The K-On!

K-On!

is a Japanese four-panel comic strip manga written and illustrated by Kakifly. The manga was serialized in Houbunsha's seinen manga magazine Manga Time Kirara between the May 2007 and October 2010 issues. It was also serialized in Houbunsha's magazine Manga Time Kirara Carat...

animated

Anime

is the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....

 television series is based on the manga series of the same name written and illustrated by Kakifly

Kakifly

is a male Japanese manga artist. He is known for creating the series K-On! which was also adapted as an anime by Kyoto Animation.-External links:*...

. The episodes, produced by the animation studio Kyoto Animation

Kyoto Animation

, abbreviated , is a Japanese animation studio located in Uji, Kyoto Prefecture, Japan. It was established in 1981, became a limited company in 1985 and then became a corporation in 1999. Presided by Hideaki Hatta, the company is affiliated with noted studio Sunrise and is also parent to the studio...

, are directed by Naoko Yamada, written by Reiko Yoshida

Reiko Yoshida

is a Japanese screenwriter and manga author.-TV anime:*Angelic Layer - Script *ARIA The ANIMATION- Script*ARIA The NATURAL - Script*Ballad of a Shinigami - Series Composition, Script...

, and features character design by Yukiko Horiguchi who based the designs on Kakifly's original concept. The story follows four Japanese high school girls who join their school's light music club to try to save it from being abolished. However, they are the only four members of the club, one of which has little experience with guitar playing.

Thirteen episodes were broadcast on TBS

Tokyo Broadcasting System

, TBS Holdings, Inc. or TBSHD, is a stockholding company in Tokyo, Japan. It is a parent company of a television network named and radio network named ....

 between April 3 and June 26, 2009. The episodes began airing on subsequent networks at later dates which include BS-TBS, MBS

Mainichi Broadcasting System

is a broadcasting station in Osaka, Japan, affiliated with Japan Radio Network , National Radio Network , Japan News Network and TBS Network, serving in the Kansai region. MBS is also one of the major stockholders of Tokyo Broadcasting System Holdings, Inc...

, and CBC

Chubu-Nippon Broadcasting

is a regional radio and television service serving Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture, Japan. Its radio service is affiliated with the Japan Radio Network and its television service affiliated with the Japan News Network and the TBS Network.-Radio:Frequency...

. The widescreen version aired on BS-TBS between April 25 and July 18, 2009. Seven BD

Blu-ray Disc

Blu-ray Disc is an optical disc storage medium designed to supersede the DVD format. The plastic disc is 120 mm in diameter and 1.2 mm thick, the same size as DVDs and CDs. Blu-ray Discs contain 25 GB per layer, with dual layer discs being the norm for feature-length video discs...

/DVD compilation volumes were released by Pony Canyon

Pony Canyon

is a Japanese company, established on October 1, 1966 , which publishes music, DVD and VHS videos, movies and video games. It is a subsidiary of Japanese Media Group, Fujisankei Communications Group.-History:...

 between July 29, 2009 and January 20, 2010. An additional original video animation

Original video animation

, abbreviated as media , are animated films and series made specially for release in home-video formats. The term originated in relation to Japanese animation...

 episode was released with the final BD/DVD volume on January 20, 2010. Both an English-subtitled and English-dubbed version by Red Angel Media began airing on March, 16, 2010 on Animax Asia

Animax Asia

Animax Asia is the Japanese anime TV network Animaxs English language feeds in Southeast Asia and South Asia, as well as its feeds across other regions of mainland Asia, including Hong Kong and Taiwan...

. At their industry panel at Anime Expo

Anime Expo

Anime Expo, abbreviated AX, is an American anime convention held in Los Angeles, California and organized by the non-profit Society for the Promotion of Japanese Animation . With rare exceptions, the convention is traditionally held on the July 4th weekend and lasts for four days...

