badger11’s take on anime

Alright, I succumbed and ordered the collector’s edition of the Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya. Once you get past the brain cell killing fumes that escape when you open the box (after comparing those fumes to that of a Sharpie, I prefer the Sharpie), it’s just like what you’d expect of a collector’s box. Lot’s of images covering the box, a little bit of a struggle to get the CD out of it’s own box and the DVD itself was fine. Haruhi’s headband was promptly discarded and promptly chewed upon by a cat.

Surprisingly, it was one of the extras on the DVD that annoyed me. Under the “Extras”, there’s a “making of Haruhi”. When I see something that says “Making of…” I naturally assume that it is the behind the scenes making of the actual show, movie, etc. In this case, it wasn’t. It was the behind the scenes making of the TV commercials with Aya Hirano. For some reason, this just annoyed me. If they had said that it was the making of the commercial, then I would’ve been fine. I still would’ve watched it anyway, because Aya is cute and I like watching the making of movies and shows. I know, it’s a minor point. I’m probably just looking to complain about something other than the voice work.

I received the DVD shortly after the release date and when I watched it, I kept making notes comparing the dub to the original. Until I was told to stop and just watch the “damn” DVD. I’ve watched the whole subbed portion a few times over the last few weeks and I’m glad to say that the lists basically shrank down to a few items. I liked the added scenes that pop here and there. I think they added a bit more to the show. As for the voice acting, it’s reversed itself since the first time I watched it. Part of the problem is that there will always be a running comparison the the Japanese version. Oh well.

At first, I thought that Mikuru was cast the best, but now I don’t think so. The high voice is there, but it just doesn’t sound natural to me. Even when I don’t compare it to the Japanese version, it just doesn’t do it for me. Koizumi’s voice, is fine in a neutral sort of way. So in that regards, it’s probably the best cast voice out of all of our favorite band of merry mayhem makers. Actually, I think Nagato was cast the best. The voice is as emotionless as it should be.

In terms of emotions, Kyon’s casting is good, but for me it isn’t as sarcastic edge as I’d prefer. And it seemed a bit to polished for an average high schooler. And that’s the same complaint that I have for Haruhi. There energy is there, but the bored-with-life-and-impatient-for-things-to-happen edge isn’t there. From reading the translations and watching the dubbed version, the two main characters seem to be missing an edge that two disaffected teenagers need. Kyon’s has that weariness that I got from reading the translations and watching the Japanese version. And Haruhi has the energetic dedication. Despite the missing edge that Haruhi and Kyon need, the casting is good, just not 100%. I am, however, glad that Haruhi Suzumiya has finally been released on DVD and I’ll probably buy the collector’s edition of remaining releases because that’s just who I am.

Of course, the great thing about all this is, I’m just some pontificating twit with a blog