Lucky ☆ Star

I am moved.

There exists an anime that actually seems realistic but with the familiar anime vibe you're accustomed to. Slice of life, shojo, and comical, it kind of emulates other anime through it to make you forget how realistic it can be. Sometimes spastic, the story is able to convey growth and depth as well as a connection and a sense of familiarity to its viewers.

Lucky Star is all that and a bag of chips. It's not without its flaws, however. It obviously has a source audience, the crowd the inspiration for the show is drawn from, and that obviously isn't American teenage life. Unfortunately(and yet fortunately) the show draws from Japanese teenage life, particularly high school age and high school life. This may be the only(read: one of many but it kinda depends on you) difference you find with the show and your life but it is probably the most dramatic. Japanese customs are very different from our own and when the way we were brought up is compared, we tend to be critical or judgmental.

In this respect, I can safely say this anime is for most audiences with a grain of salt taken to each. If you are a comedy fan, there are plenty of comedic sequences. If you are a moe fan, then this is packed full of moe awesomeness. If you are a shojo fan, then you won't be surprised by any of the events in the show but more so the presentation and delivery which, by the way, they are awesome at.

However, if you aren't an otaku by trade, or comedy isn't your thing(don't act like these people don't exist), or moe/shojo seems overdone or overused to you, don't burden yourself with laboring through this anime because it doesn't attempt to overcoat any of this with something else. It is what it is. Moe, shojo, slice of life, and comedy. That being said, if you are able to watch things because you are open minded of an anime lover in general, then little things like these wont bother you and you can enjoy this anime for what it's worth.

This is, in my opinion, another "if you already like anime like this then you'll like this one too" kind of anime. I know, I know some plot points, story lines, and character designs/archetypes are overused but I implore you to discover something original anywhere in your life. Someone or something has come before and someone or something will come after. It is inevitable and pointless to argue or discuss. In fact, you waste your time thinking of counter arguments instead of just enjoying these things for their own sake.

Back-story is a little lacking and that is evident, but you know the types; They are friends, they are in high school, they are preparing for the rest of their lives - Comedy ensues. A very Robot Chicken aspect is the scene hopping, but they do it without TV static and with more continuity. You almost feel like you're skipping through their lives but in a sense that almost without your knowledge(because events and actions are so similar to real life[or real life if you were Japanese]) that these characters become more human and more lovable. Even some of the comedy in the show directly emulates situations you can find yourself in.

I don't do this type of thing to convince anyone to watch anything, but I also don't do it to berate the anime or their direction artistically or canonically. I think this is another anime that was well conceived(or converted, although I don't know if there was a manga or if it follows it), well produced, dubbed well, and presented to the audience well. If we could only judge an anime on its value as an entertainment tool we could rate this one highly without question. Even so, I'll leave the final call to you guys. I only hope this blog entry let you know what you might find yourself in before jumping into it.

The Familiar of Zero - Zero no Tsukaima

Quite surprising, this anime needs just a little less expectation and a little more blank-stared enjoyment. If you need an anime with rich character development and thoughtful organized plot lines you should look elsewhere. I came unto this anime with no reservations and skeptical optimism. I wasn't let down in the slightest. I just wanted an anime I could enjoy without trying to enjoy it or understand it. Delivered. Here's the thing though, otaku know the difference between anime experiences they enjoy, so much so that a casual anime watched may pass off some animes as a droning misappropriation of your time. But we know.

Lighthearted. I felt almost as if I was being relaxed by the playful nature of the story and the easiness of its presentation. Easy to understand characters and easy to understand plot almost seems like you won't be challenged enough to continue to watch but there are little things here and there that keep you adequately engaged. I know for me that there was at least a time or two when I actually "lol"d. Maybe even "rofl"d.
A new constant. Magic and travel, not just through space or time but dimensions. These seem to be relatively overused plot objects but in this anime, they are almost portrayed as reverse cliches. Almost like they didn't describe things because you've heard it all before and instead let you assume you knew some things about magic academies and ancient villages and towns.
"There's a hole in my plot!" Like anything else, there are flaws. There is direct over usage of plot devices also. Fan-service is one. I mean, it's an equation that works honestly. It may have been driven a bit far at times but it usually ends up in scenarios that are intentionally comical and the enjoyment of the audience really should be the scriptwriter's/artist's first priority anyways. Tsundere. Almost played perfectly here. In my mind's eye, Louise will always be the prototypical tsundere into the hereafter. If you've seen it, than you know why. She's the archetype now and if you tsundere is a plot design you fall for for anime, stop what you're doing and head on over to watch this.
All-in-all. I was politely amused the whole time I watched. I got all four seasons and I liked them all pretty much equally. They weren't very long seasons or episodes, but completely enjoyable.

Whether you do or you don't watch, I would recommend it solely for an entertainment purpose. I mean, you only live once right? lol