Lucky☆Star

Despite the moe character design, Lucky Star is very... bland. What K-ON! did for the moe genre was revolutionary and has an incredible story in its own right with a cast of lovable characters. Lucky Star essentially is just a show about a group of high school friends that make fun of anime tropes, high school and really specific Japanese foods, and Japanese things in a snarky way. Some of the jokes land and are pretty funny. Most of them don't and it makes the show seem more like a commentary about the anime industry as a whole as opposed to a show worth watching on its own without watching other anime. Also, if you need to have watched other shows to understand a bunch of the jokes, unless you do something like Clerks did when they made reference to Star Wars with the Death Star,, give a quick explanation for people who might not have seen it and then proceed to make a really solid point about government contractors and relate it to real-life, just attempting to parody it, and then making reference to what you are parodying reminds me of those terrible comedy movies like Epic Movie, Meet the Spartans, and Vampires Suck. It's just lazy. Wouldn't recommend this to anyone other than to say that the OP is the type of BOP that you listen to with headphones and never tell another soul about. Super cheesy and embarrassingly catchy. Like a weeb national anthem. All hail the Lucky Star OP! I BUY SAUSAGE!!!!! 3/10

The Plot- What plot? This series is a slice of life moe blob where the four main characters just talk about normal everyday stuff (For example: How to eat a chocolate cornett.) I wish there was a 0 rating for story, but I'll give it a three, only because of the many references. The Art- The art is colorful. That's it. 7/10 The Sound- The background music is just that, background music. The op drove me insane with it's all over the place, over complicated, and colorful themes like I'm watching an american kids show. 4/10 Enjoyment- The main show didn't entertain me at all. I would put a 1/10 if it wasn't for LUCKY CHANNEL which was the whole highlight and the funniest part of the show. The female character in Lucky Channel turns from another moe blob into one of the most hilarious personalities in the show, turning into a know it all with 99 problems and her acting ain't one. 8/10 Overall- Lucky Channel:9/10 Lucky Star:1/10 They should make Lucky Channel its own anime. As for Lucky star, I wish it gets buried into the endless grave of terrible anime along with School Days, Boku no Pico, and MM! Oh, wait. Did I skip characters? Aw, too bad. :)

T: Hey, there...Ah, I see girls in school uniforms again. Another Slice of Life anime, I take it? NK: Oh, hey, Takame. You'd be correct. T: Which one is it this time. Hold on a sec. I recognize the art. It's...Lucky Star, right? NK: You are correct. T: I thought your sister said to avoid it like the plague. NK: Bah, I decided to watch it anyway. Good thing I did. T: I take it you like the series, then. NK: Very much so. I'd even go as far as to place it in my top 10, if not my top 5. T: Wow. You're getting a bit crowded in your top 10, aren't you? NK: Unfortunately. T: So, Slice of Life. Basically, take real life, add a twist and proceed, right? NK: Mostly. T: So, what's the twist in this one, then? NK: Hmm...I think the most it does outside of real life is parody video games and anime. That's about it. T: No child skipping an abnormal amount of grades? No student who turns out to be god? No transfer student having to remember his past while juggling a bunch of girls who are tied to that past? NK: Nope, though the anime you're thinking of in that last comment is referenced twice in the series, and the second one you brought up is referenced in every other episode, it seems. T: That seems a bit...plain... NK: It is. Though I think it's part of the reason I like it. T: How come? NK: Well, the characters are easier to relate to, as are the situations. It's basically two years of high school crammed in to 24 episodes. T: Well, you do always like to mention characters first. How are they in Lucky Star? Do they develop in drastic ways? NK: I wouldn't really call it developing. More like we just find out more about them in each episode. The series really focuses on Konata and Kagami, though Tsukasa does see a fair share of screen time thanks to her sister, and Miyuki is talked about a lot. T: So, it's kind of like how you learn more about your friends as you see them more often. NK: Right. T: Interesting. So, who's your favorite? I'm going to guess Konata, since she's supposed to be the otaku. NK: Supposed to be? She is an otaku, and it seems like she's proud of the title. Oh, and you're wrong. She is not my favorite. T: Really? I couldn't imagine Kagami being it, either. Oh, dear...it's Tsukasa, isn't it? NK: How'd you guess? T: The big eyes, the ribbon in the hair. She sort of stands out as the cute one. NK: Yeah, she's my favorite character. She's a bit of an airhead, so I think that's part of it. T: I swear...anyway, you said "high school", right? NK: I sure did. T: They look a lot younger than that. NK: Tricked me at first, too. It's a bit strange, I'll grant you that, but I actually found it really interesting to make the characters look younger than they were. T: It makes it harder to take the series seriously that way. NK: I didn't know you were supposed to take the series seriously. T: Good point. How about the music? I noticed it was a bit bland when I came in. NK: That pretty much describes half of the background music. The music they play during conversations isn't really supposed to grab your attention. They save the good music for Konata's video games and the really funny scenes. T: You have the soundtrack, I take it. NK: Well, about half of the BGM collection...yes. T: Anyway, I think I'm going to head out. Oh, almost forgot. Language? NK: Japanese, for me. That's what I first watched it in. The English isn't bad, but I'm just used to the Japanese. T: You think others would like it? NK: If you understand otaku culture, it's easy to figure out what's going on. There are enough different characters that almost any person watching the series can attach to someone. The only reason someone wouldn't like it is because there's really not a lot going on. It's pretty low key for an anime.

