The [xyz] of Suzumiya Haruhi

[blkmage]

Who is Haruhi?
Haruhi Suzumiya is the central character of the Suzumiya Haruhi series of light novels. She's really pretty, really athletic, and really weird. She also is the centre of attention for a number of other characters for some reason. She's joined by our narrator, Kyon, a kind of apathetic and sharp kind of guy, Asahina Mikuru, a really pretty and shy second year, Nagato Yuki, a really quiet, emotionless girl who's into books, and Koizumi Itsuki, a mysterious transfer student who likes to smile a lot.

What is this thing about?
The Suzumiya Haruhi series began as a series of light novels, which now spans nine volumes, with a tenth volume somewhere in the ether. There's also a manga adaptation somewhere out there. In 2006, Kyoto Animation undertook the anime adaptation and created what is arguably one of the most influential anime series in recent years.

When did this happen?
The last volume of the light novel that got released was in 2007. That means there hasn't been a volume out in the last two years. Similarly, the anime aired in 2006, and a second season was announced not too long after.

Where can I get this?
The light novels have been fan translated and are available somewhere online. Since it's been two years since the last volume was released, every volume that has been released so far is pretty much completely translated. When it aired in Japan, the anime series was fansubbed.

However, the light novels have now been licensed, by Yen Press, and the first volume is available as of last month. Similarly, the entire first season of the anime has been licensed by Bandai and is available on DVD.

Why a thread now?
The Melancholy of Suzumiya Haruhi is one of the most popular anime series that isn't shounen in recent years. Ever since the announcement of the second season, fans have been waiting with baited breath for any information at all. For three years, they got little hints, like the disappearance of the Japanese website for a short time.

Earlier this year, Kadokawa Shoten announced two Haruhi-related items. The first was that there'd be a series of shorts to be posted on Youtube. The second was that there'd be an airing for the spring season. In both cases, there was disappointment. In the case of the ONAs, the first episode was essentially a one minute video of boats. In the case of the airing, they announced that it would be a re-airing of the first season and not the second season as was speculated.

This earned Kadokawa the reputation of trolling with their fans. Even then, there were some bits of information that leaked out. For instance, the supposed re-airing was listed at 28 episodes by some TV stations, while the original first season was only 14. Most recently, last week, a TV station leaked an episode title that wasn't in the original season.

Today, that episode aired, and it was the Bamboo Leaf Rhapsody, a chapter from the third volume of the light novel that wasn't animated in the first season. So with this, it is pretty much confirmed that there will be new episodes interspersed with the content from the first season in chronological order.

[SIZE="6"]tl;dr - Haruhi season 2 is currently airing[/SIZE]

So let's use this thread to talk about all things Haruhi: speculation about the second season, what will be animated, episode discussions, impressions of the first light novel, impressions from people watching the first season for the first time and the like.

[Maokun]

Heavens yeah! *looks around* Thanks for the info!

Sorry I can't comment longer, I haven't read the novels so I'm basicaly a neophite in Haruhism, only having watched the series.

[Elycien]

I am so ecstatic that this series is back on. =D Favorite anime ever (possibly tied with the first FMA).

I had this crazy thought, though... three years, guys. It's been three years since the first season aired, and [spoiler]it was "three years ago" that Haruhi remade the world/she first met Kyon.[/spoiler]

Coincidence? I think NOT! (Well, okay, it probably is. But I would gain so much respect for KyoAni if it wasn't. I mean, how hilarious would that be.)

Eh, I'm one of the camp that thinks the way they've handled the series (with the rumors and unclear announcements and sticking new episodes into a re-airing of the first season) is more hilarious and awesome than aggravating. XD

[blkmage]

I had this crazy thought, though... three years, guys. It's been three years since the first season aired, and [spoiler]it was "three years ago" that Haruhi remade the world/she first met Kyon.[/spoiler]

Coincidence? I think NOT! (Well, okay, it probably is. But I would gain so much respect for KyoAni if it wasn't. I mean, how hilarious would that be.)

How about, much like us,
[SPOILER]Kyon and Mikuru were in that room where time froze and woke up three years later?[/SPOILER]
D:

Also, apparently, there's some crazy rumour that the tenth volume of the light novel is getting a release in June? Impossible things are happening!

