The Melancholy Of Haruhi Suzumiya Thread

[Keith]

Speaking of crazy alternate dimensions

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WnyqjPGiAko

[shiroikaze]

Speaking of crazy alternate dimensions

...

Wait, what? Wow. I need to watch Animax Musix now just because of this.

By the way, I found this one through your link.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Chako0PGH7M&feature=related

[Bri]

Wait, what? Wow. I need to watch Animax Musix now just because of this.

By the way, I found this one through your link.

May'n x God knows is a pretty divine combo.

[wolfx]

That...is just freakin awsm!

[Keith]

I didn't have time to search around for that this morning, but I suspected she must have sang God Know's as well. Of course now I want to see Aya Hirano sing Northern Cross, or Seikan Hikou.

[ly000001]

HK Blu-ray version of the movie, with English sub-titles: http://www.play-asia.com/The_Disappearance_Of_Haruhi_Suzumiya/paOS-13-71-8h-49-en-70-4687.html

[Keith]

Have the Japanese one already, so I'll wait for the U.S. release.

[wolfx]

Something just occured to me... hope someone can answer this for me.

In ep1 of Haruhi season 2, Kyon travels back 3 years before and to get back to his original timeline, Nagato freezes time in her room. Kyon and Mikuru is in stasis for 3 years until they arrive at their original timeline.

Question is, where is the Kyon from 3 years ago during this time? Wouldn't there be two Kyons when he wakes up 3 years later? 1 is the time travelling kyon, and the other the original kyon of that timeline. I'm sure this is explained somewhere and I missed something but currently am stumped.

[Bri]

Something just occured to me... hope someone can answer this for me.

In ep1 of Haruhi season 2, Kyon travels back 3 years before and to get back to his original timeline, Nagato freezes time in her room. Kyon and Mikuru is in stasis for 3 years until they arrive at their original timeline.

Question is, where is the Kyon from 3 years ago during this time? Wouldn't there be two Kyons when he wakes up 3 years later? 1 is the time travelling kyon, and the other the original kyon of that timeline. I'm sure this is explained somewhere and I missed something but currently am stumped.

The time travelling Kyon and Mikuru wake up after their past selves have used Mikuru's device to travel back in time. So yes, timetravelling Kyon exists next to his past self for three years. In that episode (BLR) Yuki confirms that he was in stasis in the other room when Kyon visited Yuki's appartement for the first time in season one.

In disappearance they take it one step further when future Kyon arrives with friends to save himself from bleeding to death after being stabbed by Ryoko. Bit of a Bill and Ted paradox that one.

[Chronocidal]

Actually, this is one thing they have never addressed directly.

Yes, there was the original 3-years-ago Kyon in that timeline, simultaneously. But we have never heard what was going on for him at that time.

Many people are very curious to see what exactly Kyon himself was up to on that night when the world changed.

See... one of the big conspiracy theories is that KYON is the one who is responsible for everything. Once you are familiar with the more recent stories, you see he had another friend around that time who was the exact opposite of Haruhi.. but apparently had the same type of powers, until that night.

If Kyon is indeed the person responsible.. something he did on that night may have been why the powers were given to Haruhi and taken away from his other friend.

Though, the timeline on this is iffy in my memory, so I might need to review/reread the novels.

Suffice to say.. I'm really really curious about that too.

But anyway, no there wouldn't be two Kyons when he woke up from the three year sleep, because he woke up shortly after he was taken back in time to begin with.

Despite all the crazy time shenanigans in the series, one thing they are very careful about is the small details, and I've had many an hour spent just tracing all the individual stable time loops that occur throughout the story. It's a fun ride that would really be more accurately described as a time pretzel, or even a sweater.. yes, there are enough time lines and loops you could probably knit one out of them.

