What's K-ON!...?（3/3）

2011.12.28

And let's not forget the music! Both the theme song and anime series soundtrack took out top spots on the Oricon music charts in Japan, heralding in a new era for the "anison" (anime song) industry. There are also more than a few people who have decided to pick up learning an instrument since getting swept up by the series.

Sales of instruments portrayed in the series go through the roof!

In April 2009, just after the "K-ON!" anime series went to air on TV, a "certain phenomenon" transpired throughout Japan. Namely, sales figures for the musical instruments that appear in the K-ON series spiked rapidly and within weeks particular items were sold out countrywide. Some places even reporting taking what would have regularly been two years worth of orders. Numerous people say it's because of "K-ON!" that they started learning an instrument or joined a band.

Theme songs and songs from the series become hit CD's

There's no way we could have this "K-ON!" special without mentioning the massively popular hit CD's. Beginning with the opening theme song for series 1, "Cagayake!GIRLS," which ranked in at No.4 on the Oricon weekly chart, and the end theme song, "Don't say "lazy"," which ranked at No.2, almost all "K-ON!" related CD releases have ranked within the top 10 on the Oricon music charts. On July 22nd 2009, the mini album "Hokago Tea Time," was released under the names of the anime characters themselves as the artists and became the first ever such album to take out the top spot on the chart.

No.4 on Oricon Chart

Series 1 opening theme song
Cagayake!GIRLS

No.2 on Oricon Chart

Series 1 end theme song
Don't say "lazy"

No.1 Album

Mini Album
Hokago Tea Time

With the release of the 2nd anime series the hit songs kept coming. The opening and ending theme songs ranked in at No.1 and No.2 on the Oricon weekly chart, and following on from the album before it, the single then became the first ever single to take the top spot using the anime characters names as the artists. This was the first time in 26 years that the two top spots were occupied by the one female artist(s) - another historical achievement for the series! (The previous time was in 1983 by Matsuda Seiko.) The album "Hokago Tea Time Ⅱ" remained at No.1 on the album charts for 6 months and you could even say it played a big role in the "anison" boom that transpired in recent years.

No.1 on Oricon Chart