K-On! - The Movie - Discussion Thread

[traviskeshav]

Just watched this today; I've had the Blu-Ray for a while, but kept putting it off for whatever reason. It started off slowly -- perhaps my perception due to not having watched the series for a while -- but this was absolutely wonderful. What a great way to end the year.

[CrowKenobi]

FYI: Sentai Filmworks Licenses K-ON! Film

[Infinite Zenith]

This can only mean one thing: it's time to buy dat BLU Ray

[GMT]

Boy ... this is going to be a fun dub for them to do. Wonder how they're going to handle the parts where the girls have to talk to British people who, being British people, are already speaking English. I liked how they dodged the discussion on English in Episode 27 (they talked about another language instead) ... but that's not gonna fly here.

[Afternoon Tea]

Originally Posted by GMT

Boy ... this is going to be a fun dub for them to do. Wonder how they're going to handle the parts where the girls have to talk to British people who, being British people, are already speaking English. I liked how they dodged the discussion on English in Episode 27 (they talked about another language instead) ... but that's not gonna fly here.

They might pull the accent boundary card, cos I know some people here with the Chicago/American accent that can't understand the British accent due to pronunciation,slang, and sometimes the rate of how fast/slow words in a conversation can be. Also vice versa with my friends from the U.K., and Australia. My Australian friend thinks that when he hears me talk or anyone with a Northern/Midwest accent in person/call; it all sounds like southern accent to him, but on the telly when he watches a show American accent just sounds "normal", and not all southern (unless someone really does have a southern accent). I guess its the same with us when we watch a 007 Movie. On the screens it seems causal, but in person seems unusual in a interesting way.

[Infinite Zenith]

Originally Posted by Afternoon Tea

They might pull the accent boundary card, cos I know some people here with the Chicago/American accent that can't understand the British accent due to pronunciation,slang, and sometimes the rate of how fast/slow words in a conversation can be. Also vice versa with my friends from the U.K., and Australia. My Australian friend thinks that when he hears me talk or anyone with a Northern/Midwest accent in person/call; it all sounds like southern accent to him, but on the telly when he watches a show American accent just sounds "normal", and not all southern (unless someone really does have a southern accent). I guess its the same with us when we watch a 007 Movie. On the screens it seems causal, but in person seems unusual in a interesting way.

I imagine they would have to really emphasise the intonations and pronunciations in the dub to do this justice, or else alter some of the dialogue such that the terminology differences result in miscommunication. That said, the differences will have to be substantial: I myself have no difficulty in listening to British or Austrialian English, but my head spins when I hear Appalachia and Southwestern English.

[Vexx]

The other thing they can do is use some of the more opaque British dialects that stump many Americans (Cockney, etc). Anyone who is a fan of the various British crime shows can attest that subtitles would be helpful at times.

Heck, my wife is the offical "southern" translator for her office (as she was born in Texas). A patient from Alabama can be incomprehensible to a phamacist in Oregon or New York.

[OkamiNoKaze]

Finally got around to watching this movie, it was great as I expected, loved the "BBC" logo on the ending video, I was a bit sad to learn that it was put there by the subbers. The new songs were great. I cracked up at the opening scene, and their little drama they concocted for Azusa. Wow, we finally get to clearly see Yui and Ui's parents. For little the London section they missed the chance for a hilarious misunderstanding at the hotel, when they ask "What time they would like to be knocked up? Which is their way of asking what time they want a wake up "knock". I too am wondering how they going to make the "lost in translation" thing work.

[GMT]

Originally Posted by Afternoon Tea

They might pull the accent boundary card, cos I know some people here with the Chicago/American accent that can't understand the British accent due to pronunciation,slang, and sometimes the rate of how fast/slow words in a conversation can be. Also vice versa with my friends from the U.K., and Australia. My Australian friend thinks that when he hears me talk or anyone with a Northern/Midwest accent in person/call; it all sounds like southern accent to him, but on the telly when he watches a show American accent just sounds "normal", and not all southern (unless someone really does have a southern accent). I guess its the same with us when we watch a 007 Movie. On the screens it seems causal, but in person seems unusual in a interesting way.

So ... if one pre-ordered the K-ON! Movie Blu-Ray in the US; one will discover that they've shipped most of a month early. And, with that, one can answer the question of how the dub will handle the fact that the girls speak Japanese, and the British people speak English.

The answer: They completely ignore it ... to the point where it is jarring and serves to kill all sense of suspension of disbelief.

Worse still, they also re-dub all the English parts for clarity (and in the case of the sushi bar owner hilarity ... in the "Good Gods, this is awful" way.)

On the bright side (such as it is,) the dub is up to the same standards that the dubs for the first and second season were (although your mileage may vary) ... unfortunately, for this film, it seems to fall a bit flat; and does the film a serious disservice as a result.

[Afternoon Tea]

goodness... Whats the final verdict? Worth the buy?

[Vexx]

Originally Posted by GMT

So ... if one pre-ordered the K-ON! Movie Blu-Ray in the US; one will discover that they've shipped most of a month early. And, with that, one can answer the question of how the dub will handle the fact that the girls speak Japanese, and the British people speak English.

