Review of The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya
At this point, writing a review of The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya is nothing more than redundant--yet after rewatching it again I felt that this was something I had to do. Chances are you've heard of this show. Haruhi and the SOS Brigade have developed a devoted following (Haruhism!) since their anime debut back in 2006 and have since become household names among anime fans. And for good reason. The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya is unarguably a modern classic. The premise is pretty far out there: Suzumiya Haruhi, an eccentric high school girl, drags the male lead, known only as Kyon, along with her as she formsthe SOS Brigade, a club dedicated to finding unnatural phenomena and people, such as aliens, time travelers, and espers. Conveniently, the three other members who join the club are just that. The alien humanoid-interface, Nagato Yuki. The klutzy time traveler from the future, Asahina Mikuru. The esper, Koizumi Itsuki. One by one, each of them reveal their true identities to Kyon, and why they are there: they are each under orders from their superiors to observe Suzumiya Haruhi. While their viewpoints differ, they all agree that Haruhi possesses a unique power that can essentially manipulate reality--and Kyon is the only person that she is truly willing to listen to. However, Haruhi can never become aware of her own ability, lest the consequences be disastrous. Thus, Kyon must help them keep Haruhi happy while making sure she doesn't discover her own power.
As you're probably aware of by now, the episodes were aired in non-chronological order. I strongly encourage you to watch them in their original, non-chronological broadcast order. This provides a unique viewing experience that allows the viewer to piece together the events of the series, and watching elements of separate episodes come together is really a one-of-a-kind experience that makes the show exponentially more enjoyable. This was an excellent and very bold directorial decision that was (thankfully) executed impeccably. The original 2006 broadcast has a main story arc that is punctuated with closed-end episodes that provide further insights into the lives of the SOS Brigade members.
Which brings me to the characters. What can I say? They're excellent. In Haruhi we find one of the most dynamic anime characters ever put to screen. For a two-dimensional character, she practically leaps off the screen. Her boundless energy and enthusiasm makes her irresistibly likable, despite her being painfully frank and stubborn.
Asahina's clumsiness and overall ineptitude makes you wonder if she really is qualified for the mission her time-traveling organization gave her. Although personally I view her as the weakest character, she consistently provides comic relief as the helpless victim of Haruhi's plots to exploit her good looks and serves her purpose well.
As an alien "humanoid interface," Nagato possesses incredible amounts of power and knowledge, including amazing physical strength and the ability to alter the "data" of her environment. Despite hardly speaking and apparently having no discernible emotions, Nagato remains a standout character nonetheless. Various instances establish that although she may not show it, Nagato is closer to humans and is more attached to the members of the SOS Brigade than you might think.
Between Asahina, Nagato, and Koizumi, Koizumi is my personal favorite. Why? Because he is the most enigmatic. From beginning to end, Koizumi is the one we know the least about. He is a member of an unnamed organization of espers who wish to monitor Haruhi. His abilities are shown very sparingly and his consistently friendly, agreeable attitude arouses suspicions that there is something much more hidden under that smiling facade. Koizumi is the one who seems the least trustworthy, yet is the most approachable. Charisma and mystery make Koizumi an excellent character.
And finally, we have Kyon--the sole voice of reason in the SOS Brigade. Kyon ranks among my top anime characters of all time simply because he's just so...normal. Painfully normal, in fact. In a way, Kyon represents us, the audience. Kyon finds the show's events just as absurd as we do. And that's why we relate to him. We empathize (or sympathize) for him. Kyon didn't ask for this, and yet he found it thrust upon him. Yet in the end he can't help but enjoy himself, even if it's just a little bit.
Despite some misfires in the animation and less-than-attractive frames, The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya remains an incredibly enjoyable watch. The first episode broadcast, "The Adventures of Asahina Mikuru," is one of the funniest things I've ever seen (it's even better if you watch the 2009 episodes about the filming of the "movie"). In fact, the show as a whole is absolutely hysterical. Kyon has an endless amount of one-liners that, whether sarcastic or indignant, ruthlessly expose the absurdity that his life has become, to our delight. This is absolutely one of my favorite anime, and in my opinion the episode "Someday in the Rain" is one of the greatest anime episodes ever broadcast. If for some reason you haven't watched this show, or if you're new to anime, I implore you to watch the perfection that is The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya.