The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya - Episode 7 Discussion / Poll [2006 TV ep. 4] [Archive]

Keitarou

2006-04-23, 13:04

Great as always.

Yuki's scenes were just too hillarious. The way she blocked only the balls flying to her but not reacting otherwise, the last throw of the game which seriously scared the other team's runner and left even Haruhi speechless was another funny moment. The way they rigged the game was funny as hell. Lucky for the other team that it turned out like that in the end. And seeing Haruhi like that in the end was truly nice. :)

But my favourite scene was without a question:

http://i3.tinypic.com/w9ffcg_th.jpg (http://i3.tinypic.com/w9ffcg.jpg) http://i3.tinypic.com/w9ffok_th.jpg (http://i3.tinypic.com/w9ffok.jpg)

Though the slide of the baseball-team had me down as well:

http://i3.tinypic.com/w9jxg3_th.jpg (http://i3.tinypic.com/w9jxg3.jpg)

Next week going back to the beginning again. Hopefully they won't switch that way every other week. Could wear out the effect...

I've got also to mention the music, it offered quite some variety this time compared to the earlier episodes. The track played during Kyon's and Itsuki's conversation was quite fitting and sent shivers down my spine. That techno track afterwards when Yuki influenced the game was another outstanding track. Same for the one which came up when Kyon started pitching. Now I need to get my hands on the OST even more. :)

Some Screencaps (http://img184.imageshack.us/img184/4714/suzumiyaharuhinoyuuutsuepisode.jpg)

dxgarten

2006-04-23, 13:58

Episode 04 screencaps and summary (http://www.designchronicle.com/memento/archives/suzumiya_haruhi_no_yuuutsu_ep4.html)

Itsuki is here! But the story jumps way too far into the future

Omniscient

2006-04-23, 14:10

Episode 04 Screencaps and Summary (http://randomc.animeblogger.net/2006/04/23/suzumiya-haruhi-no-yuuutsu-04/)

I personally didn't think that the jump to the future was all that bad, especially since this episode had me laughing the entire way through. I agree with Keitarou that the best scene was where Haruhi bites Mikuru's ear lol.

panzerfan

2006-04-23, 14:37

Encryption allows for bypass of ISP throttle for torrent downloads, which is why it is faster at times.

SlugZilla

2006-04-23, 14:37

Dang a yakyuuban?　That is so fricken old school... Now I wonder where the hell I can aqcuire one.

Prodigious

2006-04-23, 14:46

9/10 I couldn't understand most of what they were saying but it was still hilarious. That's a sign of excellent comedy execution by Kyoto.

My personal favorite scene was when Haruhi was hitting all the balls at Mikuru kneeling on the ground sobbing.

Kaoru Chujo

2006-04-23, 14:46

And the beat goes on. I knew we had a classic as soon as I saw Mikuru's ear......in Haruhi's mouth. What will they think of next, lol. Mikuru serving tea in a naasu costume...and in a meido costume. Cue the stampede of otaku.

Other bits I loved: Haruhi's sunny enthusiasm when she announced that they were going to take part in the competition. And Kyon's resigned disgust. Mikuru flushing and fainting with Haruhi's mouth on her ear. The sound when Haruhi dropped Mikuru on the floor. Yuki in the field catching everything that actually hit her and nothing else. Yuki's amazing and wonderful gait rounding the bases. And especially Haruhi's smile to Kyon near the end: being on the receiving end of that would make all the pain worthwhile.

The only thing I didn't like was seeing Haruhi slide into third (?) base with bare legs. Ouch. And actually, Haruhi's signs from third didn't work for me: her arms seemed too long.

The popularity of the show was demonstrated by the fact that this was as fast as I've ever seen a raw appear in Japanese cyberspace, and as fast as one has ever downloaded for me. Noticed again: the animators are just great at doing hands, especially Haruhi's.

Can the big outdoor screen kj1980 mentioned be far behind?

Katapan

2006-04-23, 15:52

I have never laughed so much in front of an episode. This definitely doesn't stop to surprise...

Just WHAT was up with Haruhi's random moving when it was Mikuru who had the bat at one point (and Itsuki was explaining *something* to Kyon)? All I know is that I couldn't stop laughing at it the whole time she did that.

The big jump into the future wasn't really disturbing, the humor definitely made up for it, plus it's not like we hadn't already been introduced to Itsuki and the other characters.

The slight disappointment from last week is gone, and I am so giving this a perfect 10.

Oberon

2006-04-23, 16:03

I loved this episode. Since it's still early after the episode aired, here are some thoughts in spoiler tags.

It has everything I could wish for. Nice animation, fun character interaction, some juicy plot bits and some fanservice for good measure. One of the things that stuck out in this episode is the good soundtrack this series has and how well it enhances each scene. Incidently, it also shows Kyoto Animation knows their anime classics. One of my favourite scenes was when Kyon started to pitch in the latter half of the episode. The background music that played during that part should be easily recognized by anyone who has seen the anime adaption of Adachi Mitsuru's baseball/romance classic "Touch" (If you don't know what I'm talking about, go watch it, it's very good and completely fansubbed). Another great piece of BGM was the track used during Kyon's and Itsuki's dialogue when they discussed the emergency situation, which resembled a gregorian chant and nicely created an ominous atmosphere. On the moe side of things, gotta love Mikuru's ear nibbling scene. Operation cheerleading and Haruhi's smile at the end weren't bad either.

I wasn't sure how well this episode's jump ahead in events would work when I first heard about it last week, but it worked well for me, even without having read the novels beforehand. The episode is fun and even though not all characters and mysteries have been established yet, it more than well enough made me want to keep following the series to see how everything will fit in. 10/10 from me.

Busaiku Chama

2006-04-23, 16:07

Very good episode.
Thought it was much better than the last.
Although it did leave me confused in some parts (probably would be better if I could understand more).
Glad it's gonna get back on track next episode for us that haven't read the novels.

darkchibi07

2006-04-23, 16:25

Sushi-Y

2006-04-23, 16:41

panzerfan

2006-04-23, 16:56

Lmao. This episode is incredable. The OST for Haruhi's going to be an interesting buy (the last time I fell in love with OST's with Escaflowne). I agree wholeheartedly about the comment on the Gregorian Chant and the subtle references made by KyoAni here and there. The cinematic is also nothing to scoff at... omnious air is starting to cloud about the series as it should.

The fact that the board game's actually a baseball themed one adds to the irony.

Mikuru's probabilly won the heart of a million otakus worldwide by now... and Haruhi's reputation as a tyrant now goes undisputed. Kyon is as sour as a middle-aged salaryman and is only getting better.

Selic

2006-04-23, 17:42

The sound effect when Haruhi clamps down on Mikuru's ear = Priceless

Onizuka-GTO

2006-04-23, 19:00

Baseball catching, Yuki-style.

Priceless :D :D :D :D :D :D

melange

2006-04-23, 19:52

So is really IS episode 7, they didn't try to modify the story to fit it into the timeline continuing after episode 3 (Yuutsu II), but played out the story as it is: happening after the entire Yuutsu volume.

I see what Kyoani is trying to do here now, they're basically doing the same thing Tanigawa Nagaru-san is doing with the novels: the chapters (episode) aren't presented linearly, rather, they're shuffled up and played out "randomly". The Lockdown Dimension incidents
http://img127.imageshack.us/img127/5715/bscap00007ix.th.jpg (http://img127.imageshack.us/my.php?image=bscap00007ix.jpg)
and this
http://img519.imageshack.us/img519/1623/bscap00017yi.th.jpg (http://img519.imageshack.us/my.php?image=bscap00017yi.jpg)
all happened during Yuutsu, (timeline wise) before this baseball competition. But episode wise, they're still to come...

Hmm, a way to stir up interest in the first-time watchers by enshrouding them with unknowns first? Wow... nicely done Kyoani...

And something that probably only novel-readers would notice: Nagato's glasses are gone. kawaii~ ^^
http://img291.imageshack.us/img291/8205/bscap00025ra.th.jpg (http://img291.imageshack.us/my.php?image=bscap00025ra.jpg)

Sugita-san's "?????!!" in the preview there, awesome. :heh: And Mikuru's ero photography session... Let's just say this place is going to get messy next week. ^^;
Sweet! I always knew Haruhi's episode numbering was right and Kyon's was wrong! :D :p :heh: This episode was another riot. I didn't expect them to actually put in the ear-chewing scene (I thought they would cut it for being 'inappropriate') but I'm very glad its left in :D :love: Novel readers will surely zoom in on the whole "ponytail" incident... :D Haruhi's "egyptian dance"... man reading about it is only a bit funny but watching it... :D Then the ominous chanting... I didn't know whether to laugh or cry :heh: The show scores another home-run!

Yuki~ :love:

BTW if anyone was wondering ----->"buruma"<----- :uhoh: :p :heh:

SoldierOfDarkness

2006-04-23, 19:56

You know if Mikuru was an animal the Humane society (Or animal rights or whatever their called) would be bursting all over the place.

I cannot simply believe how much abuse that girl has to take.

Oberon

2006-04-23, 19:59

Wow. A while back when episode 2 aired I made a post about an animation error during the opening, where Haruhi's legs gave the impression of spinning instead of walking:

Spinning legs (http://forums.animesuki.com/showpost.php?p=528674&postcount=15)

Well, lo and behold, they actually fixed it. That's another thumbs up from me for Kyoto Animation.

Srin Tuar

2006-04-23, 20:56

Hrm, this ep was sortof confusing. It definitely seems aimed at people already familiar with the story. Based upon guesses: it seems like if haruhi is unhappy the world will be destroyed. Nagato seems to be some magical being assigned to watching over her. Kyon is just some guy haruhi has taken a liking to. I still dont know mikuru or ituki's stories yet. I somehow get the feeling mikuru likes kyon too.

About the "incident" between haruhi and kyon: when ituki asked him to use the same technique that got him back into normal space... I bet he had to do something ichaicha with her... just a guess.

anyway, fun to watch, but the show is so scattershot and confusing. :upset:

melange

2006-04-23, 21:02

anyway, fun to watch, but the show is so scattershot and confusing. :upset:
Which in fact was how the novels were written too. Each short story jumped around along the timeline (Example: Novel 3's stories take place before Novel 2's), though the anime takes it slightly further by doing a jump to one story (Ep 4) in the middle of another story (Ep 2, 3 and 5). My recommendation would be to pay attention to Haruhi's episode numberings, even if Kyon loudly denies them, as the show goes on.

Kaoru Chujo

2006-04-23, 21:21

...the show is so scattershot and confusing. Yes, for sure. But that is part of the deal, I think. It gets you involved by forcing to get in there and try to fill in the gaps. I know I'm going to be understanding more each time I watch, and maybe never understanding everything. Like life.

In the terms used by the media theorist Marshall McLuhan, the show is "cool," not serving you up a clear, full story, but leaving a lot for the viewer to infer, and thereby getting the viewer more involved.

Another thing I liked in the early sequence in the club room: in the shot from outside the window, you could see everyone but Yuki, who was hidden by a window-frame -- except for her feet. That's like a direct demonstration of a "cool" scene, I guess.

melange

2006-04-23, 21:47

Yes, for sure. But that is part of the deal, I think. It gets you involved by forcing to get in there and try to fill in the gaps. I know I'm going to be understanding more each time I watch, and maybe never understanding everything. Like life.

In the terms used by the media theorist Marshall McLuhan, the show is "cool," not serving you up a clear, full story, but leaving a lot for the viewer to infer, and thereby getting the viewer more involved.

Another thing I liked in the early sequence in the club room: in the shot from outside the window, you could see everyone but Yuki, who was hidden by a window-frame -- except for her feet. That's like a direct demonstration of a "cool" scene, I guess.
Its been so long since I read through this one book by McLuhan... have to find it :heh:

edit: if there will be more discussion of McLuhan's theories, especially appropriate since Haruhi demonstrates virulently 'viral' characteristics in its spread, we should shift it to the Ontology thread...

Tabris

2006-04-23, 23:02

After seeing how cut Suzumiya Haruhi is from people's sigs, I'm totally downloading this anime. I'll post back when I've caught up.

panzerfan

2006-04-23, 23:12

After seeing how cut Suzumiya Haruhi is from people's sigs, I'm totally downloading this anime
(And that is the last contact we have with Tabris...)

Onizuka-GTO

2006-04-23, 23:43

(claps his hands and says a little pray for Tabris) (-_-)|

Adigard

2006-04-24, 00:36

Just a totally random aside as I watch the RAW for the first time. But I noticed that the flowers drying on the wall in Ep3 (during Kyon's and Mikuru's chat[10m:43s]) look brand new and newly hung. Where as the same flowers look rather ratty and worn in Ep4 (After Haruhi slams the door open, while the viewer is focused on Mikuru [01m:00s].

Really awesome yet terribly subtle way to show the passage of time. The more obvious things (Mikuru's school outfit + cosplay costume hanging on the rack hidden behind the board), Yuki no longer wearing her glasses or winter coat... etc.

Damn fine job on showing the viewer in a variety of ways how time has passed, and vastly better than a simple change of summer/winter school uniforms, or the typical audible sounds of the seasons.

I'm going to refrain from commenting on the episode itself until I can actually watch the fansub. No reason to comment when I really don't understand what they're talking about ^_^;;

BTW... those skirts are totally inappropriate for playing any sort of sport in ^_^

//EDIT: BTW... This is the only half gig RAW for a 24 minute show I've ever seen. The viral spread of this show is insane, and it's influencing all sorts of things.

derekjai

2006-04-24, 00:36

damn i wish this show can go on forever xD!!!
Its hilarious even i am watchin the raw version n have no clue what they r saying!
can't wait to read the novel when i got time in hand =)

hail haruhi!!!!

Shirobane

2006-04-24, 00:42

Simply hilarious regardless of the fact that I only understood 30% max (after a good 6 views :p)
Only gripe is that Haruhi's arms when she was doing the batting signals are a bit too long, effectively making her look like a monkey in a couple of frames. I guess that can be forgiven as they made her smile in a way that could melt concrete. :D

The far leap from last episode wasn't jarring over here, in fact it kind of captivated me more. I actually thought it flowed well what with the mystery created by last episode's exposition that Yuki's an alien, mostly by adding in the flash scenes of:
The electric monster thing and what looked like a confrontation between Yuki and another student :eek:

Guess I'll add more when I actually understand everything that's going on :p

...

Sugita-san's "ちっがーう!!" in the preview there, awesome. :heh: And Mikuru's ero photography session... Let's just say this place is going to get messy next week. ^^;
Hmm, so what you're saying is that we'll need a couple of brooms and sars masks to keep the blood in next week...:D
Onizuka may need to pray a lot more for the well-being of the forum goers :p

panzerfan

2006-04-24, 02:28

It's gonna be one fast ride. Hang on for your dear life... (if you can resist the spoiler tags abound long enough and not be DOA... nihahaha)

melange

2006-04-24, 02:31

YUKI.N>I am the backbone of my network. I have closed over a thousand ports; not aware of latency, nor aware of noise... yet there has been no disconnect... so I pray. Unlimited Dimensional Interface.
Hilarious! :D Though... Yuki does know of "noise" :heh:

panzerfan

2006-04-24, 02:33

(Working right now to amend that. However in my defense I am sure Archer certainly knows of life and death.
Edit. Decides to keep most of it as-is. Sounds funnier this way)

O yea, that bat and how battered it got is very hilerious.

Shirobane

2006-04-24, 02:47

melange

2006-04-24, 02:51

rofl, someone must have had access to the "Haruhi Marble"

http://img519.imageshack.us/img519/1623/bscap00017yi.th.jpg
I can only assume that this would be the archer fight that was so rudely cut off in FSN :heh:
"Reality Marble" huh... sounds fitting :D Actually wouldn't be a bad way to describe some of the things that will show up... :heh:

panzerfan

2006-04-24, 02:52

(ok, now you got me started)

I wonder what "noble phantasm" the bat's supposively modelled after?
(I never thought of the enclosed space as a reality marble but it makes strange sense somehow...)
Supposively Reality marble's a trick that only top mage/demon or divine agents could pull off. It causes huge stress to the 'current' state and holding the thing together is nothing less than herculean in effort since reality literally comes crashing down on you on all sides. There's supposively an alternate version which in description is kinda like what Haruhi could do... like a reality marble+. Of course this actually fits Haruhi... still... egad.

