Moe Life, No Life Feature Presentation - The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya

Nagato's first appearance in the film.

Every so often, a film comes out at the right time to really rally the spirits.

This year, that film was The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya.

I'll spare you all the saying that the film held in it some kind of a message or meaning that one could take into real life, because for all intents and purposes the only real message I could gather was "Once a yandere, always a yandere"

 But The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya is special for an entirely different reason. That is that it's Christmas, the film takes place within the same time frame, and it's a memory contained in modern cinema that I hold very dear.

 A memory of my youth.

 That isn't to say that I hung around a time traveler, alien, esper, and tsundere. No, I wasn't that lucky, but instead I was able to reflect back on a time in which I was younger, more naive, but also more energetic and optimistic, the time when I first laid eyes on The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya via recommendation of a friend, and saw the anime that would change my life forever.

 The film itself is really only marginally better than the anime that spawned it, to be honest, it's a sign that Lucky Star and K-ON! have corrupted the Kyoto Animation framework to the point that even their most prolific works are stained with an almost fat roundness. Yes, some of the moments in the movie are amazingly well done, but compared to the original Haruhi, it only meets expectations and doesn't pass by them.

 That isn't to say that the film isn't beautiful, but if you spend your life in a rose garden, then even the most beautiful rose in the desert will look standard at best.

 But still, in a season where we all get a little lonely, the characters of Haruhi are the best companions I could hope for.

 For the diehard fans of the title, you'll feel far more at home than anyone else, myself included, it's almost as if the anime never ended, as if the second season was just an extension, and we were back five or so years ago when Haruhi was all the rage.

 The fan service and appeal of the movie is all in the details. The different faces of the characters, the way they say things and the reactions they give beat all forms of visual fan service, a more sophisticated and colorful eye candy is presented in addition to an amazing music score and vocal performance.

 Minori Chihara has rarely been better.

 Kyon is obviously the main focus of the movie, and the monologue presented delivers the overwhelming sense of helplessness present in the character better than many works that have tried before.

 For those who know the character well, his passion and depression are almost your own, and as the story unfolds, even for those who have read the novels, it's hard not to get sucked in.

 I had seen the movie twice before the blu-ray came out. Once in the camrip Mazui put out last year, and once in the live showing in Los Angeles, still, watching it in stunning blu-ray was like watching it all over again.

 There are actually a lot of liberties taken to translate the story into a visual format, details are changed, but it still fits together perfectly.

 And when the plot moves, it feels like a shock surging through the viewer.

 Even still frames from animated sequences look good.

 Making the overall film completely worth the wait.

I just love this scene.

 Those familiar with the film and the novels know full well the weight of many of these scenes, and that's when Kyon's character really shines through.

 For being the most bland character in the cast, Kyon has the most depth. His mental dialogue is one of well-constructed verbal warfare, dealing with harsh mental observation and grueling examination of his own choices and opinions.

 "Of course!"

 The ending is as one would expect, highly predictable and at the same time, completely captivating.

 Haruhi is also in full display towards the end, as her feelings for Kyon, as obvious as they are, are played with an expert's precision.

 The ultimate ending is a show of Kyon's loyalty towards his friends, which is standard, but at the same time riveting.

Only time will tell what the future holds for The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya.

But all I know is that I will eagerly await it all the same.

-Kageryu