The General Discussion of Haruhi Suzumiya

[Ithekro]

Judging from your reactions, you'll like the rest of the series.

[Heatth]

Originally Posted by kenshin-dono

i cant even imagine putting up with that for 2 months. Jeeze the crap you fans put up with lol

cant belive you guys remember the details in the different episodes they just completly blurred into one mash of utter crap to me. I think the cold made it like twice as bad

i do remember kyons hands on his butt rhough for some reason.. christ wtf does that say about me o_O The only other things i remember are feeling really bad for Nagato, i think shes my fave. and finding the various reaction kyon had to the other guy sugesting maybe he'll try telling haruhi he loved her were kinda interesting. They never showed his face but the bodylanguage and reaction indicated he certainly didn't like it heh

Actually, is way better watching one episode a week then all in a row. I wasn't following for the first three weeks and when I wathced then I feel tired. However, it wasn't half as bad watching one by one later (not that thismake then good).

Anyway, you will probably like the rest of the series. You did like the episodes before right? So, what came after is as good, if not better. At last four episodes (Sighs IV and V, Live a Live and Day of Sagitarius) are considered by many the best episodes of the whole series.

[Triple_R]

Originally Posted by Heatth

Actually, is way better watching one episode a week then all in a row. I wasn't following for the first three weeks and when I wathced then I feel tired. However, it wasn't half as bad watching one by one later (not that thismake then good).

Anyway, you will probably like the rest of the series. You did like the episodes before right? So, what came after is as good, if not better. At last four episodes (Sighs IV and V, Live a Live and Day of Sagitarius) are considered by many the best episodes of the whole series.

Triple_R fully endorses this post.

[kenshin-dono]

lol we'll see. Im just totally burned out now after E8. I did start clannad and found it really interesting for some reason. Odd stuff. the main characters actually likeable. Not a total wuss/nerd/letch, and its got a very odd feeling to it. Hard to describe. the weird stuff with the robot and the girl in the 'dead world' and this supernatural stuff with the little girl. It grabbed my interest when slice of life stuff usually is only watched with mild interest for me. ordered the first season after i watched about 5 epps

Which makes me wonder. How did they release the dvds for haruhi s2 in japan? did they mix s1 and season 2 together like they aired it and make people buy more crap? Or did they just include the s2.. either way that must really suck buying like 2 dvds of nothing but EE lol

[Kogetsu Shirogane]

BLR got its own DVD, E8 got four and Sigh got three. The first and last each had one episode, with the rest having two. Same way the first season was, actually.

[quigonkenny]

Originally Posted by Kogetsu Shirogane

BLR got its own DVD, E8 got four and Sigh got three. The first and last each had one episode, with the rest having two. Same way the first season was, actually.

And they were numbered in such a way as to fit in with the previous "half season" chronologically. The only hiccup is that Bamboo Leaf Rhapsody (the only episode on "DVD 4 Bamboo Leaf Rhapsody") happens between the two episodes on DVD 4 (Boredom and Mysterique Sign).

A bit more interesting is the fact that there could be no "hiccups" in the US releases. All of the new episodes fit between the old DVDs. They would have to release Bamboo Leaf Rhapsody as the only episode on "DVD 2.5" in order to do so, but I honestly wouldn't put it past them...

[Heminga13]

Well, with Kadokawa USA closing up and Bandai not announcing any new titles until 2010 (from what I've heard), we won't hear anything about a US release of the new episodes for some time still.

[FlashFumo]

Originally Posted by Heminga13

Well, with Kadokawa USA closing up and Bandai not announcing any new titles until 2010 (from what I've heard), we won't hear anything about a US release of the new episodes for some time still.

Funimation seem to be really fond of licencing everything under the sun these days. Maybe they might pick it up?

[Bionicman]

Keep in mind: while I haven't seen any sales figures for the first season, I've heard from several people that U.S. sales were rather disappointing. Apparently, they thought that the hype the series generated in Japan and on the internet (especially with fansub groups) would translate into big sales (by anime standards), and it didn't pan out. The point is, the series isn't exactly a hot property to any U.S. companies. From a business perspective, it's a series where the first season underperformed, the second season is probably going to do even worse, and you either have to pay a bunch of big name voice actors to reprise their roles or go in a different direction (new actors or sub only) and risk further fallout. I wouldn't hold my breath for a U.S. release. On the bright side, if it does come out, it'll be cheaper; they won't bother with the limited editions, and they may give in and release half-season/season packs.