Suddenly, the image of a crossover pic in the picture thread flashes before my mind.
edit. I can now picture Yuki muttering those lines in my sig >.<

Shirobane

2006-04-24, 02:57

(ok, now you got me started)

I wonder what "noble phantasm" the bat's supposively modelled after?
(I never thought of the enclosed space as a reality marble but it makes strange sense somehow...)
Quickly! a .gif needs to be made at [17:39] to [17:41] (Yuki chanting at light speed) with panzerfan's sig typing out on the left side! :heh:

The bat is obviously excalibur as it is the sword that brings promised victory! (as noted by the 11 homeruns)

melange

2006-04-24, 03:02

(ok, now you got me started)

I wonder what "noble phantasm" the bat's supposively modelled after?
(I never thought of the enclosed space as a reality marble but it makes strange sense somehow...)
Supposively Reality marble's a trick that only top mage/demon or divine agents could pull off. It causes huge stress to the 'current' state and holding the thing together is nothing less than herculean in effort. There's supposively an alternate version which in description is kinda like what Haruhi could do... like a reality marble+. Of course this actually fits Haruhi... still... egad.

Suddenly, the image of a crossover pic in the picture thread flashes before my mind.
Although my knowledge of Fate/Stay Night is quite limited...
Haruhi's ability to spontaneously 'create' new information, i.e. information that does not already exist, is not unlike Shirou's ability to materialize elements that do not exist.
Should we shift this to the Speculation or Ontology thread? :heh:

Shirobane

2006-04-24, 03:05

Although my knowledge of Fate/Stay Night is quite limited...
Haruhi's ability to spontaneously 'create' new information, i.e. information that does not already exist, is not unlike Shirou's ability to materialize elements that do not exist.
Should we shift this to the Speculation or Ontology thread? :heh:

Actually you've about nailed it on the head.
the only real difference is that Shirou needs to concentrate in oder to "image" things whereas Haruhi just kinda randomly makes stuff happen

Vallen Chaos Valiant

2006-04-24, 03:06

Quickly! a .gif needs to be made at [17:39] to [17:41] (Yuki chanting at light speed) with panzerfan's sig typing out on the left side! :heh:

The bat is obviously excalibur as it is the sword that brings promised victory! (as noted by the 11 homeruns)
No! No! No!

The bat must be Gáe Bolg - "The Spear of Impaling Barbed Death"

The bat already decided where the ball is going to go before it was even swung, so the predetermined 100% accuracy must mean it is Gáe Bolg, the spear that cannot miss.:D

panzerfan

2006-04-24, 03:12

(I am going to work on that gif afterall. This is gonna be fun...)

Maybe Avalon instead of Escalibur?
This is truly a UFO discovery. Haruhi could do that out of thin air while Yuki has to chant, in uberspeed no less to pull off a reality marble. Wait till we see Itsuki in action... nihaha. (As an aside, Yuki-styled unlimited (insert here) is just to die for! Now I want to see a hypothetical fight b/w Shirou/Archer vs Yuki)

melange

2006-04-24, 03:17

(I am going to work on that gif afterall. This is gonna be fun...)
This is truly a UFO discovery. Haruhi could do that out of thin air while Yuki has to chant, in uberspeed no less to pull off a reality marble. Wait till we see Itsuki in action... nihaha. (As an aside, Yuki-styled unlimited (insert here) is just to die for! Now I want to see a hypothetical fight b/w Shirou/Archer vs Yuki)
Yuki's Reality Marble: UBW - Unlimited Book Works?:heh:
Mustn't forget thatAsakura Ryoko can do the same...

panzerfan

2006-04-24, 03:22

(more like unlimited Information compendium). Let us not forget of the Archer vs. Shirou fight...

melange

2006-04-24, 03:26

(more like unlimited Information compendium). Let us not forget of the Archer vs. Shirou fight...
You may want to indicate which series you're spoiling in your spoilers :heh:

panzerfan

2006-04-24, 03:28

sorry >.< That would be from the game in the Unlimited Blade Works Scenario

Sushi-Y

2006-04-24, 05:05

This is truly a UFO discovery. Haruhi could do that out of thin air while Yuki has to chant, in uberspeed no less to pull off a reality marble. Wait till we see Itsuki in action... nihaha. (As an aside, Yuki-styled unlimited (insert here) is just to die for! Now I want to see a hypothetical fight b/w Shirou/Archer vs Yuki)
Since I'm familiar with both series, I can say that Yuki will most likely come out on top. If we pretend that everyone in the world is a "game player", then Yuki would be the one playing with every possible hack and cheats that ever existed turned on.

=================
Anyway, I got the hi-res version now. *is happy*
http://img84.imageshack.us/img84/1124/ep400002px.th.jpg (http://img84.imageshack.us/my.php?image=ep400002px.jpg)
Yuki kaaii~
←is a big Yuki fan.

http://img84.imageshack.us/img84/565/ep400022lm.th.jpg (http://img84.imageshack.us/my.php?image=ep400022lm.jpg)http://img84.imageshack.us/img84/9365/ep400034hw.th.jpg (http://img84.imageshack.us/my.php?image=ep400034hw.jpg)
Now that I've thought about it, both the anime and the mangas didn't use Itou-san's original design for the 神人, did they? Itou-san's original version was more... human-like. Eh.

http://img113.imageshack.us/img113/6571/ep400052yw.th.jpg (http://img113.imageshack.us/my.php?image=ep400052yw.jpg)
moe experts will probably find this "just-before-bite" shot more moe than the actual bite shot?

Vallen Chaos Valiant

2006-04-24, 05:32

Since I'm familiar with both series, I can say that Yuki will most likely come out on top. If we pretend that everyone in the world is a "game player", then Yuki would be the one playing with every possible hack and cheats that ever existed turned on.

Does that mean Haruhi is the Golden Pikachu? (FSN in-joke.:heh: )

kj1980

2006-04-24, 06:00

oh please do not let this thread degenerate into stupid comparisons between one set of anime (Fate/stay night) to another (Suzumiya Haruhi). They are different anime with different story, so it's pointless to discuss about such things. I don't want to see such a magnificent sakuga-quality anime degrade itself into the likes that I see over at the Naruto forum.

hi-hi

2006-04-24, 06:13

I liked the bit right after Haruhi and Mikuru changed into cheerleader costumes.
Haruhi was playing around with Mikuru's hair, and made a ponytail. Then she looked at Kyon, and let go.
It means that the event related to it will be shown. :heh:

Haruhi plays around with Mikuru so often, she's certainly backing up her claim that she doesn't care if it's a male or female, as long as they're interesting to her.

Haruhi's smile at the end was great, and was actually her first tender moment in the show. (not counting the beginning of the op where she grab the hand)

panzerfan

2006-04-24, 08:10

yees... I finally did it... awww... (there goes my sleep!)

Adigard

2006-04-24, 08:48

I think Yuki steals the spotlight in this episode... except for a few very short moments when the other characters get to shine.

kj1980

2006-04-24, 09:17

I think Yuki steals the spotlight in this episode... except for a few very short moments when the other characters get to shine.

Well, she was touted as the MVP of the game by Kyon in the original novel.

Onizuka-GTO

2006-04-24, 10:26

MVP? O_o

what does that mean?

melange

2006-04-24, 10:32

MVP? O_o

what does that mean?
Most Valuable Player

DannyCat

2006-04-24, 10:48

There's one particularly amusing sequence of sounds near the end, as Yuki's throwing the ball towards second base:

Kyon: "SECONDO!!"

*fweeeeeeee*

*FWAP*
Kyon: "Eh?!" Runner: "Uwa!?" Haruhi: "Are?"
*thwop*
Just the way those all rush by in rapid succession ends up sounding rather cool. :)

iamandragon

2006-04-24, 13:31

I really like her character in the book, but the voice in the anime just doesn't suit me(to put it that way...I don't like any lolita voice...)

kj1980

2006-04-24, 13:34

I really like her character in the book, but the voice in the anime just doesn't suit me(to put it that way...I don't like any lolita voice...)

But, Asahina-san wouldn't sound the same without a loli moe~ voice.

iamandragon

2006-04-24, 13:51

The problem is, the voice is TOO young for her looks! I don't mind if she looks lolita AND have that voice, that way I'll hate her; Or remain who she looks like AND have a more mature voice, that way I will love her. Either of them but not in the middle. Now I'm torn apart to love her looks but hate her voice. After all, they're in high school, and should have reached puberty alreadys. Even in the light novels they only mention she got a cute look not a lolita VOICE!

Vexx

2006-04-24, 15:19

Good lord... I've lost count of the women I've met that sound like that ... ya know... grown women? in their 30s and 40s grown? (yes, most of them were asian). Its the size of the pipes... small women just tend to have higher-pitched voices on average.

Ah well.. more for me and less for you then :)

Xellos-_^

2006-04-24, 15:34

Onizuka-GTO

2006-04-24, 16:09

you mean "moe for me and less for you" :D

sigh...

*Does a Kyon head-in-hand shake*

:rolleyes:

Prodigious

2006-04-24, 16:59

Well it's true, age doesn't really have an absolute corrolation with a woman's voice, especially Asian women. I don't know if it is a physical trait, or just has to do with vocal characteristics from Eastern languages, but when they scream or moan it tends to be higher pitched than you'd expect.

I personally find Mikuru to be adorable. Her character just wouldn't be the same without that voice. Her combination of looks, voice and personality, make the situations she gets into simultaneously sad hilarious and... hot.

techiet

2006-04-24, 17:21

Anh_Minh

2006-04-24, 17:28

Mikuru's voice is "too much" for me. It blows right through "cute", doesn't even slow down for "vulnerable", and goes square into "stupid" territory.

philip72

2006-04-24, 18:01

Another excellent episode of The Molestation of Asahina Mikuru.

I love how Haruhi can change the nature of reality to such an extent that the episodes air in the order she chooses, in spite of Kyon's prior demand for a sequential order.

mp3chan

2006-04-24, 18:38

I love this episode. It made me laugh so hard the whole episode especially when Yuki's in action. The animation quality is superb like usual. I think the the story is well developed. Eventhough it jumps from novel point of view, it doesn't give me weird feeling. 10/10 definitely ^^

Edit: I can't wait for the next episode. I'm so curious about the tootpick XD

Onizuka-GTO

2006-04-24, 18:44

not all the animation was good. they really messed up thr hand signalling animation. it looked absolutely awful :(

stupid animation loop. that was the only bad point. everything else was fantastic :)

Onizuka-GTO

2006-04-24, 18:47

I'm really getting into the story now, and I can't wait for the next episode.
I'm realling getting curious about the relationship between Kyon and Haruhi.
Like, what makes Kyon so important to Haruhi. Also, I'm kind of curious if they actually did meet before. The bike-riding scene in OP also makes me wonder.
If one of the novel translators could explain to me if the novels explain some of this, I'd appreciate it. Don't need to go into full detail (like it better if you did though), but just want some confirmation.

well you see, about Kyon & Haruhi.....

Haruhi exist for Kyon & Kyon exist for Haruhi since the creation of the universe!

:D :D :D

kidding? perhaps. Well that's what I think anyway, but there is something that smells like what i mentioned from reading the novel so far.

:D

Adigard

2006-04-25, 13:38

That one group has released a fansub for ep4.

I anticipate a flood of new interest in this topic as people start watching the translated version ^^

Onizuka-GTO

2006-04-25, 13:47

yup yup. downloading it now :p

can't wait to find out what they all yabbing about, oh chapter 05 of the novel been updated. Now i understand the Yuki standing infront of kyon in the weird swirling light room scene in this episode!

:D :D :D :D

panzerfan

2006-04-25, 14:02

(Cries as there's no way for me to d/l the sub for another 7hrs.)

I had a hard time trying to get onto the forum earlier on today for some reason... anyways.

Yuki really did steal the show in ep4 as previously mentioned. Alot of people have been relating Shinjin to the giants in Naushiica, EVA and whatnot on top of our not-to-distant talk w. crossovers. Hehe...

Onizuka-GTO

2006-04-25, 14:37

yeah, i think the server had a little hiccup before,
(an explosion of information perhaps? :D )

ah. one more hour until i get the subs. woohoo. :)

Shirobane

2006-04-25, 15:08

Got the subs already :D
Great episode! As I've stated before, the two cutscenes in the middle added to the sci-fi mystery aspect that was introduced last week. Also the banter between Itsuki and Kyon about the batting signals were great! Definately complimented Haruhi's monkey-dancing well :heh:

I wonder how long it'll take before Haruhi catches onto Mikuru's slipups :p

Kamui4356

2006-04-25, 15:23

This epsiode was almost as good as the first. :D I could see how people not at least somewhat familiar with the story could be a bit lost at first though. Once I get all the episodes, I'll try rewatching in the order Haruhi recommends in the next episode previews. :heh: This series gained a few points, and is now in 5th place on my favorites list. (Making two of the top 5 KyoAni series.)

While I agree Yuki was great in this episode, the interaction between Mikuru, Haruhi, and kyon was what did it for me. Not to mention the extreme levels of moe Mikuru generated while attempting to play baseball.:heh: Overall it gets a 9 from me.

Mentar

2006-04-25, 16:02

*lol*

Now with the subs filling in the gaps left by the raw-watching, I'd like to upgrade my verdict from 8 to 9 (and I tend to give very careful ratings)

What a great, great show.

Streetor

2006-04-25, 16:15

So next episode should go back to where episode 3 left off.

Episode 2 and 3 were named "The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya I and II."

Episode 4 was named "The Boredom of Haruhi Suzumiya"

Episode 5 is named "The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya III"

So those who think they jumped into the future shouldn't worry, it looks like some holes will be filled

tritoch

2006-04-25, 16:37

im seeding it now while watching the show and i had to run up here in the forums since i have no haruhi resources other than the anime series and it got me confused but oh well.. cheers for a very good show. =)

Onizuka-GTO

2006-04-25, 16:51

Best scene ever?

Haruhi simply "dropping" Asahina after her sexual ear harassment. LOLOLOL

Zero Shinohara

2006-04-25, 18:33

Haruhi simply "dropping" Asahina after her sexual ear harassment. LOLOLOL

:P Yeah have to agree with ya there. NEXT EPISODE MIKURU IN UNDERWEAR FTGW

Still, after this episode I really stood my ground with SHY, because it started to explain the plot and the actual basis of the show; it's not just a "wtf is this shit"-type of show like the first three episodes gave me the idea it was.

Still it was pretty entertaining, and seeing how Haruhi has been undergoing some serious character development even though the series is in such an early stage also gives SHY some good points, IMO.

K. Yamato

2006-04-25, 18:43

I really enjoyed this episode, poor Mikuru I really feel bad for her
especially when she almost got hit with baseballs i inch from seriously causing her harm >_<. But what really made me laugh that it took Mikuru's charm to convince the entire baseball team to use the field :D that was cute . Her voice always has way of cuteness, and Im knowing a relationship going with Kyon and Mikuru (but thats probably not going to happen :( )

Zero Shinohara

2006-04-25, 18:46

Kyon and Mikuru (but thats probably not going to happen )

If you want the world to end, go for the hell of it :heh:

Also, has anyone made any Gifs of Haruhi's odd hand-signals? Catgirls, here's an idea :P

Onizuka-GTO

2006-04-25, 18:50

Zero Shinohara

2006-04-25, 18:53

Also for the first time in the series I found Haruhi "cute"; when she smiled at Kon after he informed her that they had given up on the baseball tournament :P

eVaX

2006-04-25, 19:00

This episode rocked so much, the best part was Mikuru holding the bat the wrong way as well as Kyon's sister for... just being there.

Prodigious

2006-04-25, 19:01

Wow, after seeing the fansub, this gets bumped from whatever I gave it before to a 10. It was perfect and the dialog made it so much better.

I am a little annoyed with the time jump thing though. Yeah, it's unique, but they allude to so much stuff that we haven't learned about yet(even though I can imagine most of what they talk about) that it's a bit strange and takes away from the enjoyment of the episode.

Still, the moe factor in this episode was off the charts. Kyon's baby sister, cheerleading outfits, Mikuru's usual charm, Haruhi genuinely happy at the end. *head explodes*

feihc

2006-04-25, 19:20

This show just keeps on getting better and better. So many laugh out loud moments and fun characters to boot!

