#5-Unlikeable
Characters Made Likeable?
In the grand
scheme of the world of Haruhi Suzumiya, I cant stand Haruhi half the time and I
can tolerate Mikuru and Koizumi even less.
Mikuru always seemed to let herself suffer at Haruhi’s hands (literally)
and somehow her future self looks back fondly on those events. Koizumi…just needs to STFU and realize he’s
trying to sound important when really he’s begging to be punched by Kyon. Haruhi is…well Haruhi. However, in the movie, all three characters
all get moments to shine in different ways, mostly in the alternate world. Alternate Haruhi can still act overbearing
but she is excited to hear Kyon’s stories of an alternate world where she gets
to hang out with the three kinds of people she most wants to. Koizumi finally gets a chance to be Haruhi’s
main squeeze in the alternate world but admits he’ll never be what she
wants…and he doesn’t sound like a total ass about that, more genuinely sad,
though he masks it as his usual Koizumi self.
Mikuru in the alternate world is about the same but her future self
actually gets to play a sizeable role in helping Kyon solve the case. Best of all, Haruhi finally shows true
concern and appretiation for Kyon in the real world when Kyon wakes up. She stayed by his side and wouldn’t abandon
him. Even her threats of payment for his
“time off” lacked her usual ruthless devil may care attitude. Somehow, The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya
managed to do the impossible and make the entire cast strong and solid with
very little weak links…a 28 episode series didn’t even fully succeed at that.
#4-The Darker Side
of Season 2
If we’re going by the episode guides of the original
broadcast of both series, then the bulk of Season 2 of The Melancholy of Haruhi
Suzumiya is dedicated to the Endless Eight and The Sigh of Haruhi Suzumiya
story arcs. Endless Eight was a test of
patience (and I’ll get more into that in a bit). But Sigh was where things took an interesting
turn for the story. Haruhi pushed
everyone to their limits and Kyon finally had enough, almost striking Haruhi
himself. This followed by Yuki, Koizumi
and Mikuru telling him not to trust each other began to paint the series in a
whole new, serious light. The mood had
changed considerably and the fun and wackiness the series was known for was all
but replaced. For all the crap that
Haruhi could get everyone into and be virtually unapologetic about it, not to
mention the conflicting dramas caused by competing Time Travelers, Espers and
Aliens, is it any surprise someone would want this crazy world replaced all
together? Heck is it any surprise that
this unexpected drama was taken into and nearly perfected in the movie?
#3-Kyon and
Nagato-an unspoken bond
I constantly said during my review of the TV Series that
Kyon and Yuki Nagato have a very powerful friendship, one that has more depth
to it than Kyon and Haruhi. Kyon trusts her
with his life and it seems Yuki does feel the same way on some level. After all, when she resets the world, Yuki
turns herself into a girl who is so shy and timid around Kyon and wants to be
his friend, maybe more. The feelings are
there, just not given the clearest of definitions, so it could go in a bevy of
directions. Still, despite being unable
to return Alternate Yuki’s feelings, Kyon promises the real world Yuki that he
and the SOS Brigade will go to war for her if anything happens. It almost feels like both a declaration and
an apology at the same time. Kyon turned
away from a potentially amazing friendship with an emotion filled Yuki but will
always go to bat for his own Yuki Nagato.
Kyon doesn’t even blame her for changing the world, in fact he gets it
more than she does probably. Seeing this
friendship unexplored further might be the biggest crime of the franchise not
getting another cannon entry after The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya. HOWEVER, there is The Disappearance of Yuki
Nagato spin off series which is set in the alternate world Yuki creates in The
Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya…so maybe there’s hope for exploration yet.
#2-A Haruhi-Less
World and Kyon’s Selfish Decision?
Piggybacking off of #3, Yuki leaves the fate of the world
in Kyon’s hands. She trusts him to make
the right decision as to whether the world should return to normal or stay
new. In the end, did Kyon make the right
call? He does admit that for all his
complaining, he loves being around Haruhi and the others and sharing in their
exploits and adventures. He needs Haruhi
and he will sacrifice everything to get her back. However, that “everything” includes an
alternate world where everyone is way better than they are in the real
world. Mikuru, Koizumi and even Haruhi
seem to be better versions of themselves with social lives and a strong sense
of normalcy. Most evident is Yuki, who
becomes a shy book worm who has strong (if not outright romantic) feelings for
Kyon. And yet Kyon lets that world fade
away because if Haruhi isn’t in his life and his heart, then life isn’t worth
it. In a way, you get it. Throughout the movie you feel that despite
all of Haruhi’s excessiveness, the world is darker without her being
herself. It’s a fact the movie plays
really well. Poor Yuki though. Kyon breaks her heart in the most
devastatingly selfish decision ever made.
In truth, you can feel angry that Kyon erases an emotion filled Yuki
Nagato from existence for his Haruhi…but there might not be a right or wrong
call to make here…definitely the stuff table discussions are made out of.
#1-The Endless
Eight Had a Point
The Endless Eight pissed me off, like so many other
Haruhi fans. However, there was one
person who was more fed up than anyone else…and that’s the perpetrator of the
events of Disappearance. Fed up with
Haruhi being Haruhi, Yuki Nagato instigates the world change that all but
erases Haruhi from everyones minds.
Yuki’s quiet disposition at first glance wouldn’t give away that she was
capable of such an act. But if you pay
close attention through parts of the Endless Eight and the latter half of the
series, you can tell even she is starting to become weary and show signs of
just being done with all the BS Haruhi can bring to bear. Plus, as Kyon points out, Yuki is usually the
one to come up with the solution to save everyone because Kyon is clueless,
Mikuru is too scared and Koizumi is a snobbish ass. Everyone has a breaking point and Yuki
finally reached her own. As much of a
struggle as the Season 2 episodes of the TV series were, they actually served a
greater purpose that paid off in spades in The Disappearance of Haruhi
Suzumiya. Suddenly, all the pain was
worth it.
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