Edited March 16, 2011 by Chronocidal

[ly000001]

On Kadokawa’s Haruhi light novel site, http://www.kadokawa.co.jp/haruhi/, there’s a list of 12 items under 「涼宮ハルヒの報告」 (“The Information/Report of Haruhi Suzumiya”). The 12th item is the cover for the second-half of The Surprise of Haruhi Suzumiya, featuring the silhouette of Sasaki, and when you click on it, it takes you to a “beta” (as in β ) site featuring her instead of Suzumiya and some of the windows filled with static

Edit: Didn't notice that the main page is designated α

Edited March 16, 2011 by ly000001

[wolfx]

The time travelling Kyon and Mikuru wake up after their past selves have used Mikuru's device to travel back in time.

Ahhh duhhh......that should be it. Thanks. Hence Yuki's explanation on when is the opportune time to wake them up.

[Keith]

I don't think it's a spoiler at all to assume Kyon is the true center of the Haurhi-verse. It's probably the primary reason we don't get to know his true name. Dissapearance definately boosted everything that was great about the series ten-fold though. That story should be studied for generations with all the complexities it added to an already deep story.

[Marzan]

I don't think it's a spoiler at all to assume Kyon is the true center of the Haurhi-verse. It's probably the primary reason we don't get to know his true name...

That's so true and I hadn't really thought about it. 10 novels in and we still don't know his name.

Maybe we'll get a surprise of "Star Warsian' proportions"?

[Chronocidal]

Ok, this is where the fun speculation begins.

Theory 1: Asahina is Kyon and Haruhi's daughter, hence the "don't get too close to me" bit.

Theory 2: Haruhi is Kyon and Asahina's daughter. This makes even less sense, but would be a hilarious turn.

Theory 3: Haruhi is Kyon an Nagato's daughter. Even crazier, even less sense, but then we'd have some idea of where her powers might've come from... though in that case.. the paradoxes caused by

Nagato stealing Haruhi's powers in Disappearance

get even more mind bending than I even want to consider.

Either way we'd have the potential for a "No.. I am you father!" line from Kyon, which might cause the universe to implode in a roiling massive ball of facepalms.

[ly000001]

Ok, this is where the fun speculation begins.

Theory 1: Asahina is Kyon and Haruhi's daughter, hence the "don't get too close to me" bit.

Theory 2: Haruhi is Kyon and Asahina's daughter. This makes even less sense, but would be a hilarious turn.

Theory 3: Haruhi is Kyon an Nagato's daughter. Even crazier, even less sense, but then we'd have some idea of where her powers might've come from... though in that case.. the paradoxes caused by

Nagato stealing Haruhi's powers in Disappearance

get even more mind bending than I even want to consider.

Either way we'd have the potential for a "No.. I am you father!" line from Kyon, which might cause the universe to implode in a roiling massive ball of facepalms.

Vader: Kyon... help me take this mask off.

Kyon: But you'll die!

Vader: Nothing can prevent that now.

(Kyon takes Vader's mask off and gasps)

Vader (as Tsuruya-san): (belly laughs)

Other than what Kyon's real role is in the grand scheme of things, I wonder what's the meaning behind that vision he had where

the SOS Brigade are wearing medieval clothing on a spaceship, with Koizumi playing a harp

[VFTF1]

Hm. This is turning into a regular soap opera. At this rate, Haruhi better start piloting transforming super robots fast...

Pete

[Keith]

I doubt there's a time traveling parent issue going on. The reason Mikuru doesn't want Kyon to get too close is obviously the rage that would ensue from Haruhi at her. She's perfectl;y content to flirt when Haruhi isn't around, especially the more Mature Mikuru. As for transforming super robots, i'd rather see the Haruhi gang in more of a Gunbuster setting.

-Haruhi as Noriko

-Mikuru as Jung

-Yuki as the Uchuu Kaijuu

-Koizumi as Kazumi (hilarious!)

-Churuya as Coach Ohta

And of course

-Kyon as Smith Touren (and pormptly freaking out about being cast as a prominent side character who dies, then rationaliising it as having not died at all, merely hiding to get away from Haruhi).

Damnit, if I could draw worth a damn, I'd totally make this into Doujin.

Edited March 18, 2011 by Keith

[Chronocidal]

Vader: Kyon... help me take this mask off.

