THE MELANCHOLY OF HARUHI SUZUMIYA SEASON 2
January 21st 2011 05:18
Created by: Nagaru Tanigawa (Story) & Noizi Ito (Illustration).
Director: Yasuhiro Takemoto
Producers: SOS Brigade
Starring: Crispin Freeman (Kyon), Wendee Lee (Haruhi Suzumiya), Michelle Ruff (Yuki Nagato), Stephanie Sheh (Mikuru Asahina), Johnny Yong Bosch (Itsuki Koizumi), Sam Riegel (Tanaguchi), Brianne Siddall (Kunikida), Kari Wahlgren (Kyon’s Sister/Tsuruya) & Steve Kramer (Shamisen)
Produced by: Kyoto Animation
English Language Version by: Kadowkawa Pictures Inc, Bandai Entertainment in assoc with Bang Zoom! Entertainment
Released by: Madman Entertainment
Running Time: 350 minutes Rating: PG
When I found out there was going to be a second season of The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya released on DVD there was no stopping me from trying to get my hands on a copy. Unfortunately just as I had that idea so it seems did everyone else in Australia at precisely the same moment and consequently I had to wait a while for my copy to arrive on my doorstep. Just goes to show just how popular this particular anime is here in the Land Down Under, the first season certain drew paroxysms of joy and energetic recreations of the Hare Hare Yuke dance all over the place; so can we expect the same from Season 2? Is it something likely to bring forth the same response? Will there be a mass resurgence in the membership of the Australian branch of the SOS Brigade and fans once again doing that dance here there and yonder?
Like I said when I put in my order for this volume it seemed that there was a lot of Haruhi fans out there doing the same thing, at a similar time so certainly a lot of units must have been moved as they say. As far as paroxysms of fan response things on that front seem for the moment decidedly muted. At least as far as I can tell, and I’d even go so far as to say it’s almost downright lethargic, and once I’d actually sat down and allowed the eternal emerald gaze of the lantern ponder this DVDs contents I can guess as to why this might be the case.
If you’ve never encountered the whole Haruhi Suzumiya phenomena before then let me give you something of a run down on just what’s going on. The central character of this and the previous DVD collection is a high school girl by the name of Haruhi Suzumiya. Haruhi seems on the surface something like a grade A student and as well as being smart is a phenomenon at any sporting event she tries her hand at. A real bona fide prodigy, of course she has her few eccentricities like wanting to meet aliens, time travellers and espers and believing that such things exist. What she doesn’t realise that she has the ability to make such people exist; she can literally alter and bend the fabric of reality as it were but for some reason is totally unaware that she’s capable of such feats. This can lead to some rather interesting situations as is swiftly shown in this particular DVD volume.
In order to better facilitate her desire to meet aliens, time travellers and espers and hang out with them Haruhi and her reluctant offsider; Kyon, found the SOS Brigade; the SOS being short for spreading excitement all over the world with Haruhi Suzumiya. It works in Japanese trust me. So this rather oddball club ends up with five members, three of who unbeknownst to Haruhi actually are members of the three key groups she’s interested in. What she doesn’t realise apart from the fact that her fellow club members are more than they seem is that they are all very much interested in her and the fact that she has such an impact on the very warp and weft of the universe. If we were to use a Star Wars analogy Haruhi is very much a vergence in the force at least on the same level as the Chosen One if not more significant.
So this particular DVD collection is comprised effectively of three separate stories; Bamboo Leaf Rhapsody, Endless Eight and the Sigh of Haruhi Suzumiya. These cover fourteen episodes worth of anime goodness although the first is only a single episode, the second covers eight episodes and the final story rounds out the last six episodes of the collection. The production values on this collection are top notch as they were on the first season; the animation is just jaw dropping in certain sections making you ponder whether you’re looking at animation or an actual real life image. Obviously the makers have an eye for detail and there is a feeling of completeness and solidity to the setting and the drama. On top of this the same cast has been employed and as with the first season they really deliver some gravitas to their roles.