[Maokun]

I'm really glad that the new episode was heavily plot oriented and not just episodic S.O.S. sillyness (not that those aren't great too, but after all this wait, it was really good)

[spoiler]Man! When Asahina said that they were travelling 3 years in the past I was hoping we'd see the event that made Haruhi the god of her reality! But it seems it had already happened, since Yuki was already there.[/spoiler]

[MasterDias]

I still find it a pretty bizarre way to air new episodes. Did they really think that they would get more hype by a stealth airing?
Or is Kadokawa's marketing department smoking something?

Regardless, I suppose it doesn't really matter. Haven't actually seen past the first few episodes of the first season, but it is on my to-watch list.

[Elycien]

I'm really glad that the new episode was heavily plot oriented and not just episodic S.O.S. sillyness (not that those aren't great too, but after all this wait, it was really good)

[spoiler]Man! When Asahina said that they were travelling 3 years in the past I was hoping we'd see the event that made Haruhi the god of her reality! But it seems it had already happened, since Yuki was already there.[/spoiler]

Or more likely...

[spoiler]What they witnessed, Haruhi getting Kyon to help her paint all over the school grounds - was the moment of her gaining her powers. Which means that she gained her powers when she first met Kyon. And that opens up a whole other realm of possible theories. ^___^[/spoiler]

This series really is fertile planting ground for Epileptic Trees. I love it. XDDD

[blkmage]

Or more likely...

[spoiler]What they witnessed, Haruhi getting Kyon to help her paint all over the school grounds - was the moment of her gaining her powers. Which means that she gained her powers when she first met Kyon. And that opens up a whole other realm of possible theories. ^___^[/spoiler]

This series really is fertile planting ground for Epileptic Trees. I love it. XDDD

[SPOILER]I believe Mikuru mentioned that they couldn't travel back in time before the moment Haruhi gets her powers, which they do here.[/SPOILER]

Anyway, there's a theory that I stumbled upon that got me interested in the light novels and that, as I've been reading them, has some evidence for:
[SPOILER]Haruhi isn't the one who changes reality, it's Kyon. Or, a variation of that is same as the above, but Kyon granted Haruhi powers without being aware of it.[/SPOILER]
Thoughts?

[GeneD]

[spoiler]I've heard that theory too. That Kyon is the one wishing for extraordinary things and I think at the beginning of the series he mentions that he would like to believe in these things, but has put them aside anyway. Or something like that. Why reality gets a bit messed up when Haruhi is bored or upset doesn't get explained by this though.[/spoiler]

[Maokun]

Hey blkmage, have they already explained in the light novels how or why did Haruhi become god? (just a yes/no will suffice no spoilers, not even in spoiler tag please, I wouldn't be able not to peek)

[ChristianKitsune]

haha! I just bought the box set two weeks ago been making my older sis watch the episodes thisis great news.

[blkmage]

Hey blkmage, have they already explained in the light novels how or why did Haruhi become god? (just a yes/no will suffice no spoilers, not even in spoiler tag please, I wouldn't be able not to peek)

I've only finished up to the fourth book (Disappearance) so far, but from what I've read about it, no, they have not.

EDIT: Wanted to talk some more about Bamboo Leaf Rhapsody, so this is unrelated.
[SPOILER]Since the rumour was always that the second season would be Disappearance, the new episode, Bamboo Leaf Rhapsody, seemed like a strange choice to bring in the new season. After having read Disappearance, the episode/chapter is suddenly a lot more important than you might think. This is especially true in the novels, since it's mixed up with the other seemingly unrelated stores in Boredom.[/SPOILER]

[blkmage]

This week's episode of Haruhi is a new one (Endless Eight) and it features a new OP (Super Driver, by Hirano Aya).

[EricTheFred]

This week's episode of Haruhi is a new one (Endless Eight) and it features a new OP (Super Driver, by Hirano Aya).

That's good, because the Bamboo Leaf Rhapsody OP was a real letdown. It didn't hold a candle to the original.

[Maokun]

Really? 0_o I found it to be up there with some of the best episodes. I mean, we had a time traveller for a whole season without time travelling antics happening at all, so that was a great surprise. I know it's been only 3 years since season 1 but maybe you are suffering of the "eh, things were far better in my days, you know, before the war. And though we had to walk 3 miles on the snow just to get to school, at least we did get the real Haruhi stuff, not the watered-down, sorry excuse of a series you kids get these days. Also, get off my lawn!!" syndrome?