Had a stressful day? Watched any minf*cking anime lately and wanna cool off? Or you just wanna take a good chuckle and forget your problems? Lucky ☆ Star can do that! Lucky Star is one of the most unique animes I've seen my whole life. The art is plain and simple, there is no definite storyline, there is really no action, there are just some high school girls talking about their everyday life but that's the good part. This is a slice of life anime that I've never seen before. The characters are just plain examples of moe and without you knowing you're loving them already, without you knowing it you're probably laughing already and without you knowing you've already forgotten your problems... already! Story: 8~ Some of you may drop the show at its 1st episode because all you see and hear are some high school girls talking about their problems, issues or just random talk that rarely happens in anime, it's similar to a sitcom instead of a straightforward plot you usually see in a typical show. You probably won't be interested in some of them but unlike those American sitcoms, stuff that they talk about in Lucky Star happens in real life! Like have you ever thought of an amusing idea and decide to write it but when you're gonna write it already you suddenly forget it? Have you ever got so tired studying that you wanted to take break by playing a game but you end up having a longer break than actually studying? But what if you can't relate to it? Don't give up! Since Lucky Star is a parody, is has various anime and pop-culture reference I'm sure you might recognize. But I'm gonna be honest, I didn't understand some jokes because I ain't no hardcore otaku :P There are still lots of funny and hilarious scenes that I'm pretty sure you will not be able to contain your laughter. Art: 9~ Honestly, when I was looking at some images and gif's of Lucky Star I was thinking, wth is this? Are the artists too lazy to draw better? But in the end the art is actually one of the main things that made me come to love this show. If you have noticed, they mostly show just the upper half of the characters body. The static backgrounds are pretty plain as well as the scenery and the characters don't really go in detail. But I'm pretty sure the first adjective you could use to describe them is, cute. You don't really need detailed art for this anime, simply because, this is a parody. You need the viewers to concentrate on what the characters are saying and doing rather than being amazed by how detailed the characters look. I also believed that they were drawn that way because it was suppose to be a joke. Since this was a parody after all. I mean the parts where they show some reference to other animes, the characters there looked well drawn. For example, there was a scene where they show Haruhi, she was drawn so well that it made me think is something wrong with the file I download and they inserted some Haruhi scene? I gotta say they were animated well ^^ Especially the OP, the characters dancing were just so cuute... HNGGGGGGG. Sound: 9~ I immediately got captivated by the moe at the OP. The cute characters dancing fit so well with the lively and adorable music made by Aya Hirano and co. The background music also fit well while conversations are on-going and doesn't overpower the voices. There are also some parts where they sing some songs from different animes and even sing some popular Japan music (most of the singing is done by Shiraishi, you'll come to know him in the latter episodes. He's an epic guy I'll tell you). Character: 10~ Ah, the characters. I want to start off with the blue-haired otaku, Konata. She's one of those people who play video games and read manga all day rather than studying. She crams last minute, she leaves her books at school since she doesn't study at home and surprisingly she's athletic. I see myself in her in many different ways. You might get annoyed by her or come to love her. Up next are the twin sisters Kagami and Tsukasa. Konata views Kagami as a tsundere since she has a ponytail. Kagami takes studying more seriously than her sister and Konata. She also has 2 other friends but I wont go into them in detail. Her sister Tsukasa is probably her complete opposite. She's lazy, forgetful, likes to sleep in, pretty much your regular airhead. Another airhead but a smart one is Miyuki. As I quote from Konata, she's a walking example of moe. She probably has the biggest chest in the show. There toooons of characters that will show up as the anime progresses and I could say they are all well defined. Just a special mention character, Shiraishi, Minoru. The live one not the animated one (but the animated character is pretty awesome as well ^^). That guy is just epic in so many ways. A big portion of my laughs come from this guy. He'll show up at the latter episodes of the show singin' some parodies of songs. I just cannot express how epic he is. Enjoyment: 9~ I obviously enjoyed this show quite a lot. From the OP to the next episode preview, I never got bored. I haven't seen a single episode that was painful to watch and this show just brightens my day. But I rated this 9 because there were really just some jokes that I couldn't relate with because I still don't know much about the anime world D: Overall: 9~ This show is a must watch for everyone. You may hate it, like it or come to love it. This is not a cup of tea for everyone because there are some people who judge the whole anime by its first impression but I gotta say you should stick a little more and I'm certain you'll come to like this show more and more :) *This is my first review for a TV anime btw*

In my time watching anime, I have not watched any (so far) quite like Lucky Star. It's simple yet amusing approach to comedy is very addicting, and it covers a large range of topics. Basically it focuses on the life of average japanese high-school girls. After that, hilarity ensues. From the beginning I wasn't too interested in it, I thought it was dull and boring. But I gave it a chance. And I'm pretty effing happy I gave it that chance, becase I found myself short of breath from laughing. There are so many referances to anime and manga, mostly, but it also parodies things that relate to everyone in everyday life. As for the direction and art style, it fits perfectly with the storie's premise. Cute and sometimes wacky *I can't beleive I just said "wacky"* the expressions on the characters faces are priceless, and are sometimes better than the reason the made those expressions. Without giving too much away, I will say that when the art style gets "serious", it's often the funniest part of the show. The music is slightly Animal Crossing-esq, with a casual yet appealing sound, that really sets the mood. The voices (In the japanese VO) are very well done, matching each character almost perfectly. As for the characters themselves, they are the best part of Lucky Star! Each character has their own personality, and each one is drawn out to a stereotypical point. For example: Kagami is one of the main characters, and is often ill-temperd and down to earth, so it shows on her very often, to the dismay of Konata especially. I loved this anime, and the only thing that can match the overall enjoyment of this in my opinion is Cowboy Bebop. It's a very different anime from what I'm used to, i.e; Dragonball, Hunter X Hunter, ect., but it's different in an amazing way.

wow i dont even know where to start talking about this terrible show. its just really really bad, the characters are all annoying and have HUGE GIANT eyes that just look dumb and i want to punch all of them, even if they are 4 years old which is what they look like. they also never do anything but talk about stupid boring things everyoen already knows. also the animation is really bad and everything looks ugly. i rate it a 1/10 because the site wont let me give it a -10/10 becasue its so bad it deserves it! never watch this!!!!

