Fangirl February: Fullmetal Alchemist 2003 Review

Video Version:

Ever since I’ve started watching anime, I’ve always had a fear of rewatching my favorite shows, the reason being I’m afraid that I won’t like the show nearly as much as I did during my first viewing. For example, the first time I watched Sankarea, I really loved it. I thought it was a fantastic romance story that had some problems, but I was willing enough to forgive the anime for them. The second time I watched it, however, I was surprised by how much I didn’t like it. The small issues that I forgave earlier were suddenly unbearable, and I was almost unable to stomach the clichés. Not to mention the annoying and downright mood-breaking fanservice in this show, making it worse. Of course, this isn’t always the case. I recently rewatched My Teen Romantic Comedy SNAFU, and that second viewing just reminded me of how much I loved the show. So, when I came up with the idea of Fangirl February, I decided to also test myself to see how much my tastes have actually changed. I was prepared to watch my favorite anime movie and show, and accept that maybe they weren’t worthy of being favorites. However, that didn’t happen. My second viewing of The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya proved that I still loved the movie, and allowed me to realize just why I liked it so much. The same happened during my rewatch of Fullmetal Alchemist 2003. Going in with a more critical mindset, I did find some problems with it, but I also gained much more of an appreciation for how good it was, and I can safely say that it’s still my favorite anime of all time. Sit back, relax, and read on as I complete Fangirl February with my review of Fullmetal Alchemist 2003. Be aware that there may be slight spoilers, but nothing too major will be given away.

Story:

I’m going to try not to waste your time with a plot synopsis that you’ve probably heard a million times beforehand, but on the off chance that you’ve never heard of Fullmetal Alchemist, well, here’s the basic story. Two brothers named Edward and Alphonse Elric live in a fictional country called Amestris, and have unfortunately lost their mother when they were very young. However, the two are rising alchemists, so when they feel they’ve learned enough, they try to bring her back using human transmutation, a forbidden practice since basically no one has survived this transaction. This results in Ed losing his right leg, and Al losing his entire body. A desperate Ed attaches Al’s soul to a nearby suit of armor, and loses his right arm in turn. As a result, Alphonse is basically a walking suit of armor, and half of Ed’s limbs are now made of metal, thanks to a couple automail mechanics they happen to know. However, the boys are determined to fix their mistake and get their bodies back, and so they begin their journey to search for the philosopher’s stone, a device said to defy all the laws of alchemy, especially the one about equivalent exchange. This is where the story begins, and what a great story this is. I’ve mentioned this in an earlier video about Akiyuki Shimbo, but the best way to start a story is by utilizing something simple that the audience can understand. In this case, you want the brothers to find the philosopher’s stone in order to regain their bodies, and the show does a great job in getting you invested. This allows for other story elements to build gradually, without confusing the viewer with too much information at the beginning. Though, I do think that the main topic to discuss here is the fact that FMA 2003 deviates from the manga, and how this has angered a good portion of the anime community. In other words, so many people claim that Brotherhood is better solely because it follows the manga. And, when compared, I do kind of see where people are coming from. Brotherhood’s story is more linear, has slightly better pacing, and gets a lot more done than FMA 2003 in terms of battles and the addition of new characters. But, this isn’t a review of Brotherhood, and I never intended it to be. This is a review of the original, and here’s why I think it’s more appealing to me. I’ve always liked anime and books that are focused more on characterization and character development, because, like I’ve said many times, if you don’t care about the characters, then why should you care about what happens in the story? An anime can have one of the blandest and clichéd stories I’ve ever seen, but so long as I like the characters, then I’ll continue watching. This is what FMA 2003 excels at: characters. The so-called “filler” episodes aren’t just there to fill time, they’re there to assist Edward and Alphonse’s development as characters, and to tie into the central theme of the show: that life isn’t fair. Equivalent exchange is not much of reality when you’re shown all this unfairness to the people in Amestris, and in other places, now is it? So why continue to believe it? Heck, this exact question is asked to Edward in the final few episodes! The answer, however, is one you have to answer yourself. Will you give up on all your hard work because of your cynicism, or remain optimistic and pursue your dreams even further? That depends on you. Not to mention all of the brilliant foreshadowing in this show. I heard that, during the production of FMA 2003, the mangaka herself wanted Studio Bones to create their own ending, and it shows, since even scenes that happened in Brotherhood foreshadow later events For example, say, when Edward and Alphonse are on the island for the second time in episode 28, they find footprints. I’m paraphrasing here, but Al says something like, “Hey, Ed, are those your handprints in the sand?” And Ed responds, “No, mine are automail.” But, then they find a certain anime original character. Those who’ve seen the show know exactly whom I’m talking about, and I’m betting that you didn’t notice that quip of dialogue, at least not on your first viewing. And that’s not the only one, but the others would kind of spoil the story if I specifically point them out, and I don’t want to ruin the fun. If I had to nitpick somewhat, I guess that the pacing can be a bit slow at times, but it never really got to the point where I was sitting there waiting for something to happen. Overall, the story is very well foreshadowed, paced, and thoroughly thought-out down to the very last necessary detail, and is one of the best stories in anime in my opinion.

