Ranked #248

K-On!!

Over the few years or so, it’s been increasingly apparent that watching anything associated with moe is to be treated with the same sort of caution as doing yoga, or making origami. Generally you’d do all three in the privacy of your own room, preferably with the lights dimed down and curtains tightly shut. (I am speaking of course, mainly for guys).

Yes there is much shame to be had in admitting you enjoy watching K-On!!, because who in their right mind would enjoy a plotless moeblob slice-of-life show over say… the testosterone filled battle epic TTGL? Certainly no one would admit to such an atrocious act to their friends face to face, (or anything less than a distance of 100 miles and 2 computer screens for that matter). Hence it becomes extremely hard to be objective when posed with the question, ‘Is K-On!! a good anime?’, because all of our social preservation instincts scream “run away!”, while somewhere deep in the soft side of our hearts, something keeps us rooted to our chair and our eyes on our displays.
(Unless you factor in the anonymity of the internet of course, in which case, proudly declaring that K-On!! is awesome and giving it a 9/10 is A-O-K.)

Jokes aside though, in recent times I feel that too much anime are being categorized based on if they have any moe elements in them. While there’s nothing wrong with giving labeling an anime as containing moe, it unfairly depicts certain anime as catering towards the niche otaku audience and suggests it’s lack of depth and unoriginality, which in many cases simply isn’t true. Take Lucky Star for example. Who’s to say that it was just a mindless moeblob?

Anyway I had a review here somewhere… I would go as far as to say that I love the slice-of-life genre. Honey & Clover (which I maintain is more slice-of-life than romance) and Aria remain firmly at my number 1 and 2 spot. For a great slice-of-life, there are a number of criteria that one needs to fill, but the simplest and most important is that every episode should end with you feeling relaxed and contented with a smile on your face. Does K-On!! achieve this? Yes, absolutely 100% yes.

K-On!! follows a relatively frugal format in terms of storyline. You wouldn’t go into each episode expecting anything dramatic or exhilarating, and for some this may be what they like to call boring. But then again, you wouldn’t open a bag of chips expecting M&Ms and chocolate fudge, so why you go into K-On!! expecting anything even resembling a continuous plot? K-On!!’s style single episodic scenarios work greatly in it’s favor, viewers are never startled with annoying cliffhangers or feel an obligation to keep up with it in fear of missing out on some important plot element. If watching K-On!! becomes a chore (I’m looking at you Bleach manga), then it’s missed the point completely, and in this regard, I give K-On!!’s ‘plot’ two thumbs up.

Despite this though, K-On!! deals with some surprisingly deep themes that would go right over the heads of most casual viewers. One definite improvement from it’s first season is the branching out of the limited focus of club practice (eating cake) to wider array of activities. Granted, most of them are still obvious and predictable, the sort of been-there done-that stories we’ve all seen before, but the shift allowed K-On!! to focus on many different aspects and resort less to what I like to call ‘moe-moments’ in order to fill up the 24 minutes. Lets face it, how many different ways can you eat, drink and procrastinate before it starts getting old? Instead though, from the summer trips to school plays to the air conditioning campaigns, K-On!! moves away from the same-ness of cake/tea/practice/more cake in the first season and closer to true slice-of-life.

K-On!!’s real brilliance shines in the final 6-7 episodes or so, as the girls neared the finale of their school life, the realization that their after school tea times can’t last forever hits them quietly and their are faced with the challenges of change and the future. Though not exactly compelling and dramatic, it nevertheless teaches us that our beloved peaceful times cannot always last forever, which only makes them more precious, not unlike Aria the Origination, but on a smaller scale. K-On!’s main idea was a carefree life of daily cake, tea and music with not a worry in the world, but K-On!!’s step away from that ultimately paid off and turned what would have been just a mediocre moeblob into a great slice-of-life.

I supposed I’d better tackle the moe problem, as it seems to be the main issue dragging K-On!! down. Yes, there is a lot of it. Yes, it gets annoying. Yes, it is overused and detracts from the overall effect. Would K-On!! be better without it? Probably. But then it wouldn’t be K-On!!. Yes you can all come and egg my house afterwards for using such a cliche argument, but there is some wisdom in my words, ladies and gentlemen. As much as we all hate to admit it, moe has become an integral part of the characterization of the K-On!! girls. Yui simply wouldn’t believe the same if she didn’t drool over Azu-nyan or cake, Azu-nyan wouldn’t be the same if she didn’t get embarrassed over every little thing and Mugi simply can’t exist without her air-headed-ness and cheerfulness. Sure, they could do without it, but then they’d be different characters completely. Big Macs would probably taste better with tomato sauce instead of mayo, but then they wouldn’t be Big Macs anymore, if you get what I mean. Even though I make better tasting burgers myself, I wouldn’t want to have Big Macs any other way.

And to be fair, a lot of the moe-hate stem from people who watch 3-4 episodes, drop it, and then go complain about it on forums. As I followed K-On!! throughout it’s season, I was quietly surprised as the moe-moments gradually thinned out little by little. It was as if as the girls grew older, the show slowly matured along with them. Don’t believe me? Well, don’t my word for it, see for yourself. Right now. Open up say episode 2 or 3, count how many moe-moments there are, and then compare them to a later episode, say, 21 or something. Don’t worry, I’m not going anywhere so take your time… Ok… done? See? Good. Anyway as I was saying, the gradual fade of moe was was subtle and barely noticeable, but for those paying attention it was a nice touch, and went along well with the tone of bittersweetness of the end of their high school lives.

I guess it’ll be wrong to not comment on the music of K-On!! seeing as how that was kinda the whole theme that they were going for. Honestly speaking, it really isn’t half bad. Toyosaki Aki (Yui)’s cute but horrendous out of tune vocals aside, the OP, ED and insert songs generally maintain the high standard of the first season. They’re catchy, and well… very K-On!!-ish. What caught me out though was the meaning they seem to embody. Rather than the lyrics simply being a spontaneous creation (I mean Curry Nochi Rice, what was that all about) they represented something, like Yui’s realization of all the things she took for granted in portrayed in U&I and the girl’s close friendship exemplified through their song for Azusa. In short, K-On!!’s music is great, and that’s all there really is to say about that. (Unless you hate poppy rock, in which case allow me to direct you to the mute button. Seriously, no one’s making you listen to this, get over yourself.)

Guess I better get on to the boring stuff now.

Animation: Nothing to write home about, but the smoothness and crispness is certainly pleasing and relaxing to look at, a very good style for a slice-of-life. Animation during the live performances have definitely improved since the first season, which is a definite plus.

Sound: Insert songs aside, more often than not there’s always some cutesy background music playing to accompany the scene. While this can easily backfire, KyoAni does a very good job of timing, and fitting the mood with the right music, so this section is also a plus.

Voice Acting: I was surprised in the first season how such a amateurish band of seiyuu could bring the characters to life. Another season’s gone by and I’m pleased that the quality of VA as remained consistent. Toyosaki Aki’s performance as Yui deserves a special mention, with interchanging voices between cutesy and hoarse, and the constant (if a bit too frequent) “ehhh?”s, it was really a joy to listen to. I still maintain that she needs singing lessons though.

So ultimately, is K-On!! a good anime? Well let me be perfectly honest. I actually wrote this review as a bet against a friend who maintained that it was impossible to write a review for, and I quote, “a cliched intangible blob of moe”. Now to be fair, he may have been right. Maybe I would have found it much easier to just simply cast K-On!! aside as a generic moe-cash in by KyoAni with half decent characterization, no good plot and overall mediocre anime. But as I instead set out to do the impossible task, I was pleasantly surprised when I realized that it was not as impossible as I originally thought. K-On!! is good. Heck, it’s great. It knew exactly what it wanted to be, and set out to achieve it brilliantly (which is more than I can say for Angel Beats). I’d probably go as far as to say it is the best slice-of-life/moe anime of the year. Sure, it probably couldn’t hold a candle to say… Durarara or FMA:Brotherhood, but you wouldn’t compare K-On!! to those anime for the same reason you wouldn’t ride a goat to an equestrian event or wear a miniskirt to a basketball game. Is K-On!! a good slice-of-life/moe? Yes. Then… did I enjoy K-On!!? Yes, immensely. Then… Is K-On!! a good anime? Obvious answer is obvious. So much for generic and mediocrity huh?

