Soul Catcher(S) 7

[p001]

???: ...What did you just say, Kamine-kun...?
Kamine: We're going to perform for Otowa-senpai's dad.
Kamine: I would like all of you in the trumpet section

Kamine: to participate in the performance
(left): Cut straight to the section's core!!
(right):
A unique concert band manga!!
SOUL CATCHER(S)
Opus 7: The Abyss | Shinkai Hideo
Kamine: alongside Otowa-senpai, Tokisaka and myself!!

Souma: The trumpet section has never played with Otowa.

Souma: Despite that, you're
Souma: telling us to do it?

[p002]

Kamine: Yes.

Souma: ...Alright.

Souma: ...So... what song are we playing?
Souma: If we're performing for Otowa's father,

Souma: I think it would be best to go with a song
Souma: where Otowa has a solo and takes the lead...

Kamine: ...No.

[p003]

Tokisaka: We're going to do this one.

Souma: ...Th-
Souma: This is...!

Tokisaka: We should go with a song where Otowa-senpai stands out, right?

Kamine: No...
Kamine: I don't know about songs or any of that, but... that's not really necessary.

Kamine: You, Otowa-senpai... and Souma-senpai.
Kamine: We're looking for a song that showcases three people equally.

Kamine: But, well!! If not, that's okay!! Just forget about it!!

[p004]

(right): A man whose soul burns as he draws!! You can only read Shinkai Hideo-sensei's manga in Weekly Shounen Jump!! Thanks for the support!!

Tokisaka: "Song choice" is one of the conductor's most important jobs.
Tokisaka: The performers' skill level, the audience's preferences, when the performance will be held... there are a lot of things that need to be considered, and yet
Tokisaka: your request is crystal clear.

Tokisaka: Why not go for one that can be like that, then!

Tokisaka: Here! This should fit the bill.

Tokisaka: "Bugler's Holiday"... it's a staple at sporting events...
Tokisaka: A song where three trumpets take the lead...

Tokisaka: This will be a bit unorthodox, but for the piece, I'll take the place of one trumpet
Tokisaka: and play a "soprano sax", which has a similar register.

Souma: You can't be serious!! Are you really telling us to do a performance
Souma: where Otowa, Tokisaka-kun and I will play on equal footing?!

[p005]

Kamine: That right there, Souma-senpai,
Kamine: is the reason Otowa-senpai keeps away from the trumpet section.

(???): "The difference in ability is too great."
(???): "Nobody can keep up with him."
Kamine: When you talk about Otowa-senpai,
Kamine: perhaps... you're thinking something along these lines?
(???): "He's a special case."
(???): "I don't get him."
(???): "There's nothing I can do."

Kamine: "I absolutely can't win
Kamine: against Otowa."

Box: Usually, if I say something like this,
Box: the person will snap.

Box: But
Box: that's fine.

[p006]

Box: Even if he gets his dad's permission and comes back,
Box: Otowa-senpai has no place in the trumpet section the way it is now... he'll loiter around in other sections, people will avoid him, and he'll be isolated.
Box: That's why we have to have an effect on both the section and his dad!! Otherwise, this whole thing will be meaningless!!

Box: If I can make the concert band into Otowa-senpai's ally... then they can get mad at me
Box: all they'd like!!

Kamine: I think that those who had jam sessions with Otowa-senpai tried to perform "on equal footing" with him, at least at first.
(Tokisaka): We will show you an excellent session on even ground.
(Moko): It turned into a jam session!
(Girl): I was such an idiot, thinking I might be able to manage it...!
Kamine: He's been searching for that in the people he performs with.

Kamine: But Souma-senpai, whose school year and viewpoint should be the same as Otowa-senpai's, infected the entire section with his "resigned spirit"
Kamine: and forced Otowa-senpai to feel isolated...!!
(Students): "I bet he can do anything."
(Students): "His skills are off the charts."
(Students): "He seemed a bit isolated."

[p007]

(Otowa): "Playing trumpet by myself
(Otowa): won't change a thing."

Souma: ...Even if you tell me something like that...
Souma: What... am I supposed to do about it...!!

Tokisaka: My sound improved
Tokisaka: thanks to Kamine.

Tokisaka: If you perform with Kamine conducting...
Tokisaka: it might clarify something.

Souma: ...Alright.
Souma: Let's do it.

Kamine: ...Let's get going, then!
Kamine: Otowa-senpai!

[p008]

Souma: Otowa...!

