rsawayn - 2014-03-12 06:16:11

The Morning of December 16. It was so cold.

Play this track while you read, just to enhance the mood.

Like so many people, I loved Haruhi Suzumiya's first season, regardless of the cooky order. The second season fell flat and left me wondering what would become of the SOS Brigade. Then I watched this movie. And God DAYMN is it amazing!

The movie's title gives away a plot point. Haruhi disappears. Though not in the way you'd expect. She doesn't run away, she isn't kidnapped, she just vanishes. And the weird part, only Kyon knows who she is. Everyone, even Mikuru doesn't remember her. And Koisumi's class is gone. Gone! And no one remembers him either.

These issues eventually get resolved, but the journey to that point makes you experience EVERY EMOTION UNDER THE SUN! Hell, I'd be as bold as to say this is the greatest emotional roller coaster since CLANNAD FREAKIN' AFTER STORY!

The Animation is simply some of KyotoAni's best work ever.

LOOK AT THAT!!!

That's 2010 and it still looks great.

Kyon and Nagato definitely get the most screen time overall, but all the other characters were included with a fair amount of screen time, even Mikuru, who took on both forms in this film. Overall, all the characters get their development time.

The Soundtrack. My God. Incredible. At times, it's the standard fare fill songs from Melancholy, but when the orchestra comes in, it's stunning. (Still listening to that piano theme, that's awesome too, a tune from Erik Satie's brilliant mind)

For 2 hours and 45 minutes I got to return to a world I'd fallen in love with. Seeing the contrast between the upbeat TV show and the movie, only emphasized the impact Haruhi had on Kyon's life. I felt and empathized with Kyon as he frantically runs around trying to get back to the world he knew.

Most importantly, it knows how to tell a story in a way that even those with minimal knowledge of the show, will feel for the characters. And it makes you think.

Epmathy and thought. Two hallmarks of an amazing story.

(Side note: I prefer the dub as Crispin Freeman does some of his best work as Kyon, and Michelle Ruff's performance as Yuki Nagato is unparalleled.)

brunolfsson - 2014-01-12 17:16:46

The main issue I had with the original Haruhi series is that it favoured its fantastical elements to solve their problems as opposed to a more realistic solution to their problems. That caused a lot of potential drama to be removed from the series. Sure, there were some moments of human drama in Melancholy but it could have had a lot more.

And they brought the drama later in the form of The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya. This movie shifts the focus of the problems and solutions from the magical powers to the actions if real people. And just... my God it's good.

Story

The plot of this movie is right in the title. Haruhi disappears. Gone without a trace. Like she never existed. But the only person who notices is Kyon. So now it is up to Kyon to figure out what happened, why it happened, and how to change everything back to the world he remembers with Haruhi. But is that what he really wants? To go back to a world where he's harassed by Haruhi every day? Or stay in the world without her?

The story of this film is executed almost perfectly, almost. The first half hour of the movie is really slow in that nothing really happens. However, when you have a movie that's close to 3 hours, I think you can afford to spare that amount of time if the rest of it is faster paced. Thankfully it does, and when it picks up it really picks up. After the initial slow hurdle the pace picks up and stays consistent throughout the rest of the film, allowing for proper suspense to build and plot to progress at the right moment instead of dragging on the details.

As with the original series, Kyon's narration helps the viewer to really understand his thought process to making the decisions he makes and his motivations which only helps to add that extra layer of depth to the story and get you really involved with the story and characters. Overall, the story is masterfully executed with its pacing and Kyon's narration.

Animation

The animation in this movie is just incredible. Kyoto Animation took the best aspects of the animation from their other works, like the animation from the alternate world scenes in the Clannad series, and sprinkles it all throughout the film. They paid serious attention to detail throughout the entire film. The subtle qualities in the details of the film really make the movie pop, especially in regards to lighting. There's one scene in particular in which Kyon and someone else are walking down a busy street in the evening and it's incredible how the light from the headlights of the oncoming cars lights up certain parts of their bodies and disappears in a very realistic way, and subtleties like this are consistent throughout the movie. The animation is pretty damn good in this movie and is leaps and bound above that of the original series.

Sound

The music for this movie has a darker tone than the show, to emphasize the drama in the movie. The music fit the situations rather well and as the movie progressed it only seemed to get better and better. Even when the beginning of the movie had very little music to speak of it still worked. It worked because it helped to emphasize how dull the world is without Haruhi. As the movie progresses and becomes more dramatic, the music comes in and compliments the situations well. It could have been better if the music was more memorable than it was but the music was enough to supplement the situations.

