Even the most casual fans are probably familiar with the name Haruhi Suzumiya. Back in 2006 the then-still-relatively-new studio  Kyoto Animation  made their mark with The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya , and after two seasons and a movie the show (based on a series of light novels by Noizi Ito ) went on to become something of a phenomenon in both Japan and in the West. Figure collectors will also probably know that the Haruhi cast were a key part of the early Figma line up. Now after five years since the release of The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya the franchise has returned to the anime world once again, but this time in a slightly different form. Formerly a stoic humanoid interface for the Data Integration Thought Entity, Yuki Nagato takes centre stage in The Disappearance of Nagato Yuki-chan , an alternate universe tale which reimagines the cast in a more "normal" setting. The series saw the main voice cast all return to their respective roles, however this time ani...

NB. This is a review of the 28 episode ‘season 2’ airing of the Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya, rather than the 14 episode season 1 version. The episodes were watched in chronological order as they were aired, and shall be reviewed as such. Any differences between that and the out of sequence season 1 edition will not be addressed in any detail. This review also includes coverage of the ‘Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya’ movie. The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya is an internet phenomenon. Any anime fan who surfs the web is sure to be aware of this series, and its likely that the fans who don't have also heard of it in one way or another. The series revolves around a group of high school students, who are part of the SOS Brigade, who go out looking for fun and adventure. An ordinary boy gets somehow gets caught up with a girl who can seemingly alter the universe at will and 3 other students who each monitor Haruhi with their own secret identities. The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiy...