Review for The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya (Review)
Thursday, 3rd November 2011, 18:03

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Introduction
What a 'mare Haruhi Suzumiya has been, a franchise that in the West has turned out to be as unpredictable and temperamental as its titular heroine. The first season was released in the UK without incident, but subsequent incarnations have been plagued by the equivalent of King Tut's curse. There's scheduling that I can't quite get my head around, a deluxe boxset of Haruhi Suzumiya Season 2, complete with part one of the Haruhi-chan shorts, followed by a stand alone release of part 2 of the Haruhi-chan shorts, followed in December by the standalone release of Haruhi Suzumiya Season 2, and the standalone release of Part 1 of Haruhi-chan, an ass-backwards way of doing things. Then there are the technical flaws, with Haruhi Suzumiya Season 2 released in English speaking territories with a mono Japanese soundtrack. That's even before the content, with Season 2's Endless Eight arc possibly the biggest troll in anime history, one that makes the End of Evangelion saga seem like a minor kerfuffle.

To top it all off, there are the delays. This Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya feature film was originally intended for release alongside Season 2, but got pushed back by four months to November instead. Then, just as I was getting all fired up for its release, word emerged that the Blu-ray disc had failed its QC; it wouldn't play on PS3s. The Blu-ray release of The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya has now been pushed back even further to the end of February. At least we get the DVD before Christmas, which given the movie's story is appropriate. All of that is enough to have me gnashing my teeth and cursing at the screen as I put the check disc into the player. And then, after the pre-credits teaser, the familiar theme tune plays, Bouken Desho Desho that was used in Season 1, and all of my concerns and gripes vanish, and I get this indescribable, and wholly illogical certainty that this movie will be the best thing I've seen this year.

A quick recap, a.k.a. cut and paste of what Haruhi Suzumiya is all about…

One of the peculiarities of the Japanese education system is the emphasis on extra-curricular activity. It's practically expected that students take part in some sort of interest outside of lessons, to foster individual or team development, and encourage initiative. The dropouts who go home at the end of the school day are the exception rather than the rule. It's a little factette worth noting when watching any anime set in a school environment, and The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya in particular, as it focuses on a rather peculiar set of dropouts. The anime is based on a set of novels by Nagaru Tanigawa, and is told from the point of view of a boy starting high school. Kyon like many other young teens had a brief flirtation with the paranormal, the extra-terrestrial and the just plain weird, but now that he is starting high school he has put such juvenile pursuits behind him. But then, on the first day of school he winds up sat in front of the class cutie, Haruhi Suzumiya, who promptly makes a statement when introducing herself, that unless they are aliens, espers or time travellers, that no one should bother her. The students who came up to high school with her tell Kyon that she has always been the eccentric, and that befriending her would take more energy than it is worth. Then Kyon, on his umpteenth attempt to make conversation tells a rather sullen and withdrawn Haruhi that she should just start her own club.

Suddenly she's energised and enthused, and Kyon has a new role in life, that of Haruhi's lackey. "The Spreading Excitement All Over the World with Haruhi Suzumiya Brigade" is born, the SOS Brigade for short, and they soon find a headquarters for the club. But school regulations state that an after school group needs a minimum of five members. Fortunately the clubroom comes with the sole member of the otherwise graduated Literature club, Yuki Nagato, a rather introverted girl who always has her nose in a book. Next comes Mikuru Asahina, a timid young thing who's pleasing on the eye in Kyon's opinion, but who Haruhi sees as her personal plaything. Of course the oddest students of all according to Haruhi are exchange students, with mysterious pasts and hidden abilities. The first such student that arrives at school gets press-ganged by Haruhi, and with Itsuki Koizumi, the Brigade has its mandatory five members. And so the search for weird phenomenon, time travellers, espers and aliens, begins. But no one in the SOS Brigade is exactly as they seem, and odd things start to happen around Haruhi Suzumiya.

That was the description most apt for the two TV series. The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya is adapted from the fourth light novel, and takes place after the series; so all events that happen in those 28 episodes are past when this movie starts.

December 16th… Winter's chill makes it extremely difficult for Kyon to escape the covers in the morning, but knowing what is most likely awaiting him at school doesn't make it any easier. SOS Brigade Leader Haruhi Suzumiya has a hyper event planned, a Christmas party to end all Christmas parties, and it's all hands to deck to prepare for the big event. That means lackey Kyon of course.

December 17th… That cold is biting, but no less than the knowledge of what Haruhi expects from him. But, maybe donning a reindeer outfit won't be so bad, as long as Mikuru is wearing that cute Santa outfit. Classmate Taniguchi won't be attending the party though, he's gone and done the impossible and gotten a date.

December 18th… It's a good thing that his sister is a sadist that enjoys dragging him out of bed, or Kyon would never get out from under the covers. Today, more than ever he wishes he hadn't woken up. Going to school, he learns that Taniguchi doesn't have a date, he has cold. In fact the whole school is coming down with the sniffles. And there isn't going to be a Christmas Party for the SOS Brigade. There isn't an SOS Brigade. There isn't a Haruhi Suzumiya! Instead, sitting behind him in class is Ryoko Asakura, the same Asakura that vanished after trying to kill him back in spring; only she's a normal school girl again. There's no Class 9 in the school, and no Itsuki Koizumi. Mikuru Asahina has no idea who he is, has no idea what time travel is, and when Kyon tries to press her, is quickly convinced that he's a creep. In desperation he heads for the Brigade headquarters, only to find that it's still the Literature Club, and solitary in the corner behind a book is Yuki Nagato. This isn't the Yuki Nagato he knows, This Yuki is a shy, easily flustered girl, hiding behind her glasses, and even more, nursing something of a crush on Kyon. The SOS Brigade never existed, and the world is suddenly normal again. The question isn't how to change things back; the question is whether Kyon actually wants to change it back?

Picture
The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya gets a 1.78:1 anamorphic transfer on the DVD, which given that most theatrical presentations are at 1.85:1, might suggest some cropping, or extra information in the frame. It doesn't make much difference either way, as the native PAL transfer looks gorgeous, bringing across the film without flaw. It's the characters, the world, the ambience of the television show, but raised to a wholly different level, with much more detail and care given to it. At the start of the film when Haruhi wheels out a whiteboard on which to illustrate her grand Christmas plans, you can actually see the imperfections in the surface of the board. That level of care is applied to the whole film, and I'm salivating at the prospect of seeing it on the eventual Blu-ray.

As mentioned, the detail in the film is amazing, but what also appeals is the effect that mood and lighting have on the film. There's a subtly different palette of colours used once reality alters, it's almost subliminal, but there is a duller, less lively outlook to the world, colours subdued, and a slightly darker feel to proceedings. The animation is excellent, the characters are realistically animated, and quieter, introspective moments contrast well with the big 'action' scenes. The film is the world of Haruhi Suzumiya at its most detailed, most striking, and given the quality of the original television series, that's really saying something.

Sound
Audio comes in DD 5.1 English and Japanese, with optional translated subtitles and a signs only track. It's a full-throated surround track, even if this isn't exactly an action heavy picture, with the dialogue, music and effects getting decent placement. The music is exceptional, the film has the orchestral upgrade from the television series, and the use of classical music, as well as a proper cinematic score makes it really stand out as a feature film. I went with the original language track; with this much Haruhi under my belt, it would have felt weird to switch at this point. But I did start watching the film in English just to see how the dub felt. I would have watched the film through again, then and there, had I not noticed the time, so you can be assured that this is one of the good dubs.

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