The Order of Haruhi Suzumiya (In what order should this be watched?)

[Misunne]

The first time I watched this anime, I watched it in a random order cause I got kinda confusing about which order I should have watched it. I ended up with watching the last episode before the episode before the last one. >.<
In my option, watching the chronological episodes first, and then watch the others.

[Shizzon]

when i first watched the series, i watched it in Kyon order (aired on tv order) and then when i was bored i went back and watched it in the order that Haruhi said in the previews and i have to say that Kyon's made better use of the 14 episodes. Haruhi's order finished the story after the first seven episodes and it made the rest seem like fillers.

[Sol Falling]

I voted chronological, but in truth my stance is to watch it in aired order first, and then watch it chronologically 5 bazillion more times.

I all honesty, I think being unable to appreciate both orders reflects negatively on one's attention span.

The weakness of the aired order is, of course, the confusion generated by not having a story laid out in front of you. People may get frustrated and stop watching before they get to the "best" parts.

The "weakness" of the chronological order is that plotwise, this order is top-heavy. All the action happens in the first 6 episodes, and people don't have the attention spans to sit through the rest of the show.

Well? In fact, for plot, Haruhi is a top-heavy series in general. The thing that Haruhi does really well is produce compelling characters (hidden under a heavily metafictional surface). The series is about character development, and about the only way you'll get to see any of that in the anime is by watching it in chronological order.

The aired order is a mindfuck and a half, but you can't really be confused after you've seen the whole thing once, can you? The aired order enhances the viewing experience by playing with the tension of keeping key information away from you, but that's the only effect it has. All the humour is still there in the chronological order, and if you say that the rest of the episodes other than Yuutsu I-VI are filler and you wouldn't have the motivation to watch them chronologically, well, you obviously only care about those six episodes so why don't you just not watch the others at all?

So I mean yeah, the aired order is best for a first time viewing, 'cause the tricks it plays with your mind while you find out about this exhilirating new world are beautiful. But that's a one time thing. 'Cause that's not even what the story is about at all. After you learn about the unlimited possibilities at the fingertips of these characters, you come to love them for the way they act within the boundaries imposed by those possibilities. The anachronology is a gimmick; well executed, to be sure, but not where the real value lies.

'Course, this means I have even less tolerance for people who watch it in chronological order in the first place and then call the last episode boring.

Just one final thing. Don't call that final episode a "transition" episode. 'Cause guess what, it'll possibly be later chronologically than the entirety of the second season as well--at the very least it'll be later than half of it. It wasn't just a throwaway filler or something "thrown in to piss off people trying to watch it chronologically"--it was specially written for the anime by the series' creator, and as such is inherently a better ending for the anime than Yuutsu VI.

[W-General]

I vote for chronological too.

I understand the gimmick of watching it in broadcast order, but that's because they assume you will buy the DVDs and watch them again in chronological order.

How do you tell someone who does not know at all what to expect, what episode order to show it in? Take the baseball episode for example: in the broadcast episode, Koizumi is suddenly introduced without any background what-so-ever, you do not know what Nagato's abilities are and you are clueless as to why all the strange phenomenon is happening. And you do not know why the characters are so eager to please Haruhi (because they don't know about the sealed space business)

Level of appreciation -100.

Broadcast order works only because you then will go back and watch them in chronological order and will find out small things that make you laugh.

But if I were to find a friend who I assume have not heard of Haruhi ever (they exist - in my Anime club), and I was to show them Haruhi, for their sake, I would show it in a modified broadcast order - only because Someday In the Rain is quite an anti-climatic episode and it is of my faith that series should end with a big climax.

I might show everything in Chronological order, except I'd put Melancholy of Suzumiya Haruhi VI until last, or Live Alive until last.

[westbluef]

I go for Broadcast order

Chronologically you will be able to appreciate Someday in the Rain
but in broadcast you will be able to appreciate The melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya

[Takuto19]

I watched them in Chronological order first, proboly why i think Someday in the Rain is one of my fav episodes heh. But for someone starting out i recommend Broadcast order, you might not get some joke but when you go back and re-watch the series you'll get all the jokes.

[kimchipride]

Watch it in T.V. order please. I think one of the reasons I loved the anime was because of the shuffle. You don't know what's going on (assuming you don't read Suzumiya) and the last episode answers all the questions. I would've been really dissapointed if the Rain episode was premiered last. I wouldn't have such a lasting appeal as I do now. The ending of the 14th episode made me feel really sad. I wanted more than 14 eps so badly.

[Jeiku]

I have to say that I immensely preferred watching the anime chronologically. I think the main advantage the broadcast version has is that "Melancholy Part VI" feels more like a proper conclusion than "Someday in the Rain" (even though I find the latter episode to still be nice and soothing regardless). But the scrambled order felt more like a gimmick than anything else, one that I could do with or without. Even though all of the main action happens in the Melancholy arc, it doesn't get any less entertaining from "Boredom" anyways.

So really, I would recommend the chronological order. The broadcast order usually requires repeated viewings in order to catch everything you've missed.

[Curulan]

At a friend's recommendation, I just finished watching the first six chronological episodes. I do feel a bit cheated by doing this, but...!

Taken as they are, the "Melancholy" arc is a powerful series on its own. However, #6 really does feel like a conclusion (since it was written to be the series conclusion), and thus there seems to be little point in watching the rest after that.

And that is why I feel cheated by it. I am now starting over watching the original broadcast order.

