Speculation on The Future of the Haruhi Anime Franchise, post-Disappearance

[Tyabann]

Originally Posted by bayoab

15498 was about 10 hours ago.

Try five, counting from the time of your post.

Anyway, maybe they're getting something ready? They'd actually be lying if they didn't announce anything.

[Ithekro]

Maybe they thought it would take longer.

[bayoab]

Originally Posted by Kaisos Erranon

Try five, counting from the time of your post.

Whee, total time zone fail on my part.

Anyway, maybe they're getting something ready? They'd actually be lying if they didn't announce anything.

It's Kadokawa. They clearly have something planned. No point in filling up the tree otherwise. That doesn't even make sense from the unlimited troll works viewpoint.

[Vallen Chaos Valiant]

Originally Posted by Kaisos Erranon

Try five, counting from the time of your post.

Anyway, maybe they're getting something ready? They'd actually be lying if they didn't announce anything.

An announcement, if it is important enough, is usually not automated to trigger after something the online visitors did. You would actually need staffers to get approval before making public releases a few days later. It's like how other companies might do certain things after reaching enough "like" hits on Facebook, but not immediately.

It's all about giving the consumers some participation, make them feel their existence is acknowledged. Whatever they want to release is already ready to go, they just want to get some hype from it first. It's also good to collect data on the number of people actually visiting the site.

[ultimatemegax]

Originally Posted by Vallen Chaos Valiant

An announcement, if it is important enough, is usually not automated to trigger after something the online visitors did. You would actually need staffers to get approval before making public releases a few days later. It's like how other companies might do certain things after reaching enough "like" hits on Facebook, but not immediately.

It's all about giving the consumers some participation, make them feel their existence is acknowledged. Whatever they want to release is already ready to go, they just want to get some hype from it first. It's also good to collect data on the number of people actually visiting the site.

I agree completely with everything Vallen said. If they had something programmed to go live as soon as it was hit, there would be a chance it would leak. Even I was able to find the materials for the counter on the original Surprise site for when it would be listed as "on sale now".

From what I've read on some Japanese businesses, they want numbers to show that there is a demand for something regardless of how many times it's been done before. It's redundant, but that's how they think. Having the site hit the number in a week and a half shows a great amount of demand for a third season or a new novel (though sales from Surprise would compliment demand for a new novel greatly).

There's also the idea that Kadokawa wants to continue the hype going since 2008. We've had many things going in succession:

1. Second season confirmation -Late 2008
2. Haruhi-chan/Churuya-san -February 2009
3. Gensou concert -March 2009
4. "Re-airing" -April 2009
5. New episodes -May-August 2009
6. Movie flash -October 2009
7. Trailer on December 18th, 2009
8. Movie premiere -February 2010
9. Movie lasting 8 months in theatres -August 2010
10. Blu-Ray boxes for Haruhi/Haruhi-chan/Churya-san Announced in April/July 2010, released in August, November 2010
11. Blu-Ray/DVD release of the movie -December 2010
12. Announcement of Surprise - December 2010
13. Pre-orders of Surprise start - January 2011
14. Kadokawa's massive PR burst for Surprise - April- May 2011
15. Haruhi Negai starts/Surprise is released - May 2011
16. Haruhi Negai reaches 15,498 - Today

That's also not counting things like stage greetings, DVD releases of the second season, the lottery figure promotion, games, and other merchandise that were released. They've had something going on for nearly 3 years for us to be looking forward to, so Negai was just continuing that. I'm sure something will be released shortly. That's why I'm not worrying about it not popping up instantly.

[ijuinkun]

The management do need time to react to reaching the total, and it is the weekend, so I would give them at least until the end of business hours on Tuesday (Japan Standard Time) before asking "where's the announcement?"

[ultimatemegax]

Announcement changed to say that something will be announced on Tanabata. We'll have to wait another month to find out what it is.

