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K-ON! episode 11, problems come one after another
Saturday, June 13th 2009
The school festival is coming. Just like how it was last year, it seems that the light music club is going to have lots of problem coming one after another this time. Two problems is related to Ritsu's irresponsible behavior, while one is related to Yui clueless nature.
This episode begin peacefully with Azusa in good mood looking forward for doing life performance in the school festival. Everyone else in the club also in a good mood, until Azusa stated that she want to have a look at light music club performance last year. Turn out that Sawako sensei have the entire performance recorded and offered Azusa to watch it ( After Yui and Ritsu hold Mio so she can't interfere).
Just like last year, this year Ritsu also forget to fill the paperwork required get the permission to use the auditorium. Fortunately, Nodoka come to the music room to remind them. Unfortunately, Mio failed to get the funny part and hit Ritsu on her head.
Later Ritsu asked Azusa to fill the form for the club. Things went well until she need to write the name of the band. It turns out that they never decided on any name before. The four older girls could not agree on any name. But when Sawako sensei offered to decide one for them, all of them agreed to postpone the matter (probably, ad infinitum if it were not for Nodoka).
Problem with Yui's guitar
When the club is going to start practicing for the school festival, Yui tell that her guitar doesn't sound well lately. It turns out that her idea about taking care of the guitar is uncommon. Yui's way of guitar care is not based on any observation or experimental result, thus the treatment performed doesn't correlate well to the well beingness of her guitar. They have to take the guitar to repair it.
Yui's clueness nature doesn't stop there. After the repairman finished repairing the guitar, Yui doesn't have any idea that the service would cost her money. Turn out that she didn't bring (or own) any money at the moment. Tsumugi, who happen to be there offered to pay for her, but the shopkeeper say that the service is on them since Tsumugi's family had been very kind to them.
Ritsu's Jealousy
This problem begin in the same shop Yui have her guitar repaired. The left-handed Mio was delighted to know that the shop is having lefty fair at the moment. In fact, Mio was so delighted that Mio who often become the voice of reason in the group, lost any capability to act reasonably.
She refused to go home even when Ritsu called her to, so Ritsu have to pull her out. Mio doesn't seem to like being pulled by Ritsu for sure. Later, Ritsu asked the group whether they want to have some tea together. Yui already had another appointment with Nodoka, Mio who know that Nodoka is coming asked Yui whether she could tag along since Mio and Nodoka are classmates. Ritsu doesn't seems delighted to see her childhood friend being in good term with other girl she doesn't know really well.
Left unchecked, jealousy could destroy any kind of relationship. Jealous people often do unreasonable and annoying things to get attention. Since what they done is unreasonable and annoying, it is only natural that the other party become annoyed. That is what Ritsu is doing. She tried her best to separate Mio from Nodoka. She even done various unreasonable things which really pissed Mio off.
Several days later Ritsu keep absent from the club, Sawako sensei tell Mio that it is because Mio act cold to Ritsu. Being a childhood friend, Mio become somewhat concerned, later Yui and Tsumugi tell her that Ritsu is sick.
The Mio visiting Ritsu scene depicted how well Ritsu and Mio know each other. It is only natural since they have been together since elementary school (or earlier). Ritsu can even recognize Mio's footsteps when she come to her room. Sick Ritsu is really spoiled, she asked Mio to be beside her until she fell asleep.
The next day, Ritsu got better. However things didn't go as well as they thought. When the club is about to practice the band, Nodoka interrupted them stating that they haven't turn in the auditorium usage form. Even worse it is already past the deadline.
The student council president insisted that deadline is a deadline. But after Nodoka tell her that the reason was because Ritsu was sick, the student council president decided to give them one more day.
That doesn't change the fact that the light music club have to decide on a band name. The girls keep proposing names for the band but still could not agree on one. Finally Sawako sensei snapped, take the form by force and write down a name she decided to give them.
The name given by Sawako Sensei is Tea Time After School (放課後ティータイム). The name really match well to what the club frequently do in the music room.
