Saishuu Gakushou Hibike! Euphonium - Zenpen

Sound! Euphonium, The Final Movie Part 1 is the first of two films that close the long-running Sound! Euphonium series by Kyoto Animation. Its Japanese title is Saishuu Gakushou Hibike! Euphonium - Zenpen, and "Zenpen" means "first part." It opened in Japan on April 24, 2026, in about 200 theaters. Tatsuya Ishihara is chief director, and Taichi Ogawa directs. Jukki Hanada wrote the script, and Akito Matsuda wrote the music. The film is a theater version of the third TV season, which aired in 2024.

The series is based on novels by Ayano Takeda. It follows the concert band at Kitauji High School in Kyoto, Japan. A concert band is a large school group that plays wind instruments, like flutes, trumpets, and tubas, along with drums. Japanese school bands take part in tough contests every year. The best bands move up from local rounds all the way to the national finals. Winning a gold prize there is the big dream for these students.

The main character is Kumiko Oumae. She plays the euphonium, a brass instrument that looks like a small tuba and has a soft, warm sound. Over the earlier seasons, viewers watched her grow from a shy first-year to a strong member of the band. Now she is in her third and final year of high school, and she has become the club president. That means she must lead dozens of students with very different goals and feelings. Her best friend Reina Kousaka, a gifted trumpet player, pushes everyone toward a very high standard. Old friends Hazuki Katou, who plays tuba, and Sapphire Kawashima, who plays the double bass, are also still part of the story.

The third year brings a new and difficult challenge. A transfer student named Mayu Kuroe joins the band. She is also a third-year and also plays the euphonium. Mayu is very skilled. Her arrival makes Kumiko face hard questions about her own place, about fairness in tryouts, and about what it means to be a leader. The film follows Kumiko as she tries to keep the band together while still chasing the national gold.

This is not just a short recap. Kyoto Animation rewrote the story for the big screen. They added new scenes and band performance scenes that never aired on TV. The music and the sound of the instruments have always been a big part of the series, and the theater is a natural place to hear them. Many original voice actors return, including Tomoyo Kurosawa as Kumiko, Chika Anzai as Reina, and Haruka Tomatsu as Mayu.

The film is best for viewers who already know the TV seasons, since it builds on years of friendships and rivalries. It is a story about music, growing up, friendship, and the pressure of trying your best when your school days are almost over. The second film, Part 2, will finish the story, but its release date had not been announced at the time of writing.