Utebi: I heard you guys're gonna go perform?!
Utebi: Count me in too, punks!!

Kamine: Utebi-senpai?!
Utebi: You've only got trumpets, don'tcha!! Let me and my xylophone join ya!!

Utebi: I wanna try performing with you conducting, too.
Utebi: Got a problem with that?

Kamine: ...Not at all!!

Tokisaka: Ah!

[p009]

Tokisaka: That's right! I had something to give you, Kamine!
(sfx): Rummage
Kamine: Huh?

Tokisaka: Here,
Tokisaka: use this.
Kamine: ...Th-
Kamine: this is...

Tokisaka: A baton
Tokisaka: for your exclusive use.

Kamine: Now I feel bad... how much was this?
Kamine: I'll pay you back.
(sfx): Woah! Wow~

Tokisaka: The baton was 1500 yen and the case was 3500.
(left of Tokisaka): You don't need to.
Kamine: Why's the case more expensive?!

Tokisaka: Put "your heart" into it and wield that baton!!
Tokisaka: And then!!

[p010]

Tokisaka: Guide our music
Tokisaka: to the director's heart!!!

Kamine: Okay!!
Kamine: Let's do this!!!

[p011]

(sign): Director's Office
Dad: ...You do understand that coming here without an appointment... means you'll be turned away, don't you?

Dad: Satoi has begun preparing for his entrance exam. He doesn't need...

Kamine: Otowa-senpai loves the concert band more than anything.

Kamine: Please, just for a bit... won't you
Kamine: listen to our performance, for Otowa-senpai's sake!!

Woman: Director,
Woman: it's already time for your next appointment...

[p012]

Dad: Please tell them... that I will be a little late.

Dad: I will listen to just one song.
Dad: It's too cramped in here... why don't we change venues?

Moko: Hibiki! Kamine-san! Satoi-san! Good luck!

Tokisaka: Souma-senpai and the rest are sure nervous.
Tokisaka: The lips are everything for brass instruments, so they're warming up.
(sfx): Pui pui puui puii puui
Kamine: I see...

(Utebi sfx): Puuuuuuuii
Kamine: There's no point in you doing it!!

[p013]

Box:
1st
Otowa Satoi (Tp.)

Box:
2nd
Souma Shunpei (Tp.)

Box:
3rd
Tokisaka Hibiki (S. Sax)

Box: Tokisaka said...
Box: to match the up and down motion to the metronome.
メトロノームに合わせて上下に往復
sfx bubble: Tick tick tick tick tick tick tick tick
Box: "Extremely lively...

Box: and fast"!!

Box: There's that incredible presence, right from the get-go!!
Box: The sound is gonna reach his dad's hea...

[p014/015]

Box: Wh...what the...
Box: What's with... this heart...?!

Box: Is this... a cliff?!

Box: He's making his son climb all the way up there
Box: as a trial?!!

Box: Even though this incredibly overpowering sound swallows up those around it,
Box: in reality, it's just the cry of a baby wanting to be acknowledged by its father.

Box: At this rate, no matter how much he shouts from the bottom of the ravine,
Box: Otowa-senpai's music... and heart... won't ever reach!!!

[p016]

Box: In that case!!
Kamine: Tokisaka!! Raise it up!!

Kamine: Push Otowa-senpai's sound up from below, so it'll reach!!

(Tokisaka): Play a steady low tone as support in order to make Otowa-senpai stand out, right?!
(Tokisaka sfx): Nod
(top arrow): Otowa
(bottom arrow): Tokisaka

[p017]

(director sfx): Twitch

Box: A reaction...!!

Box: But...
(sfx): Gyaaaa
Box: it's not enough!!

Box: This really won't work after all...!!
Box: Not unless all three of them are on the same level!!

Kamine: Souma-senpai!!

[p018/019]

Kamine: Don't let even your heart fade into the background!!
心まで二番手になるな!!

Kamine: You couldn't beat him in technique, so that makes you second best?!
Kamine: Don't you have something just as amazing in which

Kamine: Otowa-senpai absolutely can't defeat you?!
Kamine: That's why you were chosen to be

Kamine: band president,
Kamine: rather than section leader, isn't it!!!

(Souma): It's just as
(Souma): Tokisaka-kun told me.

(Souma): Kamine-kun's words tend to be... confusing and cryptic.
メチャクチャで意味不明で...ともすると
(Souma): I don't know whether there's a connection, but...

(left): Time to wake up...!!!
(Souma): This feeling...!!
(Souma): This sound...!!!