As I've mentioned before in my review for the Haruhi series (which you can read right here) I recommend the dub 100%. Crispen Freeman did a good job voicing Kyon in the series but he was phenomenal in this movie. He did an excellent job of really portraying Kyon's mental struggle throughout the film. I also have to give credit to Michelle Ruff of her portrayal of Yuki Nagato in the dub for this movie. She was able to give emotions to a character who previously had none and actually make it fit with Nagato's character. But other than those two characters, the oher characters sound pretty much the same as the series.

Character

The characters in this movie are the same as those in the original series with no new characters being added, so I won' bother going into detail about them. What I do want to go into detail about is the character development of two characters in particular: Kyon and Yuki Nagato. Both of their developments in this film are simply phenomenal. The progression of their characters is very logical and it's easy to follow their decisions. I was actually able to empathize with these characters by the end of the film. This makes the characters nearly perfect in the film. However, the only place the characters fail in this film is the fact that beyond Kyon and Nagato, none of the other characters have any development to speak of. Their personalities are more or less used as a simple plot device to progress the story easily.

Enjoyment

The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya is my favourite anime movie to date. I love how Kyoto Animation was able to continue the story from the original series and give it more depth and human drama. The intricate, dramatic story combined with its incredible animation [for 2010 anyway] and perfect character development made this film an experience that should be viewed by any fan of the Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya series.

The only aspects of this film that keep it from getting a perfect rating is the slow start, lack of character development outside of Kyon and Nagato, and the fact that the music is only above average. However, those are such minor flaws that I can almost forgive them because the story more than makes up for these flaws.

Overall I give the Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya a 9.25 out of 10 and a WATCH THIS NOW rating. This continuation of the series definitely a must-see for all fans of the original series.

reilly.beaulah - 2013-11-12 03:50:42

Part two of my review of the Haruhi series, if you haven't read part one already, click here:

http://hummingbird.me/anime/the-melancholy-of-haruhi-suzumiya/reviews/4302

It's been a while since when I basically blasted the first season of Haruhi, calling it a mediocre, shoehorned mess that did not know whether it wanted to be a Slice of Life or an anime with a serious plot. I did not even know if I was going to come back for a season two. However, after much convincing and an excuse to put off homework, I decided to view and review season two and disappearance. This review will be different though, as having a Story/Characters/Animation/Sound/Enjoyment would seem redundant for a review of the same show. Anyway, first up, The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya Season two.

The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya (2009) aka Season 2

Season two of Haruhi is lambasted by fans and casual watchers alike, being seen as the dark horse of the franchise, and only existing to set up the sequel to the franchise, The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya, the finale to the Haruhi series. Apparently, this season was re-aired along with the original episodes in chronological order. However, crunchyroll showed the broadcast order, and that this point, it was hard to give any kind of shit about what episode took place at what time period. This season is primarily split into two arcs, The Endless Eight, and The Sigh of Haruhi Suzumiya.

The endless eight is the primary reason on why a lot of people hated season two, as if the title did not give it away, the eight episodes are basically the same, "plot" wise and dialogue wise. The only differences being camera angles, animation and the characters clothes. To say these episodes are boring would be an understatement as marathoning these eight was one of my least enjoyable anime experiences. Ever. The worst part is that these eight episodes are significant to getting the full experience out of the anime, so unfortunately, you cannot skip it.

(God Bless the internet)

However, some things that made the endless eight bearable (other than Haruhi's abs) was the improved animation. I blasted the first season for having bland character designs with little detail and boring colors, with its only strong points being the fluid animation. In season two, the animation was even more fluid, almost too fluid, as seeing Haruhi bouncing around every time she talked was amusing, though it became a little disorienting. The colors looked a little improved, but I still would not call the anime, eye candy.However, the character designs had more detail put into them like the facial expressions on the characters of the lines on their neck. Little details like these could only help to flesh out the characters instead of making them like carbon copies of other Moe/Slice of Life anime characters.

Speaking of the characters, the side characters like Koizumi and Mikuru finally get some kind of significant screen time, no matter how little. While Kyon is, and will continue to be, the main focus of the show, the side characters finally get some input into the "plot" and show some kind of relationship to each other, whether it be friendship or distrust. Haruhi was the focal point connecting Koizumi, Nagato, and Asahina. However, Haruhi took a step back from the spotlight to show what was going on behind the scenes with each of these characters and you finally got to see some sort of development going on for them. I have to admit, Koizumi really grew on me. But I still did not care for Mikuru at all and I ended up giving up on Yuki Nagato as a character when she ended up getting even LESS dialogue in this season. I didn't even think that was possible.

