First Impressions / K-ON!

「期末試験！」 (Kimatsu Shiken!)
“Final Exams!”

Fude Pen ~Ball Pen~ YuiAzu version! As great as I was expecting their guitar duet to sound at the annual local performance festival, Kyoto Animation ended up shortchanging me again. I didn’t even mind that it was a fairly laid back and almost childish version, but they just had to cut them off prematurely. Why don’t thy Kyoto gods share thou musical performances with us? Nine episodes in and we’ve only really had one with “Pure Pure Heart” two episodes ago (whose single is out now by the way). On the bright side, the animation looked pretty nice this time around in a variety of scenes, which may explain where the majority of the episode’s budget went into. Also, in lieu of a full performance by the HTT guitarists, we did get a taste of their manzai routine with Azusa whipping out the harisen out of nowhere. It was also funny hearing Yui perform an enka version of Fuwa Fuwa Time and having Azusa give it a shot before being offered a candle for some “kobushi” training. (Kobushi is a style of melisma employed in enka.)

It was mainly for comedic purposes, but I believe this is the first time we’ve heard Azusa sing anything in this series so it was a treat regardless. So was her off-the-shoulder look in casual clothes. The same goes for Mio of course when she and the others were checking out “YuiAzu’s” performance the day right after their final exams. Short yukatas never hurt either, all of which reminded me of how we better have a performance this season where Sawa-chan is allowed to dress them all up. If we continue to only get performance in school uniforms, I’m… … probably not going to do anything except shake my fist at KyoAni… AND maybe boycott them for a bit! (… unless it’s FMP season 3) I mean, I’m not even asking for flashy lighting effects and 3D rendered meal tickets to be scattered in the audience or anything, so please throw me a bone this season oh mighty studio with enough money to sponsor your own show.

Anyway, this episode did start off about final exams before Yui agreed to participate in this annual thing for the sake of the elderly lady who’s always looked after her. In the end, she somehow managed to do ridiculously well on all her exams by guessing the type of questions that will be on the them and studying just those, while people like Ritsu relied on the Striker Sigma Five eraser version. I’d really like to see how Ritsu fared in her exams after taking the Akihisa Yoshii approach, but the others were probably fine with their diligent studying. Overall, the comedy was a lot more subtle this time around with the cuteness being much more prominent, except maybe at the end where Ritsu suggested a RitsuMio duet only for Mio to say she’d rather be a part of YuiMugiMioAzu. GG?

 

Preview

57 Comments

    1. I heard that they were actually outlawed or changed into fugly bloomer/shorts hybrids or something, and now girls have to wear those or gym shorts and sweats like the guys D:

      I don’t wanna live in a world without skin tight bloomers.

      Click
      Reply

  5. Well, there are more episodes in the season this time around, I’m happy for them to space out the music. Plus, the show and manga have always been slice of life from the beginning.

    Nyoway
    Reply

  8. I remember being that impatient on Season 1. But anyways, I learned to just simply enjoy the series as it is. Also it’s actually good that they didn’t do this song since it would be pretty much a waste. I’d like new songs instead.

    On a side note WTF!?

    megalith
    Reply

    1. I still enjoy the show for what it is, but KyoAni’s been quite the tease with performances of season one songs. There have been a few so far already, but they won’t even give us 30 seconds of music and cut right to the end. :\

      As for the pic, that’s just Yui studying “hard”.

      divine
      Reply

      1. Yea I know, too bad they didn’t pour much quality or budget as they did with Clannad or any other past shows they did.

        About the doodle.. That was one short but golden moment there. XD

        megalith
        Reply

      1. When I watched the raw I wondered why KyoAni’s name popped up in the beginning. Then I was also startled with the coalguys’ release. I was baffled since I didn’t remember seeing that part in the RAW. Kids planting…. Then it hit me… Yep… Advertising…. That’s a first…

        megalith
        Reply

  9. I too blinked when I saw Kyoto Animation on the sponsors bit. Oh well, I guess this is more focused on the high school than the music. Of course, it’s also odd that Angel Beats has Macross levels of unique music numbers.

    On a sidenote, those 3D rendered meal tickets are kinda trivial to make. Particle emitter, small “plane” object, a bit of turbulence (yay for many presets) and pow we have raining confetti. The only substantial resource drain is the processing power to render it. Heck, the flashy lighting looks like it’s just a ton of lens flares or something.

