My Fellow American: A Lucky Star/Lucky Channel Fanfiction

Not what's in the following fanfic but I thought it appropriate.
Translation on the Kanji & Hirugana anyone?

My Fellow American: A Lucky Star/Lucky Channel Fanfiction

by

C V Ford


"Luckeeeeeeeee Channel! ... Hiya Luckeeeeeees! ... Glad you could drop by to see me. I'm Akira Kogami ... "

"And I'm Minoru Shiraishi!"

"And lucky you all are today. For the first time EVER, we have a special guest."

"And special she is. A most interesting character on the Lucky Star program."

"And that would be?"

"Why Akira-san, she's none other than Patricia Martin ... And here she is!"

"Hello everyone ... I'm very pleased to meet all of you."

"So tell us about her Minoru."

"As our viewers all know by now, Patti-san ... I can call you Patty can't I?"

"Oh go right ahead."

"Thank you. As you all know-"

<"Don't get too familiar with the guest Shiraishi.">

"Patti-san is an American exchange student living/studying here in Japan immersing herself in the many aspects of our culture."

"Anime/manga is culture?"

"Oh yes Akira-san! I've been a devoted student of anime/manga. These are artforms totally unique to Japan. Nothing anywhere near like them anywhere else. I've learned so much of Japanese culture from them which has helped me in SO MANY ways."

"Is that so?"

"Yes Patti-san. Tell us how much it has enriched your life."

<"Still getting too familiar Shiraishi!">

"Well ... It has certainly helped build my language skills-"

<"Which explains why you sound so slangey & weird at times">

"-thus helping me in new discoveries."

"So ... And what uh ... discoveries would they be?"

"Yes! Tell us about anything new you may have learned!"

<"Still trying to chalk up brownies, aren't you?">

"Well, my most recent find concerns you Minoru."

<"Too informal! She's actually calling him by his given name!">

"Uh ... Me! ... I ..."

"Oh yes! ... It's about something you mentioned in our pre-program interview a few days ago that got me to thinking, so I decided to check up on it the moment I got back to my apartment that evening."

"And what would that be?"

<"Yeah ... Just what would THAT be? Shiraishi's about as fascinating as uncooked ramen ...">

"Remember when you told me that you were born in Los Angeles?"

<"Huh? ... He never mentioned anything like THAT to ME!>

"Uh ... Yeah. My parents were there a couple years for the company my dad works for ... Mom was going to be sent back here to have me but I was premature."

<"That explains a LOT. I thought it was because you were dropped too often as a baby.">

"I went & looked up some things & ... Well ... You're an American!"

"I'm ... What!?"

<"Woah! ... Something just got interesting!">

"Yes. A fellow American!"

"Now wait Patti-san ... How can that be ... I-"

"According to Ammendment 14 of the United States Constitution, ANYONE born there & uh ... 'subject to the jurisdiction thereof' ... Is a U.S. citizen."

"Now Patti ... I would hardly think that would apply to me. Considering I'm here & not there. I'm not ... What did you say? ... Oh yeah! ... I'm not 'subject to the jurisdiction thereof.' That's how you put it, right?"

"But you were when you were born there ... I mean ... Your parents were there on business, right?"

"Mmm ... yeah."

"And they weren't diplomatic people or other Japanese government staff, right?"

"Uh ... No ... They weren't ... but ..."

"Hold on a sec Martin-san! You mean to say Shiraishi here is a ... a ..."

"An American Citizen? Yes!"

"A ... gaijin!? ..."

"Now hold on just a minute Akira!"

"Ha! ... Snicker! ... Snort!"

"With all the rights & privileges that go with it! ... Oh! ... And here ... I have this for you."

"Ummm ... Just what is it? My English & Romanji are a bit rusty. I wouldn't know where to ..."

"Look at the top."

"What the- ... Those are my parents names, I can make that out & ... That's my name! ... What is this!?"

"A copy of a certificate of live birth from the county of Los Angeles."

"So that proves he's a ... Gasp! ... Chortle! ... Derp! ..."

"The next morning I phoned a friend in L. A. whose dad works there in city government. He got in touch with someone in public records. She then faxed this to me."

"No! ... This isn't happening ... I ..."

"This certifies that a Minoru Shiraishi was born to a ------------- & ---------- Shiraishi on --/--/-- at Ceders Sinai Hospital, city of Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, U.S.A.."

"Then he really IS a ... Bwa ha! ... Gi! ... Hee hee! ... "

"This ... This isn't ...!"

"Just think! ... When you come to my ... OUR ... country ... All you have to do is show them this. Immigration would pass you right through. You wouldn't need to go through the citizenship process ... You wouldn't-"

"This isn't right! It can't be true ... it ..."

"Oh man! I'm really lovin' this! Unbelievable! Bwa ha ha ha haaaa!"

"-You wouldn't even need a green card to work! You're already a-"

"Gaijin! Yee! Hee! Hee! Hee! Heeee!"

"But! ... But ... Sputter! ... Gheeeeh!"

"Oh God! ... Ha! Ha! Ha! Haa! Haaaaaa! Patti-san! ... This ... This is too much! ... Gehip! ... Harg! ... You ... You two're killin' me! H' hyuk!"

"But Akira-san ... It's true! Isn't this great Minoru?"

"No ... It's not!"

"By the way ... A notarized/certified copy of this is on its' way ... Care of this station."

"Nooooooooooooo!"

"And that's ... Grp! ... Smirk! ... about it for this episode ... snicker ... gasp! ... REMEMBER! ... Gasp! Wheeez! ... You heard it all here first on Luckeeeee Channel! ... Bye ni!

Title board slips/drops into place.

