Jan 22, 2007
It's hard to describe exactly what The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya is about.
Perhaps that may be due to the fact that the entire plot of the series centers around a girl searching for meaning to her life, seeking the abnormal and the supernatural, thus lending to the relatively aimless nature of the plot. Nonetheless, The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya is a crazy ride from the crazy misleadingly horrible beginning to the epic "end". The best way to sum it up in one sentence is Haruhi Suzumiya's own self-introduction: "I'm not interested in ordinary humans. If there are any aliens, time travelers, or espers here then
...
I ask you to join me."
Beware, the first episode is extremely misleading. Many believe that this first episode is probably one of the greatest episodes in anime history, but to the unprepared viewer, the intent of it may not be completely apparent at first, so it would be wise to at least stick to the end of it for a brief showing of what the series is really about. I'll just say that it's probably not your crappy fansubs.
There are many layers to this anime. In addition to that described above, most if not every episode can be seen as a parody, from sports to mecha to even Phoenix Wright. These parodies, however, work together very well to produce a coherent storyline...when the episodes are placed in the correct order of course. Prior experience with a plethora of genres will greatly enhance enjoyment of this series.
Major praise to Kyoto Animation for placing an insane amount of detail into production, with the world-class animation, sound, and eye-candy it's well known for. Often there is something interesting occuring in the background that either reveals something for interesting, or is simply a good laugh. It is nearly impossible to notice all the countless references the first time going through, and the whole non-chronological order of the episodes begs for a full rewatch.
Clearly, one of the greatest things about this show is that it is clearly written by an intelligent staff, but the best thing is that even if one is too lazy to notice all the references, interpret the various parodies and overlying themes, and watch it over and over again, this show is still enjoyable on it's own. Each one of the main characters is so likable it's hard to pick a favorite, and even minor supporting characters are alive with hilarious personalities - many supporting characters could probably star in their own series. One of them, Tsuruya-san, has spawned her own 4chan meme as well as a numerous 4koma doujins.
There's too much to say about this anime, but this review needs to have limits. A huge explosion of information regarding Suzumiya Haruhi no Yuutsu has already occurred on the internet, much like the information explosion that occurs in the series itself. Anyway, needless to say this anime is a milestone, and could very well bring many a jaded anime fan back. The most significant since Evangelion? Many would definitely agree. Watch. and watch again.
Reviewer’s Rating: 10
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