"For the last time, Mio, this is NOT West Side Story!" - "Mah-Ree-Uh MaaaariiiaaaAaAaaahhhh~"
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Lights, Camera, Pumpkin! Everyone is busy as a Bee(ver) in this final episode of the Romeo and Juliet saga. With the set, props, and costumes ready to go, the curtains rise to show Mio’s outstanding (and understanding!) performance. Near the climax of the performance, the K-ONERS realize a very important prop 8 is missing from the set: the cross Juliet’s tombstone (don’t worry, I made sure to CROSS that out! *BA DUM PSH*).
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“When in doubt, ask the Occult Club!” thought this tiny K-DIVA with short hair, so off she went to find a replacement tombstone while Yui took her place as a bush. With the new tombstone set in stone, the performance ended MARVELOUSLY! But a certain big-toothed K-ONER (Azusa) thought the seniors were still LOUSY without the MARVEL or the extra L. In the heat of the moment, they slumber party at school to get some extra music-practice. Long story short, they didn’t practice. The End.
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Impressions:
Let’s get the nitpicks out of the way: What was UP with their SNOUZERS?!!? Perhaps they were enjoying the intoxicating scent of a hard-working woman? My nose would perk up too if I were sent (hurr) to a similar situation. I’m also not a big fan of Ritsu’s Juliet voice. Mio as Romeo seemed natural to me while Ritsu’s tone was somewhat forced. I will admit that she was rather cute. Maybe it was the hair.
Speaking of hair, WHO’S THAT GIRL?!? I bet Madonna would know…
I found Romeo and Juliet’s death sequence quiet impressive for a student’s play. Basically the scene starts with Juliet lying down on Romeo’s lap. Romeo assumes she is dead (SPOILER: she’s not) so he drinks the poison, but when he does: *BAM* the lights go out! When the lights turn back on, Romeo is now lying down on Juliet. The blackout is necessary to exclude Romeo’s “GLUGG GLUG I’M DYING *dead*” moment or Juliet waking up and saying “whaaaa where am I?… OH GAWD ROMEO’S DEAD!!” In other words, they get straight to the point (or should I say: they get straight to the DAGGER *cricket cricket*). The blackout took care of the filler quite nicely.
This episode, which focused on the sense of accomplishment, was very heartwarming. The K-ONERS, especially Mio, trained hard to live up to everyone’s expectations. These tiny accomplishments mean the world to a young high school student, whereas an old fart would be less sentimental about these things. I think K-ON displayed this sense of accomplishment fantastically in the after-party scene where everyone is congratulating each other sans dialogue (only background music). I had a similar experience when I was awarded best/most original play in an elementary school project. Though most of the work was done by me (the script, the props, the materials to make the props, etc), this sense of accomplishment would be meaningless if I were not enjoying myself with my friends. This episode of K-ON concludes in a similar manner.
I’ve been hearing good things about episode 20 so don’t let me down! Baby you make my love come down!
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Spoiler Inside
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Jesus159159159 – who has written 116 posts on Sea Slugs! Anime Blog.
With an obsession for out-of-context captions and an unhealthy dedication to Sir Kabitzin the Third, Jesus159159159 is the 2nd Member of the 2nd Generation of Sea Slug Environmentalists. His interests include watching anime, eating Cheez-Its, admiring the curvaceousness of upper-lips, sniffing upper-lips, applying chap-stick to upper-lips, and drawing. He will mainly blog light-hearted shows of girls with enormous, shiny dentures.
{ 8 comments… read them below or add one }
I’m really finding it amusing how KyoAni is REALLY going to so much to give many of the class extras, y’know, character. Heck, people like Tachibana Himeko have their entries in the BluRay releases for R1 too.
http://danbooru.donmai.us/post/show/723063/extra-hard_translated-k-on-official_art-satou_akan
http://danbooru.donmai.us/post/show/724520/extra-hard_translated-iida_keiko-k-on-nakajima_nob
http://danbooru.donmai.us/post/show/731191/chikada_haruko-extra-freckles-hard_translated-k-on
And yes, these are official supplements from the DVD/BRs. Who’s willing to bet that, by the last disc, everyone in class 3-2 will have a brief blurb describing them?
Is that the Brown-Bagger Gang I see?!?! *KA-CHING* Guess I’ll have to save up some money!
I think it’s cute that they’re doing this. Yeah it may seem worthless, but for those who constantly pay attention to the background characters (me ;P ), we’re in for a good treat! Not sure how detailed they’re gonna get though.
To be honest I was more amused with Yui’s tree G/ shrub antics this ‘ep than the actual Romeo and Juliet performance.
I guess that’s since they played most of the ‘casting humour’ during the previous ep. I did find the Mio/Ritsu interaction very cute though ~ Gah I should get around to watching ep 20! I love K-ON, I’ll be totally sad to see the season end.
I guess it’s because, despite the role reversal between Mio and Ritsu, they’re actually playing it (the play) very straight (meaning conventionally).
@Ryuuko
It was irresistibly amusing! Nodoka was probably thinking, “Okay, Yui’s not good at anything but she still has to play a role in the performance… let’s make her a tree. All in favor?” – “HAiIIiIII!!!” ;P
Episode 20 is so-so at the beginning but ends nicely. Hope you’ve seen it by now :love:
@Myssa Rei
OH YOU :blush:
What was that girl’s name that started the Mio fan club? Did she make an appearance? I don’t remember seeing her, and I was so hoping for some Mikuru Asahina cosplay.
Got to give Ritsu some props to her, she’s been doing a good job of being cute and girly. And I really thought her hair was long for a minute there. When she took it off (at the end of the play) I was so surprised. She looks good with long hair.
lol, this may be off topic but doesn’t Yui look like that girl from Kiss Sis in this scene.
Wow, I thought you were going to say something perverted in this scene. Oh how you corrupted me!!
… : 
I believe her name is Sokabe-senpai. She made a tiny appearance in episode 20 (the picture should be included in my ep 20 post).
Ritsu is indeed a cutie (a bit too manly for my tastes, but still cute). She better not destroy her good track record now!
SHAME ON YOU JETBIRD THAT ANIME IS BAD!!! ;P errr, I see no resemblance in Yui and that Kiss x Sis girl!
I have my standards (very low standards, but they’re still there!)
The West Side Story comment was damn funny. I know a lot of fans wanted Jumio and Roritsu, but just as these mash-up names, that would be stupid. (I could have tried harder, I know) Where would be the comedy in it? Personally Mio looks good as a guy to me. Despite the girly face and the breasts she can pull it off. (She should wear an ace bandage though.)
They should have done another play though, in my opinion. I mean, Romeo and Juliet? In an all-girls school? There are like 3 female roles in the play. Heh, it’s the reverse of the olden days, huh? When all the men took the female parts because women weren’t allowed to act and stuff.
Oh… and who else had the urge to pick Yui’s nose in that last pic? (no pun intended)