First Impressions / K-ON!

「受験！」 (Juken!)
“Entrance Exams!”

K-ON episode titles seem to purposely hint at only half the story and this week was no different as it was as much about Valentine’s Day as it was entrance exams. More specifically, Azusa decided to give her seniors chocolate this year, after her plans to do so last year were sidetracked by the ones Mugi received from the Belgium royal family. For an all-girls school, I guess giving chocolates out of admiration or gratitude is the best we can expect on this commemorative day, though I’m willing to bet that at least some of the ones that Mio received have intimate feelings attached to them. In the case of the ones Azusa wanted to give, not so much, as it’s pretty clear she just wanted to do something nice for Yui and others with their high school graduation coming up. It was pretty thoughtful of her to go to the trouble of making them a lavish chocolate cake instead of the usual remolded chocolate, so I kind of felt bad for her when she was unable to give it to them out of embarrassment.

In a way, it was cute since she had the support of Ui and Jun the entire time, but somewhat depressing when she was reminded of how the light music club as she knows it will be gone next year. Azusa’s future without her seniors is definitely one aspect that’s been overshadowed as of late; however, it looks like it sort of wrapped up here with her praying that they all get into their first choice university and being happy for them. She took a page out of Ui’s book in that regard, albeit dropped a thousand yen at once instead of a hundred increments of ten yen. Leading up to that, it sure felt like they could have gone in the opposite direction with a Azusa visually disheartened by though. Once all the girls finished their exams one way another — whether it was leaving it up to chance or relying on last minute cramming — the scene where Azusa was looking out the window with everyone was a perfect opportunity for her to break down in tears. This was after they had found out she prepared a Valentine’s cake for them and played up an act where Mugi forgot to bring snacks, making it easy for her to finally give it to them.

I thought for sure it was the little things such as that that would get through to Azusa emotionally, but she managed to stay composed through it all. I still wish that someone would say something along the lines of how much they’ll miss Azusa once they graduate just to show that the feeling is mutual, but not even Yui and her love for Azu-nyan extended that far. While I realize everyone’s been busy preparing for exams and just relieved that they’re over, it still seems a bit cold that Azusa was neglected in the process. I get the feeling that Azusa would actually start tearing up if someone said she’s going to miss her too, so I’m all for it happening just so Azusa can let them know how she feels. On the plus side, it was revealed that Yui and Ritsu got into their third choice schools early on, whereas Mio and Mugi got accepted into their second choice ones as well. All of that gave some reassurance that these girls are at least headed somewhere, with all their acceptances into their first choice paving way for a sequel if need be. From the looks of it, Azusa will be right behind them too. I may be jumping the gun, but I’d say K-ON university years is definitely a possibility now.

* P.S. It was cute how Azusa and Jun couldn’t decide who would take which pair of slippers and they ended up wearing one of each.

 

Preview

80 Comments

  1. Kyoani is just using parts of the K-ON! manga now, next week I’m cautiously optimistic that we’ll see something not in the anime series so far 🙂

    Azusa better not start having a crying fit at the end because it will break my heart 🙁

    kyonkun
    Reply

    2. I’ve read the mangaka is part of the team in the anime-only elements… in effect, getting to do what he couldn’t do easily in a 4-koma format. That plus the inputs of the director and her comrades seem to be really lifting this up a few notches.

      Vexx
      Reply

  4. Azusa is not a character to cry. I have no memories of her crying even in the first season, and she most likely won’t by the end of this one either, despite how……… WE REALLY WANT TO SEE IT HAPPEN!! T_____T

    They do go to the same college. A typical way to end any series or movie, but I really wish they would end this show in a way that makes it complete! A college show will NOT feel the same as the first season. This one was nearly doomed to wear out its welcome. Thank goodness that did not happen.

