Self-parody is perhaps one of the easiest forms of comedy to create. The only real pre-requisite to it is knowledge and understanding of your subject matter. Determine the relevant clichés and the tropes that go along with it, and exaggerate them until you reach the point of mockery. The more niche your chosen medium is, the easier it becomes to create a parody it. When there are more die-hard fans than casual viewers to entertain, familiarity with the tropes or clichés is more widespread, and the scope for references is at its maximum. This can create an environment where outsiders unfamiliar with the medium are excluded from the humour, while those who understand the jokes feel that they are a part of something "special"... ironically even that they are the "outsiders" for being within the "group".
For these reasons, it is hard to be optimistic about the quality of any self-parodying anime. The medium is so ridiculous to begin with that the jokes practically write themselves, while the audience is so absorbed by their bubble lives that they will love it regardless of its quality. The object of comedy writing is to make your audience laugh by highlighting truth, not by limiting your audience and preying on narcissism. An inside joke should be kept private, not aired publicly to determine who among us are truly worthy of the "otaku" neologism.
There is little doubt that Lucky Star is padded out with innumerable references to various anime and videogames. It aired in 2007 and its references ranged from the very recent (Haruhi Suzimiya) to the quite old (Urusei Yatsura, various 70s Mecha series). The references are seldom obscure but are targeted to Japanese audiences, including shows that were not as well received in the West, such as 'To Heart' and 'Maria-sama ga Miteru'. There is much to be found here for those who are blessed with the knowledge.
But I am far more concerned for those who don't. We must look instead to the relationships between the characters, observations about everyday life and to satire for humour instead. Unlike references these possess universality, they can be understood by almost everyone. Despite its "otaku-pandering" image, Lucky Star is perhaps the only parody anime which understands this principle.
The personality of almost every female character in the series is based on a common anime archetype. These archetypes have often become so exaggerated that they no longer reflect actual human behaviour. Lucky Star takes a different approach and instead transposes the behaviour into realistic situations, before tuning it for comedic effect. The best example in the series is Kagami Hiiragi's character: a parody of the 'tsundere' archetype, she appears cold and standoffish, but has a 'heart of gold'. In many series this comes across as sweeping mood-swings and excessive embarrassment about revealing emotion. Kagami's character on the other hand is a more subtle approach of dedication to academics and emotional inexperience. Elements of the original archetype are undeniable, yet we can relate to her character and understand not just her actions but her thinking behind them.
It is a tremendous irony that a show intended to parody outlandish stereotypes should in fact produce characters who behave more like humans than the stereotypes themselves. All the same it is a paradox which serves Lucky Star very well, giving it far wider appeal than it otherwise would have. The backbone of the series comedy is the relationship between the aforementioned Kagami Hiiragi and Konata Izumi.
One of the few characters in the series not based on a character archetype, Konata is instead based on a rather peculiar idea: a self-idealised portrayal of the viewer. A similar idea is used in harem anime, where a very plain lead character exists for the viewer to 'insert' themselves into; Konata on the other hand uses the imagined personality of a harem viewer and places it in the body of their ideal girl- a woman of legal age with the appearance of a young girl. The idea is completely ridiculous, yet very effective in generating comedy
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But while the concepts for both characters are based on anime parody, the most of the humour between them is actually derived from a clash of personalities. Konata is lazy; while Kagami is hard-working. Kagami wants to be mature but isn't; Konata has no pretences about her immaturity. Konata is unabashed; Kagami is quite shy. The conflict between the two, and indeed the relations between all of the characters in Lucky Star, are genuine and the true source of comedic value for the series. While the references, however copious they are in quantity, are merely an addition in content. Familiarity with them will enhance the experience, but they are by no means a pre-requisite. It may also come as a surprise that Lucky Star can be quite sharp and biting in its comedy. Having no qualms about poking fun of controversial subjects or making harsh jokes at the expense of its own audience. Contrary to expectations, it is the most scathing anime parody since the downright mean-spirited 'Otaku no Video'.
This may come as a surprise given the bright and childish art style, which is effective, but not radical. If one were to describe it in a single word, "sugary" would be the likely choice. Hair colours come in every colour of the rainbow, and seldom any colour outside of it. The cast are very cutesy with very long, large eyes (even by anime standards) and liberal use of cartoonish expressions. It suits the show well and is very neat, but doesn't present much opportunity for interesting visuals- indeed the camera placement is standard throughout. Occasionally other art styles will be borrowed for a quick parody- examples of this include Initial D and Haruhi Suzimiya. Overall it's a work of high quality if little daring. The soundtrack is much the same, with the exception of the ending themes- karaoke performed 'in character' by the cast. Most are forgettable but Aya Hirano's version of "Cha-la, Head Cha La" from Dragonball Z more than makes up for them. SPARKING!
Separating Lucky Star from its origins as a work of parody is an impossible task. The whole series is built upon them, and one cannot analyse the series without making any references to them. But just as you don't need to know jack shit about architecture to appreciate a nice looking building, you don't need to know that much about anime to find humour in the interactions of a group of close friends.
Or tomodachis, if you prefer.