Anyway, here's a list of the episodes order as divined by the collective intellect of 2ch, which is now widely accepted:
[INDENT]Air Date / Episode # / Name
04/02 第01話 涼宮ハルヒの憂鬱１ / The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya 1
04/09 第02話 涼宮ハルヒの憂鬱２ / The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya 2
04/16 第03話 涼宮ハルヒの憂鬱３ / The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya 3
04/23 第04話 涼宮ハルヒの憂鬱４ / The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya 4
04/30 第05話 涼宮ハルヒの憂鬱５ / The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya 5
05/07 第06話 涼宮ハルヒの憂鬱６ / The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya 6
05/14 第07話 涼宮ハルヒの退屈 / The Boredom of Haruhi Suzumiya
05/21 第08話 笹の葉ラプソディ　 新作 / Bamboo Rhapsody (NEW)
05/28 第09話 ミステリックサイン / Mystérique Sign
06/04 第10話 孤島症候群（前編）/　 Remote Island Syndrome (Part 1)
06/11 第11話 孤島症候群（後編） / Remote Island Syndrome (Part 2)
06/18 第12話 エンドレスエイト　新作 ←ここまで来た / Endless Eight (NEW)
06/25 第13話 涼宮ハルヒの溜息１　新作 / The Sigh of Haruhi Suzumiya 1 (NEW)
07/02 第14話 涼宮ハルヒの溜息２　新作 / The Sigh of Haruhi Suzumiya 2 (NEW)
07/09 第15話 涼宮ハルヒの溜息３　新作 / The Sigh of Haruhi Suzumiya 3 (NEW)
07/16 第16話 朝比奈ミクルの冒険 Episode00 / The Adventures of Mikuru Asahina Episode 00
07/23 第17話 ライブアライブ / Live Alive
07/30 第18話 射手座の日 / The Day of Sagittarius
08/07 第19話 サムデイ イン ザ レイン / Someday in the Rain
08/14 第20話 涼宮ハルヒの消失１　新作 / The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya Part 1 (NEW)
08/21 第21話 涼宮ハルヒの消失２　新作 / The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya Part 2 (NEW)
08/28 第22話 涼宮ハルヒの消失３　新作 / The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya Part 3 (NEW)
09/03 第23話 涼宮ハルヒの消失４　新作 / The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya Part 4 (NEW)
09/10 第24話 ヒトメボレLOVERS　新作 / Charmed at First Sight Lover (NEW)
09/17 第25話 雪山症候群(前編)　新作 / Snowy Mountain Syndrome Part 1 (NEW)
09/24 第26話 雪山症候群(後編)　新作 / Snowy Mountain Syndrome Part 1 (NEW)
10/01 第27話 猫はどこにいった?　新作 / Where did the Cat Go? (NEW)
10/08 第28話 消失の後日　新作 / Another Day of the Disappearance (NEW)
[/INDENT]

[blkmage]

EricTheFred just said the OP (which I think he meant ED) wasn't as good as the first season's, which I kind of agree with. As for the episode itself, I really liked it and I liked seeing the hints in it now that I've read all the volumes of the light novels.

I've seen that list floating around, but it's almost entirely baseless speculation. It's essentially an exercise in guessing how long each chapter is going to take. At this point, I'm almost certain that list is wrong, because something that should have happened in Endless Eight hasn't happened yet, so I'm expecting a Part 2.

[Bobtheduck]

I've been watching Haruhi-chan, and it's really funny. Don't know if anyone's seen it.

[Maokun]

I've been watching Haruhi-chan, and it's really funny. Don't know if anyone's seen it.

I wouldn't know. The one Haruhi I know, I wouldn't dare to call any less than Haruhi-sama. I hope, for your sake, that we are not talking of the same person.

[blkmage]

The Melancholy of Suzumiya Haruhi-chan is a series of shorts based on a parody manga of the same name. It ran at the same time as Nyoro~n Churuya-san, another series of shorts based on those nyoro~n 4-komas that you might have seen floating around the Internet. Both were produced by KyoAni and were available on Kadokawa Shoten's YouTube channel from February to May, in Japanese and was even subbed.

[EricTheFred]

EricTheFred just said the OP (which I think he meant ED) wasn't as good as the first season's, which I kind of agree with. As for the episode itself, I really liked it and I liked seeing the hints in it now that I've read all the volumes of the light novels.

I did mean the ED, sorry. Got mixed up. The season 1 ED was an all-time classic, while the one on Bamboo Leaf Rhapsody was just retread JPOP fluff.