I will conclude with this afterthought. I could probably very easily write a long rant about the negatives of vanilla ice cream. I could talk about how bad it is for your health, how expensive and nutrition lacking ice-cream is, or how it is an overrated flavor and too many people eat just because they don’t have the guts to try new and better flavors, or how the ice-cream companies continue to make vanilla ice-cream to cater for those idiotic people, cashing in instead of nobly taking the first step in revolutionizing ice cream flavors. But at the end of the day, it doesn’t change the fact that I like vanilla ice-cream, and that I enjoy having it every Friday night after dinner as I tune in to watch the weekly action flick on television. If I didn’t enjoy vanilla ice-cream, would that change the fact that it’s a good ice-cream? Of course not. You’d be a magnificent retard for declaring vanilla ice-cream is bad just because you don’t like it, so why do some people do it so much for anime like K-On!!? Vanilla ice-cream exists for people who like vanilla ice-cream, just like K-On!! exists for people who like a good slice-of-life with a bit of (or quite a bit of, whatever floats your boat) moe. If there are people who enjoy it, then that should be all that matters, and I think sometimes we’re too easily forgetful of that fact.

Thanks for reading this wall of text. read more

Things are often more than they seem.

For any individual, there always are surprises to be found in the long walk of life. Things that, while initially appearing flavorless and dull, reveal themselves to be something much more colorful. These are the kinds of experiences that impact a person and make them feel something of significance. They may make them laugh or cry, but in the end these are the kinds of stories that hold a special place in one's heart. The second season of K-ON is a testament to exactly this.

K-ON has always been a very polarizing series, one which has a dedicated fanbase and a vocal group of people staunchly asserting their hatred of the anime. Regardless of any personal feelings one might hold towards the massive franchise, it's impossible to deny the influence that it's enjoyed these past few years. But unlike so many titles that are successful simply by chance or for manipulating its viewers, KyoAni has painstakingly focused on quality to ensure that K-ON deserves every bit of its fame.

Clearly, this is not a complex story.

This will not challenge your beliefs or ideals, nor give you something to analyze and mull over. It's first and foremost a character-based slice of life revolving around five young girls and their daily lives within their highschool music club. Though reluctant fans and critics of the genre may find themselves irritated by the idealized and cute nature of the series, there is much more value to be found than a cursory glance at the artwork or synopsis might suggest, leading K-ON to be an anime recommendable to all groups of people of varying tastes and preferences.

While comedy plays the most extensive role in the entertainment of this series, a good portion of the fun comes from the characters and their basic interaction with each other. There's a very interesting dynamic between the main cast and they contrast and play off each other in both comedic and dramatic scenes. The most noteworthy example of this is the relationship between Yui and Azusa: a lazy, ditzy girl alongside her extremely hardworking and strict junior. While there isn't anything especially unique or complex to be found at first, it's a relationship that eventually develops into one that feels genuinely endearing. There are no melodramatic arguments between the two, nor is there only a single moment where their feelings come to light.

Surprisingly, the resulting character development does not subvert this dynamic but instead expands upon it. Azusa still finds herself feeling out-of-place and anxious in regards to the silly behavior of her seniors, while Yui also struggles to take her musicianship more seriously and come across as a figure that Azusa can rely on. A heavy contrast between the two exists as a result, which allows them to gain insight and grow from each other in a way that feels meaningful, while still retaining the inherent nature of their personalities. It's a dynamic that the series focuses on and highlights, and thankfully this aspect is treated with the utmost care, ensuring that the viewer will empathize with their situation and feel something of significance as the series progresses.

Of course, K-ON focuses heavily on the other members of the club as well – five girls of very different lifestyles and backgrounds coming together and becoming close and inseparable friends. Unlike many slice of life series, this isn't an immediate growth between the cast (sans the long friendship between Ritsu and Mio), but rather a gradual one that builds from each episode. Rather than focus on one specific character each episode, the series is often focused more on their time together as a group. The girls all feel like human beings with personality and purpose, rather than the faceless archetypes that have become a staple of many anime titles. As a result, it becomes very easy to grow attached to the characters and feel like you're along with them for the ride, rather than simply being a mere spectator.

For an anime to immerse its viewers to such a level – to allow them to feel like they are there with the cast, is a very special thing. It serves not only to make each moment more meaningful, but to make the experience feel very personal as well. When the tale of the five girls is over, you may find yourself feeling like something important inside of you is now missing. If the frequency of tea and cake leaves you in doubt, this will be the sign of something brilliant.

The most prevalent theme within the series is that of growing up. They change, they adapt, and they learn to accept their new situation. As graduation draws closer for four of the five girls they deal with the complications of college entrance exams, career choices, and leaving their highschool life behind. Surprisingly, this has the biggest impact not on these characters themselves, but on their junior, Azusa, who feels discontent and uneasy about her friends moving on before her. She struggles with the prospect of managing the club by herself and recruiting new members for after the other girls graduate, an issue that is touched upon many times and eventually resolved towards the end of the series.

It's this theme which leads to a wide variety of emotional and heartwarming moments in the story. Two preeminent examples include the girls performing in front of the school for a final time and having a tearful realization after, and a final scene where the four girls graduate and play a bittersweet farewell song in the clubroom for a crying Azusa. I am not ashamed to admit that these two scenes made me tear up.

Which brings up an interesting point, because if the series were so focused on the girls eating cake and doing nothing each episode, would these kinds of scenes exist in the first place? No. It almost feels like a direct contradiction to the claims of the anime being focused on nothing more than the cuteness of the characters, and while it's impossible to deny its presence in the story, it's quite clear that this is not what the anime is defined by. This is what sets K-ON apart from many of its competitors: being an anime that is not only cute and entertaining, but one that is emotional and carries impact as well.

It should also be noted that while the manga is not by any means bad, KyoAni took Kakifly’s very simplistic 4-koma and added an enormous amount of detail to it, taking important plot elements that only existed in a passing line or panel from the manga. The vast majority of the character development and emotional scenes are the work of KyoAni and the talented staff behind the anime, and for taking liberties and improving upon the manga in so many ways they deserve to be applauded and commended. There's an adage about how adaptations are always inferior to the source material, but this is one example that proves it's not always so.

But then, where would the series be without the stunning production values that KyoAni is so well known for?

This is luckily an aspect that is not glanced over or given second thought, and the visuals in K-ON are something that stand out as being absolutely stellar as a result. Almost everything about the characters is fluid and detailed, with movements looking and feeling very much lifelike. Not only do the mouth and limbs move like in most anime, but the hair will move along with the body, the clothes will furrow and crease realistically to the character’s movements, and their eyebrows and facial shape will accentuate their expression. While the girls seldom practice or play music, the scenes where they do play are beautifully animated and show detail that musicians and general viewers will appreciate. It’s a gorgeous anime to look at and it really reflects the overall quality and effort that KyoAni worked so hard to detail the anime with.

Music itself is much more varied than in the first season, with several times more unique songs that the girls perform together as a band and during the opening and ending sequences. These songs are all performed by the actors behind each character, and, while they certainly aren't amazing pieces of music, they fit perfectly with the tone of the anime and with the musical talent of the girls. They are not professional musicians but rather highschool girls that play and practice for fun, which makes the silly songs that they perform seem all the more realistic and fitting. Of further note is the background music, which is simplistic and sets the atmosphere for each scene very well.

The second season is a bit of a departure from its predecessor, though, in the sense that the music is not highlighted or given nearly as much focus as it had before. This isn't an anime about music but an anime about a group of friends that happen to play music. They practice and play, discuss musical terminology, and shop for new gear, but this serves more as an aspect of their daily lives rather than something they are invariably focusing on and thinking about. There's definitely enough here to satisfy accomplished and aspiring musicians alike, but it is not the focal point. Still, when the series does focus on its musical performances it does a fantastic job, providing both on the entertainment and emotional level. "U & I" is a great example of this, a song written by Yui to show thanks for her sister in a way that she could never express without music.

In the end, K-ON is not some form of "masterpiece" or its synonyms. It would be very difficult to find any anime that can honestly meet that criteria. Rather, K-ON is an exemplary and meritorious title that showcases what the best of anime really has to offer, both within its genre and universally. It's a title which exemplifies that a complex plot and deep themes are not required for an anime to stand out as something truly great.

K-ON may not be everybody's cup of tea, but for the girls of Sakuragaoka High School, it is their tea party. read more

I'm not a huge fan of the "moe wave," if you want to call it, that has over-saturated the anime market for good part of the last five years. Personally, I don't really wish to encourage a lack of creativity in Japanese studios to continue with the on-going "cute girls going cute things" mentality, but I have to admit as much as I' might dislike or completely forgo these moe series, something about K-ON!! (and its prequel) keep me entertained.

There's one thing you're going to get from K-ON!! and that is: cute high school girls doing cute things. Its not in any way groundbreaking or will go down in history as Gundam or Cowboy Bebop (unless the anime industry take a nose dive) but if you take it for what it is, it's surprisingly very entertaining for 20 minutes of your life.

It starts back up with the Yui and the rest of the Light Music Club on their senior year of high school (save for Azusa) with the same charm we're used to. Though its very noticeable that there's a much greater lack of focus on the band playing music this season, with the first new song of the season "Pure Pure Heart" not featured in the series until episode 7. We've been teased with a possible Mugi solo in episode 3, but that's yet to be mentioned again.

