K-ON!! 25 extra

Watching a video made by her upperclassmen during their first year in the light music club, Azusa wonders how they ever hoped to attract new members with such an odd clip featuring an obviously uncomfortable Mio as a mini skirted nurse.

Realizing Azusa discovered the disc she had sealed away, Mio feels quite embarrassed. Remembering all the silly shenanigans back when they shot the video, Ritsu, Yui and Tsumugi all have a laugh, although Mio would rather forget about it all.

Suggesting they make a new video, Tsumugi is quick to receive support from Sawako who not only lends the girls her video camera but has Azusa make a cute pose and while wearing cat ears.

Almost dragged into following Sawako’s lead, Azusa spurs everyone on to seriously think about what video they could create to attract new members. Alas, a strategy meeting fails to offer any viable ideas.

Suggestions of making a video narrated by their pet turtle Ton-chan, or getting dressed up in animal costumes, a murder mystery thriller setting or other silly ideas eventually make the girls revert to their usual activity of having sweets and tea.

Boasting she’ll write a suitable scenario, Azusa initially lacks any inspiration, luckily an idea strikes while hanging out with her classmates Ui and Jun. The guitar player opts for a clip featuring images of their school festival performance and short interviews with fellow students and others expressing their opinion on the light music club.

Borrowing equipment from the movie club, the girls enlist Ui and Jun’s aid to create the video, filming scenes ranging from the girls feeding Ton-chan, having tea and sweets, studying together,… to Azusa, Yui, Ritsu, Mio and Tsumugi all holding a large banner against the backdrop of the lovely evening sky.

Cleverly edited by Sazwako, the resulting video surprises the girls who watch mesmerized, satisfied with the result.

Hearing Azusa’s objection to to Sawako having snuck in the cat ear scene, Tsumugi takes out the video camera and again films the twin tailed guitar player, who acts embarrassed at first but ultimately gives in to her friends’ pleas, much to Yui, Ritsu, Mio and Tsumugi’s glee.

Thoughts on this episode~

After last week’s final episode, it’s great to have this ‘extra’ episode which takes place earlier in the time line (just after Yui had cut her own bangs too short). Substituting what other series have in an epilogue fragment, it also lessens the impact and the parting slightly less bittersweet.

While still revolving around the third year girls soon graduating, the pacing and writing made that given fact feel less oppressive than in other episodes and focused more on showing us the gang in all its glory, having silly shenanigans during their fun filled high school days.

This extra “K-ON!!” episode as such is a bit like the “Cowboy Bebop” movie was in comparison to the series, a great entertaining film showcasing events that took place during the Bebop crew’s best times.

Glad it also showed many of the supporting characters like Sawako, Nodoka, Ui, Jun and the other girls of class 3-2. Nonetheless a lot of time was spent with Azusa as well as Yui, Mio, Ritsu and Tsumugi, not missing any chance to show Azusa’s cutest side, including nekomimi of course!

Looks like the next and final episode to air will show us a lot more about Sawako’s life and the girls visiting their teacher’s house.

Wonder if we’ll get any sort of real epilogue showing us what the girls are up to after high school and if Azusa ever joins them again?