But something isn’t quite right with this whole thing...and it’s all to do with the whacky zany nature of the whole Haruhi Suzumiya shtick. Normally a second season implies that the series has moved on somewhat...this is what you’d expect with any other show such as House MD or Stargate Atlantis or even the Bill. Not so with this, The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya Season 2 (TMOHS S2) does not follow the accepted norms of a linear progression, although if you have never seen the first season it might not be as confusing if you only watched this particular volume. In fact the episodes of this volume fit somewhere in between the episodes of the first ‘season’ which then raises the question is it really a second season? To my way of thinking no, in fact a better title for this would have been TMOHS: The Lost Episodes or the Hidden Stories...
Coming in at just ten minutes under six hours worth of viewing be prepared to be frustrated; like I said earlier the animation is superb as is the voice acting and the opening theme is ridiculously catchy. Another mega hit from the Japanese seiyu who voices Haruhi Suzumiya; Aya Hirano, no doubt. But as Endless Eight takes up the bulk of this collection and the story essentially follows a Groundhog Day style drama watching that was rather painful. Sure it wasn’t exactly the same every time but near enough to be annoying, at the end the characters sounded like they were glad this inexplicable time loop was over and so frankly was I. Then the Sigh of Haruhi Suzumiya gives us a more in depth look at the making of the movie the Adventures of Mikuru Asahina, it’s an interesting story arc and there are hints of other elements within the overall storyline as well as a rather intense moment between Kyon and Haruhi.
As I have mentioned this DVD collection feels more like an expansion of the original season rather than being an entirely new season of the show. Kind of like a computer game expansion pack such as Fallout: New Vegas or Diablo II: Lord of Destruction, sure there are different stories but as for a completely new take on things it just isn’t happening. Although like I said there are hints that there is something more occurring within the narrative, but it just isn’t being shown here sad to say. I suspect that it’s due to this that there hasn’t been the same degree of enthusiasm as occurred with the initial release of the first ‘season’. If you’re a diehard fan this will make a good addition to your collection, if you’re just someone who enjoyed the original show you’re better off watching it online streaming somewhere if you can. Rumours abound of a Haruhi Suzumiya movie at some stage this year...The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya...hopefully it won’t be a reiteration of what has happened before...
Director: Yasuhiro Takemoto
Producers: SOS Brigade
Starring: Crispin Freeman (Kyon), Wendee Lee (Haruhi Suzumiya), Michelle Ruff (Yuki Nagato), Stephanie Sheh (Mikuru Asahina), Johnny Yong Bosch (Itsuki Koizumi), Sam Riegel (Tanaguchi), Brianne Siddall (Kunikida), Kari Wahlgren (Kyon’s Sister/Tsuruya) & Steve Kramer (Shamisen)
Produced by: Kyoto Animation
English Language Version by: Kadowkawa Pictures Inc, Bandai Entertainment in assoc with Bang Zoom! Entertainment
Released by: Madman Entertainment
When I found out there was going to be a second season of The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya released on DVD there was no stopping me from trying to get my hands on a copy. Unfortunately just as I had that idea so it seems did everyone else in Australia at precisely the same moment and consequently I had to wait a while for my copy to arrive on my doorstep. Just goes to show just how popular this particular anime is here in the Land Down Under, the first season certain drew paroxysms of joy and energetic recreations of the Hare Hare Yuke dance all over the place; so can we expect the same from Season 2? Is it something likely to bring forth the same response? Will there be a mass resurgence in the membership of the Australian branch of the SOS Brigade and fans once again doing that dance here there and yonder?