The show follows Edward and Alphonse Elric as they search for the Philosopher's Stone

Characters:

Like I stated earlier, this anime excels in the character department, to the point where this is one of the few anime that I’d give this show a straight 10/10 to this show in the character department. Basically every character in this show serves some purpose in the story, whether it’s to develop the theme or the characters or enhance the world building, and yes, this does apply to the characters that only show up once or twice. Though, I should probably stop ignoring the elephant in the room and discuss the Elric brothers. Firstly, there’s Edward Elric. Ed and Roy Mustang are pretty much the choice favorites of the fans of this franchise, but for me personally, Ed is my favorite character in the entire show and is one of my favorite characters of all time. In fact, if I never watched SNAFU, the character review for my favorite male character would’ve been about Edward Elric. While I don’t want to spend too much time on him, since there are other characters I do want to cover, I will say that he is one of the most realistic shonen characters in anime. Something that the shonen genre suffers from is that the protagonists normally fall under two archetypes: The bland self-insert with no discernable personality or development outside of him just being a nice guy, or the edgemaster who’s super edgy and dark and brooding and thirsty for revenge and is reckless and defies the social norms. But, on the inside, he’s a nice guy who cares about those close to him. Also, did I mention he was edgy? Edward is none of those. Okay, that’s kind of a lie; technically, he’s a variation of the second option, but honestly, that’s a massive stretch. Edward is rather moody, cynical, and has a short temper (HAH), but none of these traits are portrayed as over-the-top or even really emphasized. Well, except when you call him short, but that’s for comedic effect. I think what makes Edward stand out, though, is his relationship with his brother, Alphonse. Ed is the best older sibling in anime, no questions asked, and it is shown that he’d do anything for his brother’s safety. This character trait makes Edward grow up quickly, and because of this is rather mature for a fifteen year old. Though, like the show points out, Ed still has a lot to learn about the world, and that’s the seed of his character development in this version. Though, the amazing part of his development is that, even though parts of Ed have changed, he still feels like Edward Elric at the end of the show, which is a pretty big feat of writing. Next, there’s Al, who is also a really good character. He’s very naïve and innocent, but has a heart of gold and isn’t scared of questioning his brother’s judgment. His naivety is probably a result of Edward’s over-protectiveness, as Ed tries his best to shield Al from the harshness of the world. And, Ed’s not the only older brother to do this; remember the Ishbalan children, Leo and Rick? Leo is a mature older brother who’d do anything to protect Rick since there’s no one else there to look out for him, and as a result, Rick is more caring, trusting, and naïve. And, what about the fake Elric brothers, Russell and Fletcher? Russell is an older brother who’s focused on accomplishing his goal no matter the consequences, while Fletcher is more innocent and ready to sympathize with the real Elric brothers. In other words, each brother balances out the other, with the older brother being more protective and reckless and the younger brother being more sensible and innocent. These pairs of brothers reflect the relationship between Ed and Al, to show how there are people similar to them in the world working to achieve their goals. And this is only a taste of the ingenious characters in this show that I haven’t mentioned yet. Roy Mustang, Maes Hughes, Winry Rockbell, Riza Hawkeye, Alex Louis Armstrong, Furor Bradley, Hoenhiem of Light, Dante, and the homunculi that I can’t even talk about because of spoilers are all great in their own right. The only character I would consider to be somewhat bad would probably be Lt. Archer. He’s pretty underdeveloped in comparison to the rest of the cast. But, he’s my only real problem with the characters. Overall, this is one of the best casts of characters in anime.