[CrowKenobi]

Originally Posted by Curulan

At a friend's recommendation, I just finished watching the first six chronological episodes. I do feel a bit cheated by doing this, but...!

Taken as they are, the "Melancholy" arc is a powerful series on its own. However, #6 really does feel like a conclusion (since it was written to be the series conclusion), and thus there seems to be little point in watching the rest after that.

And that is why I feel cheated by it. I am now starting over watching the original broadcast order.

Actually it was originally written to be the conclusion of the first Haruhi novel, thus that is why it feels like a conclusion.

[Curulan]

Yes, I knew that. I was originally going to include that in my post, but did not. The meaning of my post was that it was the actual final episode of the anime series, as well.

[Xzero]

I vote for TV order ´cause I belive that this is something that makes this anime different and is´tn hard the chronologically watching in this mode, all the thing is to pay attention to the details....

and I have a question what is that of the Ep 0??? never heard about it

[XsillyskittlesX]

Originally Posted by Xzero

I vote for TV order ´cause I belive that this is something that makes this anime different and is´tn hard the chronologically watching in this mode, all the thing is to pay attention to the details....

and I have a question what is that of the Ep 0??? never heard about it

I think the Ep 0 is referring to Mikuru Asahina's Adventure Episode 00 which is chronologically the 11th episode.

Hmm.. for me i think watching it in broadcast order allows you to better enjoy the series in its whole. Then you should rewatch it in Chronological order to understand the little things you couldn't understand the first time around

[Sirth]

I'll take what I got on the DVDs. The first time through, it really didn't stand out. I couldn't understand too well, and I swear I did get lost one time. It actually made me go, "It was awesome, but meh," and moved on, thinking it was just some popular production.

When I decided to get the DVDs, THAT was when I became a fan. Watching it on the DVDs, I understood it so much better. Despite the "anti-climatic" nature of Someday in the Rain, I think it did something different too: It ended the series in a calm manner, rather than the traditional "OH WOW BIG FINISH YAY!" Both me and my sister loved it, and she didn't even see the original order. I actually would just recommend that way.

Have to agree on the General. Broadcast order does just feel like a gimmick. I can see why it was done. The last of the "Melancholy" episodes was that traditional, giant climatic moment. So I'll also agree on the idea of watching it chronologically, but saving that one for last.

[Jintor]

Broadcast order, and then Chronological order.

[Miko Miko]

i wached it in chronological order (staring with ep 2)

But im still watching it :]

[Dxon]

Yeah.. Well. Can somebody give me a PROPER list of the videos in the GOOD order.

I mean whenever I want to watch I dont know with which episode to start. Plus the quality sucks.....

But just give me a list of the videos with a link please. ^^

[tripperazn]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of...umiya_episodes

Refer to episode list.

[Tyabann]

Originally Posted by Jintor

Broadcast order, and then Chronological order.

I agree.

Makes a lot more sense that way.

[The Chaos]

Originally Posted by NoSanninWa

As every fan of the show knows, there are different orders in which it can be watched. The episodes aired in an order determinded by Haruhi, but during each promo, Kyon makes it clear that the chronological order is quite different. In what order would you choose to rewatch this show? Or if you've already rewatched it, what order do you recommend?

Spoiler for Full episode list as aired:

1. Mikuru Asahina's Adventure Episode 00
Chronologically, this is the 11th episode.
2. The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya I
Chronologically, this is the 1st episode
3. The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya II
Chronologically, this is the 2nd episode
4. The Boredom of Haruhi Suzumiya
Chronologically, this is the 7th episode
5. The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya III
Chronologically, this is the 3rd episode
6. Remote Island Syndrome (Part 1)
Chronologically, this is the 9th episode
7. Mysterique Sign
Chronologically, this is the 8th episode
8. Remote Island Syndrome (Part 2)
Chronologically, this is the 10th episode
9. Someday In The Rain
Chronologically, this is the 14th episode
10. The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya IV
Chronologically, this is the 4th episode
11. The Day Of Sagittarius
Chronologically, this is the 13th episode
12. Live Alive
Chronologically, this is the 12th episode
13. The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya V
Chronologically, this is the 5th episode
14. The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya VI
Chronologically, this is the 6th episode

So, to watch it in chronologial order, you'd have to watch the episodes in this order:
2, 3, 5, 10, 13, 14, 4, 7, 6, 8, 1, 12, 11, 9.

Then there is a third option. You can watch Episode 0 first as a prologue. This can work since it is an off-topic teaser which only incidently introduces us to the show. Then watch every other episode in Kyon's order:
1, 2, 3, 5, 10, 13, 14, 4, 7, 6, 8, 12, 11, 9.

Or maybe you'd prefer to watch the show in a random order each time, guided only by fate and luck. That way you might somehow notice a secret of Haruhism that would be hidden by blindly sticking to a predetermined order. Strike down all limits on our perceptions that chain us to the mundane world!

Once you vote, please tell me why you prefer that choice!

Edit by Mod (xris):
It seems NoSanninWa wasn't wearing the recommended tin-foil hat when creating this thread and poll, thus resulting in a number of errors. I hope they have mostly been corrected and that the poll is no longer confusing as to which order is which.

In addition, I would also suggest that the following are points of discussion when you post your own opinions.

1) A recommendation to first time viewers as to which order they should watch?
2) A personal preference as to how you would have preferred to watch the show?
3) A personal preference as to how you intend to rewatch the show?
4) Which order you prefer in general?

By all means, don't limit yourself to the above, feel free do discuss any other topic relevant to the subject at hand.

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