Houkago Tea Time

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Lore & Background

The band name "After School Tea Time" was decided in the anime just before the second-year school festival (original volume 2, p. 74; anime episode 11). While all songs featured in the series are credited in-story as having lyrics written by Mio Akiyama and music composed by Tsumugi Kotobuki, the actual lyrics and arrangements were written and arranged by real life individuals. Disc 3 of the "K-ON! Music History's Box," which released on March 20, 2013, compiles “Disc-1 (Studio Mix)” and “Disc-2 (Live Mix)” from this album. Marty Friedman, a guitarist living in Japan and former member of the American rock band Megadeth, mentioned K-ON! and this CD in his column “Marty Friedman's J-POP Metal Review” in the October 2009 issue of "Nikkei Entertainment!". He wrote, "In America, 30 years ago, a band called The Archies became popular, born from the show 'It's the Archies!' I think the Archies that exist within the anime are a mysterious presence that makes you want to root for them. I think people in Japan who are hooked on ‘K-ON!’ right now feel the same way." Regarding the music, he analyzed the first track, "Curry Then Rice," saying, "If you remove the voice actor's vocals and the organ part, it's just a cool hard rock-style pop punk song, but the vocals are so baby-like you'd think an 8-year-old girl was singing, and the fact that the lyrics are about curry rice is shocking. Lyrics about food are unheard of in Western rock music; it's something only Japan, with its world-class food culture, could produce."

In Their Own Story

According to Oricon's tally, After School Tea Time ranked No. 1 on the daily chart on July 21, 2009, which was the day before its release, and then remained at the top for five consecutive days until the daily chart on July 25 of the same year. It debuted at number one on the weekly chart dated August 3, 2009, and as a CD released under an anime character's name, it became the first album in Oricon chart history to achieve this feat. The Recording Industry Association of Japan announced that this album was Gold certified in July 2009. This marks the third CD related to “K-ON!” to receive Gold certification, following “Cagayake! GIRLS” and “Don't say ‘lazy’”. For full-length songs, the version of “Fuwa Fuwa Time” included on this album received Gold certification for December 2012.

Reader's Guide

As a first-press limited edition, it includes a glittery outer box and full-song melody sheets for one chorus of every track. The personnel listed are Aki Toyosaki, Yoko Hikasa, Satomi Satō, Minako Kotobuki, and Ayana Taketatsu. The album contains two discs: Disc-1 (Studio Mix) and Disc-2 (Live Mix).

Did You Know?

• The album ranked No. 1 on Oricon's daily chart on July 21, 2009, the day before its official release.
• It was the first album released under an anime character's name to debut at number one on Oricon's weekly chart.
• The Recording Industry Association of Japan certified this album Gold in July 2009.
• Marty Friedman of Megadeth wrote about the album in his column, calling the lyrics about curry rice 'shocking' and 'something only Japan could produce.'
• Disc 3 of the 'K-ON! Music History's Box' (released March 20, 2013) compiles both the Studio Mix and Live Mix discs from this album.