Lucky Star 20 – talking about things I did as an Otaku living in Japan.

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It’s rather difficult for me to review Lucky Star, because unlike Claymore, it’s really talking about nothing, sometimes about Otaku-nothings. But anyway, finally something I can actually post something about.

In Japan, when I buy figurines at that small city (Fukuyama for anyone who cares to know), I used to just stare at them intensely and trust my instincts – which are pretty good, and I used to not get a lot of repeats. But then, I started getting some repeats. So what could I do?

I remember going to a fairly close bigger city (Okayama), and seeing some glass-wearing, greasy guy with a pony tail shaking the boxes, before he finally settling on one box and then it just clicked for me! Shaking the boxes can help determine the content!

When I went to Animate in Akiba, I saw a sign that made me laugh. The sign translates in English roughly said: Do not shake the boxes to determine the contents or we might ask you to leave (at least I know the first part of my translation is correct).

It was fun to see Konata talking about it in this episode. So that’s why when I went to some stores in bigger cities in Japan I see there are boxes taken in random order and not one next to each other. It’s like someone picked and chose.

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It was shocking to hear that she said some people can even do the “shaking” method with collectible cards…O____o that’s scary….

Other parts of the episode have usual banter and fun. There’s a little discussion about how Otaku men often wish to find Otaku women (very true), but it doesn’t seem like Otaku women want to find Otaku men (because women are plain picky and often demands more dream-like qualities XD). I really like the Fist of the North Star reference, because I grow up in the 80’s as a kid. More Japanese specific humor follows.

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A blatant Haruhi promotional fanservice…I mean a Haruhi “commerical” is placed in it, and I was reminded that one of the bloggers on animeblogger.net said that Lucky Star is like an informerical for Haruhi. Sometimes that just seems so true. In the lucky channel of this episode, Koizumi from Haurhi, shows up and plays as himself for a few-second role.

At the end, Hirashi goes crazy again and plays a cheerleader this time with pon-pons. I don’t find him funny anymore; I think he’s rather annoying.

Other things I did as an Otaku in Japan (that Konata talked about) – buying the second book of the stack even though the first one looks perfectly nice and clean. Buying a lot of a certain kind of food products to collect a certain item (I already forgot what it is and I had to throw the stupid things away 2 years ago because I moved to Taiwan), buying a manga/book/magazine just because of the little figuring that it gives (often sucks).

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Anyway, as a comedy, so far I don’t favor this over Azumanga Daioh, and also a lot of references in this show are still beyond my grasp simply because I’m American and not Japanese. However, I love this show fir its specific brand of quirkiness. To try to give this a fair rating, I’d say:

88% recommended for your daily anime diet. I added 6 points for the work of the seiyuus. This show is not medicre, but without these people voice acting and without its Otaku references, I would not find it funny at all.

P.S. Still reading? YOU ARE ALREADY DEAD! XD

P.S. No you’re not. That was the First of North Star reference.

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Author: Ray

I'm a hardcore Anime Fan and I'm proud of it. I know so many things and I've acquired so much knowledge you wouldn't believe. But my love is anime. I've been drifting in this world for so long that I don't even know what an anchor means. I've seen so many shows that I've lost count. The only thing I'm sure of myself is that I care for the lowly and disenfranchised. I hate the rich and powerful and I love what I do, or what I can do. I like anime and I don't mind watching different types of shows. I have experience in different types of Japanese animation. I would be called an "expert" in a bizzaro world. One day, I'd like to start a revolution. I love the US, pizza, beer, sashimi, Chinese food, and steak. But I love freshly baked bread more than a well-aged steak. In reality, if I were born Japanese I'd be a real, hardcore Otaku. I love to love and I can hate strongly. I'm passionate in nature and I don't mind shedding tears. I can be reached at rayyhum777 at animediet. My Twitter is rayyhum777 at twitter.

4 thoughts on “Lucky Star 20 – talking about things I did as an Otaku living in Japan.

  1. Great stories about inspecting and shaking the boxes. I had no idea people actually did that! Or that it worked, for that matter…

    I used to frequent Akiba and Nakano Broadway quite a lot and never noticed anyone doing that. Then again, I generally wasn’t as interested in the figurines as some people were.

    I agree that Lucky Star seems to be running out of steam. Mr. Izumi + Fist of the North Star reference was definitely the highlight of the episode, though, and made up for all the slow parts.

  2. Well, you know, I actually didn’t see them doing that in Akiba either. I think by the time I started visiting there on holidays, the stores have already put up these signs.
    Yeah, Lucky Star suffers a lot of the same problems as other comedy shows, especially these aimed at Otaku. The biggest problem of course is slowing down and getting old/boring/over used. Because there are only so many things one can talk about the Otaku lifestyle.

  3. looks great, i stumbled across it wheni was on youtube and looks very cute, but do you know where i can find it in english or with english subs?

  4. Cody – you can find these on AnimeSuki.com, if you’re actually interested. And no, we’re NOT INTERESTED in buying anything or any services. 😉

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