K-On is one of my favorite shows of all time, and definitely my favorite anime as well, and despite its cute humor and charming characters, the first season does still have a few growing pains.
Unlike Season 2 of K-On, the first season has a fairly well-defined plot. Yui, Ritsu, Mio, and Mugi form a light music band and spend the season practicing so they can play in concerts in front of the school. Halfway through, Azusa (who is a grade under the others) joins the club as well and has to get used to their unique way of doing things. Each character here is likable and well-defined, each containing their own motivations and character arc, with Yui and Mio being the highlights here. Yui is immature and lacks a drive, so throughout the season she learns to take things more seriously. Mio has crippling stage fright, which she slowly overcomes throughout the season. The animation is great and the music is catchy and light, perfectly fitting the show.
I think many people think that K-On is a show about nothing, but that's not really true. Each episode has its own story and conflict, the characters have motivations, and even the quiet moments feel like they're there to strengthen the character relationships. And even when there isn't much of a plot, the calming vibe and atmosphere just hooks you in regardless. However, despite my praises, Season 1 of K-On does have some issues. Firstly, the pacing is insanely fast, as this 12-episode season takes place over the course of a whopping two school years, meaning that the characters improve their playing fairly quickly. The other issue is the club advisor Suwako, who isn't a super likable character this season. Her costume-schtick gets repetitive fast, and leads to some more... gimmicky attempts at cutesiness. Stuff like "Moe moe kyun" and the Mio's infamous accident that feel noticeably unfitting compared to the rest of the show.
After episode 12, there are also two OVAs that I actually thought were excellent and some of the best episodes yet. They slow down the pace a bit and experiment, feeling like the crew behind the show were becoming far more confident in their craft. The animation has also noticeably improved as well.
Some of the highlights of this first season include:
Light Music: The final episode of the season brings the characters full circle and resolves the story in a satisfying manner. The second year of high school ends with a scene that calls back to the first season in the pilot as Yui finally realizes her flaws. All of the cast gets time to shine, even characters like Ui and Suwako, and the final concert is a stellar way to end the season.
Winter Days: This OVA is still one of the show's best episodes despite its lack of plot. It's an oddly atmospheric episode for the show, packed with quiet moments as each character is going about their day during winter break. The storylines interweave with each other and reach satisfying resolutions, and the background music is particularly excellent.
Overall, Season 1 of K-On is a good start for the anime with strong characters and great animation, even if it still has some kinks to iron out.
3/5 Stars
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