The Novel and Manga of Haruhi Suzumiya

[Kogetsu Shirogane]

Originally Posted by edkedkedk

PS: Wow, I thought you disliking Kyon was just a way of protecting Yuki. Never realized you really disliked him...

One kinda caused the other... not sure which really came first, though.

[M.Marangio]

It seems that the fourth novel with new cover was sold out at some stores (blame the Disappearance movie).

Link (ads may be NSFW):
http://blog.livedoor.jp/geek/archives/50990459.html

[ultimatemegax]

Originally Posted by M.Marangio

It seems that the fourth novel with new cover was sold out at some stores (blame the Disappearance movie).

Link (ads may be NSFW):
http://blog.livedoor.jp/geek/archives/50990459.html

It's rather interesting that only the panorama cover is selling out when the one that isn't part of a set is still available.

I would like to preface my next comment with this statement: THIS IS NOT REAL. IT IS A FAKE! Someone on 2ch made a mock-up of what he/she thought the Surprise cover would look like in the panorama shot.

Spoiler:

I've even used a different host than my normal account to make sure everyone knows that THIS IS A FAKE so that there isn't a rumor going around that the cover's been released when it hasn't.

You can tell that the image wasn't meant to come together since the rails are off slightly by Sasaki and the pole by her is lower than the one by Kyon. Since we've had much discussion over whether the sides were supposed to come together, I thought this would be of interest to everyone.

[quigonkenny]

Originally Posted by ultimatemegax

It's rather interesting that only the panorama cover is selling out when the one that isn't part of a set is still available.

I would like to preface my next comment with this statement: THIS IS NOT REAL. IT IS A FAKE! Someone on 2ch made a mock-up of what he/she thought the Surprise cover would look like in the panorama shot.

Spoiler:

~snipped for great justice~

I've even used a different host than my normal account to make sure everyone knows that THIS IS A FAKE so that there isn't a rumor going around that the cover's been released when it hasn't.

You can tell that the image wasn't meant to come together since the rails are off slightly by Sasaki and the pole by her is lower than the one by Kyon. Since we've had much discussion over whether the sides were supposed to come together, I thought this would be of interest to everyone.

Sasaki is already on the cover to a previous volume. Surprise should be Kyon and

Spoiler for Volume 9, 10:

Slider-tan.

You should probably change the filename for the picture to something obviously fake instead of "suprisemockup.jpg", which could be a legitimate (if misspelled) internal filename. Won't stop anyone who is intent on using it for trolling, but it may at least stop a few random Google Image hunters from making a mistaken assumption...

It's no DA or -ch(an), but the Animesuki forums do have a fair image presence on the net.

[ultimatemegax]

Originally Posted by quigonkenny

Sasaki is already on the cover to a previous volume. Surprise should be Kyon and

Spoiler for Volume 9, 10:

Slider-tan.

You should probably change the filename for the picture to something obviously fake instead of "suprisemockup.jpg", which could be a legitimate (if misspelled) internal filename. Won't stop anyone who is intent on using it for trolling, but it may at least stop a few random Google Image hunters from making a mistaken assumption...

What a splendid idea! I have changed the link, however I cannot delete the old one since I do not have an account at that site, so hopefully it will be deleted soon due to no use. It would make sense to use that person to connect the panorama together even though Sasaki is on the cover of the normal edition. I haven't been able to see into an inner cover of the first one, so I do not know if Kyon is on that part or not which may solve this whole dilemma.

[edkedkedk]

Originally Posted by quigonkenny

Sasaki is already on the cover to a previous volume. Surprise should be Kyon and

Spoiler for Volume 9, 10:

Slider-tan.

You should probably change the filename for the picture to something obviously fake instead of "suprisemockup.jpg", which could be a legitimate (if misspelled) internal filename. Won't stop anyone who is intent on using it for trolling, but it may at least stop a few random Google Image hunters from making a mistaken assumption...

It's no DA or -ch(an), but the Animesuki forums do have a fair image presence on the net.

I don't really get it, why is it that

Spoiler for Vol. 9 and 10:

Slider guy/girl

is such a popular choice for the contents of the Vol. 10? Has it actually been indicated somehow?