 2010, anime distributor Bandai Entertainment announced that they have acquired the first season of K-On! for a BD/DVD release. A second season titled K-On!! (with two exclamation mark

Exclamation mark

The exclamation mark, exclamation point, or bang, or "dembanger" is a punctuation mark usually used after an interjection or exclamation to indicate strong feelings or high volume , and often marks the end of a sentence. Example: “Watch out!” The character is encoded in Unicode at...

s) aired in Japan between April 7, 2010 and September 28, 2010 with 26 episodes. The episodes aired in HD format

High-definition television

High-definition television is video that has resolution substantially higher than that of traditional television systems . HDTV has one or two million pixels per frame, roughly five times that of SD...

 in Japan. An OVA episode was included with the ninth BD/DVD volume of the second season released on March 16, 2011. An English dubbed version of this season began airing on Animax Asia

Animax Asia

Animax Asia is the Japanese anime TV network Animaxs English language feeds in Southeast Asia and South Asia, as well as its feeds across other regions of mainland Asia, including Hong Kong and Taiwan...

 starting October 20, 2010. An animated film based on the series will be released in Japanese theaters on December 3, 2011.

Two pieces of theme music

Theme music

Theme music is a piece that is often written specifically for a radio program, television program, video game or movie, and usually played during the title sequence and/or end credits...

 are used for the first season; one opening theme and one ending theme. The opening theme is "Cagayake! Girls" by Aki Toyosaki

Aki Toyosaki

is a Japanese voice actress and singer from Tokushima Prefecture, Japan. She had her first major voice acting roles in 2007, voicing Amuro Ninagawa in Kenkō Zenrakei Suieibu Umishō and Su in Shugo Chara!...

 with Yōko Hikasa

Yōko Hikasa

is a Japanese voice actress from Kanagawa who is affiliated with I'm Enterprise. Hikasa aspired to become a voice actress after watching Sailor Moon, and later attended Nihon Narration Engi Kenkyūjo, a voice actor training school. She is a member of the five-girl pop music group Ro-Kyu-Bu!, along...

, Satomi Satō

Satomi Sato

is a voice actress from Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture, Japan affiliated with Aoni Production's Junior Talent. She is a graduate of Tokyo Announce Gakuin Performing Arts College. She is also known as , as means "sugar" in Japanese...

 and Minako Kotobuki

Minako Kotobuki

is a Japanese voice actress and singer from Hyogo Prefecture, Japan. She is best known for her role in K-On!. Her career as a musician began with her performance of the opening and ending themes of the anime series K-On! in April 2009...

. The ending theme is "Don't Say Lazy" by Hikasa with Toyosaki, Satō and Kotobuki. From episode nine, the opening video features Azusa, and also features some minor changes to the music, particularly an additional guitar part during certain segments (alongside the initial two). Four pieces of theme music are used for the second season; two opening themes and two ending themes. For the first 13 episodes, the opening theme is "Go! Go! Maniac" and the ending theme is "Listen!!". For episodes 14 onwards, the opening theme is "Utauyo!! Miracle" while the ending theme is "No, Thank You!". The songs from the second season are performed by Toyosaki, Hikasa, Satō, Kotobuki, and Ayana Taketatsu

Ayana Taketatsu

is a Japanese voice actress from Saitama Prefecture. She is affiliated with I'm Enterprise. Like Yōko Hikasa, she had also attended Nihon Narration Engi Kenkyūjo, a voice actor training school before becoming affiliated with the current management company...

, with Toyasaki and Hikasa singing lead vocals on the opening and ending themes, respectively.

K-On! (2009)

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#	Title	Original airdate on TBS	English airdate

K-On!! (2010)

#	Title	Original airdate on TBS	English airdate

Bonus episodes

A recap episode showing all the performances from the first season aired on July 25, 2009. A series of three minute shorts entitled 'Ura-On!' were included on DVD and Blu-ray Disc volumes.

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#	Title	Original release date