But all the music is cute and fluffy as always, the new opening and ending songs take some time to grow on you after season 1, but I find myself maybe even liking them more in the end. The animation in the OP & ED has taking a noticeable improvement, which I find much better than S1.

The animation in this season is actually much better than the first. Its fluid and there are very little shortcuts in the quality. KyoAni makes up for lack of storytelling in K-ON!! with its top-notch animation which might easily be one of the best animated series of the Spring 2010 season.

Aside from the animation and the music, the story of K-ON!! is nothing complicated. The girls deal with everyday random things, there are not deep profound things going on here. This is a series you watch without thinking too hard; but I think that's slightly part of the charm. Its just an easy, enjoyable series.

The same character archetypes are still around, (Mio's scaredy cat ways are as prevalent at ever) and for some viewers this can get very old quickly. (I myself have gotten slightly irritated with the typical reactions from the girls) but there's one thing that keeps me watching K-ON! into its second season and sets it apart from the rest of these "otaku pandering moe series," its not turned into explicit fanservice.

There's not one panty shot, breast grope or sexual theme in the whole series and I think this is key. You don't feel guilty after watching a K-ON (unless you're a 20-something guy who is embarrassed watching cute girls in an anime). It could be a show you pull out and watch with your little sister. It stays innocent and sweet and the characters are never once sexualized by the creators. Its a very refreshing take on this very obviously, otaku focused genre.

Even so, K-ON!! is still probably a series only seasoned anime viewers would probably be able to watch and fully enjoy because of its simple, slice of life feel. read more

Well, what else can I really say about this anime, other than calling it a seed of potential that blossomed into a beautiful anime that made me emotionally attached to the story itself as well as connect to my life? Such gems are rare, and im glad i gave this anime a chance to make me laugh, smile and cry without overdoing the "moe moe kyun" factor.

So where do i start? K-On, initially a, as many people call it, "fluffy slice of life" depiction turned from that into what I would personally call a coming of age story, one in which each character is thoroughly explored and developed well, and one in which you see them mature since the end of Season 1. But the key here is that kyo-ani didn't overdo it either. So here is my breakdown:

Story (8/10): To be fair, people will dispute me, but in K-On!!, the story is something we all live through in our own realities. When watching this Anime, it reminded me of my days in High School, a place where you not only experienced new opportunities, but grew in maturity, and most importantly, developed memories and friendships that would transcend the years themselves. At first, the tone was lulled, but Im not afraid to say that by the end, the way the story developed made me reminisce my final days, and I too got caught in the emotional moments before the end of the Season. I didn't want it to end, but sometimes, thats what makes the best endings, because you know it ended so wonderfully, and that emotionally you were satisfied. Clannad (After-Story), Kanon, Air, Angel Beats! and now K-On!...Kyo-Ani, you have successfully reeled me in again.

Art (10/10): Has K-On!! improved since the first season? All you need to do is look at the opening theme songs and compare the artwork. Brighter, crisper, smoother, and especially with the live-action scenes, more atmospheric, my eyes were bedazzled by what Kyo-Ani had done, and one can tell they knew how to get their moneys worth from the animation software. Especially with a certain scene in Episode 10 (I think), It was beautiful.

Sound (10/10): Absolutely astounding, thats all I can say. Every time a new song played, whether it was the first few minutes of Episode 1, the new Op of GO! GO! Maniac or Utauyo! Miracle or even something as beautiful as U&I or Tenshi ni Fureta yo, nothing disappointed me, I even laughed a little at the lyrics. I remember disliking Yuis voice initially as well, but oh damn, has it grown on me as time gone on, and even Death Devils songs have revived my love for Japanese speed metal. Either way, the songs make up just another reason why I didn't want this season to end, it reminded me of my days on a Fender Bass or my Grand Piano, the two instruments I consider my life and soul.

Character Development (9.5/10): The fact that I almost cried at the end of the final few episodes are enough to justify my personal score, because it felt like losing something special to me when i realised the anime was ending so soon, and the manga as well (New manga apparently announced... read more

K-on!! Is somewhat hard to review, so this will probably a short one.

Story: The very first thing that you will notice about K-on!! Is its lack of a story. There is plot for every episode, but most of the time it’s just a comedic skit which shows the daily life of the members of the light music club. There really isn’t much to talk about in terms of the story, which is really surprising considering the popularity of the series. I would give it a 6/10 because it just lacks a solid plot.

Art: The art is great, as expected of KyoAni. The animation was superb, the art was solid and pretty much everything is perfect. One thing I would like to mention is the moe-ness(is this even a word?) of the anime, which is one of the main selling points of the anime. If you’re a fan of moe animes, you will most certainly love this. I gave it a 9/10 for being well-animated, but that is to be expected considering that they also animated clannad, The melancholy of haruhi suzumiya and other great animes.

Sound: Considering that this is an anime that focuses on a music club, it is quite obvious that the sounds are very good. The voice acting was done well, the background music was perfect but the thing i liked the most are the songs, which is another one of its main selling points. They are light and have a certain charm, very different from most of the crap we hear today and for that I would give it a 10/10. FuwaFuwa all the way!

Characters: The characters are all loveable and have certain unique qualities that separate them from other characters. But because K-on!! doesn’t have much of a story, there isn’t much character development either. The only character with much character development is Azunyan, who from a somewhat serious character turns into a more laid back and cheerful girl. But even if there isn’t any character development, it can also be said that there isn’t any need for development, since the characters are already perfect and for that, I would give it an 8/10.

Enjoyment: The thing that makes K-on!! an amazing anime is that even with a lack of a story, it still manages to entertain its viewers, and pretty well on that matter. Its light-hearted theme and original jokes make people come back for more. It’s the kind of anime that relies purely on entertaining its viewers to keep them watching, and they have succeeded on that matter. I really have no idea on how they kept it fresh; it could be the comedy, the cuteness, or the music but either way, they really did a good job on entertaining me and i’m sure that it will entertain you to. For that I give it a 10/10.

Overall I give it an 8/10 because even though it is entertaining, it lacks something that makes animes exciting: a story. Though it kept me watching, it loses some of its charm after a while but it is still one of the best animes out there.

Remember when i said this would be a short review? Well I lied :p If you have read through the entire review then i would like to thank you :)) if there are any mistakes in my grammar then srry because English is not my first language.
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I don't usually write reviews, as this will be my first one off the bat. I hope not to expose too much about the anime, as it would be a spoiler for those who would like to read the reviews before viewing the anime. I thought I should write one, since this is one of my favourites. Here we go.. enjoy :)

Story: To shorten and sum things up, K-On is about four lovely girls who come together to form the, "Light Music Club." They would carry on throughout the episodes with Culture Festivities, as well as composing new songs and performing them on stage. What I liked about K-On is that the scenery portrayed throughout the series, such as: the school, the hallways, the classrooms, the auditorium, were depicted from the actual Sakuragaoka High School‎ in Japan. This gave it a more realistic feeling towards the anime. Someday I wish I hope to visit that school one day to see the K-On displays held within that school . . T.T

Art: Not much to criticize about their artwork, as it was flawless. The characters were created perfectly, as in my opinion, no one looked deformed, their bodies did not look unproportional to their heads as well as the scenery of their depiction from the real Sakuragaoka High School‎ was very accurate. I would like to give KyoAnimation a two-thumbs up to their Artwork. Well Done.

Sound: Noting that this anime was based on music, I thought I'd give it a try and the end result...... AMAZING. Trying a new genre of anime once in a while is not bad at all, and since I gave this a try, I loved it. The music composed throughout the episodes was conducted beautifully, as well as the voice-acting was spot on. Each character had a very unique tone of voice, which I found very interesting, and the sound of instruments and the vocals going off is just too beautiful to put into words throughout this anime.

Characters: The characters throughout this anime are lovable and very "moe" in each and every way. Let's start off by naming and describing each of my favorite girls: (Yui Hirasawa / Ritsu Tainaka / Tsumugi Kotobuki / Mio Akiyama / Azusa Nakano)

Yui Hirasawa: Yui :3 .. she can be an airhead sometimes, but that's makes us love her even more. Her behaviour may be compared to a childish person, but she is a very caring and sweet person overall. To add on another note, Yui is a very dedicated person. When she sets her mind on something, she puts her 200% effort into it into making the best out of it. Plus, she also adores cute things and loves to eat sweets. She is one of the lead vocalists and guitarists in the band. Also, her laziness side is very cute as she loves to sleep and roll around in her room in the summer times ^-^.

Ritsu Tainaka: what more can I say about Ritsu? With her short brown hair with a headband, she can be described as the tomboyish character out of the pack, as well as the president of the Light Music Club. She was the person along with Mio who came up with the Light Music Club in the beginning. As the main drummer in the band, Ritsu is very outgoing and loves to tease Mio by scaring her alot, which I found very funny although it's mean xD. She also likes to eat sweets alongside with Yui as well.