Lucky Star is a 4-panel manga series by Kagami Yoshimizu that began publishing in 2004, and is still being published today. In 2007, Kyoto Animation, hot off the success of Haruhi, made an anime adaptation. I watched it. I also sampled the manga version. It was . . . okay, I guess. But let's elaborate on the anime some more, shall we? Story: In present-day Japan, a number of girls in high school live out their lives studying, making jokes about Gundam, being eccentric, making fun of cliches in fiction, and . . . that's about it, really. The four main girls are Konata Izumi, a self-proclaimed otaku (though fortunately one more functional than every real-life otaku I've met), Kagami Hiiragi, a no-nonsense "Tsundere", Tsukasa Hiiragi, Kagami's moeblob twin-sister, and Miyuki Takara, a really smart moeblob. There are many more characters than this, but they're the main focus. Because this is based off a 4-panel series, many plot threads, if you can call them that, often end abruptly, with little-to-no resolution. Some of the jokes from the manga don't translate as well into anime format. The show never veers into anything truly dark in terms of plot. It's mostly jokes and weird observations. Essentially, it's like Azumanga Daioh, but with characters with wild hair colors. And after the series and OVA sequel ends, there's no resolution of any sort. However, every episode also ends with a segment called "Lucky Channel", which features different characters and actually has an ongoing (and pretty funny) story. Sadly, these segments aren't that long. Yeah, Lucky Star is not something you watch for enlightenment. 3/10. Art: I'm gonna be honest; I don't like the artwork of Lucky Star. The character designs are meant to be cute, but most of them don't look cute, just childish. The coloring is often garish, and Miyuki's hair is so bright, it nearly blinded me on a few occasions. With that said, the animation is somewhat fluid for a tv series. So it's not a complete disaster on the visual front, but this show obviously does not focus on visuals. 5/10. Sound: The theme song is infamous. Some hate it, some love it. I find it . . . okay. The ending themes are renditions of earlier anime ending themes, most of which I didn't recognize. They're alright. The background music is just there, doesn't really add anything. I saw this in English, as well as bits in Japanese on random Youtube channels. Weirdly enough, Lucky Star has one of the best English dubs I have ever heard. Its voice-acting is even better than most American cartoon shows I've seen! I'm not kidding! Look at this old quote of mine from tvtropes.org: "Lucky Star has one of the best English dubs I've ever heard. Every character sounds exactly how I would picture their voices to be. None of the voices are annoying nor awkward sounding. They also match the lip flaps pretty closely, too. Wendee Lee especially displays great range in Konata's voice. It's impossible for me to watch the show in Japanese now; the dub is that good." I still stand by that today. Also, Kari Wahlgren's version of Kagami blows her Japanese counterpart completely out of the water. Anyone who does English dubs of Japanese productions, be they industry professionals or fandubbers, watch Lucky Star and take notes; THIS is how you do an English dub. And you wonder why I worship every Bandai dub out there that's not Code Geass. 7/10. Characterization: For all of its faults, some of the characters are quite likable and amusing. Konata is silly, yet charming. Kagami's bewilderment is amusing. Many side characters, such as Konata's dad and Anime Tenchou are funny. The best characters, however, are the Lucky Channels stars Akira Kogami and Minoru Shiraishi. However, there's not a lot of depth to Lucky Star's cast. Also, several of its female characters are moe archetypes (or moeblobs) that don't really do much. Well, Konata's cousin Yutaka is adorable, but none of the others strike me as cute, just shallow. (Well, Tsukasa has a couple of funny moments.) And even the characters I do like don't have much to their characterizations. Look, Konata's comparing something to a game/anime again! Kagami is frustrated with someone's antics again! Tsukasa is clueless about something again! The characters aren't annoying, but I can only rate them slightly above-average. 6/10. Enjoyment: I will say this, there's usually only one funny moment per episode of Lucky Star outside of Lucky Channel, but that one moment is usually laugh-out-loud hilarious. Also, most of Lucky Channel is flat out hilarious. The English dub really helps with my enjoyment. But for a show focused only on comedy, it's not one of the better examples of anime comedy I've seen. Haruhi Suzumiya was funnier, and also served an interesting sci-fi plot. Soul Eater is way funnier, and also has cool action scenes and characters. Welcome to the NHK was funnier, and deeper and more dramatic. Sgt Frog and Gintama are both more centered on comedy, and also funnier. With that said, I do like the anime version of Lucky Star more than the anime version of Azumanga Daioh. And believe me when I say I've seen a lot worse than Lucky Star out there, too. However, LS is, at best, only slightly rising above mediocrity. 6/10. I do like the manga version of Lucky Star more, but only slightly. (I would probably give that a 7 out of 10, despite the lack of Lucky Channel in that.) I don't want to say LS is overrated. Yeah, it's not as good as I hoped it would be, but I've been let down by other animes a lot more. At least I was able to finish LS. It's not a classic, but if you're bored enough, you might want to check it out. Just mind the bright colors.

