涼宮ハルヒの憂鬱 1 [Suzumiya Haruhi No Yūutsu]

The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya #1

by Nagaru Tanigawa, いとうのいぢ

New manga from Tokyo in Japan. Ps. It is in Japanese

Genres: Manga, Fantasy, Light Novel, Graphic Novels, Science Fiction, Comics, Fiction

182 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2006

About the author

Nagaru Tanigawa ( 谷川 流 Tanigawa Nagaru)

Nagaru Tanigawa is a graduate of the Kwansei Gakuin University School of Law. In 2003, he won Kadokawa's Grand Prize for Literary World for his work on the Haruhi Suzumiya series.

Reviews

[Sesana · Rating 1 out of 5]

I see that this is very popular, but wow is it not for me. I was trying to think of something that I liked about it, but... Nothing. I don't like any of the characters, who really have no characterization to speak of anyways. I didn't like the frantic pace of the storylines, which rush by so fast that there's no real point to any of them. Almost like the manga was more concerned with getting over with than with telling a story. The art does nothing for me. And if I was still sitting on the fence, I couldn't stand the way one character was casually and almost continuously harassed, for laughs. Not funny. It may be popular, but I was just glad to be done with it.

[Dara Salley · Rating 1 out of 5]

I read this book somewhat under duress. A friend recommended it to me. It’s certainly not the sort of book I would have ever picked up on my own. I tried to come to it with an open mind but the farther I got into it the more I hated it. It was painful to finish the last twenty pages. If I ever met the main character in person, I would punch him in the face. The book is sexist and filled with garbled paranormal philosophy. The back cover of the book stated that the novel has sold over 4.5 million copies. This makes me doubt the future of Japan and humanity as a whole.

[Grace, Queen of Crows and Tomes · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is my first time with this series (since I haven't watched the anime) and I really enjoyed it. It was a bit of a slow start, but I got more into it the further I read. I also really like Haruhi since her eccentricity reminds me of me! I will definitely be reading the next one!

[Hemere Mosqueda · Rating 4 out of 5]

What the fuck is going on

[~tea~ · Rating 2 out of 5]

I love Haruhi Suzumiya but I think this manga is a disappointment. The light novels and anime are soooo goood but this is just bleh. The characters also look rly weird for some reason, especially Kyon and Koizumi.

[Belle · Rating 4 out of 5]

I remember watching the anime when I was all of 14 and the DVDs were at the library down the street. I remember loving the plot, the genius of it all, and how utterly excited I was with the characters. It had a certain nameless quality you can’t put your finger on, a theme that made you feel young and invincible again.

High schoolers running around on weekends (and on school days) looking for aliens and oddities in a world destined to smother out the fantasy for the mundane? Excellent, minus my one criticism at the end of this review.

The main character wants a normal high-school experience. Enter Haruhi Suzumiya who wants anything but normal. She wants aliens, ghosts, people who are telepathic, time travelers...all because she is bored of this world. She wants that magic in a world without magic, and that is what gets me every-time.

I loved it, but I could have done without the fan-service. It knocked it down a whole star for me. Emphasis on the plot and less on the teenage girls in bunny outfits is all I’m saying. I’m /that/ manga reader, I admit it.

[Secre · Rating 4 out of 5]

As some of you may know this series is currently holding a rank among the top sold light novels. There is a reason for that, this is a unique approach to science fiction/slice of life genre with a rollercoaster of character development. The story revolves around a student club called the sos brigade and Haruhi Suzumiya. It should be noted that the story is told from the point of view of one of the club members named Kyon. He is an interesting character and his interactions with Haruhi kept me entertained. Haruhi as a character might not be well perceived by some due to her behavior and attitude towards others. I usually don't advise age warnings to people but it is advised that readers are age 16 or older. That being said there are moments of sexual behavior and suggestive themes. Overall I enjoyed volume one and will continue the series when I get a chance.

[Калоян Захариев · Rating 5 out of 5]

Първите 5 звездички за 2021 г. Очарован съм. Дали новелата е страхотна, велика и неотразима? Ами, всъщност не. Творбата е леко и приятно четиво, която сама по себе си не блести с нищо особено. Тук обаче се намесват други фактори, като това, че съм гледал анимето, което - меко казано - обожавам. Едва сега, толкова години по-късно, разбирам, че то е разкрило само част от историята, отразена в новелата. Мислех, че новелата за Харухи Сузумия няма да ми донесе нищо ново, но ето, че съм сбъркал.
Чета и се наслаждавам на нови моменти, събития и разкрития с любимите ми герои. Щастлив съм, че това е само първата част от новелата, което означава, че има още много за четене.

