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All That K-ON! Music Memorial: OP & ED

If anybody hadn't been smothered already, rest assured that there are plenty of opportunities (at least from my side) to immerse in the deep waters of musical sin without the danger of drowning unless you have this quirky habit of plugging in your earphones while frolicking in the bathtub. Today, I shall continue with more K-ON! goodness. I hope nobody's eyes are bleeding right now. The first part touched on the nostalgic cassette as a prominence in the colourful music of Houkago Tea Time. Much of the girls' repertoire had been given the cassette treatment. Now, I would like to take a step back and revisit the various opening and ending theme songs throughout the seasons. Shall we proceed?

The First Season:


♪ Cagayake! GIRLS
The first chapter of the K-ON! manual begins with this number. I actually prefer the version with Azusa which has slight variations at the second half where the girls have their brief solos in turn while calling out the next person's name. The 5nin version first appeared as part of a two-disc album titled 'K-ON! Official Band Yarouyo!!'. Cagayake! GIRLS exudes plenty of girlish yet pleasantly rebellious streaks. It also feels like as if the girls would really touch the skies (not because they contemplated hemming their skirts). Anyway, the last couple of stanzas somehow reminds me of a shampoo commercial. Go figure.



♪ Don't say "lazy"
I was initially drawn to the rather odd stylisation of the word 'lazy' in the title. The closing credits feature the individual profiles of the girls donned in cute, gothic fashion. Well, at least I think that the clothes look gothic from certain angles. The main vocals were provided by Mio, or to be more specific her voice actress Hikasa Youko. Oh, a 5nin version with Azusa also exists though my ears can't quite figure out the variation in that one. Supposedly, Azusa is in charge of the rhythm guitar for their songs.


The Second Season:


♪ GO! GO! MANIAC
Ah...the beautiful, mesmerising 360-degree turn around the music room as the song plays in the opening credits is still easily my most favourite moment in K-ON!! (there is an extra exclamation to indicate the second season). Even though many of their songs are bursting with adrenaline rushes, I've got to say that GO! GO! MANIAC is several notches above its counterparts. The ending lyrics in English will bring quite a smile in anybody. "No No music, no smile. No No friends, no life."



♪ Listen!!
I'm beginning to think that Mio, despite her blunt unwillingness and such to be the lead vocalist, truly enjoys singing (probably even more so than Yui). The opening melody somehow reminds me of a coin jukebox just beside the counter of a bar or something, waiting to play its first record of the evening to the first patron who feeds it with coins. That moment of solitude surprisingly fits into the emotions of the song. "No matter how quiet it is, it's our single song in the world." "We'll shout, we'll shout even if we're on an away stage."




♪ Utauyo! MIRACLE
This is a playful yet sincere song which conveys the girls' love for the people who love them unconditionally. In the opening credits, the girls do a lot of fun(ny) stuff, like worshipping a strawberry cake and smothering their teacher and friends. The girls also showcase their individual profiles in a video camera style. I still prefer GO! GO! MANIAC over this though, in terms of adrenaline rushes.



♪ NO, Thank You!
According to K-ON! trivia, part of the song title was derived from the first letter of each girl's surname in romaji. Thank - Tainaka, Hirasawa, Akiyama, Nakano, Kotobuki. How cute and creative! The song feels a little angsty (?) and rebellious though, not that I dislike it or anything. In fact, I would say that it is rather refreshing to see the girls in a more moody light.


Well, I'm not sure how many readers are aware of news regarding a rumoured third season that has been floating around since...forever (?). While there was a full-length movie released after the second season, the story acted as a sandwich in between events before all but Azusa graduated from high school. It would be really awesome if a third season could be greenlit. I mean, there is a whole lot of other stuff that can be adapted. What do you guys think?

Eccentrically Yours.

Written by J.Fluffysheep ♪

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