k-on!! episode eighteen

I begin with some semi-but not really-related information pertaining to myself: I’m incredibly brand loyal. And my brand loyalism carries over to where, and from whom I obtain my anime. In the case of K-On!!, I turn to – and only to – CoalGuys. This week, due to some personal conflicts (you can visit them to read more about it), K-On!! Episode Eighteen was subbed and released late. But that’s okay. It gave me a whole extra day to build up my anticipation for what would ultimately be a great disappointment.

Episode Eighteen was an episode of Nothing. Even more Nothing than Episode Fifteen which was the episode with the marathon. I can’t even pinpoint a personal highlight of this episode. I’m sure some of you would say seeing the girls in maid costume was pretty fun, but we’ve also seen them in other get-ups that were cuter and looked better so that highlight is invalid. Besides, it wasn’t so much a “hobby” maid café where the waitresses are dressed up as maids for… personal interest and entertainment, but rather the experience continuity of an upper class establishment. Considering the building the café operates out of – and the pricing of the menu – you can imagine how swanky the Afternoon Tea there must be.

I can’t imagine why an entire class of girls would vote Mio for the role of Romeo. While Ritsu’s theory that their classmates are teasing her is plausible, it’s more likely that they wanted to see Mio and Ritsu in a romantic pairing; a realization of their unspoken dreams, I’m sure. Unfortunately, Mio is as bad a Romeo as Ritsu is a Juliet. It was kind of cute to see them rehearsing together in Ritsu’s room though – and unlike all those with yuri on their mind, I was reminded of the close bond girls share with each other, especially between a set of best friends.

The other great friend pairing this episode was Yui and Nodoka, displayed when Yui was cast as a tree for the play and Nodoka told her to practice standing still. Only friends can direct friends to practice standing still; and only someone like Yui would actually listen and do it for a length of time.

Other than the second and inconsequential appearance of Ritsu’s younger brother, Satoshi, there’s really nothing else to mention. Sad, isn’t it? And from the looks of it, I doubt we’re going to get a performance next episode either since it seems to be focused on the play on the day of the school festival. Actually, I think I would prefer it that way, for Romeo et Juliet to get its own episode, so to speak, because I wouldn’t want them to cram a new song and a lack-lustre performance of said new song into the last five minutes of an episode.

For now, I’m just watching K-On!! for its animation and cuteness, though I realize that I can get a dosage of good animation and cuteness from Ookami-san too (though I’d like to minus that really irritating narration). What I’d like to start watching K-On!! for again is the pleasure of Ho-Kago Tea Time (aka After School Tea Time) actually playing music.