[Ithekro]

Figured they would do that, since July 7th has become an important day for Haruhi business. I'd guess they didn't expect the wishes to make it that fast.

[AbZeroNow]

Certainly Tanabata also figures into the theme of the Haruhi Negai site too. I am cautiously optimistic about a new anime season since Surprise set a new record in first week light novel sales, and how well they did on sales of the movie. KyoAni also seems like they could be close to being ready to do a new season.

I wonder though if we are in for a new season, will it be known as the third season of Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya or will it be called the Intrigues of Haruhi Suzumiya since the Intrigues novel would be at the heart of a new 1 cour season.

Would this sound right as far as the episode titles for a new season?

Spoiler for Possible episode titles for a new season:

1. Charmed At First Sight LOVER
2. Snow Mountain Syndrome 1
3. Snow Mountain Syndrome 2
4. Where Did The Cat Go?
5. Intrigues of Haruhi Suzumiya 1
6. Melancholy of Mikuru Asahina
7. Intrigues of Haruhi Suzumiya 2
8. Intrigues of Haruhi Suzumiya 3
9. Intrigues of Haruhi Suzumiya 4
10. Intrigues of Haruhi Suzumiya 5
11. Intrigues of Haruhi Suzumiya 6
12. Intrigues of Haruhi Suzumiya 7
13. Editor in Chief Straight Ahead 1
14. Editor in Chief Straight Ahead 2

I haven't been able to read past Disappearance yet, but let me know if that would be close to what a hypothetical new season would entail.

[ultimatemegax]

Originally Posted by AbZeroNow

Certainly Tanabata also figures into the theme of the Haruhi Negai site too. I am cautiously optimistic about a new anime season since Surprise set a new record in first week light novel sales, and how well they did on sales of the movie. KyoAni also seems like they could be close to being ready to do a new season.

I wonder though if we are in for a new season, will it be known as the third season of Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya or will it be called the Intrigues of Haruhi Suzumiya since the Intrigues novel would be at the heart of a new 1 cour season.

Would this sound right as far as the episode titles for a new season?

Spoiler for Possible episode titles for a new season:

1. Charmed At First Sight LOVER
2. Snow Mountain Syndrome 1
3. Snow Mountain Syndrome 2
4. Where Did The Cat Go?
5. Intrigues of Haruhi Suzumiya 1
6. Melancholy of Mikuru Asahina
7. Intrigues of Haruhi Suzumiya 2
8. Intrigues of Haruhi Suzumiya 3
9. Intrigues of Haruhi Suzumiya 4
10. Intrigues of Haruhi Suzumiya 5
11. Intrigues of Haruhi Suzumiya 6
12. Intrigues of Haruhi Suzumiya 7
13. Editor in Chief Straight Ahead 1
14. Editor in Chief Straight Ahead 2

I haven't been able to read past Disappearance yet, but let me know if that would be close to what a hypothetical new season would entail.

Let's just say that Nichijou is not up to the sales standards that a typical Kadokawa/KyoAni production earns. In fact, it's predicted to do worse than Endless Eight did on DVD with both DVD/BDs for Nichijou. Combine that with the fact that we'll be three years between seasons again in the spring and we have hope for a new season.

I can't say on a name because both sides have good reasons for their part to be true. It'll be what it'll be.

As for your list, it would easily fit in for a season. The problem is that there are the two longest stories in the series within a book of each other and that complicates episodic ordering. Thus far, they've ended each season with a novel (season 1 - Melancholy, season 2 - Disappearance) so that you have a concluding part. That would lend credence to having Intrigues finish a season. But then you have 2 stories from novel 8 that would take up 4 episodes of a Dissociation/Surprise season that would really need as much time as it could get if done like the other novel stories. It's going to be difficult to have an episode order planned for these next 6 novels (might as well count the extra stories to be another novel).

