History Manga / LuckyStar

The manga began serialization in ''Comptiq'' in 2003, and went on hiatus in 2014 until it come back to serialization in 2022, this time in the magazine ''MITAINA!''. Creator/KyotoAnimation used the manga as the basis for a highly successful {{anime}} series in 2007, which got acquired for American distribution by Creator/BandaiEntertainment, and dubbed by Creator/BangZoomEntertainment with around the same casting as ''LightNovel/HaruhiSuzumiya''... or some of the in-jokes would not be translatable at all. Most of the {{Otaku}} references were in fact [=KyoAni=]'s own additions (the original manga was mainly a by-the-book SliceOfLife), in order to cash in on the merchandising of anime in general, mainly from ''Haruhi''. It worked; ''Lucky Star'' was one of the studio's most marketable shows, with many [=CDs=] and video games being made even 3 years after the anime ended. A stage musical adaptation was green-lit in 2011.

The manga began serialization in ''Comptiq'' in 2003, and went on hiatus in 2014 . Creator/KyotoAnimation used the manga as the basis for a highly successful {{anime}} series in 2007, which got acquired for American distribution by Creator/BandaiEntertainment, and dubbed by Creator/BangZoomEntertainment with around the same casting as ''LightNovel/HaruhiSuzumiya''... or some of the in-jokes would not be translatable at all. Most of the {{Otaku}} references were in fact [=KyoAni=]'s own additions (the original manga was mainly a by-the-book SliceOfLife), in order to cash in on the merchandising of anime in general, mainly from ''Haruhi''. It worked; ''Lucky Star'' was one of the studio's most marketable shows, with many [=CDs=] and video games being made even 3 years after the anime ended. A stage musical adaptation was green-lit in 2011.

%%* CryCute: Kagami, who is absolutely adorable whenever she cries.

%%* BeachEpisode

** There are also quite a few segments that are anime-only, such as Konata's deceased mother Kanata remembering her life alongside Soujiro while visiting her family as a ghost in episode 22.

%%* ClassTrip: To Kyoto, where Konata insists on a visit to the Creator/KyotoAnimation studios.

The manga began serialization in ''Comptiq'' in 2003, and went on hiatus in 2014 . Creator/KyotoAnimation used the manga as the basis for a highly successful {{anime}} series in 2007, which got acquired for American distribution by Creator/BandaiEntertainment, and dubbed with around the same casting as ''LightNovel/HaruhiSuzumiya''... or some of the in-jokes would not be translatable at all. Most of the {{Otaku}} references were in fact [=KyoAni=]'s own additions (the original manga was mainly a by-the-book SliceOfLife), in order to cash in on the merchandising of anime in general, mainly from ''Haruhi''. It worked; ''Lucky Star'' was one of the studio's most marketable shows, with many [=CDs=] and video games being made even 3 years after the anime ended. A stage musical adaptation was green-lit in 2011.

* BarbieDollAnatomy: [[UpToEleven Taken a step further]], in that the girls don't even seem to have buttcracks

** Cranked UpToEleven in the OVA, which starts with a chapter told from [[spoiler:Minami's ''dog, Cherry's'' point of view.]]

* MundaneMadeAwesome: Anime Tenchou cranks this UpToEleven.

** The manga's Mobile Newtype strips take PuniPlush UpToEleven.

* ItsRainingSalesmen: Anime Tenchou and his employees do this with an extra dose of HotBlooded.

* ComedicWorkSeriousScene: While a comedic series, it does have a few moments of seriousness.
** The group attends an Creator/AyaHirano concert. Konata can't see due to her short stature vs. the tall man in front of her. Kagami moves Konata in front of her to let her see. Walking home, Konata is [[OOCIsSeriousBusiness uncharacteristically quiet]]. She asks herself what the feeling she's having is.
** During a class trip to Kyoto, Kagami gets a note from a boy in her class. She goes down to speak to him, thinking that he's going to confess his love to her, and is unsure how she'll respond. It turns out he just wants a keychain she bought, as he was too embarrassed to buy it himself in front of his friends. Kagami hands it over, but it's clear that she's upset by the whole thing.

** Kagami and Tsukasa return home to find that they'd missed a message from their sister, Matsuri, asking them to buy ingredients so she could make paella. Eldest sister Inori tries to play reasonable peacemaker, suggesting they could make the dish the next night. Matsuri agrees, but throws out a bitter, "You guys suck" at her younger sisters. In a huff, Kagami storms out declaring that she'll buy the ingredients. Inori chastises Matsuri, saying she could have handled it better. [[JerkassRealization Matsuri quietly agrees]].

* RapunzelHair: Everyone with hair that isn't shoulder length has it down to their legs. Lampshaded in episode 8. "But it took FOREVER for you to grow it that long!"
** "Timotei!"

* TwoTeacherSchool (Actually a One Teacher School in anime. [[spoiler:Hikaru from manga's Lucky Channel later ascended to be Kagami's class teacher.]])

%%* WidgetSeries: Anybody who has not been an otaku wouldn't understand this show ''at all.''

* AnimalMotifs: {{Discussed|Trope}} when Konata wonders what kind of animals the characters would be, and she, Kagami, Tsukasa and Yutaka give their thoughts on the subject based on everyone's personalities. The designations are as follows: Konata is a fox, Tsukasa is a dog, Kagami is a rabbit, Miyuki is a sheep (though Konata thinks a cow would be more fitting because of [[GagBoobs her assets), Yui is a leopard, Yutaka is a squirrel, and Minami is a hawk. The manga goes on to designate more: Hiyori is a tanuki, Kuroi is a cat, Misao is a monkey, Ayano is a ferret, and Yukari is a bear.

