Researchers Publish a 198 Page Article about Lucky Star

by dtshyk
Apr 8, 2009 8:27 AM | 40 Comments

A research team of Hokkaido University published a 198-page article book about "Lucky ☆ Star" and its impact on the tourism. The title is "Media Contents and Tourism : An Experience of Washimiya Town and Neon Genesis of Tourism".

Cover of the article book

Washinomiya Shrine, the model of Hiiragi sisters' shrine, got popular and the number of the visitors in 2009 increased fivefold compared to that in 2007. The economic effect brought to Washinomiya town was estimated to be 100 million yen (approx. $1 million).

Associate Professor Yamamura Takayoshi was attracted by the unity of the local citizens and the fans, and started to investigate the relationship between the anime and the tourism. Number of researchers from other universities joined the study, and the data and the discussions were summarized in the article.

Dr. Yamamura said "The promotion of Washinomiya was successful because the affection for Lucky Star was shared by all the people involved. It's a good example to other local cities, which plan to rebuild the economy by tourism."

Source: Hokkaido University
The PDF file of the article

20 of 40 Comments Recent Comments

Hikari-tan said:

ladyxzeus said:
As far as I understood the article is not about Lucky Star, but about the influence media has on tourism using Lucky Star as main example... Am I wrong?

You're right :]
In fact, when I was in Japan, the reason why I visited many of the places I went to was because I had seen them in anime beforehand. If I hadn't already seen them, then I doubt I would have known about the places and visited <3

Conversely, it was really neat to see places I had already visited appear in Anime. When Sky Girls had those scenes on Yokosuka Naval Base, it was neat realizing that they were putting the characters in places I had walked and stood.

Apr 23, 2009 11:09 AM by nexist418

MotokoAramaki said:
They had nothing better to research?

I don't know...Some researchers in England released a study last month about how men can fall in love in under 8.2 seconds.

Mmmm...researchers have nothing better to do with their lives (says the person who watches anime 24/7 '>>)

Apr 9, 2009 2:45 PM by panda_general

ThePatheticLoser said:
Wow, 198 pages?

I can only do about 1/3 of that, but it wouldn't benefit me in anyway.

I'd struggle with writing 1/20, tbh...

Apr 9, 2009 1:07 AM by Carp

Apr 8, 2009 7:07 PM by virgo_sama

Researchers Publish a 198 Page Article about Lucky Star
198 Page Article about Lucky Star
198 Page Lucky Star

What. Maybe this world is in an even worse state than I'd previously thought.

Apr 8, 2009 7:02 PM by Seasonreaper

They had nothing better to research?

Apr 8, 2009 5:47 PM by xMatronxMalicex

dtshyk said:
Cover of the article book

Looks cool. I see a Kagamin. :o

dtshyk said:
Washinomiya Shrine, the model of Hiiragi sisters' shrine, got popular and the number of the visitors in 2009 increased fivefold compared to that in 2007. The economic effect brought to Washinomiya town was estimated to be 100 million yen (approx. $1 million).

Washinomiya Shrine! I'm not surprised that so many people would go and visit the Hiiragi's shrine. I bet all of that money is being pulled in from the tourists because they are anime fans. Anime really effects peoples lives and their interests. So, it's only natural that a huge Lucky Star fan would like to go there.

dtshyk said:
Associate Professor Yamamura Takayoshi was attracted by the unity of the local citizens and the fans, and started to investigate the relationship between the anime and the tourism. Number of researchers from other universities joined the study, and the data and the discussions were summarized in the article.

Dr. Yamamura said "The promotion of Washinomiya was successful because the affection for Lucky Star was shared by all the people involved. It's a good example to other local cities, which plan to rebuild the economy by tourism."

I agree. I'm sure that if manga-ka based their series on certain cities or towns, people would flood the area. Of course, the series chosen would have to be somewhat decent. ;o

Apr 8, 2009 5:39 PM by Leah

Damn, Lucky Star is some damn serious business. Although, this is pretty neat.

Apr 8, 2009 4:53 PM by HappyPear

Cookie-chan said:

DaBigD said:
I'd read it.

me too :3

Count me in, although I'd be the first to say overkill.

Apr 8, 2009 4:13 PM by LemonLyme

DaBigD said:
I'd read it.

me too :3

Apr 8, 2009 4:04 PM by Cookie-chan-

@ladyxzeus
There is a slight difference in the price of flights to popular destinations. Australia is often cheaper than Japan, despite the fact they are both on the same side of the globe. They charge more to cover the cost of the flight, seeing as they may not have as many people flying as they would hope. At least that's how it would appear over here.

And it's to be expected that Japan would focus on the US, given the relationship between the two countries.

Apr 8, 2009 3:51 PM by OranSolus

Wow. Weeaboos.

Apr 8, 2009 3:51 PM by ummyeah

OranSolus said:

ladyxzeus said:
Japan was never and never will be a primordial touristic atraction for Westerners. The majority of us are not into anime, Japan and other weeabooish stuff. I think their touristic income is local and from other Asian countries.

Yes, I am aware of this. This is part of the reason why flights to Japan cost a bit more, due to a lack of constant travellers. I was more interested in the numbers that do go, and whether they had declined.

So, your country receives a fair few English visitors? Ones that make the rest of us look bad, no doubt.

Portugal is England's private beach. :3

I'm not aware of the numbers, but I also don't think the price is all about the amount of people going. It's pretty far from anywhere else, involves complicated scales... You find travels for 700€, it's not too bad (ok, not 35€ 5 times a week like you have for France, but it's not that expensive) If not declined from "our" part, it's constant. I don't think they consider non-America gaijin as part of tourism... All their touristic announcements are directly targeted at Americans, so much that it confuses me xD

Apr 8, 2009 3:33 PM by ladyxzeus

The sad this is, I would read it.

Apr 8, 2009 3:26 PM by Hato-kun

Apr 8, 2009 3:25 PM by OranSolus

Raki Suta is srs bsns.

Apr 8, 2009 2:42 PM by Kyora

thats pritty cool and clever.
Longest essay I wrote was 32 pages on the price of flats to the distance to travel to a university.
x

Apr 8, 2009 2:36 PM by TiamatBunny

198 pages

Goddamn, I wish I weren't too lazy to upload a reactin image to this...

FFFFFFFFFFFFUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCCCCCCCCCCCKKKKKKKKKKK!!!!!!

Apr 8, 2009 2:29 PM by Dozer

researchers ARE crazy.