Azusa Sasaki

Azusa Sasaki has long black hair tied up in a high ponytail, giving her a lively and sporty impression.

Her bangs are neatly trimmed to keep them out of her eyes when she plays trombone.

She is 157 cm tall.

During school, she wears a light blue blazer, black ribbon tie, white shirt, and a pleated skirt.

For marching performances, her uniform is a bright blue dress that fits her body and black knee-high socks, with a white ribbon tying up her hair.

Azusa is a bit more well-endowed than most girls in her class, and sometimes feels self-conscious about it, even wishing she was as slim as Kumiko.

Azusa is friendly, energetic, and fun to be around.

She likes taking care of others and is always ready to help her friends.

But her kindness is also a way to make sure she always has a good standing in her group.

She believes “having many friends is important at school” and tries not to cause problems with anyone.

Azusa finds it hard to rely on others and usually keeps her worries to herself.

Sometimes, she feels lonely and carries emotional burdens, especially after difficult events with her old friends.

She is very positive but also cautious when it comes to friendships.

Azusa lives in a neighborhood near Keihan Obaku Station, sharing a home with her hardworking mother after her parents divorced when she was little.

Her mother works long hours, so Azusa learned to be responsible and independent very early.

She has a pet Maltese dog named Unagi, whom she took in from her grandparents when starting high school.

Azusa wears contact lenses at school and eyeglasses at home because her eyesight isn’t good.

She loves potato-based foods, like potato chips, baked sweet potatoes, and potato butter.

Azusa has played trombone since fourth grade, so she has seven years of experience.

She owns her own trombone, which her mother bought her in middle school, and she takes great care of it.

Her talent is recognized by her bandmates and she is considered second only to her senior, Mirai Sezaki, in the trombone section.

Azusa’s skills and her drive to improve got her chosen for the top competition group even as a first-year.

People call her a “hard work genius” and "effort monster" for her intense practice and perfectionist attitude.

After just one year at Tachibana, she secured the top trombone spot for competitions.

Her playing is so impressive that even Kumiko Oumae and Shuuichi Tsukamoto say it’s on the same top level as Reina Kousaka.

Her sound is both powerful and delicate, making everyone notice her at performances.

Ami Naze

Azusa is close friends with Ami, a beginner in the trombone section.

Azusa helps and teaches Ami, and Ami looks up to her as a role model.

Their mentor-student relationship turns into a bit of a co-dependent friendship, worrying their other friends.

Ami eventually chooses to become more independent by joining the color guard, which is hard for Azusa but helps them both grow as people.

Serina Hiiragi

Serina is another classmate from middle school.

At first, Serina sees through Azusa’s efforts to be everyone's friend and calls her out for being a “people-pleaser.”

Despite awkwardness, they slowly become close friends during a school trip.

Their friendship gets strained when Serina makes new friends, but after facing their feelings honestly, they repair their bond and start calling each other by their special nicknames again.

Mirai Sezaki

Mirai is Azusa’s senior and the trombone section leader.

Azusa admires her and wants to reach her level, so she works extra hard.

They become close, and Mirai helps Azusa change her views about relying on and connecting with others honestly.

Shiho Togawa

Shiho is a fellow first-year in the trombone section.

Azusa supports her when Shiho feels discouraged and helps her gain confidence.

Shiho warns Azusa about possible unhealthy dynamics in her friendships, showing mutual respect between the two.

Taichi Matoba

Another classmate and trombone player, Taichi is talented but lazy.

Azusa sometimes gets frustrated with him, but he tries to be more motivated by watching Azusa’s hard work.

Anna Takagi

Anna is Azusa’s senior and the vice leader of the trombone section.

She gives Azusa advice and encourages her to not over-stress about things outside of music.

Kumiko Oumae

Azusa’s close friend and past classmate from Kitauji Middle School, now at Kitauji High School Band.

They play together sometimes at different events and still keep in touch.

Azusa respects Kumiko’s musical skills, but teases her gentle personality.

Reina Kousaka

Azusa’s middle school bandmate and now Kitauji High’s trumpet ace.

Azusa recognizes Reina’s star-level talent and feels inspired by her.

They both get better as musicians, recognizing and respecting each other’s progress.

• Azusa's birthday is March 7, she is a Pisces, blood type A.
• She is 157 cm tall.
• Favorite foods: potato chips, baked sweet potatoes, potato butter, and practicing.
• She dislikes days off without plans.
• Hobbies: playing trombone and bowling (she used to go bowling with her mom).
• She is good at adding fun doodles to photos taken in photo booths (purikura).
• Azusa takes care of a pet dog named Unagi, which means "eel" in Japanese.
• She wears contacts at school and glasses at home.
• She becomes the 38th president of the Tachibana High School Band in her third year.

Discovering Passion for Marching Band

Azusa was inspired to attend Tachibana High School after watching their marching band perform “Sing, Sing, Sing” when she was a middle schooler.

She worked hard and was accepted on a music recommendation.

Right from the start, she joined the tough practices with other first-years, including Ami and Shiho.

Middle School and Early Challenges

Azusa started playing trombone in elementary school and joined the brass band because she couldn’t stay in the after-school program anymore.

At Kitauji Middle School, she played trombone alongside Kumiko and Reina.

She saw firsthand how messy band relationships could be and started learning how to manage group dynamics.

High School Life and Friendships

Azusa quickly became a key player in the trombone section at Tachibana.

Her skills helped her earn a spot in the big competition band as just a first-year.

She grew close to Ami, guiding her as a beginner, but their friendship started to become unhealthy because they relied too much on each other.

Other friends and seniors helped Azusa realize she needed to let Ami grow on her own.

Facing Personal Challenges

Azusa struggled with her desire to always be needed and important to her friends.

Her friendship with Serina Hiiragi was damaged when she pulled away as Serina became more independent.

Later, after an emotional talk, Azusa and Serina rebuilt a healthy friendship as equals.

Overcoming Difficulties in Band

As an underclassman, Azusa not only worked hard but also challenged her seniors like Mirai Sezaki.

She learned about the struggle between her goals and reality, like when the band didn’t make it to nationals in one contest, but succeeded in marching.

She kept improving, always aiming higher.

Becoming Band President and Looking Ahead

After seniors graduated, Azusa was chosen as the 38th president of the Tachibana High School Band, thanks to her talent and leadership.

She led the band through tough competitions and learned to juggle responsibilities.

Azusa aimed to go to music college after high school, keeping her dream alive even though she worried about competing with students from more privileged backgrounds.

• “If I decide to do something, other things disappear from view.”
• “I just love working hard more than anything else.”
• “Why is it so bad to use friends? You wouldn’t help someone if you didn’t care about them.”
• "You don't need a reason to be friends. Just liking someone is enough."

Azusa is the protagonist of the spin-off "Welcome to the Tachibana High School Marching Band!" in the Sound! Euphonium series.

She started playing trombone in elementary school and has always wanted to improve.

Her biggest strengths are her caring personality, strong work ethic, and her desire to help others—and to let others help her, too.

She inspires everyone around her to do their best, not just in music, but in friendship, too.