Kyon: But you'll die!

Vader: Nothing can prevent that now.

(Kyon takes Vader's mask off and gasps)

Vader (as Tsuruya-san): (belly laughs)

Other than what Kyon's real role is in the grand scheme of things, I wonder what's the meaning behind that vision he had where

the SOS Brigade are wearing medieval clothing on a spaceship, with Koizumi playing a harp

Thank you for that, I nearly snorted coffee across my work computer. That would be absolutely epic. I'm going to have to draw that now too.. Darth Churuya!

As for the vision...

Ok, I'm assuming you're referring to the bit in the snow mountain episode with the mansion. There really hasn't been any official explanation for this, but if you can find it somewhere, go look for.. I think it was called "Haruhi Theater." It was a pair of very short stories that took the SOS Brigade on a series of completely out of universe adventures.

First, they all get wedged into a medieval rpg setting, and by that I mean they literally get dropped into a setting where everyone behaves exactly in line with a console rpg, complete with fetch quests, saving the princess, etc. Koizumi gets cast as a bard, hence the harp, whereas Haruhi and Kyon are knights, Asahina is a mage, and Yuki gets a thief role. They even have the standard wise old guy show up asking for various rare items in assorted dangerous places and in return he'll give them the key they need. The way Haruhi deals with him, as well as the final game boss just HAS to be seen. I think if you've ever seen pics of the cast in medieval styled clothing, it might be related to this.

Second, they get put in basically the exact same situation, except in space, a-la Star Wars. Same plot, captured princess, only by space pirates, or something like that.

At the end of the space adventure section, they're seen getting dropped into a gunslinger-styled western setting, but I haven't seen anything past that.

Now, for the double spoiler:

The reason they're in these oddball settings is NOT explained at all, but Kyon does wonder if they were playing video games in the clubroom before the medieval adventure begins.

Now, the connection to Snow Mountain Syndrome.. Kyon does have the flashback to the medival situation here, and the implication I'm getting is that the entire situation is really the

Sky Canopy Domain (the anti Integrated Data Entity aliens)

toying with them. I need to re-read Snow Mountain Syndrome, but the impression I get is that time basically breaks down while they're in that mansion, and they have no idea how long they've actually been there. Similar to how Kyon was having deja vu from Endless Eight, they may have done all those things while in the mansion, being treated like guinea pigs. The entire mansion is really a puzzle to solve after all, which could just be one more iteration of the "game" universe they seem to be in during the Haruhi Theater shorts. Similar to how the Endless Eight story only showed the last iteration of the time loop, Snow Mountain Syndrome may have only been telling about the iteration when they finally escape the mansion.

Note though, that doesn't explain at all why Yuki would get sick in the mansion, but nowhere else in the Haruhi Theater stories, so this is all my own speculation.

I don't actually have any idea where the Haruhi Theater bits may be now. I read them on the novel translation database before they were licensed in the US, and when that happened I think they removed the entire Haruhi section from the site. I have them saved in word format and could repost them here if you like, since they are rather short (really on the order of a standard series episode length, when compared with the multi episode stories like Melancholy and Disappearance).

[ly000001]

Manga UK's release date for "Disappearance" DVD and Blu-ray: July 25th: http://twitter.com/mangauk

Bandai started recording the English dub yesterday: http://www.facebook.com

[VFTF1]

This is good news. I'd love to get this on DVD - even if from the UK. And given their pace, I might just be debt free and able to buy something around the time they get done

Pete

[Noriko Takaya]

A bit off topic, but someone should shoot May'n's costume guy. Watch the God Knows video and read what is printed on the front of her jacket.

[JELEINEN]

A bit off topic, but someone should shoot May'n's costume guy. Watch the God Knows video and read what is printed on the front of her jacket.

I'm at work, so I can't see it, but is it worse than the t-shirt Aya wore in the Gekisou concert?

[Chronocidal]

Interesting news. I'm not sure what to think, but something is going on again. Another website has appeared, saying there will be an announcement on July 7th this year regarding the series.

