AnimeSuki Forum - View Single Post - Lucky Star

Kyuusai · 2007-07-28, 23:51

Every one is arguing about Haruhi references, but I think there's something far more important: I can't believe no one mentioned the MIYUKI-FEST in the first half of the episode!! (OK, nanafan mentioned it.

)

I've felt for the entire series so far that Miyuki is a character full of potential, but was under-utilized and under-explored. It's necessary, perhaps, but I find it a bit tragic: While I find all of the characters interesting, Miyuki is the only one that strikes me as interesting or amusing independent of other characters. In fact, I find it a bit ironic that the other characters don't have much opportunity to be interesting by themselves but really shine when interacting with others, whereas Miyuki is interesting by herself, but doesn't have much opportunity to be interesting when interacting with others--with the exception of her mother.

Despite this episode tying its sections together as best has been done since the beach episode, to me it really felt segregated between the manga content and the non-manga content. I somehow get the feeling that the first part of the episode (not counting the cafe sequence) was mostly anime-only, but I really enjoyed it. A lot. In this episode more than any other, the clear 1/2/3/4 pace was dropped more consistently, and the character dialogue just flowed. It was wonderful. ENCHANTING. Lucky Star has a certain charm in jumping from sketch to sketch, joke to joke, but when I get to see how well it works with smoother timings and transitions, there's no doubt that I prefer it this way.

Seeing an episode that is so cohesive, that streams so smoothly, that integrates Miyuki so well, and that makes such an interesting spectacle of the world around them, I'm pining for the Lucky Star That Could Have Been. I've enjoyed everything so far, but what if they'd started off firing on all cylinders? I can only hope that the rest of the series can be so good, but they didn't really keep up the pace after the beach episode as I'd wished, so my hopes may be in vain.

As for Haruhi references...

Skane is quite right in pointing out that the Haruhi references stand out primarily because they're recognizable, and not because they're overwhelming compared to the other references (which include media from many companies, and even quite "normal" media productions). There are many, many things being referenced in the show, and with the exception of the Hirano concert in a previous episode (which bothered me because it seemed so pasted on) and, of course, the references in this episode, they've always been very balanced with the other references. Konata having Hare Hare Yukai as her ringtone is entirely appropriate and cute, and doesn't compare to the even more blatant and distracting than the Keroro Gunsou, Da Capo, and Code Geass reference we've seen.

The other issue is "Should Lucky Star have references? (or at least, should it have so many?)". I agree with Vexx that the original content is quite capable of standing on its own, without the references to move the market. Lucky Star doesn't need references.

That said, while I don't think it needs references, I do think references (as long as they don't overwhelm the source material) are appropriate. Why? The original context of Lucky Star was as a Comptiq page-filler. It proved popular enough to be serialized, but in either case it was always intended to be part of a PC-magazine-turned-PC-game-magazine-turned-bishojo-magazine, and that's why you also see Akira, another of the manga-ka's character's who isn't part of Lucky Star but of Comptiq, itself. If Lucky Star had references as a 4koma, it would have just been redundant. When appearing outside of Comptiq and adapted for another medium, though, I don't think references are out of place, because that content is a type of replacement for what's lost when the strip is pulled from its original context.

This episode, though, was an exception in that they really did pull out all the stops with Haruhi. And... I think they did a great job. The scenes about the characters before they were about Haruhi, and I think it shows. I would have groaned seriously if it had just been Haruhi on display, but instead I was watching the other girls see Konata on the job with appropriate Haruhi in-jokes on the side. Nothing required an understanding of Haruhi to be funny or relate the weirdness of cosplay/maid cafes (or, earlier, the ringtone habits of otaku), but if you did understand it, the scene was even better. The swiftly changing expressions and performances of Hirano as Konata went in and out of character were supremely amusing.

I freely admit, though, that while my first priority is seeing the characters come before the references (and I was well pleased in that respect), I giggled like mad at the Haruhi references. I just wish that, while they were at it, Gotou Yuuko could have had a part. I was sad to see her missing.

In summary:
- Without considering scenes with external references, one of the best examples of Lucky Star yet, IMO.
- The external references were tastefully done and amusing.
- MIYUKI MIYUKI MIYUKI!

My enthusiasm is inexplicable to some, but I can only attribute it to my weakness for the amazing combination of Moe meshing with Intelligence and Competence.