Anyway it seems that the next episode is going to be the end of this particular anime series. No matter how I try to rationalize it, I feel somehow sad every time the anime series I follow is coming to an end. I really like K-ON! and I would be really sad when the show come to an end.
Views : 194 Views per day : 0.43 Comments : 4
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K-ON! episode 10, another Training Camp
Saturday, June 6th 2009
It turns out that Nakano Azusa had actually become a good friend with Hirasawa Ui, since in the beginning of episode 10 they went to a fast food restaurant and telling each other about recent things happening around them. Ui is particularly curious about how Yui is doing in light music club and they end up discussing the characteristics of each senpai.
While other member of light music club thinks that Yui is lazy and Ui is diligent back in episode 7, it seems that Ui is responsible for the laziness of Yui. She thinks that Yui is cute when she is lazing around.
Anyway the light music club is going to have another training camp (or fun camp) this year. This time Azusa is going to join the training camp as well. Based on her knowledge about each senpai, she predicts that they are going to play all the time during the training camp. Not really a bad guess for sure.
Mio who happen to become the voice of reason in light music club tell Azusa that it is important to have fun sometimes ( But perhaps not all the time, except if you happen to live inside the world of anime ).
The location of this year training camp is another villa owned by Mugi's family. Bigger than the one they got last year, but still not the biggest one they have. Just when Azusa imagining Mugi having fun on a luxurious cruise ship, suddenly one of such ship (which is actually the family property of Mugi) appear on the horizon. Somehow that pissed Mugi who want to have a normal holiday with her friends.
Later, Yui and Ritsu replay the sequel of the drama they played last year about finding a new island. The mention about Zipang, the island of Gold was actually among the first record western world ever have about what we know today as Japan. Marco Polo during his journey to far east happen to heard about this island from traders in China, but never actually set his feet on it. Historical story aside, it seems that we could question the straightness of both Yui and Ritsu.
No matter how fun the training camp was everything is going to come to an end. Ui and Azusa had decided to meet again in the same place after she went back from the training camp. It seems that she had changed her view on Yui and the other during the training camp. She know that Yui is not a complete hamster, Mugi is more childish than she look and Mio is actually easily scared. The most important thing however is Azusa had learned how to have fun when it is required. Training long and hard is not going to make you better than someone who have fun doing it, especially if you live in the world of anime.
Views : 184 Views per day : 0.40 Comments : 9
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Star Wars and Kanon, for anime fans who like star wars as well
Sunday, May 31st 2009
Some denizen of the net are very creative when it comes to mixing anime video and star wars audio. I don't know whether this is something good or not, but I like both Space Opera and Anime. So I something with a bit from both world is going to amuse me.
A YouTube user with username LaughingMan42 posted a video that mix sleeping Nayuki animation with the Imperial song from Star Wars. Somehow that is enough to crack me up. Hail to Emperor Nayuki!!!
Well, we know that Kawasumi Mai from Kanon have good swordmanship skill. But how good could she handle light saber? A YouTube user known as SabreMau posted a video about Jedi Knight Mai. Basically the poster edited the animation by changing the sword with a light saber.
My only comment about this matter is Internet seems to have the power to shorten the difference between the East and the West, but I never thought it would be done in this way before.
Views : 86 Views per day : 0.19 Comments : 5
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K-ON! episode 9, The New Club Member
Saturday, May 30th 2009
The new character, Nakano Azusa was introduced to us in the previous episode. However there were not much information about her revealed to us in episode 8. However, just like most K-ON! fans had expected, this episode is going to be centered around Azusa ( whose name means Catalpa ovata tree, I think that name suit her well ).
It turns out that Azusa is going to play guitar as well since she already good at it. She had played guitar for a longer time compared to Yui ( who just started playing it last year ). Anyway, Azusa didn't know how long Yui had played guitar and assumed Yui have more experience. Well, look at Yui reaction when she hear Azusa call her "Yui-senpai".
After joining the club for one day, Azusa realized that the club is having too much fun. Instead of practicing the instrument, she found that the senpais are having tea. When Sawako-sensei come, she think she should apologize for using the music room for drinking tea. But Sawako-sensei as we all know it, is having tea as well.