Sadly, what blkmage actually said was that the OP would be new, not the ED. (Bamboo Leaf had no OP to speak of, just credits over the opening scenes and Kyon's narrative.) Which means we may indeed be stuck with that ED for the rest of the new eps. Yecchh.

[Maokun]

The Melancholy of Suzumiya Haruhi-chan is a series of shorts based on a parody manga of the same name. It ran at the same time as Nyoro~n Churuya-san, another series of shorts based on those nyoro~n 4-komas that you might have seen floating around the Internet. Both were produced by KyoAni and were available on Kadokawa Shoten's YouTube channel from February to May, in Japanese and was even subbed.

Oh blckmage is there no end to your wisdom?

[blkmage]

I did mean the ED, sorry. Got mixed up. The season 1 ED was an all-time classic, while the one on Bamboo Leaf Rhapsody was just retread JPOP fluff.

Sadly, what blkmage actually said was that the OP would be new, not the ED. (Bamboo Leaf had no OP to speak of, just credits over the opening scenes and Kyon's narrative.) Which means we may indeed be stuck with that ED for the rest of the new eps. Yecchh.

My thoughts on the new ED are that they could have either tried to do another Hare Hare Yukai or just do something more conventional. I think the new ED fits with the new OP and where the series is going to be going. The first season was pretty much focused and centered around Haruhi. The second season should broaden the scope and examine the other characters more.

As for the old ED, I'd argue that the music wasn't that special, it was the dancing that did it. To be honest though, I'm pretty tired of the dancing by now. And honestly, we've already seen what a Hare Hare Yukai 2 would look like, it's Motteke Sailor Fuku. I'm fairly content with it.

[Maokun]

And honestly, we've already seen what a Hare Hare Yukai 2 would look like, it's Motteke Sailor Fuku. I'm fairly content with it.

Haha so true. Anyway, where did you get your episode? I got the first one from DB + LE but they have not yet released this new ep.

[blkmage]

afk's just released his last night. Given that Coalguys + gg fell apart because of drama and DB + LE doesn't seem to be as quick this time around, I think I'm going to go with afk, unless he does that thing where he subs a few episodes and disappears for a year.

[Maokun]

Given that Coalguys + gg fell apart because of drama

Argh, I can't believe I missed that tasty internet drama. Anyway, thanks for the tip!

[blkmage]

So today, Suzumiya Haruhi no Gensou was released. What does that mean? It translates roughly to Suzumiya Haruhi's concert. Suzumiya Haruhi no Gensou is an arrangement of the Haruhi BGM, OP, ED, and insert songs performed by the Tokyo Philharmonic (as they tend to for these sorts of things). This sort of thing reminds me of the Phoenix Wright symphonic arrangement albums, Gyakuten Meets Orchestra, which is really awesome.

[EricTheFred]

I'll have to see if I can get ahold of it. Sounds interesting.

By the way, "Gensou" means fantasy, not concert. I think it is being used in this case the way orchestral composers use the term. For example, a famous Violin solo piece is a collection of themes from the opera "Carmen", called the "Carmen Fantasy." So this title is probably intended as "The Suzumiya Haruhi Fantasy".

Second BTW: I finally saw the new OP. Much better stuff than the new ED.

[blkmage]

This week is another new episode and should make those of you who were dissatisfied with last week much happier.
[spoiler]With Endless Eight taking up three episodes, and not just two, that speculative list of episodes is definitely more wrong than even I would have expected.[/spoiler]

EDIT: Not too impressed with the ED? There may be more shenanigans happening there than you think.

[EricTheFred]

Quick FYI: Kodokawa is placing a legal copy of Haruhi on Youtube with English subtitles! It is for a limited time, so go check it out soon. Right now, they've put up episodes 1-8 in the current season format (instead of the original airplay order.)

My only gripe is that they are not doing anything about print Japanese. That was surprising, considering episodes 1-7 have all been issued in English, (including one very important scene where a conversation occurs on a computer screen) but perhaps they didn't have the rights to the English version that was sold on DVD (an American company would own those, not Kodokawa).

Anyhow, encourage this kind of behavior by giving the Youtube videos lots of hits!!! If it is popular enough, maybe they will consider inserting a little advertising (a la Veoh) and making money on this potential goldmine called streaming video, instead of fighting it! And while you're at it, go check out the Funimation and Bandai youtube accounts.

[blkmage]

So I guess it's confirmed that there are about 15498 episodes in the Endless Eight arc.