus that can become quite sakit for collectors. Japan’s anime movie scene loves limited admission gifts, and for a series as emotionally loved as Sound! Euphonium, original writing from Takeda herself is not some random postcard freebie. These are fresh side materials from the creator of the novels, so expect them to be hunted hard by fans and resellers.
For Malaysia and SEA fans, the main thing to note is that this giveaway is currently tied to Japanese theatrical screenings only. Unless a local distributor brings the film here with similar bonuses — which is never guaranteed — most of us will be watching from afar, waiting for cinema announcements, festival screenings, or eventual streaming/home release news. If you collect KyoAni merch, this is the kind of item that may start popping up through proxy shops or second-hand listings after the screening week.
The Final Movie Part 1 is positioned as the beginning of the last stretch for Sound! Euphonium. The film includes a newly animated performance sequence from the in-story Sunrise Festival, the annual marching band event, plus a new scene focusing on Kumiko Oumae taking on the heavy responsibility of becoming club president. That alone should hit hard for anyone who has followed Kumiko from her first year until now.
TRUE is performing the theme song, ToCoda. That is fitting, because TRUE has been deeply tied to the anime’s sound across all three TV seasons, as well as Our Promise: A Brand New Day and Ensemble Contest Arc.
On the production side, Taichi Ogawa is directing the movie, with Tatsuya Ishihara serving as chief director. Jukki Hanada is handling the script and series composition. Shoko Ikeda and Kazumi Ikeda are credited as character designers, with Kazumi Ikeda also serving as chief animation director. Music is by Akito Matsuda at Lantis and Heart Company, with music cooperation from Senzoku Gakuen College of Music.
Kyoto Animation is treating this as the culmination of a decade-long journey. The first Sound! Euphonium TV anime premiered back in April 2015, followed by Sound! Euphonium 2 in 2016, multiple compilation and sequel films, the Mizore and Nozomi-focused Liz and the Blue Bird in 2018, Our Promise: A Brand New Day in 2019, and Ensemble Contest Arc in 2023. The third TV season aired in 2024 and adapted Kumiko’s third year in high school.
The Final Movie Part 2, which will close the two-part project, is scheduled to open in Japan on September 11.
For SEA fans, this is one to keep on the radar. Sound! Euphonium is not the loudest mainstream anime title in Malaysia, but among KyoAni fans and music anime enjoyers, it is top-tier emotional damage material. If Part 1 eventually gets a regional cinema run, don’t sleep on it.
Source: Anime News Network