The characters of FMA

Presentation:

The esteemed Studio Bones produced Fullmetal Alchemist in 2003, and for its time, the animation is rather impressive. There’s never any huge drop in quality, but when it looks good, it actually looks better than most anime coming out today. However, it is design and coloring that this anime really nails. The colors like to lean towards desert colors, like sand-yellow and light brown, with some blues here and there. This gives the anime a gritty atmosphere, which, might I add, is also great. The backgrounds and general settings all look nice, which is a plus. I also really like the character designs. They’re all memorable, even the side characters. It’s very distinctly Fullmetal Alchemist, though I do see the resemblance in the artist’s other works like Silver Spoon and The Heroic Legend of Arslan…at least, in the images I’ve seen. I need to watch Silver Spoon, and The Heroic Legend of Arslan doesn’t really exist yet…anyway, back to FMA. The soundtrack is awesome. Each piece helps set the atmosphere perfectly, with either ominous, ethereal, or playful tones. My personal favorites are Philosopher’s Stone, Brothers, and Dante’s Theme. Then, there’s the English dub. I’m sure that the Japanese version is more accurate and better acting and whatever, but I love the English dub of FMA. I think the main reason is Vic Migona’s performance as Edward Elric, which is probably one of the best English performances in any animated project period, including major American animated films. Even if you don’t like English dubs, I’d say give it a shot, but if you don’t like it, just go with the sub I suppose.

For its time especially, the animation is great (looks slightly grainy because of the gif though)

Why It’s Featured in Fangirl February:

Fullmetal Alchemist 2003 is my favorite anime of all time for many, many reasons. Superficially, it’s because nearly every aspect is pretty much perfect. It has a story that keeps you hooked and emotionally involved. It has main characters that you get attached to easily, and side characters that are just as likable. Its presentation is fantastic, especially for the time period, with consistent animation and a phenomenal soundtrack. But, a whole ton of anime are like that, so what makes FMA so special? Well, it’s because of how human the show is. There is a lot of moral ambiguity, and nothing within the show is black and white. Every character has a motive, and even if their actions are downright despicable, you can understand why. This is all because of the anime’s focus on the characters and not on having a huge epic story like Brotherhood did. 2003 feels more down to earth and simple, with enough leeway to flesh out the characters without feeling too slow. This is the show that made me realize how important characters are in any story, because without good characters, you don’t care about what’s going to happen to them in the story, therefore depriving the story of any tension or suspense whatsoever. 2003 made that clear through its storytelling and emphasis on character, because without me being able to understand these characters, most of the conflicts in the story would feel hollow and manipulative instead of exciting and suspenseful. Just like how Needless showed me how characters can absolutely ruin a show by being stupid, unreletable, and obnoxious, FMA showed me how characters are the link between the piece of entertainment and the audience, and that the quality of their development and characterization is truly what makes an anime fantastic. And for that, I’m eternally grateful.

Conclusion:

Overall, Fullmetal Alchemist 2003 is my favorite anime of all time for what I believe to be good reasons. The story is great from basically any angle, the characters are some of the best in anime, and the presentation is really good, especially for its time. I give Fullmetal Alchemist 2003 a straight 10/10. No scorecard, just a 10/10. I know that objectively, it should get slightly less, but from a subjective standpoint, it’s the best of the best for me, and it deserves the best rating possible. And, with that, Fangirl February comes to a close. I hope you enjoyed this second installment in my February Specials series! I sure had fun doing it, despite it being delayed on multiple occasions. I’ll see you all in my next review, which will be on...something. Until then!

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Fangirl February: Shiki Ryougi Character Review

Video Version:

Introduction:

One of the sadder parts of watching anime is how, even though they are typically more common than male characters, it is very hard to find an interesting and unique female character. In most shows, they tend to fall under the typical archetypes of the tsundere, the yandere, the kuudere, the dandere, and so on, and while characters within these archetypes aren’t necessarily bad or unentertaining, they’re still stereotypical characters. Sure, you’ve got standout shows with awesome female characters like in Kill la Kill or Yona of the Dawn, but even so, most females are whiny, annoying, and uninteresting. So, when I do come across an anime that seemingly sports remarkable and unique female characters, I will automatically be interested in the show, even if it turns out terribly. That’s where Kara no Kyoukai, or Garden of Sinners in English, comes in. Probably my favorite movie series of all time, it has many interesting and tragic characters to analyze and talk about, but for my favorite female character in anime, I’ve chosen Shiki Ryougi, the main female lead. What makes her so special that she stands out among the crowd? Well, sit back, relax, and read on as I explain why in the third installment of Fangirl February. Keep in mind that I am basically going to spoil the entire series in this video, so if you haven’t seen Kara no Kyoukai yet, please do so before watching this. If you’ve seen it or haven't and just don’t care, let’s get started.