The answer: They completely ignore it ... to the point where it is jarring and serves to kill all sense of suspension of disbelief.

Worse still, they also re-dub all the English parts for clarity (and in the case of the sushi bar owner hilarity ... in the "Good Gods, this is awful" way.)

On the bright side (such as it is,) the dub is up to the same standards that the dubs for the first and second season were (although your mileage may vary) ... unfortunately, for this film, it seems to fall a bit flat; and does the film a serious disservice as a result.

As long as I can watch with the Japanese soundtrack (with British voices) and subtitles, I couldn't give a flying f*ck about the english dub - just tired of distributors even trying any more.

[Afternoon Tea]

^ word. (￣▽￣)ノ

[GMT]

Originally Posted by Afternoon Tea

goodness... Whats the final verdict? Worth the buy?

Definitely. The original audio (complete with original British voices) is also included on the disc. I haven't really looked at the extras yet, but I don't think they'll make or break this title.

[blaze0041]

Originally Posted by GMT

Definitely. The original audio (complete with original British voices) is also included on the disc. I haven't really looked at the extras yet, but I don't think they'll make or break this title.

I'm curious about the extras myself, but I doubt they would compare to the extras that were included in last year's Japan-only (but region-free) BD limited edition...
Unless we see translated versions of the extra videos on the second BD.

[zrdb]

It has an excellent selection of extras.

[Infinite Zenith]

A re-watch of the K-On! Movie meant that I would have liked to recast my vote. That is not possible, but nonetheless, I'd like to present my thoughts on the movie here after my second time watching it. It's a bit of a long read, so skip the post if time isn't a presently available commodity.

---------
K-On! has always presented itself as a simple, yet distinguished anime franchise, succeeding in evoking a sense of nostalgia in its viewers about their own days as high school students. The movie carries on this tradition, depicting the girls going about their daily lives in a carefree manner in what is one of the most sincere (even if it is a little too idealistic) representations of life as a high school student. The fact that the girls choose to go abroad for the movie ultimately drives home Yui's point, that Houkago Tea Time will always be as thus, regardless of where they are in the world.

London, upon first glance, seems to be as far removed from the girls' homes in Japan, and indeed, less than half of the movie itself is set in London. Travel is oftentimes said to be a fleeting experience: we tend to remember everything leading up to, during and following the vacation. The movie captures this feeling, illustrating the girls' journeys through London in a short but memorable montage as they visit sights and attractions, even coming across two instances requiring them to break out their instruments and perform in front of a crowd. Whether it be in a foreign cafe, a Japanese Culture Fair, in front of their classmates or for Azusa, the girls continue to remind their audiences that they are Houkago Tea Time and as such, apply their own twists to doing things. By setting the movie in London, this point is driven home, reminding users of just how deep the friendship is between Yui, Ritsu, Mio, Mugi and Azusa to futher give the movie a solid focus.

The movie's portrayal of London's citizens is an integral component to providing an immersive feel to the girls' adventures through London. Presented as friendly, accommodating and helpful, the movie even casts native English speakers to voice the English-speaking characters. In most anime intended for a televised broadcast, characters speaking foreign languages (most commonly, English, German and Russian) are Japanese voice actors with a reasonable proficiency in the required languages. The fact that native English speakers are cast here demonstrates the effort that went into the movie's production, and the sense of immersion this creates speaks for itself, furthering the movie's sincerity.

Upon seeing all of the promotional materials, initially, I expected the movie to be about the trip to London, but I'd be missing the forest for the trees under such an assumption. The movie makes it explicit that the entire story is built around Yui, Mio, Ritsu and Mugi's wish to craft an appropriate farewell gift for Azusa. Choosing a meaningful gift is a challenging process, and viewers are given an opportunity to explore this process. The girls hold true to their mannerisms throughout the process, and never force themselves to be something they are not: everything we've seen of the girls from the TV series makes a return in a comfortable, familiar manner. In doing so, they create a final product that is well-suited for conveying exactly how the girls feel about Azusa.

Music features more prominantly in the movie than it did in the TV series, with each of the girls' performances becoming increasingly intimate in nature. K-On! has always made it clear that Houkago Tea Time's music was a product of their friendship, and that their friendships were at the forefront of everything they participated in. However, of all the hobbies the girls could have chosen, they pick music. Why music is suitable, especially for a series of this sort, boils down to something I cannot quite recall the source of: music provides the means to express emotions far more effectively than words alone. It follows that the intricies of friendship would be best depicted in music; for the K-On! Movie, the music itself reflects on how the girls feel about each of the different settings they perform in. They pick the more generic "Curry Nochi Rice" while performing at the sushi bar (chosen on the spot out of nervousness), "Fuwa Fuwa Time" and "Gohan wa Okazu" at the festival (familarity and expression of the girls' identity, respectively), "U & I" and "Samidare 20 Love" for their classmates back home, and finally, present "Tenshi ni Futera Yo!" as a highly personal and emotional song for Azusa.

