The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya

The SOS Brigade

After much anticipation, last night I was finally able to watch The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya, Kyoto Animation’s recent feature-length installation of the popular comedy/sci-fi/fantasy anime series The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya.

Set primarily during the last week of school before Christmas, the film sees narrator Kyon wake up one morning to a world that’s not quite right. At first he rationalises some of the minor inconsistencies he finds – but when his friend and leader of the SOS Brigade, Haruhi, is absent from the memory of everyone in school but him, he becomes more than a little disturbed at these peculiar circumstances.

Something about the series I enjoy in particular is the breadth of impact on the world that exists between episodes. Some are very personal, exploring the inner thoughts, feelings and emotions of the characters – whereas in others, the fate of the world is at stake and its up to the SOS Brigade to save the day. The overarching events of this film are definitely of on the epic side of that scale of impact the series spans so well. The climactic final scenes had me on the edge of my seat, genuinely unsure about whether or not the world we’ve become attached to throughout the series would still exist following these events.

In addition though, we are presented with some important developments of a more personal variety. We are given some insight into feelings of Kyon and Yuki, about the what they’ve been through since high-school began earlier in the year, how it has affected them and what his friends and experiences are worth to Kyon. As a result, the tone of much of the film is rather dark, but there are still some classic outrageous moments to enjoy when Haruhi is given the opportunity to provide them.

The film provides some fantastic revelations for fans familiar with the intricacies of the preceding series. Due to the epic, multi-threaded plot that is woven throughout the 2 hours and 45 minutes of film we are treated to, I was left eager to go back to the TV episodes and watch them with a new perspective on some of the events that took place previously.

The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya renewed my excitement about the universe and its characters, and I’m very much looking forward to the next installment. It’s a must watch for any Haruhi fan.

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