I had heard good things about this series long before it got a UK DVD release so when I saw it for sale I didn't waste any time in getting a copy; I have no regrets. When first released the episodes were not shown in chronological order but as the DVD had rearranged them into chronological order I watched it that way rather than in broadcast order.
At the start it looked like it was going to be an ordinary school based comedy; Kyon is an ordinary school boy who gets chatting to classmate Haruhi Suzumiya, she is interesting in things like aliens, time travellers and people with ESP but nobody else appears to share her interest... when Kyon casually suggests she starts a club to find others who share her interest he doesn't that she will take up his suggestion and press-gang him into being the first member. The next three members have equally little choice about joining: Yuki, the sole member of the literature club whose room is taken over, Mikuru who is dragged in because Haruhi wants a 'moe girl' in the club and finally transfer student Itsuki. Haruhi is the kind of girl who gets what she wants, this is partly due to her 'genki girl' personality and partly because unbeknownst to her she is effectively God... she wanted aliens, time travellers and ESPers and she got one of each in her club although they can't tell her as they believe the universe could come to an end if Haruhi were to learn what she was.
This might all make it sound like a weird science fiction show but despite the odd situation it is a comedy with lots of laughs. Haruhi is one of the most memorable anime characters I've come across, her boundless enthusiasm means she can do things that would be considered very wrong were a normal person to do it... her methods of persuasion include blackmail and sexual harassment, usually of poor Mikuru. I'd certainly recommend this to anybody wanting a good laugh and something a little different, I can't wait for the second series to get a DVD release.
These comments are based on watching the first season in Japanese with English subtitles.
At the start it looked like it was going to be an ordinary school based comedy; Kyon is an ordinary school boy who gets chatting to classmate Haruhi Suzumiya, she is interesting in things like aliens, time travellers and people with ESP but nobody else appears to share her interest... when Kyon casually suggests she starts a club to find others who share her interest he doesn't that she will take up his suggestion and press-gang him into being the first member. The next three members have equally little choice about joining: Yuki, the sole member of the literature club whose room is taken over, Mikuru who is dragged in because Haruhi wants a 'moe girl' in the club and finally transfer student Itsuki. Haruhi is the kind of girl who gets what she wants, this is partly due to her 'genki girl' personality and partly because unbeknownst to her she is effectively God... she wanted aliens, time travellers and ESPers and she got one of each in her club although they can't tell her as they believe the universe could come to an end if Haruhi were to learn what she was.
This might all make it sound like a weird science fiction show but despite the odd situation it is a comedy with lots of laughs. Haruhi is one of the most memorable anime characters I've come across, her boundless enthusiasm means she can do things that would be considered very wrong were a normal person to do it... her methods of persuasion include blackmail and sexual harassment, usually of poor Mikuru. I'd certainly recommend this to anybody wanting a good laugh and something a little different, I can't wait for the second series to get a DVD release.
These comments are based on watching the first season in Japanese with English subtitles.