Review of The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya

Honestly, I made an account JUST to review this anime and tell everyone to watch it. The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya (TMOHS) has got to be one of my favorite animes ever. I know lots of people dislike this one for whatever reason (lack of character development, weird airing order, etc. etc. ) However, TMOHS definitely stands out as one of the best -- especially when viewers go beyond the direct story and characters and try to understand the messages presented. This is actually one of the very few animes that made me think and added meaning to my life. ANIMATION- In terms of animation, I really likethe art -- the characters are pretty (I'm a bit shallow in that respect) and the scenery/landscapes are well done with pretty good lighting. Sound wasn't a problem for me, but then again, I never pay that much attention. Voice actors were pretty good and really brought out the personalities of the characters.

PLOT-

The plot is actually quite interesting given the nature of the story. It's a comedy/slice of life/sci fi anime (odd combination) that somehow keeps you interested. You might get lost watching it in airing order, but I decided to watch it in chronological order and didn't have much problem making sense of things. Watchers can relate to the everyday experiences of Haruhi and Kyon and the SOS Brigade and yet still feel a sense of excitement and curiosity for what's happening next due to the brilliantly interwoven sci-fi aspects. From aliens studying autoevolution to time travelers investigating a strange phenomenon to ESPers worshiping a new god, TMOHS manages to bring in diverse and frankly strange characters who interact in daily activities -- from video games to baseball matches to summer vacations. The juxtaposition of the mundane with the supernatural keeps the plot exciting and fresh -- indeed, anything can happen next.

CHARACTERS (this will be quite lengthy as I believe the characters are very deep)-

This seems to be the biggest criticism of TMOHS -- that the show lacks significant character development. However, I must strongly disagree with this point. What TMOHS lacks in character development , it more than makes up with character DEPTH. Those who believe there is a lack of character depth are not appreciating the subtlety of the personalities. Instead of deliberately having characters break down or something, TMOHS reveals a deeper side to the characters through the every day actions they perform. Moreover, whereas some may claim the show lacks development, it would be difficult to argue against the simply fascinating way the different characters interact, as mentioned, and approach everyday situations.

Haruhi is one of my favorite anime characters ever. Her pushy, super-hyper, has-to-have-her-way personality immediately pushes her to the center of any story. Her inexhaustible energy makes her lovable and memorable and manifests itself even more evidently in her relationship with the bored, laid-back Kyon. Beyond her cheerful exterior, Haruhi is probably one of the deepest characters in the series -- one can never shake off the tinge of melancholy emanating from her personality. She deals with the same issues that the youth of today's society do: a feeling of insignificance, a longing for adventure, a desire to break the mundane, a search for friendship and love. Despite her cheerfulness, she still maintains a sense of loneliness, adding a very real dimension to her seemingly simple personality. She possesses a very distinct identity and her sadness makes the viewers want to reach out and help her -- almost as if she were real.

Nagato is probably my second favorite character in the show. Though people may think of her as the stereotypical calm, collected, emotionless character so prevalent in animes, I personally think she transcends the role. In a way, she reminds me of Rei from Evangelion; there's just something more about her blank face. Along with her interesting background, one cannot help but be confounded by her. Nagato, to me, is the wise and patient one; she seems to be omnipresent, yet silent, as if letting the others learn on their own would teach them better. Moreover, there's also a sense of melancholy from her. Though not exactly the same as Haruhi's, her sadness seems to emerge from her lack of emotions and distance from others. She always makes me wonder what it would be like in her shoes: so knowledgeable and yet so impersonal and far from warmth and affection. Her persona makes viewers feel cold and distanced and yet, somehow, makes the viewer attached to her.

People seem to dislike Kyon for his static nature. Though I admit he may not be on the same level as Haruhi in terms of depth, he still struggles for understanding in a very confusing world. He is naive, in a sense, but possesses very real literary significance. Like Nick Carraway from The Great Gatsby (classic novel, btw), Kyon makes TMOHS that much more interesting because of his narration and his commentary. He serves less to provide astounding insight than he does to reflect on the situation and help viewers understand others. As a normal human, Kyon definitely puts TMOHS into perspective as he marvels at the surreal experience and tries to wrap his head around the complex science involved. In a sense, Kyon represents all of us in our attempt to deal with reality and make sense of it all.

Itsuki seems to be that cheerful, knowledgeable guy we all know in our lives. While I won't go into too much detail, I definitely believe he's a lot deeper than people give him credit for. His role seems to be expanding on the philosophy present and providing thoughtful insight into what's happening. His character really makes people think.

Asahina, to me, is the only really flat character (not an innuendo -- in fact she's anything but flat in that sense). The typical clumsy, shy girl in animes, she sometimes makes me think she's just there for fan service. Yet, beyond that, she still does offer some interesting commentary of human nature -- especially the feeling helplessness present in blindly following orders without questioning authority.

PHILOSOPHY AND SCIENCE-

To me, this aspect REALLY makes TMOHS unique. Very few animes are so deeply involved with philosophy and science. This part is often overlooked by viewers simply searching for a good story or a laugh or whatnot, but I think it's definitely underrated and deserves more attention. TMOHS makes us question what reality really is -- from its superstitious events to the presentation of theories such as the Anthropic Principle. It provides an interesting set-up and view on the nature of God. It delves into humanity and individuality and the meaning of life. Specifically, when Itsuki gives an example of a world without Haruhi, the anime gets into Nietzsche and his existential nihilism and makes us wonder: what would happen if we killed God, you and I, what would the meaning be if he didn't exist, etc. etc. TMOHS also offers a subtle, but definitely present, idea on determinism in relation with the will of God -- perhaps making us rethink the role of free-will in our actions. In terms of science, TMOHS deals with the nature of time, asserting that it is not linear, but in fact dimensional in itself without any real continuity, making us question how time really works. Perhaps time actually can be a vector and goes beyond the simply forward backward direction. It portrays interesting time travel phenomena that sometimes make your head spin. The science goes even deeper with the possibility of a multiverse and the existence of alternate realities that Haruhi can control. It deals with autoevolution and the ability of humans to select traits they desire (symbolized by Haruhi's ability to manipulate reality), perhaps offering insight into eugenics. It deals with the physics of information and data with Nagato, offering a peek into the future with manipulation of the information in our environment.

The science and philosophy involved are very deep and advanced. The applications and extrapolations of the messages and possibilities presented in TMOHS are endless and really makes the viewer wonder why we are here and where we are going with reality.

SUMMARY-

TMOHS is definitely one of the best animes ever. I would STRONGLY, STRONGLY recommend watching it. Between the great art and animation, interesting comedy/slice of life/sci fi plot that makes you wonder what would happen next, very deep characters that interact in unique and interesting ways, insightful messages and reflections on human nature, and very deep philosophy and advanced science, what's there not to like? If you need just ONE reason to watch it, watch it because it makes you think, it makes you wonder, it makes you question reality, question life, question who you are and where you're going. Watch it because it reaches out and grabs you out of your seat, pulls you into the story, and adds some depth and some meaning to your everyday life.