Coming off the heels of the heartstring tugging K-On!! and the absurdly funny Azumanga Daioh, I found Lucky Star a bit flat. Of the three shows, Lucky Star is by far the most self-aware. It knows exactly what it is and who it is trying to appeal to, and upon achieving that, seeks to do no more. While all of these moe-centric shows are murderously slow and ultimately go practically nowhere as far as plot is concerned, they are redeemed by their breezily entertaining demeanor once you settle into them. Moments of true comedic brilliance shine through every once in a while and even moments of genuine depth are displayed. Lucky Star just doesn't have as many of these moments as its competition. Konata, the main character, is the one unique aspect of the show, essentially a female personification of the otaku lifestyle that many viewers will identify with. Her insights and quips about the obsessive and bizarre nature of Otaku culture are by far, the show's best moments- and the most absurd. A certain re-occurring plot theme involving Konata and a group of impassioned manga shop clerks, who idealize her as the otaku's dream girl, are particularly funny because they seem to be in on the show's joke. The gleefully bizarre, Vocaloid referencing OVA conclusion is also a highlight. The big problem is that the rest of the time, when the show is in typical schoolgirl moe-show mode, it's just kinda boring. The banter between the four main girls is less nuanced than K-On!!'s and far less abstract than Azumanga Daioh's weirder moments. It's just cookie cutter characters exchanging mundane dialogue about nothing in particular. Look no further than the first episode's 15 minute pastry conversation for an example of the general pacing of the show. Lucky Star takes it's look from the 4-panel manga by the same name. The characters are ultra-chibi to the point of being a bit on the overly-simplified side. Their faces don't really emote much. Where as K-On!!'s characters displayed a surprising amount of depth in their subtle facial animations, the same care wasn't taken by KyoAni on this series. I suppose it falls in line with the fact that these characters just don't have the same degree of believability or human attraction. Lucky Star may have waned in popularity since K-On!! seemingly took it's place as the epitome of moe anime. Despite a decreased distance between the viewer, the main character essentially serving as a bridge, Lucky Star ultimately shys away from ever taking itself seriously enough to be little more the most derivative thing that moe can be- a sly parody of the schoolgirl tropes aware of it's exploitative nature.

Lucky Star is a fun story to watch, if you are an anime lover all throughout your life then konata is your character because you can see yourself in her, buying all those dvds and mangas and everything related to anime and of course sing all those opening and ending songs of your fave tv shows. I also love her friends like kagami who constantly arguing with her about everything but in the end being friends shows that no matter what you are they will accept you whole heartedly, and the typical twin sister tsukasa who always have her clumsy moments that makes you want to think if she really is the other twin sister. and then there's miyuki kind of a marimite type of girl who is intelligent and elegant but there is a twist in her character that you wont find in marimite. All in all this story will never get you bored, and even though scenes jump into another, you dont want to miss any of it because even though how small it is, it can make you laugh.

I, as many people have, stumbled upon Lucky Star quite randomly. I was a bit leery, thinking it would be some annoying chibi show for kids but upon watching, I was delightfully shocked! The main character, Konata, is SO like I was in high school that after 10 minutes of watching I just had to pause so I could laugh at myself. And all the inside jokes... pure hilarity! The humor ranges from gamer jokes, anime references, and voice actors in unusual (or very usual) situations to family relationships (as one of 3 sisters I KNOW just what it's like), random conversations with friends, and all the drama of heading off to college. Funny as the show is, it truly has a heart and a good basis in life. I have actually had many of the events in the anime happen to me, as I'm sure a good few of the other fans have as well. Something as commonplace as forgetting a textbook takes on a new face, and I can't help but remember some of my desperate antics trying to scrape by on test scores. Beyond that all the little details slipped in make the series all the more interesting and unusual for those who know what to look for... things like the beloved "Anime Director"'s overzealous attempts to squeeze out the next purchase... does that voice sound a bit familiar? Also, and more obviously, there is Konata's fixation on a certain other anime... another casting coincidence? I think not. Anyway, this is a must-see for anyone who's ever called themselves an otaku (or been accused of it), or for someone looking for a really relaxing and fun show minus the nailbiting for the next installment!