And now a baseball ep!! Gotta love it.

anyone notice the variation of the "Touch" theme during the final scene of the game? nice touch ;) .

I am glad though that they are heading back to "Melancholy" in the next ep. after all the referances in ep 04 (or 3 or 7 or ......arrgh.... hehe). Now I am even even more rabid for the next ep.

-feihc

Shiroth

2006-04-25, 19:21

Episode 04 wins because of Itsuki goodness.. end of story.

10.

And something that probably only novel-readers would notice: Nagato's glasses are gone. kawaii~ ^^
I'm not a novel reader, and i noticed from the preview from episode 03. ^^

Onizuka-GTO

2006-04-25, 19:30

Itsuki?
*kyon mutter*
arrogant git.

*cough*

Anyway, next episodes is going to be a blast!, hopefully literally and i really really really hope it includes Ryoko!!

:D :D

Ongaku_no_tenshi

2006-04-25, 19:48

This episode was really funny, considering the whole episode focused on a baseball game.

SoldierOfDarkness

2006-04-25, 20:05

Episode was good though I'm find Mikuru a little annoying but I'll be able to tolerate her, she's nothing more than a play toy for Haruhi anyways (good lord biting her ear?)

And is it just me or is Haruhi growing more affectionate towards Kyon? The way she looked at him when she decided to give Mikuru a ponytail and when he informed her of forfeting.

"If it's okay with you..."

Wow.....

I dont' know what's worse, an individual that is aware of their providence power or an individual or isn't aware of it at all.

Wandering_Youth

2006-04-25, 20:29

Hmm, now where to begin talking about this episode...

I really didn't like how they skipped over a lot of details left off at episode 3. I'm thinking they're going to probably explain it later on in another episode but I dislike that kind of plot development because I hate being left out on the juicy details! :(

Haruhi seems to get stranger in this episode with all the ear bitting. Why is she biting Mikuru's ear?! Man, the rotation of the Earth must be off or something because Haruhi actually looked cute towards the very end of the episode plus she showed some feelings for one other besides herself. Wow! :D

It's ironic how she's looking for aliens, time travelers and esper when they're all right next to her. :heh: I'm still trying to figure which of the 3 SOS members fit into which category.

Overall, this episode was enjoyable but I really wanted to know what happened where episode 2 left off. Grrr!

celcius

2006-04-25, 20:47

Like with Zero Shinohara's observation, I starting to see the deeper plot in ep.4. Which is great IMO. However, judging from what everyone is saying (especially Kyon and Itsuki. Where'd Itsuki come from BTW??), I get the feeling that there was quite a significant amount of events that was skipped. Overall, for having Haruhi with :3 face, and seeing Haruhi beam so many times, as well as having a small glimpse of a deeper plot, and finally character development in Haruhi and Kyon (though what event lead to it is not shown, we still see the effects), I give it a 10. :)

Onizuka-GTO

2006-04-25, 20:51

Like with Zero Shinohara's observation, I starting to see the deeper plot in ep.4. Which is great IMO. However, judging from what everyone is saying (especially Kyon and Itsuki. Where'd Itsuki come from BTW??), I get the feeling that there was quite a significant amount of events that was skipped. Overall, for having Haruhi with :3 face, and seeing Haruhi beam so many times, as well as having a small glimpse of a deeper plot, I give it a 10. :)

you do know, episode 04, is actually Episode 07? Haruhi tells you in the last episode 03 ending preview.

Haruhi even has the animators under her power :D

panzerfan

2006-04-25, 20:58

(the credit clearly shows that Haruhi is senior to the director.)

ChainLegacy

2006-04-25, 21:06

So those who think they jumped into the future shouldn't worry, it looks like some holes will be filled
I thought this episode was hilarious, but I was pretty lost plot-wise, so I'm happy the holes will be filled in. I give the episode an 8 out of 10. There were some absolutely hilarious moments, my favorite being the school baseball team fawning over Asahina in her outfit towards the beginning of the show.

Kamui4356

2006-04-25, 21:20

It's ironic how she's looking for aliens, time travelers and esper when they're all right next to her. :heh: I'm still trying to figure which of the 3 SOS members fit into which category.

Well, Yuki's identity has been spelled out in the previous episode. There have been some rather strong hints about another character as well. Just think back to the conversation Mikuru had with Kyon in the computer club room last episode, and what she's riding in one part of the opening. ;)

(the credit clearly shows that Haruhi is senior to the director.)
As she should be.

Streetor

2006-04-25, 21:28

yeah, you heard what would happened if Kyon kept being nice to Asahina again.... :p

(Kyon x Asahina)^Haruhi = Jealousy

Haruhi + Jealousy = :upset:

Haruhi doesn't seem like the type who'd get romantically interested in Kyon.

Although, maybe in the novels that changes?

TDRKZ

2006-04-25, 21:29

the creativity and the way its all narrated by kyon so you get his "*sigh* *sigh* when will this be over wtf is going on" attitude is great. This will go down as a classic ... simple as that.

Perfect amount of fanservice, comedy, and good solid randomness that comes together nicely. Very original in the way its all played out. Animation is clear, music is great. Quick paced ... what else do you want? well other than to chomp down on mikuru's ear yourself.

1000000000 for this ep and for this whole anime... i'm calling it after ep 4... definetly good stuff here no doubt about it.

Kazu-kun

2006-04-25, 21:58

Haruhi doesn't seem like the type who'd get romantically interested in Kyon.

You need to go watch episode 4 again. Haruhi so has the hots for Kyon ;)

Streetor

2006-04-25, 22:03

You need to go watch episode 4 again. Haruhi so has the hots for Kyon ;)

I've seen it. There really isn't much there. Are you referring to Haruhi wanting Kyon to bat clean-up?

That really doesn't say much.

celcius

2006-04-25, 22:11

I have never seen Haruhi smile the way she smiled at Kyon towards the end of the ep.

Also...
If it's okay with you, I guess it's alright.
Since when did Haruhi stop because somebody wanted to?:D

DannoHung

2006-04-25, 22:19

Linear Narrative Is Unacceptable To Suzumiya Haurhi!

She Demands Something More Interesting!

Xinil

2006-04-25, 22:20

Fabulous episode. Couldn't have asked for more.

Just had to make the avatar. I just had to. :)

Onizuka-GTO

2006-04-25, 22:40

Haruhi doesn't seem like the type who'd get romantically interested in Kyon.

Although, maybe in the novels that changes?

"Romantically interested" makes it sound mushy and coy.

It's more like "fiesty & dynamically invloved" if you put kyon & Haruhi together.

As for what happens in the novel concerning them two....
Well you have to read it yourself ;)

All i'll say is that so far, the anime has been 99% faithful to the novel....

:D

Zero Shinohara

2006-04-25, 23:20

I don't think that in these starting stages there will be ever any romantic development in the series. Though I have to agree that Haruhi does have something with Kyon.

And remember that Haruhi has always been alone; Kyon is her first (that we know of) friend, and it was because of him that she eventually managed to create the SOS Brigade and have some fun. While you might say it's not some sort of romantic development, at the least you have to agree that she sees him differently (even though she doesn't show it).

Onizuka-GTO

2006-04-25, 23:32

well,
No point arguing over the facts.
if you want to know the truth, all they have to do is hope on over to the future/speculation thread, spoiler-tastic, click-whore banzai :D

Zero Shinohara

2006-04-25, 23:36

Nah. Talking about my expectations for a show would have the same effect in our world as having Haruhi step on a nail.

melange

2006-04-25, 23:38

well,
No point arguing over the facts.
if you want to know the truth, all they have to do is hope on over to the future/speculation thread, spoiler-tastic, click-whore banzai :D
Geez let those who haven't read anything of the novels decide for themselves if the little 'incidents' are hints of something brewing or not :heh: Not everyone is spoiler trigger happy you know ;)

monir

2006-04-25, 23:42

And remember that Haruhi has always been alone; Kyon is her first (that we know of) friend, and it was because of him that she eventually managed to create the SOS Brigade and have some fun. While you might say it's not some sort of romantic development, at the least you have to agree that she sees him differently (even though she doesn't show it).Agreed, though I've to say that Kyon is really not a friend, rather he is someone Haruhi can tolerate. I suppose that can also be interpreted as a first step toward a romantic relationship. :)

Onizuka-GTO

2006-04-25, 23:42

Geez let those who haven't read anything of the novels decide for themselves if the little 'incidents' are hints of something brewing or not Not everyone is spoiler trigger happy you know

gaah. spoil sports. :mad:

*slam his head into the wall*

The truth hurts, when everyones guesses goes complete off course. And then they stick to it. arrggh.

:(

SoldierOfDarkness

2006-04-25, 23:57

I've seen it. There really isn't much there. Are you referring to Haruhi wanting Kyon to bat clean-up?

That really doesn't say much.

Aside from the part where Haruhi thinks Mikuru would look good with a pony tail, she looks at Kyon, then drops it.

Aside from clean up.

And then finally the part where she agrees with Kyon so long as he's okay with it.

I think she's defintely interested:heh:

melange

2006-04-26, 00:11

gaah. spoil sports. :mad:

*slam his head into the wall*

The truth hurts, when everyones guesses goes complete off course. And then they stick to it. arrggh.

:(
If you want to argue with those who 'guess differently', try using the 'evidence' in the episodes already shown to counter them like SoldierOfDarkness did above ;)

I'll add another one:
In the opening theme song which is sung by Haruhi's seiyuu, in the beginning the lyrics say, "I wonder why... I am the one who chose you" If we assume that the song is from Haruhi's prespective, just who has she chosen? Then later on at the line, "Please come with me. Watch me be free as a bird" You have Haruhi appearing then Kyon then both at the same time, almost as if it was Haruhi saying to Kyon to 'come with her'. Then you also have each appearing before the enlarged versions of the other's face. Subliminal much? :D

nasheq

2006-04-26, 00:20

this epsiode is teh winn4r cause it has kyon's sister. hotness. kyon's sister + yuki = best episode ever. add rori FTW!11

Kamui4356

2006-04-26, 00:25

Aside from the part where Haruhi thinks Mikuru would look good with a pony tail, she looks at Kyon, then drops it.

Aside from clean up.

And then finally the part where she agrees with Kyon so long as he's okay with it.

I think she's defintely interested:heh:
I agree, but I think the evidence goes back further. If we look at episode one err two, Haruhi ends up keeping the seat behind kyon. When we take into account Itsuki's comments on why kyon was cleanup hitter in this episode, we can conclude Haruhi wanted to sit behind kyon.

We also have Mikuru's warning about not being nice to her or 'it' will happen again. While we don't know what this "it" she's referring to is, I'd bet it has something to do with Haruhi. Regardless, she seemed very annoyed that kyon was helping Mikuru off the field, and had the same look as when she drops the ponytail later. Of course that might be over analyzing things.:heh:

Shikimori Kazuki

2006-04-26, 00:35

Iron Maw

2006-04-26, 00:37

I agree, but I think the evidence goes back further. If we look at episode one err two, Haruhi ends up keeping the seat behind kyon. When we take into account Itsuki's comments on why kyon was cleanup hitter in this episode, we can conclude Haruhi wanted to sit behind kyon.

We also have Mikuru's warning about not being nice to her or 'it' will happen again. While we don't know what this "it" she's referring to is, I'd bet it has something to do with Haruhi. Regardless, she seemed very annoyed that kyon was helping Mikuru off the field, and had the same look as when she drops the ponytail later. Of course that might be over analyzing things.:heh:

I think your on to something, don't forget that she also cut and stopped changing her hair after Kyon comments on it and Itsuki definitely seems to point out that there are no coincidences when comes to Haruhi.

Awesmoe episode anyway, and all hail Haruhi who's even got the animators under her control!:heh:

Onizuka-GTO

2006-04-26, 00:41

Q. is it me or theres a new character introduced in the beginning of ep.4? im confuse and all and i see Yuki chanting an incantation elsewhere when this new male character mentions something with Kyon. ><. someone care to explain it please?

yup. well technically episode 04 is actually episode 07.
So we kinda skiped from episode 03 (technically episode 02), so you missed out a whole 04 episodes.

:D

Oh well, Haruhi says episode 05, will be episode 03. so yay. introduce the last member of SOS-dan. Transfer student.

:D

Shikimori Kazuki

2006-04-26, 00:46

yup. well technically episode 04 is actually episode 07.
So we kinda skiped from episode 03 (technically episode 02), so you missed out a whole 04 episodes.

:D

Oh well, Haruhi says episode 05, will be episode 03. so yay. introduce the last member of SOS-dan. Transfer student.

:D

ah no wonder....i was like *huh*, new student!??! Yuki in a another dimension chanting something 0_0, my head was spinning ><. Thanks for clearing things up for me ^^. I guess i have to keep watching to find out about it :heh:

Adigard

2006-04-26, 00:59

//EDIT: WAII! I don't know if I waited fifteen minutes to hit the submit/save button, or if AS just bounced my post half an hour in the future... @_@;;

Q. is it me or theres a new character introduced in the beginning of ep.4?

Dunno, we haven't seen ep4 (or ep3 for that matter T_T)... I'm sure there will be a new character introduced in the beginning of ep.4 (Itsuki if he's not introduced in the next episode), but until that ep airs in a week, there's no real way to know for sure.

im confuse and all and i see Yuki chanting an incantation elsewhere when this new male character mentions something with Kyon. ><. someone care to explain it please?

That's because you just watched episode 7... You totally missed a whole slew of episodes... Haruhi told us at the end of the last episode this would be ep7, Kyon told us at the end of this episode we'd be returning to where the previous episode left off (meaning the next episode is #3).

Make sense? Once you watch those episodes, I expect all the missing pieces will make vastly more sense. Maybe ^^

I'm personally a little confused by it all. Only a month has passed between ep2 and ep7 (roughly)... and Itsuki makes it sound like the club hasn't had many activities in the meantime. I suppose ep 3-6 will finish up Vol 1 of the novels, and then throw in a minor side story? I should go troll the Speculation thread somemore ^^;;

Although that's probably right... Two lockdowns, Kyon's attempted murder, Itsuki's introduction, the rest of Yuki's speech, as well as an alien hunt in town... not to mention the other two members telling Kyon their backstory.... And that's just what I understand of the story, I haven't read any more of the novel than has been translated, and I've only seen a single chapter of the manga. And the full volume 1 of that non-existant Manga... but it doesn't count.

Xinil

2006-04-26, 01:08

Okay, okay. Back to the whole "Haruhi likes/doesn't like Kyon".

Sure, this episode gave some HUGE hints that she cares about his opinion and possibly likes being with him. But, I think episode 2 gave a huge hint as well. The hair comment and her cutting it the very next day. MASSIVE clue.

This episode definitely made things more solid in that regard. Jealousy, happiness, sadness when he failed. Yup, yup. Haruhi is totally all over Kyon. :)

ECFNW

2006-04-26, 01:42

I give it a 9.
I can see what everyone seems to complaining about that they skipped to far ahead in the story here, with all the SOS Brigade characters in the story already with no explanation of when they joined or how Kyon knows their "secrets".
But I still thouroughly enjoyed this episode and will be interesting to see what happens when things obviously start getting serious later in the series.

celcius

2006-04-26, 01:46

There's also the closed space appearing due to Suzumiya-san's foul mood. Suzumiya-san willed Kyon to be clean-up, but Kyon wasn't doing such a good job. I'd say Suzumiya-san must've placed quite a huge expectation on Kyon, and consequently disappointed big time.

EDIT: Forgot this didn't need spoiler, since it's all in ep.4.

Sorrow-K

2006-04-26, 01:50

Just saw episode 7. Brilliant the way this series is throwing all conventions out the window, including chronology.

Hilarious episode, as has been said by everyone else, and as it has been for the entire series so far. This series just continues to go from strength to strength and relish in its uniqueness like no other I've ever seen. So cannot wait for the next episode... but I've been like that with all episodes so far. The thing is just so unique, I just can't wait to see what it does next.

Haruhi doesn't seem like the type who'd get romantically interested in Kyon.The hints so far indicate the opposite.

