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REVIEW: The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya DVD 1


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Veoryn87



Joined: 14 Nov 2006
Posts: 808
PostPosted: Thu May 31, 2007 3:13 pm Reply with quote
I already watched this series twice. I look forward to getting the dvds.
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Josh7289



Joined: 27 Aug 2005
Posts: 1252
PostPosted: Thu May 31, 2007 3:20 pm Reply with quote
I have this lined up in my Blockbuster Online queue. However, it is listed with "Very Long Wait".

Nonetheless, I have just discovered the joys of renting anime. Smile
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belisarius



Joined: 29 Jul 2005
Posts: 203
Location: Concord, NC
PostPosted: Thu May 31, 2007 3:46 pm Reply with quote
Thoughts on the Special Edition DVD:

Superb art on the box, which seems very well constructed. Fascinating interior design. It is huge however, and if you plan on buying all the SE DVDs, set aside some space, because they're all going to be like this.

Headband is in fact a headband, not a ribbon. Has text on it, (unlike Haruhi's) which blatently screams "WALKING BILLBOARD". I wouldn't have worn it around town anyway, but now it's useless.

Pencil Board looks cool, but is functionally useless. It will gather dust in the box.

Audio CD is nice, good to have a useful extra included. Good choice.

This series stands among my favorite anime of all time, and I have looked forward to this DVD ever since I saw episode 00. I had forgotten just how enjoyable it is to watch. On the dub, my basic impression somewhat differs from Mr. Martin's. The male voices, for the most part, are well done. They were believable and well read. The female voices, however, I was rather disappointed in. Yuki was flat, Mikuru was overly squeaky and so high pitched I almost winced (although credit where it's due, she nailed the AK-47 scene in ep 00).

Wendy Lee as Haruhi, I dunno. I really didn't feel it, and part of the reason for that I suspect is that Haruhi is such a powerful character that you immediately tend to identify her original Japanese VA with her. It'd be like Sean Connery suddenly sounding slightly different. The voice is integral to her persona. Hopefully, with time, they'll grow into the parts some more, but in a series this short, there's not a lot of time to play with.

Still worth every penny, however, and even though it took a year to make it over here, it was definitely worth the wait.
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Nebs



Joined: 19 Jul 2003
Posts: 386
Location: University of Illinois
PostPosted: Thu May 31, 2007 3:55 pm Reply with quote
I actually like the regular edition cover better than the special edition cover (& yes, I know it's the R2 cover). Which is why I was disappointed that the special edition version wasn't reversible. Confused That's my only gripe with the special edition version, but despite that I love it. The box is so purty. ^^

belisarius wrote:
Headband is in fact a headband, not a ribbon. Has text on it, (unlike Haruhi's) which blatently screams "WALKING BILLBOARD". I wouldn't have worn it around town anyway, but now it's useless.


The text is only on one side of the headband though. Just wear the text side in the direction that faces your head (as Bandai probably intended people to do) & it's completely invisible.
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Woodskull



Joined: 22 May 2007
Posts: 2
Location: Stockholm, Sweden
PostPosted: Thu May 31, 2007 4:05 pm Reply with quote
Oooh, I'm so getting this one. Special edition : >

Definately one of my favourite animes ever^^.
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Mirrinus



Joined: 31 Jan 2007
Posts: 230
Location: La Thiene Plateau
PostPosted: Thu May 31, 2007 4:08 pm Reply with quote
Good review, I thought it did a nice job explaining the series in context. It seriously is made for the otaku audience, not the mainstream, but for those who do get it, it certainly is one enjoyable experience.
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Deltakiral



Joined: 07 Oct 2004
Posts: 3338
Location: Glendora, CA (Avatar Hei from Darker than BLACK)
PostPosted: Thu May 31, 2007 5:01 pm Reply with quote
Josh7289 wrote:
Nonetheless, I have just discovered the joys of renting anime. Smile


Ain't it a beatiful thing? I was using Netflix for a while but I switch to Anime Takeout (west coast location more mailing centers) and I've never had any issues with not having the volume or series I want.

Nebs wrote:
I actually like the regular edition cover better than the special edition cover (& yes, I know it's the R2 cover). Which is why I was disappointed that the special edition version wasn't reversible. Confused That's my only gripe with the special edition version, but despite that I love it. The box is so purty. ^^


I don't understand why there wouldn't (edit) be reversible art seeing as how they had the art already, but as for the gorgeous box I am so jealous that MoHS gets and .hack//roots just gets a pretty standard box.


Last edited by Deltakiral on Thu May 31, 2007 7:38 pm; edited 1 time in total
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Pongo



Joined: 17 Apr 2006
Posts: 7
PostPosted: Thu May 31, 2007 5:22 pm Reply with quote
i just hope the SE comes over here, the normal one should, but as i live in the middle of no where some series that i want i cant get Mad
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maichips



Joined: 11 Jun 2006
Posts: 96
PostPosted: Thu May 31, 2007 5:34 pm Reply with quote
belisarius wrote:
Thoughts on the Special Edition DVD:

Superb art on the box, which seems very well constructed. Fascinating interior design. It is huge however, and if you plan on buying all the SE DVDs, set aside some space, because they're all going to be like this.


