I always enjoy Lucky Star, but this time it really knocked it out of the park, in my opinion. This show has leveled up!
I can't really point to any one part of the episode, because for me it was a non-stop giggles and smiles fest from the moment I realized Tsukasa was tapping out "barusamikosu" on her phone.
The only moment that felt less than thoroughly amusing was Konata and Yui's exchange, which fell a little flat for me. That's a minor complaint against an episode full of awesome, though.
The progression to this point has been constant, but I think this episode finally fully brings the characters out as characters and not punchline-delivery units (they were always written that way, but I didn't feel the delivery necessarily got it across). It wasn't just funny, but heartwarming. Best of all, it was that way the whole way through.
Other notes:
- The store scene was a WTF moment, but hilarious in context of its reference.
- I was hoping Konata's dad would come off as merely enthusiastic and misunderstood. Instead, it's just slightly-creepy. Oh, well, more time for character exposition later. Konata's discussions about him were less creepy and more hilarious, though.
- For some reason, the Mikuru figurine pleased me to no end.
- Miyuki was so adorable! I think I have new avatar material!
And what can follow Lucky Star's best showing yet? LUCKY CHANNEL RETURNS TO GLORY. And it's all Shiraishi's doing! Not only did I find his speech inspiring and utterly hilarious, forcing me to double over in laughter and scrub back to watch what I missed from crippling laughter, but
I can relate to his outrage.
Aaah, I am satisfied.