One of the criticisms I never really got about the Monogatari series is that "they talk too much". Maybe partly because I was entertained by the characters and their banter, maybe because it still felt like it was going Somewhere, I never really had an issue with how much dialogue there was in the show. After all, surely they wouldn't make a show that was JUST inane banter- Oh. Oh dear. Lucky Star manages to combine two of the things I like least in this world in my anime (thank God it didn't set it in a fantasy world/isekai): moeshit and blatant pandering. And, I expected to kind of not fuck with the moeshit, the pandering I was a little shocked by how hard it turned me off but what really surprised me is how it feels like absolutely nothing of value happens in any episode. They occasionally feed you little giblets of character development or emotional moments as a treat but other than Lucky Channel (the one saving grace of this show, otherwise it'd get a 1 like its KyoAni counterpart City), it feels like absolute piss fodder for 22 minutes of Cute Girls blathering on the most random shit or vaguely otaku-related things. Speaking of which, dear God, please make it stop. I cannot claim to have been an otaku in the 2000s. That is just, naturally, something I have no right to claim so maybe if you are (although in which case how the fuck have you not seen Lucky Star, it's been 20 years), this'll Hit Different for you, but it's not like I didn't get the references, I just found them cringe. Most of the time, it's not even, like, clever references, it's just "hey, he's dressed up as Edward Elric! Hey, remember Haruhi (mind you, an anime they made THE YEAR PRIOR)? Look, they say this in Hell Girl! Hey, remember Haruhi? I said Code Geass! Hey, remember Haruhi? Let's name some bands that did anime OPs in the 2000s! HEY, REMEMBER HARUHI?!?!?!?!? ISN'T HARUHI SO FUCKING AWESOME?" And, like, Haruhi IS a great show. But it felt kind of obnoxious how often they tooted their own horn on it. Like, idk, I popped off for the Initial D one. I would've popped off if Miyuki were forced to cosplay as Hanekawa or something. I'm not immune to popping for references but that's such bush league behavior. If your best material is just showing off other works, maybe you shouldn't be making a show. Speaking of which, boy, did I not like Konata Izumi. I don't think every single otaku character sucks, I liked Harumi Fujiyoshi from Sayonara, Zetsubou-sensei. ...most of them though... Idk, it just felt slimy and pandering how shamelessly Konata was a self-insert for otakus to insert themselves into. To be honest, it's kind of lowkey in (generally speaking) every CGDCT but they usually don't just make a girl for you to pour yourself into in the same way. Like, she's an otaku and she's an unabashed one and she brings everything back to games and anime (in itself an annoying trait) but she also gets good grades while barely studying and she has a bunch of cute girl friends and she has a good relationship with her family. There's no conflict here, she's a total loser but skates by with nothing but a comedic thwack from her teacher who is also her net galpal. I get it's a CGDCT so it's not like they're all gonna die or anything but combined with the kind of character Konata is, it felt slimy. She's also just kind of a dick (and has a weird as fuck relationship with her father, bleh)? I just felt really bad for Kagami in every episode. Speaking of which, I don't really have that much to say on the sisters. Kagami is The Tsundere and the butt monkey for Konata, which only served to make me dislike Konata even more. Nominally, she's supposed to be the straight man but since nothing really changes, I don't really see the point. Tsukasa... idk man, she's a fucking idiot. She's not even the only idiot because Miyuki takes the role of the clumsy one so honestly, Tsukasa's just kind of here to be The Idiot, I guess. She was fine, I didn't hate her or anything. Speaking of Miyuki, hi Miyuki. As you could probably tell by her glasses, Miyuki's nominally the Smart One but she's more used to be objectified as Moe. Every single one of her flaws is described as moe and making her even better. Again, slimy. However, she's also really clumsy and kind of childish? She refuses to go to the dentist which is a recurring thing in the show and she only wears glasses because she's afraid of contacts. I guess she's still technically Book Smart but they might as well all hold the Idiot Orb at this point, honestly, Kagami feels more like the smart one since she has to play straight man, even if it doesn't lead to anything. Miyuki also leads to a weird, like, undercurrent that runs throughout the show. For how stupid and moebloby these characters all look, it's strangely sexual at times. Miyuki and her cousin in particular are fodder for breast jokes since Miyuki has giant tits but her cousin is flat chested. Like, what are we doing here? Why is this in a CGDCT? It circles back to the exact same issue basically every issue this show has circles back to: this REEKS of pandering to horny otaku guys. Like, idk, Do It Yourself or something is probably also at least taking horny otaku guys into consideration when they're making their CGDCT shenanigans but Lucky Star feels like it was made by them, for them and no one else. They introduce a bunch of new characters later on. It really does not feel like they were necessary. Like, the two that are actively related to members of the main cast, sure. The rest? Not really? I will say I enjoyed Lucky Channel, I liked Akira and Shiraishi's banter, it generally had a few funny jokes each episode, it was a nice B-plot that was a little treat at the end for sitting through like 18 minutes of nothingness crap. You can write off what I was saying about it being slimy and pandering as me being overly cynical, fine, but it's just not good at what it does otherwise. Unless you really just want to point and clap at 2000s anime references, it's just a bunch of moeblobs talking about riveting subjects such as how you eat a cream puff, if it's normal to talk to your pets, and the rate on your phone bill. I'm giving this a higher score than City but (outside of Lucky Channel), it's arguably just as boring and unfunny but in a different way. Where City was at least trying to make you laugh (and miserably failing), this is just droning on and on. I don't even really understand the appeal, to be honest. Surely there must be a better show that covers the life of an otaku. What it is more than anything is it is thoroughly draining. Honestly, you can just rewatch Haruhi and look up 2000s AMVs after to get your fix. No need to watch this.

Look up comedy in the dictionary. If it doesn’t say “Lucky Star” there then you should write it in. Very funny and incredibly smart Lucky Star pokes fun at the most ordinary things in life, and does it brilliantly. Even though this series is a few years old, I only recently saw this on the top anime page of MAL. I was quite astounded to find that this was #130, when (judging by the anime above it) in my opinion it deserves to be much higher. And it was then that I saw the divided reviews, some giving it ridiculously low scores. So, despite it being somewhat futile, I decided to write a review on it. I have given Lucky Star marks based on the categories of storyline, art etc only because I had to. To be honest, I think it is impossible to review Lucky Star in such a general way. This is the kind of anime that comes along very rarely, one that attempts to innovate and stand out from the crowd. The best way to define the genre would be “pure slice of life”, abrupt and somewhat in-your-face, and I think this is what unnerves some people and prevents them from opening up to the series. It bombards you with jokes and various comedic references almost in passing. Hence, a lot of people fail to comprehend punch lines and complain about the lack of storyline. Unfortunately they’re completely missing the point. This story is about the very ordinary lives of a very ordinary group of schoolgirls. The style is exactly like a person reflecting upon a yesterday and laughing to himself as he remembers all the amusing things that happened. He omits the boring parts and various unrelated conversations he had during his very ordinary day and focuses only on the funny or strange bits. The fact that, like an ordinary person’s life, it has no over-arching storyline is the whole point of the show. Why did I give it 10 for story then? Basically because I believe it does what it sets out to do brilliantly, and should be rewarded for it. After watching a few episodes you tend to settle into the rhythm of the show and appreciate it much more. The jokes themselves are hilarious, making fun of both the extremely ordinary as well as the bizarre. Countless references to other popular anime and otaku culture also provide a source of genuine laughs. A few heart-warming moments are also there to balance it up nicely. Once you get into it the enjoyment factor is definitely a maximum, but this isn’t a show you can rush through. The best way to watch it is a couple of episodes at a time, complimenting each with slices of your own life. In fact, after watching I find it hard to go through a day without a potential Lucky Star reference. The art is also top-notch. Going for more of a semi-chibi style, it does a great job in complimenting the light-heartedness of the show. The backgrounds are exactly that; 2d backdrops that are there to add a bit of depth to the art but nothing more. However, this works well to compliment the simple art style and the focus on dialogue. As well as the catchy opening theme, the hilarious and unique endings, the background music also aids the light-hearted atmosphere. The characters are definitely the show’s biggest strength. Each character plays a role in reflecting on another side of life, from the outright ridiculous otaku Konata to the calm, somewhat introverted Minami. Varied and original, they really inject an energy into the anime that really makes you want to keep watching. Add to that the talented voice actors, many of whom also did the popular The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya, and loads of ironic Haruhi references and you’ve got a very funny mix. (I definitely recommend watching Haruhi before Lucky Star so you can get these jokes.) There is no question the Lucky Star is quirky and unique, and is shunned by some viewers because of this. I am of the opposite opinion, however. This is a show that dares to be different, and should be celebrated as a very successful experiment by Kyoto Animation. Truly one of the greatest comedy anime ever made.