General Character Overview:

As stated earlier, Shiki Ryougi is the main female lead of the Kara no Kyoukai franchise, a series of seven movies animated by Unlimited Budget Works coughI mean ufotable. The series is based off of light novels written by the same guy behind the Fate visual novels; in other words, it is Type-Moon property. And, at least in my opinion, Kara no Kyoukai is leagues ahead of Fate/Stay Night in nearly every way. Fate/Zero is another story, but that's another topic for another time. Kara no Kyoukai is not limited to the typical visual novel structure, and it shows through its narrative and experimentation with theme. Many ideas are displayed and discussed in the movies that are thought provoking, but a downside is that the movies have questionable dialogue and too much they wanted to discuss, which is its main problem. The movies focus too much on ideas and concepts that are out of its reach, causing many people to call the series “pretentious”. And, I would be inclined to agree, if not for the seventh movie. By now, you’re probably thinking, “What the heck does this have to do with Shiki Ryougi?” To answer your question, it has everything to do with Shiki Ryougi. For the first six movies, Shiki is a mystery, and nothing about her really makes any sense. At times, it felt like her characterization was lost due to the endless discussion of inane topics and no display of her own interests or desires. In the second movie, which is her first chronological appearance, she’s shown to have two personalities: Shiki, who is distant, cold, and emotionless, and SHIKI, who is fun loving but has an incurable bloodlust. At the end of the second movie, SHIKI tries to kill Mikiya (the main character of the movies), but is hit by a car. In the fourth movie, which comes next chronologically, it is implied that SHIKI has been killed due to the car accident, leaving the first personality alone. The third movie shows that, however, the remaining Shiki is still violent and bloodthirsty, which, at least, lead me to believe that SHIKI definitely left a negative impression on the current Shiki. In the fifth movie, we learn that there are mages who specialize in bringing out the darkness in humans, and it is shown that Shiki was involved in this somehow, as the mages are trying to bring out the evil side of Shiki once again. Something to take note of is that, in all of the movies, the opponents were originally normal human beings who went on violent rampages once they encountered a mage. Then, the seventh movie happens. We learn that Shiki was involved with the mages, and that Shiki’s bloodlust has been partially cured by Mikiya. In order to keep Shiki violent, the mage Arya uses the obsessive Lio to bring Shiki back. This leads us to the most important part of the movie: watching Shiki become more human because of Mikiya’s influence. When Shiki and Mikiya are talking over the phone, they are arguing over whether Shiki should kill Lio, with Mikiya stating that he won’t forgive her if she does. This ties into both of their progressions as characters: Shiki becoming less of a monster, and Mikiya learning the harsh reality of our world. Later on, Lio nearly kills Mikiya, and Shiki, thinking Mikiya is dead, kills Lio. However, when the two finally reunite, Mikiya says, “I forgive you.” In other words, Mikiya accepts that not everything can be solved peacefully. The entire message of the movie is to learn how to compromise, because there are no issues that are completely good or evil. All of the characters Shiki defeated earlier had some sort of emotional baggage or were innocent victims, but because of their destructive nature, they needed to be stopped. Shiki is different, however, because of her attachment to Mikiya; he is what makes her human.

