K-ON!

K-On is a show I've heard mentioned a lot since I got into anime, especially as a fan of both slice-of-life comedies and music anime shows. Going into a show like this, it's easy to wonder how much it lives up to its reputation in the current day given the growing amount of competition, or if it's mostly nostalgia talking.

To start off, I'll just say that if you want a pure music anime, where the music itself and the band working together, there are plenty of options that might be better in that regard. Though that isn't to say that the music portions are non-existent or poorly done when they appear. On the contrary, it's easy to tell that a lot of effort went into those scene, both from an animation standpoint, and the music itself. Admittedly, a lot of the music is a bit more pop-rock than my own taste, but even so, a lot of the music is fun in its own way, with the best songs fitting alongside my favorites from other shows. However, a good proportion of the show is dedicated more towards the "Cute Girls Do Cute Things" kind of stories, as the girls hang out together, in or out of the school. For that reason, I feel like you need an appreciation of both the Slice-of-Life comedy genre and music genres to fully enjoy this, with acknowledgement that it often leans towards the former.

All that being said, K-On is a series that grew on me more and more as it went along. In this first season, it was already a fun series, with a really enjoyable ensemble cast, even if it can be a bit rough around the edges. We do get a basic understanding of who the characters are early on, but some of them needed time to fully come into their own, or for the writers to get away from some humor that didn't quite work for my taste. The most notable example is their teacher Sawa-chan, who the girls sometimes go to for help, but sometimes her help could be a little too perverted and awkward. Though over time (especially starting in season 2), she's still a quirky teacher, but in a less cringey way IMO. Another much less obvious example is the central character Yui, who's extremely lazy and kind of dumb, but I thought they kind of overdid that kind of humor early on, when she's trying to learn to play the guitar.

But as I said, I do really like the whole ensemble of characters, especially once the writing hits its stride later on. Again there's Yui, whose ditzy laziness really grew on me. Ritsu is kind of similarly dumb and lazy, but has much more of a mischievous streak to her, especially when it comes to her childhood friend Mio. Mio herself is one of the more straight-laced characters to counter the others' slacking nature, but has a fun side herself. Next there's Mugi, a higher-classed girl than the others, who initially seems like she can on Mio's level of maturity, but we soon see a much more silly side to her as she tries to make the most fun out of this group of friends. Unfortunately I'd say she gets the least amount of development, but when she does get the spotlight, she's great.

And last, but in my opinion definitely not the least, is their underclassman Azusa, who comes in part-way into this season. Keeping things vague to avoid specific spoilers, Azusa comes into the band in a way where I can kind of see why some people apparently don't care for her initially, kind of contrasting to the established dynamics of the group early on, although that's part of the reason I liked her inclusion during her second episode in particular. However, by the end of the first season (and even more so during season 2 and the movie), she becomes such an integral part of the group and the show's humor that I imagine most people will have warmed up to her and love her, even if she's not their favorite like she is mine.

One of the things I really appreciate about the show is that, while it tends to lean towards the sillier Cute Girls Doing Cute Things comedy, it's not afraid to treat the characters like real people, with real drama. Even this early into the series, there are some more touching moments sprinkled throughout, and that's even more true in season 2. That kind of thing, when done well, can really elevate my opinion of the show, because it helps get me to care more about these characters and their lives together.

So overall, this was a very delightful series, that mostly lives up to its hype despite some early rough spots, and even though it may not appeal to everyone. The production value starts off pretty well, but only gets stronger as it goes on. Likewise, the voice acting is really good, and the music adds a lot to the experience (both the band's music, and the soundtrack that plays over the scenes.

As for my score, I'd say:

Season 1 - 7.5
Season 2 - 8.5
Movie - 9

Bonus: On the Blu-Ray I watched the show on, they also have these short specials called Ura-On. These aren't anything too flash, especially the art and animation which look like something a kid might draw. However, if you're able to get past that, they are pretty fun what-ifs that let you spend a bit more time with the characters. I'm not sure how much they'd be considered canon (some of them would be pushing it), but I like thinking they're semi-canon events, as presented by one of the characters (most likely Yui), which adds to the fun.