The Novel and Manga of Haruhi Suzumiya

[Tyabann]

Originally Posted by wittyusername

I mean, he obviously puts some thought into the story, but he's not exactly in the same position as the fans of the series. In the absence of any new episodes airing at the moment or any new novels coming out, all we can do is twiddle our thumbs or speculate like there's no tomorrow.

I wonder what he's doing right now.

[wittyusername]

Originally Posted by Kaisos Erranon

I wonder what he's doing right now.

That made me picture him just sitting at home, like every normal, 10th-novel-less day. He feels like he's being watched, even though he knows that's ridiculous. Still, the feeling keeps bugging him. He turns around and sees that there's a crazed otaku staring at him from outsite his window, holding all the Haruhi merchandise ever imagined...including a shiny new replica of Asakura's knife.
DUN DUN DUUUN.

Either that, or he's taking a shit or making toast or something equally mundane (and not related to the 10th novel at all). Or he's gone batshit, and...

...well, maybe it's safest not to look behind you.

[ReneeBurossamu]

Originally Posted by Kaisos Erranon

Not just the "man sitting on the coffin", but the "smiling man sitting on the coffin".

A lot of people think it represents Kyon, but the use of "smiling" makes me think that it's Koizumi.

The "ghost girl" could either be Haruhi, Mikuru, Ryoko, or Emiri, more than likely the last two, given that the short story suggests that those without names are 'ghosts', and none of the interfaces had names upon coming to Earth. Maybe.

The first two parts I felt were fairly straightforward... it's only the last part that gets confusing.

The 'coffin' could be the Data Overmind... but then it would make more sense that it would be Kyon sitting on the coffin... but since when is Kyon identified by his smile?


And does Tanigawa put as much thought into his stories as we do?

I believe that the man on the coffin really is Itsuki, and the "ghost/sheet girl" is... Mikuru, as Kyon's POV suggested.
This makes me wonder why Itsuki would be keeping her from heading back to her Data Overmind.
Or what Mikuru and Itsuki's organizations have in common that keep them in rhythm. (during the "song".)

From what I've read about him, Tanigawa obviously doesn't speculate like us fans do. He didn't know where the plot was entirely going to head in the first few novels.

I think he's sleeping right now. Just a guess.

[Tyabann]

Originally Posted by ReneeBurossamu

I believe that the man on the coffin really is Itsuki, and the "ghost/sheet girl" is... Mikuru, as Kyon's POV suggested.
This makes me wonder why Itsuki would be keeping her from heading back to her Data Overmind.
Or what Mikuru and Itsuki's organizations have in common that keep them in rhythm. (during the "song".)

Just makes me wonder what the three of them do when Kyon and Haruhi aren't around.

[ReneeBurossamu]

Originally Posted by Kaisos Erranon

Just makes me wonder what the three of them do when Kyon and Haruhi aren't around.

It DOES. It'd suck if all three of them secretly don't like one another. *cough*
That's the weakness of writing from Kyon's perspective.

[wittyusername]

Originally Posted by ReneeBurossamu

It DOES. It'd suck if all three of them secretly don't like one another. *cough*

Man, that would be awkward.

Originally Posted by Kaisos Erranon

Just makes me wonder what the three of them do when Kyon and Haruhi aren't around.

Clearly they drag out a coffin and some sheets to perform a ritual ensuring good crop turnout Haruhi's happiness for the coming year. Possibly requiring a goat to slaughter.

[Tyabann]

Originally Posted by ReneeBurossamu

It DOES. It'd suck if all three of them secretly don't like one another. *cough*

Pretty sure they don't. Or was that your point?

Originally Posted by ReneeBurossamu

That's the weakness of writing from Kyon's perspective.

That's the point of the limited perspective.

Concealing important things from the reader.

Originally Posted by wittyusername

Clearly they drag out a coffin and some sheets to perform a ritual ensuring good crop turnout Haruhi's happiness for the coming year. Possibly requiring a goat to slaughter.

That would be a hilarious subversion of the SYYYMBOLISM at work in Yuki's story.

[ReneeBurossamu]

Originally Posted by wittyusername

Man, that would be awkward.



Clearly they drag out a coffin and some sheets to perform a ritual ensuring good crop turnout Haruhi's happiness for the coming year. Possibly requiring a goat to slaughter.

Pfft, the goddess of the world doesn't depend on ritual for good crops her happiness.


...the important things are funner....

[wittyusername]

Originally Posted by Kaisos Erranon

That would be a hilarious subversion of the SYYYMBOLISM at work in Yuki's story.

Maybe that's what her story actually meant? 90% of the time Yuki acts straightforward and she tends to take things literally (more so in the earlier novels, but STILL.) So maybe she actually meant that she was in a room with a coffin, a smiling man, and a girl wearing a sheet, and that at some point the girl wearing the sheet started dancing and the smiling man sang along? Either way, Haruhi's reaction of "this is pretty disturbing" would fit.

[Tyabann]

Originally Posted by wittyusername

Maybe that's what her story actually meant? 90% of the time Yuki acts straightforward and she tends to take things literally (more so in the earlier novels, but STILL.) So maybe she actually meant that she was in a room with a coffin, a smiling man, and a girl wearing a sheet, and that at some point the girl wearing the sheet started dancing and the smiling man sang along? Either way, Haruhi's reaction of "this is pretty disturbing" would fit.

Yeah, that would be awesome.


But then again, Yuki reads a lot of foreign, text-heavy fiction novels. I wouldn't be surprised if she learned heavy metaphor and symbolism from one of those books.

[dragon4dudes]

I almost want to bet that it is very closely tied in with either something that has happened but is not mentioned by Kyon yet, or something that will happen seeing as Yuki is rather literal. But that's just wishful thinking.

