The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya

Haruhi Suzumiya
Japanese version of the first light novel, The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya.
涼宮ハルヒ (Suzumiya Haruhi)
Genre	Comedy, Science fantasy
Light novel
Author	Nagaru Tanigawa
Illustrator	Noizi Ito
Publisher	Kadokawa Shoten
English publisher	Little, Brown Books for Young Readers & Yen Press
Demographic	Male
Magazine	The Sneaker (short stories only)
Original run	June 6, 2003 – ongoing
Volumes	9 (List of volumes)
Manga
Author	Nagaru Tanigawa
Illustrator	Makoto Mizuno
Publisher	Kadokawa Shoten
Demographic	Shōnen
Magazine	Shōnen Ace
Original run	May 2004 – December 2004
Volumes	1
Manga
The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya
Author	Nagaru Tanigawa
Illustrator	Gaku Tsugano
Publisher	Kadokawa Shoten
English publisher	Yen Press
Demographic	Shōnen
Magazine	Shōnen Ace
Original run	November 2005 – ongoing
Volumes	10
TV anime
The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya
Director	Tatsuya Ishihara
Studio	Kyoto Animation
Licensor	Madman Entertainment   Bandai Entertainment
Network	Chiba TV, SUN-TV, Tokyo MX, TV Aichi, TV Hokkaido,TV Kanagawa, Teletama
Original run	April 2, 2006 – July 2, 2006
Episodes	14 (List of episodes)
Manga
The Melancholy of Haruhi-chan Suzumiya
Illustrator	Puyo
Publisher	Kadokawa Shoten
English publisher	Yen Press
Demographic	Shōnen
Magazine	Shōnen Ace, The Sneaker
Original run	July 26, 2007 – ongoing
Volumes	4
Original net animation
The Melancholy of Haruhi-chan Suzumiya
Studio	Kyoto Animation
Released	February 13, 2009 – May 15, 2009
Runtime	2–8 minutes
Episodes	25 (List of episodes)
Original net animation
Nyorōn Churuya-san
Studio	Kyoto Animation
Released	February 13, 2009 – May 15, 2009
Runtime	2 minutes
Episodes	13
TV anime
The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya (re-broadcast with new episodes)
Director	Tatsuya Ishihara
Studio	Kyoto Animation
Licensor	Bandai Entertainment
Network	Tokyo MX
Original run	April 3, 2009 – October 9, 2009
Episodes	28 (List of episodes)
Manga
The Vanishing of Nagato Yuki chan
Illustrator	Puyo
Publisher	Kadokawa Shoten
Demographic	Seinen
Magazine	Young Ace
Original run	July 4, 2009 – ongoing
Volumes	1
Other
Haruhi Suzumiya video games The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya (film)
Anime and Manga Port

Haruhi Suzumiya (涼宮ハルヒ Suzumiya Haruhi^?) is the general name for a series of light novels written by Nagaru Tanigawa and illustrated by Noizi Ito, and subsequently adapted into other media. The story follows the title character, Haruhi Suzumiya, a high school girl who can unconsciously change reality, and her strange antics with her school club, the SOS Brigade, which she founded to investigate any mysterious happenings. Haruhi forcibly drafts her cynical classmate Kyon who narrates the series, and similarly recruits three additional members into her club: the silent bibliophile Yuki Nagato, the shy and timid Mikuru Asahina, and the friendly "mysterious exchange student" Itsuki Koizumi. These members soon reveal themselves to Kyon as the extraordinary characters Haruhi is seeking, sent by their various organizations to observe her and hold her reality warping powers in check by maintaining the illusion of a normal life.

The first novel was published in Japan on June 6, 2003 by Kadokawa Shoten, with nine individual novels published and a planned tenth as of April 1, 2007. The light novels have been adapted into four separate manga series, five video games, a television anime adaptation, and two original net animations. After the anime adaption aired in 2006, publishing company Kadokawa Shoten received various offers licensing both the novels and its various adaptations.^[1][2]

The novels are licensed for English language release in the United States by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers and Yen Press and the anime adaptation was licensed for North American distribution by Kadokawa Pictures USA division, which then sublicensed production and distribution to Bandai Entertainment.

Characters

Haruhi Suzumiya

Haruhi is the title character and leader of the SOS Brigade, whose energetic and eccentric character proves to be the driving force for the series. She has a mind for adventure, which often leads her subordinates to be swept into her plans. While being smart, beautiful, and energetic, Haruhi was eyed as an oddball ever since Middle School: she had set all the desks from her classroom out into the hallway, painted stars on the roofs, and even painted a huge hieroglyph out in the school field. Haruhi can not stand boredom, so she comes up with various activities for the SOS Brigade, making them participate whether they like it or not. When in 6th grade, Haruhi felt she was no longer special after going to a baseball game and realizing she was one in a sea of people. Since then she set out to make her life interesting and unique. What Haruhi does not know is that she has an outstanding power to change the environment around her as she pleases, using which she subconsciously gathers Mikuru Asahina, Koizumi Itsuki, and Yuki Nagato to one place, namely, the SOS Brigade.

Kyon

Kyon is a student who unintentionally runs into Haruhi and is the only normal human in the SOS Brigade. Even though Haruhi is the title character, the story is told through his viewpoint. Through narration and dialogue, he provides his insight, perspective, and opinions on the series' events. Kyon is often annoyed by Haruhi's demands, but also is bewildered by her. While Kyon often looks at Mikuru and comments on her attraction to him, it is hinted throughout the series that he has romantic feelings towards Haruhi. Kyon is a nickname first given to him by his grandmother, and he has been called Kyon ever since. His and his sister's true names are currently unknown. Kyon is also "John Smith" from Haruhi's earlier memories, and subsequently was the one who painted the hieroglyph in the field.

Yuki Nagato

Yuki is a bibliophile humanoid interface created by Data Integration Thought Entity, whose responsibilities involve monitoring Haruhi and the investigation of an unexplained "explosion of data" three years prior to the present story. She possesses an ability to manipulate her surrounding environment. Yuki is very quiet, but can speak at length when it has to do with her mission or a problem that has arisen. While she always seems to be engrossed in her reading, she comments that she is only relatively interested in them. Yuki gives hints and aid to Kyon throughout the series.

Mikuru Asahina

Mikuru is a time traveler from the distant future who is assigned to investigate the reason behind the inability to travel to any point in time before three years prior to the present story. Mikuru is a soft-spoken girl who almost always willingly follows Haruhi's demands. She is the lowest in her Time Traveler's Committee. She often tries to explain what is going on, but will heavily censor it by saying "classified information." Haruhi loves dressing up Mikuru like a doll, and Haruhi is quite jealous of her and Kyon's relationship.

Itsuki Koizumi

Itsuki is an esper who, like the other members of "The Agency", suddenly acquired the power to explore the "Closed Space" and combat Celestials three years prior to the present story. He is fairly carefree and can be found always smiling. However, Kyon always seems to be annoyed by him, and in the light novels expresses his urges to want to hit him. Itsuki brings up many points that have multiple sides, and even explains to Kyon that Mikuru, or anyone, can possibly putting up a fake personality and deceiving everyone.