ebert.eduardo - 2016-06-05 04:40:11

From a moment to moment basis, K-On! doesn't seem to be a show intent on doing much of anything. However, when looking at the whole of the franchise when one has seen everything it's had to offer, it's impossible to ignore how much this series accomplishes, and the standards it's set. Because most slice of life anime do it wrong. 

Nowadays the majority of anime fans seem to only truly value slice-of-life if it's narrative is entirely structured around interesting and emotional drama and conflict. And this is not to say that drama series are bad, because they're totally not.

But the unique appeal of K-On! is not the same as the unique appeal of shows like Anohana or Hanasaku Iroha. However, writing off K-On!, and other shows like it, because it doesn't have the similar kind of drama focused, tight narrative of other series is unfair. These shows are inherently relaxing, and fun. Watching the misadventures of normal, ditzy people and their friendships through their relatablely mundane lives is easy to become lose yourself in. 

K-On!'s cast of characters break slice-of-life mold by featuring more than just contrasting personalities for the sake of jokes, but fully fleshed out characters. No, none of the characters suffer inner demons, or have traumatic backstories or have immense hurdles to overcome, because that wouldn't be appropriate for this kind of show. These characters are fleshed out through character interaction. Their tenacities, flaws, strengths, motivations and traits are different in the areas that make their conversations and mishaps interesting and fun, but similar in just the right areas for their deep personal bond to make sense.

Over the course of the series, these girls grow immensely. From episode to episode, they might only grow in little ways. But by the end of the series, it's amazing how much they've each become more sure of themselves as people while still staying their same quirky selves. Something about watching these girls grow as a result of the friendships they make in the light music club are, for lack of a better word, beautiful. 

On top of that, these characters have a chemistry and charm that you can't get anywhere else. One of the best thing I can say to recommend the series is that not only do the characters feel alive, but their friendships feel so real and so, so strong. They really feel like they were born to meet each other in high school, start a band, go on adventures and change each others' lives. Their friendship feels like its as much of a character as each of the people. 

I also can't stress enough how much of this has to do with the talent at Kyoto Animation. Not just with the writing talent, with knowledge of humanity and human interaction, but it's animation. The level of detail, and character given to each of the character's mannerisms, their design, and the world around them. I just really want to go to school at their high school, live in their town, and eat their sweets, it all looks so gorgeous ~

In the end, the appeal of K-On! just cant really be completely summarized with words; I believe it has to be experienced firsthand. My experience started more just having fun with the characters more than anything, but gradually became more akin to a strong emotional bond similar to the bond I feel with some of my best friends. 

There's a scene at the very end of the movie that I think completely describes the appeal of K-On! (don't worry, no spoilers). The characters are walking down a sidewalk talking, but the camera is aimed squarely at just their feet as they walk and chat. They're all wearing the same school uniform shoes so it's hard to tell them apart. But the first time I saw the film immediately after my week long binge of the entire franchise, I knew who each pair of feet belonged to. Solely based on how attached I'd grown to these girls, I knew their behaviors, mannerisms; and I could tell them apart from all the same looking feet.

K-On! is magic ~

denesik.jammie - 2015-09-23 15:33:15

This has got to be one of my favourite anime. This is my first review, so forgive me for the formatting.

This is one of those anime that has such a feel-good atmosphere. It has a wonderful cast, wonderful soundtrack, wonderful band music, wonderful plot points.

Although the storylines are a bit cliche for the school type anime (After school club, performances, deadlines, end of year festivals, etc), K-On!! really brings something new to the table with each of them.

This being the second season, they did introduce a new character quite early on. I'm usually a bit hesitant about this sort of thing (See, Scrappy Doo Trope) however in less than 2-3 episodes, I was completely sold on this new character and felt like the anime would be less if she were to be absent again.

The cast overall was wonderful. Just one of those anime where you watch for the characters, rather than the plot.

There is rarely a sad or mean moment in the show. Everybody gets along and every situation has a happy/easily resolved solution. This isn't a bad thing, the opposite actually, it just makes it the perfect "Happy mood" anime that you can always count on if you want a quick pick-me-up.

Another thing that surprised me was the lack of fanservice/lewd content in the show. As someone who enjoys the slice of life/school atmosphere, it was so nice just forgetting about any risque elements. As much as I enjoy it, it is nice to see a show that doesn't just give in and do that, as choosing to make it more about friendship and happiness, it really adds to the reality of the story.

The music in this anime is phenomenal. There is not one song performed by the band that isn't wonderful to listen to. It really adds to the atmosphere of the show and its themes of friendship and caring in the context the characters write/perform them.

srowe - 2015-07-20 08:57:34

The birth of Kyo-Ani's obsession with endearingly flawed, moe characters designed for mass-appeal to girls and otaku alike.

delbert02 - 2015-04-11 07:29:09

I really enjoyed this series. Also, I'm not going to lie, I was really close to giving this a 9/10...but I just couldn't do it. This is the first and only anime I've ever watched that made me cry tears of joy. I was just so emotionally invested in the characters that I truly felt their emotions. Literally, towards the end of the series if anything (and I mean anything) made a character happy, then I was happy and I legitimately smiled while watching the show. And if anything made a character sad, then I got sad (and at some points to tears). Overall, this show in my own opinion portrays what friendship can be beautifully. It shows the ups and downs of friendship and how that friends always strive to be together. Also, I really enjoyed the music. I feel it really helped to convey the character's emotions about everything to the viewer (me). Alright, I'm done, this is a 10/10 in my books and takes its place (currently) alongside Toradora! and Clannad AS. (One thing to note is that I mostly just rate an anime off of personal enjoyment, but the rest is quality, think of the ratio of enjoyment to quality as 75:25).

Final Thoughts

I just don't see any flaws with this series. While there are some filler episodes, in the end they still add to whom each character is as a person. To sum it up, the story is fantastic, the animation is quite good and definitely shows how great it is a times, the sound it great and doesn't feel repetitive like other shows I've watched and the characters are all 3 dimensional people who all seem and feel like they could be really people in the real world. 

Side Notes

This is all my opinion, please take it lightly. I'm only trying to help you make a decision to see if you think this series is worth your time or not. I tried. I enjoyed the hell out of this series and thought I would write this up so that you can too.

mayer.buford - 2015-03-15 03:51:52

As a man who likes manly things i must agree that this is at least one if not the most manly things you can see. Only manly tears were shed but they were shed as a man.

Only the most manly on men will watch this anime. 10/10 manly enough for men.

In all honesty this is really good and cute af. I'm a sucker to cute shit.

keeling.kayley - 2014-10-22 05:02:00

I guess that if you enjoyed the first season of K-On you would like to watch season 2 and you should because it gets better.

There's still no plot beyond what the girls do in their everyday life and there's a lot of cake and tea, but also there's a little more music and even when the characters stay in their archetypes and that there's not much development in their stories you get the sensation that you know them a little better, plus the relationship between the girls is really sweet.

Random thoughts on K-On 2 

SPOILERS

The OP looks great but the song sounds like it was recorded by Alvin and the chipmunks 

There's a lot more attention on the instruments now, I like it.

Ep 4 has to be the cutest episode ever!

Hyper-ultra-sadistic-mint

The girls look kind of sexy on the ending, I mean... Mio just winked at me, that's hot.

Mugi wanting the other girls to hit so she can feel closer to them it's not masochistic, it's cute

adrain33 - 2014-06-20 13:49:24

I absolutely love this anime! There's not one episode that I didn't enjoy.