    Also, Divine, there is talk of the last two episodes (25 and 26) being bonus episodes. The ACTUAL last episode in this story will be 24. This means we have less time to prepare for the finale, and I really hope it meets our expectations.

    starss
    Reply

    1. Waiting for the Yui and Azusa separation scene, they been dancing around trying not to have a big emotional event with Azusa

      I think it’s time for the girls to move on and end it now because it wouldn’t be right without all the girls together

      kyonkun
      Reply

    2. Actually Azusa did cry in the first season. She cried in episode 9, because she couldn’t figure out why she joined the Light Music Club and why she was so moved by their performance in the previous episode. =]

      Anon.
      Reply

  7. ;______________;

    I choked a bit on Azusa’s scene. The place where Yui was picking up cherry blossoms in the first ep. That BGM gets me every time. Even when they used that in the Live Concert’s closing. Whoever made that piece surely hit the spot.

    Also Jesus Christ.. The Backgrounds.. That was one hell of a scenery porn. Not to mention this one being quite a heart warming wallpaper.

    On a side note I laughed at the cake being thought of as a bomb.

    Almost forgot does anyone have a link to the K-ON Nendo CM? It was quite cute.

    megalith
    Reply

  9. This episode was really emotional for me. Seeing Azusa coming to grip with the fact her sempai are all moving away and leaving her is a small journey on its own. I see her hesitation at giving her chocolate as a denial this may be the last Valentine they will share together in the same school.
    If 25-26 are going to be bonus eps and 24 being the “final”, it’s going to be something I am not looking forward to. Sorry, I know K-on! should end and be remembered with a lot of fondness but I just can’t come to accept it. I’ll reserve more on this for the final.
    LOL at Ui just faceplanting herself on her desk. She is truly one of a kind and adorable to boot!
    I also thought the shrine scene where Azusa ate the candy Yui gave her was special. The look and expression on her face were really filled with sweetness.

    Shinjiro
    Reply

      1. Nah.. It’s not something to do with the net. More like something about the filtering. 3 Spoiler tags get marked as spam, 3 links also gets marked as spam, but now it’s just one link.

        Since it’s not one of those then I have no idea what triggered it. Gonna try again by posting the Usagi to Kame song here.

        megalith
        Reply

      3. In your first comment, you tripped the spam filter with “scenery porn.”

        Oh… I guess I subconsciously typed that. Didn’t even know that I included it there. The TV tropes really got into me.

        My bad.. 😛

        megalith
        Reply

  12. Its just what it is, I heard that episode 24 is really the last episode with the last two (25,26) being special episodes. which….I dunno, from reading the mangas, we pretty much already know what’s going to happen. and in 3 days (release of last chapter of the manga) we’ll know how its going to end. and if by any slim chance that he will announce a continuation of k-on, after all its extremely popular and ending it completely would not be the best choice especially with today’s anime industry, many series are unprofitable. and kakifly’s manga was not at all popular. first k-on manga didn’t even make it to the top 30 chart when it first came out (sold like 10k copies or less)….and now with a fan craze. volume 3 sold 150k and ranked 4th or so during first week release alone. and Im guessing about 200k will be sold on the last issue. we’ll see 🙂 w/e is going to be, Im still going to spend about $350 more on k-on merchandise (on top of the $400-500 I alaready spent) this year 🙂

    superanu
    Reply

  13. im guessing the reason why no one mentioned something about them leaving azusa is that because no one wants to accept that fact yet.

    im not sure how i feel about having a university season. a special may be good, but a whole new season, i don’t know. season 2 feels like a right time to end it, i think.

    kyuzo
    Reply

    1. I think if kakifly does a College/University follow up in a few months or so, we might be able to get a 3rd season in due time. Maybe when Azusa joins the same school? Reunion of sort and the idea of restarting the HTT together. I could see this happening and man, I’m sure the profits would be sweet for all involved.

      Shinjiro
      Reply

      1. nah. i think it’ll lose its charm once they do that. plus, they have to show that they have a life outside HTT and they need to start living it. and i don’t think that the reason behind all of them going to the same school is so that they can continue playing. they all just want to be together. they can jam anytime they want and azunyan can always visit yui since ui is one of her bestfriends.

        i don’t know. maybe i’ll change my mind once i start missing them. hehe. maybe the manga can continue on but have the 3rd season after a couple of years maybe. that way we won’t be oversaturated with moe. lol. does that sentence even make any sense?

        kyuzo
        Reply

      2. LOL. I’m not sure if I can ever get saturated with Moe. I know all good things must end but right now, unlike the first season when nothing was too sure, I really got attached to HTT. Knowing it will end is something I’m trying to cope with >.<

        Shinjiro
        Reply

      1. …i meant, i second to kyuzo-san’s statement..