Why She’s Featured in Fangirl February:

Shiki Ryougi is a very special character to me, and not because I can relate to her on a personal level. Yeah, it’s kind of hard to sympathize with someone who is essentially a psychopath, and admittedly she isn’t the most complex female character I’ve ever come across. But, much like with the movie series she comes from, I don’t really mind. I love how Shiki is different, interesting, and so unlike any other character in composure and conflict. She has to fight so many people that are trying to turn her into a monster, and uses her own methods to do so. Even when Mikiya doesn’t agree with her, she still goes off and does what she thinks is right, even if her view falls into a moral grey area. Sure, technically she’s killing hapless victims, but each person was so ravaged, broken, and depressed that maybe they were better off. It’s kind of like the morally grey ending of Million Dollar Baby, or the actions of Don Vito in The Godfather, or the entirety of Mystic River. This is how themes are presented to the audience: through character personalities and their interactions with others. I’m not saying that I necessarily agree with this ideas, by the way; I’m just trying to say what I believe the movies are trying to convey through its characters. I’ve gone on and on throughout my career as a reviewer about the definition of pretentious, calling Psycho-Pass pretentious, Code-Breaker pretentious, Sword Art Online 2 pretentious, and so on, but pretentious is something Kara no Kyoukai is not, for the most part. The ideas it tries to convey are all tied in somehow, with Shiki being the perfect example of this. Her development reflects these ideas of morality, with Mikiya’s character being the juxtaposition, with his naïve mentality. On top of that, she’s also pretty awesome. Like I said in my introduction, it’s really refreshing to see a strong and female character like Shiki, since most are pretty archetypal and weak, unfortunately. So, that’s why I like her so much: she’s unique, conveys interesting ideas throughout the series, and is very fun to watch.

So, I hope you enjoyed the third installment of Fangirl February! I’ll see you all next time for the final installment: the Fullmetal Alchemist 2003 review. Until then!

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Fangirl February: Hachiman Hikigaya Character Review

Video Version:

Introduction:

Characters and their interactions are normally what makes a show for me. Great characters can make a mediocre show with an average story good, but lackluster characters can make a show with a decent plot fall flat on its face This is something that comes into play with slice-of-life, romance, or drama shows especially, since they’re entirely character based. One of these particular anime is My Teen Romantic Comedy SNAFU, my favorite high school drama anime, and the main reason I love it so much is due to Hachiman Hikigaya, its protagonist. In fact, my liking for Hachiman has gotten to the point where he’s become my favorite male character in anime, and we’re here to analyze why. Sit back, relax, and read on as I talk about one of my most beloved characters, Hachiman Hikigaya.

General Character Overview:

Hachiman Hikigaya is, at first glance, not incredibly inspired. But, once you dig deeper into his characterization and actions, then you begin to uncover something truly special in his own weird way. Hachiman Hikigaya is a loner, and generally doesn’t interact with others due to every bad experience he’s had when he tries to become friends with others. The anime shows us how these instances affect him, and why he’s become pessimistic and anti-social. He was always kind of weird and outlandish, and had these expectations that, someday, he’ll have friends and a nice social life. However, as time goes on, Hachiman begins to lose trust in those around him as they keep on excluding and excluding him, to the point where he decides that he’s content with being a loner, purposefully excluding himself so he won’t be hurt by others. This was not helped by how he showed up late to high school. On the first day, as Hachiman was riding his bike to school, he ends up saving a dog’s life and gets injured in the process, staying in the hospital for a while. By the time he even attends high school, everyone’s already friends with everyone else, and this is the moment where he accepts how his life has turned out. This somewhat changes, however, when he’s forced to join the Service Club, where he meets Yukino Yukinoshita and Yui Yuigahama. From there, he uses his blunt and pessimistic mindset to help others with their social problems, even if it doesn’t always turn out for the best. Hachiman’s ability to observe his classmate’s behavior and decipher exactly what is wrong with a relationship is the best part of the entire show, mainly because he’s normally correct. He’s able to recognize faults, but when someone asks him for help, his response is normally hard for them to listen to because he never sugar coats anything. For example, my favorite scene in the entire show is in episode 12. There’s this girl who’s running the school festival, but completely slacks off and makes Yukino, the vice president of the committee, do all the work. However, when she’s supposed to speak in front of an audience, she has no idea what she’s doing or even what she’s supposed to say. Everyone around her tries to comfort her, but Hachiman realizes that she’s not upset over how she didn’t do her job, but because Yukino apparently stole the spotlight from her. So, he tells it to her without beating around the bush, using reverse psychology and forcing her to accept how she really didn’t do anything. Of course, all this does is anger everyone else, even though it’s the cold, hard, truth. This brutal honesty is what separates Hachiman from typical high school protagonists; it’s because he’s not afraid to speak his mind and doesn’t care who gets hurt in the process. But what keeps him from being completely unlikable are the small hints of how he wants to be social, and how his observations are normally spot on. Think about it: why would Hachiman even say anything to help these people if he didn’t care about them whatsoever? If he were really anti-social, he would just be quiet and not say anything. There’s obviously still some part of him that wishes that youth wasn’t a hoax, or that hypocrites didn’t exist, or that nice girls aren’t nice to him simply because they’re nice to everyone else, but at the same time he accepts reality and doesn’t believe it can change anytime soon. And, in my opinion, he’s probably the best character to come out of a high school anime. He is what makes SNAFU what it is, and the show would have failed dramatically had he been a generic main character.