She thought that perhaps the senpais are testing her initiative ( which we know is incorrect ), so she prepare to play her instrument. But Sawako who want to have tea in peace, unconsciously scold her. Then Azusa snapped and start lecturing the senior members.
Mio and Ritsu trying to persuade her to calm down, but failed. Yui approached her from behind and pet her, Yui-senpai method proved to be successful. It seems to me that Azusa is really looking up to Yui.
The next day, Sawako cosplay maniac sensei, come to the club room and bring a nekomimi hairband. Sawako-sensei asked Azusa to use it, but she refused saying that it would be embarrassing experience for everyone. Contrary to her expectation Yui, Ritsu and Tsumugi have no sense of shame, Tsumugi even had tried the cat ear headband.
Finally Azusa tried the headband after Yui persuade her to wear it. Perhaps this is an example of leadership by example, never asked other to do what you don't want to do yourself.
Mio is actually a curious girl who don't mind doing embarrassing things as long as no one see her on it ( and Ritsu know about this ). When everyone had cleared the music room, she come back to the room to take her handphone and she the nekomimi headband nearby. She decide to try it anyway and Ritsu saw her doing it.
The rest of the story in episode 9 is more about Azusa feeling for the light music club. She was wondering why she like the club even when there are better bands out there. But then in the end, you should ask yourself whether you are having fun doing what you are currently doing.
Evolving Credit
Kyoto Animation was known for using evolving credit in the Ending Song of Clannad After Story, which means that the characters shown in the song add up as new characters are introduced to the story. This time they also use it in the Opening Song of K-ON!. Since Azusa was introduced in episode 8 and episode 9 is pretty much about her, the Opening Song start featuring her from now on. The Ending Song however is pretty much the same.
Views : 108 Views per day : 0.24 Comments : 3
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The meaning of Characters Name in K-ON! (part 2)
Thursday, May 28th 2009
I my previous post about the meaning of K-ON! character's name I have explained the meaning of some name, but not that haven't covered the name of every K-ON! girls. I have explained the meaning behind the name of Yui, Ui, Ritsu and Tsumugi before, so I am going to explain the rest in this post.
Akiyama Mio ( 澪 ) - Finally I managed to have my Japanese sensei to explain about the meaning of Mio. This particular kanji is an old kanji that no one use except for girl's name, so it is quite hard to look for its meaning. Mio ( 澪 ) means the wave formed on water behind the trajectory of a ship. Perhaps that is the meaning of the word fairway that Hippo mentioned before in his comment.
Honestly, I have a hard time finding any connection between Mio's personality and the meaning of her name. But then, Mio is a delicate girl and wave formed on water behind a ship is also a delicate structure. Both of them also show their attractiveness under perturbation. ( Ritsu really like to perturb (or disturb) Mio ).
Manabe Nodoka ( 和 ) - The kanji of her name basically means Japanese. Honestly I am not really aware that this kanji could be pronounced as "Nodoka", usually it is pronounced as "Wa". Anyway this kanji is used in word such as nagoyakana (和やかな) which means mature and kind, which I think suit Nodoka's personality.
Japanese words using this kanji:
- heiwa (平和) -> peace
- washoku (和食) -> Japanese Food
- wagashi (和菓子) -> Japanese Snack
- washin (和親) -> friendship
- washinkoku (和親国) -> friendly countries
Nakano Azusa ( 梓 ) - Her name means Chinese Catalpa tree ( Catalpa ovata ) which is a species of tree belonging to Bignoniaceae family. The stem bark of this Chinese Catalpa tree contain three kind of naphthoquinones which could be use for antitumor promoting.
Beside medical value, Catalpa tree also have cultural value among Chinese people. Because of its heart-like shape, the Catalpa tree was considered as a symbol of true eternal love. The kind of love that might be bordering on being stubborn. I would say that Nakano Azusa, the new characters in K-ON! have the personality that match the symbolic meaning of Catalpa tree. We could see in episode 8, that she loved Jazz music so much. She also have an idealistic idea about what jazz is, which lead her not to join jazz club and join light music club instead.
Views : 489 Views per day : 1.04 Comments : 4
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