The series of posts in this channel (Character in Focus) will focus on Japanese TV and Movie characters, not just Anime. For example, soon, you might see Shaider, or Takeshi from Takeshi’s Castle, here. But for the first post, I want to start with one of my two favorite Anime characters, Yui Hirasawa from K-On!
Note: My other favorite character is Konata Izumi, which I’ll talk about very soon.
Yui is the main character of the Anime series K-On!, and its second season, K-On!! (yes, the second one has two exclamation marks while the first one has only one). She appears on all episodes of both seasons, including all OVAs. Her seiyuu, also another favorite, is Aki Toyosaki. (You’ll hear more about her in the channel Seiyuu Watch in the coming weeks)
Yui the Musician
During the first few episodes, we get to know Yui as a first-year high school girl who is extremely carefree and easygoing. She couldn’t care less about her future, her studies, and even as simple a task as picking a club. Her childhood friend, Nodoka, always warned her of her future as a NEET (Not in Employment, Education, or Training).
Soon, she discovers the “keionbu”, or Light Music Club, and, thinking that “light music” is as simple as playing the castanets, she immediately signs up. At that time, the Light Music Club was about to be dissolved if they could not get four members. They already had three - bassist Mio Akiyama, drummer Ritsu Tainaka, and keyboardist Tsumugi Kotobuki. All they needed was a lead guitarist, and Yui was there to save the day.
Yes, that last phrase is full of sarcasm. Yui was as good in playing the guitar as she was in remembering errands (read: she sucked). Plus, she didn’t have a guitar! Her new clubmates help her raise money for her instrument, and with a little practice and a lot of sidetrips, the band, later named Ho-kago Tea Time (After School Tea Time) was able to play at the school’s festival.
Because Mio was extremely shy, Yui volunteered hard to be given the chance to do the vocals. After her “special training” with their Teacher and Adviser, Sawako, Yui lost her voice and Mio had to take the role of lead singer. During the festival, Mio sang while Yui, hoarse voice and all, did the backup vocals.
In the next episodes and until the next season, Yui would be the lead singer while Mio would be the backup.
Yui the Senpai
Soon, the Light Music Club was able to recruit a freshman, Azusa Nakano, an awesome guitarist who would play the backup role behind her senpai, Yui, despite her being so much better and more experienced.
Yui the Schoolgirl
Yui has several characteristics that endear her, not only to her friends in the anime series, but to the viewers and fans of the show as well.
Yui is goofy. Thanks to Aki Toyosaki’s signature “clueless, yet cute” voice, Yui’s clumsy-but-adorable, easygoing nature is brought to life. Yui trips over nothing, gets distracted by anything, and can only focus on one task at a time (such as playing tge guitar only, and not studying). Of course, later she learns how to play and sing at the same time.
Yui is a genius. She is talented. She learned the guitar by listening, and thus, she can play some songs by ear. She can tune her guitar without the use of tuning instrument (something even Azusa cannot do). She normally gets average to failing grades, but when she puts effort into studying, she gets very high marks (she even got a perfect score on an exam).
Yui is cute, but weird. She names things (then again, I name things, but I’m not cute, ha ha). She named her guitar Giita, her gloves Gurabu-chan, and even Mio’s guitar, Elisabeth. In fact, she talks to each one endearingly, even apologizing to her gloves for raising her voice.
Finally, Yui is a great, great performer.
Songs
The one thing I love as much as Anime are Anime songs, which shows in my choices thus far. My top two anime are filled with songs (K-On! and Lucky Star), while my top two anime characters are great singers (Yui and Konata).
Probably the number one reason I like Yui and Konata are their rich repertoire of character and insert songs.
FYI, character songs are songs a ‘character’ would have sung, which normally describes his/her, and either the way he/she thinks or the way he/she would say things. These songs are usually released as a separate album, in addition to the official soundtrack. Each main character usually gets one album.
On the other hand, Insert songs are songs played within the Anime. For example, a song being played in the radio during one sequence, or a song being sung or hummed by a character. Sometimes, the characters themselves create versions of popular songs, and these, too, are released.
Yui’s character songs are the best character songs I have ever heard. (On the other hand, Konata’s insert songs are as good as Yui’s character songs). Here are my top 10 Yui songs, which you can try hunting at, say, a certain popular video sharing site:
- Genius..?
- Sunday Siesta
- Fudepen ~ballpen~ (Yui Version)
- Watashi no Koi wa Hotchi Kiss (Yui Version)
- Guitar no Kubittake
- Go Go Maniac
- Happy!? Sorry!!
- Let’s Go
- Fuwa Fuwa Time (Yui Version)
- Cagayake Girls
Which reminds me, I’ll also be writing about Anime songs in another channel, so watch out for that one.
I guess that’s it for Yui, even though there’s really much more to tell. Why don’t I close with a quote from one of the songs mentioned above:
“Mattete Fudepen, Gomen ne boorupen wa.
Oyasumi shitete!”“Wait a second, Calligraphy Pen; Sorry Ballpen.
Have a good night!”
No much sense, eh? What the heck. Oyasumi Nasai!
Credits
All information used in this post were obtained by watching the Anime series K-On! multiple times.
All pictures used are screenshots from the Anime series and are properties of the releasing studio, Kyoto Animation.
Screenshots are used to promote the Anime series, and not profit from it. Please use or re-use responsibly.
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