First Impressions / Lucky Star

Random Snippets of Lucky Star Episode 11:

“Napology”
Ever fall asleep on the bus or the subway? And then totally miss your stop? I think I remember it happening on the Simpson’s…then on Ai Yori Aoshi – I’m sure there’s plenty of other examples. Except nobody else is able to…uh, what’s the word…turn it into a science? Talk up a storm? Nobody can do a spontaneous vocal thesis on nap-ology quite like these Lucky Star girls…

In related news, nobody can say “poka poka” quite like Hirano Aya.

So why is it when you hit the snooze or tell people to let you sleep a little longer, it’s always 5 minutes? Told you it was a science.

Konata then puts science to work with a short demonstration. Note that the demo comes after the explanation, so it makes a lot more sense!

—-

“Synonym”
Kagami> Agh, I didn’t get to study enough…
Konata> Hoh, I studied so much!
Miyuki> So how long did you each study?
Kagami> Only four hours!
Konata> Four whole hours!
K & K> eh

—-

“Shattered”
Tsukasa> So Kona-chan, when did you stop believing in Santa?
Konata> Eh? He’s not real?
Tsukasa> OH SHI-

—-

“Early Celebration”
Ooh, Christmas is coming up (apparently Japanese celebrate Christmas in June…kinda like how Australians have it in the Summer!!). Parties? Shrine visits? That means new outfits and costumes, right? woohoo

Later, some talk about Christmas cakes. Why don’t Americans have this tradition? Oh well, I prefer turkey and ham anyway.

—-

“Siskel and Neesan”
As a dedicated, disciplined, actual policewoman, officer Yui gives a resounding thumbs down to television police dramas. Those weaklings!

—-

“A Father’s Love”
Dad> Dammit Konata, where have you been! Look at the time!
Kona> Merry Christmas dad~ here’s your present
Dad> T_T

—-

“Empathy”
Kona> Ah, time to log some time
Kona> Hey, sensei is online
Kona> T_T

—-

Today’s Karaoke: The Doraemon theme song, Doraemon no Uta, by Tsukasa and Miyuki. Awwww

Preview

“Impressions”
It’s pretty clear at this point that the producers are trying to strike a balance between the episodes where “stuff happens” and the episodes where they just talk and talk. Sure, the the beach ep was great fun, but then again, so was this episode, just for the sheer amazement of the fact that such simple subjects as falling asleep on a train could drive a conversation that was not only substantial but also rather amusing. I’m sure the Hirano Effect had something to do with it, but even moreso, it’s like the 4 girls have become my friends and I just like being around them. Yea, it sounds cheesy, but then again, so are most conversations we have with our friends, and yet we do it hours upon hours every week.

Strange how that works out, isn’t it? Anime characters, much like real life, can come in several flavors, including those that we look up to and idolize, and those that are our friends (then there’s those that we crave and want MOAR but that’s another discussion). Hero characters like uh…Nanoha and ehm… Kira Yamato are ones we love to watch because they do fantastic things. They are, however, idealized characters that could never be a real person. The ones we truly treasure, then, are our friends, those people that are just as human as the rest of us. We love them not for what they can do, but who they are.

There, I said it. I’m in love with Lucky Star. I can’t live without it.

-jaalin

30 Comments

  9. another funny episode ^^

    *mewmew’s guide to some of the dialogue*
    -a *considerably* long chat on falling asleep in trains
    -tsukasa mentions how it is easy to doze off inside the train during winter, since the train seats have heaters installed underneath them (i can personally confirm that this is TRUE)
    -the usage of “just 5 more min” to snooze a little bit more/other things
    -midterm study habits!!! konata is proud of studying for 4 hours, while kagami complains of “only” studying 4 hours
    -useless fact: for some reason, all the written answers on kagami’s exam starts with the surname “ohno/ono” (in kanji)
    -konata/kagami talk about how tsukasa isnt much of a source of competition/rivalry for kagami academically
    -santa talk
    -kagami realizes that she spends a lot of time in tsukasa/miyuki/konata’s class
    -cultural ref. about the frequent appearance of katsudon in police dramas
    -konata’s cousin’s voice/silhouette appears! (she looks like she is credited at the same section as the 4 main characters)
    -cupnoodle!
    -kuroi sensei buys a xmas cake that was 50% off…after xmas
    -static electricity. konata’s dad seems to enjoy getting zapped by it

    -lucky channel segment has akira gushing with joy as she *announces* how she will appear in konata’s scl soon (next episode?) we also get to see minoru’s eyes (green) for what is probably the first time ever

    -ED: doraemon!!!! konata imitates the tagline: “hai! takecoputaa!!” only to have kagami respond with “nitene!!!” (you dont sound like him!!!)

    mewmew
    Reply

  11. This show is neat in terms of cultural reference. I sometimes don’t get the humor (especially the older anime references), but I’m LOVING the oddball cultural stuff.

    Thanks to jaalin, omni, mewmew, and everyone else who helps out with explaining what’s going on. It’s fun to read! 🙂

    kdp
    Reply

  16. @mewmew: We’ve seen Minoru’s eyes before – he opened it for a brief moment while imagining himself with TWIN DORIRUUUU!!!

    Curry cup noodle = awesome. I hate America for not having that.

    Claies
    Reply

  18. @holybell84.
    elastic handles on trains are common (more like a given) in japan, esp. considering the sheer number of ppl that use it everyday (commuting on same train lines in tokyo is a nightmare in the “peak hours” on weekdays)

    @claies.
    thank you for the reminder ^^; goes to show that i dont have the ebst of memories >.>

    mewmew
    Reply

  19. Yes, the next preview really seems like higurashi～
    お祭りへいこう (Let’s go to the festival) is the next episode title.
    I want to see a Konata with cleaver :3

    Mi-chan
    Reply

  24. “The ones we truly treasure, then, are our friends, those people that are just as human as the rest of us. We love them not for what they can do, but who they are.”

    Thank you very much for looking at anime writing not as ANIME writing, but as writing in general. These kinds of characters are very endearing, and while the occasional Monkey D. Luffy or Kamina is awesome to cheer on, it’s always the Usopp (or in this case) the Lucky Star girls who put the really big smile on your, the viewer’s, face.

    Oh yeah, and while I love Seinfeld, I wouldn’t quite want those assholes to be my friends. Except maybe Kramer, but then I’d never see half my stuff again.

    Anonymooo
    Reply

  26. “it’s like the 4 girls have become my friends and I just like being around them”

    I totally agree with you jaalin, after LS I noticed so many random conversations with my own friends..[like “is it still iced tea if there’s no ice?”] and we’re in college XD (which makes it more humorous that we’re bored enough to come up with that sort of stuff, lol), and every time I watch LS it’s like being with friends again, just cherishing those conversations and enjoying their company.

    I truly love this anime and all those people who say they don’t watch it because they “don’t get the references” are missing out on everything else.

    ShinSenshi
    Reply

  29. the show’s setting is now in winter, notice the uniform and x’mas + new year.

    Show Spoiler ▼

    playmore
    Reply

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