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manic-pixie ā Lucky Star
Published: 2010-08-28 10:08:16 +0000 UTC; Views: 8025; Favourites: 106; Downloads: 114
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This picture wasn't popular at SMASH.I had a LOT of horrified people ask what I did to the Lucky Star girls. One guy visibly shuddered when viewing this, and I got a LOT of 'ew's. I guess translating chibi characters into full-on DC-style girls is a no-go at cons.
But hey.
I had a LOT of fun doing this one, and that's what's important. I am particularly satisfied with Konata's face.
So I might as well post it.
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Comments: 83
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I think it's a pretty neat interpretation of the 4 girls 
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Personally, I prefer THIS to how they..."normally"...look.
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I think the only real "issue" I have is with Konata's really uber manly chin and jaw-structure. And the details in and around the mouth do make me a little uncomfortable for some reason. I read once that emphasizing every individual tooth vs. two white slabs makes a character look older, which might be in conflict with the rest of the high-school-age character design.
But hey, at least they don't all look like they're 8 years old here.
Japan.
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i cannot remember if i mentioned that fanboys are obsessed with keeping the franchise intact and they don't like the inguinity and originality in this pic as it makes the chibi's lose their cuteniss and lolicon-ness and etc.
anyway AMAZING picture...
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Why were they going ew? They actually look attractive. I guess if they don't look like they're lolis, no one wants to see it....
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No offense intended, but Kotona (is that her name?) scares me for some reason. I rather like seeing the other three like that; it makes sense physically. But Kotona... o__e" And I'm still wondering why so many anime characters have a curl of hair sticking up like that, other than to add something of interest to their design. Also, the one on the far left. There's a bit of a too-strong purple glow(?) on her legs, imo. 
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I love this! Boo to the congoers that 'ew'd it, shame on them. :/ They seriously need to have a more open mind.
The only thing I'm not too keen on is Konata's mouth; I think it's just a little too wide (but maybe that's just me. >.<) but other than that I love the style!
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ilu foarevaaaar.
It is a little strange seeing them in a more realistic style at first. However, your work really shows. Konata's ahoge does look a little odd in a non-chibi style...
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I love it~ You made them all look like the age they're supposed to be. X3
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The thing I've found is most people who like stuff like this want the girls to still look super girly/anime like. They might have said "ew" because you actually drew in what looks like arm muscles and added enough thickness to their limbs so they aren't toothpicks. People are weird like that; Anime conforms to a really weird lanky beauty standard and if you deviate from that nerds shit themselves.
The girl in the front with the purple hair is super cute though <3 Fuck the haters.
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Always nice to see how things could turn out different. Not to mention mess with some people.
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... I like it... Not sure what is wrong with them... Plus that's a pretty nasty anime too, isn't it?
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the anime's a parody, for the most part. But commenters have been helpful in showing me how to edit images like this in future.
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I can't believe people said "ew" about this. D:
this is really quite a nice drawing!
the original art of "Lucky Star" is very 'chibi', and I guess people aren't used to seeing them so realistically drawn, but this kind of style takes a LOT more talent to draw than the cutesy way they're usually drawn in. :S
all the "Lucky Star" fangirls need to understand that this style takes much more work and dedication than the anime style.
I like the fact that you toned their muscles, because if they really were cheerleaders, they couldn't be all thin and gangly if they were gonna throw each other around in the air! xD Adding this sort of realism to the drawing really makes it pop.
The only thing that throws it off is the size of their feet. I have to agree with ~Ermorden , their feet really are too small for their bodies.
All in all, you really did a great job with this, so please keep it up! : D
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those durned feet are a constant source of consternation to me - next time I shall keep an eye on them!
One of my best mates is a cheerleader - it's amazing the muscles she needs to stunt with her team. Throwing a girl 2m+ into the air takes serious beef.
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I actually dont get what the big deal is, it looks great. No one seems to wig out when comic characters get drawn like manga.
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hmm, i dunno. Stark change perhaps?
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Wow, I have to say this idea really surprised me. It's a cool concept, but I think there's almost a clash of styles going on. Like you have your style shining through with the anatomy and face, but you retain the lucky star style in some other aspects (clothing, pom-poms, hair). I'm guessing it's intentional, but it doesn't mesh well in my opinion. I think if you had maybe muted the the colors and pushed everything more toward the DC style, the picture would of flowed better. I understand they're not as identifiable that way, but right now they seem like they're in style-limbo. Hope that makes sense :/ Some random things that stood out to me that aren't about the style are 1) the third girl from the left's eyes aren't making contact with the viewer and 2) their feet are really small for their bodies.
So all in all, I think it's a cool idea that wasn't executed perfectly but still turned out well - just maybe tone down some parts that are more "anime"
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Firstly, thankyou so much for leaving such a detailed and thought out comment!
You're absolutely right about the style switch - Hair is one area I have really got to gain confidence in, so even though I wanted a softer, more westernised feel, I ended up with something a bit stiffer and more anime-esque. The colours, too, could use a lot of work.