Rumors Abound for Haruhi Season 3

Sad news about Aya Hirano's statement about her health, I have my doubts a good replacement could be found for a third season. I kind of hope they decide to go out on a high note, and call Disappearance the end of the animated material, but I'll also be sad to never see the rest of the books animated. Either way, the books have been announced to be continuing, so the story isn't over yet.

I've been rewatching the series from the start with a friend recently, and went to check out the progress on the novels. Apparently, novel #10 is in the process of translation by fans, and can be found in chapter sized snippets around the internet, though not necessarily all of the chapters are complete. From what I have read... yes, there is a good reason #10 is called "The Astonishment of Haruhi Suzumiya." I'm trying not to spoil myself until I can read a complete version, so I'm going to re-read all the fan translations of the later novels to lead into it. Really glad I saved those somewhere before they were taken down.

Speaking of the novels though, Amazon has books 1-5 available in hardcover for about $10 each, so I'm going to be making an order shortly.

By the way.. Just a random thought I had looking at this topic.. how come it didn't get called "The Thread of Haruhi Suzumiya" to start with? Should we change it?

Edit: Just noticed the link there, taking you to a site for posting tweet-wishes on a virtual bamboo tree. New Haruhi Website

Edited June 28, 2011 by Chronocidal

[Keith]

End it with Dissapearance? Go out on a high note? You're crazy man! Yeah, E8 was...well E8, season 2 was still full of infinate amounts of awesome. Sigh totally made up for the obnoxiousness of E8, and Dissapearance blew everything that came before out of the water. If Aya Hirano truly does have to retire, that would be incredibly sad, "but" as the old saying goes, the show must go on. Fact of the matter is, Haruhi is much bigger than an Aya Hirano vehicle, and given the circumstances, the fanbase would readily accept a suitable replacement. As far as I'm concerned, I'd be more worried if they had to replace Kyon, as he's truly the central figure of the series.

In other words, come hell or high water, WE NEED THIS STORY TO CONTINUE BEING ANIMATED!

ALSO: I hereby nominate myself to be sent to Japan to help nurse Aya back to health...

Edited June 28, 2011 by Keith

[Bri]

Aya is still working ongoing anime like Fairy Tale and upcoming sequels and iirc a Haruhi 3 DS game. So Aya will be available for any future Haruhi projects. Sankaku complex loves to spread/create rumours so I always take any *news* on Aya with a pinch of salt untill it gets confirmed by reliable sources.

Fans love to moan about Endless Eight, but the supposedly poor sales had more to do with the DVD only release of S2 then anything else. The BD boxed set thrashed sales records. A third season is more of a question of *when* rather then *if*. Given the upcoming K-on movie this fall, I don't think we will see a third season before winter or spring 2012.

[Chronocidal]

Heheh. I bet half the wishes on that website tree are for her to get better. The site I saw didn't read anything like a rumor; apparently she announced she has a tumor on her pituitary gland, and won't be taking any more voice roles, and is halting her singing career. Now, whether "any more voice roles" means "no more than I already have" or "no more voice work at all" is up for grabs. It could potentially be rumor, but it seems rather specific.

Anyway, I guess I should rephrase what I mean.. If the announcement is that the series will be ending, I hope they use Disappearance as the last hurrah, just because of what the plot does after that point. To continue for some amount of time, then just have the series die off mid-plot would be sad.

On the other hand, why would they ask for fans to submit wishes just to announce the ending? Considering Disappearance ends on a sort of causality-induced cliffhanger, they can't very well leave it unresolved.

The problem is, bringing about the final conclusion for Disappearance involves a story that is arguably a bigger mess than Disappearance, and introduces the overarching plot for the entire rest of the novels. Once they open the can of worms that is the

Anti-SOS Brigade,

it's going to be a long and crazy ride.

From what I have read, all hell breaks loose. I managed to catch a snippet accidentallly on TV Tropes about a nasty future event, and if the hints I've seen are true, it involves a jump to the future, involving Kyon and Haruhi in college. I couldn't avert my eyes quick enough from the spoilers to not catch that, but I am desperately avoiding everything about novel 10 until I read it all myself. Plus there's the entire mess involving the two parallel timelines, and the potential Slider that they haven't done anything with yet.

