It's the big day: the All Japan Concert Band Competition Nationals.

A new year is starting at Kitauji Kyoto Prefectural High School, and that means clubs are clamoring to recruit new members. The concert band welcomes newcomers and sets their goals for the season. Will they choose to fight for gold at Nationals?

Asuka is about to lose her seat competing in the Nationals. But that might not be why she invited Kumiko over.

Taki's deadline for Asuka draws near. She refuses to admit that she wants, more than anyone, to compete in the Nationals.

With Asuka back in the competition, the orchestra is just about set for the Nationals. Meanwhile, Kumiko tries to understand why Reina is upset at her.

Taki decides to let the band executives choose their competition piece this year. The leadership deliberates on this decision while trying to get the rest of the band ready to perform at the Sunrise Festival.

The concert band begins taking itself very seriously to give itself the best chance possible of winning gold at Nationals. Unfortunately, the intense environment has some of the new recruits discouraged and intimidated.

Now that she's well into her third-year, Kumiko is now facing pressure from teachers and parents alike to choose what she's doing after high school. Concert band members form groups to attend the Agata Festival, but Kumiko has other plans.

Members of the concert band are given a brief, three-day summer break that quickly fills with plans of all sorts. Some of the third-years attend an event to gather information on different colleges and plan their futures.

The three-day summer camp has begun, and members of the concert band are faced with a rigorous training regimen. Mayu hesitates to audition yet again, afraid that she'll take the soli part from Kumiko. Motomu speaks to Midori in private.

The competition performance is "only" 12 minutes long. It's both a blink of an eye and an eternity. The Concert Band members bet their entire youths on this competition. And Kitauji High School Concert Band's performance begins.

The competition's coming up. Kumiko is suddenly asked to play a difficult phrase from a different part. She begins practicing, but...

The day of the Sunrise Festival finally arrives, and it's time for the concert band to have their first performance of the year. Proximity to other schools and bands brings some of Motomu's family issues to light.

The Prefecturals are coming up and that means the first of many auditions for the members of the concert band. Mayu is still hesitant to audition despite reassurance from the others. Some of Taki's choices for the competition confuse members.

Mayu taking the soli part has made the concert band uneasy. Despite Kumiko's insistence that this is how it should be, several members take issue with Taki's decision.

The band is abuzz with talk about who they'll be going to the upcoming festival with. There's someone Hazuki wants to go with, but that someone is already going with someone else. Meanwhile Kumiko somehow ends up going with you-know-who.

Taki-sensei's proposal relieves the upset within the band, and everyone returns to practicing. Reina no longer isolates herself either, much to Kumiko's relief. But then she sees Yuko, who's been antagonizing Reina, speaking with her.

The Kansai competition is right around the corner, and the band's dissent about Taki-sensei's decisions only continues to grow. Kumiko goes to speak with him, and she has to decide whether to speak her mind.

The concert band receives its Kansai competition results. Reina and Kumiko see Yoroizuka perform with some of their senpais. However, Kumiko and Reina's relationship becomes precarious as she continues to insist she won't go to music school.

The audition for the competition participants has come. Everyone must demonstrate their abilities, whether they're a third-year or a first-year. And then, the results are revealed.

The band suspects Taki played favorites in choosing Reina in the auditions. Noticing the band's rising distrust of Taki and Reina, he makes a proposal.

Having won first place at the Kyoto competition, Kumiko and the band are preparing to compete in the Kansai competition. A shadow looms over them when an old member, Nozomi Kasaki, enters the picture.

The high school Kitauji fanfare begins its intensive summer camp before the Kansai competition. Kumiko is still trying to find out more about Asuka's refusal to reinstate Nozomi and intends to respect her promise to the girl.

Only three schools will be selected at the Kansai Concert Band Competition to compete in the Nationals. Will Kitauji High School be one of them?

It's the school festival at Kitauji High School. Kumiko's sister insists on quitting college, while Taki reveals some things about his past with his wife.