Lucky Star

Lucky ☆ Star (らき☆すた, raki☆suta) deals with the lives of four young girls as they start their second year in high school and their unique and entertaining way of seeing aspects of life that, one way or another, are often overlooked in the real world, making the audience identify themselves at various points in the series.

The anime series is originally based on the 4koma (four paneled comic) series by the same name that was created by Kagami Yoshimizu.

Mainly a comedy series. The anime often breaks convention by being aware of the various other manga and anime series in Japan. It is very much a pop culture driven series that pokes fun of and parodies modern culture.

Much like with a similar series, Azumanga Daioh, there is no true consistent plot to the over all story.

A popular series that is frequently parodied in Lucky ☆ Star is another creation of Kyoto Animation. The mega hit The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya. In one episode the voice actor for Haruhi Suzumiya, Aya Hirano, appears as herself performing in a concert of songs from the The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya anime.

Production & Directors

The anime series was produced by Kyoto Animation. Originally directed by Yutaka Yamamoto. He directed the first four episodes, but was replaced by Kyoto Animation. A statement was released that they did not believe his work had reached the proper standard. He was replaced for the remainder of the series by Yasuhiro Takemoto.

Cast & Voice Actors

The main cast of the series Lucky ☆ Star are four girls named Konata Izumi, Kagami Hiiragi, Tsukasa Hiiragi, and Miyuki Takara. As the story progresses, a large cast of supporting characters was added.

Konata Izumi

Konata is the classic ideal character of the otaku (geek). Under her father's care after her mother's death. She grew up with a strong appreciation for technology, anime, manga, games, and figures.

Her personality is very laid back and happy. Her interests are more toward games and manga than school studies. She lives her life around the schedule of animes, and draws comparisons of things in life to what she has seen in manga/anime.

Voice Actors:

Japanese- Aya Hirano

English- Wendee Lee

Kagami Hiiragi

Kagami is the best friend and classmate to Konata. Normally, she is a rather brash and aggressive person. She is more often the straightman to Konata's commentary and jokes. Her personality is often closer to a tsundere character. She is a hard studier and earns high marks in school because of it.

Though she has enjoyed some manga and anime. She more looks down on the whole otaku culture of obsession.

She has a twin sister in the same school, but not in the same class. Kagami is the responsible one of her many sisters.

Voice Actors:

Japanese- Emiri Katou

English- Kari Wahlgren

Tsukasa Hiiragi

Tsukasa is the twin sister of Kagami Hiiragi. Though they are twin sisters. Their personalities are very much different. Though Kagami is more sharp and aggressive. Tsukasa is more ditsy, gentle and practical. She follows the more moe style character.

The main way that Tsukasa is identified from her twin is that she has short hair. Where she excels above her sister is in cooking and other home crafts.

Voice Actors:

Japanese- Kaori Fukuhara

English- Michelle Ruff

Miyuki Takara

Miyuki is one of the lesser seen of the four main characters of the series. She is another timid and clumsy young girl character. Also a timid nature, but still gets good grades in class. She also has very proper manners and doesn't seem to like upsetting anyone. This causes her to apologize when not meeting someone's expectations.

When she does play games. Her personality has a noticeable change.

She is the only one of the four main characters that wears glasses. Without she can not see. She also has the largest bust of the four.

Voice Actors:

Japanese- Aya Endou

English- Karen Strassman

Soundtrack

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