[Triple_R]

Just watched this episode in sub format. I'm going to reply to Kaioshin first

Originally Posted by Kaioshin Sama

Alright that was halfway decent so it was time well spent. The first half wasn't much to write home admittedly with it's continued behind the scenes style look at the episode 00 content that we've already seen in it's finished status and honestly done much more interestingly since it was done in a clever point of view style in the first season rather than just simply what we have here with the Sighs' adaptation. I mean I have to laugh a little when arguably the most pressing issue being portrayed is whether Mikuru is going to take a dunk in the water or not (heavens!)........yeah this seasons been pretty lighthearted and not as balanced as the first one when it comes to comedy and drama.

I agree with that criticism overall (i.e. as it pertains to this year of new Haruhi episodes overall), but I don't think that's the case with this particular episode. This latest episode really straddles the line between real drama and melodrama for me, but one thing I wouldn't call it is lighthearted. That's some of the least lighthearted background music that I've ever heard.

I'm divided on the water-throwing scene. On the one hand... yeah, it really isn't that big of a deal; unpleasant, sure, but Haruhi's right in that this is the kind of sacrifice that any serious actor should be willing to make... although, in fairness to Mikuru, she never signed up with the SOS Brigade to be an actress.

Also, the way that Mikuru's facial expressions were handled during the tossing-into-water scene, combined with the downright haunting background music... I actually felt very sorry for the girl. This is the first time Haruhi's treatment of Mikuru has truly, honestly made me feel sorry for Mikuru. It's probably because Mikuru wasn't whining, but rather was petrified. Outright petrified. The palpable sense of great fear and dread on Mikuru's part really came through in this scene... and I simply have to pity the girl.

And I have to admit that Mikuru's resolve through out this episode impressed me.

So... at face value, this scene was way too melodramatic. But from Kyon and Mikuru's perspective... I can kind of see the serious drama here. For once, Mikuru didn't strike me as just being a whiner; you really could tell how scared she was of being thrown in the water. Now I'm inclined to think that the poor girl simply has some serious psychological issues with phobias. She needs to see a counselor.

Yuki was Yuki (technobabble), Tsuruya was Tsuruya (Ahahahahahahaha *points*), everyone was as they normally are and it's honestly getting a bit old, but what can I say, Haruhi as a franchise has never been big on character and scenario advancement and this season has been like a microcosm of that aspect of it.

While I agree with you on Yuki and Tsuruya, I felt that this episode did a fair bit to change how one sees Haruhi, Kyon, and Mikuru.

And... I also have a new respect for Koizumi with this episode. He's really trying his best to handle a difficult situation here. For once, I got a real sense of heroism from him. I don't know if I agree with his decision to block Kyon's attack on Haruhi... if I was him I'd be very tempted to let Kyon get one punch off and then break it up... but his dialogue really shows a man deeply conflicted and wanting to do what's right.

This episode makes Koizumi seem a fair bit less shady to me. He clearly fancies himself a defender of the Earth, and takes that role seriously. He obviously has real disagreements with Haruhi, but is swallowing some bitter pills to keep her appeased. I get the feeling that Koizumi would like to knock some sense into Haruhi as well, but he's holding back for the greater good, and is surprised that the usually calm Kyon is failing to do the same.

That said the second half didn't start terribly great with me getting ready to roll my eyes at what I thought was going to be another lacklustre Kyoani standard attempt to bring on the pathos (Which they did a little at first since Haruhi lightly tapping Mikuru's head and Kyon getting all dramatic had me laughing more than I thought I would given that it sounded more like outright bullying in the novel and hence a lot more serious and dramatic), but when Kyon went to go deck Haruhi I have to appreciate how the scene was handled from then on with Haruhi looking so betrayed and almost like she was going to cry before putting on her strong front again.

Agreed.

Makes me think that Kyoani's staff are slowly remembering again how to do decent drama and how to use the subtle expression of a character to convey more than the most overboard of animation sequences and shouting could ever convey.

I strongly agree here too.

So decent episode that is a bit above average for what we've seen this season.....now I'm off to play some Gihren's Greed.

Where can you get Gihren's Greed, by the way? I'd love to play the game - the promos I've seen of it are awesome!


A couple more observations I'll make here...

I really liked how Kyon got a taste of his own snark medicine with what Taniguchi was saying to him about the movie. It also helps how Taniguchi's comment was understandable as he was peeved over how Haruhi so cavalierly dismissed him and Kunikida earlier on in the episode. Kyon's realization of how Taniguchi's snark really rubs him the wrong way is a reflection of how Kyon's snark probably rubs Haruhi the wrong way, was brilliant I felt. It was nice to see Kyon be truly self-reflective here, and try to empathize a bit with Haruhi.

I'm glad that Kyon didn't outright apologize - quite frankly, Haruhi didn't deserve one. Haruhi should be apologizing to Mikuru, if anything. Kyon's uplifting statement to Haruhi near the end of the episode was a good way for him to go, I felt; he uplifts Haruhi with out conceding the principle of the thing, and Kyon's right on the principle of the thing. That being said, I'd be really tempted to let Haruhi spend one more day stewing in her depression if I was Kyon. Haruhi really needs to learn some things.

I actually felt that this episode ending wasn't overly abrupt - the mention of getting a cat serves as a nice
cliff-hanger moment, imo.

However, all of the above stated... Haruhi really crossed the line in this episode. Even I, one of her more passionate defenders, can't defend her here. Her treatment of Mikuru in Tsuruya's house is just beyond the pale, and reflects a mind that, frankly, is just out of it.

Totally out of it.

It's not even that Haruhi is being cruel; it's that she doesn't even realize that she's being cruel. She doesn't even seem to view other people as human beings with some basic human rights - no, scratch that, it's deeper than that. Haruhi doesn't even understand why Kyon is getting upset. Even if Haruhi doesn't view other people as human beings with some basic human rights, she should still be cognizant of the fact that most people do... including Kyon.

As a whole, I think that Sigh (the novel) took Haruhi too far. It took her over the edge, I think. While it was nice to see an intense Kyon vs Haruhi bit, the lead-up to it just stretched Haruhi's character beyond the breaking point for me. I don't know - I just would have preferred it if Haruhi's actions were cold (cold enough to legitimately get a rise out of Kyon) but at least understandable. How can Haruhi think the way that she does in this episode? It actually makes her look breathtakingly ignorant and/or stupid, frankly. How Haruhi can be so good at school, and yet be this ignorant of what most people would call "common sense", is beyond me.

For this reason, I can't give this episode a 10. I give it a 9. In fairness, it's not KyoAni's fault - the novel itself is at fault here, imo; there's nothing KyoAni could do about it, short of major alteration. Still, it means that this episode presents Haruhi's character in a way that detracts a great deal from my appreciation of it.

Other than that, an excellent episode.