Why He’s Featured in Fangirl February:

So after that long analysis, what is it about Hachiman that I like so much that I would call him my husbando? Clearly, he’s not typical husbando material, and the fact that he’s anti-social and blunt probably won’t go over too well with others. Well, personally, it’s because I can relate to his problems and how he tries to fix them. I understood his interior monologues about how hypocritical the world can be, and how most people put on a façade just for the sake of fitting in. I also respect how honest he is, even if it gets to brutal degrees at times, and how he just doesn’t care about what other people think of him. You know how earlier I was talking about episode 12 of this anime? Well, here’s something else to add to Fangirl February: it’s my favorite episode of anime of all time, solely because of that scene. The laconic delivery, perfect word choice, and the emotional response of everyone, including me, was enough for me to decide that Hachiman Hikigaya is my favorite character of all time, period. I can understand why people don’t like him; his pessimism probably won’t mesh well with people who are relatively happy and optimistic, or to others he may just seem like an ordinary, lonely protagonist. But, to me, personally, I was able to connect with him as a character on a level I never thought possible, and it’s hard for me to ignore my biased opinion towards him. He may not be a perfect character, but he’s my favorite, and for me, favorite is tantamount to best.

Conclusion: 
So, I hope you enjoyed this second installment in Fangirl February! I’ll see you all for my next post, where I talk about Shiki Ryougi, my favorite female character! Until then!

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Fangirl February: The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya Review

Video Version: 

Every anime fan that has watched at least a couple shows has heard the name Haurhi Suzumiya. The show has set a standard in the community that shows just what anime can do with its weird situations and characters, sort of the “stereotypical anime” if you will. However, for all its strange stories and creative ideas, my main problem with the show was that it didn’t take itself incredibly seriously and really utilize these ideas to their fullest potential. This didn’t make the show bad by any means, though. Heck, ever since I decided to watch it again it’s been on my favorites list, and this problem is most likely due to my personal tastes. I’m normally not the biggest fan of episodic shows because the formula almost always remains the same, and this repetition makes the show predictable and boring after a couple episodes. The Melancholy of Haurhi Suzumiya follows this structure, but it worked somehow, since it managed to spice up the mysteries and situations the characters were thrown into each episode or two. The movie, on the other hand, is an entirely different matter, and it has changed my opinion of the franchise entirely. The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya is currently my favorite anime movie of all time, but why is that? How did the movie rise above and beyond my expectations to accomplish this? Sit back, relax, and read on as I review the first topic of Fangirl February: The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya. Be warned that some plot points from the original show will be spoiled, but nothing too major in the movie will be given away. With that out of the way, let’s get started.

Story:

