Anime Pilgrimage RTT

The Not-Quite Second Coming of the Very Naughty Girl – episode 10

“The Melancholy of Suzumiya Haruhi IV”

The Melancholy of Suzumiya Haruhi tries to win my heart by doing things I’m supposed to love – skipping the OP (instant drama notification!), oversaturating the colours (just like Chris Doyle, but more meaningless! … Or is that less meaningful?) – but, well, action-packed, fantastico first half … then we come to the second half and a lot of the steam runs out. All of that said, though, this was an excellent fourth episode, and the only real time that I’ve minded the episode shifting of this series.

I’m going to admit right here: I no longer think I am qualified to discuss Haruhi. She has grown too big and will destroy our universe.
Don’t think I won’t try, though … masochist, remember?

Spoilers inside

Asakura, the girl with the bushy eyebrows, tries to kill Kyon to get a rise out of Suzumiya Haruhi. Yuki isn’t going to have any of that, though!
Then Kyon gets a visit from the future’s future.

I’ll admit, I’ve been suffering some Haruhi fatigue due to the furore in the so called “onanosphere”. I’m not really willing to discuss the series in much depth simply because I’m liable to be eaten by a grue. What can I say, then?

This story is better upon reflection: the fight scenes are so fast that my head almost exploded from the speed and fluidity on display. I had not noticed that Yuki had been missing her glasses until she wore them again in this episode because they looked so stupid. But! they were really well done for the close up shots.
As for the visit from future Mikuru, I liked the tragic nature of the words that she gave to Kyon. There was a kind of … melancholy about them. I think I’m in love with future Mikuru simply because Goto Yuki’s voice doesn’t suck when she’s playing a character over the age of twenty. Who would have thought you had a normal register, Goto-san! Please use it in the future!

I enjoyed this on one level, but as the world becomes more meta I’m slipping away from The Melancholy of Suzumiya Haruhi … it feels now like just another bubble in the sink, fading away like so many other suds. I’m glad that you’ve brought so much happiness to others, you angry looking Haruhi, but your vindictive yet ultimately loving hands have not caressed my heart.