The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya Discussion Thread

[Jompa]

It also says "Chore boy: Kyon"

[SlowPokemon]

Someone should arrange the Haruhi Suzumiya piano piece "The Moonlight Becomes Endless" (Jompa knows its official name but I can't remember). I really want to learn it...

[Bubbles]

This one right?

I'd like to play it too

[SlowPokemon]

Yes - "Endless Naru Gekkou."

Second season - soundtrack volume 3, track 11

[Jompa]

I agree.
It really doesn't seem to hard to arrange.

If only I had the time, Slow

[Jompa]

Hahah so I finally have some time and chose to use it to watch The Sigh:
And I noticed: At that montage of scenes where they film Mikuru in her bunny girl outfit, Koizumi with the reflection board always either stands in the shot or in some shadow - haha, he's totally useless

[SlowPokemon]

I thought the Sigh was rather well-done, but I must agree that it's better if you've already seen Episode 00. Unfortunately, there is really no good place to watch Episode 00 in the series XD It always feels awkward

[Jompa]

So now that I've fallen in love with The Sigh too, there's not a single bad part of the series anymore - hurra!
And ep 00 is supposed to be as awkward as possible, so I think it fits better as the first episode

[SlowPokemon]

Here's something of a top ten list, it's of my favorite moments in the Haruhi anime. Anything goes, including The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya, so please be warned that there are major spoilers within!

Spoiler

10. "I am also a ventriloquist" ("The Adventures of Mikuru Asahina Episode 00")
In a truly bizarre pilot episode full of terrible acting and accidental hilarity, one moment will undoubtedly tip you over the edge into hysterical laughter. Shamisen the cat starts giving Yuki battle advice until Yuki suddenly smacks him with her wand and deadpans "I am also a ventriloquist," apparently to explain the fact that her cat just started talking. Seems legit.

9. Yuki reads ("Someday in the Rain")
Totally in sync with the rest of this uneventful, quiet episode, the camera cuts to a nearly five minute shot of Nagato reading her book. Seriously. It's bizarre moments like this that make Melancholy what it is, utterly quirky and charming.

8. Koizumi and Kyon ("The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya Part 5")
An important event for the series and a big moment for Itsukyon fans everywhere, Koizumi shows up at Kyon's house and takes him on a trip to visit closed space, view the Shinjin wreaking havoc upon said space, and demonstrate his esper powers to Kyon. It's truly epic. Also, they hold hands.

7. Kyon loses it ("The Sigh of Haruhi Suzumiya Part 4")
Kyon's anger toward Haruhi reaches a boiling point. Sure, he's being harsh and nearly punches her in the face, but she got Mikuru drunk in order for her to look cuter in the film. It's deeply uncomfortable for everyone involved, including the audience, who really is not sure what Kyon will do. Masterful technique involved in this scene.

6. Ready? (The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya)
Yuki offers Kyon an escape from his perfect-not-perfect altered reality. After some big consideration, he turns down the offer of a less annoying Haruhi, a personality-filled Yuki, and a pleasant Asakura in return for his old life. A great decision indeed.

5. The kiss ("The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya Part 6")
The Melancholy arc climaxes (no pun intended) with a huge romantic element between Kyon and Haruhi, even if she does later write it off as a dream. The epic operatic musical piece in the background explodes as Kyon kisses Haruhi, ending their adventure in closed space.

4. Turning point of history (The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya)
Just after Kyon has done some very deep thinking and is prepared to right the world, an all-but-forgotten-about Asakura stabs him brutally in his side, cheerfully explaining that she would do anything to spare Nagato. She follows this up with a horrifying dance-twirl that splatters his blood over Nagato, staining her glasses. Oh, and did I mention the haunting choir?

3. Truth of Ryoko Asakura ("The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya Part 4")
This is by far most fans' moment that seriously gets them into Haruhi, and it's not difficult to see why: the shock at perfect, double-A-plus Ryoko Asakura announcing her intent to kill Kyon in order to get a reaction from Haruhi no doubt incited many spit-takes.

2. The solution that descended ("Endless Eight Part 8")
Although the Endless Eight arc is something of an ordeal that cannot fully be understood unless one has viewed it in its entirety, the ending never fails to induce chills. It's utterly weird that homework should be such a big deal, and yet you find yourself with a rush of triumph and sympathy for Kyon as he finally solves the dilemma of their never-ending endless summer vacation.

1. Awakening self-consciousness (The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya)
Kyon's epiphany--that is, when he finally admits to himself that he loves his life in all its weirdness--is one of the most powerful moments of the entire series. Set to Ryuichi Takada's beautiful score originally meant to accompany the "Ready?" sequence, the scene sends chills down my spine. It is the single most important moment to me because Kyon finally begins to mature as a character and admit that he has some sort of feelings for Haruhi. It's just A+++++++++

[close]

[Jompa]

#1 is amazing!

[blueflower999]

NO ONE read that before watching the show.

[Jompa]

I really like...

from The Disappearence

...when Kyon and Taniguchi are playing soccer during P.E. Taniguchi goes on about his girlfriend from that all-girls academy

later novels

(that later is revealed to be an alien from a different entity than Nagato, targeting contact with Kyon through Taniguchi)

[close]

, and in the ecstasy he goes nuts on the field, stealing the ball from the opponents, and kicking it up into the air.
Kyon, the looser that he is (lets face it, he's a looser - but he's a damn cool looser) - anyways, the looser that he is, fixes his eyes on the ball, and in an attempt to kick it..!
...he misses completely, standing there with his leg in the air looking like an idiot

[close]

^That scene is the absolute first moment of the franchise I ever watched as a clip. It led me to The Disappearance, because in the YouTube clip it said "I don't own The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya", and after looking it up, I found ep 00, and after that I was hooked

(I have spoken about how I was turned off by the show at first because of Ryoko Asakura and therefore post-poned the show, but that happened long before I watched this - this was actually the catalyst that made me watch it!)
EDIT: Found it:

Actually:
The first time I stumbled upon The Melancholy, I was met with a picture of Ryoko.
(I think I was looking for a Higurashi replacement, and had so far been disappointed by Elfen Lied and School Days <--stay away from School Days!)
I am positive that she was the reason I postponed watching the show, for many months. I just didn't like her - I mean, if the first thing you see, from a show you don't know what is, is that weird blue haired girl with more space between her eyes than the average Clannad-girl(seriously, there is a damn limit), then you wouldn't be rushing to see it, right? For all I knew she was the main character as well, that's not something you attract audience with, right?
It wasn't until later when I found the clip of Kyon playing soccer, that I decided to check it out again, but the thought of her almost scared me off. So I watched it with that in mind, hence I don't like her that much.

But her song, Cool Edition is awesome.

[Waddle Bro]

*loser

My fav part of Melancholy:

Spoiler

My favourite moment with Melancholy is in the movie, when Kyon finds out that Haruhi exists in the reality he was. He skips class like a boss and just runs and runs while my favourite score, "Suzumiya Haruhi no Tegikari" is playing on the background.

Truly amazing, truly it is.

[close]

[Jompa]

I love that moment too.

[SlowPokemon]

That actually almost made it on the list.