Something that made the original series entertaining was the show’s ability to make ordinary activities feel large and heavy, using the plot device known as Haurhi Suzumiya. You see, Haruhi is somewhat of a god, at least according to Koizumi, and is able to control time and space. Don’t question it, you’ll just confuse yourself. Because of this, if Haruhi becomes bored, then the world ends, and the show utilizes this to make its events all the more exciting, but at the same time doesn’t overplay it. Now, imagine if the show removed that plot device, but still managed to keep its large scale without feeling forced. That is this movie in a nutshell. As the title suggests, Haruhi has disappeared, and on top of that, the world around our normally satirical main character Kyon is completely altered. His classmates are sick, Class 9 doesn’t exist anymore, all of his supernatural friends are now normal human beings, and Ryoko Asukura is sitting behind him when she should’ve been erased from existence. A bewildered and terrified Kyon basically spends the entire movie trying to discover who changed the world, and somehow change everything back to the way it was. While this plot does sound rather simple, the movie throws enough twists and turns into its story to keep you guessing and remain invested, and focuses more on the “how” and “why” rather than just trying to get Haruhi back. And, in my opinion, this relatively unassuming plot is one of the best I’ve ever seen. Every plot twist makes sense, every direction the show takes feels natural and fits into the story, and the pacing is near flawless. While some may think the pacing of the first half is too slow, I was never bothered by it, as it built atmosphere and showed how Kyon reacted to this new world, which is vital to understanding his motivation. Not to mention just how perfectly past events in the story tie into this movie. The movie explains to the audience what important events happened previously, and gives enough details so even people who haven’t seen the show can understand what’s happening. The reason all these events tie in together into this singular movie is to draw emphasis to the main conflict of the movie: whether Kyon wants to live a normal life in this new world or not, making this movie the perfect conclusion to the franchise. Now, I would discuss Kyon’s choice at the end, but that would take up too much time and would basically spoil the entire movie. My recommendation is, watch the movie, and come up with your own interpretations as to why Kyon made his decision, and what messages the author tried to convey through this choice. For me, I thought the author was trying to show how the world can’t be altered just to fit the needs of a singular person, because then you’d have to change the lives of everyone around you. To quote the Light Novel, “We all find ourselves wishing for a complete redo at some point in our lives, and all of us have dreamed about changing reality to suit our individual means. However, that would normally be impossible. And probably not a good idea.” (Tanigawa 154). In other words, life isn’t really fair, and no matter how much you want to change it, that’s how it is, and you have to learn to deal with it and move on. Not everything will go your way, but you should also find ways to enjoy what it is that you’re given, and know that people will be there to help as long as you say something. And, considering how crazy and strange the situations were in the TV series, you could say that this was the perfect message to end this franchise with. Oh, at least until The Disappearance of Nagato Yuki-chan comes out, but that’s a spin-off, so I’ll let it go. Is anyone else excited for it besides me? Because I sure am!

The story follows Kyon as he tries to figure out what happened to his old world

Characters:

Something that took me by surprise in this movie was how…different these characters felt from the original. Sure, their general personalities remained intact, but they felt a lot more human than the original series. Oh, in the TV show, they were fun to watch, but it wasn’t until I watched the movie that I managed to emotionally connect with any of them. Let’s start off with Kyon, the main character of the movie. Up until this point, he was mainly an observer of the crazy happenings going on around him and complained about not having a normal life. But now that he’s been thrown into an unknown situation where he’s the only person who can fix the world, and his supernatural friends are completely unaware of what’s happening, well…he panics. The first half of the movie shows how Kyon breaks down in desperation and fear, abandoning his sarcastic persona entirely. Then, as he solves the mystery, he begins to question whether he even wants to go back to his old reality, where all he did was complain and be thrown into chaos every day. This movie details his development from a spectator to someone who learns that he has to actively take part in these occurrences if he wants to remain safe and comfortable. He learns to take the initiative, and appreciate all the fun he’s secretly been having behind his complaints, which makes him a relatable character. You understand why he breaks down because he doesn’t know what to do, and as he scrambles for answers to his perplexing problems, you see that he’s not just some character who takes everything in strides, but a human who has no idea what to do in a time of crisis because he relied too much on his friends. This reliance also comes into play with the character of Yuki Nagato. In the show, Yuki was an expressionless alien who basically solved most of the SOS Brigade’s problems with her outstanding abilities, and while I don’t want to spoil the twist in the movie, well…let’s just say that can get tiring. However, I do want to clarify a misconception about her character. There’s a difference between character development and characterization. Character development is the author’s way of showing how a character changes, while characterization is the author’s way of displaying who a character is. Most people say that Yuki’s development in this movie was fantastic, and I don’t agree because she doesn’t really change over the course of this movie. Yes, she does subtly change in the series, but what this movie did was expand upon her character, using characterization to allow the audience to learn more about her and her problems. And, in that regard, the movie does a great job. The other SOS Brigade members don’t really get enough screen time to be considered part of the main cast, but I did like some of the ways these characters tied into their real-world counterparts. For example, in Endless Eight, Koizumi states that Kyon should whisper into Haruhi’s ear that he loves her, and while Kyon objects, Koizumi suggests that he himself do it. This seems insignificant, but then when you watch the movie, Koizumi in the new world is in love with the Haruhi of the new world. And, in the beginning of the TV series, Asahina states that she’s part of the calligraphy club, and that’s where she’s found later in the movie. It’s little touches like these that makes these character’s appearances worthwhile, and adds some more to their overall characters.