Edited June 28, 2011 by Chronocidal

[Keith]

I'd actually be surprised if

slider isn't Kyon himself. Not knowingly, but since what little I've heard about the next batch of events involved him being previously associated with the head of the anti-asos brigade, it only makes sense.

Edited June 28, 2011 by Keith

[Shaorin]

In other words, come hell or high water, WE NEED THIS STORY TO CONTINUE BEING ANIMATED!

ALSO: I hereby nominate myself to be sent to Japan to help nurse Aya back to health...

As I hereby nominate myself to be sent to Japan alongside you, to help nurse ♥Mikuru-chan♥ into being by my side forevers and evers... ♥

Edited June 28, 2011 by Shaorin

[Chronocidal]

I'd actually be surprised if

slider isn't Kyon himself. Not knowingly, but since what little I've heard about the next batch of events involved him being previously associated with the head of the anti-asos brigade, it only makes sense.

Well, the setup I keep expecting has a lot to do with the 9th novel.

They've never really explained anything about the alternating "alpha" and "beta" chapters. They clearly are two versions of the same events, and I need to read over it again to pick out the differences. On top of that, I just found out that both novels 10 and 11 are being released simultaneously.. one with Haruhi on the cover, the other with Sasaki.

Anyhow, book 9.. you've got two alternative takes on the same few days, different in a few really strange ways... and.. you know, it just hit me what the phone call Kyon receives could mean. again, I need to read book 9 again, but Kyon got a phone call in both alternatives near the end. Unless I'm mixing up phone calls, I think one was about Yuki becoming sick, and the other was from some unknown voice that Kyon couldn't place. Similarly.. in one version, there was an actual meeting for recruiting new SOS members, and someone sneaked in in the middle. They make a point to call out a single girl who's really intensely interested in the meeting, and probably joining. But she doesn't appear in the alternative take on those events.

The thing I've been expecting all along is for this girl to actually be the one who jumps universes, and winds up attending the second recruitment meeting looking to join, but doing so in the universe where the first meeting never happened. Now, whether this girl would be aware of the jump is up for grabs, I thought it would be interesting to introduce another character who doesn't have any secret motives, and is truly neutral in the upcoming conflict.

Anywho, I'll re-read book 9 tonight, and then go hunting for bits of 10 and 11 to see what happens.

Edited June 28, 2011 by Chronocidal

[JB0]

I'd actually be surprised if

slider isn't Kyon himself. Not knowingly, but since what little I've heard about the next batch of events involved him being previously associated with the head of the anti-asos brigade, it only makes sense.

Actually, at this point in the narrative, Kyon's done more time travel than Mikuru. And through the events of Disappearance, he's arguably ALREADY a slider.

So I'm waiting to find out how he becomes an alien and esper, and consequently Haruhi's perfect man.

[Chronocidal]

Ok, so I read book 9 and a translated portion of 10 last night. Hoo boy.

Seems like books 9, 10, and 11 can be treated as one continuous story. Once the alpha/beta numbering in book 9 starts, it continues in sequence in book 10. Book 9 leaves off at a-6/b-6, and 10 starts with a-7/b-7. Not sure if it's entirely consistent, but it looks like each labeled section is about a single day (though the length of the sections vary based on what occurs.. one alpha section is about a paragraph long, and just tells about how Kyon wasted his sunday doing nothing in particular).

Now the fun stuff.

After reading this again, and comparing it to little snippets of rumors I've heard, I'm positive something is up with the one first year girl from the first SOS Brigade recruitment meeting. Just what is going on is really odd though, and doesn't have any explanation yet.

The point of the split between story a and b also directly involves her I think, which doesn't yet make any sense.

The split occurs after the second time Kyon runs into Sasaki. The first was just Sasaki on the flea market trip, the second was when Kyon arrived early for a standard mystery patrol day, and ran into her, Kyouko Tachibana, and Kuyoh Suou, and the rest of the SOS Brigade arrived behind him, causing a not insignificant amount of tension.