2007-07-28, 23:51	Link #142
Kyuusai 9wiki Scanlator Join Date: May 2006 Location: State of Denial	Every one is arguing about Haruhi references, but I think there's something far more important: I can't believe no one mentioned the MIYUKI-FEST in the first half of the episode!! (OK, nanafan mentioned it. ) I've felt for the entire series so far that Miyuki is a character full of potential, but was under-utilized and under-explored. It's necessary, perhaps, but I find it a bit tragic: While I find all of the characters interesting, Miyuki is the only one that strikes me as interesting or amusing independent of other characters. In fact, I find it a bit ironic that the other characters don't have much opportunity to be interesting by themselves but really shine when interacting with others, whereas Miyuki is interesting by herself, but doesn't have much opportunity to be interesting when interacting with others--with the exception of her mother. Despite this episode tying its sections together as best has been done since the beach episode, to me it really felt segregated between the manga content and the non-manga content. I somehow get the feeling that the first part of the episode (not counting the cafe sequence) was mostly anime-only, but I really enjoyed it. A lot. In this episode more than any other, the clear 1/2/3/4 pace was dropped more consistently, and the character dialogue just flowed. It was wonderful. ENCHANTING. Lucky Star has a certain charm in jumping from sketch to sketch, joke to joke, but when I get to see how well it works with smoother timings and transitions, there's no doubt that I prefer it this way. Seeing an episode that is so cohesive, that streams so smoothly, that integrates Miyuki so well, and that makes such an interesting spectacle of the world around them, I'm pining for the Lucky Star That Could Have Been. I've enjoyed everything so far, but what if they'd started off firing on all cylinders? I can only hope that the rest of the series can be so good, but they didn't really keep up the pace after the beach episode as I'd wished, so my hopes may be in vain. As for Haruhi references... Skane is quite right in pointing out that the Haruhi references stand out primarily because they're recognizable, and not because they're overwhelming compared to the other references (which include media from many companies, and even quite "normal" media productions). There are many, many things being referenced in the show, and with the exception of the Hirano concert in a previous episode (which bothered me because it seemed so pasted on) and, of course, the references in this episode, they've always been very balanced with the other references. Konata having Hare Hare Yukai as her ringtone is entirely appropriate and cute, and doesn't compare to the even more blatant and distracting than the Keroro Gunsou, Da Capo, and Code Geass reference we've seen. The other issue is "Should Lucky Star have references? (or at least, should it have so many?)". I agree with Vexx that the original content is quite capable of standing on its own, without the references to move the market. Lucky Star doesn't need references. That said, while I don't think it needs references, I do think references (as long as they don't overwhelm the source material) are appropriate. Why? The original context of Lucky Star was as a Comptiq page-filler. It proved popular enough to be serialized, but in either case it was always intended to be part of a PC-magazine-turned-PC-game-magazine-turned-bishojo-magazine, and that's why you also see Akira, another of the manga-ka's character's who isn't part of Lucky Star but of Comptiq, itself. If Lucky Star had references as a 4koma, it would have just been redundant. When appearing outside of Comptiq and adapted for another medium, though, I don't think references are out of place, because that content is a type of replacement for what's lost when the strip is pulled from its original context. This episode, though, was an exception in that they really did pull out all the stops with Haruhi. And... I think they did a great job. The scenes about the characters before they were about Haruhi, and I think it shows. I would have groaned seriously if it had just been Haruhi on display, but instead I was watching the other girls see Konata on the job with appropriate Haruhi in-jokes on the side. Nothing required an understanding of Haruhi to be funny or relate the weirdness of cosplay/maid cafes (or, earlier, the ringtone habits of otaku), but if you did understand it, the scene was even better. The swiftly changing expressions and performances of Hirano as Konata went in and out of character were supremely amusing. I freely admit, though, that while my first priority is seeing the characters come before the references (and I was well pleased in that respect), I giggled like mad at the Haruhi references. I just wish that, while they were at it, Gotou Yuuko could have had a part. I was sad to see her missing. In summary: - Without considering scenes with external references, one of the best examples of Lucky Star yet, IMO. - The external references were tastefully done and amusing. - MIYUKI MIYUKI MIYUKI! My enthusiasm is inexplicable to some, but I can only attribute it to my weakness for the amazing combination of Moe meshing with Intelligence and Competence. Last edited by Kyuusai; 2007-07-29 at 08:47.