The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya, Take 2

Okay, now there's really something to comment on. Episode one was a real bummer and to put it simply, excruciatingly horrific, a colossal turn off for that matter. Episode two, however, provides some relief and somewhat redeems itself, becoming an anime many can get into. I wouldn't call "Haruhi Suzumiya" an excellent anime, but there are some unique qualities that may come close to outweighing the bad.

In episode two, we get into the actual story and meet and learn more about the characters. There's Kyon, the generic character we are used to seeing, with an unfortunate luck. He reminds me a lot like "Love Hina's" Keitaro Urashima or "Tenchi's" Tenchi, getting beat around and stuck with girls that have overarching personalities.

I was tempted to compare "Haruhi Suzumiya" with other "related" anime that leans more to the high school setting, in my desperation to find some strong points. In particular, "To Heart," "Azumanga Daioh," "Boys Be...," "Kare Kano," "Full Metal Panic," "School Rumble," "Gakuen Heaven,"or whatever, the list goes on. But they all have one thing in common, a plot with enough substance to carry them through. Whether the plot appeals to you will determine whether it'll be an anime for you.

We end episode two with the creation of a club with no purpose thus far: The S.O.S Brigade (The Save the World by Overloading it with Fun Suzumiya Haruhi Brigade). It seems that anything might happen with the episodes to follow. I didn't find anything humorous or exciting to the episode, but "Haruhi Suzumiya" has been upgraded from my "Hell No" to my "Hmm...Maybe, But Unlikely" list of anime to watch. I would suggest taking a gander at the series (maybe skipping episode one) if you have time to determine if it suits your tastes.