"Bwa! Ha! Ha! Haa! Haaaaaaa!"

"Now come on Akira! ... Both of you! ... I ... I was registered here in the Home Islands!"

"That means you have dual citizenship. Wow! You have the best of both worlds! You ..."

"But ... Har! ... Har! ... Gack! ... He's the worst at ... Heep! ... EVERYTHING!"

"I am not, darn it! ... And I'm just as Japanese as you are!"

"Hey! ... Whatever you say ... Gaijin! Bwa! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Haa! Haaaaaaaa!"

"A ... ki ... raaaaah!"

Bzzzzzzzzzzt! Boop! Dark screen.


Storyline (only) copyright © 2-5-2013 Jay Agan


Lucky Star: Yak! Yakkity! Yak! here.

Go to Jays' Tee Vee blog main page here.

Disclaimer: The preceding is a NON-PROFIT work of fan fiction for entertainment purposes only. I make no claim to ownership of the copyrighted names/characters, places, & events mentioned in this work. They are the sole properties of their respective owners. Please, by all means support the owners of such properties in the purchase & enjoyment of their products.

Lucky Star, Yak! Yakkity! Yak!

Yes ..... they talk ..... a LOT! Oh, look! They're talking now!
Tsukasa, Konata, Miyki, & Kagami. Photo: Kyoto Animation

                                          Lucky Star, Yak! Yakkity! Yak!

                                                                 by

                                                                    Jay Agan

      At first, that's what I thought it was. At second, it still is. But now I get it.

      My first attempt at viewing Lucky Star ended the same as my efforts at watching Gone With the Wind. Disaster! I couldn't make it past the cream horn eating debate in episode one so I went on to other things. 24 episodes of four girls CONSTANTLY discussing such weighty matters as girl talk, dodging homework, dieting, girl talk, the weather, boys, girl talk, pop culture, hair care, girl talk ..... No way was I going to be able to take this one in! And after that zippy opening credits number, what a let down! (The "Konata drop" at the end of the cheer line never fails to get a chuckle out of me.)

      Call it senility, stupidity, temporary dementia, what have you ..... a few weeks later I gave it another try. Got past the cream horn "speed bump" & after going through the first four eps I started to actually enjoy it. (No. It didn't get me in touch with my "feminine side". And no, you DON'T want to meet her!)

      The show centers around obsessed otaku Konata Izumi & her level headed (Kagami Hiiragi) & not so level headed (Tsukasa Hiiragi, Miyuki Takara) foils. In their typical & sometimes atypical everyday activities we get an observation or ten on media culture & to what degree it affects (Infects?) the world. As Kagami exasperatingly observes more than once to Konata: "It all comes down to THAT with you, doesn't it?"

      Others in the cast are a slightly off center homeroom teacher (Nanako Kuroi), an authority figure  who drives like a maniac (Yui Narumi, Konatas' policewoman cousin.), & Konatas' lolita complex "afflicted" dad (He doesn't try to act on it overtly. Surprisingly, his flakey daughter is a stabilising force. eg. the "..... too close, you're freaking me out!" scene in episode 18.) Shades of Azumanga Daioh! Second season eps put some attention on Konatas' even more diminutive freshman cousin (Yutaka Kobayakawa) & her friends.

Fear & loathing on the (un)Lucky Channel.
Akira & Minoru. Photo: Kyoto Animation

      The cast is rounded out by the two members (Akira Kogame, Minoru Shiraishi) of the "show within a show", Lucky Channel. Ostensibly to comment & inform about Lucky Star it's mostly about Akiras' (Slipping in & out of "character".) jealousy, grumbling bitterly over her flagging acting career & bullying Minoru as a result (He later explodes in ep 21.).

      The constant, obvious, visual/verbal references (No subtext here!) are more than a clue that this show is a running commentary/satire on anime/manga/gaming in particular, & pop culture (Japanese & otherwise.) in general. It's also a continuous ad for The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya, another Kyoto Animation property.

      Being that the show is about otaku "culture" (Before dabbling in anime, I used to think otakus was a Frito-Lay product. I like the Cool Ranch & Barbecue flavors.) we see most everything through the eyes of the "showcased" Konata. Through her we are given a first person accounting of the trials, tribulations, & FINANCIAL dificulties rabid fans go through, & how manipulative some can be in their desperation to indulge . (I like it that she could con two friends into canvassing the huge Comiket convention for her {ep 12}, & have her buddies accompany her to the Kyoto Animation studios during a field trip {ep 21}.) In ep 16 we see Konata in action at her job in a "cosplay" cafe (It was a kick to hear Wendee Lee switch horses in midstream & reprise her Haruhi role.).

      Though we are taken through about 2+ years of classes, the high school scene is only a backdrop for the above mentioned references (Too numerous to count.). One has to be a true fan to "get" even half of them (I got about a quarter.). I was more interested in Konatas' "relationship" with them. The character is really wrapped up in it (Aren't you glad YOU're not like that?).

      Lucky Star has everything: Nonstop talk, comedy, nonstop talk, anime/pop cult. references, nonstop talk, product placements, nonstop talk ..... Not my kind of anime but enjoyed watching just the same. You just have to get past the discourse. Fade to white .....

                                        Article copyright © 2-17-2011 Jay Agan

Go to Main Page here.

DISCLAIMER: All images used on this blog are strictly copyrights of their owners. I do not claim credit/ownership for any images used here in my blog unless stated otherwise. If I have offended anyone by posting any images on my blog, please contact me via email and I will remove specified image(s) ASAP.

This article (only) may be copied (with permission) in whole or in part. Please be sure to give proper credit & backlink.