(this was pretty adorable though)

And speaking of behind the scenes, the second half of this season was basically the behind the scenes filming of the very first episode of the show. Yea. Remember that episode? The one with the really crappy movie they made? Well it turns out that these were the best episodes in the entire series. Yes, including the "plot" episodes from the first season. Going back to the characters, this is where each of them got a lot more screen time and we also finally got to see some drama between the gang members. We got to see the distrust between Koizumi and Mikuru and we also got to see serious problems between Kyon and Haruhi. And the best part? Yuki Nagato clearly made up for lost time because she actually got a good amount of dialogue in, at least for Yuki Nagato standards.

The music was pretty much the same, though I liked the opening from season one better.

Anyway, there is not much left to say about Season two, and if it sounds like I liked season two better, than the first, than you would be right. I did enjoy season two more than season one, but to be fair that's like saying I enjoy doing my math homework more than my art history homework. It's still not good.

(Haruhi S2 - 6/10)

But everything we've endured was for this one moment, this one point. Also known as the best thing since sliced bread, or to some fans, the second coming of our new lord and savior...

The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya

Well, it was all for this point. The twenty six episodes that were seen and the endless eight that was marathoned, has all been for this movie. Clocking in at almost three hours and the second longest anime movie known to man. This is The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya, also known as the best anime film ever according to MAL and almost every anime fan you can talk to.

I'm just going to be clear at this point. I cannot talk about this movie without including spoilers. While there's no need to talk about any MAJOR spoilers, I will have to refer to certain plot points inside the movie in order to truly write out a complete review. So for those of you that have followed my Haruhi reviews up until this point, and are unsure on whether to take the dive into this series, the answer is yes. The series is not great, but this movie almost feels like it was written by completely different writers as it provides an overall, excellent movie and conclusion to the series. So go watch the series now because this is where the review ends for you.

SPOILERS FOR THE DISAPPEARANCE OF HARUHI SUZUMIYA BELOW. READ AT OWN RISK.

Now that, that is out of the way, it's time to dissect into why this movie gets all the ridiculous praise that it gets and my overall opinion on it. But first, the plot itself.

The movie takes place the week before Christmas, chronologically taking place after the episode Someday in the Rain, in the first season. It begins like every other day for Kyon with him getting wrapped up in some kind of Haruhi scheme. Just when things were getting normal for him, he one day wakes up to discover that Haruhi Suzumiya has disappeared (shocker) and that he's in some kind of messed up reality where things are completely normal for him. Now it's up to Kyon to not only find Haruhi Suzumiya, but to fight some of his own demons to discover what he really wants in his life.

The writing in this movie is just exceptional. There's no way around it. In fact, the "plot" of this movie is so well developed that I can finally take the quotation marks around the word plot because for the first time, this series gains something I can finally call a real plot. And it happens to be really good. The story starts slow paced, but it is to build up the interesting events that happen later on in the movie. I admit it, this movie kept me guessing on what would happen next and I was wrong a lot of the times too. Even though there was spoiler warning, I still do not want to give up too much of the plot as all I can really say is that it was a complete treat from start to finish.

Other than the story, the best part of the show is the animation. But it's not the animation that I need to mention (even though it's even more fluid and gorgeous) and its not the colors (even though it's also significantly improved), but its the lighting. The lighting in this movie is AMAZING.

(LOOK AT IT)

Seriously, whether its Kyon walking in the street or when he opens the door to the clubhouse, the way the light just covers the body and flows through his clothes and skin just makes me want to shed a tear. Seriously, the lighting in this movie is MY fanservice. I plan on watching those lighting scenes at least 15000 more times before I die. But in all seriousness, the animation in this movie is significantly improved over the rest of the series and how it manages to stay consistently good throughout a three hour movie, is a compliment to Kyoto Animation. As much as I do not like Kyoto Animation, I'm not that stubborn to admit they really outdid themselves with the animation here.

The music in this movie is also significantly improved over the rest of the series. The smartest move they made was bringing back the original opening theme to introduce the movie (even though it did not fit the tone of the movie at all). But other than the opening, the movie uses great songs to either help set the tone, or to improve the overall quality of the scene of where its playing.

My personal favorite is the intense Ready

and the somber, tone-setting Gymnopedies.

However, as much praise as I've given this movie so far, there was always going to be a but that stops this movie from achieving something worthy of being a masterpiece. And that is the one trait that I said that was the best part of the series in my first review, which would be the characters themselves. Characters in this movie are either thrown out and replaced, moved to the side, or given significant screen time all of this reminding me of the servants in a certain Grail War.