And besides doesn't she attend classes and read "text-heavy fiction novels"? She must learn something about metaphor, symbolism and other such literary devices.

Or it could be one of Tanigawa's poems he felt like putting into the novels.

On a side note, at this rate, as soon as the 10th novel comes out, if ever, the 11th novel, if there is one, would be released or at least have a release date. And if we're lucky, the 12th one immediately after that.

[Tyabann]

Originally Posted by dragon4dudes

And besides doesn't she attend classes and read "text-heavy fiction novels"? She must learn something about metaphor, symbolism and other such literary devices.

Heh, true, but I somehow don't think she pays much attention in her classes.

[Solachinx]

Originally Posted by Kaisos Erranon

The 'coffin' could be the Data Overmind... but then it would make more sense that it would be Kyon sitting on the coffin... but since when is Kyon identified by his smile?


And does Tanigawa put as much thought into his stories as we do?

At first I don't think he (Tanigawa) did, but I think he does later on in the series.

Off-Topic: I see you're using Data Overmind now, Kaisos ;P

[wittyusername]

Originally Posted by dragon4dudes

On a side note, at this rate, as soon as the 10th novel comes out, if ever, the 11th novel, if there is one, would be released or at least have a release date. And if we're lucky, the 12th one immediately after that.

I don't know where everyone heard that the 10th novel would be the last. I think I may have missed a memo of some sort, because I just don't see how the story could be wrapped up in one more novel. Unless, of course, the mythical 10th novel is of epic, Shinjin-sized proportions. In which case, will it move and glow and destroy buildings? That would be pretty damn awesome, if unreadable.

...Moving on. If an 11th novel is confirmed when the 10th is released, it had better be published with haste. After all of Kadokawa's trolling and the bajillion-year-long wait for the 10th novel, I don't think fans are going to tolerate much more sitting around and waiting. As I mentioned before: Replica Asakura knives. If more delays happen, they will be created.

No, that was not a death threat. What?

Originally Posted by Kaisos Erranon

Heh, true, but I somehow don't think she pays much attention in her classes.

She wouldn't need to, what with the whole alien-created-and-super-intelligent thing. I can't picture her hiding one of her giant hardcovers behind a textbook, though. Would she just fully take out a book and read in class (something I've had many a bad experience with, usually eliciting the response of "HOW DARE YOU READ A BOOK IN THIS ENGLISH CLASS?" from my teacher), or would she just spend the period staring at the chalkboard?

[Tyabann]

Originally Posted by Solachinx

Off-Topic: I see you're using Data Overmind now, Kaisos ;P

Although I like the technobabble nature of the original term, Data Overmind is easier to digest and works just fine.

Originally Posted by wittyusername

I don't know where everyone heard that the 10th novel would be the last. I think I may have missed a memo of some sort, because I just don't see how the story could be wrapped up in one more novel.

At least one person gets it.

The whole "tenth novel is the last" is partially from this hoax interview and partially from 2ch rumors.

Originally Posted by Solachinx

She wouldn't need to, what with the whole alien-created-and-super-intelligent thing. I can't picture her hiding one of her giant hardcovers behind a textbook, though. Would she just fully take out a book and read in class (something I've had many a bad experience with, usually eliciting the response of "HOW DARE YOU READ A BOOK IN THIS ENGLISH CLASS?" from my teacher), or would she just spend the period staring at the chalkboard?

Actually. Just because she's a living robot doesn't mean she's super-intelligent, nor capable of doing well in school.

Persona 3 had a similar instance of the robot character failing miserably at everything except science and math, for understandable reasons.

I'm betting Yuki just reads in class. No one would bother her, as I remember the novels making the point that the entire class worships her, since she talks so little it's like that every word she actually says is a pearl of truth and wisdom.

[wittyusername]

Originally Posted by Kaisos Erranon

Actually. Just because she's a living robot doesn't mean she's super-intelligent, nor capable of doing well in school.

I dunno about the "doing well in school" part, but...her intelligence is at least above average. So maybe it's more of a "she's a living robot who just happens to be smart" type of thing?

[Tyabann]

Originally Posted by wittyusername

I dunno about the "doing well in school" part, but...her intelligence is at least above average. So maybe it's more of a "she's a living robot who just happens to be smart" type of thing?

Probably all the books she reads.

Though, the only really stupid recurring character in Haruhi is Taniguchi, so "above average" means little in a cast of "above average" characters.

[wittyusername]

Originally Posted by Kaisos Erranon

Probably all the books she reads.

Though, the only really stupid recurring character in Haruhi is Taniguchi, so "above average" means little in a cast of "above average" characters.

Well, she's above the average of the majority of the cast. She's at least intelligent enough to confuse verbose old Kyon with a few big, technological words. She might have just memorized a dictionary or two, though...

Taniguchi makes up for his impairedness by making up catchy and entertaining songs about forgetting things, and by being a fairly cool cat, particularly in genderbent form.

[dragon4dudes]

Originally Posted by wittyusername

Well, she's above the average of the majority of the cast. She's at least intelligent enough to confuse verbose old Kyon with a few big, technological words. She might have just memorized a dictionary or two, though...

She's god, remember. She has the ability to be as smart as she wants but her rationality prevents her from becoming nerd-smart.

[wittyusername]

Originally Posted by dragon4dudes

She's god, remember. She has the ability to be as smart as she wants but her rationality prevents her from becoming nerd-smart.

Are you talking about Haruhi? I think the discussion was about Yuki, but I might be having a senior moment, or something equal to that in incompetence. >_>; Yuki could probably be considered a god of some sort, though not in the same sense as Haruhi, but I don't think that Yuki would have any problem with being a nerd.