If you’ve never encountered the whole Haruhi Suzumiya phenomena before then let me give you something of a run down on just what’s going on. The central character of this and the previous DVD collection is a high school girl by the name of Haruhi Suzumiya. Haruhi seems on the surface something like a grade A student and as well as being smart is a phenomenon at any sporting event she tries her hand at. A real bona fide prodigy, of course she has her few eccentricities like wanting to meet aliens, time travellers and espers and believing that such things exist. What she doesn’t realise that she has the ability to make such people exist; she can literally alter and bend the fabric of reality as it were but for some reason is totally unaware that she’s capable of such feats. This can lead to some rather interesting situations as is swiftly shown in this particular DVD volume.
In order to better facilitate her desire to meet aliens, time travellers and espers and hang out with them Haruhi and her reluctant offsider; Kyon, found the SOS Brigade; the SOS being short for spreading excitement all over the world with Haruhi Suzumiya. It works in Japanese trust me. So this rather oddball club ends up with five members, three of who unbeknownst to Haruhi actually are members of the three key groups she’s interested in. What she doesn’t realise apart from the fact that her fellow club members are more than they seem is that they are all very much interested in her and the fact that she has such an impact on the very warp and weft of the universe. If we were to use a Star Wars analogy Haruhi is very much a vergence in the force at least on the same level as the Chosen One if not more significant.
So this particular DVD collection is comprised effectively of three separate stories; Bamboo Leaf Rhapsody, Endless Eight and the Sigh of Haruhi Suzumiya. These cover fourteen episodes worth of anime goodness although the first is only a single episode, the second covers eight episodes and the final story rounds out the last six episodes of the collection. The production values on this collection are top notch as they were on the first season; the animation is just jaw dropping in certain sections making you ponder whether you’re looking at animation or an actual real life image. Obviously the makers have an eye for detail and there is a feeling of completeness and solidity to the setting and the drama. On top of this the same cast has been employed and as with the first season they really deliver some gravitas to their roles.
But something isn’t quite right with this whole thing...and it’s all to do with the whacky zany nature of the whole Haruhi Suzumiya shtick. Normally a second season implies that the series has moved on somewhat...this is what you’d expect with any other show such as House MD or Stargate Atlantis or even the Bill. Not so with this, The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya Season 2 (TMOHS S2) does not follow the accepted norms of a linear progression, although if you have never seen the first season it might not be as confusing if you only watched this particular volume. In fact the episodes of this volume fit somewhere in between the episodes of the first ‘season’ which then raises the question is it really a second season? To my way of thinking no, in fact a better title for this would have been TMOHS: The Lost Episodes or the Hidden Stories...
Coming in at just ten minutes under six hours worth of viewing be prepared to be frustrated; like I said earlier the animation is superb as is the voice acting and the opening theme is ridiculously catchy. Another mega hit from the Japanese seiyu who voices Haruhi Suzumiya; Aya Hirano, no doubt. But as Endless Eight takes up the bulk of this collection and the story essentially follows a Groundhog Day style drama watching that was rather painful. Sure it wasn’t exactly the same every time but near enough to be annoying, at the end the characters sounded like they were glad this inexplicable time loop was over and so frankly was I. Then the Sigh of Haruhi Suzumiya gives us a more in depth look at the making of the movie the Adventures of Mikuru Asahina, it’s an interesting story arc and there are hints of other elements within the overall storyline as well as a rather intense moment between Kyon and Haruhi.
As I have mentioned this DVD collection feels more like an expansion of the original season rather than being an entirely new season of the show. Kind of like a computer game expansion pack such as Fallout: New Vegas or Diablo II: Lord of Destruction, sure there are different stories but as for a completely new take on things it just isn’t happening. Although like I said there are hints that there is something more occurring within the narrative, but it just isn’t being shown here sad to say. I suspect that it’s due to this that there hasn’t been the same degree of enthusiasm as occurred with the initial release of the first ‘season’. If you’re a diehard fan this will make a good addition to your collection, if you’re just someone who enjoyed the original show you’re better off watching it online streaming somewhere if you can. Rumours abound of a Haruhi Suzumiya movie at some stage this year...The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya...hopefully it won’t be a reiteration of what has happened before...
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