[Stephanie Martínez · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cada página me recuerda a un querido amigo, ver su rostro de felicidad al tener entre sus manos estos libros me hacía preguntarme que tendrían de fascinantes. Ahora entiendo su gusto por leer esta historia, es una oda a la ciencia ficción sin descuidar la vida escolar y caótica de un estudiante normal en una escuela "normal" con compañeros "comunes y corrientes".
Termino la historia ansiosa por leer más.

[wayward jon]

Definitivamente un libro que no es para cualquiera pero a mí me gustó mucho, eso sí pobre mikuru

[MC · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have greatly enjoyed the two volumes that I have read so far of the light novel Haruhi Suzumiya series, by Nagaru Tanigawa. They are fun and quirky. I decided to try out this manga adaptation, and I'm kind of unsure what to think. I guess the best way to classify them is as an alternate universe of the story.

This is because the first volume of the manga so far is different. It seems to tell the first half of the first light novel, The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya. In an effort to make the story work in a more visual medium like manga, it was changed. This lead to some confusion for me. Some parts of the plot are left out altogether, and other parts are changed for the sake of making it more understandable.

I think that they could have done a better job of this. But in general, I enjoyed the story. I'm not sure how much I understood from the manga and how much was knowledge from the light novels that I had previously read.

Then again, to be fair, I might be prejudiced by how much it isn't like the original novel. That might be the cause of my confusion. I know that the much briefer (due to the format) explanation of certain concepts doesn't lend itself well to a good understanding on the part of the reader.

Despite the above, it was enjoyable to read this manga. The artwork was top-notch, and appears to be either the same artist as the light novels, or based heavily on his work. The translation style may have been imperfect, but it was still passable, and easily saved by the beautiful artwork inside.

If you are a manga fan, I recommend this series, but I would add the caveat of reading the corresponding light novels for each story arc first. For this one, that means the first book.

[Megan M · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm surprised by now much I enjoyed this. I prefer to read reviews before I sit in a long waiting list at the library for a manga, something I'll read in maybe 30 minutes. The reviews on GR are seriously lackluster, with just about everyone saying that I should just watch the anime. But coming from not knowing anything (except the dance) about Haruhi Suzumiya, I had a great time with this volume.

Haruhi is a high school student obsessed with aliens, time travelers and espers and Kyon somehow gets dragged into her world. The story moves at pretty fast pace, but that matches with Haruhi's personality and I think it fits. There is a lot of fan service in this manga, but I'm not too worried about it, because Haruhi's frustration as to why she can't just dress up in a bunny costume at school is hilarious. Things about the story are fairly predictable if you're ever seen any high school based sci-fi show ever, but I like the characters - especially Kyon and Nagato. I will definitely be picking up more of the series.

[Sruthi · Rating 2 out of 5]

Hello you idiotic fools:

I'm Haruhi Suzumiya, not like I would be telling because you clearly don't need to know you unworthy fool.

I'm a really spiteful and annoying girl who is neurotic and perverted and uses way too many ands in a sentence.

I also forced these 3 losers (Description below) to join my club.

Kyon: I'm a sarcastic sort of a loser who follows Haruhi around like a slave and joins her stupid clubs just because she's *looks around, then whispers* special.

Mikuru: I'm a shy doormat who is obedient and subservient to Haruhi's every need and dresses up as a French maid just to please her!

Yuki: I'm a mindless drone that does nothing but read books. I don't look up, or speak for that matter. Bye.

REAL REVIEW:

Just stahp with the recyclable "Cute highschool girl who looks like an anime can destroy the universe and creates club to help stop her from misusing her own powers" shpiel.
Honestly.

ERMAHGHERD!
This book got EVERYTHING WRONG!

[Setsanata · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've read some of it, but I wanna wait until it comes out into the store to really get into it.

I found out that this book was released earlier than it's original date 10/28/08, so I have already read this book.
It is very good in my opinion. The story is progressing. The manga is different than the anime in various ways, but they both have their ups and downs. I just miss Kyon's sarcasm towards everything... that made it all better...