[Coreyrn]

Originally Posted by edkedkedk

I don't really get it, why is it that

Spoiler for Vol. 9 and 10:

Slider guy/girl

is such a popular choice for the contents of the Vol. 10? Has it actually been indicated somehow?

Maybe because Novel 9 was divided into alternating chapters of the same story in 2 variations. Which would be an indication for different dimensions and with that the possibility of a

Spoiler for vol 10:

Slider appearing

would be very high.

[quigonkenny]

Originally Posted by edkedkedk

I don't really get it, why is it that

Spoiler for Vol. 9 and 10:

Slider guy/girl

is such a popular choice for the contents of the Vol. 10? Has it actually been indicated somehow?

Spoiler for basically a Slider-tan centered synopsis of Volume 9:

In Volume 9, along with the remaining Anti-dan characters we hadn't met previously (rival data entity Kuyou Suou and Kyon ex-classmate and possibly goddess Sasaki), we are introduced to an unnamed newly minted North High freshman in (I think?) the alpha storyline who some fans have taken to calling "Slider-tan", or "Slider Girl", etc. She is brought to the attention of the reader as being the only standout member of a group of freshman trying to join the SOS-dan at a Haruhi-led event. Previously, a young lady, calling Kyon "senpai" and popularly believed to be this same freshman, calls Kyon's house and has a short conversation with him.

What leads many to believe that she is a slider is that that phone call is the splitting off point of the two separate timelines throughout the novel. In the beta timeline, Sasaki calls to speak to Kyon instead, setting off a string of differences in a timeline that doesn't even seem to contain the aforementioned "Slider-tan". Since she appears to be the cause of the split (Sasaki appeared before the event in the original timeline, but no evidence of a Slider-tan existed beforehand in the alpha timeline, suggesting that her calling kept Sasaki from being able to contact Kyon) it is presumed that she has slider powers and has slipped into the alphaverse for some reason, presumably (as the last piece of Haruhi's wishlist) to remain after the end of Volume 10.

[bhl88]

Anyone who gets along with Haruhi or stops her from being bored is related to the 3 factions.

[quigonkenny]

Originally Posted by bhl88

Anyone who gets along with Haruhi or stops her from being bored is related to the 3 factions.

Spoiler for Volume 9:

Or, arguably, a solitary slider. Think about it. In Haruhi's big introduction, she calls out four groups: aliens (Yuki), time travelers (Mikuru), espers (Itsuki) and sliders (undefined). Since then the subject of sliders has come up a few times, most recently in the prologue of Volume 9. (What a coincidence! ^_^)

And it makes sense for sliders to be an unconglomerated pack of loners. The only other "faction" that we've seen any type of organization in is Itsuki's Agency, and we don't even know how many of those people besides Itsuki are espers. Yuki has little to no interaction with her fellow interfaces (of course they could be texting each other in their heads and we wouldn't know) and poor Mikuru's only apparent companion is someone she's not allowed to see (and it's not even someone else)...

Sliders by nature would make sense as loners. The closest group to them in terms of nature are the time travelers (one could even be considered a subset of the other), so logically their form of travel would be similar. Grab the unwilling target passenger, do your thing and now you're both in a world where Hitler is a T-Rex. Voila. Large groups of sliders (cancelled Fox TV shows notwithstanding) don't make a lot of sense in-story.

Personally I'm seeing a (true) magical girl, complete with some kind of wand, a transformation sequence, and maybe a cute animal familiar. The prospective Slider-tan matches the character type, and real magic is the only realm that the series hasn't gotten into yet (unless you want to count Haruhi herself, which is arguable, or the Theater stories, which are only very questionably canon). Some might argue that it flies in the face of the setting, but I imagine Tanigawa could whip up a "sufficiently advanced" Nanoha-esque deconstruction that would fit well in-universe.

