»K-On!« is one of the most successful anime series ever made. To a distant observer this might seem strange, because the plot looks as empty as it gets. It's just about five girls hanging out together and playing in a school band called »After School Tea Time«. There is no drama to speak of and barely any tension. Still, »K-On!« is remarkable, exactly because it renounces any kind of dramatic structure. The depiction of everyday life is calm, sweet and surprisingly witty. (There are even some jokes about j-horror and slice of life anime.) »K-On!« is the perfect show to sit back and relax after a hard day of work.
But there's more to it than that. With Naoko Yamada (»A Silent Voice«), the anime has a director of great talent. Her portrayal of the young schoolgirls is insightful and lovely. It's more about character, less about plot. Sure, some people might call »K-on!« a mere excuse to show cute girls. But the series has a bigger point to make. It's actually a bittersweet tale of lost innocence. Yamada clearly knows that the friendship depicted in the story is not as firm as it seems. There's a longing nostalgia encasing »K-on!«, the thought of the adult that goes something like this: »Oh, these naive girls, their friendship won't last forever. But I sure whish it would. Hell, I wish my highschool years were like this!«
In the first season, Yamada totaly merges into the ideal world of the highschool student. In the second season, she unravels this illusion gently. The conclusion of this theme is very touching. If you want to watch a relaxing, entertaining and sensitive anime, you can't go wrong with »K-on!«. It's heartfelt and doesn't deserve the eye-rolls it sometimes gets.
But there's more to it than that. With Naoko Yamada (»A Silent Voice«), the anime has a director of great talent. Her portrayal of the young schoolgirls is insightful and lovely. It's more about character, less about plot. Sure, some people might call »K-on!« a mere excuse to show cute girls. But the series has a bigger point to make. It's actually a bittersweet tale of lost innocence. Yamada clearly knows that the friendship depicted in the story is not as firm as it seems. There's a longing nostalgia encasing »K-on!«, the thought of the adult that goes something like this: »Oh, these naive girls, their friendship won't last forever. But I sure whish it would. Hell, I wish my highschool years were like this!«
In the first season, Yamada totaly merges into the ideal world of the highschool student. In the second season, she unravels this illusion gently. The conclusion of this theme is very touching. If you want to watch a relaxing, entertaining and sensitive anime, you can't go wrong with »K-on!«. It's heartfelt and doesn't deserve the eye-rolls it sometimes gets.