This is, as another reviewer eloquently put it, the "poor man's Azumanga Daioh." However, whereas Azumanga has charming characters and entertaining episodes, Lucky Star is a black hole devoid of any amusement. Lucky Star is a cheap attempt to cash-in on the moe-blob craze that seems to be infecting the anime industry. Avoid this series.

Normally when I score story in a Slice of Life show, I do it based on all the episodic stories combined. But what happens when a show does not have that and is just pure life and is random with no coherent order/story. That is why I left the score a blank. But I would still like to talk about the content. Lucky Star plays off its humor through normal everyday conversations. Talking about the most random things and finding humor out of it is tricky. Personally, I found most conversations hilarious because I enjoy the idea of everyday situations being made fun at. This type of humor is not for everybody and thus why this show can be a hit or miss. Another aspect of this show is its use of references. A good amount of conversations play off such references. And they can go anywhere from other anime to current events. It went as far as to use an old commercial. One of the keys to be able to enjoy this anime is to be able to know the references. Watching as much anime as I do, I got most of them easily. Art/Animation: Technically speaking, this is not KyoAni's best work. But the style and design works really well for this type of story. There are times where I felt that they were being very lazy and yet there were times I was marveled at the level of detail. Of course it is nowhere near the level of their other works such as Haruhi. Sound: Voice - Everyone plays there roles really well. I was particularly impressed with Hirano Aya (voice of Konata). KyoAni really utilized her vocal range and made great situations out of it. Music - To me, this is probably the weakest aspect of the show. The OP is indeed catchy but it can only be appealing for so long. And the "different" ED each week was a hit or miss. The only great part about it was the appearance of Minoru Shiraishi. Having him sing for the last part of the series was brilliant. Listening to him was a blast. Character: Perhaps the strongest aspect of the show. The cast of Lucky Star are great. The variety it has and the way they fit so well together really bring out the show. Whether you come to like this show or not, I believe there will be at least one character that you can't help but like. Rather than me telling you, I hope you go check out this show after reading this review and see for yourself. Enjoyment = My score on MAL (it is subjectively rated) Overall, this is a very enjoyable show. But it is for those who are into those kinds of humor. It is not something I would recommend to everybody. I believe this show is one of those shows where it is a hit or miss.

An eccentric show with high production values Lucky Star is considered the holy grail for many hardcore Otaku people and it really is - which also makes it a "love it or hate it" show. Being an avid enthusiast at best, I could appreciate how Lucky Star nails the intended market, while disliking the morals behind such a show. Story: 7/10 In short, this is a gag-comedy show with a (rather twisted) school life genre. The show follows the life of a dysfunctional otaku, Konata and her rather unplausible school life. It is amazing how the producers managed to put the most mundane of conversations onto the screen but it somehow works. While the flow is hard to get for some (including myself), some subjects hit home for me such as the UFO catcher. What really brings this show to life is the very good interaction between the characters during the mundane conversations. It is also amusing to see a show for otakus ridiculing otakus, which brings a sense of sanity exactly where needed. Art: 7/10 A perfect example of KISS (Keep It Simple Stupid). How much simpler does the art get? With the advances in CGI, recent shows (especially KyoAni) have seen increased use of colours, shadings and usage of detail - the hair in AIR is a prime example. Lucky Star is so amazingly and ridiculously simple that it is this simplicity which has made the art so catchy and unique. While I have mixed feelings at the loli-esque art (they look 12, not 17), it does accomplish its intended mission very well. The animation is as smooth and fluid as ever. Sound: 6/10 This is a relatively simple, slow show where sound is not the most important thing, unlike Macross. The BGM is as simple as the art and does the job. The OP theme, as much as I dislike it is possibly the best track in the "Drum Master" game and has a good following among the die-hards. Character: 8/10 This is where the show shines. Konata's family brings enjoyment (I can ridicule them to oblivion), and Kagami brings some balance and sanity into the show. So much that for much of the show, my thoughts were in-line with Kagami whenever Konata went on her antics. Konata and Kagami really are an excellent combination and some say opposites attract? The supporting cast contained variety yet had a smooth flow so was good to watch. Enjoyment: 7/10 The abundance of "What the..." moments, following Konata's train of thought gave enough entertainment, as well as her interaction with Kagami. I also found the quirks of every character amusing. While it was entertaining, I did not die from laughter however. Again, I'm sure the show hits the intended market right on the spot. Overall: 7/10 A "good" show which I found good fun out of and is unique. If you're the kind of person who likes music which sounds like a CD skipping, except a hundred times faster, then you will love this show!

First of all, I won't write a long review for Lucky Star, simply because there are enough other reviews to read too. I think of this anime as a nice and an enjoyable serie. Most of all, I think of it as an unique storie. Why? Because there is no storie. Most animes wihout a storie are boring, and still they managed to get Lucky Star interesting, almost each episode worth watching. The characters I gave a 10, something I almost never give. This is because each charactar has his or her own personality which you can like or hate. They can have conversations everyone has made already. I don't know the exact reason for liking this anime so much, maybe the recognation? Durings the series, there are added some other characters as well. Unforunatly, they all aren't as brilliant as the main-characters. But still they too have they're own personalities you can like or hate, so if you don't like the main-characters, there are still plenty of others. Conclusion: This is an outstanding anime, and from the one hand i regret there is (still) no second season. From the other hand, an other season would be useless. They all went to an other school, so you will miss some of the main characters. This was a great anime, but it will have to stick with just this one season.

