Forum - View topicThe Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya (TV).
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Sohma_Curse
 Posts: 512 Location: New York |
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If that's the case though, then why even bother delving into the (fairly intricate and interesting) sub-plots they decided to weave into the show if they were just going to leave them all hanging? It doesn't make sense to me that the creators would come up with these elaborate origins and circumstances for the characters and simply abandon this whole angle midway through without any explanation. The show at some points plotted out some rather complex sci-fi backgrounds for half of the characters; even going as far as suggesting that Kyon most likely had an underlying ability that he wasn't aware of which instinctively drew Haruhi to him. There was so much build up with no conclusive climax/payoff whatsoever. As for the characters themselves, as I said, I couldn't identify or connect with them at all. Haruhi was an annoying, hyperactive brat whose ability to seemingly manipulate time and space wasn't even explained. Kyon was too grounded and normal to actually end up being grounded and normal (and yet, he was all along). Yuki was a typical stoic/monotone/quiet/shy character (which was given an awesome backstory that, again, went nowhere). Itsuki was the definition of unmemorable; a completely flat character that just agreed with everyone about everything (who also got an awesome backstory that was never fully fleshed out). Mikuru was your basic sultry voiced, fan-service puppet (who ALSO was given a cool backstory that went nowhere). If people love this show for the characters, I'd like to know exactly what it is they find so endearing and unique about them so as to warrant such high praise. [EDIT: Again, removed unnecessary spoiler tags. - Key] |
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Catseyetiger
Posts: 779 |
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Question eight was a major number! I felt eight of anything to get a point across to anyone watching was just to much. Also i enjoyed the show just for the story plot and great voice acting.
I would watch more of it if any more of it gets made into anime any time. I collected season 2 despite the eight issues and enjoyed most of it. The eight part shrunk with the dvd set when i watch it though. I also cant wait to add the movie to my collection. The dub cast did a really good job. Though with Bandai-entertainment not longer around it would be a wonder who would pick up the north american rights to the show with its age and all. |
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momthemeatloaf
 Posts: 47 |
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@Sohma_Curse
"If that's the case...payoff whatsoever" Remember, this anime was adapted from a still ongoing light novel series. As far as I can tell, it's pretty faithful, which is why the subplots you mentioned are never resolved. They're still ongoing in the light novels! The staff could have created an original ending, of course, but this would have closed off the series to the possibility of any sequels, of which we've already seen a second season and movie. And it's entirely possible that the anime may yet continue, given the abundance of source material and lack of significant deviation from that. "As for the characters themselves..." First of all, spoiler[I'm sorry that you didn't "connect" with the characters, because I assure you it really is an enjoyable series for those who do (I myself often wonder why I've never been able to really enjoy Cowboy Bebop). I can't really argue with most of what you said about the characters because I feel it'd be nitpicking: for example, you describe Haruhi as annoying and hyperactive. I agree that she's hyper, and I can clearly see how much of what she does could annoy people (the way she treats bosses Kyon and harasses Mikuru, the way she mostly ignores Yuki), but I simply wasn't annoyed by it. I found myself constantly wondering what she would do next (not, "Oh she's just gonna boss Kyon/harass Mikuru, but rather, "She just sexually assaulted the computer club Pres! What will happen next?).] As for Kyon, spoiler[I enjoyed how he was aware of everyone's real identity, but failed to realize how much he was influenced by Haruhi. He constantly complains, but he's pretty much floored by her willpower (Note that other people, viewing this differently, would say that he's "whipped", "cowed", etc, so it's really personal preference).] It's been a while since I've seen the series, but the other characters? I liked them, yeah, but the show was always about Haruhi and Kyon for me. |
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Key
Moderator
 Posts: 18182 Location: Indianapolis, IN (formerly Mimiho Valley) |
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Yes, the main thing to remember is that the series was never intended to be self-contained, so they never aimed to explain everything. (And, again, I'm convinced that some things are never intended to be elaborated upon.)
As for the characters? If you're not finding any of them interesting then this is just not a series that is ever going to work for you. Yuki is tremendously popular (possibly even moreso than Haruhi), partly for the same reasons that NGE's Rei Ayanami was (emotionless moe girls have a long-standing appeal in fandom) and partly because she has powers equivalent to a high-level wizard. (And that's why her being an alien wizard in the movie the SOS Club made is so amusingly ironic.) Mikuru is a sympathetic as well as sexy character and Haruhi is the classic enthusiastic girl, albeit with her overbearing nature cranked up to the max. A lot of people do find that annoying, which is a big part of why MoHS isn't universally-loved. Itsuki is, admittedly, a bit flat, but he's also the low-key guy in a series full of intense personalities so the comparisons don't help. |
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Sohma_Curse
Posts: 512 Location: New York |
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Hmm...it seems the very reason I dislike the characters (their formulaic and way too familiar nature) is the very reason so many others apparently love them. It'd be one thing if they pulled off their respective stereotypical demeanors better than any other characters that have also exhibited such traits, but, IMO, they didn't. Yin from Darker Than Black, for one example, played the emotionless type much better than Yuki. They were just very run-of-the-mill characters to me. The only thing that could have put them over the top was the fact that they were given spoiler[awesome superpowers and backstories (and future stories, in Mikuru's case). But, unfortunately, none of them were used to their full potential; and what made things even more maddening was that the anime ended as if they never even introduced the characters' supernatural abilities in the first place]. |
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Key
Moderator
Posts: 18182 Location: Indianapolis, IN (formerly Mimiho Valley) |
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The fact that the characters all have super-powers or other unusual traits is common knowledge (it's even used in advertisements for the franchise), so spoiler-tagging that is not necessary. And I would entirely disagree that the introduction of the super-powers had no meaningful impact. They're a big part of what makes the series cool.
