Note: This review covers both Season 1 and 2

Preface

Ah, the slice of life genre. For casual watchers, one can put on an episode and know that they’re going to be in for a pleasant half-hour; to hardcore enthusiasts, the slice of life genre is the epitome of enjoyable television. And as we all know…

Besides, who doesn’t love Cute Girls Doing Cute Things? Even if that’s not exactly your cup of tea,

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)

K-ON! is almost certainly lovable by anyone. Superficially, it looks like a bunch of silly girls having fun and playing music, but it also contains themes of growing up and maturing. The slice of life genre usually doesn’t contain storylines like these. But K-ON! does, and goddamn, does it do it perfectly. But more on that later. Let’s start at the beginning: what is K-ON!?

K-ON! (the name being a shortened version of the Japanese word keion, meaning “light/happy” music) is about just that: five girls playing happy music. These five girls grow together, making music and memories.

The story begins with two lifelong friends who want to join the music club at their new high school. Unfortunately, however, the requirement for being allowed to have a school-sponsored club is to have a minimum of four members, meaning that these two friends have to find ~~victims~~ other girls willing to join the club!

CHARACTERS

At the heart of the show we have five girls. First we have

#Ritsu Tainaka

The tomboy queen. She’s an energetic drummer, and the first of the two aforementioned friends. She’s the main reason why anyone joined the club. Ever since she was little she dreamed of being in a band, and roped her friend into learning an instrument to play together. As the first member of the club, she nominates herself president of the club, although she can be somewhat irresponsible at times. Next, we have

#Mio Akiyama

The shy and quiet beauty. She plays the bass, because she feels like the bass represents what she is: quiet and in the background while still being important. Best friends with Ritsu from childhood, she’s extremely introverted, although she gets annoyed at Ritsu's constant teasing. The first member they manage to convince to join the club is

#Tsumugi Kotobuki, "Mugi"

A sweet girl… who just so happens to be rich as hell. Considered a piano prodigy from the age of four and playing on keyboard for the club, she’s a well-mannered girl who simply wants to experience the joys of middle-class social life. A running gag is that she has large eyebrows that look like

She also seems to be quite strong, carrying around Ritsu’s drum pieces with ease. Whenever the club takes a break, they drink expensive tea and eat cakes, which are provided to the club by Mugi. Originally planning to join the choir club, she joins the light music club to participate in Mio and Ritsu’s antics.

After getting Mugi to join, the fourth girl to join is

#Yui Hirasawa

A very simple-minded, fun-loving girl… who doesn’t know a lick of anything music-related. She seems to have no real idea of what she wants to do, and initially checks out the club thinking she would be playing castanets. When she joins the club, however, they fill the 4-member threshold, so she’s pressured to stay. This turns out for the better, however, as she learns to play guitar and sing. She can eat all she wants without gaining weight, so she’s usually the first to call a tea time break.

And last but not least, we have the most beautiful, blessed, perfect anime character to grace the world with her existence

#Azusa Nakano, "Azunyan"

Alright, so maybe I’m exaggerating, but I do love Azusa. She’s the last member to join the club, and a year younger than the other four. She plays on rhythm guitar, and although she claims to be only intermediate, she plays much better than her lead guitar counterpart. Sometimes she’s made to put on cat ears, making Yui dub her “Azu-nyan.” She’s considered very cute by everyone, and although she gets upset at her fellow band members for not practicing, she too enjoys having cake.

These five girls develop as the show progresses, each happily finding what they respectively wanted or needed. With the characters out of the way, let’s go on to

PLOT

I’ll admit, while K-ON! is my favorite anime of all time, season one is slightly a drag to power through. It’s a little slow and repetitive, always ending the same way: the girls begin to practice music, Yui gets tired five minutes in, and they take a break to drink tea. It’s best if you only watch a few episodes at a time of season one as it can get monotonous if you binge it. That being said, it’s necessary, because it sets up the relationships and foundations of season two… goodness gracious, season two is the final and greatest utterance of the human mind. It’s both fun and philosophical.

In season two we see the girls each overcoming their own obstacles: Ritsu becomes more responsible, Mio becomes more comfortable with herself, Yui begins to take her life more seriously, Mugi finds a place where she belongs, and Azusa learns to enjoy the little things in life. All of these life lessons are shown realistically as five teen girls go through high school together. And they'll touch your heart easily.

So an anime about music… surely it must have great music? That it does. The five turn the club into a band called Ho-Kago Tea Time (meaning "afterschool tea time" in Japanese) and every song released by Ho-Kago Tea Time is an absolute masterpiece. The music is cutesy but lyrically deep. For example, the first and most iconic song written by HTT, Fuwa Fuwa Time, has the two pre-choruses claim:

Oh, please, God/I am begging you/to give me some dream time for the two of us

Why is this Dream Night so painful/That I’ve come to like it?/I’ll cuddle my favorite teddy bear to fall asleep tonight/Will I be okay tonight?

It’s mostly endearing pop-rock love ballads, but the songs are bangers and great to listen to. Here’s a sample.

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The OP’s and ED’s as well are incredibly well done, and will have you bopping along to them, if not trying to learn Japanese to sing along to them.

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In addition to music, the art style is incredibly breathtaking and detailed. Definitely one of the better works of Kyoto Animations. I mean, look at this turtle:

It’s very visually pleasing by all means.

So to wrap up. K-ON! Is a must-watch for anyone and everyone. Whether you’re a seasoned weeb or dipping your toes into anime, K-ON! is lovable by everyone and easily one of the best anime of all time. You can watch it and have fun, or you can analyze it from a literary standpoint, and find in either book the show is a masterpiece.