Ask John: Will Lucky Star Explode in Popularity in America?

Question:
When do you think the Lucky Star blitz might happen in the U.S.?

Answer:
In the context of this discussion I think it’s fair and appropriate to compare Lucky Star to The Melancholy of Suzumiya Haruhi since the Suzumiya Haruhi anime was the last show to attain a cult following comparable to the fan following for Lucky Star. Like The Melancholy of Suzumiya Haruhi, both Suzumiya Haruhi and Lucky Star are slice-of-life comedies about Japanese high school girls, both series poke fun at their own genres, and both titles have been tremendously popular in Japan and America. The Suzumiya Haruhi anime has been licensed for American release, and I fully expect to eventually see the Lucky Star anime series officially hit American home video. But despite their similarities, there’s a subtle but very important difference between the Suzumiya Haruhi and Lucky Star anime that may prevent Lucky Star from generating the degree of popularity in America that Suzumiya Haruhi did.

Like Suzumiya Haruhi, Lucky Star makes fun of the stereotypes and conventions of anime and anime fans. The significant difference for American viewers, however, lies in the fact that the Suzumiya Haruhi anime cynically criticizes otaku expectations while Lucky Star warmly respects them. American fans adore the way Suzumiya Haruhi’s Kyon criticizes all of Haruhi’s idiosyncrasies, and love the way Haruhi recognizes and realizes otaku stereotypes, like wishing for “little sister” and “mysterious transfer student” type characters. American fans love the meta-cinematic self-referentiality of the Suzumiya Haruhi anime because its atmosphere is one of being wiser and more sophisticated than conventional anime. Lucky Star, however, doesn’t adopt an elitist, external observer’s perspective on anime. Lucky Star humorously points out and encourages otaku stereotypes. The Suzumiya Haruhi anime is distinctly anti-moe. Mikuru, the conventionally “moe” character, is frequently the butt of jokes. She’s a helpless, victimized, ineffective character. Suzumiya Haruhi herself is an aggressive, outgoing, progressive young woman character. Lucky Star takes the opposite path by reveling it its “moe” status. The Lucky Star girls are adorable and cuddly. The Lucky Star anime itself uses a soft, soothing color palate that’s totally opposite of the crisp, sharp, realistic color and design of the Suzumiya Haruhi anime. In effect, Lucky Star emphasizes the opposite characteristics to those that made the Suzumiya Haruhi anime popular in America.

Lucky Star indulges in its otaku references, filling the show with obvious references to other anime including The Melancholy of Suzumiya Haruhi, Full Metal Panic, Initial D, ToHeart, Code Geass, and Anime Tenchou, references to otaku pursuits like video games, Comic Market, cosplay cafes, Animate and Toranoana stores, Otome Road, and more. Furthermore, characteristics like Patricia referring to Japanese popular culture and otaku landmarks as Japan’s “holy places,” and Minoru Shiraishi’s comically inept ending theme singing are presented lovingly. Instead of being used as satire, these elements create an atmosphere of camaraderie among otaku – a feeling of acceptance and communal spirit. The Suzumiya Haruhi anime feels like a show that encourages otaku to laugh at themselves. The Lucky Star anime feels like a show that encourages otaku to laugh with each other. And that may be precisely why Lucky Star may not become quite as popular in America as the Suzumiya Haruhi anime.

The Lucky Star anime has been much too successful in Japan not to reach America. I think that it may be taken for granted that the series will eventually be licensed for American release, but since I have no “insider” knowledge regarding its licensing status, any estimates I make are merely speculative guesses. An American distribution license for the Suzumiya Haruhi anime was announced eight months after the series’ Japanese premier. If the exact same thing were to happen with Lucky Star, we wouldn’t hear of an American license until December. My gut instinct tells me to expect an American license announcement for Lucky Star next spring. Whenever an American license and release of Lucky Star is announced, I’m sure that there will be some celebration among American fans, but I don’t think that the anticipation and fan demand for Lucky Star in America will ever be as big as the American fan following for Suzumiya Haruhi. The Melancholy of Suzumiya Haruhi is distinctly self-conscious. Lucky Star is self-indulgent. The former allows American viewers to feel removed from being typical otaku. The Melancholy of Suzumiya Haruhi is popular among Americans because it allows viewers to feel like they’re smarter than typical sheep-like otaku that adore simplistic, cute anime designed to sell merchandising. Lucky Star specifically is the simplistic, cute anime designed to sell merchandising; it knows that it’s that type of anime, and it celebrates the fact. That’s precisely why I don’t think Lucky Star will ever reach an unrivaled level of frenzy in America.