        Anyway, i’m already preparing my boxes of tissue for the upcoming episodes..esp. Ep. 24! ! and it’d be ‘sayonara keionbu’

        MY K-ON!! T_T

        keiOnDaisuki
        Reply

      1. Ah! I completely forgot that Ritsu had something similar in the past. lol, I really love when there’s a reference to the Sigma Striker. I should be glad that the multiple choices in my exams have only 4 possible answers. 😛

        Go Sigma Striker IV!

        Oh oh, and since we’re on this topic, is there any chance that you’d be blogging the 2nd season of Baka to Test?

        lightning
        Reply

      2. I’ll be watching it for sure, so it’s definitely a possibility. It really depends on what else is airing at the time.

        By the way, I just wanted to add that it’s “Striker Sigma” and not “Sigma Striker”. I always have to think about which one it is because I’ve mixed up the name too.

        Divine
        Reply

  15. I agree that I’m not sure if a third season in college would be good or not. It’d definitely be different at least. But if we get an OVA, then that’d be cool too. Still, I DON’T want to say goodbye to K-On! at all 🙁

    Solar
    Reply

    1. I hope your right on this, but to look on the other side. “All good things must come to an end” as typical of a cliche as it is, it must be true. Cause I don’t want in the long run the show get ruined because of unoriginal stories.

      retake09
      Reply

      1. If they do extend the show for another season,
        I bet the stories/new-episodes would be as good as every past K-On episodes.
        I have faith in their writing.
        The parts where the story departed a bit from the manga are all nice.
        (i.e. Ritsu getting sick, and Yui catching the cold from her) That was a nice touch than having Yui getting sick from wearing that kimono (although they did show that part where it was mentioned that Yui might have gotten the cold from wearing the kimono)
        –
        Anyways, have you guys noticed that what they are wearing on the Ending theme
        [No, Thank You!] might be University Uniforms?
        –
        I may sound optimistic for a 3rd Season,
        but that Ending Theme may be a hint of a 3rd Season happening 😀

        Mickey
        Reply

  19. The endings in the past couple episodes are raising the bar so much that it hurts. Graduation is the evil boss in this series. The series gives a vibe of seriousness that’s killing me. The only good thing from this is that Azu is getting closer to Ui and Jun. So I really expect HTT to continue with them and a new character after graduation under Sawa watchful eye. Overall that will be the best legacy our graduating girls could leave a strong K-on legacy at school. That’ll be a great plot for episode 26 😀

    Island Esper
    Reply

    2. K-On are Yui, Mugi, Mio, Ritsu & Azusa 😀
      It won’t feel much like K-On if it’s going to be Jun, Ui, & Azusa [even if Azusa is there].
      It can still be K-On, even if they’re in a new school as long as it’s still the 4 of them.
      (And it’d be so nice if Azusa could catch up to the new school.)

      Mickey
      Reply

  21. Four words to sum up this episode: Azu-nyan is so cute.

    Not that she isn’t already cute enough.

    The ending of K-ON is drawing ever nearer and the sense of bittersweetness gets stronger week by week. Only 3 more episodes left (plus a DVD only episode months later), and it feels quite surreal already.

    Kinny Riddle
    Reply

  22. It’ll be a sad day when it all finishes up. An OVA would be nice, but I don’t think another season with them in college would be a good idea.
    I’m surprised they revealed that they all got into the same college this episode. I thought they would drag out the ‘study sessions’ which were in the manga for a couple of episodes and then do the final reveal the second last episode or something.
    Also, I didn’t like how they changed it. Telling Azusa and Ui by text message, just seemed a little off, a bit underwhelming I guess. It would have been nice if they were altogether in the music room like in the manga, so they could all celebrate together. and so we as audiences can celebrate with them as well.
    =)

    Jo
    Reply

    1. I’m hoping they do the scene next week when girls come to report to Sawa-chan. I, really, wanted that part of the manga chapter to be animated exactly because it has a lot of impact, a lot better than a text message

      Even Nodoka disappeared somewhere, so hopefully they tie it all together for everybody

      kyonkun
      Reply

      1. Impact, thats the word I was looking for. Yeah a lot is lost through doing it by text message. You could see that Azusa was bursting with joy.
        I don’t think they’ll show the scene with Sawa-chan though…cos don’t they usually start each episode with a new day rather than direct continuation from the last episode?