[Arpita Tonney · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story raises a lot of questions which were not answered. I expected a lot of twists as it's a sneaker award winner book. But the ending was a cliche.

[E.S. · Rating 4 out of 5]

The concept is cool but Suzumiya is kind of annoying. I hate how she treats other people.

[Rebeckah Sypik · Rating 2 out of 5]

Introduced:
I was really looking forward to this manga, I had watched the movie disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya as a kid and loved so I was expecting to love the manga Seires as well... I disliked this manga because of Haruhi's personality, how the character Makuru is treaed, and that Haruhi is not awear of the abnormalities going on around her.

Haruhi's personality:
The thing the bothered me the most is that Haruhi is such a terrible person. She is a brat who uses manipulative and underhanded methods to always get her way. The thing that initially drew me towards the character was her interest in the abnormal, such as aliens, telepathy, robots, time travel. But she likes these things for shollow reasons, just that they are fun. She does not go about finding these things in a smart way, just forcing people she knows to roam around randomly in a park.

Unaware of abnormalities:
Throught out volume 1 it is revealed that all the memebers(with the exeption of Haruki and Kyon) are of paranormal origins. So it makes Haruhi seem very bumb that she would not be aware of them. Yet even more confusing they reveal themselfs to Kyon. They say it is becuase his presence has a effect on her powers. Kyon is told not to inform her of her abilities because it will be dangerous is she knew about them. If it is dangerous to let her know then why even tell Kyon that she has powers. Why take the risk that he might tell her? She seems the type that would believe such a thing.

Makuru's treatment:
The Charater Makuru is groped multiple times and foracly disroped by Haruhi. It was not humourus, it was just horribly embarrassing for Makuru. She does not stand up for herself against Haruhi even a little, which makes you feel even worse for her.

Conclusion:
The only reason I gave this manga a two star instead of a one star is that the premise for the story is really good and that I was very excited to read it. I dont think I will buy the next volume if I do read it, it will be cause I am reading free at by reading it online, at the library, or borrowing it from a friend. Perhaps I will eventually try the anime, but I won't be doibg that for awhile.

[Sarah · Rating 2 out of 5]

Actually rating 1.5 star for volume 1

Plot and thoughts

Kyon is an average freshman at high school who has the misfortune (or fortune) of sitting in front of a very eccentric girl, Haruhi Suzumiya. Her one great desire? To meet aliens, time travelers, and psychics. A chance conservation between Kyon and Haruhi leads her to found the SOS Brigade, a school club dedicated to finding such people. Haruhi drags Kyon into her 'club' along with Yuki (who really just came with the room), kidnaps Miharu Asahina (to be in the club).

So...I've been watching the anime and trying to figure out how the series ends since I can't find an actual anime ending. There are rumors of a season 3 being needed, which makes sense because season 2 had no actual ending, but I digress. The anime ran 2006 and 2009, it bothered me having no ending because it obviously isn't getting one. So I decided to read the manga and see if it had an ending. Cause, why not??? Book series usually have conclusions! Anime in book form, yeah? Uh no...

I went through some of the reviews to see if anyone else felt as I did, and man there are a lot. Apparently I should try the novelizations instead...The manga misses so much! Kyon isn't filled with dry humor he normally is. He doesn't seem to constantly be cursing his life decisions for the viewer's entertainment...So disappointed. I mean, I didn't love the anime absolutely to start with and now, in the manga, a bunch of parts that kept me reading are just missing. The story line rips along, missing at lot of the plot present in the anime...it was just a disappointment.

In Conclusion

I bumped the star rating to 2 because I imagine, had I not watched the anime I would have enjoyed...well, disliked it less. This manga is not something I would have normally read anyway, and the fact that it is missing some of the important qualities of the anime just solidifies that. I will read the 2nd volume to give it a 'fair shake of the stick" but I'm not holding my breath.

[Rachael Anra · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked this up because I wanted to see how scenes were translated from book to anime and I was not disappointed. This book is in first person and is from the point of view of Kyon, an average high school student, who ends up getting involved with Haruhi Suzumiya, a girl wanting more to life than just boring school.

The writing was pretty descriptive and could get a bit wordy at times but it was entertaining to read from someone point of view, who stopped himself from expecting things to happen that was out of the norm. Kyon's thought process kept the story going though most of this book, however at various other points in the text, the pages dragged on when Kyon was describing certain topic over and over again. This book contains more telling than showing but it's understandable, since this is basically Kyon thoughts and dialogue (with himself and other characters.)