I hope you won't mind me going off on a slight tangent, but when browsing TV Tropes, I had a thought regarding future of this series (I thought about putting it in the 'Future Episodes' thread, but didn't feel like it belonged; if a moderator disagrees, please move it).

The inspiration was an entry on Out of Focus, which mentioned Haruhi's reduced screentime in the later novels. Looking at the list of stories that have been adapted and comparing it to the list of stories that KyoAni haven't yet animated, it occurred to me that if/when a season three is made, this issue will be even more pronounced. To wit:

Spoiler for Books:

-The soon-to-be-adapted fourth novel, Disappearance, is notable in that not only is Kyon the clear main character, but Haruhi isn't even the second most important.
-The one remaining story from the fifth novel (Snow Mountain Syndrome) and one of the two stories from the eighth novel (Wandering Shadow) has Haruhi playing fourth fiddle to Kyon, Yuki, and Itsuki.
-The seventh novel (Intrigues) features all the other members of the SOS Brigade and arguably even Tsuruya with more prominent roles (as one person says, Haruhi spends most of the novel off screen making chocolates while the others are out saving the world).
-And it's not like the ninth novel is a showpiece for Haruhi either.

Put succinctly, novel six's Where Did the Cat Go and novel eight's Editor in Chief are the only remaining stories where you can argue that Haruhi is a lead (and both of those are really ensemble pieces, like Sagittarius). I thought it'll be interesting to see how the fanbase (think of casual anime watchers who haven't read the novels) react to the titular character of the series becoming essentially a side character.

Edited for readability.

[Heatth]

It would be really cool if you didn't use Wall Of Text say something.

I am frankly unable to read what you write, so, please, edit it and use paragraphs.

[quigonkenny]

Ah, yes, the "character's name is in the title so they should be the focus of all the stories" argument. Almost as inane as the "focus should be spread equally to the 1E+100 characters in the series and not to the character whose name is in the title" argument seen so often in Negima fandom.

How about we let the author write the story the way he wants to, okay? It might be "The Kyon and Yuki Show" right now, but that seems to be working fine for most people. You want to read a story where Haruhi's the focus? There's an app for that.

[Tyabann]

Originally Posted by Bionicman

-And it's not like the ninth novel is a showpiece for Haruhi either.

It's not? She has more 'screentime' there than she's had in four novels, and the plot is really focusing on her, her jealousy, and her powers.

[quigonkenny]

Oh, yeah, that reminds me. The section of bullet points Kaisos took his quote from should probably be spoilered, as one of the points contains a naked novel spoiler (not the one Kaisos grabbed, which is fairly vague).

[Bionicman]

Originally Posted by quigonkenny

Ah, yes, the "character's name is in the title so they should be the focus of all the stories" argument. Almost as inane as the "focus should be spread equally to the 1E+100 characters in the series and not to the character whose name is in the title" argument seen so often in Negima fandom.

How about we let the author write the story the way he wants to, okay? It might be "The Kyon and Yuki Show" right now, but that seems to be working fine for most people. You want to read a story where Haruhi's the focus? There's an app for that.

I'm quite enjoying the novels, and have no problem with the focus. In fact, I'm not a huge fan of Haruhi (the character), so the direction of the recent novels is entirely to my liking; complaining about less focus on Haruhi is the last thing I'd do. I was speaking hypothetically about other fans. Thanks for the overreaction and insults, though.

Originally Posted by Kaisos Erranon

It's not? She has more 'screentime' there than she's had in four novels, and the plot is really focusing on her, her jealousy, and her powers.

I agree that Haruhi's psychology is driving the story, but it feels like she's in the background, with Kyon and Sasaki's group taking up the active roles in the story. I'll have to get back to you on that.

[Tyabann]

Originally Posted by Bionicman

I agree that Haruhi's psychology is driving the story, but it feels like she's in the background, with Kyon and Sasaki's group taking up the active roles in the story. I'll have to get back to you on that.

She isn't often around/focal in a fair few of the early stories, either, if you really examine them.

Haruhi has quite a few nice scenes in Dissociation, and she has a few really cute ones in Intrigues and Wandering Shadow... you just have to know where to look...

[Ithekro]

Haruhi is arguably the reason stuff happens in this series more than being the actual main character.

[mammothb]

well basically the main thing about the series is that all the stuff are caused by haruhi unconsciously and they cant let her know she has the power so that's probably why she doesn't get that much appearance

[Heatth]

Haruhi was never the main character, that was always Kyon. She is, at most, the female lead, and only in a handfull storys.

