Though this review comes under season one, please think of this as my thoughts and feelings on the entire series as a whole.
I'm rather excited to talk about this series.
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Introduction and context:
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I love K-ON!, and I don't think my analysis will be very in-depth, or that scrutinous. My goal here is more to simply express what I think makes the series special, and what I think a lot of people miss out on when they watch it. Not super detailed, but hopefully a coherent articulation of my thoughts. Of course this all comes from a place of subjectivity. I am in no way going to suggest that there are objective truths when it comes to our feelings on art. I want to make that stance abundantly clear.
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The nature of K-ON!'s storytelling:
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The biggest criticism I have seen levelled at K-ON! , time and time again is that it supposedly lacks a narrative and/or theming. That "nothing happens." Or "it's just a moe show." Something to watch to switch your brain off. I find these sentiments to miss the point so thoroughly. Yes K-ON! is so ridiculously moe. It is sweet and saccharine to an extreme, and there is defintely fun to be had even just watching it as a comfy & cute show. It's just that I feel it has so much more to offer than this. My stance is that K-ON! is extremely deft in it's writting. Never forcing dramatism to make a point. Not falling back on strained emotional cliché to create inner meaning for it's audience. Instead I find K-ON!'s emotional and thematic presentation to be extremely authentic, and the subject of it's themes to relate to the human experience in such an complete way. Though this natural approach to presenting itself seems to be both a blessing and a curse for the series. A blessing as this subtlety makes it's emotional plot points and themes feel all the more genuine and real. But a curse as I feel these points sometimes go unnoticed to an audience that is more accustomed to anime's more obvious, and jarring approach to story telling. Which to be honest is a major issue I have with anime as a medium.
The true emotional value of K-ON!:
What I think is at the core of K-ON!, and what maks it a good series; is the way it depicts such amazingly relatable characters, that we consistently throughout the show get more and more emotional context for. The show effortlessly portrays the girls of K-ON! expressing themselves, figuring out what they want, how they feel, analysing their own feelings, and maybe most importantly. Them conveying how they feel for eachother, and thus experiencing healthy and beautiful relationships. All of these elements are important for us, and this makes them stunningly good role models. No matter where we are in our lives, we can all relate to the girls, desire what wonderful relationships they have, and learn a great deal from them. Additionally even though the true basis of what is on display in the series is basic. It's execution is so real and cohesive that it speaks wonders for the value of the show.
Here I want to glance over some events of the show, and use them to support my feelings. I want to say so much, and could talk about the little details in every episode, but I would be here forever. So if you haven't watched it and do not wish to hear about any specifics please feel free to skip to the end. Consider this a spoiler warning
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A few little examples of what I love about K-ON! and some light character analysis.
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Contextual thoughts on Yui: Yui is many things. She is a honest and innocent girl. Silly and lazy. But for me her most important aspects are the ways she expresses herself completely & unashamedly. that and she is so extremely open about her love for her friends. Especially Azusa later in the series. Also despite her slow and lazy nature, she is capable of being a very determined and stalwart girl, who strives hard to achieve the things she needs to.
Events and narrative points of interest: K-ON! starts to show it's true colours pretty early on. Thinking back to the second episode. Yui had only just joined the club, after getting to know eachother, and learning of Yui's lack of musical experience. Yui sets her sights on a rather expensive instrument at the music store. A very pretty Les Paul guitar. Seeing it's too expensive, Yui accepts she can't afford it. But the other girls band together and work a part time job to buy the guitar for her. Walking away after a day at work. Yui thinks about just how wonderful this experience was, and how nice it was of everyone to help her. She turns around and shouts to them that she can't thank them enough, and she promises to try her best at learning guitar. It's simply heart warming, but also shows off Yui's introspection in the most natural way. The Season one Finale. It's the big performance, and right before the start Yui realises she has forgotten her guitar. The band must play on without her as she rushes home to get it. Upon returning Yui is quick to criticise her own nature. On Stage. In front of everyone. She expresses that she always does silly stuff like this, that even in a time like this, when it is most important, she let them down. Unable to control her tears. Again this is really shows Yui's emotional openess which I find so admirable. But the girls simply look at her and tell her they love her, all smiling with such sincerity. To me thats what life is about, maybe I'm being overly emotional, but thats how I feel.
Azusa and heart of season two's narrative: Azusa is far less in touch with her feelings. she is a more flawed person alongside a very idealistic friend. In this case Yui. Whilst Yui is extremely emotionally open, unashamed, and expressive. Azusa struggles with these things that are so important for us. Azusa has lots of admirable traits. She is tenacious, hard working, and thoughtful of others to name a few. But I'm going to focus on what is in my opinion, the most important element of the story, & her character. Throughout the series, and especially towards the end. We see Azusa dwell on her anxieties and sadness of seeing those she loves leave her. As she is a year younger than all the other girls, and they graduate before she does. But never is Azusa able to confront these feeling directly. Always pushing them to the back of her mind. Until it all comes out in an emotional outburst, where she shares these anxieties with her bandmates. But even then she expresses concern for letting these feelings get in the way, and ruin the mood. But of course her friends, and more specifically Yui, who cares for Azusa especially deeply, instantly make her feelings feel justified, support her, make sure that she understands just how much they love her, and that they will stay with her no matter what. In a fairly heavy parallel to the climax of season one I think this is handled so beautifully in K-ON! . Azusa is such a great conduit for teaching us the importance of expression and emotional openess her being one extreme, and Yui being the other. But even though these characters are two extremes in this way, they are presented in such a honest and genuine manner.
I wish I could go on about the other girls in the same way as I have here. But I have already written so much, and to me the emotional core of K-ON! is based around Yui and Azusa. This is not to degrade the value of everyone else. The show is built on the relationships of the five main characters, and those they know. It's just I do not feel I could do everyone and everything justice, not without talking on and on forever. So I shall have to move on to some concluding thoughts.
Synopsis
To me K-ON! is really one of a kind. I hope I've been able to adequately communicate my feelings and why I feel them. To anyone who hasn't seen the series I couldn't recommend it enough and ask you to find you own meaning within. These are simply my thoughts and I've tried to express them as coherently as I could. ~~Hopefully without any psuedoanalytical clichés like "Good character development" or "Good pacing"~~
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