    Vsin
    Reply

  12. Thank God for anime-original episodes. LOL at Yui and Azusa’s boke and tsukkomi routine. 😀

    But if the preview is any indication (despite never trusting them), looks like the next episode is the more interesting one… From the looks of things, it’s a Mugi-centric and a Sawa-chan-centric episode (the latter seemingly focusing on her “Christmas cake” status and maybe someone from her past)…

    Incognito
    Reply

  13. I don’t think the performance wasn’t really ‘cut right to the end’. Their performance was cut short by the announcer of the talent show. Put simply, if this was America’s Got Talent, all three buzzers were pushed and the act had to end prematurely. Hence the ‘Ah, crap’ face on Yui and Azusa to the announcement of the next act, and that they only got a participation prize.

    kjkjkj
    Reply

  14. what do yui’s katakana shirts say? i got that the second one (ステレオ) says “stereo” but i can’t figure out the first one (ハイテケ or ハイテク).

    diet otaku
    Reply

  16. well nice episode, but if the animation team anticipated this coming, they could just create (or at the start) a peaceful ending song for mio to sing would be better…

    next episode they’re gonna boss about Sawa-chan, well see lor, see if ANY GUY would appear in this show lor… (haha later she with the guy @ the guitar store…)

    Kaineng
    Reply

  17. Not enough Mio! It was cute; demo for me it felt a bit slow, maybe is the ambience that some old people have. Take it easy and slow… We even got some alzheimer when Yui got sugar instead of soy. And Mugi going to Finland I want to go too!!!!

    Island Esper
    Reply

    1. Yui took into consideration her target audience this time, hence an enka version of Fude Pen Ballpoint Pen, which was relaxing and easy to follow. Gotta LOL at the bell ringing and Yui’s dismay that time was up.

      BTW, I think this won’t be the first time Mugi’s gone to Finland already. She went there as well back in season 1. 🙂

      Kinny Riddle
      Reply

    2. Why complaining the lack of Mio when she already got tons of screentimes plus an episode dedicated to her? The show needs more Tsumugi now!! Enough with Yui’s & Mio’s moe & Ritsu’s craziness & GIVE ME MORE AZUSA & ESPECIALLY TSUMUGI!!! *frustrated* D:

      Name
      Reply

  20. Now that you mention it, Divine, here’s Kyo-Ani’s very own (animator recruitment) commercial during last night’s Japan broadcast.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sRSWJnbvYHA
    (Ends with slogan “Where dreams are made – Kyoto Animation”)

    Yui is just one of those people where if she puts an effort into doing something, she just friggin exceeds at it, with ridiculous results. And while she may “brag” about being the sort of people who doesn’t get fat easily, it’s revealed that her secret is by doing early morning jogs quite often, giving light into how she’s more diligent than she often appears. My love for Yui just went up even further the more her personality is fleshed out.

    https://randomc.net/image/K-ON/K-ON!!%20-%2009%20-%20Large%2014.jpg
    This screen doesn’t show it, but after this part where both girls are sitting facing each other on the dining table, it became clear to me that Sawa-chan was right: Ui does have a bigger chest than her sister.

    Like Ui resembling Yui with her hair down, Yui also resembles her sister when she has her hair tied up.

    The other highlight would be Azu-nyan. She clearly cares for and admires her senpai more than she would admit. More doujinshi fodder for yuri fans. (Mugi would be giddy if she ever reads those doujins, I tell you. )

    Not to mention she looks adorably cute in this outfit
    https://randomc.net/image/K-ON/K-ON!!%20-%2009%20-%20Large%2019.jpg (Great close-up on Yui’s Gibson Les Paul to boot)

    Kinny Riddle
    Reply

    1. Actually it’s stated that Yui gave up jogging after only one day, lol. Unless the CoalGuys subs were wrong there.

      Azusa’s thoughts on Yui in that setting would go to one extreme or another. She’d either hate Yui for being lazy and “better” than her (since Yui is a prodigy and all) or admire her for being a prodigy. Azusa seems to jump between the two, which I think is a good, likely compromise.

      Eaglestrike
      Reply

    2. Kinny Riddle: “And while she may “brag” about being the sort of people who doesn’t get fat easily, it’s revealed that her secret is by doing early morning jogs quite often, giving light into how she’s more diligent than she often appears.”

      Either you are just joking about Yui jogs often in the morning or you’re just exaggerating. Throughout the shows, it’s already proven that Yui hardly been able to wake up in the morning, so jogs ‘quite often’ early in the morning is not possible. She jogs that early only because she believed that it’s the ‘time’ that she will work hard. Kind of like believing in your ‘horoscope of the day/week’ or something like that.

      Kinny Riddle: “Like Ui resembling Yui with her hair down, Yui also resembles her sister when she has her hair tied up.”

