Lucky Star - Episode 11 Discussion / Poll

[Claies]

Originally Posted by Deathkillz

Pretz > pocky in taste ~

Pretz FTW.

@All the newcomers reading this thread: You're looking at episode 1 last page.

[Scep]

Im not a fan of either =X As for the so called "Asia exotic fare", it's alot easier to find them here in singapore. Well, yea, we're in asia =\ But even for the rare japanese snacks, there are alot of $2 shops here selling japanese stuff, so its not hard to find them.

[Kyuusai]

Originally Posted by Skane

I can vouch for their quality, and I must say... it is weird to see you people treat them as "exotic fare" when they are basically sold EVERYWHERE over here.

[Just like Pocky... that damn thing is so common here, it boggles my mind that people "worship" it so much. There are much better Japanese snacks out there, like "Hello Panda"]

Cheers.

Like Vexx said, simply the rarity can create a frenzy for these foods. If I could just FIND some azuki beans or some glutenous rice flower, I probably wouldn't dream about taiyaki and daifuku.

I see another element, too: The relative quality.

Ramen has become a tremendously popular item in the US, but our ramen is absolutely AWFUL. Poor college students will buy US ramen for US$0.15 a package, while an incredibly cheap package from China, Korea, or Thailand might sit on the shelf in the "Asian Food Section" for US$3 or so.

Nearly the entirety of the mainstream grocery market is that way over here. Due to various reasons (mostly political, a little economic), the typical quality of food here is terrible. Most snacks don't use sugar, but instead corn syrup. Almost everything has all sorts of ingredients one would never ingest knowingly (and I mean the sorts of things that come out of a mine, not off of a farm), all for the sake of cutting production costs or increasing shelf life by marginal amounts.

For these reasons, when I'm in other non-famine-stricken countries, I frequently have to surpress squeals of joy at the grocery store. The food is just so much better than it is here. Often even the same brands, supposedly the same products, but different ingredients, and far better flavor (oh, and less deadly). I know that each country has it's own food-quality issues, but those are the things I note.

Along the same lines as my suitcase-burdening fascination with grocery shopping as an expat, our local organic food stores, or ethnic food stores that import their stocks, tend to be small, but their customer base tends to be fanatic.

And Pocky? You should be very happy if you have better snacks than Pocky.
I was a Pocky fanatic for many years before it came to the US, because my family would often bring it back from trips to Japan. Compared to anything else I'd ever eaten, it was heaven in my mouth. I'm not sure if it's acclimation or a difference in manufacturing, but the domestically produced Pocky I buy now just doesn't strike me the same way the foreign-manufactured stuff did, although it beats any other local candies by a mile. Maybe your local Pocky just isn't that good? I still have nightmares of the far-beyond-expired Thai Pocky I once bought by accident.

[Konata-chan]

Originally Posted by Shiroth

I don't know about you, but i found that the fun began back with the first episode. :3

I also love this series and I enjoy its comedic elements, I was specifically referring to the introduction of cousin Yutaka.

I have a Japanese supermarket, but it's ~30 minutes away from my house. They offer up almost everything that I could want: melonpan, dorayaki, senbei, different flavors of Pocky. They occasionally sell taiyaki outside the store, but I've never been quite that lucky to catch that time. Nothing beats a nice Taiyaki. As for ramen, they have a huge selection too, but my Japanese isn't that great to actually follow the instructions. There's this one ramen my Japanese TA gave to me, and that still is the best tasting instant ramen I've ever eaten, too bad I can't find the specific brand.

Getting shocked... it happens during winter, and that's why I avoid wearing long-sleeved shirts during that time, but it also occurs during the summer for some weird reason. Last time I went grocery shopping I got shocked once every 5 minutes.

[Claies]

Originally Posted by Kyuusai

Like Vexx said, simply the rarity can create a frenzy for these foods. If I could just FIND some azuki beans or some glutenous rice flower, I probably wouldn't dream about taiyaki and daifuku.

I see another element, too: The relative quality.

Ramen has become a tremendously popular item in the US, but our ramen is absolutely AWFUL. Poor college students will buy US ramen for US$0.15 a package, while an incredibly cheap package from China, Korea, or Thailand might sit on the shelf in the "Asian Food Section" for US$3 or so.

Nearly the entirety of the mainstream grocery market is that way over here. Due to various reasons (mostly political, a little economic), the typical quality of food here is terrible. Most snacks don't use sugar, but instead corn syrup. Almost everything has all sorts of ingredients one would never ingest knowingly (and I mean the sorts of things that come out of a mine, not off of a farm), all for the sake of cutting production costs or increasing shelf life by marginal amounts.