I was actually under the impression that all the DVD's will fit in the pretty art box, and they'll just come with a smaller box meant only for containing the DVD, CD, and other extras.

Oh well... Despite allowing me to get the SE volume one, I doubt my mom will let me get the rest of the Special Editions... Sad
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Randall Miyashiro



Joined: 12 Jun 2003
Posts: 2451
Location: A block away from Golden Gate Park
PostPosted: Thu May 31, 2007 5:38 pm Reply with quote
I just watched my copy and had no idea what to expect beyond my favorite novel Hyperion being mentioned. I had no idea what to make of the first episode and got the expectation that the series would be based around a bunch of amateur film makers. I however did enjoy the other three episodes, although not as much as Genshiken whose characters were a bit more familiar to me.

Is it just me or do the OP credits sequences have a bit of mosquito noise in the video. I usually skip the OP credits, but have been paying more attention to them since the recent Fate/Stay thread on this topic. The DVD is really well pressed and Bandai disks are free of the macro blocking (forces me to set my brightness down several pegs below calibration) in the dark blues and blacks that other companies tend to have. My only complaint is in the high motion OP sequence where there seems to be stray particles dancing around the image.

The ASOS bonuses were a bit of a surprise. I usually skip extras put together in the States (The Chevalier D'Eon 2 still puzzles me) but fortunately I watched the ASOS Brigade extras. They are quite entertaining, and I look forward to seeing the next installment with the dubbing. Bandai might have been lacking extras recently (ever since Planetes?) but they do tend to put 5 episodes on the first DVD. Of course I would rather have a bunch of extras on every DVD as long as the episode count averages 4. I love the extras on ADVs area 88 tv series, but 3.0 episodes per DVD was a bit weak, and I won't even star with BVUSA.
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sabriyahm



Joined: 24 May 2005
Posts: 292
Location: Georgia
PostPosted: Thu May 31, 2007 5:44 pm Reply with quote
Haruhi ranks as one of my all time favorites (definately the favorite comedy) and I completely agree with the review. It really is an otaku fest. You need to have watched enough anime to grasp the stereotyped characters and in jokes. It does seem like a lot of people opted for the Special Edition instead of the regular, which is unusual. This is one title I really wish I could see the sales figures for.
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Nebs



Joined: 19 Jul 2003
Posts: 386
Location: University of Illinois
PostPosted: Thu May 31, 2007 7:31 pm Reply with quote
Deltakiral wrote:
I don't understand why there would be reversible art seeing as how they had the art already, but as for the gorgeous box I am so jealous that MoHS gets and .hack//roots just gets a pretty standard box.


I don't think I quite understand your post, but I'll just say that the art used for the regular edition cover is nowhere to be found in the special edition of volume 1. & since I like the regular edition cover better, I wish they had put it on the other side of the special edition cover.
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omnistry



Joined: 03 Mar 2005
Posts: 1019
PostPosted: Thu May 31, 2007 7:33 pm Reply with quote
I'm surprised that they gave Wendee Lee a good write-up in this review. However, those extras make me want to go out and buy it immediately!
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Deltakiral



Joined: 07 Oct 2004
Posts: 3338
Location: Glendora, CA (Avatar Hei from Darker than BLACK)
PostPosted: Thu May 31, 2007 7:42 pm Reply with quote
Nebs wrote:
I don't think I quite understand your post, but I'll just say that the art used for the regular edition cover is nowhere to be found in the special edition of volume 1. & since I like the regular edition cover better, I wish they had put it on the other side of the special edition cover.


I realized that I missed a word Anime smile + sweatdrop I meant that I don't get why they didn't use reversible covers. I know that certain times company wanted to do reversible covers but didn't have any art available seeing as how it wasn't included in their license.
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belisarius



Joined: 29 Jul 2005
Posts: 203
Location: Concord, NC
PostPosted: Thu May 31, 2007 8:06 pm Reply with quote
maichips wrote:
belisarius wrote:
Thoughts on the Special Edition DVD:

Superb art on the box, which seems very well constructed. Fascinating interior design. It is huge however, and if you plan on buying all the SE DVDs, set aside some space, because they're all going to be like this.


I was actually under the impression that all the DVD's will fit in the pretty art box, and they'll just come with a smaller box meant only for containing the DVD, CD, and other extras.

Oh well... Despite allowing me to get the SE volume one, I doubt my mom will let me get the rest of the Special Editions... Sad


Check out DVD2 LE Box. Looks huge.
http://www.animenation.com/av-20851.html

Doesn't come out until July 3rd, plenty of time to rake leaves and mow lawns so you can afford it Smile
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