Knavinusa

2006-04-26, 01:52

I'm just randomly pointing something out here, but doesn't the dented bat falling seem to carry some significance? After all, one of the players from the Kamigahara Pirates stopped Kyon when he saw him holding the bat. In the end, he clearly decided not to use it, apparent from the fact that the batter missed the ball. Could it be possible that he's aware there is something strange going on with that bat (and possibly the players on Kyon's team as well), or am I just looking into this a bit too deeply?

panzerfan

2006-04-26, 02:00

Blaat

2006-04-26, 02:26

Great episode, I liked the addition of the Touch opening song as BGM in the final inning.

On another note I thought it was rather obvious that Haruhi is showing interest in Kyon.

Knavinusa

2006-04-26, 02:34

I don't think so. The bat carries more of a psycological factor more than anything else. (of course, the bat might be like the terrible Stormbringer or Murasame blades.) It is a demonstration of how that there's always another level of greatness above you perhaps... the fact that a battered bat can keep a streak of 11 homeruns must be absolutely devestating to any team that faces the thing.

(Of course, I can't help it but go... if only Charlie Brown had the Unlimited Bat Work...)
I can definitely see where you're coming from, but the fact that they put in this scene seems to suggest something else.

At first:
http://img142.imageshack.us/img142/4916/vlcsnap10718882gy.jpg
But he suddenly becomes serious here:
http://img136.imageshack.us/img136/9549/vlcsnap10674294ic.jpg
And he specifically mentions the bat.
http://img142.imageshack.us/img142/348/vlcsnap10675830mz.jpg
However, since I've never read the novel, I might be way off. :p

panzerfan

2006-04-26, 02:39

(whatever it is, Kyon made a profit on that so it's all good on his part... sort of)
*I finally added the text into the sig just as promised ^^
I really want to see the next ep ... aruuuh.

celcius

2006-04-26, 02:42

Wasn't the first screenshot (above) sort of a "good game"?

Then the 3nd and 3rd were that we negotiated with Kyon to part with the bat for a sum of money?

At least that's how I understood it. Maybe the bat falling meant that the enhancement Yuki put on it wasn't there anymore and that it somehow reflected how the team captain felt?

Clarste

2006-04-26, 02:44

Concerning the bat, the impression I got is that the baseball player bought the bat from Kyon. He saw it as lucky, inquired about it.

Next scene we jump to Kyon being forced to treat everyone to lunch, which he thinks is fine because he just got some money...

Next scene, a batter misses. The bat gets left on the ground because clearly it doesn't work. They just got ripped off.

I thought it pretty obvious, but maybe other people saw it differently?

panzerfan

2006-04-26, 02:47

(That is because the batter in question clearly lacks dual wield, 2 hand mastery and the needed DEX!)

That's an interesting way to look at it. There is a consequence to everything which you could kind of gather from Kyon's talk with Yuki regarding weather alteration. Maybe some unknown factors are starting to compensate...?

Knavinusa

2006-04-26, 02:48

Yeah, I suppose I didn't consider that possibility. This is what happens when you don't get enough sleep, I guess. >_>

EDIT: However, I doubt that their decision to zoom in on the bat falling was just a demonstration of the force of gravity. It is very possible that your interpretation, Bahamut, is correct, and that particular scene was to show the uselessness of the bat after Yuki removed the homing effect on it.

Clarste

2006-04-26, 02:52

I'm confused now. Didn't Nagato already dispel her enchantment on the bat in the middle of the game? Kyon thought it getting a bit too suspicious, so he asked her to remove it, after which they immediately strike out three times. So there wouldn't have been anything special about the bat after the game. Plus, it's a pretty beat up, dented, and all-around crummy bat in the first place, so...

Knavinusa

2006-04-26, 03:01

That's what I mean, though. She DID remove the enchantment, which is why your interpretation is likely to be correct. I simply mentioned that the bat falling could be analogous to how useless the bat was for the team.

celcius

2006-04-26, 03:04

Yes, but it reinforces that it would be of no use to the team, I guess.

Zappster

2006-04-26, 04:00

Great episode, I liked the addition of the Touch opening song as BGM in the final inning.

Knew I recognized that music from somewhere.

MihawkXGP

2006-04-26, 04:21

This episode made no sense- and now i see why. Just great. Random episodes playing out. I gave it an 8/10. I'm really liking Kyon and the stuff he says in his narrative of what's going on.
Can't wait for the next.

nasheq

2006-04-26, 04:30

Zappster

2006-04-26, 05:13

i think the anime series is for fans only. i mean hardcore fans. they totally skipped a bunch of storyline - and if i hadn't read like 5-6 anime blogs + this forum + other sources about the novels - i wouldn't have a clue wtf is going on.

unless they figure out a way to reveal questions that casual viewers have - this anime isn't going anywhere beyond the typical fanatic show.

Perhaps I'm the only one but I didn't find it confusing as to what they were doing i.e. jumping ahead in the timeline skipping parts of the story. The next episode previews usually make it quite clear as to what is going on, especially with the comments from Suzumiya, I'm only going by the fansubs though. I certainly didn't need to read through blogs and other sources to work out what was going on. For example from the preview of this episode it would seem they are picking up where they left off at episode 3.

Now if they leave it like that and don't go back and fill in the parts that they skipped then it would be confusing, as it is it doesn't take a great deal of thought to work out.

celcius

2006-04-26, 05:34

There's also the idea that they're leaving something for fans to come back and follow the series. Something like foreshadowing I guess. But with the novels out, it's kinda moot since alot of people already went and read ahead. :heh:

mr.muffin

2006-04-26, 06:09

Gave this ep a 9. Minus 1 cos I was a little lost at the beginning cos there was no introduction of Koizumi and there was no continuation at all from episode 2's ending.

Felt this ep was better and funnier than the 2nd one. The baseball game was totally hilarious. Wondering why Mikuru was wearing a nurse's uniform in the clubroom tho... and at the end she's wearing a maid's uniform. Maybe she's into cosplay? :D

C.A.

2006-04-26, 06:23

Yea i was thinking whether mikuru really likes cosplaying, she seems fine with all the costumes, unless haruhi sexually assaults her lol.

i gave this episode a 9, actually i gave all 4 episodes 9. All episodes are really clever and side splitting hiliarious, but im waiting for the ultimate haruhi episode that ill give a 10 to.

UserGoogol

2006-04-26, 07:38

Q. is it me or theres a new character introduced in the beginning of ep.4? im confuse and all and i see Yuki chanting an incantation elsewhere when this new male character mentions something with Kyon. ><. someone care to explain it please?

He's a mysterious transfer student!
He's sent from some sort of "organization" of psychics (espers) who are observing Haruhi to make sure she doesn't do anything like destroy the universe or anything like that.

DannoHung

2006-04-26, 07:57

i think the anime series is for fans only. i mean hardcore fans. they totally skipped a bunch of storyline - and if i hadn't read like 5-6 anime blogs + this forum + other sources about the novels - i wouldn't have a clue wtf is going on.

unless they figure out a way to reveal questions that casual viewers have - this anime isn't going anywhere beyond the typical fanatic show.

i enjoy the show. i can't say this show is on par with top tier anime like planetes, 12 kingsdoms, etc. but it's definately worth a watch. i hope it doesn't end up like other shows this season - high production values , shitty story / characters .. e.g. fate stay night (they had one good episode - the archer battle. and one good character .. ilya).

You're not supposed to understand Haruhi. You just hang on and pray for your life, YEAH!

dkellis

2006-04-26, 08:06

... he sold the bat?!

Vallen Chaos Valiant

2006-04-26, 08:17

... he sold the bat?!
Yeah. Why not?:D
After Yuki removed the enchantment, it's just a plain battered metal bat, and Kyon certainly didn't claim it to be anything it isn't.

Odds are, Kyon told the Captain that the Bat is useless to him, but he still insisted on buying it anyway.

Onizuka-GTO

2006-04-26, 08:51

You're not supposed to understand Haruhi. You just hang on and pray for your life, YEAH!

best. answer. EVER.

:D

GriS

2006-04-26, 08:59

Another funny episode :D, I give it 9...

it would have got the perfect 10 if not for the stupid signalling part at 14:21 - 14:53. It got me laughing initally but got disappointed soon after because the repetitive signals makes haruhi look silly and stupid. Especially the long arm, it reminds me of xxxHOLiC >.<

I like how they skip the episodes around... but it's not really intended for hardcore fans as you guys had said so. Actually, the other interested fans can wait for the series to be completed and view the show according to haruhi's orders without getting confused =)

EDIT: I believe someone asked for this animated gif (Yuki's chanting), but it looks not as smooth as the video... perhap someone else can make the better one. Size is huge! 682KB, included every single frame of Yuki's chants and deleted only the duplicate ones.
http://img257.imageshack.us/img257/8866/yuki2uj.gif

Green²

2006-04-26, 09:05

I'm not quite sure on how to rate this episode story-wise. It's like, we were at an over-the-top normal high school setting, -but now, it jumped directly to something more magical / metaphysical-like. Previous episode seemed about to the point where you could see Kyon possibly going around the idea that some of these characters are just nuts. But from this fourth episode, here, it's just, missing shock reactions?

However, that last episode preview said something about going directly into seventh episode. So overall, rating this particular episode on story at this point, could go anywhere at this point depending on where other episode transitions lie. But then, this already places this in the general mind-fuck category. ... Which, seems to be working. :heh:

One month time line shift of course. But seems to make you wonder what more happened during that time.

Onizuka-GTO

2006-04-26, 09:07

lol. can't wait for the time when you get all the episodes and you can rewatch it,

IN THE CORRECT CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER

Or should I saw, Kyon-Style

:D

edit: dammit. i like the word kyon now. pity my first born....

ordnance11

2006-04-26, 10:02

Now that's another mystery...what's Kyon's real name..nobody has ever said it? And who is Kyon?

Kinny Riddle

2006-04-26, 10:08

I think I know why the episodes aren't following the novel chronological order, because in case you didn't notice in the opening credits:

SUPER DIRECTOR: SUZUMIYA HARUHI

She's even taken over Kyo-Ani's production team. For her, it's more fun to show this episode in the middle of nowhere.

I can imagine her telling her Kyo-Ani minions: "Who cares if the flow of the story makes sense or not? The audience will be able to imagine the rest anyway, we'll just concentrate with showing the episodes in the order I devised!" :heh:

Oh and Haruhi x Mikuru yuri FTW! :love:

Just hope Haruhi's eccentricities haven't put off casual viewers watching the show, then again, one has to be eccentric enough to watch this in the first place anyway, so there probably aren't a lot of "casual" viewers.

GriS

2006-04-26, 10:48

Now that's another mystery...what's Kyon's real name..nobody has ever said it? And who is Kyon?
yeah nobody know it. Even novel doesn't say and it's getting on my nerve. Who is Kyon? In my opinion, he is just a mere human getting involved in Haruhi's eccentric behaviour. But again, it's only my view though (I read the novel up to volume 1 chapter 3 only).

I think I know why the episodes aren't following the novel chronological order, because in case you didn't notice in the opening credits:

SUPER DIRECTOR: SUZUMIYA HARUHI

She's even taken over Kyo-Ani's production team. For her, it's more fun to show this episode in the middle of nowhere.

I can imagine her telling her Kyo-Ani minions: "Who cares if the flow of the story makes sense or not? The audience will be able to imagine the rest anyway, we'll just concentrate with showing the episodes in the order I devised!" :heh:

I don't quite understand this part. I think someone mentioned this correct order (?,1,2,7,3) is Haruhi's order (?) and current airing order is Kyon. If this is the case, your statement doesn't make any sense. Both are totally opposite.

Onizuka-GTO

2006-04-26, 10:48

one has to be eccentric enough to watch this in the first place anyway.

I knew being a Brit had it's good points!

:D

edit: was curious who gave that one bad vote.

gaaz dgaaz is offline
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He joined just to give Haruhi a bad vote, awww. babies these days, ain't they the cutest thing?

lolololol.

:D :D

Julius Firefocht

2006-04-26, 11:38

I gave this episode a 10. The baseball match was just great, by far the best animated and funniest thing I watched this season. The poor enemy team's expression was just sad. And Haruhi giving out weird hand signals had me laughing throughout, she looked so funny!

Haruhi biting Mikuru's ear had me rolling on the floor too. I can't help but be reminded of Mike Tyson. :)

Kinny Riddle

2006-04-26, 11:43

yeah nobody know it. Even novel doesn't say and it's getting on my nerve. Who is Kyon? In my opinion, he is just a mere human getting involved in Haruhi's eccentric behaviour. But again, it's only my view though (I read the novel up to volume 1 chapter 3 only).

Kyon admits it himself, he is the one who unwittingly gave Haruhi the first push to found SOS Brigade. But if it wasn't for him, Haruhi would probably have destroyed the world already. Koizumi called Kyon Haruhi's "tranquilizer", the key element to calming her nerves. So Kyon has a big role to play, though he is reluctant to.

I don't quite understand this part. I think someone mentioned this correct order (?,1,2,7,3) is Haruhi's order (?) and current airing order is Kyon. If this is the case, your statement doesn't make any sense. Both are totally opposite.

What doesn't make sense? What's opposite with what? I don't get what you're trying to say. I merely said Haruhi being the Super Director that she is, likes to mix up the episode orders around.

Even though her numbering is the correct order, she doesn't stick to them and orders Kyo-Ani to show them in order of how "interesting" they are to her for the week. :D So I don't see any conflict of my statement with the fact that Haruhi's episode numbering is the correct chronological numbering.

Green²

2006-04-26, 11:46

Just hope Haruhi's eccentricities haven't put off casual viewers watching the show, then again, one has to be eccentric enough to watch this in the first place anyway, so there probably aren't a lot of "casual" viewers.
Which in case, I could probably put this scene:

http://img135.imageshack.us/img135/5120/untitled7sl.gif (http://imageshack.us)

to something like continuous jiz cycle under a male horse, and everybody would be in agreement.

...

It's Haruhi! :heh: :cool:

/Further request however will have to be forwarded to Catgirls. ... ... :innocent:

Adigard

2006-04-26, 12:26

Yuki did indeed add data attributes to the bat to make it a homing mode bat... then she removed those attributes when Kyon asked her to. Which, of course, is why the SOS-dan team had those immediate strike outs.

As for the other team buying the bat... I had to rewatch the episode, and pay extra attention... but it all sorta makes sense. Kyon talks about making extra cash then wishes the other team success. Then we switch to the other team with the bat in the background, and the bat falls. I'm guessing the creators are hoping we'll draw parallels, rather than just blindly watching the show and asking "wtf... Kyon has extra money?" ^^

mr.muffin

2006-04-26, 12:29

Adigard

2006-04-26, 12:43

http://img135.imageshack.us/img135/5120/untitled7sl.gif (http://imageshack.us)

I think in this show, much like My-Otome, the creators understand (or at least try to cater to) the interenet meme phenomen and are tossing in certain scenes for EXAXTLY that reason. I think we all remember the psuedo bukake scene from one of the very early Otome previews. That one was blog'ed/photoshopped/and pasted across the internet for a while.

It's all a part of the whole viral spread of the show ^^

ordnance11

2006-04-26, 13:05

What's really scary is Haruhi's manic look when she's on fire. I'd run for the hills after seeing that look once. :heh:

C.A.

2006-04-26, 14:08

Hmm just some little things I'd like to point out:

Someone mentioned the giant being, the 'shinjin'(not sure if i said the kanji wrong) isn't expressed the same way as the original writer of the novels did. In this case, it makes me think that kyoani is creating a NGE parody. the giant being reminds me of adam, the silhouette, the power cable tower and all.

Haruhi with the arm band of super director in the 1st ep seems to be a hint, like how the other characters were hinted to us. Super director would be telling us that shes going to direct the story or shes going to create the story. Its telling us that she has omnipotent powers to create.

Xellos-_^

2006-04-26, 14:11

C.A.

2006-04-26, 14:13

I was wondering what that glowing giant reminded me of. A NGE parody makes perfect sense if that is Adam? Does that make Haruhi Eve or Lilith?
Shes neither, because shes god, or shall i say the Goddess lol

riznar

2006-04-26, 15:12

I started watching this show because suddenly everyone on animesuki had the same girl in their sig, I'd define myself as a casual fan. I'm avoiding reading spoilers, and I have to say I have no idea WTF is going on, but episode 4/7 gave me a lot of clues.

You really have to pay attention to catch everything going on in this series, I was completely confused with this episode because I'd missed Haruhi saying episode 7 would be next.