To start, Mikuru is essentially thrown away, at least, high school Mikuru was. Even in the end she gets no screen time. It almost feels like Kyoto Ani just gave up on her and decided to move on to replace her with Adult, future Mikuru who is a lot more of a stable character, who actually adds to the plot and not Haruhi's object of harassment. There really is not much to say other than that I was disappointed that they did not even try to redeem Mikuru, but rather decided to get rid of her for her future self, which in retrospect was the smarter move.

Koizumi and Haruhi for the most part are moved to the side. Although Haruhi still has her moments, I was still sad to see that the relationship between Kyon and Haruhi never went anywhere, even until the end. It feels like so much work was put into the relationship, only to end with her going full Tsundere on Kyon in the hospital. And as much as I like Koizumi, I had to accept the fact that he would never get any kind of significant plot time and that he would just always be the boring advice guy. And going on the trail of disappointing, seeing that whole "I love Miss Suzumiya" plotline go absolutely nowhere was another indication of a lead going nowhere, something this series did in droves.

(Why couldn't you be a better character?)

But luckily, the two main characters of this movie, Kyon and Yuki Nagato, save the movie by being the stars in a beautiful, story heavy, anime. Kyon faces serious character development here as he struggles to come to grips with this new world he was thrown in. The character devlopment of Kyon was great except for a few cringeworthy moments thrown in the first half of the movie. Was it really necessary for him to flip out at almost every moment throughout the first half of the movie when he was trying to find out what happened. It was understandable at first when Kyon was in the classroom, but considering he should be used to all the magical phoenomenon, he really should have been more cool headed before he assaulted his friend in the classroom when mentioning knowing Haruhi. However, other than those cringeworthy moments, Kyon really made me care for him in the end, and following the story from his prespective was nothing short of a great journey.

Yuki Nagato is an odd one. She finally got some character development.....for Yuki Nagato standards anyway. However, she finally showed some kind of emotion when Kyon discovered the truth and seeing her finally start to show some emotion towards the end when she was with Kyon really helped sell her as a character. Plus seeing her cute, moe side was pretty fun for a while. However, as blasphemous as it may be, I still do not care for Yuki Nagato. I did not feel bad for her after endless eight and I still did not care for her throughout the movie, though I was a little sad when Kyon rejected her club enrollment letter. Whether it was luck, or Kyoto Ani knowing that some people really do not care for Yuki Nagato, the movie is still just as enjoyable whether you care for her or not and that is all that really matters for a movie like this.

The biggest problem I personally had with the movie has to ironically do with the plot, which I said was the strongest point. For as satisfying the movie was as a conclusion to the series, the movie leaves too many unanswered questions to call it a true ending. Why was the discord between Mikuru and Koizumi during the end of season two never expanded upon in the movie? How did Haruhi even become a god in the first place? What was all the "classified information" that Mikuru could not tell Kyon about during the endless eight? Too many questions without answers, though that could be me asking too much of a show that just expected me to believe everything I was told anyway.

So in the end there really is not much left to say. As much grief as this series gave me, I'm really going to miss to everything about it. I'll remember my time of marathoning the endless eight or simulcasting the Disappearance movie because in the end I really enjoyed this series, regardless of what these reviews or my opinion on the series make anyone think.

Currently, the Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya is available for being purchase on Amazon for $40 dollars and is Licensed by the now abandoned Bandai. Season 2 of Haruhi is available for streaming (in bad quality) from Crunchyroll.

Thanks to HaruhiSuzumiyaGod1 and undonekai for your videos

shanahan.idell - 2013-09-09 22:58:36

The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumyia - Spoiler-free review

The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumyia, largely because of it's popularity, and ever since then, people started loving and worshiping Haruhi as if she was a god or something...oh wait. And so those same people created a religion based off Haruhi and obeyed Haruhi's every command and not realizing that they're just worshiping a 16 year old girl. For those over-obsessed Haruhi fans (like me) who watched the second season, The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumyia (2009) or as I like to call it, The "Disappointment" of Haruhi Suzumyia know that second season is the finest example of how to destroy an anime, a fan-base, and a religion all at the same time, it's that bad. After watching the second season, I didn't really want to watch the movie and only saw it as it's last way to redeem itself, but I'm so glad that I actually watched the movie.

Story: 10/10
The movie is a bit different from the actually series itself. Instead of being a slice of life, comedy, the movie took a big turn to supernatural and mystery. The story is about Kyon finding out that Haruhi has disappeared and he doesn't have to deal with Haruhi's crazy ideas or supernatural powers, such as making a film, fighting aliens, or stopping the world from repeating 15,527 times in a row, AKA, he's living a normal life. And he has to find out who or what caused Haruhi to disappear. The story was amazing, it has as much plot twists as Steins;Gate and is unpredictable even if you could predict the future. Everything was put together so well and executed so perfectly that by the end of the movie, you'll be saying: "WOW".