Yuki Nagato and Kyon

Presentation:

Kyoto Animation has made a name for itself by producing high quality shows in terms of aesthetics, so believe me when I say that this movie is probably the best in their entire lineup when it comes to animation. The lighting in this movie is breathtaking, creating a realistic atmosphere that focuses on the bleakness of winter with greys, tinted blues, and browns. This acts as a contrast to the original show, which was mainly bright and colorful. The backgrounds look gorgeous, with immense detail put into each frame. The movements are fluid for the most part, and the character designs are really good. I’d also like to mention the cinematography, as it really made some scenes stand out above the rest. As for music, I love this soundtrack. The songs are mainly renditions of classical music, with a few original songs thrown in. The soundtrack has a way of being relatively simple in composition, but is incredibly effective in setting the atmosphere and tone. My favorite track is Gyumnopedies Dai 1 Ban, and a link to the song will be featured in the description for you to check out. Finally, should you watch this in English or Japanese? My choice is, English, for two reasons. Firstly, there’s Crispin Freeman as Kyon. I’ve always liked his performance in the original series, but in this movie Freeman portrays Kyon perfectly in a time when his character is scared, desperate, and confused, and it’s hard for me to picture anyone else playing him. Secondly, Michelle Ruff as Yuki Nagato. Yuki’s character was very robotic and emotionless in the original, but Ruff’s ability to change her character into the shy and bashful version of Yuki was near flawless in this movie. Good job, English cast, good job.

Gyumnopedies Dai 1 Ban:

 

The presentation is plain fantastic

Why It’s Featured in Fangirl February:

So, why is The Disappearance of Haurhi Suzumiya my favorite anime movie of all time? Well, it’s a fantastic mystery, is able to be emotional, exciting, and intriguing, and finally, is human. Mystery is one of my favorite genres in all of entertainment. I’ve always enjoyed watching characters trying to solve capers, picking up clues and eventually coming to a conclusion, discovering who did what and how everything came to be. Unfortunately, finding a good mystery anime is rare. Most mystery shows aren’t about an overarching case, but more about episodic cases, like in the ever so famous Melancholy of Haurhi Suzumiya. Then, there’s the Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya, the movie that fulfilled my desire for a good mystery more than I ever thought this franchise could, and cemented itself as my favorite anime movie of all time. In all honesty, this relatively simple story is my favorite mystery in all of entertainment. Everything is just so beautifully executed, from the characters to the plot twists to the amazing presentation, and even some underlying themes that I didn’t pick up on during my first viewing concerning escapism and accepting reality. The characters, at least Yuki and Kyon, feel more realistic and sympathetic than they ever were before, and I can’t imagine the movie being written or presented any better. To make a long story short, this movie is what I wanted Haruhi Suzumiya to be, with a much more human touch combined with a wonderful story and a perfect presentation. There’s nothing else to it. 

Conclusion:

Overall, while the movie does have its flaws, like how the ending doesn’t really make sense when you think about it, I still love this movie unconditionally. It’s hard to find a mystery this well done, and, at least in my opinion, this is the best of the best. Now, let’s move onto the scorecard, where I will rate this movie based on its story, characters, presentation, and personal enjoyment. I give the story a 9.5 out of 10, for being slightly slow but very atmospheric with one of the best climaxes in any anime period. I give the characters a 9 out of 10. While Kyon and Yuki had significant screen time for characterization and development, and it was interesting to see the characters in this other world, it did feel like the characters except Yuki and Kyon were there for the sake of being there, as they didn’t really do anything. The presentation gets a 9.5 out of 10, because the animation is near flawless, the music is wonderful, and the English version is top notch. And, for personal enjoyment, I give this movie a straight 10 out of 10, because I can do what I want, and I love everything about this movie. As for the final score, I give The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya a 9.5 out of 10, and a recommendation to watch it when you can.

ScoreCard: 

Alternate Anime Recommendations:

Patema Inverted

Hyouka

Well, that’s all from me. I hope you enjoyed this first post in Fangirl February! Join me next time for my character review of Hachiman Hikigaya! See you then!

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