Adigard

2006-04-26, 16:34

You really have to pay attention to catch everything going on in this series, I was completely confused with this episode because I'd missed Haruhi saying episode 7 would be next.

But the show is even deeper than that... because there's a lot of things that are just hinted at.

Like, Kyon selling the bat to the other baseball club for the money to buy dinner.
I'm personally curious if the SOS-dan's baseball bat was stolen from the school's baseball club, and then sold to a college level team ^^.

They also overload you with a lot of subtle clues in the opening minutes of ep7 to let you know that time has passed. Beyond Kyon's statement that a month has passed (club formed in May, currently June). The girls have switched to their summer uniforms, Yuki has lost her glasses.

We know that the next three episodes will contain, at the very least (we know all this because they told us in ep7)...
A world-cramping incident (with flashbacks of events that haven't occured yet ^^;;).
Yuki drastically changing the weather, as well as injecting data into the world in a different event, as well as the loss of her glasses.
The SOS-dan will walk around in search of aliens or UMA's.
Something that convinces Mikuru to spend all her time in the clubroom cosplaying ^^

I was just really impressed by the more subtle things... the fact that the flowers hanging on the wall in the clubroom in ep7 look a lot more withered than they did way back in ep2 (last weeks episode).

//EDIT: We also learn two other things
While the audience doesn't know it yet... Kyon (in this episode) knows that Mikuru is a time traveller, and that "it" will happen again if Kyon is nice to Mikuru.

//EDIT2: The other big thing we learn, sorta one-off though
Is that Itsuki, Mikuru and Yuki are all from three different groups, and are all here to somehow "handle" Asahina. We can further infer that they're here without Haruhi's knowledge. If Yuki is our self-announced Alien, Mikuru is obviously a time-traveller (Her friend is coming from when and where, Kyon asks), which means Itsuki has to be an Esper. Which will also lead us back to ep0 again... Just to wonder what other clues that first episode might have

melange

2006-04-26, 16:37

Like, Kyon selling the bat to the other baseball club for the money to buy dinner.
I'm personally curious if the SOS-dan's baseball bat was stolen from the school's baseball club, and then sold to a college level team ^^.

If I recall correctly that is indeed what happened. All the SOS-dan's baseball gear was "procured" by decree of Haruhi :heh:

celcius

2006-04-26, 17:24

the fact that the flowers hanging on the wall in the clubroom in ep7 look a lot more withered than they did way back in ep2 (last weeks episode).
Woah, you're very observative. o.o I love the way Kyo-Ani pays much attention to details, although I have to admit I missed that completely. BTW, the bat started to be in perfect shape before Suzumiya's 1000 swings. :heh:

Xellos-_^

2006-04-26, 17:27

But the show is even deeper than that... because there's a lot of things that are just hinted at.

Like, Kyon selling the bat to the other baseball club for the money to buy dinner.
I'm personally curious if the SOS-dan's baseball bat was stolen from the school's baseball club, and then sold to a college level team ^^.

How could it be stolen if God told you to :heh:

They also overload you with a lot of subtle clues in the opening minutes of ep7 to let you know that time has passed. Beyond Kyon's statement that a month has passed (club formed in May, currently June). The girls have switched to their summer uniforms, Yuki has lost her glasses.

We know that the next three episodes will contain, at the very least (we know all this because they told us in ep7)...
A world-cramping incident (with flashbacks of events that haven't occured yet ^^;;).
Yuki drastically changing the weather, as well as injecting data into the world in a different event, as well as the loss of her glasses.
The SOS-dan will walk around in search of aliens or UMA's.
Something that convinces Mikuru to spend all her time in the clubroom cosplaying ^^

I was just really impressed by the more subtle things... the fact that the flowers hanging on the wall in the clubroom in ep7 look a lot more withered than they did way back in ep2 (last weeks episode).

//EDIT: We also learn two other things
While the audience doesn't know it yet... Kyon (in this episode) knows that Mikuru is a time traveller, and that "it" will happen again if Kyon is nice to Mikuru.

//EDIT2: The other big thing we learn, sorta one-off though
Is that Itsuki, Mikuru and Yuki are all from three different groups, and are all here to somehow "handle" Asahina. We can further infer that they're here without Haruhi's knowledge. If Yuki is our self-announced Alien, Mikuru is obviously a time-traveller (Her friend is coming from when and where, Kyon asks), which means Itsuki has to be an Esper. Which will also lead us back to ep0 again... Just to wonder what other clues that first episode might have

The talking cat hasn't shown up yet. Wonder what group he is with.

riznar

2006-04-26, 17:42

Adigard, I was talking about all of that when I said there was a lot to pay attention to. I've assumed most of what is going on, my point was simply that from a casual fan point of view with no knowledge of the series, I did a lot of pausing and rewinding to go "What was that?".

It's not that deep, Kyon selling the bat was pretty obvious...

Adigard

2006-04-26, 17:53

Woah, you're very observative. o.o I love the way Kyo-Ani pays much attention to details, although I have to admit I missed that completely. BTW, the bat started to be in perfect shape before Suzumiya's 1000 swings. :heh:

Thanks... I was really shocked when I noticed that... but loved KyoAni all the more for doing it. I'm probably a little too anal in watching this show at times T_T

And sadly, the bat wasn't in perfect condition T_T
As of her third hit, (06m:18s) the bat had at least one of those major dings in it. We see the side of the bat (06m:21s) and see the second ding in it

But I won't tell anyone if you don't ^_^

//EDIT: Added after posting, I saw riznar's post.

Adigard, I was talking about all of that when I said there was a lot to pay attention to. I've assumed most of what is going on, my point was simply that from a casual fan point of view with no knowledge of the series, I did a lot of pausing and rewinding to go "What was that?".
It's not that deep, Kyon selling the bat was pretty obvious...

But I think that's part of the charm of the show. I'm of the opinion KyoAni is skipping around like this to force the viewer's mind into a mode where they have to "fill in the gaps" of what they aren't shown. I think they're using this approach to suck people deeper into the show, and make them watch it more than once in order to really understand what's going on. (And I wasn't really pointing at Kyon's selling of the bat as the only deep thing... there are a lot of skipped events that are only hinted at).

But... why does the show have to appeal to casual fans with no knowledge of the series? The show's first airing is at midnight after all... That's not a very casual time slot (unless you're a semi-hardcore anime fan you probably won't be up that late to watch it). Most casual anime fans probably Tivo (DVR) it and watch it later in the week.

In the show's intended market (Japan) the novels seem to sell rather well. Further the manga is being released at the same time. So it'd be easy enough to pick up the weekly manga and read it. We can assume anyone who's going to watch the show at midnight could easily enough go out and buy the first volume of the novels (Vol1 seems to be semi-sold out atm, so if that was part of KyoAni's goal... they've achieved it admirably well).

I understand the American TV/Film market isn't geared that way (trust me, I know enough people in Film who HATE Anime because show's that are based on manga often require at least a passing familarity with the manga to fully understand what's going on. They think (rightfully so for the US market) that films and shows based on books should stand on their own without any knowledge of the source material... but I don't think the Japanese anime industry works like that (IMO).

Avacado Burger

2006-04-26, 18:17

But... why does the show have to appeal to casual fans with no knowledge of the series? The show's first airing is at midnight after all... That's not a very casual time slot (unless you're a semi-hardcore anime fan you probably won't be up that late to watch it). Most casual anime fans probably Tivo (DVR) it and watch it later in the week.

So... Does this mean I have to read the mangas and novels to understand what's going on?
I picked up this series out of sheer curiousity, and I'm definitely not going to knock it (I enjoy it, it brings back memories of Sexy Commando). But after episode 4, I'm completely lost to what is going on. Does everything mix up, then wrap itself up in a neat little package with a Pulp Fiction-esque type of story, or is there background that I should know or missed out on between 3 and 4?? It feels like it skipped around a bit, especially with that guy from the first movie showing up, seemingly like he got introduced in without me looking.

You just have to understand; Everyone seems to know what's going on with this series but me. I really want to like this series, but #4 just confused the hell out of me...

Adigard

2006-04-26, 18:24

I think Kyon puts it best during the next ep previews ^^

"Well, basically.
It'll pick up where the last episode left off.
This seems unnecessarily complicated."

You've just got to realize from last episode's 'next ep preview', and this episode's 'next ep preview' (God... that must be a tongue twister to say outloud) that you watched Ep 7 (which was totally out of sequence).

You first watched Ep0(14?)... with events that don't seem to occur for a while. Then you saw Ep1 and Ep2... Then for some weird reason you watched Ep7... now you're going back to Ep3. I still stand by my belief that KyoAni is doing it for a good reason. As for everything wrapping up neatly? We won't know for another 9-10 weeks when the show's 14 ep run ends.

Sinestra

2006-04-26, 18:44

loved this episode i mean if your going to cheat then cheat well but cheating is bad unless its Haruhi's idea and your part of the SOS. The hinting about furture events was really well done. I wondering about the backstory with Kyon selling the bat to the baseball team. Also at some point in the future in the SOS gang will go in search of UMA's and something about the weather altering incident i will have to go back and watch it again to catch everything. At one point Itsuki tells Kyon that he was in a certin batting order because Haruhi wished for we gets me thinking about why she responed to kyon in the first place. She seems to react to what he says or doesnt say or does and doesnt do which could bring about the end of the world. If you look when Haruhi and Mikuru are in the cheerleading uniforms Haruhi gives Kyon a glace and he has not intrested look on this face you can see her get angry and start taking it out more on Mikuru. I am going to watch ep 0 again like Adigard suggested might lead to more clues

celcius

2006-04-26, 18:45

riznar

2006-04-26, 18:52

Adigard, I'm not saying it doesn't have appeal to the casual viewer. And midnight is hardly late for the 20-something crowd.

My point was that it does appeal the casual viewer because it isn't that deep; but I guess you still have to pay attention to catch everything. I might be an exception but even though I was confused I noticed just about all the suBtle hints running around in this episode, I'd often have to pause though because they'd be on the screen for just a moment. It didn't all *click* until halfway through when I realized that even though Kyon said no club activities had happened, a lot had still gone on. Kyon's converation with the psychic guy really revealed a lot.

I think your point about them doing this to further draw people in is dead on. By throwing the premise of the show in your face (Haruhi's mood affects the world), they allow themselves to have a longer "charge up" time to the main plot. They basically said "This is where this is going, but we're going to build to it slowly so enjoy the ride." I dunno if you watched either Mai series, but it was at least 8 episodes before the main plot was really introduced. By having this timeskip, the Haruhi series plays its card early, and raises a bunch of questions as to how all this happened.

Sinestra

2006-04-26, 18:54

I shudder to think what would happen if Suzumiya would hit someone with that bat, considering she utterly deformed the bat beyond use. -_-;; And by Adigard's observation, by the third hit. :O

Don't worry Avocado Burger, I haven't read the novels and don't plan to until the series has finished upto 14. And I'm as clueless as you are :heh: Think of it this way, as Adigard has mentioned, it gives the you even more reason to wait 7 days until the next airing. Those 7 days would probably eat away at you, making you sleep late (thinking of Haruhi and counting the days until next episode) and wake up early (floundering for a calendar and checking the date). Well, at least that's what's happening to me. ^^;

Stop Reading my mind. the whole episode seven thing and all hints about future episodes was all i could think about at work today the waiting is driving me crazy in a fun way. im with you about Suzumiya hitting someone with that bat the only i can describe it would be red sticky paste spread everywhere

melange

2006-04-26, 19:00

Stop Reading my mind. the whole episode seven thing and all hints about future episodes was all i could think about at work today the waiting is driving me crazy in a fun way. im with you about Suzumiya hitting someone with that bat the only i can describe it would be red sticky paste spread everywhere
Maybe it'll be something like the opening scene of Higurashi ga Naku Koro ni :heh:

Clarste

2006-04-26, 19:08

It will all be explained in due time. That's pretty clear if you watch the next episode previews.

This show does not require outside knowldge to enjoy or understand. It is not only enjoyable by Haruhi fanatics. It's just that KyoAni has faith in the intelligence of its viewers to put together the pieces of the puzzle. Not that you even need to, considering it can stand on its own as a random comedy if you'd prefer to not to think about it.

When characters refer to past events, don't think "Should I know that?" Instead, think of it as them telling you what happened, with details to be provided later. It's just a story telling method. Really, this episode has a whole ton of exposition and very little obfuscation, you just have to approach like that.

Adigard

2006-04-26, 19:28

People on this forum have described the homing mode bat as being most like the Gae Bolg Spear (although... I'm not sure the Gae Bolg never missed, or if people are thinking of a different spear)... but if that was true, you'd have a belly full of aluminum fragments.

Which might actually go a ways towards explaining the rather... used look of the bat at the end of the show ^^

Adigard, I'm not saying it doesn't have appeal to the casual viewer. And midnight is hardly late for the 20-something crowd.

Since the novels appear to be slice-of-life high school light novels... I'm forced to assume the target audience is teenagers (which I think was confirmed in the Novel thread). While midnight isn't really late for high school kids (on a sunday night?), I can't see many casual viewers being up that late for it. Rather they'd Tivo it... but I'm thinking we have different definitions of casual viewers ^_^ Actually, I think that's a pretty big point for this discussion. My definition of casual viewers probably includes a... err... different group of people than yours ^^

My point was that it does appeal the casual viewer because it isn't that deep; but I guess you still have to pay attention to catch everything.

Yup! Casual viewers can enjoy it. Hardcore fans can say "zoinkies... look at those flowers... they look awfully crumpled in this episode!" Additionally hardcore fans can marvel about how the backgrounds are really well animated, without many of the tricks used by most anime studios. Novel fans can enjoy how well animated the story is, and enjoy the anticipation as the good scenes get closer.

I might be an exception but even though I was confused I noticed just about all the suBtle hints running around in this episode, I'd often have to pause though because they'd be on the screen for just a moment.

hehe, thus our definition of casual viewers is different ^^ Casual viewers don't post questions on forums... or pause in the middle to do anything other than grab a new snack from the fridge ^^

I dunno if you watched either Mai series, but it was at least 8 episodes before the main plot was really introduced. By having this timeskip, the Haruhi series plays its card early, and raises a bunch of questions as to how all this happened.

The original Mai-Hime was really clever in how they let you into what was going on. The first 7.75 episodes was all about slice-of-life comedy school kids, with weird super powered kids running around doing fun stuff. The tail end of Ep8 let you know that bad things could happen. But honestly it wasn't until ep 15-16(?) when the stuff really hit the fan and you figured out what really was going on.

And I think by skipping ep3-6, KyoAni actually might have found a way to put off at least one of the "main plots". After all, ep2 ended with a semi-major cliffhanger. Yuki's an alien? Haruhi isn't human? The flashbacks to future events (I like that line ^^) tell us that some pretty major events have happened (Haruhi can end the world?) without really getting the viewer involved. Look... Baseball, Mikuru in a cheerleader outfit without a bra? Haruhi and Mikuru wear interestingly colored panties? But we recieve hints of past events that will only be revealed as we progress deeper into... err... past events ^^

Besides, shows with a 14 ep run can't waste time on filler episodes... which is one of the best features of the shorter run shows ^^

Selic

2006-04-26, 19:35

I believe the Gae Bolg reference is a reference to Fate's Lancer.

Onizuka-GTO

2006-04-26, 19:36

EUREKA! i had a brainstorm! I realise something, Haruhi asked for Aliens, Time Travellers, Espers and dimensional travellers....

Is that the cat?! could it? mmm... well if she can pull them lot, why not a dimensional travelling talking cat?
:D

Akuryou

2006-04-26, 19:52

Maybe it'll be something like the opening scene of Higurashi ga Naku Koro ni :heh:

I can imagine Haruhi doing that. Seriously. ;P

Kaoru Chujo

2006-04-26, 20:08

2channel Japanese board update: Suzumiya Haruhi is now at 88 threads (over 87,000 posts). Fate/Stay Night has dropped far behind, and is at 68 threads. ...My point was that it does appeal the casual viewer because it isn't that deep.... I know what you mean, but I would say that it is in fact very deep. But the depth is hiding under an oh-so-enjoyable surface. The depth is in the actual effects on the characters and the viewer, not really in the complexity of the situation (whatever it is). I think this show is real Art.

