Product Details

• Directors: Tatsuya Ishihara
• Format: Animated, Box set, Color, DVD, NTSC, Subtitled
• Language: Japanese, English
• Subtitles: English
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1
• Number of discs: 4
• Rated: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
• Studio: Bandai Entertainment
• DVD Release Date: July 29, 2008
• Run Time: 350 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (42 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B0019HABE8
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #46,151 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)
• For more information about "The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya: Complete Collection" visit the Internet Movie Database (IMDb)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Based on a series of best-selling novels by Nagaru Tanigawa, The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya (2006) overflows with zany energy. Despite the title, Haruhi Suzumiya is anything but melancholy: she's a bossy, outspoken high school girl who's searching for "aliens, time travelers, and espers." To aid her search, Haruhi founds a new club, The SOS Brigade. Although she doesn't realize it, Haruhi has actually found what she's looking for in her recruits: Yuki is an alien; Mikuru, a time traveler; Itsuki, an esper. Kyon, the put-upon narrator,is normal--at least superficially.Itsuki warns Kyon that the existence of the universe may depend on Haruhi's whims. When she gets upset, dark gaps open between dimensions, haunted by shinji (ghostly giants) whom Itsuki and other espers must destroy. Kyon wonders if he's having nightmares or protecting the world from destruction, but this storyline recedes as the series progresses. Like Dokkoida and Magical Shopping ArcadeAbenobashi, Melancholy spoofs the clichés of anime and otaku culture. When the president of the computer club challenges the SOS Brigade to a duel playing "Day of Sagittarius 3," the episode turns into an outrageous spoof of sci-fi anime, with Haruhi shouting commands from the bridge of an imaginary space ship. But the series stops, rather than ends, with the story unresolved as Haruhi and Kyon walk off into the rain. Given the popularity of Melancholy in Japan and the US, a sequel may be in the works. (Rated 13 and older: cartoon violence, risqué humor) --Charles Solomon

Product Description

MELANCHOLY OF HARUHI SUZUMIYA:COMP CO - DVD Movie

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

30 of 37 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Humor and crazyness all at once, July 23, 2008

By 

Cloud "..." (Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya: Complete Collection (DVD)

There is certain shows developed in Japan that sort of slip under the radar and upon discovering it, you kind of wonder why you didn't hear of it in the first place (Fate/Stay Night, while admittedly a show with a distinct formula and some character moments cut from the story, instantly became a favorite). Then we have something like The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya, a 14 episode show that quickly became a hit and could be accurately be described as a sensation. But all that hype and praise brings with it the inevitable "overrated" remarks and people not seeing the brilliance against other projects. Can Haruhi Suzumiya become a victim of its hype or is it a brilliant show regardless? I say brilliant.

In high school, it's hard to develop an identity and stand out without being an outsider but for Haruhi Suzumiya, she enjoys her offbeat sensibilities. Declaring in school that she's not interested in anyone unless they're time travellers, aliens or espers (psychics in other words), Haruhi soon is introduced to Kyon, a sardonic high school student who enjoys just not doing anything. But their world gets changed when in comes Itzuki, Yuki and Mikuru, an esper, alien and time traveller, respectively. Turns out Haruhi is seen as a sort of god-like figure who can bend the universe and possibly even destroy it and start over lest she get bored. Luckily Haruhi is quite...eccentric.

One of the more well-known factors consider the show was that the show's episodes were not presented in chronological order. While this worked in some cases such as episode 6 having all the makings of a "finale" and episode 11 which consists of Kyon narrating over a supremely amateurish movie Haruhi made makes for a unique and also bizarre premiere but then on the other hand, a 2 parter on an island vista is separated by a different episode so the cliffhanger isn't resolved until the following episode. My suggestion is to just watch the chronological order but exchange episode 14 (Kyon's trip for a heater) and 6's place and all will be well.

As for the episodes themselves, they're frequently hilarious from dialogue to Kyon's narration or Yuki's quiet badassness/bookish tendencies and just scenes played straight for comedy or using the moe conventions of nurse/maid/catgirl outfits for humor. But the main plot is also interesting and while Yuki's explanation of Haruhi's existence from her perceptive is Evangelion-level confusing complete with screen-filling text, it's quite intriguing and the idea that the world can literally revolve around you makes for good storytelling. Some episodes are generally good with at least one cool scene while others such as an arts festival, a computer battle or the hilarious baseball episode are definate highlights.

Will everyone like it? Maybe. Some people prefer the romance hilarity found in Love Hina while others are into more lighthearted affairs like Fruits Basket but I loved the show and can't wait for an inevitable second season and I heartily recommend you try the show out.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzamiya, October 25, 2008

By 

Mark Haisley "from dimension X" (Ashford, WA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya: Complete Collection (DVD)

The "Melancholy of Haruhi Suzamiya" is one of the best new anime out there. It's funny, witty, exciting and wildly crazy. It grabs your attention like hardly anything else and holds it. I'm not exaggerating when I say that this anime changed my life. Now I keep asking myself, "Have I squeezed every moment I can out the the day? What would Haruhi have done?" "The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzamiya," buy it.

6 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Good show, but its not a "complete" collection, November 27, 2009

By 

Saperia911 (Seattle, WA USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya: Complete Collection (DVD)

To tell the truth i bought this out of impluse, but im glad I did because its one of my favorite shows now. The story is great and can be very funny at times. the plot develops slowly which is a nice change compared to the fast passed plot shows i usually watch.
Although i love the show and highly recommond you buy this you should know one thing first, even though it says complete collection it is not complete. the box set only inculdes season 1. There is a secound season of the show but it is not avaiable in america... yet. There has been many rumors goingg around of the release of the second season. If you are one of those people who love to stay up all night and watch a whole series non stop, that would be kinda hard with this. I think that they should change this missleading title to "The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya: Season 1"