Tsumugi Kotobuki: mugi-chan.. our beloved blonde haired mistress. Her friends call her "Mugi", and "Daikon-Brows" (Japanese Radish) . She is known to be a wealthy person throughout the anime, as well as the lead pianist in the band. Throughout most of the episodes, Mugi-Chan is the one who provides and serves the tasty treats and tea with her fine expensive china. She seems to be a very humble person who also is subconscious about her weight.

Mio Akiyami: Mio Mio Mio. . . She may be the tallest girl in the group. Mio can be described as a very shy person, who is also the lead bassist in the band. She plays the bass left-handed and is one of the main vocalists. She is Ritsu's childhood friend, as they literally grew up together, as they would do homework together and whatnot. Also, she has a fear of disturbing topics such as blood, ghosts, haunted houses and other eerie stuff. She doesn't like to be in the spotlight much, but is usually forced to be in it most of the time throughout the episodes. She is also subconscious about her weight as well

Azusa Nakano: referred to as "Azu-Nyan," by her friends, Azusa is also one of the Lead Guitarists in the band. Azu-Nyan is a year younger than the rest in the band, as well as the last one to join the Light Music Club as she found an interest in it. Despite her very cute personality, she is very talented with her guitar skills as she helped teach Yui with the tabs and what not. She gets shy and embarassed just like mio, which makes it very cute as well.

Enjoyment: In my opinion of watching a Slice of Life, this is the best anime suited for that category, as I enjoyed every minute of what the episodes have to offer. From the funny moments to the sad moments made me recall the nostalgic moments that I had once back when I was a High Schooler. I'm not sure which target audience I'm targeting my review at (high schoolers or post-secondary graduates), but if there are high school graduates reading this review, I'm pretty sure that after they watch the whole series, they will feel the nostalgia hitting them back in the head, making them recall the best moments they had back in high school with their buds, seeing them every and doing all the crazy stuff together, making precious memories out of that you will carry on for the rest of your life.

Overall, I give this anime a 10/10. One of the best Slice of Life anime's I've ever seen. What more can I say? Four lovely girls who come together to form a band called, "Light Music Club," who make wonderful music together. To whomever is reading this who has not watched the anime, I HIGHLY RECOMMEND YOU WATCH IT. (emphasis with caps hehehe.) : )

Peace out for now, who knows I might write another review for another favourite that I really enjoyed. I hope this review helped those who are looking for a great anime to watch.

Joobie ~
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If you've never heard of K-On!, the show is basically this: an anime in the slice-of-life moe genre (Lucky Star) with no main plot but a group of teenage girls that are well... Teenage girls. They go to school, study, eat and sleep. Oh yeah, and they're all part of a band. While music itself isn't the main focus of the series, that isn't necessarily a bad thing. The anime makes up for its lack of a plot by showcasing the simplicity of life. The anime shows that life isn't a boring thing. The laughs and tears you shed at work, school or home is what makes life interesting.

K-On!! stays true to it's predecessor. It is a plotless 26 episodes of overpowering moe-ness. That being said, it has improved on it's original run on all fronts.
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Story: 6 for plot, 7 for characters
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While there is no main plot, K-On uses the set up of 5 teenage girls and their ventures with their school's keion club (light music club). Aside from maybe a couple what you could call legitimate plot arcs, the anime is very episodic. It uses the sitcom based setup where the only thing the same about every episode is the characters.
Except for one major difference. Time goes by and the chronology is very apparent. One major focus of the anime is the fact that 4/5 of the members are seniors and will be graduating from high school life into the real world once the school year ends. This factor adds a surprising amount of character development, mainly with Azusa, and less with Sawako, Mio and the others.
About the characters, they all portray different stereotypes in school and in anime. Yui, the airheaded girl, Ritsu, the eccentric tomboy-ish leader, Mio, the pretty and shy girl, Mugi, the kind, gentle hearted rich girl, Azusa, the loli (as if Yui wasn't enough) mascot (mind you, her character is also sort of a pseudo Mio), and last but not least, bipolar Sawa-chan. The characters are done well enough and have very distinct personalities. Best of all, they were produced very well in terms of art and voice acting (sub is 3948234x better trust me, as 75% of my anime list was watched in dub).
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Production: 9 for art, 10 for sound
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As Kyoto Animation has done before with two other juggernauts of the school life genre (Clannad, and Lucky Star), K-On brings a unique art style that like the others, is still done amazingly. The character designs were extremely well done, and the attention to detail is also surprisingly good.
The sound is a masterpiece in every aspect. The voice acting is done with voices that fit their roles perfectly, and while the songs may not seem perfect, they are done to resemble a high school pop band, with catchy melodies, and an amateur sound. This aspect has been done to a high level as believe it or not, the OST was recorded by the voice actors themselves. They learned how to play their instruments as their characters did, and I must say I'm pretty impressed.
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Enjoyment: 10
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Enjoyment is the main purpose of the slice-of-life moe genre. There isn't a deep plot, it isn't overflowing in sad moments, but it's enjoyable. Very enjoyable at that. I don't have much to say other than you need to experience this yourself.
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How did K-On!! surpass it's first season? Every aspect of the anime improved just a little bit, to say the least. That was enough to bump my rating from a 6 to an 8 across seasons. read more

If I were to come up to you and ask if you would watch a show about 5 high school girls drinking tea and having fun, chances are you'd back away slowly and begin to either call the police or whip out the pepper spray or taser. Where's the action, the romance, the suspense? Is there even a storyline? A plot? A movie critic would probably burst into tears at the anti-Hollywood-like characteristics of this horrendous "TV show?"

Well I have braved the troubled waters of slice-of-life to come before this golden nugget among others: K-On! To dispense some of the hate and malice, let me assure you, I had almost no hopes for this show at all. When introduced to season 1, I was skeptical and a little paranoid. My thought process was: this is going to be one big suck. Of terribleness. Of all time. There was nothing more that I wanted to do than watch 4 or 5 high school girls sip tea and experience the trivialities of life. Especially when I'm inundated with school work and up to my chest in thing-to-do. (Can you taste the sarcasm?). But this show blew me far away into the zone of no return.

I loved this show. Regardless of its pointless plot, useless storyline, girly characters and circular reasonings, I managed to come out laughing and even sharing this little anime. Though the title implies music, maybe 3 or 4 episodes ever had any musical playing in it. That didn't matter! K-On sucked you into the useless plot faster than you could struggle away. It's like quicksand, I tell you!

Though there is lots of skepticism and controversy regarding the show's enjoyment, let me introduce you to one of the biggest critics out there: me. I thought nothing wasted more time than watching garbage like this. I adamantly refused to observe material of this quality; I felt like this was a waste of time. But lo and behold, the characters sort of stick to you, more than the mochi they frequently talked about. No, what kept me rigged with attention were the characters and situations themselves.

The tone remained static almost the entire time; the last episode, however, became oddly serious and really sad. Actually, the last couple of episodes clamped down, as if the director and producer had a meeting and wanted to go out with a bang. And a bang they did. You become so emotionally attached to the each character's traits and personality, the last episode feels like a bittersweet moment: happy for the girls, yet sad to see them move on with their artificial and fantasy life.

The characters themselves remained lovable and enjoyable. They were intimate, yet had almost no arguments. They had an everlasting friendship bond, yet seemed never to be angry; they joked often and never were reprimanded. The most trouble any of the girls got into was when one of them made a bad joke. But of course, each character had their own traits.

Ritsu, the leader and drummer of the group, was brash, bold and brave, often going out of her way to annoy or pester Mio. She is a rough-and-tumble sort of girl, taking life as it comes, often forgetting her responsibilities (such as renting the auditorium for them to perform!) and leading the group from place to place. She plays the drums, wears a headband and is proud of her salient forehead Mio was the quiet, shy girl, with moe characteristics, insecurities, clumsiness, easily terrified sort of way, yet mild-headed to all except Ritsu, her close childhood friend whom Mio often hits in retaliation to Ritsu's teasing. She plays the bass, that she named Elizabeth, has long black hair and is heavily self-conscious about her looks. Mugi is a rich, loyal, fun-loving sort of person, who seems never to enjoy the small things in life, like an arcade. She plays the piano, and makes the tea and brings the food for their daily afternoon tea time. Yui is an airhead, but a lovable one nonetheless. She enjoyed food much more than the others, picks up music really fast, and is easily distracted. She plays the guitar (she named Gitah), has short brown hair, and the story usually revolves around her. Asuza (Azu-Nyan, as they tend to call her) is a small girl, one year younger, with long black hair who plays the guitar. She is quick-witted, often tries to get practice together but fails frequently.