As for whether it can be enjoyed by the casual viewer, I think the interest in it says yes. It can be enjoyed for the girls, for the jokes, for the animation...for any number of things. The popularity of the show says that lots of people love it.

Not everyone loves it, however. Some people will be put off by the complexity of the plot, others just won't get the humor. This is not a kids' show. In my opinion, some of the humor is pretty subtle. I have been interested to see the odd blogger start off uncomprehending and gradually come around. There is in fact a certain amount of peer pressure and mass hysteria going on, but there's good reason for it. On 2channel, the anti-SH topic is at nine threads: that's about 1:10 to the pro-thread. That sounds about right.

Sinestra

2006-04-26, 20:08

Maybe it'll be something like the opening scene of Higurashi ga Naku Koro ni :heh:

Good call i agree with that can we saw Ouch if you able to say anything at all after after an as whoopin like that

Kamui4356

2006-04-26, 20:20

'm forced to assume the target audience is teenagers (which I think was confirmed in the Novel thread).
The target audience is otaku. If you insist on age based demographics, think 16-18 and 18-24. However, the otaku part is far more important than the age part. No normal person in those age ranges would watch it, while any otaku outside those age ranges might.
I can imagine Haruhi doing that. Seriously. ;P
Haruhi is really the last character I can imagine doing something like that. She might not consider others, but she doesn't seem to be the type to actively try to hurt people. Even Mikuru would be more likely to go on a murderous rampage after snapping from all the abuse Haruhi puts her through...:heh:

...
...

:uhoh:

monir

2006-04-26, 20:32

I know what you mean, but I would say that it is in fact very deep. But the depth is hiding under an oh-so-enjoyable surface. The depth is in the actual effects on the characters and the viewer, not really in the complexity of the situation (whatever it is). I think this show is real Art. I don't think I would say the plot is deep as of yet, though it is very enjoyable for having great animation, great chracters, voice acting that is very fitting to the characters, comedy (ep 1 still the best in comedy), etc. The plot is just too vague to be considered complex because of how the facts are revealed in a disorderly manner. The film making in episode one should have happened later in the series after all the characters are introduced and get to know each other. Episode two is rightfully episode one with Haruhi's introduction and her formation of the SOS brigade. I suppose episode 3 could be called episode 2 unless there are more deception is stored for us. And episode 4 is defnitely not episode 4.:heh: Once all the pieces are all there then the semblance of order should return and with it, the understanding. The veil of confusion is behind the arrangement and the order of how the episodes are airing. Fortunately, we have Haruhi who is correctly numbering the episode for us. One more reason why Haruhi deserves all the hype.

dan88

2006-04-26, 20:46

In any other series, even a good one, this would have been a filler episode however it was a real classic.

If the episode had been in show in order I think the series would have lost a lot of it's energy as it progressed. The first (movie) episode, while interesting, was actually kind of dull when compared to later (earlier) episodes.

Once the main back story has been explained, the character interactions will probably be clear. Instead of being intrigued by passing comments and pondering their significant we would hardly notice them as we would have a reasonably good idea as to what they were referring to.

I wonder if they ever considered "correcting" the episode sequence.

Kaoru Chujo

2006-04-26, 22:09

I don't think I would say the plot is deep as of yet.... The film making in episode one should have happened later in the series after all the characters are introduced and get to know each other....The veil of confusion is behind the arrangement and the order of how the episodes are airing. Fortunately, we have Haruhi who is correctly numbering the episode for us. One more reason why Haruhi deserves all the hype. I wasn't really talking about the plot. The depth is in something less definable, above or beneath that. I'd almost say "spiritual", if I wasn't afraid people would laugh. Oh, well, I guess I said it.

If you really mean that they should not have rearranged the episodes the way they did, I disagree completely. That would have been too ordinary. And the rearrangement is not just for the sake of confusion, I don't believe. It is an additional element in the show's excellence. It just gives me that feeling that says "Art". This doesn't cover it, but you could say that the rearrangement is a hint of the malleability of time.

For better and worse, I believe that people may soon be writing PhD's on this series.

DragoonKain3

2006-04-26, 22:13

As for requiring to have read the books to enjoy the show, I respectfully disagree. I'm having a helluva time trying to piece things together from what has been shown so far, and I'm loving every minute of it! It's kind of like a detective/mystery novel to me, and reading the novel/spoilers would be like flipping to the back to see who the culprit is. XD

Take for example, eps 1. I thought it was just a joke movie, but as of Yuki's identity as an alien revealed in end of eps 3, I've been a bit skeptical. Now in this eps with Yuki being able to 'cast' magic AND Mikuru definitely not from this time, that makes eps 1 all the more interesting with its parallel to the show's reality. If the pattern goes on, then that makes Itsuki an Esper. Taking it further, we have Haruhi as the director, who in reality is the one 'making things happen', be it through her forcefulness or her supernatural ability, and Kyon as the cameraman/narrator, which is true so far as he is present in ALL the scens in all eps so far and thus making things from his POV.

As for the romance angle, I'm on the Haruhi->Kyon->Mikuru bandwagon, at least for the time being. Haruhi->Kyon is pretty darn obvious in this eps, but I always thought Kyon has a thing for Mikuru. He didn't sound like himself as he said "..somebody who isn't supposed to be in this scene is going to walk over and kick your ass" when Itsuki was in the process of kissing Mikuru. When he said 'somebody', I have always thought that Kyon meant himself.

ordnance11

2006-04-26, 22:20

Well, something is..or was going on between Mikuru and Kyon. 2 things come to mind:

Mikuru saying to Kyon, while he was hustling her out of the baseball field, that if he payed attention to her again, that would happen.

Mikuru's friend (Tsuyora?) was looking over Kyon over with a fine tooth comb. She seems to be of the opinion that Mikuru likes him.

Of course, how Haruhi reacts to this....inquiring minds want to know!

Now, I'm curious about Mikuru's friend.

Kamui4356

2006-04-26, 22:28

As for the romance angle, I'm on the Haruhi->Kyon->Mikuru bandwagon, at least for the time being. Haruhi->Kyon is pretty darn obvious in this eps, but I always thought Kyon has a thing for Mikuru. He didn't sound like himself as he said "..somebody who isn't supposed to be in this scene is going to walk over and kick your ass" when Itsuki was in the process of kissing Mikuru. When he said 'somebody', I have always thought that Kyon meant himself.
Yes, I get the same impression. Don't forget how kyon was staring at her in the cheerleader outfit, much to Haruhi's disproval... I also get the impression the feelings are mutual. In this episode, when Mikuru was serving tea, she waited for kyon to tell her it was good, while she just gave the tea to Itsuki and Yuki and left. Also some comments she made in eariler episodes hint that she likes him. Of course with Haruhi obviously jealous, as well as other factors, that relationship doesn't have much of a chance.:heh:

rooboy

2006-04-26, 22:56

I believe the Gae Bolg reference is a reference to Fate's Lancer.Technically the reference is to Cuchulain. Though I guess if you can put those two together than I've just spoiled part of F/SN. And, yes, Gae Bolga supposedly never missed.I know what you mean, but I would say that it is in fact very deep. But the depth is hiding under an oh-so-enjoyable surface. The depth is in the actual effects on the characters and the viewer, not really in the complexity of the situation (whatever it is). I think this show is real Art.I dunno about the art part (I doubt that's something that's possible to be judged at this point one way or the other); however, Haruhi has a very interesting type of depth. It's not depth of plot (there's not much), nor is it depth of character. It's depth of (what we called in college) "bullshit factor" (note that this is not intended in a perjorative fashion). After watching an episode of Haruhi *whether you liked it or not* there is a lot to talk about. It's not the kind of thing that makes you reexamine your life (which is how I would define "spiritual"), but it does leave lots of room for discussion about all sorts of interesting topics. In a good way, not a shallow, "ZOMG" way. I was fully prepared to hate this show before seeing the first episode four weeks ago (generally I hate anything that's hyped as much as this has been). I have now turned around 180 degrees to loving it. As for whether it can be enjoyed by the casual viewer, I think the interest in it says yes. It can be enjoyed for the girls, for the jokes, for the animation...for any number of things. The popularity of the show says that lots of people love it. I think that, like Pani Poni Dash, people are assuming that you have to "get" everything to enjoy the show. It's quite enjoyable at a surface level of Kyon's snide comments and Haruhi biting Mikuru's ear. :)

EDIT: And KyoAni was not only the perfect studio to do this, but they're going all out on it so far.

EDIT2: Yes, and Kyon is totally checking out Mikuru (and vice versa). And Haruhi was not happy about it.

Adigard

2006-04-26, 23:51

The target audience is otaku. If you insist on age based demographics, think 16-18 and 18-24. However, the otaku part is far more important than the age part. No normal person in those age ranges would watch it, while any otaku outside those age ranges might.

Sorry Kamui, I was refering to the novel's intended audience as being high school teenagers. I say that because these are light novels. The anime itself, in theory, was initially intended for fans of the novels... but KyoAni has done a wonderful job of tailoring it to the existing otaku fanbase. There are countless little nuances to this show that thrills the heart of many long-term anime fans (myself included). The show does a wonderful job of presenting itself and catering to those fans.

Yes, I get the same impression. Don't forget how kyon was staring at her in the cheerleader outfit, much to Haruhi's disproval

I'm going to disagree with this. When Haruhi dresses Mikuru in the cheerleader outfit, and then checks Kyon's reaction with her hair in a ponytail... I just can't see Haruhi saying "I'm going to dress this pretty girl that Kyon likes looking at, and parade her around in front of him (without a bra).... because I'm jealous of how Kyon looks at her." I think Haruhi is jealous when Kyon pays more attention to Mikuru than her... but I'll be honest... I haven't really nailed down Haruhi's response to Kyon yet. It's obvious she highly values him at times (and dismisses his opinion as being worthless quite a lot more often).

Also, in the previous episode (time wise that was a month ago so a LOT could have happened) when Haruhi asked Kyon if he's marry her if she was "unfit"... Kyon didn't have any of the standard responses. Personally, faced with that offer in that situation... I don't think I'd reply with a "That's not my name" (Not his exact reply). We know from his narratives that Kyon likes looking at Mikuru, and feels very protective of her. But I don't really see it going to the romantic lenghts people have started to suggest. I think in a world without Haruhi that would very quickly happen... but... ehh.

If you really mean that they should not have rearranged the episodes the way they did, I disagree completely. That would have been too ordinary. And the rearrangement is not just for the sake of confusion, I don't believe. It is an additional element in the show's excellence. It just gives me that feeling that says "Art". This doesn't cover it, but you could say that the rearrangement is a hint of the malleability of time.

I don't agree to those lengths... but I will agree the show is quite honestly one of the most original anime's I've seen in... well... ever... potentially. But I'm comparing this show to various full run shows. Most (almost all?) shows fall apart near the end. The 14 ep run promises a more solid and coherent storyline... but I'm going to refrain from those judgements until it's finished the full run ^^

The hype surrounding this show is beyond anything I've ever seen. I really want to see where this show runs during it's full course. I'm very anxious as to whether or not KyoAni can maintain this level of excellence. I did notice the presence of the dreaded cardboard cutout background people in this episode... but this episode also had more background "extras" than any episode up till now.

Onizuka-GTO

2006-04-26, 23:55

bob-san

2006-04-27, 00:10

Well I vote this Ep a 10. But only AFTER reading this thread. I'll admit to being seriously confused when this Ep started. Especially since I've never read the Novels or Manga

BTW, did someone say those were being translated by someone? Who's doing it?

I do feel sorry for poor Mikuru-chan and the abuse she takes from Haruhi. but sometimes, it's just downright hilarious.

Shirobane

2006-04-27, 00:17

I bet if it ends on a high, a second series will be guarantee!

plus hopefully another volume will be published so that more material can be made from it.

I guess that's a good point too, best to wait out until the author chucks up more stuff to use. :p
At this point in time, Haruhi is more viral than the bird flu, so I'm betting that there's a good chance at a second season^^

panzerfan

2006-04-27, 00:21

I think at this point people might be wishing that KyoAni will announce out of thin air of Haruhi season 2/ concurrent development of Haruhi with Kanon so season1-extension occurs thanks to Super Director Suzumiya's insistence ... 1hr extended marathon/extended broadcast might not be out of the question if this kind of craze keeps mushrooming.

Adigard

2006-04-27, 00:30

BTW, did someone say those were being translated by someone? Who's doing it?

It's in this very forum... in this very subforum... and listed in a thread cleverly hidden under "The Suzumiya Haruhi Novels Translation Thread".

Sarcasm... I know... but still ^^:;

I think at this point people might be wishing that KyoAni will announce out of thin air of Haruhi season 2/ concurrent development of Haruhi with Kanon so season1-extension occurs thanks to Super Director Suzumiya's insistence ... 1hr extended marathon/extended broadcast might not be out of the question if this kind of craze keeps mushrooming.

I'm not sure KyoAni has the resources to do that... honestly. In order to make that work they'd have to outsource a pretty hefty chunk of the production of one show or another. And that would drop the quality level below KyoAni standards. Which... is a big chunk of the appeal of both shows.

I also don't know that they have the money for that sort of a project either. But it's going to be really interesting to see where they go from here.

celcius

2006-04-27, 00:44

I highly doubt that there would be a second season released so soon. Right now, I'd bet they're focusing on Kanon 2006. I also read that they're trying to make it one story as opposed to the previous release, which was segmented to each girl's story. Maybe after Kanon, they might do that. But I'm still hoping for a CLANNAD TV done by KyoAni. ^^

Also, will they still have enough material (manga) for a second season?

melange

2006-04-27, 00:50

Well if the speculation that they'll be using only Vol. 1 as the main plot focus that was garnered from across the web by Sushi-Y is true then they have to make a season 2 at some point. The other 'long story' (as opposed to the short one-off stories like the one this episode was based on) is Vol. 4 which is really a story head-and-shoulders above Vol. 1's plot. Since I remember reading somewhere that the producers at Kyo-ani are great fans of the novels, I don't think they'll abandon Vol.4 to the 'unanimated-dustbin' at all. I expect a season 2 to materialize at some point.

panzerfan

2006-04-27, 00:50

melange

2006-04-27, 00:53

They would not refer to the manga since the manga by this point is no further than the anime. Novel wise there's more than enough material to squeeze OVA+season2+theatrical release even. There will be 8 volumes to work with (not sure if that's gonna be it) and that's aplenty.
Also from what I've seen of the manga, its not done as well... Kyon comes off in the manga as almost having the personality of a not-too-good harem lead and not as brilliantly a sarcastic individual he is in the novels/anime.

Well if the usual pace of a vol of novel every couple of months as per usual for light novels is maintained, then Kyo-ani'll probably have quite a bit of material to draw upon when they return to Haruhi after their Kanon commitment.

Adigard

2006-04-27, 00:56

That still leaves the question of... Can KyoAni split their focus and produce such... well... flagship titles at the same time and not have one or the other suffer?

I don't really think they can, but I only know a little bit about the studio. I'm pretty darn certain we'll eventually see a second season of Haruhi... and I can imagine them making a slew of drama CD's (although Kyon's VA will be busy with H&C season 2... which might not matter for drama CD's) to tide the fans over for a while.

The manga is still in volume 1, chapter 8 was the last I saw. But why base the show on the manga, when you've got the novels up to volume 8 (soon to be published). Also, the novels are still serialized in Sneaker right? So there is the potential for endless additional chapters, as long as the writer is willing.

panzerfan

2006-04-27, 00:57

Kanon commitment will keep Kyoani busy this summer. Kanon airs this fall/winter, spanning no less than 24 weeks and every anime watcher is braced against that blizzard. At earliest we will not see Haruhi2 until perhaps late this year if not next year at this time (depending on how things go)... if we do see that at all.

Drama CD makes alot of sense. Those things might be doable in the meantime. At the moment KyoAni's hands are very tied down to its numerous commitments and they are probabilly working O/T to fill the demands. Drama CD might come even before Haruhi1 ends broadcast.

