Season 1 of K-On was pretty good, but had some issues that needed fixing. Season 2 of K-On, however, was pretty much perfect, helping the show become one of my favorite anime of all time.
Season 2 may seem like it doesn't have as much of a story as the first, as it's not as focused on the titular club or the character arcs. Instead, Season 2 has a more melancholic plot as it takes place during everyone's senior years. So instead of trying to get into a concert, the K-On band needs to apply to college, figure out what they want to do with their life, and say goodbye to the high school. Azusa is the highlight of the season, as she is a grade under everyone else, meaning that she has to cope with saying goodbye to all of her great friends. As a result, Season 2 of K-On is a surprisingly deep and affecting season that resonated with me more than any show I've ever seen (it helped that I watched it during my own senior year).
Right from the start, you can feel a chance of direction. The mood is more bittersweet, the pace slows down, and the episodes linger on the small details more. You can tell that K-On isn't just about being cute anymore, it's become a full-on coming-of-age story, and as the season progresses and we get closer and closer to graduation, the tone only becomes far more melancholic. Not to say that the show is humorless, though. Season 2 of K-On is still stuffed with the cute character interactions that made the first season so great, and the comedy took a step-up as well, with certain episodes leaving me doubled over in laughter.
Season 2 even managed to fix most of the issues with the first season. Rather than 12 episodes for two years, this season is 24 episodes for a single senior year. As a result, the pace is much slower, but I think it works for the show. Suwako's character is much more likable this time around, to the point where one of her moments in the finale made me tear up, and the aggressively cutesy stuff (outside of an admittedly funny maid cafe sequence) is pretty much gone. K-On is still adorable, but it feels more natural this time.
The final batch of episodes is especially great, as we get the last and biggest school festival of the show and the heart-breaking graduation. I particularly like the penultimate episode, as the cast doesn't have school, yet they decide to go anyway just to say goodbye to the place. It's melancholic and affecting throughout. There are also several great OVAs, one of which sets up for the movie, which is excellent on its own. Despite its seemingly gimmick premise (K-On characters go to London), K-On: The Movie is a beautiful and well-crafted film that makes the show even better by existing.
There are a lot of strong episodes throughout Season 2 of K-On, but these are some of the most notable:
Staying Behind: This is the first of several episodes that focus on Azusa's own group of junior friends, but it's probably the best because of just how strong their dynamic is. I feel like Azusa, Ui, and Jun could head a show on their own and it would be just as compelling.
Tea Party: This one was a ton of fun, focusing on Mio's fan club and fleshing out the school's past a bit. I love how the first half of Tea Party is a bit of a whodunit about who's been following Mio, and Megumi was a super interesting character. I also like that Nodoka got a lot of focus here, she's always been one of the most neglected characters of the series.
Teacher: This was the episode that saved Suwako as a character, as we finally get to meet her original band. The moment where Suwako finally lets loose is incredibly memorable, and the amount of depth she gets throughout the episode is great. There are also a lot of funny hijinks near the start of the episode involving the K-On members themselves.
Summer Festival: The K-On club goes on a bunch of trips throughout the series but this was definitely one of the sweetest. The final scene where everyone sits under the stars and plans to join the next summer festival was definitely one of the anime's best scenes. I also like how this episode introduces the running gag of Mugi wanting to try Yakisoba.
Summer Training: Easily the funniest episode in the show, Mugi's storyline about wanting to be slapped is so funny and gave her some much needed depth. The subplot about strawberry cake feels also Seinfeld-ian in its simplicity, but weaves together with the main plot near the end in the finest (and most iconic) comedic moment of the show in which Mugi steals Mio's strawberry.
Leading Role: I already mentioned this episode's funny maid cafe sequence, but I especially adore the first half as Mio and Ritsu have to pull a role-reversal and emulate each other's personalities. It's a lot of fun to watch and one of the best episodes for the duo.
Romeo And Juliet: The last few episodes were building up to the titular performance, and it was a lot of fun to watch. The school festival as a whole was one of the best streaks of episodes in the show, and Romeo And Juliet did a good job of leading up to...
Yet Another School Festival: ...utter perfection. This episode was pretty much one long concert that felt like a curtain call to the characters we know and love. Packed with the show's most iconic songs and tons of heartwarming moments, all culminating in an utter tearjerker of a final scene which is one of the few scenes of anything that made me genuinely cry. Seeing these characters accept the fact that they're going to have to say goodbye is nothing short of devastating.
After School: I already mentioned why I love this episode so much. There isn't much of an overarching story to this one, it's just the K-On band spending their last day of school walking around one final time. It's probably the most downright depressing of the final few episodes, even if the group is having fun, there's a compelling sense that things are ending soon. It's the best example of the melancholy that elevates K-On her being just a simple slice of life anime.
Graduation Ceremony: And in case last episode wasn't emotional enough, this finale was just as impactful if not moreso. The subplot of the present for Suwako led to some fun hijinks that culminated in a moment that left me absolutely broken, not to mention the beautiful final goodbye song for Asuka. The melancholic tone that was prevalent throughout the season was cranked up to 11 and did a perfect job of emulating what it feels like to graduate.
K-On The Movie: As mentioned before, this movie is excellent. The animation quality manages to be even better, and the otherwise goofy and entertaining hijinks in London are grounded with a heartwarming subplot that explores new sides to the finale. My favorite moment is when K-On holds one last concert in their homeroom just for old time's sake.
Season 2 of K-On means a lot to me and did a great job of improving on the first and elevating K-ON as a series. The comedy, tone, animation, character, and drama was all just excellent on all fronts, culminating in an emotional final batch of episodes that perfectly captures the feeling of graduating high school.
5/5 Stars
Favorite Episode: Yet Another School Festival
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