[Jonbob0008]

Originally Posted by ultimatemegax

As for your list, it would easily fit in for a season. The problem is that there are the two longest stories in the series within a book of each other and that complicates episodic ordering. Thus far, they've ended each season with a novel (season 1 - Melancholy, season 2 - Disappearance) so that you have a concluding part. That would lend credence to having Intrigues finish a season. But then you have 2 stories from novel 8 that would take up 4 episodes of a Dissociation/Surprise season that would really need as much time as it could get if done like the other novel stories. It's going to be difficult to have an episode order planned for these next 6 novels (might as well count the extra stories to be another novel).

I would be even happier to wait on the stories from the eighth novel and instead get some anime only content. They could probably figure something out.

[AbZeroNow]

Originally Posted by Jonbob0008

I would be even happier to wait on the stories from the eighth novel and instead get some anime only content. They could probably figure something out.

If they do eight episodes of Intrigues instead of the seven that I put there as a hypothetical and then they show Rainy Day or an anime original episode featuring what Kyon did for White Day(because I want to know what he wound up doing), that would certainly skip the eight novel stories and still end on 14.

Spoiler for Hypothetical third season(1 cours without vol 8):

1. Charmed At First Sight LOVER
2. Snow(y) Mountain Syndrome 1
3. Snow(y) Mountain Syndrome 2
4. Where Did The Cat Go?
5. Intrigues of Haruhi Suzumiya 1
6. Melancholy of Mikuru Asahina
7. Intrigues of Haruhi Suzumiya 2
8. Intrigues of Haruhi Suzumiya 3
9. Intrigues of Haruhi Suzumiya 4
10. Intrigues of Haruhi Suzumiya 5
11. Intrigues of Haruhi Suzumiya 6
12. Intrigues of Haruhi Suzumiya 7
13. Intrigues of Haruhi Suzumiya 8
14. Rainy Day or Anime Original Episode

KyoAni could also surprise us by doing a two cours followup that catches up with the novels.

Spoiler for Hypothetical Third Season(2 cours):

1. Charmed At First Sight LOVER
2. Snow(y) Mountain Syndrome 1
3. Snow(y) Mountain Syndrome 2
4. Where Did The Cat Go?
5. Intrigues of Haruhi Suzumiya 1
6. Melancholy of Mikuru Asahina
7. Intrigues of Haruhi Suzumiya 2
8. Intrigues of Haruhi Suzumiya 3
9. Intrigues of Haruhi Suzumiya 4
10. Intrigues of Haruhi Suzumiya 5
11. Intrigues of Haruhi Suzumiya 6
12. Intrigues of Haruhi Suzumiya 7
13. Editor In Chief Straight Ahead 1
14. Editor In Chief Straight Ahead 2
15. Wandering Shadow 1
16. Wandering Shadow 2
18. The Dissociation of Haruhi Suzumiya 1
19. The Dissociation of Haruhi Suzumiya 2
20. The Dissociation of Haruhi Suzumiya 3
21. The Dissociation of Haruhi Suzumiya 4
22. Rainy Day
23. The Surprise of Haruhi Suzumiya 1
24. The Surprise of Haruhi Suzumiya 2
25. The Surprise of Haruhi Suzumiya 3
26. The Surprise of Haruhi Suzumiya 4
27. The Surprise of Haruhi Suzumiya 5
28. The Surprise of Haruhi Suzumiya 6

Of course, Volumes 9, 10 and 11 could take up its own 1 cours season(and maybe even more).

I feel like I'm counting down the days until Tanabata. I am also sure that I am not the only one.

[Ithekro]

Or have Rainy Day as an OVA.

[Yumeka]

Originally Posted by AbZeroNow

If they do eight episodes of Intrigues instead of the seven that I put there as a hypothetical and then they show Rainy Day or an anime original episode featuring what Kyon did for White Day(because I want to know what he wound up doing), that would certainly skip the eight novel stories and still end on 14.

