Just Who IS This Guy? The Head Trip of Haruhi Suzumiya Pt. 3

Credit: Kyoto Animation

                                                      

                                               Just Who IS This Guy?

            
                                     The Head Trip of Haruhi Suzumiya Pt. 3

                                                                    by
         
                                                                       Jay Agan

     In this third & last installment I'll go into what I think is the biggest head whack of all in The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya. No it's not Endless Eight. While a bold experiment, it fell rather flat with the fans in Japan (So much so, Aya Hirano & the studio made a public apology.). A lot of U.S. fans weren't too happy with it either. Eight eps (Weeks?) of the "same" thing? Could have been worse. Be glad it wasn't Endless EighTEEN! Maybe Kyoto Animation could come up with a "third" season. Take out 5 or 6 of Endless Eight, replacing them with eps from an untouched story arc(s) from the light novels.

    For me, the biggest trip/mystery of the series is that Kyon person.

    Who IS this guy? Kyon (A nickname given him by an unseen grandparent.) isn't even his real name. No older relations are ever seen (Adults being peripheral, at best, in this series.). His little sister doesn't have a name at all (Every one else refers to her as "little sister". Even in the closing credits.)

    Though not the title character, he is the main one. As "narrator", everything is seen from his POV, filling in & keeping things rolling.

    You're not sure at times if he's narrating, thinking, talking to someone, or just mumbling/whining to himself. These things run/meld into each other. It always takes me aback when another character unexpectedly replies. (Itsuke claims an inability to read minds & it's not certain Haruhi can either. At times they "respond" when it seems Kyon wasn't talking to anyone at all.)

    Sometimes he acts surprised when something strange happens. Other times not. Does he know more than what he lets on? Is he really the hapless mortal he's playing?

    In spite of his "ordinaryness", he figures greatly in Haruhis' scheme of things. He did, after all, get the ball rolling (ep 1) when he suggested she (who must be obeyed) be more of a mover & shaker in life. (Coming from a guy who wanted to coast & slide through life, don't you find that a bit.....odd?) For some reason she has "chosen" him & her jealousy is, at times, evident.

    Kyon is the only one who stands up to Haruhi. The others are "forced" to go along as they're observers for their respective factions (Could they actually be there to observe Kyon & not Haruhi?). In spite of Haruhis' self centered obnoxiousness, she actually listens to him & takes  his  advice.....sometimes.

    I wonder about this guy. Is he more of a force in the proceedings than we're led to believe? (Here's a guy who had all given up on anything wondrous happening in life, reduced to a jaded cynic (ep 1), only to have "IT!" dropped right in his lap.) Could he be the one making things happen & not Haruhi? Is this all nothing more than some fantastic form of (sub)concious wish fullfilment on his part?

    Maybe I'm thinking too much. When it comes down to it, it' only a "cartoon", right, right?

Article copyright © 10-22-10 Jay Agan

The Head Trip of Haruhi Suzumiya Pt. 2

The Head Trip of Haruhi Suzumiya Pt 1

Go to MAIN PAGE.

                                                   
DISCLAIMER: All images used on this blog are strictly copyrights of their owners. I do not claim credit/ownership for any images used here in my blog unless stated otherwise. If I have offended anyone by posting any images on my blog, please contact me via email and I will remove specified image(s) ASAP.