Review of The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya

What an experience of a movie. And what a turn it made from season 2 of the TV series! I had given the second season a 4/10 and didn't even finish the last 5 episodes. After some months of cooling off, I managed to finish it (I still would only give it a 5/10) because I was curious about the sequel film and didn't want to watch it without the proper context. But having just watched it, and feeling very emotional (and puzzled but in a good way) about the ending, I give it a solid 9/10. It was very well made. Not only isthe animation and music superior, but the deep philosophical tone given to the story made it quite captivating and engaging. Sometimes the 2nd season would make attempts at smart dialogue, but it mostly came off as pseudo intellectual, especially coming from Koizumi. The movie is something else entirely in this regard. The deep insights come from the straight man, Kyon, so there is less fluff. Another thing that you'll surely notice is that the characters' emotions are conveyed very well, so much so that you actually feel the emotions yourself. Kyon's despair, for instance, when his world starts to unravel, hits really hard. The (re)introduction of each of the characters (you'll have to watch the film to know what I'm referring to here) also had me at the edge of my seat. Which, by the way, means that you'll probably want to watch the TV series first in order to get acquainted with the characters, so that the movie has this level of impact. Yes, season 2 is a let down. It might even make you quit the series altogether. My personal tip: watch just one or two of the Endless Eight episodes and power through the rest of the season. I can assure you: you will be rewarded by this film. Anyway, I hope this poorly written review will inspire you to give The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya a try.