Ui, Yui's sister, is the antithesis of Yui. She is responsible, loving in a parent sort of way, and cares for Yui often throughout the series. Jun is a friend of Ui and Asuza, but she seems more selfish and is jealous of the light music club.

The art work is stunning. The attention to detail is enormous - if you pause at any scene, try to look for hidden detail: the chips and holes in the desk, the way the guitar pegs are drawn, the way light bounces of key parts of their instruments, the way they play their instruments is all drawn to the exact detail. I do play both the guitar and piano, and I could actually follow along with Yui and Mugi's parts when their fingers were shown. I was very impressed by the detail.

The sound is also similarly impressive. The songs were kind and carefree, not too serious, yet had difficult parts for all the instruments. Though they did play relatively few songs, not to mention very few new ones, they had an aura of happiness that makes one want to spring up and dance for no particular reason. The OP and ED are fantastic and well-made - I never skipped them, even though I'm pressed for time sometimes. The OP was always upbeat and led you wanting more - the ED was much more serious and carried more weight, as if to tell you that K-ON was done for the day.

The story. Oh, how the story is the center of all this controversy! Alas, how little it is understood! If you were tasked to make this anime, what would you do different? Would you instead have the girls be in class all day, then perhaps play their instruments and go home? NO!! The viewers would swoon from boredom and tedium. Though many argue that the story is not a story, but pointless little synopsis's of their daily routine, I say, well, of COURSE IT IS. School is boring! What more to make it fun than to add a little twist - a comedic tone underlying small substories! Absolute genius. This was the heart and core of the anime; or as Yui says, the heart of the cake is the strawberry!

Overall, it was enjoyable to say the least. Though there were no serious performances, and probably none of this would ever happen in real life, I still loved every bit of this sweet and delicious cake, followed by some afternoon tea. Though it may not seem like much, by the end, you will almost miss their daily tea time; it becomes ingrained into your head. Parting with this anime was bittersweet: Houkago Tea Time, rock on! Remember: FUWA FUWA TIME! read more

Ah K-on!!

I decided to watch this because I had seen the first season and thought I'd watch something I could bash on when it ended, because it's ended now, yes sure, there are two more episodes, but these are just extra helpings of moe for all you fanboys out there.

At first it was everything I'd expected, it was moe, it was silly, nothing substantial about the anime whatsoever, neither storyboard nor any real screenplay, but then something happened, something that started to happen during the first season yet didn't fully evolve into this feeling I felt after having watched the second season; it grew on me. At this point in time good slice of life anime are a dying breed, atleast for people who aren't fanboys. Everything's been done, producers search desperately for new original ideas, but they're just not there and to tell you the truth K-on!! is not original in any sense, form or colour. K-on!! shouldn't be good slice of life anime and for me it wasn't exactly good, but it was better than I had expected, it had an atmosphere of coziness, sure sometimes I wanted to smash something when it got excessively moe, but it was cozy, it was homely, the show offers something soothing and if that's what the producers wanted to give their viewers then they've done a pretty good job.

I dislike KyoAni, but they can draw and animate, there is no doubt about it. As for the music, well props to the voice actors and producers for creating an OST it gives a sense of quality and whatever shortcomings K-on!! had, the feeling of quality is tangible. Much like a very, very neatly wrapped present with fancy paper and ribbons and hearts and bunnies and everything else cute you can imagine, yet the content of the present is rather empty. K-on!! will not blow your mind with an innovative storyboard and intriguing screenplay, but it will soothe you, depending on what kind of person you are and for what purpose you watch this show, in one way or another.

To answer any and all questions or comments that come up after reading this review the correct answer would be; no. read more

Story:
What do you get when you add four cute girlfriends with the desire to form a music band, situational comedy, and every style of moe an otaku can think of? You get K-On! (or kei-on-bu). Just of a group of girls trying to follow their dreams... sounds very cliche' doesn't it? Well it is and this show oozes cliche'. The setting to the sitcom all the way down to the catch phrase onomatopoeia's like kyuun and hyaan. It's very obvious from the start of episode 1, that the story isn't trying to mess with the success of current trends and tries its very best to run with whats popular with the anime crowd.

Don't get me wrong, the set of stories set through each episode are not terrible by any stretch. Its just very "same old same old." If you watch this you'll quickly recognize if you love it hate it after about two episodes. As for me, I love it but can't really feel attached to the storyline considering the amount of parts that are skipped. It almost feels like the show has a bad case of A.D.D. when it skips the important stuff. Trust me, they do it ALOT.

It skips the important stuff but as they say, the Devil is in the Details. Small things like putting a tongue sideways on a mascot pig azu-nyan, or little piggy sounds from yui, and even the graceful and light footed walking posture of Mugi in that cat costume as she walks in the club room. The icing on the cake is how Azu's buddy gives her a sip of her juice box without even thinking twice. That's what makes this show K-On.


Art:
The art direction has its high points and its low points, but overall the art can't go a little higher than mediocre. Just observe the op/ed theme songs for the show. Typically, the theme songs have higher production values than the actual show itself. They are indeed better artistically, but it still looks very low quality. Another areas that i could not help but notice in the artwork would be the disproportionate loli scenes and the spaces between their hands. Just look at their feed and you'll see what I'm talking about.

I can't turn down the entire art direction down though, as the style does reflect the manga quite accurately most of the time. But I believe most of the time and effort (and probably money) went in to replicating the girls instruments with their real life counterparts. Mio's vintage lefty Fender-Japan JB62/3TS, Ritsu's Yamaha Hipgig JK6F46MK, Tsumugi's Korg TR76 (which is ~$1300), and Yui's VINTAGE Gibson Les Paul Standard Guitar, are all represented with great painstaking detail. The honey burst colors of the bass and standard guitars, the indentations on the Zildjan cymbals, even the correct amount of knobs and switches on the various Marshall amps (usually the JCM900 is shown the most). They even go far as to showcase even more instrument types throughout various locations like the Sonor Delite Stage 1 drum set in one of the girls summer home. Sadly, the instruments are just mere props that aren't shown in action very often as one would hope in a music-themed anime. But when they are in display, everything else, including the girls, pale in comparison to their details.


Sound:
As usual, sound is the toughest to score, since its either really good or really bad. But typically its really good, so my standards are set much higher than what most would probably do. The voice acting is above average considering today's standards. Any female seiyuu these days can pull off moe moe voices very easily. As like all the other music anime before it, its main selling point is the music and how its integrated into the series. Now if you cant stand J-Pop/Rock then I'm sure you will probably drop this series. Unless you're a moe otaku and in that case, you'll watch this show religiously. But for a 13 episode series, they play just the right amount of songs, and they manage not to keep playing the same song over and over to the point of insanity like Kirarin Revolution did with Bararaika, although they ALMOST do.


Characters:
The characters are, of course, cute and lovable. Their actions and reactions are all spot on scenes of cute humor. And all the jokes about each other are always sure to bring out a chuckle or two. The chemistry is also a very good mix which proves that the standard 4 B's of personalities (brash, bashful, boorish, and benevolent) can never falter for great story telling.

Everything they see, say, and do is just insanely cute. It might not be of that loli persuasion but its all moe that gradually increases its moe powers even more with every episode. Be that as it may, they are great characters, but they are by no means very original in the character designs. Sadly, I too (as millions of other people have fallen under Mio Akiyama's spell and forced me to give it an 8 out of 10...

Sure the characters are cookie cutter moe blobs but beauty is definitely in the details. People who hate this show usually dont sweat the small stuff like that. They just see a group of girls chatting about BS and having fun. Thats fine, that is what a slice of life comedy is all about, having fun. Azunyan pretty much sums up the epic power of the moeblob in episode one when she poses in front of that "rising sun".