Art/Animation: 10/10
The art style in the movie was the same as it was from the show, nothing really changed. The animation for the T.V series was great already, but when you squeeze it into only one movie, the animation really shines. From Kyon walking to running to talking, the animation made it look like not a single frame was to be missed. Especially during the high-tension moments, the animation well done so perfectly, than it gave me goosebumps.

Sound: 10/10
The sound was fantastic, and only complimented the well done animation. Honestly, the sound track for The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumyia has to be one of the best soundtracks in anime history. I mean it's so good I had ear-gasms, it's a lot to make a guy have orgasms from their ears, especially if it's from the Haruhi series. Goosebumps were rising from my skin several times during the movie. I never knew a soundtrack could be this good compared to it's T.V series. You know music is good when it gives you goosebumps.

Characters: 9/10
The Characters were great, unlike from the anime series, in the show, the character were good and interesting, but had almost no character development at all. The movie was full of character development from Kyon, how much resolve he has is amazing, and I'm not talking about the resolve you usually see in shonen anime, like for example: More resolve= more power,*cough* Dragonball Z *cough.* It's the type of resolve where the character will do anything to reach their goal. I never knew a guy like Kyon could have so much resolve. Also you get to see Yuki Nagato with emotions for once, so when you see Yuki blushing, it will probably be the cutest thing you've ever seen. How cute? Cuter than Rikka from Chuunibyou demo Koi ga Shitai, Yui from Angel beats, or even Mayuri from Steins;Gate. And believe it or not, Yuki actually develops in the movie. Other than Kyon and Yuki Nagato, everyone played a part in the movie. The only downside is that not much other characters develop as much as Yuki or Kyon such as Mikuru, but I didn't really mind that.

Enjoyment: 9/10
I've never seen an anime movie quite like this one. The story kept me guessing and wondering who or what if behind all this. I honestly couldn't of asked for a better movie. The only thing that I kinda didn't like was the beginning. The beginning was kind of slow and if you're impatient like me, you would think so too. But other than that I really enjoyed the movie.

Overall, The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumyia was really something else. From it's unpredictable, mysterious story, to it's perfect animation and it's amazing work of music, this movie is easily my favourite anime movie of all time. The only problem it that you have to watch the second season of The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumyia to know some parts of the movie. Now that my birthday is coming closer, I don't want a video game, nor a new laptop, but I demand a new season of Haruhi! I'm ohhenry2, and I give The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumyia, a Flawless 10/10

erippin - 2013-07-23 00:54:23

The Suzumiya series has been an intriguing thing for me. The order in which the episodes aired was confusing at first. The plot was never the best part. I had the most fun watching the club just running around having fun, the baseball episode being my favourite. Haruhi would be the driving force for each episode. She would order the club around and they would have no choice but to comply or the world would end. This movie is nothing like that.First and foremost, the most discernible thing about this movie is the lack of Haruhi. Instead of employing Haruhi as the driving force behind what occurs, this movie instead utilizes Kyon and Yuki. We see Yuki in a brand new way. She now has feelings, crying and laughing. She is what sets everything in motion, not Haruhi. We now see Kyon reacting and changing as he goes through a dilemma that nearly drives him crazy. We see the effort he puts into escaping the trouble he falls into, as he goes through a journey of self realization.This movie is a fresh and innovative addition to anime as a medium. Portraying previously bland characters in new ways. Apart from the near perfect plot, only problems being very slow pacing at the beginning, the movie has wonderful music and animation is of consistent quality throughout the movie.This movie will satisfy die hard Haruhi fans and will surprise others who did not like it to such a degree and it is by far, Kyoto Animation's best work yet.10/10 Perfect

vicky04 - 2013-07-10 05:46:12

Story: Kyon finds out one day that the girl who harasses him everyday and orders him around to what he claims is against his will...Disappears.

Gone.

Just like that.

The story focuses on how he handles it and what he does about it. The story is intriguing enough to keep you wondering, but doesn't rush, which is fine because the

Animation: Is pretty enough to enjoy the movie even when nothing exciting is happening. You can see their breath in the frigid air, and the detail of their winter clothes. I felt cold watching it. It's crisp and makes you wish real life looked so pretty.

Sound: The sounds are very well done but don't detract from the movie. There is nothing to complain about here, so I won't.