[B2-Lancer]

I haven't really kept up the series except in bits and pieces, but regarding "Slider-Girl", how aren't we sure she isn't just psychic? It seems really late in the game to introduce a slider even though one's suggested from the start. Haruhi's writer must've been awfully sure of him/herself that the series's popularity (of lack of) would even go 9 or 10 volumes before introducing an ultra-late character. Perhaps, in that case, the author might also be exploiting a built-in "oversight" hole in a "casual" slider mention early the novel/manga, kind of like George Lucas did with Star Wars as Guinness mentioned long ago; Lucas did Star Wars as a one-shot homage to old Flash Gordon serials (the REAL reason for that "Episode IV" rolling teaser) like American Graffiti was for the fifties before Star War's totally off the wall surprise success had Lucas scrambling to do a real set of sequels.

Also, if there's a slider, I wager there's a big outfit or government behind him or her to explain the tech enabling the slider unless we want to dip into magic which is a whole different neighborhood. Maybe they discovered that the infinite dimensions they used to cavort around suddenly aren't infinite anymore (like the 3 year thing). But I'm slowly coming around to the belief that Haruhi's not God, but a recipient of god-like powers since it seems they can be hijacked or circumvented by "underlings". I think a Big Kahuna's amusing him/herself.

IMHO,

[bhl88]

I won't be surprised anymore if she's a slider. Refer to last post: Anyone who gets along with Haruhi is-

Spoiler for related to rank spoilers:

Mori, Arakawa and Tamura Bros. = Organization members
Emiri Kimidori = Interface
Tsuruya-san: supporter of Organization
Student Council President: independent
New member who looks like Yuki = slider?

[quigonkenny]

Originally Posted by bhl88

Spoiler for related to rank spoilers:

Mori, Arakawa and Tamura Bros. = Organization members
Emiri Kimidori = Interface
Tsuruya-san: supporter of Organization
Student Council President: Organization-hired independent contractor
New member who looks like Yuki? = slider?

Corrected.

And I didn't get a Yuki image from her description. She certainly doesn't act like Yuki.

[keri]

Originally Posted by bhl88

I won't be surprised anymore if she's a slider. Refer to last post: Anyone who gets along with Haruhi is-

Spoiler for related to rank spoilers:

Mori, Arakawa and Tamura Bros. = Organization members
Emiri Kimidori = Interface
Tsuruya-san: supporter of Organization
Student Council President: Organization hired independent contractor
New member who looks like Yuki = slider?

Originally Posted by quigonkenny

Corrected.

And I didn't get a Yuki image from her description. She certainly doesn't act like Yuki.

What about Sakanaki? Does she count as someone who gets along with Haruhi? I'm trying to figure out what you mean by "gets along with".

[CrowKenobi]

Well, don't forget that some have speculated that Slider-tan is

Spoiler:

an older version of Kyon's Sister...

...who got along with Haruhi.

[bhl88]

"gets along"

- client of Haruhi
- in the SOS Brigade
- gets along with Haruhi (same wavelength) [with the exception of Sakanaka (forgot the name) who's a normal client)
- related to the 3/4 factions.

[edkedkedk]

Originally Posted by quigonkenny

Spoiler for basically a Slider-tan centered synopsis of Volume 9:

In Volume 9, along with the remaining Anti-dan characters we hadn't met previously (rival data entity Kuyou Suou and Kyon ex-classmate and possibly goddess Sasaki), we are introduced to an unnamed newly minted North High freshman in (I think?) the alpha storyline who some fans have taken to calling "Slider-tan", or "Slider Girl", etc. She is brought to the attention of the reader as being the only standout member of a group of freshman trying to join the SOS-dan at a Haruhi-led event. Previously, a young lady, calling Kyon "senpai" and popularly believed to be this same freshman, calls Kyon's house and has a short conversation with him.

What leads many to believe that she is a slider is that that phone call is the splitting off point of the two separate timelines throughout the novel. In the beta timeline, Sasaki calls to speak to Kyon instead, setting off a string of differences in a timeline that doesn't even seem to contain the aforementioned "Slider-tan". Since she appears to be the cause of the split (Sasaki appeared before the event in the original timeline, but no evidence of a Slider-tan existed beforehand in the alpha timeline, suggesting that her calling kept Sasaki from being able to contact Kyon) it is presumed that she has slider powers and has slipped into the alphaverse for some reason, presumably (as the last piece of Haruhi's wishlist) to remain after the end of Volume 10.