As for preferring Yin over Yuki? Just a matter of personal taste there; I'd definitely go the latter route, especially after seeing the movie. They're both incontrovertibly cut from the Rei Ayanami mold in any case. |
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Riddley
 Posts: 536 Location: Ireland |
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Should I ever step into this conversation? hehe
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Sohma_Curse
Posts: 512 Location: New York |
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That's exactly my point though - they DID have a meaningful impact, and they ARE what made the series so cool. What completely deflated their meaningful impact though, was that they were relegated to mere afterthoughts by the end of the series in favor of Haruhi playing in a band, the gang playing computer games, and a nearly 5 minute long shot of Yuki reading and listening to the radio with absolutely nothing else happening, among other random, time-consuming occurrences that took away from evolving the super-power stories. The show basically ended up having some sort of borderline personality identity crisis after the halfway point. I guess my disinterest in the characters ruined any chance of me enjoying the show on any level once the plot went rogue. Of course, I'm fully aware that everything I'm griping about is probably way more detailed and elaborate in the manga/light novel series. But again, based SOLELY on the anime and the information/scenes/characters it presents, I cannot comprehend how it receives such high marks. |
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Key
Moderator
Posts: 18182 Location: Indianapolis, IN (formerly Mimiho Valley) |
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No, it's entirely based on the light novels. The manga is mostly separate spin-offs.
And it sounds like you definitely watched the episodes in chronological order. Just remember that the last episode you saw actually was the 9th episode in the original broadcast order, so the series didn't originally end like that. See this Wikipedia page to compare the order you saw the episodes in to the original broadcast order. Last edited by Key on Thu Jan 17, 2013 3:55 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Sohma_Curse
Posts: 512 Location: New York |
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Ugh, dammit. I wish I listened to the people who told me to watch it in the broadcast order. I can't un-watch it now! 
Although, even though the broadcast order looks like it would set up the climax better, it still seems like it would be a confusing watch the first time through; I definitely would not have enjoyed starting with the mini-movie episode (which I originally did before stopping it halfway through in utter confusion as to what was going on). Also, why would they put Mysterique Sign in between the two Remote Island episodes? And what was the whole point of making the chronological/DVD version so anti-climactic if they could have just put it in broadcast order? Perhaps I'll give it some time, let my brain settle on it a bit, and then do a re-watch in the broadcast order. |
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Key
Moderator
Posts: 18182 Location: Indianapolis, IN (formerly Mimiho Valley) |
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It was all part of the uniqueness factor when the series first broadcast, and yes, it was a bit confusing, but it was supposed to be. (They even made jokes about it in the original "Next Episode" previews.) "The Adventures of Mikuru Asahina" being broadcast first definitely caught people's attention, but most quickly realized that the whole thing was a parody of crappy student-made movies. We didn't realize how much the episode was an ironic rendition of the series until much later, which is what seeing the episodes in chronological order gives us.
Part of the problem here, I think, is that watching MoHS as it originally aired was an experience as well as an anime series, and you lose that viewing it later on. That's pretty rare, and that and the way it played with otakucentric anime tropes are two of the reasons the series has/had such a strong fan base. |
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Sohma_Curse
Posts: 512 Location: New York |
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Yeah, I think another problem I have is that I'm still in relative anime infancy. I've seen about 30-35 series in the past year, but I'm still learning and absorbing when it comes to what's normal, what's being parodied, what's being used as a societal metaphor, etc. I don't read any manga and I have a very limited knowledge of Japanese society and culture, so I'm typically more satisfied when series don't get too vague/abstract on me. I've got a pretty vast and eclectic backlog to tend to, so maybe once I'm better versed in anime norms and abnorms, a broadcast order re-watch of Haruhi will at the very least be less confusing (if not more fun and enjoyable altogether).
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Oroboro
 Posts: 143 |
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I find that, as much as I adore the series, the narrative kind of peters off in the chronological order. But if you include the second season, (you can skip most of endless eight.), the movie provides an excellent capstone to the whole thing all comes together as a cohesive series.
On the other hand, I think the lack of focus on the special powers is another part of the charm, at least for me. There are plenty of series where an ordinary guy starts paling around with extraordinary people, and starts doing extraordinary things, but Kyon's snark and general apathy towards the whole thing is what hooked me, as well as his somewhat unreliable narration. Last edited by Oroboro on Thu Jan 17, 2013 8:26 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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momthemeatloaf
Posts: 47 |
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Definitely agree with this. While the movie is in no way a wrap up of the series, I liked how spoiler[the climax of the film was Kyon admitting to himself that he preferred Haruhi's world to the depowered one. It also elaborated on his relationships with Yuki and Haruhi (albeit just a smidge at the end), so while I'd like to see more of the source material adapted, it would be a fitting end to the series for me.] |
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Sohma_Curse
Posts: 512 Location: New York |
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Okay, you guys are gonna have to give me an explanation as to this 'endless eight' nonsense I've read about while glossing over this topic. Also is this: anime#10924 the second season? If so, are the first season episodes in this season redone? Or are they exactly the same with the addition of the new episodes? |
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