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AICN Anime - The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya

Akira by Nuck81	Aug 7th, 2007 09:51:25 AM
Is the only Anime I really enjoyed
nuck81 by Andillformthehead	Aug 7th, 2007 09:58:39 AM
pretty much...
although... by Andillformthehead	Aug 7th, 2007 10:00:47 AM
Tekkonkinkreet is good. Saw it at City Cinema (I think) in New York. Good stuff. I've always seen Anime as a genre with a few classics (Akira, Ghost in the Shell), some good stuff (Tekkonkinkreet) and the rest crap.
That being said... by Andillformthehead	Aug 7th, 2007 10:02:12 AM
I really don't place Battle of the Planets and Voltron in that category as they are kind of "proto-anime" as far as western audiences go.
Haru-tards by Prof_Ender	Aug 7th, 2007 11:12:08 AM
Sure it's an all right series. Still don't see why people have been flocking to it this past year. Seems like just another bubble in the chili.
Haruhi better in TV broadcast order by Johnno	Aug 7th, 2007 12:32:22 PM
I guess it's popularity is because it's a fresh take on an otherwise stale high school life genre. It is a pretty good show with good production and appealing characters. Suzumiya herself is well designed and immediatedly viewing the series it's one of those that you just know people are going to embrace and cosplay. It's a lovable show, it just has that kind of charm and one that is very identifiably 'anime' without falling prey to a 'stereotyping typicalness' that people associate anime with.
Haruhi... by Strabo	Aug 7th, 2007 12:39:30 PM
I'm really mostly a neophyte when it comes to anime. I've seen some of the classics of the genre...Akira, Cowboy Bebop, etc, but I've missed a lot of them also, Evangelion, GitS, etc. Anything that gives off the feel of DBZ instantly earns my enmity. That shit is fucking insipid and I want to strangle every single fucking person involved in the production or consumption of it. Having said that, I heard some of the buzz over Haruhi earlier this year and started downloading it while it was still airing. The story was mostly inconsequential trivial fluff, but the characters and humor of the series really drew me in. I'd never expected that I'd like something like this, but I did. The review above is spot-on. The series embraces the conventions and stereotypes of the genre, while fully understanding how ludicrous they are. The first (airing) episode is a full statement of their intent in creating the show. At first while I was watching it I was thinking that either it was the most horrible thing I'd ever watched, or it was one of the greatest satires I've ever seen. It ended up being somewhere close to the latter. Anyway, put me down for a vote to watch the series in the original airing order. After you've watched it in airing order, then you can rewatch either the entire series in chronological order, or just the final chronological episode. And again, the series gets a full recommendation from this anime neophyte.
Id as soon let Brett Ratners Tranny blow me by artie langes nut	Aug 7th, 2007 01:17:39 PM
Then watch anime anything, hey o o o o o
Review by Prof_Ender	Aug 7th, 2007 03:38:21 PM
Ah, here we go: http://www.animeacademy.com/fi nalrevdisplay.php?id=580
If you want to know what happens... by forgot_old_username	Aug 7th, 2007 04:21:47 PM
... after the Haruhu anime, and indeed before it, check out the light novels: http://tinyurl.com/nt6fy
Nuck81 by kingoflight	Aug 7th, 2007 04:31:41 PM
You need to watch a few more then as akira is not really the best of the best just the best know for westen world. I just finished watching death note and i think that was by far the best anime ive watched for a long long time i recommend it to anyone not just anime watchers.
I tihnk a second season of it was announced... by Johnno	Aug 7th, 2007 10:41:04 PM
I wonder how they're going to handle that... But I look forward to it.
Why are people that don't by SpookyOtaku	Aug 8th, 2007 09:57:30 AM
Why are people that don't have any interest in anime posting in a TB about anime? get a life trolls. I'll have to check out this Haruhi...this is the first I've heard of it.
re: Dragon Ball by veritasses	Aug 8th, 2007 02:57:22 PM
The creator of Dragon Ball (Toriyama Akira) is a legend in Japan. You won't meet many mainstream (not just Otaku) Japanese people who don't know who he is or who haven't read his manga, seen his anime and artwork or played the video games that he's been associated with. He probably influenced and inspired many if not most of the manga authors writing today in one form or another. I can't say that I've read or seen all that much DB myself and I know sometimes turning manga into an anime can dilute/pollute the manga. I also know that the Americanization always falls short of the raw material so the gripes about DB might be well justified but I've read his earlier manga (Dr. Slump) as a kid and can tell you that he his manga/story telling abilities are as good as they get. Just thought I'd mention that cause I didn't want people to think the author was solely responsible for what we see here on the Cartoon Network. Of course you're still free to hate it.
I think another draw to Haruhi's appeal by Johnno	Aug 8th, 2007 03:33:27 PM
At least for me, it was mainly the dry wit and frustrated narration of the male lead 'Kyon.' A major shift from the male characters typical of this genre if you ask me. Though I haven't watched a lot of these.
Haruhi Suzumiya... popular!? by Saithus	Aug 8th, 2007 07:05:35 PM
I for one watched the series on Youtube with a few days of boredom to live out before something important happened in my little life. I watched it all in the broadcast order and I was finish with it like any other anime. I didn't notice anything special about it. It was an entertaining Anime that was different. But what made the series for me was the relationship with Kyon and Suzimiya. I can't understand why its so popular. I don't dwell into this much thought as the reviewer did on anything I watch. I like the series. Just like I would any other Anime series. Its good fun that I think any Anime fan can enjoy. But I felt like the series stalled after a while because I felt like it was going no where significant. I am glad they are making a second season. So I hope they finish some things off unlike they did in the first season. The series still needs work and if it keeps its originality top notch. Then it truly can be something special. But I need more of it to truly appreciate what I've seen from it. To me then its just another anime series that was ended too short and didn't take its potential to the max.
AGreed Saithus, that this wasn't really an 'epic' show by Johnno	Aug 9th, 2007 12:08:40 AM
It's just comically mundane in what it does but for some reason it has stormed into popularity out of nowhere and that's what makes it interesting to speculate on. Most likely it has to do with the characters' charm. And perhaps the fact that it's short lived plot leaves you wanting more while being satisfied at the same time. It didn't dive deeply into the long built romantic arcs typical of shows like these. It didn't create relationship difficulties and misunderstandings like other school life centered stories. It simply is... and parodying other stereotypes in it that draw various people to anime may be what helps it out. Even the broadcast order might have something to do with attracting attention and many of us would watch it again just to follow it chronologically. It's very unique and thsoe tired of the usual thing would no doubt jump onto it. It carved itself a special place, and in AICN fashion, Suzumiya Haruhi is this years little miss anime sunshine!
Vol 1 by SpookyOtaku	Aug 10th, 2007 09:47:18 AM
So I've watched Vol 1 and it is appealing, but it isn't something that looks primed to be a top anime for the year. I obviously have only seen four episodes and found it somewhat predictable. I do like that Kyon seems slightly inspired by Mulder/Duchovny in design and the VA deadpan delivery, if this is played up in future episodes this one may indeed be a keeper.

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AICN Anime - The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya

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