Note: I will be talking specifically about the 26 episode TV series
One of the great things about anime is that it allows people (non-Japanese people specifically) to get insight into another culture in a foreign country. Traces of Japanese culture exists in all kinds of anime back through the ages. Nowhere is this insight more clear and pure than in the Slice of Life (SoL) genre. Focusing on day-to-day life in Japan, SoL anime walks a fine line between being interesting/engaging and just being dull. Lucky Star, originally released in 2007, manages to show off enough of Japanese culture and society to be fascinating, but the actual story and character dialogue can take some effort to sit through. Bluntly said, it can get boring for most people.
The show follows the daily lives and adventures of four Japanese high school girls during their last 2 years of high schools. One of the most notable things about the show is the amount of anime references packed into the characters, setting and story despite being a SoL anime through and through. For example, the 4 main characters all fit a particular stereotype that has become a mainstay in modern anime. There's Konata, the lazy otaku. There's Kagami, the doting older sister to Tsukasa, the well-meaning airhead. Finally there's Miyuki, the wispy, almost sickeningly sweet cutie pie rich girl. Over the course of the show, we are introduced to many other characters who fit different stereotypes and cliches in anime, everything from the pervy geek dad to the over frail cousin and many more. The regular cast is colorful and diverse as well as familiar to anybody who regularly watches anime, but I'm not completely sold on the main cast. For example, Konata is lazy, uncaring about her future and kind of a bitch to Kagami about her weight, looks, etc. She then has the gall to get pissy when Kagami does the same to her. None of these traits make her a good person in my eyes, and I don't know how people can forgive all of this because she's relate-able as an otaku. The show attempts to play off Konata and Kagami's jabs at each other, but it gets downright hurtful-sounding after a while.
That's not to say Konata is the only problem with the show. Kagami can be a pain to listen to herself because she is so focused on the future that she will often rag on Konata and Tsukasa because they slack off more. She seems to have grown up too fast and doesn't know how to relax and let her over-maturity slide in favor of enjoying her time in high school more. Tsukasa and Miyuki, to me, are more bearable because I know of someone in real life who is like Tsukasa and Miyuki's warmth and friendliness make her easier to listen to. Another issue is that many of the typical love it or hate it stereotypes that have infested modern anime are present loud and clear in this show. You certainly won't be seeing much in the way of innovation or breaking away from the pack in this show. However, the main issue BY FAR is the overall pacing of the show. Like I said before, SoL anime toes the line between engaging and dull and Lucky Star seems okay with being just plain dull sometimes, especially in conversations between the girls. The show isn't dull across the board through all 26 episodes, in fact the show can get quite interesting at times, but it is the one sticking point that I can see keeping people away or leaving them disliking the show.
So what does Lucky Star get right? Well, it is a fascinating insight into Japanese society and culture. I've learned more about life in Japan from this show than I have from most other sources. If only the show didn't grind itself to a halt to focus on the girls talking about food or Konata procrastinating on homework to the point of absurdity. The show, particularly Konata herself, is also very relate-able for many different kinds of nerds. Some of her best moments come when she's nerding out over the MMORPG that she plays or getting a part time job to fuel her obsessions. The English dub for the most part isn't perfect, but the voices mostly fit the characters personalities and can hold their own compared to similar anime. I can also appreciate how much love there is for nerd culture in the show not limited to just anime. The show will even sometimes take on a look and feel that is a reference in and of itself, such as a driving scene that mirrors Initial-D and some humorous scenes involving over the top action beats centering around getting service from Konata (called "Legendary Girl A" by those side characters). The show as a whole is an entertaining sit when you're expecting how slow it can go, but the first time viewer can easily have trouble sitting through it without just calling it "boring".
Slice of Life anime can be a challenge to sit through if you're expecting engaging action scenes and swift storylines. However, it can be a great genre for the casual viewer or someone looking for a slower-paced kind of anime. While it is understandable that some may dismiss it as "boring", I still can recommend Lucky Star for someone looking to jump into a nerd-loving anime that shows a great deal more Japanese society and culture than one would expect. If you know what you're going to get (and what you're not going to get), Lucky Star can be an entertaining and relaxing anime. If, however, you need action and swift/sweeping storylines, then you might not be able to tolerate Lucky Star's slow and deliberate pace to get to the entertaining/humorous parts.
Recommendation: Worth watching if you know what you're getting into.
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