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REVIEW: The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya BD+DVD


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dtm42



Joined: 05 Feb 2008
Posts: 14084
Location: currently stalking my waifu
PostPosted: Mon Sep 18, 2017 9:23 am Reply with quote
ANN's blurb wrote:
One of the most compelling adventures in the Haruhi saga finally arrives on Blu-ray!


Um, it came out on Blu-Ray in America in 2011 (2012 for us in Australasia). Theron even did a review of it back then. Do you just re-use ad slogans?

Anyway, moving on.

Over the past few years I've noticed that, certain franchises excepted, Nick Creamer's opinions are a good match for my own. Things he likes I tend to like, and of course vice versa. And The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya is no exception, though I rated it a touch lower (B+). The film was a breath of fresh air after the ridiculous over-the-top first season, and the whole "Endless Eight" debacle in the second season. Same as Nick, I appreciated the quiet introspective tone and great directorial touches, as well as the focus on the other characters now that Haruhi herself wasn't suffocating the screen with her maniacal presence.
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Lemonchest



Joined: 18 Mar 2015
Posts: 1771
PostPosted: Mon Sep 18, 2017 10:34 am Reply with quote
I'd say the post-credit scene is as good an end for Nagato as one might hope for what amounts to a computer on the fritz.
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Mr. sickVisionz



Joined: 28 Oct 2007
Posts: 2171
PostPosted: Mon Sep 18, 2017 10:37 am Reply with quote
dtm42 wrote:
ANN's blurb wrote:
One of the most compelling adventures in the Haruhi saga finally arrives on Blu-ray!


Um, it came out on Blu-Ray in America in 2011 (2012 for us in Australasia).


Yeah, I haven't purchased an anime film in well over 5 years and I have a copy of this.
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Joshua Zarate



Joined: 12 Jan 2017
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PostPosted: Mon Sep 18, 2017 10:59 am Reply with quote
Disappearance was quite the experience for me. This series as a whole was quite unlike anything I had seen up to that point in my life, and I still have a special spot for it after all these years. It's one of my favorites and this movie is one of the best anime movies I've had the pleasure of watching. I would very much like a season 3, but it seems unlikely at this point of time, unfortunately.
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Animegomaniac



Joined: 16 Feb 2012
Posts: 4064
PostPosted: Mon Sep 18, 2017 11:07 am Reply with quote
Quote:
Kyon's race against time (he quickly learns that he only has a few days to right this mess)


And I don't think Nick fully understood the story and what exactly was at stake; It should never be fully clear what the person behind it did it as it would break one of the cardinal rule of the series- spoiler[we do not get into Yuki Nagato's head, ever-] but what was clear from the start that the choice of the world's future was left up to Kyon. Not something he had to clear up but having to choose the normal everyday life he always wanted.... or the madness that is Haruhi and the chaos that surrounds her.

And all the rules were put into place as a failsafe in order to force a decision- possibly. A race against time? In a story with a time traveler, that's kind of meaningless. Also, we already did it in Bamboo Leaf Rhapsody. spoiler[Asakura as a threat?] Did that too. All threats were implied and even the failsafe had failsafe and one that got spoiler[reunfixed by using a second time traveler] even. So, in the end, what happened, exactly? A lot happened in Melancholy and Sigh but here, nothing really. In the end, it's just a reaffirmation of what Kyon wants, one that he actively chooses rather than one... he actively chooses. Look, the guy really is the Unreliable Narrator for a reason.

To put my feelings about Disappearance as spoiler free as possible, I think of it as consequence free prank. Also, the best part of the franchise actually is The Sigh of Haruhi Suzumiya, the part of the series that got utterly buried by Endless Eight. That time, the threat was the Haruhi, the kind of monster people who don't like her say she always was. But then again, when you get the universe bending to your will with every creative impulse you get, your emotions are bound to get a little out of control...