Ah, thank you so much for the clarification. I didn't have the chance to read all the novels because the translations got pulled down from Baka-Tsuki, and since then haven't been searching for the novels. Really interesting, I didn't even know about this unannounced girl because everyone was calling her

Spoiler for Slider-tan:

Sakanaki

straight off the bat. It would explain what's with all the alpha and beta talk in one thread I read. I was just plain confused there

Originally Posted by CrowKenobi

Well, don't forget that some have speculated that Slider-tan is

Spoiler:

an older version of Kyon's Sister...

...who got along with Haruhi.

If so, has Slider-tan shown any indication of warming up to Kyon and Mikuru? That would be a huge hint if that's the case... and messing up Kyon's life even further.

[quigonkenny]

Originally Posted by edkedkedk

Ah, thank you so much for the clarification. I didn't have the chance to read all the novels because the translations got pulled down from Baka-Tsuki, and since then haven't been searching for the novels. Really interesting, I didn't even know about this unannounced girl because everyone was calling her

Spoiler for Slider-tan:

Sakanaki

straight off the bat. It would explain what's with all the alpha and beta talk in one thread I read. I was just plain confused there :heh:

Sakanaka is the girl in Volume 8 with the dog. As a member of Haruhi and Kyon's class, the KyoAni animators have animated her in the background of their class shots from the very first episode. This is what she looks like.

Spoiler for size:

Cute, huh?

Originally Posted by edkedkedk

If so, has Slider-tan shown any indication of warming up to Kyon and Mikuru? That would be a huge hint if that's the case... and messing up Kyon's life even further.

We don't see enough of Slider-tan to get any solid clues.

Spoiler for Volume 9:

The only real interaction anyone has with her is the phone call to Kyon. One of the reasons why an alt!Imouto-san is suggested as a possibility is because Kyon thinks she sounds familiar during the phone call (and she mentions that our Imouto-san, who answered the phone, sounds cute), and during the later scene, he thinks that she looks familiar (suggesting she might be a relative of someone he knows), and her genki behavior is quite similar to that we often see from our Imouto-san. Honestly the best reason most assume she's an alt!Imouto-san is probably because Kyon thinks she's cute, and there's probably no more "Kyon" incident possible than finding out he's unintentionally attracted to his little sister... ^_^

[edkedkedk]

Originally Posted by quigonkenny

Sakanaka is the girl in Volume 8 with the dog. As a member of Haruhi and Kyon's class, the KyoAni animators have animated her in the background of their class shots from the very first episode. This is what she looks like.

Spoiler for size:

Cute, huh?

She looks pretty plain from this shot, but yeah, I can see your point I'm confused, though;

Spoiler for Slider-tan:

If Slider-tan's a freshman, how can she be Sakanaka, as she's in the same class as Kyon?

Originally Posted by quigonkenny

We don't see enough of Slider-tan to get any solid clues.

Spoiler for Volume 9:

The only real interaction anyone has with her is the phone call to Kyon. One of the reasons why an alt!Imouto-san is suggested as a possibility is because Kyon thinks she sounds familiar during the phone call (and she mentions that our Imouto-san, who answered the phone, sounds cute), and during the later scene, he thinks that she looks familiar (suggesting she might be a relative of someone he knows), and her genki behavior is quite similar to that we often see from our Imouto-san. Honestly the best reason most assume she's an alt!Imouto-san is probably because Kyon thinks she's cute, and there's probably no more "Kyon" incident possible than finding out he's unintentionally attracted to his little sister... ^_^

Spoiler for Vol. 9:

My goodness, potential incest? Tanigawa's mind would really be messed up if he tried something like that

[Kogetsu Shirogane]

Originally Posted by edkedkedk

Spoiler for Slider-tan:

If Slider-tan's a freshman, how can she be Sakanaka, as she's in the same class as Kyon?

Spoiler for slider response:

That was a correction. Sakanaka and the new girl are two completely separate characters, the latter of which not even having a name yet.

Originally Posted by edkedkedk

Spoiler for Vol. 9:

My goodness, potential incest? Tanigawa's mind would really be messed up if he tried something like that

Spoiler for Vol 9 response:

I take it you've never run into the theory that Mikuru is Kyon's sister from the future.