When thinking about the characters, basically everyone had a generic personality. Characters were simple and really didn't show promise for character development (though based on this story, they really aren't meant to) and just reading the first volume, it's hard to tell if Haruhi and Kyon will go through some development (I don't know yet, since I never finished the anime).

Again, I really enjoyed reading this and my favorite parts were the theories about the world and life. My least favorite parts were how male character talked about the girls but I over looked that, since I care more for plot. I would recommend that one at least reads this and give it a try, though if you wanted it, I would watch the anime before reading to get an understanding how the world is in the book. Nagaru Tanigawa did a really great job with the writing and the creation of the world within the book.

[Kathryn Hemmann · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya, originally published in 2003, is a sci-fi romantic comedy about a quirky afterschool club. It’s also one of the most influential light novels from the heyday of otaku culture.

Kyon is an average high school boy who’s assigned to a homeroom with Haruhi Suzumiya, a beautiful girl who creates a club to search for supernatural phenomena. Unbeknownst to her, the club’s other members are indeed aliens, psychics, robots, and time travelers.

These extraordinary people reveal themselves to Kyon to ask for his help in keeping Haruhi happy, as she’s gifted with world-altering powers that she might use unintentionally if she ever gets bored.

The story approaches the edge of the darker implications of this scenario but ultimately backs off in favor of light comedy and mild teenage romance, a tonal balance that undoubtedly contributed to its popularity in the mid-2000s.

Yen Press wisely preserved the book’s light novel format, retaining the illustrations and including a sample of the manga adaptation at the end. Chris Pai did a wonderful job with the translation, which is brisk and snappy.

The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya is an interesting cultural artifact, but it’s also a fun story that I’d recommend to anyone who hasn’t yet encountered its particular flavor of high school comedy.

[Yaroster · Rating 3 out of 5]

Real Rating: 2.75

Think I'll follow on what a lot of people said.
Haruhi is most definitely a trend-setter series in lots of ways, it came at the exact moment of the rise of anime forums and chatrooms, it revitalized the Light Novel industry, had surprisingly meta and self-aware themes - albeit way too on the nose and rather badly executed - and it renewed a lot of classic dere types, breaking away from the "violent-love" tropes.

With all that taken into account, Nagaru Tanigawa doesn't seem to try any kind of subtly, at times it felt almost insulting, explaining everything plainly, it's like the book is constantly trying to make a point about being around Sci-Fi, which it's simply not. Lots of boring pseudo-commentary, it's too bad, because the anime adaptation did sincerely try to be bold, with the infamous 8 looping episodes "Endless Eight", yet even then, it all felt tacky - the series is too focused on making itself sound smart rather than using its medium's tools to argue that, and it somewhat feels insecure about it too.

Either way, I deeply respect Haruhi for its cultural impact, both on internet culture and on the industry, and I certainly salute the continuous efforts of the author to offer something interesting every new volume, but re-reading Haruhi truly felt like a chore rather than something i'd want to do on a Sunday afternoon.

[Jacob Lee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Only reading this series because I watched and enjoyed the anime.

TL;DR for below: Read the light novels from where the anime left off if you liked the anime, otherwise, just watch the anime.

I'm gonna be honest, the anime is way better in like every single department, though the volumes going past the anime after The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya are much more focused on time travel, and worth a spare thought or two.

This series peaked with Disappearance, though, and I've yet to see it go past that. If you haven't, do yourself a favor and watch the Haruhi series, starting from The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya, then watching Season 2 and ending off with Disappearance (you can skip episodes 3-7 of Endless Eight, though, that dragged on for way too long imo). The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya remains my favorite animated movie of all time, and for all the right reasons.

Currently on Volume 8.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kyon è un semplice liceale a Tokyo, non crede negli alieni, nei viaggiatori nel tempo, né negli esper. Il primo giorno di scuola incontra la sua vicina di banco: Haruhi Suzumiya, la quale, invece, crede fortemente nella loro esistenza.
Haruhi Suzumiya ha una personalità esplosiva ed è determinata nella ricerca del paranormale. Missione in cui coinvolgerà anche Kyon!