It's not working with a movie budget so it's not as beautiful but the story is a lot more satisfying with fewer narrative dead spaces that mean little to either the audience or Kyon.
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Kougeru



Joined: 13 May 2008
Posts: 5516
PostPosted: Mon Sep 18, 2017 11:38 am Reply with quote
I agree with what Animegomaniac said, mostly. I'll also add that "Narrative gets somewhat muddled in science fiction fuzziness" is a statement I greatly agree with. I didn't really see any fuzziness. One person not understanding the science doesn't make it fuzzy.
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K.o.R



Joined: 31 Mar 2005
Posts: 221
PostPosted: Mon Sep 18, 2017 12:41 pm Reply with quote
Just to confirm, this will fit in the space in the Haruhi collection from Funimation, right?
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nhat



Joined: 21 Jan 2008
Posts: 922
PostPosted: Mon Sep 18, 2017 1:28 pm Reply with quote
This is one of my favorite anime movies made. There isn't a lot of action but the pacing is of the storytelling moves along pretty briskly so it's generally interesting throughout the movie.
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Alan45
Village Elder



Joined: 25 Aug 2010
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PostPosted: Mon Sep 18, 2017 2:05 pm Reply with quote
K.o.R wrote:
Just to confirm, this will fit in the space in the Haruhi collection from Funimation, right?


Yes, if you take off the cardboard sleeve it comes in. I have both and it did fit. Even the spine artwork matches.
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Juno016



Joined: 09 Jan 2012
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PostPosted: Mon Sep 18, 2017 2:18 pm Reply with quote
This IS my ultimate favorite anime film in existence thus far. The directing, atmosphere, and all the punches felt meaningful and powerful in ways that, while they depend upon an understanding of the TV series to get, still utilize EVERYTHING from the TV series to give itself a sense of sweet, sweet satisfaction. And just... how well we can understand the characters by their expressions without relying solely on dialog. I love it.
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pachy_boy



Joined: 09 Mar 2006
Posts: 1323
PostPosted: Mon Sep 18, 2017 3:54 pm Reply with quote
My only criticism of this release--why include a making-of featurette of the music video, but not include the music video itself?

I'm relieved to see this movie get as good a review as it deserves. Some may complain about the running time, but I honestly can't imagine it being any shorter, since that running time actually helps in the movie's tone, atmosphere and emotional journey.

While it's important to accept the world you're familiar with as was the point in Kyon's story, like some people I can't help but wonder if the fabricated world would have been such a terrible place to live, especially since the SOS brigade members were able to still become friends, just without superpowers. Good thing we have Disappearance of Nagato Yuki-Chan to provide that what-if parallel window.
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ultimatemegax



Joined: 26 Jan 2010
Posts: 412
PostPosted: Mon Sep 18, 2017 5:40 pm Reply with quote
pachy_boy wrote:
My only criticism of this release--why include a making-of featurette of the music video, but not include the music video itself?


The former is included in the rights sold to Funimation by Kadokawa as part of the bonus content produced by Kadokawa; the latter's rights are held by Lantis, which would require an additional contract/royalties/fees/etc at minimum. It's not worthwhile to pay a second company additional money for something people would rather look up on YouTube.
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pachy_boy



Joined: 09 Mar 2006
Posts: 1323
PostPosted: Mon Sep 18, 2017 5:58 pm Reply with quote
ultimatemegax wrote:
It's not worthwhile to pay a second company additional money for something people would rather look up on YouTube.

I understand your point, but disagree about "rather on youtube". It still would've been a nice bonus feature to help complete the set.
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Raebo101



Joined: 17 Mar 2010
Posts: 791
PostPosted: Mon Sep 18, 2017 6:22 pm Reply with quote
I'd almost give the "Overall (dub)" score a higher grade just for Crispin Freeman's amazing performance as Kyon. But that's just me. Razz
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Razor/Edge



Joined: 05 Jun 2015
Posts: 607
PostPosted: Mon Sep 18, 2017 9:15 pm Reply with quote
Animegomaniac wrote:

To put my feelings about Disappearance as spoiler free as possible, I think of it as consequence free prank.


You must not be a light novel reader then, as the effects of Disappearance don't start to become clear until the stories that happen afterwards. For example: spoiler[Yuki begins to change, but mostly only in subtle ways that only Kyon notices. She starts to want free will and become independent of the Data Overmind. Considering what a mostly blank slate she was before Disappearance, any sign of her having her own personality is a big deal. And also Kyon becomes more protective of Yuki after the movie, which affects his actions during The Surprise novels when the rival being to the Data Overmind and Kuyou Suou shows up.]
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