A few years back whenever i browse through random forums, whether it be on games or just about anything really, i would sometimes see people use this very interesting signature, a signature of the opening sequence dance of Lucky Star. But at that time i had no clue what lucky star was or did I really watch that much anime to know anything about it. I just had the impression that it was just a bunch of cute girls dancing. Then a few years later when i got into watching anime i was looking through MAL and i came across Lucky Star and i instantly was reminded of that opening dance sequence that i would see in those forum user's signatures. So i was all like HEY I REMEMBER THIS! So i decided to give it a shot. But before i even began to start watching it, I would approach a friend of mine and seek his opinion on the anime. During that time i just started to watch anime so i was not sure what was good or not and my friend told me that it was really boring and he only watched a total of 5 minutes of it then he decided to drop it. So for a while i decided not to watch it. Later on after watching more anime so i start to get a sense of what i like, i decided to try this anime knowing that my friend hates it. AND I AM REALLY FUCKING GLAD I DECIDED TO WATCH IT. I've always assumed that i would like what ever my friend likes since that seemed to be the case when i started out watching anime. But i have gained my independence in this. Basically i watch what i want. lol. ANYHOW enough back story. REVIEW TIME! STORY: 9 Even though this anime supposedly has no freaking story, i find that to be the beauty of it. Just how the hell can an anime where there is no story be good? Well it is possible. The so called "Story" revolves around these 4 girls that just live their lives in high school. At first you might say "What the hell? that sounds stupid" but it is actually really really interesting , to me at least. Lucky Star is one of those shows that you either don't like or you love it. And i for one, loved it. Even though it's just about cute girls doing cute things living their lives, there are actually a few touching moments in this anime. ART: 9 KYOTO ANIMATION 'NUFF SAID!! Haha I am totally a fan boy of kyoani, but this type of animation is what kyoani is known for. The type of animation in Lucky Star is incredibly simple AND IT WORKS! I totally love the moe moe ness in this anime. This is probably the biggest selling point of the anime. THE EFFING MOE! But there are a lot of other enjoyable things about this other than its moe tastic animation. At episode 10 we are introduced to the Anime Tenchou, and holy crap they really put a lot of effort into the animation. Once you watch it you would understand what i mean. SOUND: 9 The music in this anime is great. I am particularly quite fond of the track "FUN FUN FUN DAYO" which i plan to learn it on the piano so i can have my own FUN FUN FUN. I also really liked the ending karaoke segment. It is very amusing to see the character's seiyuu's sing other songs. Konata's (Hirano Aya) version of Cha la head cha la is just freaking hilarious. Character: 10 THIS IS WHAT I LIKE MOST ABOUT LUCKY STAR!!!! Izumi Konata: This chick is f*cking funny. She is athletic yet hates it, she is really short and is an otaku. She lives with her dad which is okay with her playing Eroge's (PORN GAMES!) And to top it all she is so god damn moe. Hiiragi Tsukasa: I have always compared these twins with the twins in Clannad. I mean seriously, they look the Effing same. EXCEPT i do not hate the short hair one this time around. God i really dislike Ryou Fujibayashi. ANYHOW...... Tsukasa is totally the cute but stupid kind of person. Kind of like Konata but she's more normal like. Hiiragi Kagami: MAN OH MAN. SHe is an awesome f*cking character. She is just like her alter ego Fujibayashi Kyou from Clannad, which is also my favorite chick from Clannad. She is the typical tsundere girl that tsukkomi's every single chance she gets. She is aggressive one of the bunch and seeing her when she's not is just absolutely great. (Just a random note, i really don't know why i prefer these typical tsundere girls in most of the animes with a lot to choose from, maybe i just like aggressive chicks with purple hair, cough* cough* Sasasegawa Sasami from Little Busters cough* cough*) Takara Myuki: Although Mal states her as a main character i see her more as a support character. The amount of screen time that she gets compared to the other three is small. Probably like 50%. Her character is the that of a really intellectual high class like ojou sama that isn't a total bitch. She reminds me of Mugi-chan from K-On. same type of aura. It would be awesome if she got a lot more screen time. Enjoyment and overall: 9 I really enjoyed this anime. It is something i can keep on rewatching as much I want and not get bored of it. It is not one of those anime's where it is the best watching it the first time around, no. It is one of those anime's that you just sit back and relax and just enjoy the awesome nothingness that brings you a smile to your face. This is purely my perspective of this though. There is that phrase of "maybe this isn't your cup of tea" Well i don't really drink tea but i bet if this was turned into tea i would gladly say it is indeed my cup of tea. So if you like a story revolved around nothing and just like seeing a bunch of cute girls and a bunch of parodies than i am sure you would enjoy this anime. If not, well I can't do anything about it. ~Til Next time, Tomislol

Length: 24 episodes Original Airdates: 4/07 - 9/07 Demographic: Seinen Genres: Comedy, Satire, Slice-of-life Plot Synopsis Portrays the lives of several school girls attending a Japanese high school with a very loose humor tone. The main heroine is Konata Izumi, an athletic and intelligent girl who, despite these attributes, is not in a sports club, and her grades remain low. Her laziness at school is due to her love for anime and video games, and she is not interested in much else. Personal Opinion So I had heard of Lucky Star for quite a while actually. I just wasn't sure what I should expect. I mean it didn't have anything extravagent, i mean some anime references here and there. And then i saw the OP. And my life would never be the same. So if i were to ask for a plot, i would say that there isn't any. Lucky Star is the anime equivalent of a sitcom. Each episode has multiple short situations that leads to some witty comment or reference. Now knowing me, plot-development is a MAJOR aspect of my reviews. So a show that doesn't have a plot will have a hard time to get a good review from me. However... Not only did Lucky Star managed to garner a good review from me, but it also turned me into a hopless fanboy. At this moment i'm trying to learn the Lucky Star dance 8/10 This is a series made of pure WIN Similar to... - The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya Same voice actors and there are plenty of Haruhi references in Lucky Star. It's a running gag - Minami-Ke Haven't reviewed Minami, but from what i've seen of it, it's quite similar to Lucky Star, as in sitcom like anime