Overall:
I enjoyed the time I spent watching this show. I never felt like this was a waste of time or anything of the sort. Maybe its because I love school comedies or Mio's ability to bring the whole country of Japan (and the world) to its knees. Regardless, its still fun to watch these girls try to get by and reach their goals together. Its obvious as to why such a simple show is appealing to the masses. It has all the right components and the constant bombardment of moe scenes will defintiely make any moe fan's heart flutter. It defintely has its flaws (in some important places) but since it is so short, you get just enough story progression to enjoy it


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k-on has a second season....???this is the most amazingly great choice done by the creators this was even more hilarious than the first season.it picks up where we left off,they where is their second year high school and azuza chan joins and that where story begin of these wonderful girls.there is no serious plot its just how they handle their day to day problems with the weather,school play,festival,exams,choices they have to make,big life changes to make also dealing with azuzanyas problems of being alone....so who could say there is no story or plot,there is but it runs in the background and when the last few episodes come you get the feel of the main problem the five girls have to deal with and cant help but get teary and remember what you felt in your school days and get a bitter taste of that wonderful moment.SO.....
ART-it was bang on...superb and beautiful even better that the first season if that's even possible.ALSO they have PUT MUCH thought about the characters and their personalities AND DRESSED THEM UP NICELY TO THE LATEST FASHION THAT A PLUS,fashion they wear are so great that you will feel you want cloths like that(so they where very cool)the creators have put a lot of thought in to the environment and the background seance the colours where was so natural you just want to pause it and watch.
SOUND-it was awesome i enjoyed it immensely.the OP AND EN THEME songs where so cool and catchy important thing is it had meaning also they added new songs which was awesome and they were better than the fist season yui even writes one so they are growing up but slowly at there own way.THIS IS A ABSOLUTE MUST WATCH FOR ANYONE WHO IS IN TO ANIME,yui is funnier and ritsu is way awesome in this so go watch and forget you troubles just enjoy life and chillax... :3 read more

So I just realized that I never wrote a review for the second season of K-ON. I just noticed the difference with the questimation marks. S1 is K-ON! and S2 is K-ON!! Also, after a f*ckton of times re-watching this beautiful piece of thing Ive only noticed recently (actually a friend told me about this) that the art on the second season is much prettier that the art in season 1. Though Ive noticed this too!

First things first... fuwa Fuwa Time got tiring after S1 cause it's the onnly song they seemed to know. BUt even if I hate this song and really annoyed with it, I still love this song. Just cause K-on. And K-on is non-hate-able. Only snobby bitches would hate on such a beautiful and pure friendship anime because they just wanna crush poor Keionfags heartos.

Oh!!!!! HOLY SHET, I ALMOST FORGOT THE BESTEDT PART OF THIS SEASON FOR ME! THAT EPISODE WHEN YUI SANG U & I FOR HER ADORABLE LITTLE SISTER!!! HOLY SH*T ON STICKS, THAT WAS BEAUTIFUL! Good god, i listen to that song like at least once a day on my ipod. Makes me really happy. If I could, when I get older someday... I would make my bride watch K-on and be into it so we can play U & I at our wedding. That is my new dream that developed just now.

Anyway, if you havent seen season 2 of k-on but has seen season 1, then you are an idiot. Bescumber with you! Watch season 2 too! Because that just doesnt make sense D: Then after that, watch the movie! Its actually a pretty touchy anime cause its like that, if you seen K-on youd know what I mean. I dunno how to explain. BUt it'd make you wish you were that close with your friends. Ha! read more

Disclaimer: This is a review of both seasons of K-ON!.

Why did I decide to watch this series? Like many people who now either absolutely love or despise it, I watched out of curiosity. I wanted to see if a moe anime show like this could really sink its hooks into me. I can say now beyond a shadow of a doubt that the answer to that question is a resounding yet somewhat embarrassed yes. This show is a textbook definition of guilty pleasure- something that you derive great pleasure from despite knowing it is comprised of the most superfluous ingredients. In this case, I am discussing an anime series that is considered by some to embody many of the problems of the anime genre. The purpose of the show is undoubtedly watching cute girls hang out and get into funny situations. The appeal of the show is the girls. The show is discreetly targeted at obsessive "otaku" types who drool over their favorite anime girl, yet provides almost no moments of overt "fan-service", leading one to be able to view it with a complete sense of innocence. This is probably the reason why it is so popular: It seamlessly masks it's questionable purpose with sincere, heartfelt character interactions, loving attention to detail, and even gasp!… astonishing subtlety.
Make no mistake, the overarching "plot" of K-ON! is paper thin. Basically, some high school girls decide to start a band in their after school music club. The show chronicles the various adventures and exploits of these five girls as they progress through high school and gain recognition for their music. However, more than anything, it is just them goofing off- they have an unbelievably bad work ethic but somehow (humorously) become virtuoso musicians very quickly. For a show that claims to be largely about music, this is somewhat of a misnomer. Sure, there are moments of the show that cleverly make nods to the music industry and to the rock and roll culture and artistic process, but these are far outweighed by the moments of idle chatting, having tea, laughing, and thinking about possibly practicing. As you might guess, this starts off being extremely boring. However, once you get past the first few episodes and ease into the flow of things, the show begins to reveal its true strengths- its characters and it's easy-going, amiable air.
The series excels here because it's characters are so likable and the way that they interact is realistic, full of funny and heartfelt moments, and just plain amusing. Like any show with multidimensional characters, you don't really get the appeal right away. For me it took nearly 13 episodes. I only really started to realize I was having a great time once the first season was coming to a close. It was one of those moments where I realized I had a huge grin on my face whenever I was watching- which is a great compliment to any show. Despite the show being slow moving and low on actual substance, I found myself eager to return to the laid-back and sunny world of K-ON! to spend time with Yui, Mio, Ritsu, Mugi and Azusa. The subtle way in which they change from cookie cutter character archetypes to believable and lovable people is the single best thing about the show. By the end of it all, you will be truly sad to part with them.
Another thing that really helps the show is that is is expertly crafted- with animation quality similar to The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya and subtle differences in characters movements and facial expressions, the art is neat and consistent if not exactly astonishing. There are some very beautiful set piece moments, many of which are found in the afternoon-sun-drenched school halls. In fact, the school itself has an astonishing amount of atmosphere and believability, giving it a sort of character of it's own.
Like I said, for a show centered around the idea of a school band, the music is not what you might expect. This is not a rock and roll soundtrack ala FLCL. The only times you ever really hear the band play is their big performances, which are few and far between. Their songs are good J-Pop style rockers but don't even appear in their full versions usually. In addition, there are the OP and ED themes, which are extremely catchy and spastic. The kind of things that literally will not leave your head. It was for this reason that I downloaded the soundtracks and came to realize that the music is actually quite good. Long story short, I'm a little confused on why all of these great rock songs were composed for the show and then used as minimally as possible, in favor of the generic sounding background music that accompanies most scenes. I realize that the unobtrusive music contributes to the relaxed drawl of the show but it just seems like untapped potential.
Similarly, my single biggest gripe with K-ON! is that while the show is likable with its lack of urgency and tendency to play around, I wish there would have been more progression and emphasis on the group as a band. It would have been nice to see them actually write and compose the songs, practice and record together, see their live interplay, and witness all of the struggles and obstacles that musicians encounter. Instead, we get lots of tea parties, shopping, sleepovers, school activities and walking around chatting it up. I guess you could make the argument that the band is just a hobby to them and thus they do not dedicate much time to it but dammit, like Azusa, I wish they would!
To conclude, K-ON! impressed and entertained me. I am legitimately psyched for the movie (which they better be f'ing making). In the end, the show is like the the cakes that the girls of the light music club enjoy so much- light and sweet without much nutritional value, yet totally worth it. And for the record, this show does not represent anything wrong with the anime genre. These are not generic characters just acting out moe cliches. In fact, the show is relatively light of cliches compared to highly regarded shows such as say, Azumanga Daioh. So, call me part of the problem or whatever, but I found K-ON! to be good fun. Give it a try and you might just find it to be your cup of tea… sorry;) read more

K-ON!! is the epitome of "moe blob" anime; one which got so many other similar series to start, and is also the No.1 selling anime for a long time... While I agree that the colossal amount of "moe" based series is hurting the industry, I must say that K-ON!! represent one of the best in this saturated genre.

It's a bit sad that the second season hardly touches on the music aspect of the series as compared to the first season, as I feel that it's one of the nicer part of the series, especially the live concerts and the original music the club had. This season focuses almost entirely on the comedy, slice-of-life, and story parts of series, but I guess this is what the larger part of the market wants to see. It's sad that the series lost it's unique trait that allows me to call it a anime of music genre, somewhere along the line of BECK and Nodame.

What's good about this season however, is the HUGE improvements on the production quality of the show. Not that the first season is shabby, but it seems that they've managed to perfect every single part of the show. The difference in the directing of the series is so great I could taste the budget they've put into this franchise... Kyoani knows where to put their money where it's worth. It's not like there isn't any boring parts of the series, after all they had to put one year of the story's timeline into 26 episodes, where else they had put two years into the first season's 13 episodes... I suppose they wanna milk it for all it's worth... so there's a side effect of some parts being particularly boring, but it's not like there's any unenjoyable episodes. K-ON!! always managed to put a stupid grin on my face everytime I watch it.

I don't think I need to talk about the animation quality. Aki Toyosaki's two new OP's are a bit too cute for the general public, but I do find them very interesting. But they can't be compared to Youko Hisaka's two ED's, which are simply awesome.

Of course K-ON!! isn't for everyone, but it's definetely the best of it's genre. People who are looking for strong plot lines and twists, or strong character developments, K-ON!! isn't something they're looking for. Unless the "moe blob" genre turns your stomach, you must give this a try.