For these reasons, when I'm in other non-famine-stricken countries, I frequently have to surpress squeals of joy at the grocery store. The food is just so much better than it is here. Often even the same brands, supposedly the same products, but different ingredients, and far better flavor (oh, and less deadly). I know that each country has it's own food-quality issues, but those are the things I note.

Along the same lines as my suitcase-burdening fascination with grocery shopping as an expat, our local organic food stores, or ethnic food stores that import their stocks, tend to be small, but their customer base tends to be fanatic.

Damn right. In America, we pay more for sucky groceries. What's up with that?! And then they say they're healthier because they use those 15 kinds of substitutes for fat and sugar and forgo the salt, which is what they should have done in the first place. Lately I started applying the same mentality with American brands as I do with stuff from the Chinese mainland: If they look weird or you can't tell what it is, and in case of doubt, just leave it alone, cheap prices and curiosity be damned.

Don't ever let me live in Japan. I might loathe America forever if I get used to Japanese quality.

Originally Posted by Kyuusai

And Pocky? You should be very happy if you have better snacks than Pocky.
I was a Pocky fanatic for many years before it came to the US, because my family would often bring it back from trips to Japan. Compared to anything else I'd ever eaten, it was heaven in my mouth. I'm not sure if it's acclimation or a difference in manufacturing, but the domestically produced Pocky I buy now just doesn't strike me the same way the foreign-manufactured stuff did, although it beats any other local candies by a mile. Maybe your local Pocky just isn't that good? I still have nightmares of the far-beyond-expired Thai Pocky I once bought by accident.

Maybe I just got too used to Pocky. I'm with those who don't understand why it's so good. Maybe it's not a filling snack - it doesn't feel as big as a cookie or a potato chip no matter how much of it you eat, you know?

[Asshole rant]Speaking of potato chips, American ones suck too.[/Asshole rant]

[Risaa]

Originally Posted by Claies

Maybe I just got too used to Pocky. I'm with those who don't understand why it's so good. Maybe it's not a filling snack - it doesn't feel as big as a cookie or a potato chip no matter how much of it you eat, you know?

[Asshole rant]Speaking of potato chips, American ones suck too.[/Asshole rant]

Quite a few years ago, I tried Pocky, was unimpressed, and switched to Yan Yan stick snacks. Recently I've gone back to Pocky because I've discovered the mousse choco and strawberry flavor. I don't see why people eat the regular choco Pocky... it's rather plain and boring IMO... you just have to find the right flavors. I prefer Pocky kinds that are heavier on the choco (or strawberry or milk) than the stick itself.

I sent my own asshole rant to a "chip taster" guy online who dismissed Japanese and Korean chips (specifically cuttlefish and squid flavored) as the grossest chips in existence.

And I agree... Miko Kagami and Tsukasa are *adorable!* [*fangirl squee*]

[Mirrinus]

I confess...I actually don't like pocky all that much. I dislike dry snacks, and even the strawberry flavor doesn't help...I don't like artificial strawberry flavors very much. But then again, I'm very much not a snacking type.

[Kinny Riddle]

Originally Posted by Skane

I can vouch for their quality, and I must say... it is weird to see you people treat them as "exotic fare" when they are basically sold EVERYWHERE over here.

[Just like Pocky... that damn thing is so common here, it boggles my mind that people "worship" it so much. There are much better Japanese snacks out there, like "Hello Panda"]

Cheers.

Wow, people actually think Demae Itcho ramen is exotically tasty?

While they are okay in terms of taste, as someone who occasionally lives alone and has to make his own meals, already I'm sick of the sight of it. For people in East Asia, instant noodles is more like a ration than a food, kind of like canned spam.

[Claies]

Originally Posted by Kinny Riddle

Wow, people actually think Demae Itcho ramen is exotically tasty?

While they are okay in terms of taste, as someone who occasionally lives alone and has to make his own meals, already I'm sick of the sight of it. For people in East Asia, instant noodles is more like a ration than a food, kind of like canned spam.

Well hey...it's what I ate when I couldn't think of anything to eat.

[Kyuusai]

Originally Posted by Kinny Riddle

Wow, people actually think Demae Itcho ramen is exotically tasty?

While they are okay in terms of taste, as someone who occasionally lives alone and has to make his own meals, already I'm sick of the sight of it. For people in East Asia, instant noodles is more like a ration than a food, kind of like canned spam.