Characters: The characters take whatever good you might have found in the animated show, and turned the dial to epic. Haruhi was my favorite in the show... in the movie she turned into one of my favorite anime characters of all time. I merely liked Yuki in the show. I fell in love with her in the movie. Even Asahina who I feel is the weakest character in the show seemed to get rid of her annoying habits and kept all the good ones. I don't know how they did it, but I forever love what they did with the characters.

Final Thoughts: There is only one negative thing about the movie: you sort of need to watch the show beforehand or perhaps read a synopsis of the characters on the wiki or something. Without it, you will not understand some of the finer points and more importantly the ending won't make any sense at all. However this is a bad point more about needing to watch the show (which has a lot of problems) and has zero to do with the movie itself, so I will not take any points away from the movie for that fact.

Find an enjoyable way to know the characters before watching the movie and you can appreciate this gem for all it's worth.

wolf.kellen - 2013-07-07 21:53:28

Story: 10For me the storyline and plot were great. Although like most movies based on a series, to fully enjoy this movie, watching both seasons 1 and 2 of the series would be beneficial in order to understand what's going on because a lot of the key points of the story were based on events that happened during the first two seasons, and understanding what Haruhi is capable of is also a crucial factor in order to grasp how her "disappearance" affects the world...and Kyon's reality since he, for some reason, is the only one who notices the change.Art: 10Whether it be the series or the movie, Artwork was always amazing. Because the setting has a Slice of life feel (unlike futuristic/fantasy settings), majority of the backgrounds and setting are taken place in everyday Japanese prefecture/schools. Might seem like a plain setting, but the detail of the Houses, fences, rock walls, schools...etc were visually attractive. You could tell they didn't really skim on the details. Sound: 8The music was very good, although I didn't really pay too much attention to it. However, after the opening scene/prologue, you are greeted by the ever familiar, "Bouken Desho Desho", and for some reason, it sounds so much greater and more dramatic...it could have been a combination of an awesome song mixed with a great opening sequence, or probably the knowledge that I was going to watch an epic movie. I'm not sure, but other than that, the scores were nice. I could tell that the creators put extra effort for the different background music. Though most of it weren't really that memorable, just nice to listen to. The the song in the ending credits were...well I dunno, could've been better :pCharacters: 10I think this is one of the reasons I enjoyed this movie so much. The depth of the characters were outstanding. Not only was it nice to see them again, but also refreshing to see in their different changes. Especially Yuki. For those who are Yuki fans, I think you're in for a treat. Oh and the emotions in this movie are something else. Some scenes just grabs you at the heart, and other scenes just makes wish you could Smile for ear to ear...at least for me lol, you can feel the moods and emotions portrayed ...like others saying, an "emotional roller coaster." Enjoyment: 10I enjoyed this movie so much that I didn't even realize it was 2 hours and 42 minutes long. The time just flew by. The reason I enjoyed it was because it had a little of everything, there was excitement, suspense, world changing events(lol) comedy, drama, Moe, and other things I can't think of right now. Overall: 10This Movie has gone on my list as one of the greatest anime movies out there. It's not like other anime movies that pretty much sums up the anime/manga series, nor is it a movie that makes no sense. It is an enjoyable movie with a clever plot that takes you on an emotional wild ride and leaves you guessing the whole way through. As a Haruhi Suzumiya fan, this movie was quite the treat, especially after the "Endless Eight" Stunt they pulled...I survived it, but I'm not a fan of it ;( Anyway, as long as you've watched the and enjoyed the series, I am confident that you will love this Movie as much as I did. Thank you for reading, I hope you enjoyed my review. :)~Chris