Plot/Concept: Awesome!
Story Style: Awesome!
Audio/Visual: Superb!
Value: 10 read more

I don't know why I like K-On!!, but I do. It's one of those shows that features nothing you're normally interested in, but you just can't help but enjoy the atmosphere of the group. People watch slice of life shows because they love involving themselves mentally in the story. So, the basic definition of a good slice of life show is one where you'd want to be a part of it. This is what K-On's done so well.

Story: 5 high school girls have formed a band with the resolution to play at "Budokan!" A large music fest. The story in K-On!! moreso just follows the girls around their high school activities though. Going on field trips, hanging out after school, eating tea and cake =3. It's all very slice of life. I don't really feel the need to bring up the moe aspect of the show. A show is good or bad on it's own merit, not on how it archetypes it's characters. Granted, that obviously has a role to play, but with the "cute girls doing cute things" factor aside, you just enjoy everyone's personalities as they are.

Art: K-On!! is very well animated. The art style is very soft, in that everyone is designed to look younger than your avg. anime character of the same age. But I guess that's moe, I dunno, I don't normally watch moe shows. What I particularly like though, is the detailing in the outlines of characters. The way they've animated things has this eye-catching effect about it. Very good animation.

Sound: K-On's background soundtrack has that sort of fun loose feeling that gets you in the mood to watch a show full of fluff. This is really key, because actual background music and sound effects are often ignored in reviews and sometimes even in actual production, and it's these shows that usually aren't as entertaining. K-On!! has a soothing quality just like the tea they famously drink. No matter what mood you start an episode in, by the end you'll feel relaxed because of how the soundtrack has influenced you. The only funny thing to note is the opening's hyperactive singing really throws you off to the overall mood of the show. The end does a nice job of livening things up. Overall, the animation quality in both makes them very interesting AMV's in their own right, as have all K-On OP's and ED's, and you'll end up loving them with repeated exposure. Just like Justin Bieber... Oh god, I can't even jokingly finish that sentence. JB is the worst thing to happen to the eardrums since Spice Girls.

Moving on...

Character: Ah the K-On Cast. It's very interesting to see how Yui has developed since the beginning of the first season. Everyone is still very much the same, but Yui is definitely more energetic than in the past. Ritsu has grown a little more responsible, Mio, a little less shy, and Mugi... well Mugi gets experience in the outside world. Azusa develops as well, though you wouldn't notice any of this without really reflecting on it. I suppose that's the moe bogging it down. But genuinely, there's actually a lot of character development that goes on in this show, and it happens so seamlessly you wouldn't even notice. That's good writing in my opinion.

Enjoyment: Though this season has far less emphasis on the music, what little you hear of the songs is still just as addicting as anything else. You'll find yourself watching this show, caught up in the slice o' life aspect, and you won't mind one bit. It's the sort of thing you can watch either 1 episode, or several, and the overall impact will still be the same. K-On's highly enjoyable. I would parrot the notion that never was K-On!! in any way made to market to a more adult fan base. It's rather refreshing (especially after just watching HOTD).

Overall, K-On!!'s a great series, and I would say you're probably fine to watch season 2 without having seen season 1, but I wouldn't recommend it, simply because you'll want more K-On fun at the end, and the only bits you'll get to see are events that have already transpired.

That's K-On. It wasn't revolutionary or incredible, but it was surprisingly very good. And this is coming from someone completely outside the moe fan base. read more

You might think I may be biased on K-ON because of the perfect 10, but I would like to explain It a bit further why I gave It a perfect 10. Following up from my Review of the First Season, I did mention that they spend more time on Tea Time rather than practicing, which is still a common thing here on K-ON. I always thought the whole series would be all about Music, but turns out to be the average life of High School girls. Not that I hate It or anything, but I would have liked to see the series adapt to more music time because that is what K-ON was advertised or known for which is "MUSIC".

However, I did change my views on K-ON when I began with Season 2. I felt that Season 2 was better to enjoy because of the longer Episodes. I also find them to be enjoyable even without practice or music time. On top of that, Yui, Mugi, Ritsu, and Mio are all Seniors, they will be graduating while Azunyan will be stayed back, while the girls are off to College. It tells me that this Series seems to be more focused on friendship and High School life than Music, which isn't necessary a bad thing. If you were expecting tons of Music in this Anime, I'm sorry, but you will be disappointed.

Story [10/10]
K-ON! (both Seasons) do not follow a sequential plot like certain Animes do. Heck, you go right ahead and watch Season 2 WITHOUT Season 1 because there is nothing major that happens in the first Season. Unless you want to sit through 12 Episodes of Yui getting started on learning the Guitar as well as getting the Light Music Club together. But the choice is up to you, not mine. What Season 2 seems to be aiming for is graduation since the "Senpais" are Seniors now. That's pretty much sums up of what your going to expect in Season 2.

Art [10/10]
I was very impressed on how well the characters are designed as well as the environments. In my opinion, I found that Season 2 felt a lot smoother in terms of animations. I was disappointed by the last Episode of Season 1 because of the bad frame rates of their concert. I'm glad to see KyoAni improving the animations in this Season. Very impressed on how well everything is synchronized from vocals to the instruments.

Sound [10/10]
I loved all the Music in K-ON, they were all easy to listen to and has that "Happy" feeling to It, which makes me like It even further. However, this may vary by your taste of music so I can't really judge If the music is good or not since Its entirely your opinion. I guess If you like music with a full band, I'm sure your going to like It.

Character [10/10]
All Characters are perfectly well done, nothing much to complain here. I find them amusing at times and overall seeing them having a good time together.

Overall, K-ON is one of the most nicest Anime I've ever watched so far (followed by Clannad). Mainly because of graduation, which I'm sure 100% of us will or have faced in life. I'll be honest here, I was crying towards the end because I didn't want to see them all go, I was completely attached to these characters. Like I said above, K-ON seems to be aimed towards Friendship & High School life rather than music. read more

There is nothing at all heavy or complex about K-ON!!. The plot, characters, and themes are extremely simple. However, it is this simplicity that makes it so refreshing, because it manages to be genuinely touching it its own light and fluffy way.

Most people would say K-ON!! has no story. Perhaps by their definition of story they’d be right, but not by my definition. There’s no big plot twists or revelations and much of the show is devoted to the girls just goofing around. But underneath this silliness lies a simple but sweet tale of 5 girls going through highs cool. I know this doesn’t sound like much but it is executed with such grace and heart that it is truly touching. The story is driven completely by the characters, which is a turn off for some but a huge turn on for me. To appreciate K-ON’s story you need to be in a certain state of mind. It would be easy to pass it off as pure cheese, but if you look at it from an innocent, youthful point of view it becomes something else. These five girls are going through a journey, one that doesn’t contain and robots or monsters or anything, but a journey none the less. The concept of how young girls maturing into adults handle the changes that go along with it is dealt with very well. It is, essentially, a coming of age story. Many people complain about how this supposed anime about music wasn’t about music, but it was never trying to be. Music is what brings the girls together, but is not what drives the story. What drives the story is the development of the girls themselves. The show was never supposed to be about them making it big as musicians, but rather just them dealing with growing up, with music as a sort of backdrop.

KyoAni are no rookies when it comes to animation, and it shows here. There’s not a whole lot of movement, being a slice of life, but what movement there is is very fluid. The character designs are fittingly cute but at the same time not quite so generic as other anime of this variety; they are instantly recognizable. The backgrounds are very detailed, and the concert scenes are beautifully rendered, with much attention paid to the instruments being played.

Since music is a theme of the show, you’d expect some good songs to come out of it, and, if you don’t mind cheery pop-rock, K-ON!! doesn’t disappoint. The OPs are sung my Yui, and reflect her cheerful and carefree personality. The EDs, on the other hand, sung by Mio, are much closer to the “rock” in pop-rock. Personally, I liked them a lot better than the OPs, especially No, Thank You, which may be my favorite song from the series. As for the insert songs, they’re few and far between, but those that are there are what you’d expect of a band made up of high school girls; light, catchy and somewhat silly. One interesting thing I want to point out though is how later on in the series music becomes more of a way for the girls to express their feelings, rather than just a hobby. I am referring to U&I and Tenshi ni Fureta yo!, the latter of which will certainly tug at your heartstrings if you’re into the show. This is a nice element that is very true to real life, as many musicians will attest to.

As for the characters, they are without a doubt based on common archetypes, but they do have a little more to them. They’re personalities are very well fleshed out, even the tiniest line adding to their character. They DO develop, contrary to what some will say, though it’s very subtle. They mostly develop as a group, as they deal with the unfamiliar (to them) fear of being separated. Their friendship has grown a lot since the beginning of the series, going from just a club to a tight-knit group of girlfriends with strong emotional bonds. These bonds are made very clear by the girls outward emotions, especially Azusa’s, who has to deal with being left behind at the end of it all. All of their fears and feelings are very understandable if you take into consideration the kind of girls they are. Speaking of which, many will say that they are idealized to appeal to otaku and that I can’t deny completely. But, I think the way their personalities are fleshed out and the emotions they show are very realistic, and girls like them do exist. I can see them as a club in real life, with the way they interact with each other, sometimes bickering, sometimes slacking off, and things like that. It’s the little things, really.