Many college students that had to survive on instant ramen agree with you.

I can't stand to look at the stuff after my school-days. But as tired as you may be of your ramen, just imagine how bad our ramen here must be if we think of yours as a special treat.

[nanafan]

some types of ramen are good then some suck. i used to like the maruchan cup o'noodles which had artificial flavors in beef, chicken, etc...i can't say that i have had the plan ramen in a long time.

[Vexx]

Basic ramen packs constitute a significant part of our "earthquake rations". But its nice for a smackerel or late-night nummy

[Claies]

Kagami: Ohh!
Tsukasa: Ohh!
Miyuki: Ohh!
Kagami: No!
Konata: Yes!
Konata’s dad: STROOONGER!!!!

It just occured to me that we must never show this phrase to people who have never watched the episode, especially the more imaginative types. I had exactly that reaction when I first saw you Japanese-able people put it on the first couple pages.

[AlphaDragoon]

Total aww-inducing moment with Konata and her dad (when she gets him the present) > everything else in this ep.

[TheWindKnight]

Ah hah hah, pocky. You know, in my old high school, in the anime club (I had to be there--I was elected president when I was still a weeaboo -.-), everyone LOVED pocky. I always thought it was okay, but only if it was priced cheaply and the strawberry kind with the little bits of real strawberry. But Waffo and I had a discussion about it one day and why everyone loved it. And I we figure it's only because they want to be like anime characters, not because anyone really likes it. Hey, I'd rather have the e-mail iluvgirlswithglasses@yahoo.com than a box of pocky any day.

That e-mail is taken, by the way. Anyone know who has it? ^^;


And, heh. All the talking about missing the train? I used to miss my stop on the bus on the way home when i was a freshman because I'd fallen asleep. I think final period math class did me in.

[Kaioshin Sama]

Here's how the snack foods break down for me in terms of favourites:

Tomyum Korean Soup (Only available at one store that specializes in imported Asian food in the city next over as far as I know)

Banana Flavoured Pocky

Chicken/Beef Kimchi (Randomly in stock at Costco)

Chicken/Beef Mr. Noodles Brand Ramen (If all other choices are exhausted which is pretty often).

[Skane]

Originally Posted by Kyuusai

~
And Pocky? You should be very happy if you have better snacks than Pocky.
I was a Pocky fanatic for many years before it came to the US, because my family would often bring it back from trips to Japan. Compared to anything else I'd ever eaten, it was heaven in my mouth. I'm not sure if it's acclimation or a difference in manufacturing, but the domestically produced Pocky I buy now just doesn't strike me the same way the foreign-manufactured stuff did, although it beats any other local candies by a mile. Maybe your local Pocky just isn't that good? I still have nightmares of the far-beyond-expired Thai Pocky I once bought by accident.

To avoid further misunderstandings, I am not saying that Pocky is terrible. Pocky IS a nice snack, and if offered some, I will gladly take it.

What baffles me is the level of adoration that some people have for it, as though they think it is the food of Gods or something.

Cheers.

[bball_machine]

Konata’s dad: STROOONGER!!!!

Perhaps not everyone knows this, so I would like to bring it up. When Konata's Dad said the above, wasn't he making reference to Kamen Rider Stronger? Rider Stronger uses electric attacks, so I thought maybe Konata's father was referring to him?

[saihamaru]

i lol'd harrrrdddddd

[Kyuusai]

Originally Posted by Skane

What baffles me is the level of adoration that some people have for it, as though they think it is the food of Gods or something.

I just meant that, compared to what else we in the US have available as commercial snack foods... it kind of is. Everything is relative and subject to opinion, of course.

I personally developed a liking for it just based on the taste back when it wasn't really available in the US and so I treasured each box like gold (gosh, thinking back that must have been twenty years ago... I feel old.), but I freely admit that many people seem to enjoy it a little too much just because it's Japanese. It wasn't until I encountered the recent Japanophile Pocky-obsession that I really understood what "weeaboo" meant. If one can buy it at Wal-Mart, one has no need to get that danged excited about it!

Originally Posted by bball_machine

Konata’s dad: STROOONGER!!!!

Perhaps not everyone knows this, so I would like to bring it up. When Konata's Dad said the above, wasn't he making reference to Kamen Rider Stronger? Rider Stronger uses electric attacks, so I thought maybe Konata's father was referring to him?

You are correct, sir!

I really enjoyed hearing Konata's dad doing this. Not only does it reinforce his fun-loving nature, but it shows that galge aren't his only source of amusement.