Later that day, Kyon gets two phone calls, one in each version of the split. One is Sasaki, asking for a second meeting the next day. Kyon confirms with Koizumi and Nagato that it won't be dangerous, and decides to go hear them out. This is the version where Nagato comes down sick, and the SOS recruitment meeting never happens.

The other call comes from an unknown person that Kyon can't quite place, but seems familiar. The interesting thing is that she refers to him as "sempai," which confuses the heck out of Kyon. I don't have the story here right now, or I'd quote the call entirely, it's not long.

This is followed by a lazy sunday with nothing happening, and monday where the first recruitment meeting happens in the club room. The room starts off having 11 people, and they go get just enough chairs. On returning, there are now 12 people somehow. Kyon makes a point to describe someone who is incredibly enthusiastic about all the stuff discussed regarding what the SOS Brigade does. She's kind of small, with short curly hair, and a pin in it with a smiley face. To start, anything that well described is bound to be important, and I'm fairly sure I've seen character art of this person somewhere.

Odds are, she's our slider, but might not realize it fully. She could be the mystery caller. I'm guessing in one universe, she actually did show up at the SOS Brigade recruitment table, and got contact information for the members, but we didn't see it. If she's hopping between universes, I'm betting that next she's going to show up in the version where the recruitment meetings never happened. Currently in that story, Haruhi has suspended club activities to care for Nagato, and left Koizumi to watch the club room in her place. Whatever happens to him watching the room I haven't read yet, and it might not even be translated yet.

Anyhow... the insanity is due to greatly increase here. Going to double spoiler this because I found part of it out by accident reading the TV Tropes page, and it's pretty obvious that things are about to get very serious very soon.

Remember that girlfriend Taniguchi got before Christmas in Disappearance? The one he forgot about once the world was rewritten? It was Kuyou Suou. She tried to contact Kyon, and was too unfamiliar with humans to tell the difference or something. Toward the end of what I've read, Sasaki, Kyon, and Kuyoh run into Kunikida and Taniguchi at the train station. Kunikida knows Sasaki from cram school and from middle school with Kyon, and now we find out that Taniguchi dated a less advanced being similar to Nagato.

The huge spoilers for the future... Apparently, somewhere in the later stages of this story, Kyon takes a short hop into the future, and materializes directly on top of Haruhi, in her bed. Also, what I've read about points to a direct physical confrontation between Kuyoh Suou and Haruhi. Not exchanging blows exactly.. more that she suspends Haruhi in mid air. Yes... stuff is about to get real.

I mean aside from the idea that Kunikida and Taniguchi might get involved in this, plus the new girl (who I believe I have seen named by someone, but didn't pay much attention to it), we have Haruhi directly involved in the weirdness. I would say it's probably a potential future, that might be erased, but these stories have never played with time travel that way. While time may double back on itself, events are never erased by changing the past. If they're attempting to keep the status quo in place, the only thing that really might make sense is if these events occur in a parallel universe, and everyone eventually returns to the normal one.

Anyway.. so yeah. My brain hurts, and I can't wait to read more of this one.

[Keith]

It also brings up an interesting point in how these things would be handled animated. Perhaps

each episode will break up the A/B parts for each day by the commercial bumber? That'd probably be the easiest/least confusing way to do things.

[Marzan]

Ok, so I read book 9 and a translated portion of 10 last night. Hoo boy.

Seems like books 9, 10, and 11 can be treated as one continuous story. Once the alpha/beta numbering in book 9 starts, it continues in sequence in book 10. Book 9 leaves off at a-6/b-6, and 10 starts with a-7/b-7. Not sure if it's entirely consistent, but it looks like each labeled section is about a single day (though the length of the sections vary based on what occurs.. one alpha section is about a paragraph long, and just tells about how Kyon wasted his sunday doing nothing in particular).

Now the fun stuff.