Kamui4356

2006-04-27, 01:06

Sorry Kamui, I was refering to the novel's intended audience as being high school teenagers. I say that because these are light novels. The anime itself, in theory, was initially intended for fans of the novels... but KyoAni has done a wonderful job of tailoring it to the existing otaku fanbase. There are countless little nuances to this show that thrills the heart of many long-term anime fans (myself included). The show does a wonderful job of presenting itself and catering to those fans.
16-18 year olds aren't teenagers? :confused: If you meant younger teenagers, the novels are the same demographic as the anime. They were serialized in a seinen magazine, which is more or less the age groups I mentioned. Naturally, those age cutoffs are completely arbitrary, so they can be expected to appeal to younger and older people as well. I would still argue that they're targeted at otaku, but it's not really important.

I'm going to disagree with this. When Haruhi dresses Mikuru in the cheerleader outfit, and then checks Kyon's reaction with her hair in a ponytail... I just can't see Haruhi saying "I'm going to dress this pretty girl that Kyon likes looking at, and parade her around in front of him (without a bra).... because I'm jealous of how Kyon looks at her." I think Haruhi is jealous when Kyon pays more attention to Mikuru than her... but I'll be honest... I haven't really nailed down Haruhi's response to Kyon yet. It's obvious she highly values him at times (and dismisses his opinion as being worthless quite a lot more often).
Haruhi doesn't think about how her actions will effect other people. ;) It's likely she never even considered that kyon would be interested in Mikuru wearing a cheerleader outfit, especially when she was wearing one too. Really, how else could one explain her reaction when she noticed kyon?

Also, in the previous episode (time wise that was a month ago so a LOT could have happened) when Haruhi asked Kyon if he's marry her if she was "unfit"... Kyon didn't have any of the standard responses. Personally, faced with that offer in that situation... I don't think I'd reply with a "That's not my name" (Not his exact reply). We know from his narratives that Kyon likes looking at Mikuru, and feels very protective of her. But I don't really see it going to the romantic lenghts people have started to suggest. I think in a world without Haruhi that would very quickly happen... but... ehh.
This happened after Mikuru was already walking away. Kyon commented that he didnt' know what to say to her, and that she looked depressed "Like a student who just failed her entrance exams". Then a few seconds later, he thought about Mikuru calling him kyon too. It's not like it was the first thing he thought of. That he didn't immediatly blush, while turning away and saying something stereotypical just shows he's a bit deeper than many male leads.;)

celcius

2006-04-27, 01:24

Sorry, I meant novels. Wasn't paying attention when I was typing.:heh: So they have enough material for a second season, great news then. Personally, I still think they'd start late this year, and it showing sometime mid-next year, if they choose to do so.

Anyway, here's to hoping someone translates the Drama CD's.

Adigard

2006-04-27, 01:48

I do believe we're going to have to agree to disagree on this matter Kamui4356. I'm planning on changing my opinion after we see the photoshoot in ep3 (next episode for those who aren't watching the next ep. previews), and then refine it even further a short time after that. I don't think Haruhi is dressing Mikuru up and playing with her hair in order to make Haruhi herself look better. I think she's just doing it because, as she herself said "It's more fun that way."

I'm aware, doubly so from this episode, how important Kyon is to Haruhi (at times). But for the same reason I don't agree with the current dere archetype for Haruhi, I also don't think the whole "lovesick" approach works with Haruhi. I think she feels Kyon is important (at times).

and I can tell he's going to be the cause of a lot of the strife in the next few episodes. And that strife is going to center around Kyon prefering Mikuru over Haruhi. But, at this stage of the game, that's only been briefly hinted at. Mikuru talking to Kyon as he escorts her off the-field.

That he didn't immediatly blush, while turning away and saying something stereotypical just shows he's a bit deeper than many male leads.

I'm still waiting for concrete proof (In this thread? We'll need concrete proof from ep0, 1, 2, or 7) that Kyon wants to be romantically involved with Mikuru. I think Kyon wants to protect Mikuru from Haruhi (and Itsuki... who he doesn't seem to like).

I won't argue at all that I think he's deeper than 99% of the male leads. He's up there with Archer for male character "of the year", and will those two will likely have a pretty damn firm hold on that title to the end of the year (until H&C Season 2 adds some fresh competition).

Kaoru Chujo

2006-04-27, 01:52

....Most (almost all?) shows fall apart near the end. The 14 ep run promises a more solid and coherent storyline... but I'm going to refrain from those judgements until it's finished the full run.... I agree completely. When I say this could be the greatest anime ever (which I do), I always say "if they keep up the quality they've maintained through four episodes." But based on what they've done so far, this is the best anime I've seen. In my opinion and for my taste.

panzerfan

2006-04-27, 01:58

and I can tell he's going to be the cause of a lot of the strife in the next few episodes. And that strife is going to center around Kyon prefering Mikuru over Haruhi. But, at this stage of the game, that's only been briefly hinted at. Mikuru talking to Kyon as he escorts her off the-field.

I'm still waiting for concrete proof (In this thread? We'll need concrete proof from ep0, 1, 2, or 7) that Kyon wants to be romantically involved with Mikuru. I think Kyon wants to protect Mikuru from Haruhi (and Itsuki... who he doesn't seem to like).

I won't argue at all that I think he's deeper than 99% of the male leads. He's up there with Archer for male character "of the year", and will those two will likely have a pretty damn firm hold on that title to the end of the year (until H&C Season 2 adds some fresh competition).

(as a joke, we need Saimoe for male lead)

After looking into the novel I agree with Adigard's stance more or less. I don't think Kyon has romantic interest in Mikuru and he really is acting out genuinely over Haruhi's 'transgressions'. At time he even chooses to neglect the obvious aftermaths of those actions just to demonstrate his viewpoint.

As for Haruhi well... I don't think 1 factor such as jealousy can accurately depict what she actually feels. We can't merely oversimplify and make a conclusion based on the relative lack of information at the moment.

I agree with the sentiment on the potential this anime might have on this generation of anime otakus. Perhap the defining piece of work of this decade in anime might be this one if things play out well.

Adigard

2006-04-27, 02:28

I agree completely. When I say this could be the greatest anime ever (which I do), I always say "if they keep up the quality they've maintained through four episodes." But based on what they've done so far, this is the best anime I've seen. In my opinion and for my taste.

I agree... and I would be much higher in my praise for KyoAni and there chances of making this an insanely high quality piece of art throughout... but the cardboard cutout background characters in this episode sorta disappointed me. For the first time in the show we have totally static backgrounds without something happening to let us know the backdrops aren't static. Now, the backgrounds have had more characters, and have been outside... Which is a bit of a first for this show. Previously they've limited their scene selections to mostly indoor scenes (not entirely) where having things happening in the background is easy.

I'm not really counting the quality of ep0. It was either high quality that was filtered out to appear to be student film quality, or they cut corners because they knew what the final image would look like.

Several scenes in this episode had those dreaded cardboard cutouts. It's important to note there was no dip in animation quality, music, or story/plot to accompany a minor complaint... but KyoAni still has a ways to go. I'm optimistic they'll pull that high quality throughout, but we'll have to play it by ear. KyoAni threw in several small details that really shined in this episode (the wilted flowers I keep mentioning are a really powerful minor thing that shows exacting attention to detail).

Also... thanks for agreeing on my earlier post panzerfan. I haven't read the novels (beyond what has been translated), so I'm basing a lot of my long-term story opinions on what others have said vs. what I've seen in the episodes thus far, the novel translations, and other non-AS resources. Learning that I'm not totally out in left field is always a good thing, doubly so when my thoughts more or less seem to mesh up with the novels ^^

melange

2006-04-27, 02:41

Just a mindless piece of fun I thought of that relates to the end of episode 4/7... if the SOS-dan did join in the soccer competition (Although Haruhi suggested soccer and football Kyon said he was trying to think of which sport needed less players so... soccer!) who would play in what position?

Haruhi - This is a no brainer. Captain. Out and out Striker. Probably would be the cause of many offsides. There's this part in the novels when Kyon says if Haruhi was playing soccer her position would always be behind the opposing teams last line of defenders and possibly even behind the goalkeeper :heh:

Kyon - Since Haruhi subconsciously relies on him... perhaps Playmaker? His job would be to work as hard as possible to feed Haruhi the ball.

Mikuru - Er... where would she do the least damage? :heh:

Yuki - Since she hardly even moves... Goalkeeper. One of her 'spells' would make the SOS-dan goalposts an impenetrable wall plus with a light kick (analogous to her throw in the baseball game) she could score goals from across the field and give Chilavert a run for his money :heh:

Itsuki - I'm going to put him as Defender for kicks. No real reason.

Now to make up the numbers... Tsuruya-san, Kunikida, Taniguchi, err.. Kyon's sister... darn.. need 2 more people.. just assume Haruhi drafts whoever happens to be standing around :heh: though...If it happens after Sagitarius Day then Haruhi could press-gang the subordinate Computer Club to fill out the ranks. Not that they'll be of much use of course :heh:

Formation-wise, to better their chances of winning, I'm thinking 4-5-1 because with Mikuru and Kyon's sis on the field their going to need numbers at the back to defend successfully and rely on long lobs to Haruhi or Yuki-sniping to get the goals. Though with Haruhi in charge she'd probably just push for an all-out offense. :heh:

Sushi-Y

2006-04-27, 05:15

*pops in to check on the discussion*

I do believe we're going to have to agree to disagree on this matter Kamui4356. I'm planning on changing my opinion after we see the photoshoot in ep3 (next episode for those who aren't watching the next ep. previews), and then refine it even further a short time after that.
Er, I'm not really sure what the arguement is about, but Haruhi changed her mind about tying Mikuru's hair into a ponytail because of Kyon (although that's probably obvious), and you won't know why until the end of Yuutsu (which, in anime terms,will probably be the final episode if they go with a Yuutsu (vol.1) ending). This also means that you won't see any reaction from Haruhi before that (remember, time-line wise, the baseball tournament happened after all the Yuutsu episodes (Ⅰ - Ⅵ). So you probably won't see any Haruhi x Kyon chemistry during Mikuru's ero photo shoot next episode either (which is a Yuutsu episode (Ⅲ)).

If you think about it, Haruhi's "well, if you're alright with that"+*smile* in response to Kyon at the end of the baseball tournament there is actually the hard-earned reward after all the pains(?) and bloodshed(?) that Kyon had to go through in vol.1. ^^;

I'm still waiting for concrete proof (In this thread? We'll need concrete proof from ep0, 1, 2, or 7) that Kyon wants to be romantically involved with Mikuru. I think Kyon wants to protect Mikuru from Haruhi (and Itsuki... who he doesn't seem to like).
Do you want concrete proof from the anime? Or what I can tell you right now based on my knowledge from 7 (soon to be 8) volumes of the novel?

For the heck of it, here's an explanation, but if you choose to find out on your own, then don't click on the spoiler at all.
Simply by Kyon's narrations and actions towards Mikuru, you can probably tell that he's very protective of her (mostly from Haruhi). Kyon treats Mikuru as a goddess, the feelings he have for her is love, not a romantic type of love, but more like the kind of love you have for an idol. He doesn't expect Mikuru to return his feelings, simply watching her "heals" him from the headaches he get from Haruhi.

Also, even though Kyon sees Mikuru as an idol, he doesn't see her as "someone who needs to be worshipped", but rather as "someone who needs to be protected", especially in the later volumes, where Kyon begins to take leading actions because he actually knows more about the hows and the whys and the whens of everything than all his of fellow SOS-dan members.

Again, Kyon doesn't expect himself to have a romantic relationship with Mikuru, nor does he crave for one. But, if Mikuru brings the action to him, then who knows what'll happen.

By the way, as far as the novel is right now, I believe Kyon's "who-I'm-romantically-interested-in" arrow is actually pointed towards Yuki. At the very least, he cares about her even more than Mikuru, in a different, more serious kind of way. Makes sense too, after seeing Yuki's various sides in volume 4 and 7, anyone would become attracted to her. In fact, Yuki is probably the most dynamic character in the story right now.

...Ok, maybe that's just the Yuki-fan in me talking.

Well if the speculation that they'll be using only Vol. 1 as the main plot focus that was garnered from across the web by Sushi-Y is true then they have to make a season 2 at some point. The other 'long story' (as opposed to the short one-off stories like the one this episode was based on) is Vol. 4 which is really a story head-and-shoulders above Vol. 1's plot. Since I remember reading somewhere that the producers at Kyo-ani are great fans of the novels, I don't think they'll abandon Vol.4 to the 'unanimated-dustbin' at all. I expect a season 2 to materialize at some point.
I don't know if they're going to do vol.4 or not, but when they're devoting almost half of the anime (6 out of 14 episodes) to volume 1 (YuutsuⅠ- Ⅵ), it's safe to say that they'll do vol.1 until the very end (including "that" ending). What you said in the speculation thread is right: it would be a waste if vol.1's ending wasn't used as a series finale, it couldn't be more fitting.

Then again, episodes like this baseball competition would probably make that feel kinda anti-climatic since all of these events happened AFTER that oh-so dramatic ending. ^^;

I'm praying that they'll do vol.4 even though half the episodes have already been devoted to vol.1, and that's not just the Yuki-fan in me talking: like I said in the speculation thread, even though vol.1 is a great volume on its own, it's really nothing more than an "introduction" to the real actions that occurs in the later volumes (the "serious actions" ones being vol.4 and 7).
Repeated time jumps, alternate worlds and identities, galactic-scale conspiracies...
If the anime stopped at volume 1, it would be like watching a great movie that cuts off at the end of prologue.

Then again, we only have 14 episodes, even if Kyoani chooses to only take a small bite, I wouldn't blame them. It's better to have one main story with good pacing than to have two main stories rushed.

Season 2...? With Kanon coming up in fall, even if this is a possibility, we won't be seeing it anytime soon.

Maybe they'll pull a Shana and announce a movie after the end of Haruhi. And the contents in it will be vol.4. ^^;

Yuki - Since she hardly even moves... Goalkeeper. One of her 'spells' would make the SOS-dan goalposts an impenetrable wall plus with a light kick (analogous to her throw in the baseball game) she could score goals from across the field and give Chilavert a run for his money :heh:
Yuki makes a horrible goalkeeper, she doesn't touch anything out of her arms' reach! ^^;

Onizuka-GTO

2006-04-27, 07:40

mr.muffin

2006-04-27, 08:24

Heathen. it's called Football.
:rolleyes:

Brits... Yes we all know England invented football... :p

btw, I think Kyon would make a good goalkeeper. Remember the scene where he dived to catch the baseball? Seems like he's got good handling skills.

Zappster

2006-04-27, 08:37

Heathen. it's called Football.

:rolleyes:

what the hell is a "playmaker"? You mean a Midfielder? probably Centre-forward in my opinion, to bring up the support for Haruhi.

As for Mikuru....er....i think i'lll put her on a left-back, just tuck her, out of sight out of mind. ^^

Generally yes a playmaker is regarded as a creative midfielder. Recent examples in RL would be say Riquelme, Zidane and Ronaldinho I guess.

Kezane

2006-04-27, 09:22

Maybe I'm a little slow in noticing this, but I realized that Kyon and Itsuki were playing that little baseball toy game thing even before Haruhi had entered with her idea. Were they perhaps playing in anticipation of her idea? I'm not sure about the random abilities of the current people in the SOS Brigade, but could one of them be foretelling the future? Similarly, at the end, they're playing yet another board game (though I can't tell what it is this time). Just some random speculation/guessing. Of course, I've yet to read the novels.

monir

2006-04-27, 09:59

If you really mean that they should not have rearranged the episodes the way they did, I disagree completely. That would have been too ordinary. And the rearrangement is not just for the sake of confusion, I don't believe. It is an additional element in the show's excellence. It just gives me that feeling that says "Art". This doesn't cover it, but you could say that the rearrangement is a hint of the malleability of time.I've accepted the arrangement as part of the show after episode two, after I waited for a nervous Mikuru singing the OP once again and it didn't come. The rearrangement might not be just for the sake of confusion, but it does deliver ample amount of it nontheless. There is a trend for this particular kind of storytelling though it was more noticeable in movies than in TV series i.e. Beyond the Cloud and GiTS: Innocence leap into mind. Spectacularly animated shows like those seem to want to give their audience a "complex" story for what ever reason and the arranging the story in a jumble seems to be the way the feeling of complexity is achieved. GiTS: Innocence has such a simple story and yet, it was one of the most confusing thing I've watched because of how the story was presented. There are couple of things I still haven't figured out about Beyond the Cloud. Thankfully, SH is episodic in nature and the story is coming into light episode by episode though it isn't following the conventional way of telling story in animated series. The arrangement isn't affecting the enjoyment factor which makes the show pretty unique in its own merit. Artsy? Well, okay.