Wednesday, March 26, 2008 Lucky star! Details: * Title: Lucky Star * Producer: Kyoto Animation * Genre: Comedy * Episodes: 24 * Duration: 24 mins or more per ep. * Release date:2007 Characters: * Izumi Konata (Hirano Aya)- An otaku who has low grades and is not in a sports club despite the fact that she is intelligent and athletic. It is because of her addiction to anime, mangas and video/online games.(The blue haired one at the picture) * Hiragi Kagami- (Kato Emiri) The older fraternal twin of Tsukasa. She has high grades but cooking is her weakness. her twin sister Tsukasa often asks for her help on her assignments. She loves reading light novels.( The purple hair, the longer one on the pic) * Hiragi Tsukasa- (Fukuhara Kaori) The younger fraternal twin of Kagami. She is clumsy and always depend on her older twin sister. But despite her clumsiness and dependent, she is very friendly. 9The one with the shorter purple hair on the pic) * Takara Miyuki- (Endo Aya)-a young lady from a wealthy family who is beautiful, smart, and well-mannered. She always uses extremely polite Japanese, even when talking with her closest friends. Review: let me go on with my own review since there really is not much to say about the synopsis. Well, it is from a 4 paneled manga. It portrays the life of normal gakkou shoujos. each episode are really random. It features other famous mangas and animes. For those who don't regularly watch animes and not really otakus, they totally won't be able to relate to this show but for otakus, well, this show has almost everything about them. This is their show. They talk about random stuffs for each episodes.Like foods, school, culture, ranging from everything to almost everything. What I don't like about this show was the food conversation they have at the beggining. It kinda felt misplaced. And what I like about this anime was the pinch of seriousness suddenly turning to a funny turn up because of Konata's humor. Another thing I liked about this anime was Konata's friendship with Kagami, Tsukasa ang Miyuki. They are really close despite their differences. Kagami, Tsukasa and Miyuki still treat Konata as a dear friend despite her huge difference with them.

Four friends in a high school hang out with each other and chat about things with their other girlfriends. Most notable among them is Konata Izumi, a video game / anime fanatic who's actually pretty smart and athletic, but doesn't like sports or putting effort into her schoolwork. Her other friends include twin sisters Kagami and Tsukasa and the pretty, smart, but also clumsy Miyuki. And then there's Lucky Channel. Shown at the end of every episode before the ending theme, it's a mini-segment that stars washed-up idol Akira Kogami and her assistant, Minoru Shirashi, voiced and modeled after his actor. Their main goal is to talk about the series, including its cast, at first, but eventually it turns into a look into Akira's unhappy career and her wanting to be in the main series, as well as focusing on her less-than-stellar relationship with Minoru. Unlike the rest of the series, the Lucky Channel segment does have a (loose) plot of sorts, so if you plan to skim around the series, make sure you avoid these segments lest you get confused. That's not a spoiler, right? God I suck at these reviews. that's right i said i suck at it thus compliment me on how great I am at life. No one cares? Well let's get on with the review. Konata Izumi, the main protagonist, has a fetish for chocolate cornets, as well as a number of anime and manga shows that are also popular. Not surprisingly, she is an avid follower of Haruhi Suzumiya (the seiyuu of both characters is Aya Hirano), and you also have plenty of other anime and manga references. And in spite all her bubblyness, and the catlike smile she loves to sport, she has skeletons in the closet, too: her mother died when she was young. She is a "Jill of all trades," the renaissance girl, and the otaku, all in one. Kagami Hiiragi is the tsundere-type of girl in this series, and a popular girl in her class. Aesthetically, she is an interesting person to pay attention to, more so than her sister Tsukasa, although there are attributes that make her unique. Miyuki Takara is your meganekko in the show, and after Konata talks with her about what her weaknesses are, she sees her in the moekko mold. The supporting characters have their unique quirks: Yui Narumi, Konata's cousin, and her teacher, Nanako Kuroi, are akin to Yukari Tanizaki and Minamo Kurosawa in AzuDai. Some other well known characters outside of Lucky Star even cameo in the series, like Sergeant Frog. I feel it may take away from the story, but these guest stars add another dimension to this sitcom of a series. Lucky Star can also be thought of as a sitcom in a way, a situational comedy with punchlines at every twist and turn. The story plot, which is weak, is strengthened with the characters, who reflect different personalities and persuasions. It's a pretty decent balance. So we talked about the characters in the series for quite a while. How are the actual jokes in this series, you might wonder? Well, due to the series' long length, there are just as many hits as misses, if not more so the latter. Many of Lucky Star's jokes fall into two realms: everyday Japanese life, and media references. I counted at least three jokes that had to do with Aya Hirano herself.These jokes wouldn't be too bad in small doses, or if they were consistent, but often you have a typical, reference-free episode and then are suddenly hit with a bunch of them. You can still enjoy the series well enough without getting them all, but you'll lose a part of the reason to watch the series if you do. I'm not familiar with the manga, so I'm not sure if they name-drop references as often as the anime, but if they do I doubt it's as hard. The situational music is perhaps the down side because it isn't even necessary for most scenarios. I personally believe that it doesn't need it. The background music from other series in Lucky Star, such as "Hare Hare Yukai" when Konata plays on a taiko simulator, or Aya Hirano's "God knows..." during a concert that the girls watch, is acceptable, but the original situational music could be best dealt without. There is good stuff in Lucky Star, but it’s overwhelmed by so much mediocrity. There was a section towards the end of the series where I hadn't laughed for several consecutive episodes, and was ready to write this off as another “overstayed its welcome” comedy, but the last two episodes were among the most entertaining of the series. Everyone is going to react slightly differently to this series, as evidenced by the wide range of responses to it. So re you an otaku who wants to have a perfect otaku girlfriend? I PRESENT Izumi Konata. But since I'm a NonOtaku I'll just walk away. Alone. Sadlife .