K-On! (けいおん! Keion!?) is a Japanese four-panel comic strip manga written and illustrated by Kakifly. The manga started serialization in Houbunsha’s seinen manga magazine Manga Time Kirara since the May 2007 issue, and also started a bimonthly serialization in Houbunsha’s magazine Manga Time Kirara Carat since the October 2008 issue. An anime adaptation produced by Kyoto Animation began airing in Japan on April 3, 2009. The title of the series comes from the Japanese word for light music, keiongaku (軽音楽). This is not to be confused with the western meaning of light music—a more accurate translation might be contemporary or pop music.

K-On!‘s story revolves around 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 members of the club, and at first Yui Hirasawa has no experience playing musical instruments or reading sheet music.

Characters

Hirasawa Yui–Guitar
Akiyama Mio–Bass guitar
Tainaka Ritsu–Drums
Kotobuki Tsumugi–Keyboard

Nakano Azusa–Guitar (New Student)
Hirasawa Ui–(Yui’s sister)
Manabe Nodoka–(Yui’s friend)
Yamanaka Sawako–(School teacher)