K-On! 10-13
Another beach camp episode and it's inferior to the first one at that. This one was more akin to another of Azusa's research on the K-On! group and its varying members. Sadly for it, I had already been familiarized with them previously and there was little need for a recap on that front. Azusa's connections with the group on a whole feel superficial and overly observational. It's a notably weak episode for what it
should have accomplished.
The entirety of episode 11 was simply an annoying drag.
Episode 12 is
satisfactory . It has a gathering in the club room, a concert and even has more dress-up.
I'm completely puzzled by the notion that an episode handled Ritsu and didn't turn out completely terrible (like episode 11). Its focus on the group separated also made for much stronger direction than most of the previous episodes ever managed. It also had little-to-no obnoxiously awful background music. This was one of the best episodes of the whole series.
K-On! Special 14 [END]
Unfortunately, this episode has some of the weak tracks from prior episodes. Yet, it was still surprisingly good. The group meeting with other groups was a positive dynamic for the series to touch on. These past two episodes have managed periods of a tame tone yet have managed to be much less laborious to sit through while being more entertaining than the gags in 1-12.
Overall, the series constantly walks a thin, shaky line in quality. There are moments when the interactions and developments are worthy of enjoyment, but the more often weak and long-lasting periods with the group really test the nerves. Most of the conversing isn't executed in a meaningful or skilled manner either (even during character-focused episodes), making it an issue of execution as much as content.
The original soundtrack is also very poor and at times actively distracting. In a show even slightly revolving around music, I would expect that field to be handled with more care. Unfortunately for my ears, it is not the case. This aspect is something I noticed more on this repeat watch than in my initial viewing. The show itself is how I remembered it from those years ago. In perspective of Kyoto Animation, I don't enjoy it remotely to the degree of
Nichijou or even
Festival Arc Hyouka, but it's somewhat acceptable.
Ura-ON! 1-7
This existed.
Mouryou no Hako 12
The reunion inside the laboratory and how sweet it sounds. After the well-deserved punch I've posted above, Kyougokudou is on the explanation routine again. Again, he is considerably less cryptic than in past explanations and therefore it becomes a pleasure to watch rather than a cumbersome experience. The room is in awe at the revelations they are hearing and the show, in this room, comes back around to the classic mystery storytelling process that it began with. This is based off of written works and I wonder why said books returned to more traditional form after most of the expositional entries.
Perhaps Japanese mysteries have always had a great amount of stories told in this fashion with certain elements, thus creating my novelty into more of a personal naïveté. It's more of a curiousity than a gripe. The atmosphere is set in the "Revelation Room" as a familiar piano tune plays in the background with such a haunting yet graceful compatibility in tandem with the events on-screen.
The next episode is the finale and I wonder how they will follow up all this information with a sendoff to the themes and characters. These payoff episodes have been entertaining. Hopefully there will be a well-directed next episode to wrap it all up.