For better and worse, I believe that people may soon be writing PhD's on this series.:heh:

Kinny Riddle

2006-04-27, 10:36

Generally yes a playmaker is regarded as a creative midfielder. Recent examples in RL would be say Riquelme, Zidane and Ronaldinho I guess.
You forgot to mention Steven Gerrard, but we're getting way off topic here now. :D

SOS Brigade Winning Eleven (Konami's so gonna sue me), this just came off my mind. :heh:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v298/KinnyRiddle/SOSFC.jpg I just realized I don't know how to resize this damn image, so use a magnyfying glass or something, Haruhi says so.

Since Haruhi's going to run the show, she's the captain and the sole striker. I envision her using a 3-5-2 formation (probably just made up, since Haruhi only concerns herself with scoring.) Poor Mikuru-chan is "forced" into being Haruhi's support striker, of course, the only thing Mikuru-chan could do is "distract" the opposition. :D

Since Yuki doesn't waste her movements unless necessary, she's the keeper. While Koizumi, always preferring the backstage and grinning like an idiot, stays at the back as well as a sweeper and tries (note emphasis on "tries") to clear everything that comes his way, since the left and right backs, Kunikida and Taniguchi, are crap. :heh:

Tsuruya-san and Kyon's lil sister are there to make up the numbers further, with two others to try and pack up the midfield and reduce the damage.

So in the end, it's really up to Yuki's tampering of the "match data" on the pitch, Kyon being the midfield engine that provides Haruhi with her explosive pace to try and score, as much as possible. At this rate, Haruhi can smash through the billions of Chel$ki and win the Champions League......OK, I think I'll shut up now before the non-soccer people go crazy. :D

Onizuka-GTO

2006-04-27, 10:56

........

*flops on the floor as his brain trickles out of his ear*

X_x

melange

2006-04-27, 11:01

etc etc. (edited for brevity)

Yuki makes a horrible goalkeeper, she doesn't touch anything out of her arms' reach! ^^;
The Yuki-Kyon index you point out is more muted than Mikuru-Kyon but definitely runs deep. Yuki's constant referral to Kyon for 'permission' to run one of her reality-altering hacks is a clue and if the events in Shoushitsu are any indication, Yuki may actually have a large interest in Kyon (romantically?) that belies her unemotional exterior.

Its not just the Yuki fan talking... though I'm a Yuki fan too :heh: but looking at the stories with character development that I've managed to read so far (middle of Douyou), Yuki's been getting a large (disproportionate even?) amount of attention. I was actually feeling very happy that Live Alive reexamined Haruhi and am looking forward to Mikuru development later in that volume.

The anti-climatic thing was something I mentioned a lot earlier in the Speculation thread that worried me about a Yuu-utsu only season despite the fact that its has a suitable season-ending epic feel. When things are rearranged in chronology the series will feel like it tapers off to the end. Actually the movie idea sounds to be really good. That way both the 2 major plot arcs (Vol. 1 Yuu-utsu and Vol. 4 Shoushitsu) can be covered with enough time to tell them well and also not forget the very fun short 'filler-ish' but still fairly important for character development stories. In fact doing Shoushitsu as a movie is looking to be ideal to me... Imagine the anguished anticipation the fans have to go through if Shoushitsu's story is done in a weekly episodic format! :heh:

Yuki as goalkeeper will only work IF she uses her reality bending 'spells'. If not, then Kyon would probably have step between the posts...

Heathen. it's called Football.
what the hell is a "playmaker"? You mean a Midfielder? probably Centre-forward in my opinion, to bring up the support for Haruhi.
As for Mikuru....er....i think i'lll put her on a left-back, just tuck her, out of sight out of mind. ^^:uhoh: I know its called Football, and I prefer calling it that too, just when you live too long in the US you have to adopt the 'heathenistic' soccer/football distinction else noone will know what you're talking about :heh:

As for Playmaker... Zappster already answered that. I was thinking of Zidane when I used the term on Kyon.

Kinny Riddle:
Even with my screen zoomed in on max I couldn't read that image :heh:
Actually I think Tsuruya-san wouldn't be too shabby on the field. She's the only one other than Kyon shown to make a good dive-catch in the baseball match. Plus in the novel Kyon did describe her as "sporty".

Adigard

2006-04-27, 11:25

Do you want concrete proof from the anime? Or what I can tell you right now based on my knowledge from 7 (soon to be 8) volumes of the novel?

Sushi-Y, I'm becoming quite the Yuki fan myself after just these last few episodes. The reason I was looking for concrete evidence from the currently aired episodes is... This is an ep4 thread ^^ If this discussion had come up in a different thread, later novel spoilers would fit in perfectly, but since we're in the ep4 thread... I'm just trying to follow the rules ^^

# Try to keep spoilers from the Novel or Manga out of the anime thread. If you need to in reply to someone with a reference to the Novel / Manga, either PM them or use Spoiler tags (see example below).

Shirobane

2006-04-27, 16:56

Yuki - Since she hardly even moves... Goalkeeper. One of her 'spells' would make the SOS-dan goalposts an impenetrable wall plus with a light kick (analogous to her throw in the baseball game) she could score goals from across the field and give Chilavert a run for his money :heh:
You realise that she's a double edged sword as a keeper right? Let's all remember the 5 balls that she caught in practice were the 5 balls that were going to hit her :heh:
Personally I'd use her "Unlimited Bat Works" skills to burn a hole in the opposing team's net :D

Speaking of which, Itsuki for keeper as he was the catcher for a good majority of the game in the episode.

And Kyon for defender position since all plays start from the defender (or so I'm lead to believe :p)

Man all this talk about football, makes me even more anxious for May 17th...gunners for champions! (all that and in the middle of playoff season for hockey too, at least I have time for more Haruhi :D)

PhantomX

2006-04-27, 17:03

Actually, the defenders don't normally make plays (unless they are exceptionally good players), it's the center midfielders that do (the outside mids are normally used to run and shoot at goal to support the forwards).

Yuki would make the perfect forward, most of them just stand around and wait for the ball anyways, and if she can kick as hard as she throws ...

melange

2006-04-27, 17:08

Yuki would make the perfect forward, most of them just stand around and wait for the ball anyways, and if she can kick as hard as she throws ...Hmm.. thats a good point... SOS United could start off with Haruhi tipping the ball to Yuki leading to instant snipe on goal 0.1 seconds into the game :heh:

PhantomX

2006-04-27, 17:25

Hmm.. thats a good point... SOS United could start off with Haruhi tipping the ball to Yuki leading to instant snipe on goal 0.1 seconds into the game :heh:

Lol, I'm sure Haruhi wouldn't stand for it being called anything other than SOS-Dan

celcius

2006-04-27, 17:48

I don't think Haruhi would pass the ball to Yuki, ever. Maybe when they're abit on the losing side, but I'd think she'd still go for the goal herself.

Souten no Seigyoku

2006-04-27, 20:10

The show is funny as hell (xcept episode 1 or 00), but I dont like the jumble at all. Ep2 and 3 were linear and then all of a sudden theres a lot of stuff in ep4 that I have no clue about. Like her causing problems when shes angry, the new club member, or the fact that they know the girl in the glasses has powers.

I guess theyre trying something new that hasnt been done, but its not going to work. Its just a horrible idea. I will keep watching for the hillariousness of the comedy, but if this keeps up, Im going to get seriously aggrivated.

PhantomX

2006-04-27, 20:15

Except it IS going to work ... Haruhi is the Super Director, and doing as she pleases ... like she always does XD

Onizuka-GTO

2006-04-27, 20:32

celcius

2006-04-27, 20:39

Ep.1 has GOT to be one of the best episodes in recent history. Just about anything Kyon says in that ep was making me chuckle upto downright LOL. They also did a great re-enactment of amateur video production. See Mikuru's Mikuru Beam. :D

I respect your opinion if you much rather prefer a linear. But I'm having a blast this way. I'm sure there was a good reason behind the mixing of episodes; otherwise, they (KyoAni) wouldn't do it. I'm confident that KyoAni will continue to delight us with future episodes of Haruhi.

Kamui4356

2006-04-27, 21:02

I respect your opinion if you much rather prefer a linear. But I'm having a blast this way. I'm sure there was a good reason behind the mixing of episodes; otherwise, they (KyoAni) wouldn't do it. I'm confident that KyoAni will continue to delight us with future episodes of Haruhi.
What impresses me is KyoAni is able to do it without a large segment of the novels' fans screaming about it. Most studios would have screwed things up by now if they changed the order of events, yet KyoAni hasn't. That shows their quality work. Besides, one could always rewatch the episodes in the order Haruhi gives in the previews so it's presented in a more linear fashion.;) Personally, I think linear is overrated. :heh:

celcius

2006-04-27, 21:14

...without a large segment of the novels' fans screaming about it...
You're right~!! I never noticed that. Maybe they're too happy about the episode to complain? Naahh.
Personally, I think linear is overrated.
Lol, maybe we'll start seeing chaotic ordering in other series staring next season, courtesy of Ultra Director Suzumiya Haruhi. Now, whether they do it successfully or not, that's another story. :heh:

Vexx

2006-04-27, 21:29

rooboy

2006-04-27, 21:37

I prefer the point of view trick, but out of sequence is also a very nifty trick (if you can pull it off). Sometimes it becomes confusing, but so far I think KyoAni has actually been very succesful at making the episodes watchable despite jumping around.

EDIT: When done well, you can actually learn more by watching the events out of sequence as you are required to expend more brainpower on what's going on.

rainnydaiis

2006-04-27, 22:34

**EDIT** scratch what I said before.

Anyways so basically they are putting manga ch's that should come later on as like foreshadows into the anime right now?

No wonder I didn't understand most of what they were talking about except the hilarious parts shown. Like Kyons little sister!! can't get enough of her.

Adigard

2006-04-27, 22:52

How do you foreshadow events that have already happened in the anime? ^^

Personally I'm really enjoying the flashbacks of future events they're using to force the viewers to use guesswork to fill in the missing gaps ^_^

ordnance11

2006-04-27, 23:04

I must say if they can pull this off in the series, it will be brilliant ... I love time fragmented story experiments where you have to "grok" the whole thing through spacetime to grasp the story. Its like a step above "point of view" narration where the same story gets told via different people and you have to piece it together after reading the whole thing.

The closest anime series MSH comes to ,as far as fragmentation goes in my opinion ,has to be RahXephon. Even if the story if told in a linear fashion, you keep getting the feeling you blundered into the middle of a greater story, which hooks you into the story. You keep watching the episodes from start to finish, over and over, just to pick up clues

Vexx

2006-04-27, 23:23

It has me really interested in the episode in which we and Kyon really discover and come to grips with Haruhi actually being who she is.

melange

2006-04-27, 23:52

What impresses me is KyoAni is able to do it without a large segment of the novels' fans screaming about it. Most studios would have screwed things up by now if they changed the order of events, yet KyoAni hasn't. That shows their quality work. Besides, one could always rewatch the episodes in the order Haruhi gives in the previews so it's presented in a more linear fashion.;) Personally, I think linear is overrated. :heh:Being a novel reader, I think the novel fans aren't screaming about it because...

1. To a degree thats the way the novels were written. The stories are presented to you scattered around the timeline in way as if Kyon was going, "I told you about A and then about B. Now about just before the time B happened there was this little incident called C..." The skips about the timeline Kyo-ani is doing just so happens to push this even further.

2. Towards the later novels (vol 3,4 onwards) the best stories are about jumping and shifting through time.Thus by changing the presentation of the order of events (note that the actual chronology hasn't been changed) Kyo-ani actually plays to the strengths of Suzumiya Haruhi no Yuu-utsu's source material and thus the novel fans are actually deliriously happy that they are doing so.

Thelastguardian

2006-04-27, 23:55

I am a bit late, but I must confess I am also Yuki's fan :).

Someone I know once commented that Yuki is the second main character of the series and that the series should change its name to The Melancholy of Nagato Yuki :heh: .

Which does fit the story, surprisingly.

There are many arcs in the story that we see Kyon interacts with Yuki more than he interacts with Haruhi.

cough*3*cough*5*cough

Yuki is a very deep character, more so than Haruhi. You can see traces of her personality transformation as the story goes along. It is quite amazing and give you a lot to think about- what would happen if you place an AI or an alien into her position, and how will she/he grow.

Edit: I gave this episode an 8 for two reasons.
One for the lack of Kyon's sneak remarks about all the people (including his grade 5 little sister) hitting home runs(picky I know :) ).
The other one is related to the thing I said above.
If you check the novel, the author tells you that after Itsuki asked Yuki for her help with the bat, Yuki turned around and stared at Kyon. I feel that this is a very hint as to how her character will progress.

Sadly KyoAni choosed to skip that. Pity.

Sushi-Y

2006-04-28, 00:14

What impresses me is KyoAni is able to do it without a large segment of the novels' fans screaming about it.
I'm not screaming about it because, like melange mentioned above, they didn't actually try to change the actual episode contents (ie. they didn't try to alter the baseball competition, making it look like it happened after Yuki's confession in episode 3). Instead, all they did was shuffle up the episodes and playing them in a non-chronological order. Which, for us novel fans, is a familiar sight since the novels are pretty much like this too (http://forums.animesuki.com/showpost.php?p=541848&postcount=80) (well, not as extreme as slipping in a side-story in the middle of another story, but close enough).

I am a bit late, but I must confess I am also Yuki's fan :).

Someone I know once commented that Yuki is the second main character of the series and that the series should change its name to The Melancholy of Nagato Yuki :heh: .

Which does fit the story, surprisingly.

There are many arcs in the story that we see Kyon interacts with Yuki more than he interacts with Haruhi.

cough*3*cough*5*cough

Yuki is a very deep character, more so than Haruhi. You can see traces of her personality transformation as the story goes along. It is quite amazing and give you a lot to think about- what would happen if you place AI or an alien into her position.
If you ask me, volume 4 could be renamed to 長門有希の憂鬱 (Nagato Yuki's Melancholy), and volume 7 could even be called 長門有希の自立 (Nagato Yuki's Independence) (Yuki's "Because I don't want to" (したくないから) statement made me go o.O).

Cal-Reflector

2006-04-28, 00:26

So without any familiarity with the background of the story whatsoever I began watching.

I confess, I'm just a little bit (just a little bit) confused, but that's quite alright I suppose.

If there's a Mikuru-faction out there (as opposed to Haruhi's), the moment I joined it was the line in episode 3 where she says to Kyon:

"Kyon-kun... if I become ruined for marriage... will you take me?"

*Cue roomful of US marines (or stereotypically hot-blooded men of action otherwise) jumping to their feet with a mighty bellow, stout hearts roused and crimson blood boiling with the chest-pounding righteous outrage to defend the Goddess of Moe in distress*

Yes, that's all I have to say.

That and my face is seriously going numb from the stupid, weirded-out grin that's been pasted on it for the past 80 minutes.

Kamui4356

2006-04-28, 01:04

I'm not screaming about it because, like melange mentioned above, they didn't actually try to change the actual episode contents (ie. they didn't try to alter the baseball competition, making it look like it happened after Yuki's confession in episode 3). Instead, all they did was shuffle up the episodes and playing them in a non-chronological order. Which, for us novel fans, is a familiar sight since the novels are pretty much like this too (http://forums.animesuki.com/showpost.php?p=541848&postcount=80) (well, not as extreme as slipping in a side-story in the middle of another story, but close enough).
Most studios, doing a similiar reshuffling of events, would have changed them to some degree. It might be that the novels lend themselves to this, but KyoAni has also been able to keep things somewhat understandable to people who hadn't read the novels, shuffle the order, and not really change anything. That can't be an easy balance to maintain. You have to be very careful about what you show and when. Thinking about it that way, starting with the "movie" was a great idea. Although Itsuki and kyon's sister weren't formally introduced in the anime, we still have some idea who they are, allowing them to be used without completely throwing off everyone who hasn't read the novels.

Btw, When he tagged the runner sliding into second out, was that a bit of his power? After all, the guy was already sliding when Yuki's throw reached Haruhi, so unless the guy was just shocked about the power of that throw, the only ways Itsuki could have gotten there in time were some sort of teleport, super human speed, or freezing time.