After reading this again, and comparing it to little snippets of rumors I've heard, I'm positive something is up with the one first year girl from the first SOS Brigade recruitment meeting. Just what is going on is really odd though, and doesn't have any explanation yet.

The point of the split between story a and b also directly involves her I think, which doesn't yet make any sense.

The split occurs after the second time Kyon runs into Sasaki. The first was just Sasaki on the flea market trip, the second was when Kyon arrived early for a standard mystery patrol day, and ran into her, Kyouko Tachibana, and Kuyoh Suou, and the rest of the SOS Brigade arrived behind him, causing a not insignificant amount of tension.

Later that day, Kyon gets two phone calls, one in each version of the split. One is Sasaki, asking for a second meeting the next day. Kyon confirms with Koizumi and Nagato that it won't be dangerous, and decides to go hear them out. This is the version where Nagato comes down sick, and the SOS recruitment meeting never happens.

The other call comes from an unknown person that Kyon can't quite place, but seems familiar. The interesting thing is that she refers to him as "sempai," which confuses the heck out of Kyon. I don't have the story here right now, or I'd quote the call entirely, it's not long.

This is followed by a lazy sunday with nothing happening, and monday where the first recruitment meeting happens in the club room. The room starts off having 11 people, and they go get just enough chairs. On returning, there are now 12 people somehow. Kyon makes a point to describe someone who is incredibly enthusiastic about all the stuff discussed regarding what the SOS Brigade does. She's kind of small, with short curly hair, and a pin in it with a smiley face. To start, anything that well described is bound to be important, and I'm fairly sure I've seen character art of this person somewhere.

Odds are, she's our slider, but might not realize it fully. She could be the mystery caller. I'm guessing in one universe, she actually did show up at the SOS Brigade recruitment table, and got contact information for the members, but we didn't see it. If she's hopping between universes, I'm betting that next she's going to show up in the version where the recruitment meetings never happened. Currently in that story, Haruhi has suspended club activities to care for Nagato, and left Koizumi to watch the club room in her place. Whatever happens to him watching the room I haven't read yet, and it might not even be translated yet.

Anyhow... the insanity is due to greatly increase here. Going to double spoiler this because I found part of it out by accident reading the TV Tropes page, and it's pretty obvious that things are about to get very serious very soon.

Remember that girlfriend Taniguchi got before Christmas in Disappearance? The one he forgot about once the world was rewritten? It was Kuyou Suou. She tried to contact Kyon, and was too unfamiliar with humans to tell the difference or something. Toward the end of what I've read, Sasaki, Kyon, and Kuyoh run into Kunikida and Taniguchi at the train station. Kunikida knows Sasaki from cram school and from middle school with Kyon, and now we find out that Taniguchi dated a less advanced being similar to Nagato.

The huge spoilers for the future... Apparently, somewhere in the later stages of this story, Kyon takes a short hop into the future, and materializes directly on top of Haruhi, in her bed. Also, what I've read about points to a direct physical confrontation between Kuyoh Suou and Haruhi. Not exchanging blows exactly.. more that she suspends Haruhi in mid air. Yes... stuff is about to get real.

I mean aside from the idea that Kunikida and Taniguchi might get involved in this, plus the new girl (who I believe I have seen named by someone, but didn't pay much attention to it), we have Haruhi directly involved in the weirdness. I would say it's probably a potential future, that might be erased, but these stories have never played with time travel that way. While time may double back on itself, events are never erased by changing the past. If they're attempting to keep the status quo in place, the only thing that really might make sense is if these events occur in a parallel universe, and everyone eventually returns to the normal one.

Anyway.. so yeah. My brain hurts, and I can't wait to read more of this one.

Wow. It does seem that the story is getting more complex by the book.

All this timehopping is going to require a visual guide-diagram to be able to keep track of the A and B stories and to know what happened where.

From reading the prologue to 10 and some snippets that have come out from 10 and 11, I do get the feeling that the story is going to continue a while longer, right? I mean it seems the story is far from over and there are too many things to be explained?

[Keith]

I actually thought the novels were near completion weren't they?