* AnimalMotifs: Konata (fox), Tsukasa (dog), Kagami (rabbit), Miyuki (sheep/[[GagBoobs cow]]), Yui (leopard), Yutaka (squirrel), Minami (hawk).
** The manga features more sketches: Hiyori (tanuki), Kuroi (cat), Misao (monkey), Ayano (ferret), Yukari (bear).

* UniversalGroupReaction: Kagami and Tsukasa are trying to figure out where Konata is working for her part time job, dismissing several ideas out of hand. Konata finally tells them that she's working at a Cosplay Cafe, to which both sisters immediately think, "Oh, that's perfect for her."

* {{Flanderization}}: The {{omake}} in the third volume played with this, trying to flanderize the characters, so IllGirl Yutaka would [[BloodFromTheMouth spit up blood]] as she speaks, TheQuietOne Minami would only express herself by a piano, {{Tsundere}} Kagami would be more aggressive as she one-ups Konata, baseball fan Ms Kuroi would wear baseball suits to school and hits BookDumb Konata with a [[BatterUp baseball bat]], TheDitz Tsukasa would have an over-the-top reaction to food, Yui who DrivesLikeCrazy would always come with a crashed car, and [[{{Gainaxing}} Gainaxed]] Miyuki would become MsFanservice. They didn't do this to Konata since they thought she was already flanderized enough!

* SiblingYinYang: [[GenkiGirl Yui]] and [[IllGirl Yutaka]] {{lampshaded}} by Konata in front of Yutaka, saying one sibling "absorbs" attributes from the other. When Yutaka mentioned that to Minami, Minami wondered if Miyuki absorbed ''something else'' from her, since the two were pretty close and often acted like siblings...

* BreatheOnTheFan: [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UKgli9fTysw Konata and Tsukasa do it]]. Kagami calls them out on it, but Kagami's father mentions that she does the same.

[[caption-width-right:350: '''''[[SurrealThemeTune DARLIN']] [[{{UsefulNotes/Kawaisa}} DARLIN']] [[GratuitousEnglish PLEASE!]]'''''[[labelnote:characters]]left to right: [[{{Cloudcuckoolander}} Tsukasa]], [[OtakuSurrogate Konata]], [[{{Tsundere}} Kagami]], [[{{Meganekko}} Miyuki]][[/labelnote]]]]

* EyeScream: Hiyori tries out contact lenses, and fellow {{Meganekko}} Miyuki is interested...[[spoiler: until a breeze blows dust in Hiyori's eyes.]]

There have been several spin-off {{manga}}s. The first, ''Lucky Star Pocket Travelers'', was later created and features the four main characters [[RuleOfFunny for no discernible reason whatsoever]] shrunk down to a few inches tall. [[HilarityEnsues Cue hilarity.]] A different bizarre spin-off, ''Boo Boo Kagaboo'', was made by the creator of ''[[Manga/HaruhiChan Nyoron Churuya-san]]''. It was licensed by BANDAI, but they later cancelled its release. Another spin-off manga, ''The Miyakawa Familys Hunger''/''Miyakawa Ke No Kuufuku'', was created in 2008, written and illustrated by Kagami Yoshimizu himself, starring Hikage and Hinata Miyakawa, two minor characters from the manga (who also briefly show up in the anime) who have money troubles and thus have trouble keeping food in the house. Hinata, however, is an avid otaku, and her impulse-buying tendencies only worsen their money troubles, much to Hikage's chagrin. An ONA adaptation was produced by Ordet in 2013 for the Spring season.

* YouGottaHaveBlueHair: All four of the main girls. Lampshaded in the bath scene.
** It's easier to name the characters (Misao, Minoru, Matsuri, Tadao, and possibly Patricia, to name most of them) who avert this trope than the ones who play it straight.

* HairColors: Sort of lampshaded in the beach episode: Miyuki explains how the combination of salt and sunlight can bleach hair, turning it light brown. This coming from a pink-haired character addressing blue and purple-haired ones.

* TokenYuriGirls:
** Hiyori is a YuriFan[=/=]artist, though it's apparently nonsexual for her.
** [[WMG/LuckyStar Some people]] assume that Konata and Kagami, despite the personality clash, may secretly be these. Konata playfully flirting with Kagami and Tsukasa after a ''[[LightNovel/MariaWatchesOverUs Marimite]]'' session doesn't exactly help her case. Don't forget Kagami's FreudianSlip in the OVA. WordOfGod says either Konata or Kagami has an unrequited crush on the other, without specifying whom. Konata has said she's [[ExactWords not a lesbian]], which implies that she might simply be bisexual.
** Yutaka and Minami are even more blatant, even after you remove all the parts of the show that were viewed through Hiyori's YuriGoggles. Konata remarked on this a couple times, though it's not entirely clear if she's joking or serious.

* CulturalCrossReference (Minoru Shiraishi: [[Film/TheKarateKid "MIYAGI-SAAAAAAN!"]])
** Konata may not know the lyrics to Saiyuki, but most Brits of a Certain Age will know it by heart

** [[WMG/LuckyStar Some people]] assume that Konata and Kagami, despite the personality clash, may secretly be these. Konata [[RomanticTwoGirlFriendship playfully flirting]] with Kagami and Tsukasa after a ''[[LightNovel/MariaWatchesOverUs Marimite]]'' session doesn't exactly help her case. Don't forget Kagami's FreudianSlip in the OVA. WordOfGod says either Konata or Kagami has an unrequited crush on the other, without specifying whom. Konata has said she's [[ExactWords not a lesbian]], which implies that she might simply be bisexual.