I disagree, however, she still out focus in Novel 8 and 9. At 6, 8 and 9. At 6 and 8 she has the same hole she had in Sighs and in Vol. 3 storys, dragging people to weird situations and having then resolve it. For the last (so far) novel, it is intarelly focused on her, and she is in many scenes. She is as important there as she is in Melancholly. The main character is still Kyon, tough, but this is since the beegining.

Also, thanks for editing your post Bionicman, it is readable now, thanks.

[Triple_R]

Originally Posted by Bionicman

Keep in mind: while I haven't seen any sales figures for the first season, I've heard from several people that U.S. sales were rather disappointing. Apparently, they thought that the hype the series generated in Japan and on the internet (especially with fansub groups) would translate into big sales (by anime standards), and it didn't pan out. The point is, the series isn't exactly a hot property to any U.S. companies. From a business perspective, it's a series where the first season underperformed, the second season is probably going to do even worse, and you either have to pay a bunch of big name voice actors to reprise their roles or go in a different direction (new actors or sub only) and risk further fallout. I wouldn't hold my breath for a U.S. release. On the bright side, if it does come out, it'll be cheaper; they won't bother with the limited editions, and they may give in and release half-season/season packs.

I hope you won't mind me going off on a slight tangent, but when browsing TV Tropes, I had a thought regarding future of this series (I thought about putting it in the 'Future Episodes' thread, but didn't feel like it belonged; if a moderator disagrees, please move it).

The inspiration was an entry on Out of Focus, which mentioned Haruhi's reduced screentime in the later novels. Looking at the list of stories that have been adapted and comparing it to the list of stories that KyoAni haven't yet animated, it occurred to me that if/when a season three is made, this issue will be even more pronounced. To wit:

Spoiler for Books:

-The soon-to-be-adapted fourth novel, Disappearance, is notable in that not only is Kyon the clear main character, but Haruhi isn't even the second most important.
-The one remaining story from the fifth novel (Snow Mountain Syndrome) and one of the two stories from the eighth novel (Wandering Shadow) has Haruhi playing fourth fiddle to Kyon, Yuki, and Itsuki.
-The seventh novel (Intrigues) features all the other members of the SOS Brigade and arguably even Tsuruya with more prominent roles (as one person says, Haruhi spends most of the novel off screen making chocolates while the others are out saving the world).
-And it's not like the ninth novel is a showpiece for Haruhi either.

Put succinctly, novel six's Where Did the Cat Go and novel eight's Editor in Chief are the only remaining stories where you can argue that Haruhi is a lead (and both of those are really ensemble pieces, like Sagittarius). I thought it'll be interesting to see how the fanbase (think of casual anime watchers who haven't read the novels) react to the titular character of the series becoming essentially a side character.

Edited for readability.

This is one of my concerns as well, although it's a mild wait-and-see one.

A lot of people, including myself, were drawn into this anime to a large degree by Haruhi's antics and hijinks. From most of the Haruhi-watching anime blogs that I've read, Haruhi herself is the character that the blog writers tend to focus on the most.

One good thing about doing Disappearance as a movie is that it avoids the issue of a Haruhi episode or two where Haruhi doesn't show up at all - a distinct possibility if Disappearance had been done as 4 or 5 anime episodes. So, I think that Haruhi's relative lack of screen-time won't be an issue in the movie since the movie is all watched in one sitting; so it'll simply make the moments that she is on screen seem more special for much of the viewing audience, I suspect.

But when it comes to future anime adaptations...

Of course, this may be a moot concern anyway, as this anime series lost a lot of its casual fandom with E8, to be brutally honest.

If we're down to the hardcore fanbase, then how much or how little any one character is on screen likely isn't going to matter much, if at all.

[Heatth]

Originally Posted by Triple_R

But when it comes to future anime adaptations...

It do not applies. Really. People keep saying she goes out focus, but is not much different from how she is in Mystérique Sign, Bamboo Leaf and even Sighs. She don't do anything particularly important, speciallly when compared to Itsuki (who explain the problems) and Yuki (who solve the problems). The only possible exeption is Intrigues, when she is really almost irrelevant (she has less role there then in Disappearance, btw), however, she is still there.

So, don't worry, she is almost certanly there for all possible epsides that come after Disappearance. It is very unlikelly she don't appear at all in any episode.