      I think that Ui’s hair is getting a bit longer than the last time I saw her with her hair down. To me, Yui still doesn’t look like Ui even when her hair is tied up. Probably because of her hairclips, I guess -.-

      Name
      Reply

  22. I found it funny that Azusa didn’t complain when Yui introduced her as Azu-nyan to the old lady. Is she so used to being called by that name that she doesn’t even notice anymore?

    NecoDelero
    Reply

    1. :/ same here.. i was wondering how the old lady gonna address azusa after yui introduced her as azu-nyan… got my answer in half a second.. and it was azu-nyan san :/ dissapointment 🙁

      N0216332
      Reply

  23. You mean FMP season 4? According to KyoAni, your wish will be coming true soon! FMP 4 is in development right now but it’s release has been postponed.

    This season is driving me nuts, I want to hear them play!

    dkpritts
    Reply

    1. Postponed for how much longer? i can’t remember how long i’ve been waiting… two years? because the last time i looked for information on the matter they also said it was “postponed”

      and the music! when will they feature the solo mugi?

      Kakashi_Crusade
      Reply

  24. I laughed at “Azunyan-san” from the old lady.

    I don’t think Jun not being there was a lack of budget, Jun isn’t that big of a character and only has been in Azusa scenes for the most part. While it could easily have been put in that she would go for Azusa, all the “major” characters were at the performance. Jun is the only named K-ON! character without any of her own music, in fact.

    @Divine, thanks for the mention about the new single, I never check this stuff on my own, heh.

    And while I am also in agreement with everyone that it’s disappointing to not have more music, the show is clearly slice of life first. Asking for more music in K-ON! is like asking for more romance in Clannad. Yeah, it was a romance/drama, but there was what, one kiss in the entire first season?

    Eaglestrike
    Reply

    1. “Yeah, it was a romance/drama, but there was what, one kiss in the entire first season?”

      There wasn’t even any (in the main series). This in itself was the farthest they got with the original pairing, and it was epic.

      Even in the Tomoyo Arc there wasn’t any. There was only this, and then this.

      The only kiss that happened in the entire series as far as i can recall was in the Kyou Arc.

      -image posting rage. lol i might get banned for this.

      Kakashi_Crusade
      Reply

      1. Exactly my point. Clannad was amazing even without physical romance, and K-ON! is amazing even without music all over the place because the main attraction of the series isn’t the music like Clannad wasn’t mainly about the romance.

        Eaglestrike
        Reply

      2. Well, in Clannad they managed to have a daughter without even kissing 🙂
        But, Clannad was more about friendship, family, a web of interpersonal ties in a society and things like old sakura trees being prevented from being cut down…
        I lol-ed @ sweets/tea starved Sawa-chan… And being told – by Ritsu of all people – that rules are more important than her!
        Girls are really missing their destiny, as good as they are as music team, a comedic team is their true talent!
        KyoAni advertising itself in-show is soooo cheesy…
        Why everyone seems to think Mugi is into yuri? Though I am sure there are lots of doujins out there with multiple pairings from the 5 strong main cast….

        ewok40k
        Reply

    2. Eaglestrike: “I don’t think Jun not being there was a lack of budget, Jun isn’t that big of a character and only has been in Azusa scenes for the most part. While it could easily have been put in that she would go for Azusa, all the “major” characters were at the performance. Jun is the only named K-ON! character without any of her own music, in fact.”

      Yeah? Well Nodoka is not that big of a character too & if it wasn’t for Ui being Yui’s sister, she’s also just a minor character. Jun may not be playing an important role in the anime but she’s in the OP song, goddamit! D:< I'm not going to think positively & say that, 'Oh, maybe Jun's not interested in this kind of things. That's why she's not there' or 'Maybe Jun has other important things to do' OR (probably the most acceptable EXCUSE) 'Jun has fallen asleep or forgot'. Let's just face it, KyoAni is stupid enough to ignore Jun & left her out of the scene. D:<

      *running out of rotten tomatoe…*
      *…Now preparing to throw bricks at KyoAni*

      Name
      Reply

  28. This is a much better episode than the last one. I like this one a lot but probably it’s because it has more Azusa in it. I really laugh when Azusa was trying to sing Fuwa Fuwa Time while swinging her heads. That was really funny. XD

    Other than that, it was nice to see Yui’s ‘working hard’ in this episode. She did worked hard in other episodes as well but I’m not impressed with them as much as I did felt with this one. If only she keeps on showing working hard like this, she might win a spot in me. Too bad she’ll back to being her old self again after the exam is over.

    Anyway, I would definitely like a YuiMugi combo. It sounds better than YuiAzu. But I wonder what kind of show they could pull out.

    Name
    Reply

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