Saimoe 2007 Group Finals Preview : Group B

Saimoe 2007 Group Finals Preview

Group B

Konata Izumi

How she got here:

1st Round: Defeated Euphemia Li Brittania 982-460
2nd Round: Defeated Nayuki Minase 824-674
3rd Round: Defeated Isumi Saginomiya 937-803

(from Wikipedia)

• Age: 17
• Birthday: May 28
• Zodiac Sign: Gemini
• Residence: Saitama Prefecture
• Blood type: A
• Strong Subjects: PE (However, it is not her favorite subject)
• Disliked Subjects: Math, Science
• Favorite Food: Chocolate Cornet Bread
• Hair Color: Blue
• Eye Color: Green
• Height: 142 cm (4' 8")
• Online Name: Konakona

Konata Izumi is, more by default than anything else, the "leader" of the main characters. Nicknamed "Kona-chan" by her friends, she gets bored easily when something doesn't interest her. She can be smart, but she hates studying, thus her grades are a bit uneasy. However, she is an expert in pulling an "all-nighter". In contrast to her studying habits, she loves video games, to the extent that she can compete against Kagami Hiiragi on trivia games. In addition, she loves anime, which is also due to her father, Sōjirō Izumi's influence, along with the games. He buys ero-games for himself, so she is able to play and enjoy them. In fact, when she became eighteen, Konata was overjoyed, since she could now go buy and play ero-games legally. In the anime, Konata constantly refers to or parodies several popular games, anime, and manga (much to the annoyance of Kagami), but her favorite franchise seems to be the Haruhi series, as she has many Haruhi figurines and decorations that makes her room, and even once went to the Suzumiya Haruhi no Gekisō with her friends. Interestingly enough, her voice actress for the animated version, Aya Hirano, is in fact the same person who voiced Haruhi Suzumiya in The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya anime; other voice actors from the same series make guest appearances during the course of Lucky ☆ Star.
Since she spends quite a large sum of money on video games and dōjinshi, Konata was lucky enough to get a part-time job at a cosplay cafe. Continuing with her theme of playing video games, Konata plays the role of a male character in an online game and is married in that world. Her significant other in the game is ironically a male gamer using a female character. She often plays late into the night, hence why she tends to fall asleep in class, which makes her a frequent victim to her homeroom teacher, Nanako Kuroi.
Her physique is smaller than average when compared to her peers, which she claims hasn't changed, since she was in the sixth grade. She is ambidextrous, in contrast to the mostly left-handed main cast. She has long, blue hair which comes down to her calves with a large ahoge, sleepy eyes and a beauty mark under her left eye, just like her father. Her mother, Kanata Izumi, died when she was an infant, and she has lived alone with her father since. In her third year of high school, however, her cousin, Yutaka Kobayakawa, came to live at her house, giving a total of three people in the Izumi residence.

Konata is regarded as the flagship character of Lucky Star, and while her results haven’t been landslides as many of the other heavy hitters in the last 16, victories are victories, any way you slice it. Riding on the heels of perhaps Haruhi Suzumiya’s success (Konata’s seiyuu is, of course, the world-famous Aya Hirano), Konata is looking to stun the competition, and make more headway into the final rounds of this competition. Her savvy, her ahoge, and that catlike smile have mesmerized many an otaku, and every attribute has warranted her presence thus far in the tournament.

Konoka Konoe

How she got here:
1st Round: Defeated Kanata Izumi 805-632
2nd Round: Defeated Mika Inamori 543-537
3rd Round: Defeated C.C. 837-819

Aliases Ojou-sama, Dean's grand-daughter
Age 13/14
Gender Female
Date of birth March 18, 1989(1989-03-18)
Height 152cm (5')
Measurements 73cm - 54cm - 76cm
(29" - 21" - 30")
Blood type AB
Hair color Brown
Eye color Brown

The 13th student in Japanese alphabetical order of class 2/3-A, she is the cheerful, helpful and slightly dizzy roommate of Asuna Kagurazaka (and likewise her teacher Negi Springfield). From birth, Konoka was tied to several powerful magical organizations (her father was a member of Nagi Springfield's "Crimson Wings" for a period, her grandfather is the dean of Mahora Academy), yet she was sent away kept in the dark about her heritage of magic. Only after a trip to her home in Kyoto does Konoka finally discover the power locked away and allies with Negi in order to release it to her fullest potential. She is also extremely notable for a close relationship with her classmate/guardian Setsuna Sakurazaki.
Though attempting through several other characters and designs, the character that is Konoka was developed as the exact opposite of Asuna in many different means. As Asuna was a combative, tomboy female without any nurturing nature and a forgotten past, Konoka was created as the caring, motherly female of the duo, immediately connected to the magical world yet hidden away from her by her family for her own safety. With Negi being forced to live with the duo from the beginning, Konoka's character is used as the motherly, assisting female to make up for the deficiencies held by Asuna.

Because of her magical background and her place connected with both Negi's stay and to the group his father formerly lead, Konoka eventually finds her way into the story as the "healer" of his own developing group. Although remaining oblivious and cheerful with her new position in the story, she is forced with greater responsibilities with her own awakening magical potential. Similarly planned and explored is her relation with Setsuna, established even before their part in the story as the only two members of the class from Kyoto and thus drawing on each other for the character development as master and guardian. Yet even with the growing threat and troubles, Konoka remains with her sweet, happy-go-lucky personality who believes everything will be all right in the end.


The lucky number 13 seems to be working in Konoka’s favor, as Konoe pulled off not one, not two, but three close victories, including victories over Mika Inamori and C.C. of Code Geass. The only remaining candidate from Negima remaining, she has the whole of Mahora pulling behind her. She is seen as a longshot to win it all.

What to expect:
Konata will be looking to avenge the defeat of her mother in the first round by Konoka. Alternatively Konoka is looking to be the first to take down both mother and daughter in this final. The buck will stop here for Konoka, as Konata should be able to take it from here.

BoBA’s prediction:
Konata by at least 200 votes.