Now that the Blu-ray and DVD versions of The Disappearance of Suzumiya Haruhi has been released, it is worth noting that die-hard fans of the franchise are trying hard to get a copy of the highly anticipated and acclaimed movie either by the authentic and legitimate copy or by pirated rips online. It’s no surprise that the raw from the Blu-ray Disc has been posted online only in mere hours after the release in Japan. I’m currently planning to purchase a copy next year when my finances are not at their all-time low. That is assuming that there are still available copies left . For the meantime, I checked some links and grabbed (stole ^.^) a copy from a torrent site (no links, but if you really want a pirated version, google it yourself!).
The movie was a major comeback of Kyoto Animation from the depths of hell since they’ve brought the Endless Eight episodes of Haruhi’s season 2. Based on what I know, it is Kyoto Animation’s first ever full-length animation since they started the company many years ago. I think it is an aggressive and a bit desperate move for them to regain the lost trust and admirations from fans. But all in all, it was a success, fans and not-so-fans alike are praising the movie for it’s spectacular rendition and adaptation of the fourth light novel of the series. But of course there were still skeptics, but still, the reactions were still generally positive though.
I liked how the studio presented the story tightly based on the novel itself. It remains faithful to the source material unlike other adaptations that are heavily modified which loses their original appeal to the fans of the original material. The animation is superb, which I see the details are carefully thought out. The motion of every characters are much more fluid than their TV counterparts. The subtle special effects complements each scene of the movie even though barely noticeable by an inattentive viewer such as the camera blur and dim lighting effects. The sound effects and background music creates an atmosphere of emptiness that is what Kyon must be feeling during the story. The voices of the seiyuus are still consistent with their characters, but the whole sound mixing is a level higher than the TV animation. Every subtle reverb of the voices although barely inaudible helps in building the perfect atmosphere of every scene.
It’s not surprising that Aya Hirano, the voice of Suzumiya Haruhi will not get a prominent screen-time in this film if one has read the novels beforehand. Haruhi only appears briefly at the prologue of the story and then appears again later almost halfway through the movie. This time, Nagato Yuki takes the limelight with Kyon with lots and lots of moe moments!
Overall, the film brings quality moments that the fans are expecting for while delivering a compelling and dramatic storytelling even to the uninitiated. This film hooked me up from the beginning to the end whilst holding on to the edge my seat. Although a bit laid back compared to other anime at the moment, the pace is slow that the viewers feel the atmosphere as mundane and boring during a peaceful and tranquil normal times without any extra-ordinary happenings around. Suggestive of the theme of the movie that Kyon’s life is boring without Suzumiya Haruhi. Can’t wait to grab of the official copy of the film, it’s truly a masterpiece for us fans.