Spoiler for Hypothetical third season(1 cours without vol 8):

1. Charmed At First Sight LOVER
2. Snow(y) Mountain Syndrome 1
3. Snow(y) Mountain Syndrome 2
4. Where Did The Cat Go?
5. Intrigues of Haruhi Suzumiya 1
6. Melancholy of Mikuru Asahina
7. Intrigues of Haruhi Suzumiya 2
8. Intrigues of Haruhi Suzumiya 3
9. Intrigues of Haruhi Suzumiya 4
10. Intrigues of Haruhi Suzumiya 5
11. Intrigues of Haruhi Suzumiya 6
12. Intrigues of Haruhi Suzumiya 7
13. Intrigues of Haruhi Suzumiya 8
14. Rainy Day or Anime Original Episode

KyoAni could also surprise us by doing a two cours followup that catches up with the novels.

Spoiler for Hypothetical Third Season(2 cours):

1. Charmed At First Sight LOVER
2. Snow(y) Mountain Syndrome 1
3. Snow(y) Mountain Syndrome 2
4. Where Did The Cat Go?
5. Intrigues of Haruhi Suzumiya 1
6. Melancholy of Mikuru Asahina
7. Intrigues of Haruhi Suzumiya 2
8. Intrigues of Haruhi Suzumiya 3
9. Intrigues of Haruhi Suzumiya 4
10. Intrigues of Haruhi Suzumiya 5
11. Intrigues of Haruhi Suzumiya 6
12. Intrigues of Haruhi Suzumiya 7
13. Editor In Chief Straight Ahead 1
14. Editor In Chief Straight Ahead 2
15. Wandering Shadow 1
16. Wandering Shadow 2
18. The Disassociation of Haruhi Suzumiya 1
19. The Disassociation of Haruhi Suzumiya 2
20. The Disassociation of Haruhi Suzumiya 3
21. The Disassociation of Haruhi Suzumiya 4
22. Rainy Day
23. The Surprise of Haruhi Suzumiya 1
24. The Surprise of Haruhi Suzumiya 2
25. The Surprise of Haruhi Suzumiya 3
26. The Surprise of Haruhi Suzumiya 4
27. The Surprise of Haruhi Suzumiya 5
28. The Surprise of Haruhi Suzumiya 6

Of course, Volumes 9, 10 and 11 could take up its own 1 cours season(and maybe even more).

I feel like I'm counting down the days until Tanabata. I am also sure that I am not the only one.

I was thinking similar, though something more like this:

Spoiler for potential episode list:

1. Charmed At First Sight LOVER
2. Snow(y) Mountain Syndrome 1
3. Snow(y) Mountain Syndrome 2
4. Where Did The Cat Go?
5. Intrigues of Haruhi Suzumiya 1
6. Melancholy of Mikuru Asahina
7. Intrigues of Haruhi Suzumiya 2
8. Intrigues of Haruhi Suzumiya 3
9. Intrigues of Haruhi Suzumiya 4
10. Intrigues of Haruhi Suzumiya 5
11. Intrigues of Haruhi Suzumiya 6
12. Editor In Chief Straight Ahead
13. Wandering Shadow
14. Rainy Day

Assuming Intrigues would do well adapted into six episodes, and Editor in Chief and Wandering Shadow can be one each, this list would let them get all the short story episodes out of the way so the upcoming longer stories, Dissociation and Surprise, can have their own season(s) (the alternate routes in both makes it seem like they'd have to go together). Ending this season with Rainy Day would be a nice introduction/foreshadowing to Sasaki for the following season =) I doubt they want to catch all the way up to the novels now, so most likely we won't see Dissociation or Surprise in the anime any time soon.

[Jonbob0008]

Originally Posted by Yumeka

I was thinking similar, though something more like this:

Spoiler for potential episode list:

1. Charmed At First Sight LOVER
2. Snow(y) Mountain Syndrome 1
3. Snow(y) Mountain Syndrome 2
4. Where Did The Cat Go?
5. Intrigues of Haruhi Suzumiya 1
6. Melancholy of Mikuru Asahina
7. Intrigues of Haruhi Suzumiya 2
8. Intrigues of Haruhi Suzumiya 3
9. Intrigues of Haruhi Suzumiya 4
10. Intrigues of Haruhi Suzumiya 5
11. Intrigues of Haruhi Suzumiya 6
12. Editor In Chief Straight Ahead
13. Wandering Shadow
14. Rainy Day

Assuming Intrigues would do well adapted into six episodes, and Editor in Chief and Wandering Shadow can be one each, this list would let them get all the short story episodes out of the way so the upcoming longer stories, Dissociation and Surprise, can have their own season(s) (the alternate routes in both makes it seem like they'd have to go together). Ending this season with Rainy Day would be a nice introduction/foreshadowing to Sasaki for the following season =) I doubt they want to catch all the way up to the novels now, so most likely we won't see Dissociation or Surprise in the anime any time soon.

Spoiler for response:

You're suggesting that they cram the entire 8th novel into 2 episodes. I don't think that's even remotely feesable. Editor in Chief and The Wandering Shadow aren't THAT short. I'm think Editor could possibly fit into 2 or 3 episodes, and then Wandering Shadow would require 2. For Editor, it all depends on how much they want to play around with the stories that Nagato, Mikuru and Kyon wrote. I could imagine KyoAni coming up with some really creative stuff.

[Yumeka]

Originally Posted by Jonbob0008

Spoiler for response:

You're suggesting that they cram the entire 8th novel into 2 episodes. I don't think that's even remotely feesable. Editor in Chief and The Wandering Shadow aren't THAT short. I'm think Editor could possibly fit into 2 or 3 episodes, and then Wandering Shadow would require 2. For Editor, it all depends on how much they want to play around with the stories that Nagato, Mikuru and Kyon wrote. I could imagine KyoAni coming up with some really creative stuff.

Originally Posted by Jonbob0008

Spoiler for response:

You're suggesting that they cram the entire 8th novel into 2 episodes. I don't think that's even remotely feesable. Editor in Chief and The Wandering Shadow aren't THAT short. I'm think Editor could possibly fit into 2 or 3 episodes, and then Wandering Shadow would require 2. For Editor, it all depends on how much they want to play around with the stories that Nagato, Mikuru and Kyon wrote. I could imagine KyoAni coming up with some really creative stuff.

Spoiler for response to response:

You're probably right, it has been a while since I read vol. 8 so I guess I forgot how long those two seemingly short stories are =0 But regardless, I do believe that Dissociation and Surprise should go together in their own separate season. At first I was thinking, have an anime season that incorporates the two timelines (not sure how this would be done) and a movie for when the timelines fuse together in the final chapter and epilogue of Surprise. But these two chapters together may be too short to warrant a movie of their own - unless they want to make it a short 1hr 20min movie or something ~_^

[Tyabann]

Why are people so hung up about another movie? I don't want another movie, they take too long to make and come at the cost of the Western fanbase not getting to see them outside of a low-quality camrip for an entire goddamn year.

Besides, Disappearance worked as a film because not only is it a relatively standalone sci-fi romance story, it's also a very fucking good sci-fi romance story.

This is gonna sound terrible, but I don't think the other novels even deserve a movie, in comparison.

[Gamer_2k4]

Originally Posted by Kaisos Erranon

Besides, Disappearance worked as a film because not only is it a relatively standalone sci-fi romance story, it's also a very fucking good sci-fi romance story.

I wouldn't go that far; as a sci-fi romance story it's pretty mediocre, and while it CAN stand alone, it's much better in context. The reason Disappearance works as a movie (that is, the reason it stands out against the other stories in the series) is because of all the things it DOES that the other stories DON'T. Suspense! Action! Character development! No Haruhi! Seriously, you take out the useless characters (Itsuki, young Mikuru, etc.), make Yuki everything her fans want her to be, throw in a few time loops, and put the world at stake, and what do you think will happen?