braulio27 - 2013-07-07 21:04:41

I was never a big fan of the Haruhi franchise. Having seen both anime seasons, I didn't find much going for this series, except how different it felt and how fun it was to watch. The story, however, never went beyond decent. At least by my standards. That, coupled with the extraordinary length of this movie, were the reasons why it took me so long to watch it. Now, I regret having delayed it so much. Suzumiya Haruhi no Shoushitsu turned out to be an astounding piece of art that I won't forget for a long time. It also made me realize just how wrong I was about the Haruhi franchise.First of all, keep in mind this movie is a sequel to the TV series. That said, I'd recommend watching the whole 28 episodes before the movie. Suzumiya Haruhi no Shoushitsu picks up a couple of plot points from both seasons and establishes parallels regarding character reactions. Therefore, one won't be able to enjoy it to its fullest, unless they've watched the TV series.The biggest difference between this movie and the previous seasons is, without a doubt, the plot. Suzumiya Haruhi no Shoushitsu brings the story to a whole new level of quality. But ironically, that is only possible thanks to the TV series. In fact, it's not an overstatement to say that those 28 episodes felt like a prologue to this. The needed pieces had been laid down carefully and this movie masterfully uses them to develop an outstanding story, taking full advantage of its 162 min. The way it heavily relies both on the plot points and character development of previous seasons, while perfectly tying all of that up, not leaving a single detail unattended, is nothing short of impressive.Seeing the story unfold through Kyon's eyes as always, seems to have a more important role in here, as it allows the movie to convey a range of emotions in a way that wouldn't have been possible otherwise. When the reality changes you feel just as lost as Kyon; as the events develop and things are slowly revealed, you can feel his surprise. Of course that wouldn't be possible if the plot was predictable, which brings me to my next point: how clever the plot was and how well it was executed. While you're watching, you can't manage to guess much further than the current scene. But when you look back, you'll notice just how well everything was foreshadowed. From plot twists to character reactions and their role in the events, everything was hinted at some point, be it in the TV series or earlier in the movie.Another impressive feat achieved by this story was the excellent use of the time-traveling plot device. Personally, that's a plot point I love. However, it's also one that's hard to pull off properly, being often a synonym of loose ends and inconsistencies. Suzumiya Haruhi no Shoushitsu managed to do it just fine. It even involves time paradoxes, but closes the loop as well as one could possibly imagine. If you're going into this movie, prepare to think quite a bit, as it does require your head to be working so it can be enjoyed and understood. If you come with an open mind and a fresh brain, I guarantee you won't be disappointed by the plot. Rather, you'll be kept in the edge of your seat as you are, along with Kyon, trying to figure out what the hell is going one.But the plot is not the only thing this movie has going for it. If I had do, I'd say this is half plot-driven, half character-driven. The best thing being the fact that it excels at both. Suzumiya Haruhi no Shoushitsu is packed with character development and, despite focusing mostly on Kyon and Nagato, you get the opportunity to understand each of the main characters a bit better. Kyon is still his usual, sarcastic self and his monologues are as great as ever. Or even better if that's possible. He does undergo great development as he comes to a realization that reflects a saying that's mostly true to most of us: we don't value what we have until we've lost it. What I found great, however, was how he didn't only understand that, made his decision and there was a "personality reset" as it frequently happens in anime. By the end of the movie, you can see his attitude truly changed. Nagato also gets a good development. It felt really nice to get to learn the wishes of someone who never openly expresses them and isn't actually supposed to have them. Most of the development regarding the other characters comes from the fact that the movie plays the "what if..." card. Getting to know how it would be like if Haruhi didn't have powers and how the characters would act then was truly enjoyable. That's because despite the huge differences in their situation, their personalities remained the same, which allowed to reveal some emotions and motivations that explain a couple of reactions and things spoke by some characters during the series, that would otherwise stay shrouded in mystery. So I can say that in the character department Suzumiya Haruhi no Shoushitsu does quite the nice job. I was always of the opinion that the franchise had characters with great potential and this installment allows them to truly shine. (Well, Asahina is as uninteresting as always -- I apologize to the fans -- but at least her future self gets some development.)Story and characters aside, the movie doesn't fall short on the artistic department either. The character designs are exactly the same, which is a positive since some movies tend to have certain unsettling differences, and remain consistent throughout the whole 162 minutes, which is a step up from the second season's inconsistent designs. Apart from that, everything looks great, there are a couple of really beautiful backgrounds, and the attention to detail really pays off. But the best thing has to be the animation. You can tell certain scenes were done with lots of care, both the camera angles and the animation detail were so well played out as to evoke an emotional response from the viewers.The sound, however, is probably the weak link of Suzumiya Haruhi no Shoushitsu. It's far from being bad - it just isn't at the same level as everything else in this movie. The OP is the same as the first season. I was never a big fan of the song, but I actually felt glad they used it here. The ED, on the other hand, while sad and calm, can feel a little dull. I think most people might have a hard time enjoying it. But that's really subjective, anyway. On to the OST, it is by no means bad, but it's not really memorable either. It does do its job though: setting the proper mood to each scene; and it never feels out of place. The voice acting is great, though. Kyon's monologues shine for its content, but one cannot underestimate how important Sugita Tomokazu's role is in making them truly epic. And as anyone can tell (because they ARE epic), he does his job really well. As do all other seiyuu here, just as in the TV series.Overall, this movie is nothing short of a masterpiece in my eyes. An amazing plot with mindblowing plot twists, great character development and beautiful art join to form a stunning work that will definitely be kept in my mind for really long.Make sure you don't let the length of the movie scare you: this is bound to be an enjoyable ride, even if you're not a huge fan of the Haruhi series. The only fault you might encounter are some minor pacing issues, but the slow scenes do have their importance and impact and are also well placed. I don't think anyone can deny how clever and well executed the plot was. Watching this is definitely one of the best ways I can imagine to spend 2 hours and 42 minutes.

