[We love it when you disagree with us. And so lyfeforce felt strongly enough about Karen's Haruhi artlce that he just had to respond, and came up with a fantastic counterpoint to her article. Let us know where you stand after reading this piece. -- Brad]
Karen has posted why she thinks Haruhi should be put back on the shelf. She makes some excellent points, that the story between hero and heroine has reached a satisfactory conclusion with no need for extra exposition or epically dumb directorial moves. Still, something nudges at the back of my mind. Sam might not be playing it again any time soon, but join me as I play what if, won't you?
The light novels still have unfinished chapters! It's making the companies money! Yuki's wearing a swimsuit for crissakes, A SWIMSUIT! The answers come easy, but they ring hollow. Just because there's content to capitalize on doesn't mean the story should be revisited. If Endless Eight taught us anything, it was that. Maybe the key isn't in replaying the past, but exploring the future.
Kyon and Haruhi have made their connection and the world is saved because of it, but just kissing someone for the first time doesn't automatically earn you the best ending. Many of the best love stories are ones where the road to Happily Ever After are filled with interpersonal dramas, changes of heart, spurned feelings, and jilted lovers. In short, Kyou and Haruhi's story isn't over. Why? "Classified Information".
During their first meeting, Adult Asahina leaves Kyon with the whispered warning not to get too close to her. While she is referring to the immediate effects of Kyon liking anyone other than Haruhi, the unsaid implication is that there's more to it than that. The delivery of the line is sad, almost regretful. Beyond that, why would the Adult Asahina have to come back a second time to warn the past and further risk a paradox if her younger self accomplished her mission?
Because she screwed up, that's why. Tension between Kyon and Mikuru, and thus the Kyon-Haruhi-Mikuru love triangle, is still unresolved in the current state of things. Mikuru has already shown that she can't always handle being second place in Kyon's heart, the tension is mounting. Years pass and Mikuru is still on assignment watching the goddess and the boy she likes is turning more and more into the man she can't have, the tension is starting to boil. Something finally pushes her pining past the breaking point and she tearfully, clumsily confesses to Kyon.
He, in the middle of rejecting her is found by Haruhi. All hell breaks loose as a misunderstanding Haruhi pushes all that hurts her, including her tether to reality in Kyon, away. As everything comes unmade, the organization sends Mikuru back to fix her own mistake. Or, indeed, to cause it all over again by telling Kyon that he shouldn't have her, making her the "forbidden fruit" instead.
This is only one scenario of course. For all we know Adult Asahina could be the scorned woman, using time travel and her knowledge of future events to slyly bring Kyon to her side after years of unrequited feelings. Or maybe Kyon accepts Mikuru's feelings instead and she's trying to save what she can because she sees the mistake she's made. What it comes down to is that the current state of things could not be the end, but only the end of the first act of a possibly grander story with twists and turns that only few properties get to explore before their staying power is gone.
Again, I agree with Karen, Haruhi is THE show everyone knows and talks about currently and it would be a shame to keep adding bloat to what was a succinct wrap-up to this chapter in the lives of well-liked characters. Though instead of leaving it behind, I'd prefer to move forward and take the series with us into new and unknown places that we'll all talk about again and again.
Unless it's keeping KyoAni from making more Full Metal Panic, in which case screw this universe, I needs me some more Kaname!
(sexy header image by Whisper and found in wallpaper from here)
20 comments
I think a post-narrowly-averted-apocalypse Kyon as our POV character would make for a VERY different show. I think the character development for Kyon would change the dynamics so much that even if the show continued chronologically, it wouldn't be the continuation of the of the show that we're watching now in spirit. Basically, if I believed that they would ever make that show, then we would be in 100% agreement, but since I don't, I'd rather see the show end then have them render all of the character development we've seen in Kyon meaningless. And that's an amazing testament to the value I've assigned to that character, really.
As if I didn't already write enough about this topic *facepalm*, but great response blog nonetheless.