Watching K-On! Episode 3 – “Cram Session!”

Yui fails her midterm exam and needs to pass a make-up test in order to remain a member of the club. However, she is distracted by her new-found interest in practicing guitar.

Notes/Observations/Trivia:

• The writing on the blue shirt Yui is wearing while (not) studying says “Champion”. The yellow one she wears later reads “Challenge”.
• The shirt Yui wears in the other girls’ fantasy sequence reads “older sister”, and the one Yui’s “sister” in this fantasy wears reads “little sister”.
• Ritsu gets hit on the head three times (for being a nuisance during studying).
• In Yui’s dream, Ritsu’s snowman is apparently a substitute for Yui. It seems Ritsu went insane in the snow by herself…

Manga comparison:

This episode picks up the manga exactly where the previous episode ends, starting with the last three pages of the third 4-koma chapter and continuing with the fourth.  The anime adds scenes of Yui studying on her own for a week, before the part where the club members all visit her house and meet Ui. Also original to the anime is Nodoka’s visit and Yui’s dream.

OST tracks used:

• Small flashing - 2:50-4:25
• Patrol of stroll - 4:38-5:28
• Happy languidness - 5:42-6:29
• Ukkari Kimi no Tame ni - 7:03-7:58
• Kawaii Inbou - 8:26-9:51
• Virtual love - 10:43-11:48
• Kendama-kun - 11:49-11:53
• Patrol of stroll - 12:10-12:20
• Morning dew - 12:33-14:02
• Have some tea? - 14:04-15:54
• Happy End - 16:16-17:33
• The other side of evening sun - 18:10-18:50
• Karui Joudan - 20:49-21:34
• Tanpopo Takkyuubin - 21:40-22:08

My take:

I don’t have a lot to say about this episode. It’s probably the least remarkable of the early episodes, nothing really stands out about it much one way or the other. I suppose it’s worth noting that this episode introduces the Light Music Club members to Ui and Nodoka, so from this point on the cast all know each other.