Until the movie, we've only seen Yui, Mio, Ritsu and Mugi practise briefly on-screen: Azusa notes this frequently, wondering how the rest of the girls perform at such a calibre throughout the series. Their song-writing processes were hinted at occasionally during the anime, such as Mio dropping off some lyrics for Ritsu during a season one OVA and Yui's inspiration to write "U & I". In the movie, the underlying details to the song-writing process are elaborated upon with "Tenshi no Fureta Yo!". The process of composing a proper melody and set of lyrics is explored in greater detail than the anime had done, giving viewers a sense of just how much thought and emotion goes into each song. Seeing this process would suggest that each song would have required roughly the same effort to compose in the series. While it was omitted in the series, the composition process makes a late but welcome return in the movie, finally allowing viewers to see how the girls write music.

The K-On! Movie feels like an extended episode, essentially taking all of the strongest points about the anime and refining them in the movie format. With a steady, casual pacing that reflects on the Houkago Tea Time's mannerisms and visual quality that speak volumes about the incredible production value, the film's focus is cohesive and succeeds in telling a story about a group of close-knit high school students in their two journeys, towards both saying farewell to a friend and towards a foreign city. In particular, the pacing in the movie deserves recognition: whereas other anime movies immediately delved into their respective stories, the K-On! Movie proceeds in such a manner as to allow even those unfamiliar with the franchise to pick up who's who and what's going on. By the end of the movie, even the uninitiated will feel at home when watching the girls sing for Azusa.

I found that the K-On! Movie acts as a satisfying conclusion to a very light-hearted anime series, being solid in all the ways that matter, whether it be visual quality, animation or story. This film was immensely enjoyable and entertaining to watch.

Rating: 10/10

[Dextro]

Originally Posted by ForwardUntoDawn

Rating: 10/10

I concur with every single thing you've mentioned and I may even pick up the movie to re-watch it today but I still don't believe that a 10 is in order. While it was a fantastic movie by all accounts I have seen others that slightly nudge it on the art and animation departments. It's very subtle but yes, I don't think the K-On movie is a perfect 10 but it is damn near close. Maybe a 9.9 from me.

However I have been known to be extremely harsh on my judgements so take that as you may.

It's still a fantastic send-off to what is, without a doubt, one of the most important series of the last few years and damn the naysayers who disagree.

[Infinite Zenith]

For me, a 10 doesn't mean it's necessarily perfect: I have several minor grievances about the movie (e.g. I was personally looking forward to see KyoAni's take on London cuisine, for instance, and that was not featured). However, the positives by far outweigh the negatives. The movie kept me entertained the entire way: I found most of the scenes to be amusing to behold, either out of endearment or ludicrousness, and that is good enough to earn the score I gave it (from me, anyways).

[El Guapo]

I bought this when the BD came out in May and watched it shortly thereafter, and I enjoyed this a lot. I actually still need to go back and re watch it in Japanese; the rest of the K-ON series too, as I have only yet watched it dubbed. I try to go through everything I buy once through in both languages; you pay for both audio tracks, after all.

I feel like people in the fan community can be a little too hard on dubs sometimes. I tend to prefer watching things in Japanese most of the time, but sometimes I just want to feel like the characters speak the same language as me. The K-ON dub I've never had a problem with, especially since this is the kind of show that the english voice cast could have gone overboard on with the high-pitched squeakiness and general cuteness. All in all they did a good job with it, I think.

Anyway, I found it interesting that people were concerned about the whole British/Japanese language thing, like the dub would be bad because all the lost in translation jokes would get lost in translation. I was sort of feeling the opposite when I bought this, like this might be one to steer clear of the original Japanese just because my experience has been that Japanese voice actors tend to royally botch it when it comes to speaking other languages. I remember I started watching Beck: Mongolian Chop Squad in Japanese but ultimately had to switch over to English just because I couldn't stop laughing at all the Ingrishy dialog coming out of the mouths of characters who were supposed to be fluent, and I couldn't focus on the story because the realism was just absolutely shot. However, the thread consensus sounds like the Japanese audio does a pretty good job with K-ON, so I'm definitely going to have to give this a re-watch in Japanese.

In any event I loved this movie just like I loved the series. I just bought the K-On College manga too, although I haven't gotten around to reading it. Hope they eventually animate that part of the story as well.

[GMT]

Originally Posted by El Guapo

Anyway, I found it interesting that people were concerned about the whole British/Japanese language thing, like the dub would be bad because all the lost in translation jokes would get lost in translation. I was sort of feeling the opposite when I bought this, like this might be one to steer clear of the original Japanese just because my experience has been that Japanese voice actors tend to royally botch it when it comes to speaking other languages. I remember I started watching Beck: Mongolian Chop Squad in Japanese but ultimately had to switch over to English just because I couldn't stop laughing at all the Ingrishy dialog coming out of the mouths of characters who were supposed to be fluent, and I couldn't focus on the story because the realism was just absolutely shot. However, the thread consensus sounds like the Japanese audio does a pretty good job with K-ON, so I'm definitely going to have to give this a re-watch in Japanese.

In the original presentation, the native English lines are all spoken by actual British people who recorded their lines in a studio in London. The only Engrish you hear is from the girls themselves.