It’s the little things, really.

That pretty much sums up the whole show. It makes no grand statements, presents no huge dilemmas, it’s just a simple story about 5 girls. But unlike many shows of this type, and has a point, a story to tell. When you take in all the small developments of the girls and all the small things they go through, you get a story that is poignant without being too emotionally taxing, and that is commendable and refreshing. Obviously, K-ON!! isn’t for everyone. But I think those who can appreciate these kinds of stories will like it a lot. And as for those who can’t, quiet down a little, please. read more

What do you get when you mix: Moe, Music, Slice of Life, Comedy and A little Drama. You get K-ON!!, the masterpiece made by the great Kakifly. This review will cover Seasons 1 and 2 and the Music from the series.

Story: 9/10. The story is pretty normal, four girls start a band in their first year of high school and it shows their life as they go through high school playing music or just having fun. The story is very basic which have been used before in other Anime's but “K-ON!!” is one of the ones that actually do it right and pull it off perfectly. Season 1 focuses more on the music side of the coin while Season 2 focuses more of the Slice of Life genre.

Art: -/- I don’t rate for art because it is not a deciding factor on how I watch Anime.

Sound: 100/10. This is where “K-ON!” excels beyond any other Anime that I have seen. The series start out with Cageyake! GIRLS, it is a very weird opening but grows on you and you end up singing along to it in the end. Then there is Don't Say “Lazy” the first ending theme, which is a techno rock song which is very amazing. I really liked how the made the openings. The first is always sung by Yui and the Ending is always sung by Mio. I know at first its hard to get used to Yui singing but it grows on you.

Next is GO! GO! MANIAC, really fast song, it is my least favorite of the three opening but it still is really good. Listen!! is the second opening, which is really done well and is on par with Don't Say Lazy's greatness. I love the keybored in and the vocals. Mio proves once again, she is the bomb.

Then here come the last two OP/ED's of “K-ON!!”...Utauyo! MIRACLE and No, Thank You. Probably the greatest op/ed combo ever. Utauyo is still my favorite oping in the entire series because its so much fun to sing along too and just epic. This is where Yui shines like Takuto Tsunashi's Galaxy. No, Thank You is the greatest ending theme ever period bar none. It is perfect, I cant find anything bad to say about it.

As for insert songs we have:
Fuwa Fuwa Time (I love playing this song in my car with the windows down on full blast lol its awesome, Mio does the best job on this song.)
My Love is a Stapler (very catchy and fun)
Calligraphy Pen ~Ballpoint Pen~ (Mio does the best on this song so listen to her version. This one is also very catchy and is one that I could see playing at dances)
Pure Pure Heart (Probably the weakest out of all the insert songs, but it still is very good. It is just the one with the least plays on my iPod.)
Gohan wa Okazu (This song is so much fun, it is my favorite out of all the insert song. This song is so like Yui, it defines her to a T. If I was in a band I would play this song because its just so much fun and hilarious.)
U&I (My second favorite insert song, the lyrics are perfect and have great meaning. It was the perfect ending song to their last festival. It gave me chills.)
Tenshi ni Fureta yo! (This song was done so perfectly, and was so sad. 1. Because it was the last song of the series 2. the lyrics were all about Azu-nyan and it was sad seeing Azu-nyan cry while they played it. Beautiful song, perfect ending to the series)

Character: 10/10 Here's another place where “K-ON!!” excels. The main characters are really memorable and have good development throughout the series. Mio is the quiet, extremely shy, yet the most mature out of the group. Yui is the lazy, cute, spaced out and lazy member of the group (She reminds me a bit of Osaka from Azumanga but is more lazy and less spaced out.) Mugi is the rich girl who has no street smarts and it very impressed by everything people do. Ritchan is the crazy wild girl who always stirs up trouble. Azu-nyan is the one that is always pushing the group to practice and is really good at playing the guitar, she ends up even teaching Yui when she joins the group. I might as well mention Sawa-chan, their adviser. She was hilarious when she first showed up and is the metal head/cosplayer of the group. She always tries to dress up everyone in cute, moe outfits.

Enjoyment/Overall 10/10. I love this series, it will always be in my Top 5. The music in it is legend and everything else makes up the series is amazing. If your a fan of Music and Slice of Life, this Anime is for you. If your not into that, then this show is not for you. But, it won't hurt just to try it out, you just might like it. read more

Yes, it's moe, maybe it's not your cup of tea (no pun intended) but while this series doesn't knock a lot of other series out of the park, it's certainly a good carry-over series if you're waiting on another title to come out.

The only way I've been able to describe K-ON! is a little Azumanga with musicians (like Beck). I enjoyed the first season a good amount but I wasn't itching in my pants for season two at first. I didn't like how the characters didn't seem to original or fleshed out, some had personality quirks I couldn't get over and never got really explained. I didn't know what to expect from season 2 but more of the same.

K-ON!! or the second season actually does a great job in working out those personality and interaction issues I had with season 1. Each character has a more likable personality, yet unique in their own rite. The characters all seem to "progress," or grow up if you will in the second season in terms of how they're portrayed, but they don't lose the fundamental of what makes them who they are. It's very refreshing and in my opinion makes the second season much more enjoyable.

Not everyone will like K-ON! though; a colleague had explained it well to me: it's enjoyable if you spend time with friends. Those that don't have friends or don't really hang out with friends generally seem to lack the same enjoyment nor are able to connect with the characters in the series. To each their own I guess.

The new music introduced in the second season involves more than "Fuwa Fuwa Time" thankfully. read more

K-On!! was good in its own ways. Compared to season one, it doesn't really bring anything new to the table, so if you didn't enjoy season one, then this season probably isn't for you.
Just like in season one, K-On!! is a laid back slice of life anime focusing on five high school girls and their music club. It's very light-hearted and overall a very peaceful watch. If I were to compare it to another anime, I would say it's somewhat similar to Aria the Animation in that both anime are very slow paced and never really get anywhere in terms of plot.
Don't interpret that as a negative comment though! I liked Aria a lot and I enjoyed watching this anime as well. The first few minutes of episode one were very inducing and I was immediately interested. Many following episodes were very cute in various ways and usually kept me wanting to watch another episode ( I finished the season in about three days). The later episodes seemed to drag on a bit, in particular episode twenty ( you'll know what I mean if you see it) but I was already so deep into the series I figured I'd finish up.
My main issue with this anime is really just its focus. The anime is about a music club, so I was really hoping to learn a lot about music and in particular, guitars and how to play them. Sadly, the anime really doesn't have very much to teach. It's focus is more on the 'moe' of these high school girls, for lack of a better term. This disappointed me in season one and it disappointed me again in season two, though the second time I was more or less expecting it.
If the anime wasn't going to teach me anything, my second hope was that this anime would motivate me to want to put in some effort and learn how to play guitar myself. It's not that unusual for an anime to do that. Prince of Tennis was very successful in making me want to play tennis, and even now I still play quite frequently. Hikaru no Go easily motivated me to want learn how to play Go and get relatively good. Recently I've been slacking, but at my best I was around 4-5 kyu. In the same way as those animes, I was hoping K-On! and K-On!! would motivate me to want to play guitar. Sadly it never does, and the biggest cause of that is the anime's minimal focus on the instruments and the music. Honestly, the club the girls were in really could have been anything at all and the anime would still have worked.
But despite all that, I still enjoyed what this anime had to offer. No, it wasn't what I was hoping for, but what its got is certainly not bad. I grew to like many of the characters and truly felt touched at certain parts of the anime ( I even teared up on a particularly sad scene). Many scenes were genuinely funny, even for an American like myself who didn't catch many cultural jokes. When they finally got to performing I even felt nervous for them.
All in all, it was a good show. It was better than season one despite the fact that it really didn't offer very much innovation. If you liked season one, you'll like season two. If you thought season one was meh, then give season two a chance, it might surprise you.
One more thing I would like to thank this anime for: keeping it clean. K-On!! manages to prove that anime girls can be attractive and charming without the need for any sexual focus, whatsoever. No fan service at all. Not one panty shot, not one close up on breasts. I, as a strong anime fan, am grateful for this, especially since recent anime have shamelessly squeezed in as much sexuality as humanly possible ( looking at HOTD mainly). And would you look at that? If you go to anime doujinshi website, you'll find almost nothing for High school of the Dead, but if you look for K-On!, you'll probably find countless pages! It just goes to show that sometimes less is more, and in this case, none at all is definitely more. read more