Haha, you noticed Kagami's case of lazy eye. There's always one who sneaks into the damn image - I think it was because I drew her first and hadn't picked a point of focus yet. The bloody feet, too - only noticed that after I'd inked the damn thing. I guess this is what four days of mainlining Lucky Star does to your art style - leaves a flavour.
Again, thankyou so much for the input - I really appreciate it, and this is exactly the sort of comment I love getting.
Cheers!
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No problem, I'm glad it made sense! Keep up the great work, and I'm certain you'll do well
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I like this piece, (I like detailed faces in general) I also liked that you gave them muscles. (Just to counteract that one comment that bugged me...'cause you know- a girl is only a girl if she's tiny and scrawny.)
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Thankyou very much!
Girls are gorgeous in all shapes and sizes.
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they probably said ew because the characters are super chibified and they are used to them being all cute like where as in this pic...theyre not all cute like teddy bears. but i still think you could have made them prettier and more petite, so in sense less musclier. but i kinda like it cuz its funny, it looks like a sarcastic piece about lucky star( im a lucky star hater, dont blame me i just find it bloody annoying)
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The musculature there was sort of intentional - as this was styled after western comics, most female heroines are carrying at least a little bit of muscle, and cheerleaders need to be able to lift and throw other girls. I guess I'm not much good at drawing petite girls.
Thankyou for the input!
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I have no kind of clue about Lucky Star whatsoever and am violently allergic to cheerleaders in general, but I kinda like this piece anyway. Particularly the two girls in back, they've got some interesting expressions on!
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Im sure this would be far more interesting if i'd ever SEEN Lucky Star and knew the characters lol. But even so, I think it's cool. Nice to see cheerleaders actually looking athletic (Seriously, why are they always depicted as skinny waifs? It's hard work cheering!)
I always like to see alternate interpretations of characters because let's face it, what the hell is the point of just drawing something that looks like a still from the original source? It's boring!
I'm sorry you had to deal with rude morons at the con. Even if you don't like something, there's no reason to be rude about it right? Some people aye?
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One of my best mates is a cheerleader - it's a much smaller scene here in aus, but she's seriously ripped. They need it - they have to toss girls four or five metres into the air.
Thanks for the input!
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I don't love the style but the expression, technique and composition is superb to me. Sorry if I was one of those conners who upset you
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You're fine, don't worry! Western style isn't everyone's cup of tea, and I understand that. Kinda like bringing knives to a gunfight, bringing western comicking to a manga con. But i had a good time and I learned a LOT from it - and who knows. Next time i might set out to deliberately scare people
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How DARE you make the characters look their age. How DARE you try to make them look realistic. How DARE you correct their anatomy. How. DARE. You.
Which possibly translates those congoers "ew's." Still, it's no excuse. If you don't like it, move on. I have a feeling they did that to blatantly express their feelings without regard to your feelings, or possibly trying to hurt them due to the picture being so farfetched from their kawaiidesu ideal.
That said, this is wicked awesome, man B)
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We-ell, i'd hesitate to call any cartoon style 'realistic', least of all mine. I think I just surprised them,
But thankyou for your support!
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Ah, I just meant 'realistic' as the improvement of anatomy, expression, and facial structure as opposed to the original Lucky Star Style.
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Grin on the blue hair'ed ladys face is kind of creepy but i think this is good.
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Those 'Ews' were uncalled for. They were just upset because they got a full on realization of what they were watching. 17 year old girls talk about nothing(half the time). If this was real, this would probably be what they look like possibly if they were regular teens. I always thought they have some sort of syndrome like Kallman's Syndrome in real life that would make them look like they're twelve year olds forever. XD.
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The interesting thing about LS is it parodies itself quite cleverly - once i started looking at it as a satire, I found it to be a much cleverer piece of writing, hence the desire to fanart it.
I've seen some great LS cosplayers around - i found a few good cosplay references while sketching this.
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I think you'd have to be Adam Hughes caliber 'good at ladyfaces' to approach pulling this off successfully (I could maybe see a Josh Middleton doing it, but only maybe). I would not have touched this project with a 10-foot pole, which - is actually not as bad as it sounds, I very much respect your bravery. The aforementioned extreme style shifts make this a difficult task to tackle. I think - to try to take something 'hypercute' like Lucky Shit and make it palatable in such detail, you have to take the female features and push them way harder towards the iconic/idealized end of the scale. I don't even know how you'd manage to do it without having their faces all turn out very generic.
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It's like any extreme style - taking it to the other extreme often surprises. I don't really blame people for being scared of it - my whole gimmick is scary mannish ladies, after all, and I'm not giving that up for the world.
I did a piece of the Powerpuff Girls western-style. I think that one's going to stay on the scrap heap for now.
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I like it :3 course I don't really care for the art style and Lucky Star in general, but I love the mole XD
Well that and the one with glasses, she's really cute.
Don't mind those con-goers, most just want to see the original style... I still find it weird it's a series loved by adults still with that art style XD
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Ah, it was an instructive experience. Thanks for the support!
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