K-ON!

I prefer marathoning anime series after they've finale'd, although I make exceptions for shows that I really like. Last season it was Skip Beat!, Marimite S4, and Gundam 00 S2, but now that they've ended, K-ON! has made its way onto this list.

Unlike those shows though, it's hard for me to point to what exactly I like about it. The story is about a quartet of high school girls trying to produce a band via the 'Light Music Club.' Being animated by the same studio that did Lucky Star and Haruhi, this show follows a similar pacing. It doesn't seem like a lot happens per episode, but they manage to mix in humor and moe moments in the all the right places.

The ED adds a bonus highlight as well, since the girls actually "perform" a set. Of the four girls, Akiyama Mio has arguably grown the strongest fan base solely on it. In fact, stories of K-ON! merchandise on Amazon.co.jp selling along with 700$ base guitars - the same model Mio uses in the anime - abound on the internet. Anyways, the tune is pretty catchy, and I wonder if the K-ON! ed mp3 is going to be made available on Amazon or Itunes any time soon. I don't think I like it enough to import the CD though.

Akiyama Mio: