Lucky Star (Generic Discussion thread)

[Kaioshin Sama]

Originally Posted by Mirrinus

Eh, I'm just glad I can enjoy this without people shouting "overrated" everywhere. But yeah, I'm actually in agreement with you that fans are being stupid and unreasonable at this time.

I'm very curious to see how a.f.k. and the other groups plan on subbing it. Since it's a very dialogue-heavy show, the fansubbers definitely have their work cut out for them, as it could make or break the series.

To me its more like this. The normally solid fanbase that goes around making people have to scream overated is currently bickering amongst itself and thus the people who normally scream overated have seized the chance to join in the bashing. Basically the pendulum of power has swung from the other, but rather than be humble about it and just enjoy a series that isn't being overly thrown in everyone's face, the anti-fan's are going overkill.

I'm with you, let them flame each other to death all across 2-Chan or wherever and now I can finally sit back and watch a Kyoto Animation series without the same old drama. Hopefully all of this results in something of an evening factor so that Kyoto Animation is neither God or Devil, but an animation company.

[velocity7]

I don't really get what people are thinking. It's not going to be good because it's Kyoto Animation, it's going to be good because it's like Pani Poni Dash or Azumanga Daioh.

Of course, that's my two cents.

[WanderingKnight]

it's going to be good because it's like Pani Poni Dash or Azumanga Daioh.

The only way I can see it becoming like PPD is if they start throwing away hundreds of references to old anime series--the rest of the comedy seems totally different to me.

And there's no Himeko! How can it ever be like PPD if theres no Himeko!?

[Sai the Dreamer]

I kept my expectations reasonably low when watching, but I have to admit that the really exciting and pumped OP just sets a mood that essentially screams, "Big shiny coolass anime starts now, get ready!" Nonetheless, expectations stayed low, and I was satisfied.

One thing I don't understand from everybody's reactions is the jokes. My Japanese knowledge isn't very good, barely extending beyond basic knowledge, and the jokes still managed to amuse me. Perhaps it's just sophisticated comedy? If you're expecting the punchline to smack you in the face, you haven't quite got it.

But anyway, will wait for the subs before expressing any further opinions.

OT: This topic has been consistently active with 40-50+ viewers for several hours now, and is expanding rather quickly. Even if the series doesn't turn out to be quite that good, I have a feeling there'll be a Lucky Star forum sometime soon.

[velocity7]

Originally Posted by WanderingKnight

The only way I can see it becoming like PPD is if they start throwing away hundreds of references to old anime series--the rest of the comedy seems totally different to me.

And there's no Himeko! How can it ever be like PPD if theres no Himeko!?

Maybe Konata can do a Himeko impression.

[ShadowMercenary]

Originally Posted by velocity7

Maybe Konata can do a Himeko impression.

Konata does have a decent ahoge, so she could probably pull it off.

[Princess_of_Hell]

Originally Posted by velocity7

I don't really get what people are thinking. It's not going to be good because it's Kyoto Animation, it's going to be good because it's like Pani Poni Dash or Azumanga Daioh.

Of course, that's my two cents.

It does have that Pani Poni Dash and Azumanga Daioh feel to it. The OP is just crazy and I can't wait to see people act out the OP like they did the ED of the Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya, the cheerleading and dancing parts of it.

[kira11111]

Lets wait and see, it's only 1 raw... Sure I didn't think the first ep of Lucky Star was great but it certainly wasn't horrible. The va's did a great job the animation was well done... Both sides (for and against) just chill out and look forward to the next ep, save your judgement till we've got 3-4 more eps.

[Daniel E.]

Originally Posted by velocity7

I don't really get what people are thinking. It's not going to be good because it's Kyoto Animation, it's going to be good because it's like Pani Poni Dash or Azumanga Daioh.

Of course, that's my two cents.

It would be nice if this were to be anything like Azumanga Daioh. Then again, I am not gonna hate the show if it ends up being something different.

Never seen Pani Poni Dash so I wont comment on that.

[WanderingKnight]

Never seen Pani Poni Dash so I wont comment on that.

I'll resume it as a high school comedy with a totally freaked out cast of characters which would hold no relation whatsoever to real life, if it weren't for the numerous humorous references to old-time anime and manga, most of which are difficult to get for young and non-Japanese people. But, you can at least enjoy the freakish, freakish characters and Shinbo's state-of-the-art directing style.

[Furudanuki]

Originally Posted by Mentar

Just one little question:

Hand on the heart, and be really honest!

If everything else would have stayed exactly the same, but this show had been done by "WhateverAnimation" instead of KyoAni, would you be here now?

That's hard to answer with a simple "yes" or "no". I knew nothing at all about Lucky☆Star before it was announced as "Kyoto Animation's next project". Because I'd enjoyed KyoAni's work so far it was dead certain that I would do some research and find out what this Lucky☆Star thing might be. Would I have done that research if not for the KyoAni connection? Maybe, maybe not - it would depend on where, how, or if I found out about the series in the first place. But I'm here now because most descriptions of Lucky☆Star I found ran along the lines of "a slice-of-life hybrid of Azumanga Daioh and Genshiken". Azumanga Daioh is one of my two or three favorite shows ever, I enjoyed Genshiken, and I love slice-of-life series in general. So KyoAni or not, I would be checking this series out.

[Matt Soulblade]

ZOMG The opening!!!! Its burning my head :X :X!!!!
I like it anyways

[Kaioshin Sama]

Reading the lolikitsune blog others were talking about, I feel I must have been seperated from this guy at birth as we have the exact same policy on the concept of moe in anime taking the place of real character development and deflecting attention away from important aspects. Or rather "taking" in the past tense.

Alright then, he can take me sword and continue the fighting. Though now, I think he's fighting a phantom as he says its multiplying, but I've realized its retreating quite a bit from the 2004-2006 period. My theory is, if something now exists in small numbers and is no longer encroaching on the territory of my favourite genres, let it exist, plain and simple. I think he may have also wrote this one before he realized others felt the same way. If people are going to worship a series for the silly reasons like those he mentioned I say let them as long as they don't try to convince me otherwise, as they are lost causes and their time of absolute dominance as at an end. This is one of the weirdest days in my life. I think people are actually starting to tire of mindless moe at an accelerated pace, but is that what this series is about even? It has that counterbalance of something to complement the moe that the two previous Kyoto Animation series seemed to lack.

One things for certain, April 2007 has beyond any shadow of any doubt been a 100% revolution in anime. I think we may have truly hit another new age. So now its basically time to sit back and take potshots at the tropes of Moe and Loli culture Jon Stewart style as it can't hurt me anymore. Seems like this summer will be far more fun and not angry like the last one. As FDR once said and I think it applies regarding where Moe is now, "There is nothing to fear but fear itself", he was right and I was wrong for a good year.

[Lunacy]

Originally Posted by Mentar

I for myself would say: "No, I wouldn't be here." And I'm sure I'm not the only one. Too many shows of this style and kind have come and gone more or less unnoticed. If after translation, LS somehow makes it close to Azumanga level, great. So far, (not only) my impression doesn't point in this direction.

I can't help but feel the same way as Mentar after watching the first episode. I have read the first 4 chapters of Lucky Star manga prior to watching the anime, and I started to worry because I thought it was just plain and mediocre. But I still managed to remain excited and hopeful, thinking KyoAni would provide some sort of magic to Lucky Star just as J.C. Staff did for Azumanga Daioh. While I did enjoy Lucky Star for what it is, I can't help but feel something is missing. Perhaps, I hyped up myself too much prior to my viewing. I'm not sure.

Anyway, I am still hopeful and I think, things can go either way for Lucky Star. If anything, I will continue to watch this series just for Konata, alone.

[Sheba]

There are a fight against "moé"???

[Kaioshin Sama]

Originally Posted by Sheba

There are a fight against "moé"???

It was a good one. Basically me and lolikitsune feel (felt in my case) that Moe is (was in my case) taking the place of real character and plot development in anime because it was cheap and fairly easy to recycle the same character types such as Tsundere, Bookish, Kawaii, Loli and settings such as school, small town where magical things happen etc. over and over again and still have people like the characters and the storyline, buy all the DVD's and Merchandise and make the show a success, even though everything was essentially superficial. There's a whole movement called the superflat movement that aims to counter the degradtion of culture in Japan and it frequently targets the Moe aesthetic. I'm something of a veteran of this whole movement, but I don't think its necessary anymore.

You can ask me about the things I saw. I've been all over the internet reading blogs on the Moe aesthetic and opinions on shows where it was deemed to be important to the shows success for the past year and it was kind of scary for a while just how easily people seemed to be lead along (The thing that stuck out the most is nobody really seemed to care about the overall quality of the show as long as an aspect of the show catered to their favourite moe fetishes). It all seems so distant now though, but it was only about a month ago I was slugging it out with these people trying to explain why I felt they were being led along by the nose and that they were basically reversing the relationship so that they were working basically giving away there money to the company rather than the company working hard to earn it. Man do I ever sound like some sort of War Vet . Anyway I've gone home so to speak as a result of the sudden and abrupt return to a normal company/viewer relationship (possibly as a result of the otakus running out of money and the whole pandering style of Moe collapsing upon itself) and it seems like 5 blogs suddenly popped up to do the same thing I'd been doing for a year. Where the heck were you guys like five months ago when I was going John Rambo solo on the industry, when it was really truly necessary.

I wanted to show people an example of the type of comedy that goes into a series like Lucky Star, but the source website is down and thus I can't give my lesson. Maybe tomorrow.

[ShadowMercenary]

Oh, man forgot to post this here almost. Had to mention the nice GAII reference that they managed to put in the preview. I know it'll show up in full next episode, but this was my favorite sight in the preview.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...nluckystar.png

[WanderingKnight]

It was a good one. Basically me and lolikitsune feel (felt in my case) that Moe is (was in my case) taking the place of real character and plot development in anime because it was cheap and fairly easy to recycle the same character types such as Tsundere, Bookish, Kawaii, Loli and settings such as school, small town where magical things happen etc. over and over again and still have people like the characters and the storyline

What you're describing fits more the typical bishoujo game stereotypes than moe stereotypes IMHO. The reason why you're seeing it more in anime is because anime adaptations of bishoujo game characters have been on the rise since bishoujo game designers found out that just making a game only with sex scenes was boring the public, and thus decided to give it a little twist--that twist is now old news, that's why it seems as a common stereotype now. But I hardly see the direct link with moe--although moe is a controversial enough term already. I'd rather see moe as one of the stereotypes of bishoujo games.

[Mirrinus]

How ironic, considering KyoAni's AIR is one of Lolikit's favorite anime, lol...

Anyway, the heat's sorta died down by now, and it seems Lucky☆Star may be able to slip under the radar for a while. At least, I hope so. Too much dorama indeed. ^_^

[Kaioshin Sama]

Originally Posted by WanderingKnight

What you're describing fits more the typical bishoujo game stereotypes than moe stereotypes IMHO. The reason why you're seeing it more in anime is because anime adaptations of bishoujo game characters have been on the rise since bishoujo game designers found out that just making a game only with sex scenes was boring the public, and thus decided to give it a little twist--that twist is now old news, that's why it seems as a common stereotype now. But I hardly see the direct link with moe--although moe is a controversial enough term already. I'd rather see moe as one of the stereotypes of bishoujo games.

Whatever it was Lucky Star has become a lightening rod for a sort of delayed backlash against the whole thing. Maybe a new term is necessary to define what was being pushed during that period. You're right though the primary culprit was the Bishoujo games. That's been scaled back and perhaps that's why the whole moe-like thing has suddenly dried up. Lucky Star not being a bishoujo game like Kyoto Animation is used to adapting, Moe isn't likely to be the main driving point behind the series, but the comedy. On the topic of Haruhi, people are just pissed off that they can't have their Quiet Yuki, Crabby Haruhi and Cutesy Mikuru for at least another year. Though I'd argue there's fare more to the characters than that, that's what the people really want. Just talking about all this is making my head spin as it seems that everything is just a huge mess. It's almost like everything is guilty of something, but at the same time not guilty of anything. It's like the fans want light Moe and they get Lucky Star, but then they don't like it when its not Haruhi or something.

It's a paradox and a lack of commitment or true knowledge of what it is they want, within the fanbase. It's like how in video games when the company does the same thing over and over they get bitched at and then they do something different and get bitched at again. In this case Kyoto animation has gone with light moe comedy like Haruhi again so they get bitched at for the opening being pandering to that style, but then it's not Haruhi again so they get bitched at for it being a 4Koma instead of straight plot progression and the opening is hailed as being exactly like Haruhi' ending. And now that sentence just seems like there's a paradox within a paradox regarding the fans desires. It's.... ARRRRRRGH, it's like an bloody riddle!