        Jo
        Reply

  27. Although i heard K-ON manga ended, or it was about to end, and the mangaka announced that. Well, i hope that it will continue somehow… because that university possiblity sounds good, but… i never heard of an anime that tells university experiences…

    Xanathos
    Reply

  28. well~ the way its going, its likely that it will continue….
    I mean…the last 6-7chapters are about them all taking the same entrance exam to be going to the same college. which would not make sense with this kind of serie. but hey, maybe the mangaka just want to leave the rest to our imagination.
    btw azusa should have used that 1000yen she throw in there to buy the last volume of k-on manga x)

    superanu
    Reply

  31. I think Azusa will definitely cry in the end. I mean, her face when they got into college was already fighting back tears. By the way, I love the way they did that scene with Jun looking around at both of them, so subtle and effective.
    As for a university continuation… I just can’t picture it too well unless HTT becomes an actual band. I’d probably enjoy an epilogue or an OVA that sort of told a bit about what happened later just as much.
    And WHY did they skip the BF STORY??!! >.<

    innerchihiro
    Reply

  34. k-on time goes way too fast….
    episode 20 gakuensai, which is in the fall
    episode 21 yui cuts her hair
    episode 22 it all grew back, and its snowing outside
    episode 23…its a warm day.
    episode 24 will be official ending
    episode 25 and 26 will be special episodes

    superanu
    Reply

  38. Usually I just enjoy watching K-ON but the 2 last episodes almost make me in tears. I’m on my last year of high school too, and though it’s not as sweet as K-ON, time sure flies.
    I totally can imagine how hard it is for Azusa to let her seniors go!

    KGFJ
    Reply

  40. n all seriousness i really wish K-ON finishes it’s run this season. season 2’s opening episodes showed it’s greatest weakness to me, the lack of any real story behind all that moe-ness. Infact it turned me off so much I’m WAYYYYY behind for the second season =w=;;;; Sure the later/recent episodes had all this more interesting character development stuff but yea. i personally don’t think a university moe-centered anime is gonna be my cup of tea =w=;;;

    Ex14
    Reply

  41. Damn, one hell of a backlog for my anime viewing this week… Anyway…

    Need additional proof that even the girls want Mio? Look no further! (Getting chocolates on Valentine’s Day, LOL.)

    And with the last episodes of K-On!! on the way, this scene made me realize how winter’s gonna feel a bit colder once this series is over… 🙁

    Incognito
    Reply

  42. Damn the office workload. Just had a marathon run of this week anime. Only finished watching this ep just now. The past few ep, with the run in to the ED, really makes this season of K-ON! great, after the slow start. But I don’t think the momentum will carry over if they do make a university-season. Just hope the final will be good.

    lordip
    Reply

  43. most animes involving girls have settings in high school because thats around the age where girls are most attractive. but since k-on girls looks nowhere near their age. I think if they wantted to they could make it to university-season. if the anime ends where manga ends. then I’d say the climax which was episode 20, already passed and the last 4episodes (25 and 26 will be speical eps) are unnecessary to the kind of anime it is. k-on merchandising have been increasing steadily selling better and better. so~ if they are smart, they would continue it anyways. may not attract as many people, but hey, they’ll still be profiting.

    superanu
    Reply

  44. I was about to cry when Azunyan said that in the light music club room u.u, bt my mother was walking and I couldnt u.u

    I dont think it will be a college season, I dont even want to, yeah I will miss k-on, HTT everything but, I just want k-on to have a really nice end ^^

    man, Im really gonna miss them… :S

    They all have to cry at the end!!! WE TOO

    lol
    Reply

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