Quote:
Originally Posted by Proto
Well, such is the difference between a character driven series, and a character relationships driven series. I think K-ON belongs to the later group, since it is the character dynamics rather than the characters themselves that drive the show.
|
What drives K-ON!! is the fact that it reliably delivers doses of funny, cute, and "Awww!" at the right times and never tries to go overboard.
It does this even though neither the character dynamics, nor the characters themselves ever meaningfully change. Yui the high school senior is nearly the same idiot as Yui the high school freshman. Her character development takes place off-screen (i.e. her friends and family comment on how much better she's gotten,) without ever being shown on-screen. It's the same with the others. Ritsu is still the same irresponsible slacker. Mio is still the same passive-aggressive moeblob with the deeply repressed inner child. Mugi is still the same
drug cake pushing Act of Ojou-sama. Their interactions never change either. The team-dynamic of HTT is still the exact same Ritsu/Mio, Ritsu/Yui, and Mugi/Mugi-Vision dynamic that it was at the start. The only difference is that there's a Yui/Azusa dynamic in HTT's senior year.
What saves K-ON!! is low expectations on the part of its audience. The average K-ON!! fan isn't looking for deep, insightful, storylines and character development. They're looking for a lightweight brains-off dose of cuteness and comic hijinks. You know . . . a
moe show. I mean, were I rating this show to the same intellectual standards I apply to
Suzumiya Haruhi or
Ghost in the Shell, the absolute highest I'd ever rate any K-ON!! episode is a 5, and most of them would be a 2 or 3. K-ON!! on the other hand, is just like its protagonist Yui. Cute . . . but kinda dumb.