Disappearance works well as a film only as long as it's in the context of the rest of the series. Asakuru stabbing Kyon only works if you've seen the original episode where that happened; otherwise she's just some faulty, rebellious mook. Yuki as a timid literature club member only works if you've had some time to get attached to her normal character. Kyon going back in time and seeing about twenty different versions of himself there only works if you know where the other versions come from.

If you're watching the movie by itself, you don't have any time to get connected to the characters. You feel no attachment to them. The events wouldn't make a lot of sense. It wouldn't be a romance story at all, because the entire premise of Kyon making a choice between Haruhi and Yuki is predicated on the audience knowing his relationship with both in the first place. Otherwise, his decision would seem like, "Yeah, you're nice and all, but honestly, there's this other girl, so...."

That's not a good romance story.

[Tyabann]

Originally Posted by Gamer_2k4

*snip*

I said that it was relatively standalone and also good, but I wasn't trying to imply that it's good BECAUSE it's standalone or that it's nearly as good if you haven't seen the show.

What I meant was that it's easier to sell to the general moviegoing public than any other story in the series.

Also it's really not that suspenseful. The middle part of the movie is quite boring.

[AbZeroNow]

Originally Posted by Gamer_2k4

I wouldn't go that far; as a sci-fi romance story it's pretty mediocre, and while it CAN stand alone, it's much better in context. The reason Disappearance works as a movie (that is, the reason it stands out against the other stories in the series) is because of all the things it DOES that the other stories DON'T. Suspense! Action! Character development! No Haruhi! Seriously, you take out the useless characters (Itsuki, young Mikuru, etc.), make Yuki everything her fans want her to be, throw in a few time loops, and put the world at stake, and what do you think will happen?

Disappearance works well as a film only as long as it's in the context of the rest of the series. Asakuru stabbing Kyon only works if you've seen the original episode where that happened; otherwise she's just some faulty, rebellious mook. Yuki as a timid literature club member only works if you've had some time to get attached to her normal character. Kyon going back in time and seeing about twenty different versions of himself there only works if you know where the other versions come from.

If you're watching the movie by itself, you don't have any time to get connected to the characters. You feel no attachment to them. The events wouldn't make a lot of sense. It wouldn't be a romance story at all, because the entire premise of Kyon making a choice between Haruhi and Yuki is predicated on the audience knowing his relationship with both in the first place. Otherwise, his decision would seem like, "Yeah, you're nice and all, but honestly, there's this other girl, so...."

That's not a good romance story.

Gamer, I think we know that Yuki is your favorite character in the series(and don't get me wrong, I really like her too. She's my third favorite of the characters) and I think most of us get that you don't like Haruhi. (She is my favorite character with Kyon a very close second). Yes, Disappearance has Action, Suspense, Major Character Development for both Kyon AND Yuki and the plot necessarily has little screentime for Haruhi. It also has some very nice moments between Kyon and Haruhi including the fact that she never left his side for 3 whole days.

I think the film can basically stand on its own but watching the series beforehand would help establish the relationships between the characters including the very crucial relationship that Kyon and Haruhi have with each other.

Disappearance marks a turning point for Kyon. The roof scene shows that the SOS-dan is his Nakama and that nobody, not even a nigh-omnipotent alien entity is going to do harm to any of his Nakama. It also shows that Kyon understands that Haruhi has changed since she met him and that he knows her very well.

In fact in Snowy Mountain Syndrome,

Spoiler for SMS, Kyon and Haruhi.:

When Kyon tells Haruhi about Yuki's situation with her "family", Haruhi basically affirms that she would raise hell if Yuki were forced to go away.

So yes, Disappearance works as a romantic story if it highlights and shows some development to the Haruhi and Kyon relationship.