kenyon51 - 2013-06-28 08:18:31

This Review is out of 100. 35/100 for Story, 35/100 for Characters, 15/100 for Sound, 15/100 for AnimationStory (34/35) Nice atmosphere, intriguing story, better end than the series. Characters (33/35) A lot of much needed development for the entire SOS BrigadeSound (13/15) Great, fit this movie very well. Animation (14/15) Top notch. Overall (94/100) I can't be the only one that was surprised that this amazing movie came from Haruhi Suzumiya. The series isn't bad, but this movie is so much better. The storytelling is a lot more dark and complex than the usual Haruhi series. It starts out only a little more dark (due to it being winter) and the beginning is what you would expect from the usual Haruhi episode, but the rest of the movie is completely different. The atmosphere is totally changed from the show, and it is a welcomed change, as it fits this sci-fi time travel story like a glove. The story can get really complex and confusing, especially if you aren't paying close attention. This was the first and only time this series has ever confused me, and I was glad. I didn't know what was gonna happen next, and kept me at the edge of my seat, something the series could not accomplish in 100 years. (34/35)You got tons of character development in this: everyone from Kyon, to Koizumi, to God herself all get some important and needed development. The two characters that get the most are easily Kyon and Nagato. This movie explores what Kyon really thinks about the SOS Brigade, now that he is given that chance to go back and be normal again. Sure, most people would kill to be in his position, as they always seem to be having fun, but Kyon never seems to like his life all that much. Nagato is surprisingly human in this movie, and we get to know a lot more about all the mysteries surrounding her. (33/35)Unsurprisingly the music is great, as is the rest of the movie. It was tweaked to fit the movie's darker atmosphere better and did a pretty good job. (13/15)The dub is also pretty good, I suggest you try it before trying the sub. Since we are still talking about Kyoto Ani here, the animation is top notch, an some of their best work to date. Fluid, good looking, pretty much everything you come to expect from a blockbuster movie like this. (14/15)This was an amazing movie and easily one of my favorites. The only reason it isn't 100% perfect is because the series is not as good and you sort of have to watch the series to appreciate the film. Some characters might get on your nerves, like Mikuru.

bud.donnelly - 2013-04-24 02:37:52

The Dissapearance of Haruhi Suzumiya starts off with this line said over a black screen:

"The morning of December 16. It was so cold. And I mean cold, that if you took an ice pick and plunged it into the ground, you'd shatter the earth into a million pieces."

Now on one level, that's simply a brilliantly written image to describe how cold it is, which then leads into Kyon not wanting to get out of bed. It keeps the story flowing, or rather, starts the flow.

But it also establishes two things:

• The date will later be important and so the viewers are quickly given a reference.
  
• Kyon is the narrator, and a fanciful and unreliable one at that.

It's only much, much later that you realize how that quote pertains to the plot of the film, how it functions as extremely subtle foreshadowing, getting the image of global disruption in the viewer's mind long before the action or even true exposition has even started. Nineteen seconds into the movie, no visuals yet and you're loaded with meaning, voice and style. And that – is awesome.

The entire movie is made like this. On the surface, the writing and animation drives the film along, keeping the viewer entertained enough to continue. The story is a fantastic, original mystery case.

Then there's the great execution that you can interpret immediately (and probably subconsciously), using tricks like tilting and blurring the camera to show Kyon disoriented and rattled, or keeping the color pallet muted until the eponymous character arrives, so as to contrast her with the dull world.

Then finally, there's the undercurrent. The movie is presenting the choice Kyon has to make in the climax to the viewer all throughout the movie, and all the while the viewer is totally oblivious – just. like. Kyon. Disappearance is rife with analogy, metaphor and symbolism, all that can only be sussed out after multiple viewings. Consider the plot relevance, composition and self-contained tale told through these shots from the same scene.

That's the type of experience you're in for with The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya. It's the kind of movie you write essays about. It's the kind of work you use to teach story-telling and movie-making techniques. It's the equivalent in depth and style of something masterful like There Will Be Blood. And it's fun as hell to watch.

It is required viewing for any Haruhi fan, required viewing for any anime fan (you probably should watch the TV series first, however), and probably worth picking up anime as a hobby entirely for the two hours of this film.