I recently rewatched the first season of K-on, and wow it's still just as amazing as I remember it being when I first watched it. There's so much I can say about the show, the animation is fluid and expressive, the characters are hilarious and relatable, and of course the soundtrack is a complete banger. K-on really does an incredible job at introducing the main cast and building up their relationships in the 13 episode run time it was given. The characterization of each of the members of Houkago tea time is perfect, and the great chemistry they have together makes for one of the most memorable casts in all of anime.

People often complain about the lack of plot, or the lack of attention to the process and performance of music (as you know it is supposed to be a music anime) but I actually think that neither of those things are the true focus of a series like K-on. In fact, I think if it were to have a overarching plot, or were to spend extra screen time on the musical side of things, it would actually significantly detract from what the show is trying to be. To me, K-on is simply about a group of 4—later 5 girls who spend time with each other and slowly grow closer together as friends. That is the primary focus of the series, everything else—music, plot, animation, etc. is all secondary, a means of which to achieve the main goal. The characters are the end all be all in this show, and more specifically, the presentation of the characters in a way that feels so grounded and relatable. Unlike most other shows, there are no dramatic character moments where someone overcomes some oppressive internal or external conflict, only to succeed at the end resulting in a cathartic end to their arc. In K-on there are no character arcs, no dramatic realizations, no overarching existential conflict, it's just some highschoolers going about their daily live and spending time with each other.

In a sense, K-on is a representation of slice of life at its best. It tells a story of life, not by dramatizing it, but by celebrating life as it is. For K-on it's about what is feels like to have a group of friends like Keion-bu. How it feels to first meet them, to get to know them over time, to plan trips overnight trips together, to do random dumb stuff and laugh about it, to share unforgettable experiences, to have useless arguments with each other, and to eventually being so close as to see each other as family. That feeling the show conveys is what makes K-on unlike any other anime I've seen, even when it comes to SoL. K-on occupies a niche that only it can fill, and for that it will always have a special place in my heart. There's no cast of characters that has, or probably will, achieve the same heights as Houkago Tea Time—this series spoke to me in way like no other, and getting to experience the show is something that I will forever cherish and remember.