Mi è piaciuto molto questo primo volume in cui vengono presentati i personaggi. La trama si infittisce ed episodi particolari capiteranno a Kyon, che vuole soltanto vivere una vita normale!

È ironico e divertente ma al contempo un po' thriller e misterioso.
Avevo già visto l'anime (che mi era piaciuto moltissimo) e ho deciso di leggere anche il primo volume, trovato per caso ad una bancarella. Purtroppo la serie manga è difficile da reperire🥲 e questo primo volume non potevo farmelo scappare!

[Alex · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75

Lol thought I’d read the light novel, since I‘ve been in love with the Haruhi Suzumiya franchise ever since I was a kid. Kyon’s voice somehow is somehow even MORE sassy in the original material than in any other adaption XD I didn’t think that was even POSSIBLE. Haruhi is still a little s*** XD Mikuru is still adorable, Yuki is still epic, and Koizumi is still a useless f*** with a perfect smile XD

Can’t wait until I’m up to The Disappearance, because that movie still gives me chills, and I’ve been dying to read the original!

Congratulations on reading your first light novel, Alex! 🎉🎉🎉

[Ajon · Rating 4 out of 5]

I watched the anime before starting the light novel series. I have to say, the anime and light novel synergize quite well. The novel is written just as Kyon would narrate the anime, in his signature sarcastic and pessimistic tone. Tanigawa does a wonderful job structuring the novel. While pacing can be a bit slow at times (in comparison to the animated series anyway, I'm a little biased since I watched it first), it doesn't discourage the reader. Chapter 7 is especially well written, as the book reaches its climax. I recommend the Suzumiya series to anyone looking for a wonderful balance of sci fi, comedy, and maybe even a little romance.

[Meakuel · Rating 1 out of 5]

Nachdem ich den Film zur Fortsetzung gesehen und für interessant befunden habe, wollte ich den Manga dazu auch gerne einmal lesen. Bedauerlicherweise sagt mir der Zeichenstil weniger zu und ich muss zugeben, wenn ich den Film nicht gesehen hätte, hätte ich nach diesem Band wohl abgebrochen. Es ist ziemlich stark Romance vom Typ Klischee. Ein unbedeutender durchschnittlicher Typ mit seltsamen Charakter bekommt drei Mädchen vor die Nase, die alle als potentielle Love interests in Frage kommen und mit denen er in zweideutige Situationen gerät. Absolut nicht meins.

[kordan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yes. It took me days before I finished this book as such that I was busy with academics. The novel was great and I like how each character has a different personality and how they differ at reacting to different situations.

I am also interested that they presented the spontaneity of life in representation of Haruhi Suzumiya's wishes as such that it made me think about certain philosophies.

It's a great book without Kyon being a too much hormonal boy in his monologue.

[Gab Andrade · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 estrellas.

Esto me remonta a las epocas de mi primaria y secundaria, habia visto parte de el anime durante esas epocas, pero poco a poco lo fui olvidando, y verdaderamente nunca terminé de ver la historia.

Ahora con esta nueva interacción puedo sentirme tanto norsalgico, como extraño, no recordaba tanto la actitu un poco pesada de Haruhi, pero bueno, poco a poco la iré volviendo a conocer para ver como será.

[Shoshana · Rating 3 out of 5]

Iread this after a long time of my daughter suggesting i read it and me yelling "Haruhi!" in the manner of Tamaki from the live drama of Ouran Host Club. This Haruhi is not as likeable. She's abusive and somewhat of a manipulator.

The narrator seems to be in the Watson mold, the normal guy talking about the odd eccentric eponymous heroine. The problem is the guy is also a bit annoying and objectifying. That and the power harassment for poor Asahina aside it was an enjoyable light read.

[Stephen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nagaru Tanigawa (writer) and Nagaru Tanigawa (artist) weave this interesting and intriguing series. I don’t know if I will stick with it, but it definitely shows promise and is interesting. While having an anime made about it does not immediately move it into super quality, it does speak enough of the source materials strength. The S.O.S. Brigade is formed and there are some interesting characters that are introduced in this very first volume. The protagonist is Kyon, a high school freshman who unknowingly has entered a group that will forever change his life. It's pretty whacky and unpredictable, but I think that is the charm of the series. There is fan service and inappropriate dialogue and situations for kids too young, so please be mindful the back of the book says “Older teen” and so be aware of who you let read this if you get the series.