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Animation Quality: 9
The animation itself is not particularly complex. The art direction reduces any headaches you see in anime that have more detailed characters. Still you can see some poor quality drawing in scenes where the characters are in miniature, eg their class photo. What gets me though is the ability to portray natural movement (eg Yui's running style in episode 26), many details for the background (the number of objects the japanese fellas have identified by comparing the anime's look to the actual article is remarkable, eg the drill at the home store episode) and a consistent ability to portray the emotive aspects of the characters. The last can be said to be required of any anime but K-On does it consistently well.
Voice Actors: 9
Yui's voice can be really high pitched but it fits her easily excitable chipmunk personality to the tee. Sawako works well in switching to petulant, serious and to sad/funny (jingle bell jingle bell!). Ritsu's voice fits the genki girl well. Mio's 2 faces of attempted maturity and childishness are also portrayed well. Ui also has the voice down pat, in the caring, normal imoto. Azunyan is voiced ok but lacks character in season 1. Season 2 doesn't help her much until much later. Jun also lacks character and with less screen time than Azunyan, its more noticable. Finally Mugi's voice is fitting but doesn't have much room to explore as she doesn't get much characterisation other than her episode with Ritsu. Everyone other than Jun does a good job of voicing the emotions as well
Script: 10
They got it down pat. The entire show works on a one sided positive view of highschool. No real quarrels (Ritsu/Mio was solved double quick), no real need to study, etc. This allowed the story to focus on the positive aspects of the characters and using their drawbacks as comedic material, so its not really seen as a drawback. It works on nostalgia as well, mixing the entirety to be one big message of "Life isn't that bad". Great for when work gets burdening.
Soundtrack: 9
Season 1's fuwa fuwa time is still the better one among their non OP/ED songs. Rice is a side dish has energy but not emotive. U & I lacks character, being average. Of special note that makes it a high score is the guitar solo of My love is a stapler in episode 1. That part packs in a lot of "joy of playing the guitar" feeling as well as having good energy to it.
Editing: 7
The mixing of the extra episodes was not done that well. Episode 25 should be placed anytime before 24 while 26 should immediately follow 24. The allows the "New Beginning" feeling to immediately follow the "End of an Era" feeling in 1 week and allows the viewer to head nod at the group's actions in episode 24 as the viewer would then see the reason for Yui's out of character calmness.
Enjoyment: 10
K-On is not a deep anime like Cowboy Bebop or a sad one like Grave of the Fireflies but as one that encourages and relaxes, it tops its niche
Emotional Involvement: 10
It was fun.
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