Devotees to the Church of Haruhi-ism have been in for a rough ride of late. As of the latest episode The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya's current season, viewers have been forced through a virtual rerun of the "Endless Eight" story arc FIVE TIMES. For the uninitiated, "Endless Eight" involves a Groundhog Day-like time loop in which the characters experience summer vacation over and over again. So far it seems like Haruhi's current masters at Kyoto Animation and Kadokawa intend to stick all too closely to that source.
Yutaka Yamamoto a.k.a. "Yamakan," director of Haruhi's first season, offered his thoughts about the second season while attending Otakon 2009. Through his interpreter he stated that the "Endless Eight" concept came up while he was still onboard with KyoAni (he later left to direct Kannagi and form his own studio). He noted that he was against the idea, and that "two episodes was the most [they] can do." Clearly that advice did not stick, as the episode has been repeated five times to date. Yamakan admitted that while he left Kyoto Animation of his own volition, he felt "some responsibility" for the show's current state, and offered an apology "as a representative of the SOS Brigade Production Committee."
It was pretty ballsy for Yamakan to just up and state his misgivings about a show that technically isn't his anymore, but he's probably more qualified than anyone else to do that, having been a driving force behind Haruhi's original runaway success. That said, I maintain great respect for KyoAni even as its antics border on exasperation. From the original "broadcast order" fiasco to now, I have never seen a studio as willing (or able) to tool around with its productions, for good or ill. Well, maybe them and Gainax.
As for the future of Haruhi-ism? Conspiracy theorists are split between optimists hoping that the next episode will end the arc, and cynics who figure that "Endless Eight" has much more literal implications (aww Christ!).
For the curious, watch the 36-second-long video that follows the jump, then loop it 15,521 times. That's where we are right now.
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I'm not really all that bothered by Endless Eight. Well, as much as most uber-fans are anyway. Then again, I'm a big groundhog Day fan, so maybe that's it? After the bizarreness of season 1, I wasnt exactly expecting a 'normal' second season. There is enough 'new/difference' in each new episode to keep me intrigued.
I like Endless Eight. I love seeing people getting trolled, raging and even dropping the show. I even found myself smashing my desk and yelling at Kyon at the end of the 4 episode. Fun for everyone.
i hate endless eight. it doesn't take a devote fan to despise ZERO development. If you took the amount of screen time that haruhi had in the 5 episodes that it had (so far), assuming that each episode generates 20 minutes of content (excluding op and ed) then that's 100 minutes, or 1 hour and 40 minutes of repetition.
GROUNDHOG DAY WAS NOT LIKE THAT. Shit actually happened.
Producers probably took a risk in thinking that haruhi fans liked abnormal, 'unique' things, but this backfired as this is story-telling suicide. Their only chance at redemption comes in the form of an absolutely kickass ending to this arc, as in something that will revolutionize narrative for all time.
Or hopefully at least, the rest of the episodes in this season would make up for endless fail.
Endless Eight as a concept is actually unique and fun. Too bad KyoAni failed to direct these endless episodes properly resulting in a group of episodes that fail to differentiate themselves from one another. The proper way to have presented these would have been to present it from different angles much in the way this most current episode has done. Thats the only one that has felt different in terms of presentation. The first three were identical in presentation with only the realization changing things up.
The thing that pisses me off about these episodes is that the animation is improving each episode with less still frame shots filling in the void.
also, I wonder how they think this will fly as far as DVD sales go.
The whole idea for using Endless Eight in this new season was just a stupid move altogether.
Here you have a ton of screaming fans that have already proven themselves to be screaming for blood over your company taking so long to get the next season (this is of course ignoring the reasoning of other shows. Keep in mind a lot of fans can't be reasoned with), and the company would even consider pulling ANY sort of repetition? That's just INVITING trouble on a silver platter.
If they wanted to do this, it should have been at absolute most 2 episodes, preferably 1, where they divide a repeat over the commercial break. This was a tiny story arc in the novels that virtually no one cared about by comparison to the other material in the novels, so there's no excuse for blowing half of the long awaited new season on it.
Personally I think the people who made the call should be out of a job right now instead for being general a**holes to their customer base.
Seriously KyoAni, leave the trolling to 2ch and the rest of the internet.
usually when shows do this kinda stuff , they have some way of telling you stuff happened again exactly the same...without actually showing you it does. sounds to me like this is a director issue/storyboard issue.
from what i get out of it there just following the Novel word for word. it sort of reminds of a Zetsubou Sensei episode where animator/writer pretty much said that he's going to get heat either way for not following the chronological order of the series even though its a mirror copy of the manga.
was endless 8 a bad move? im not sure anymore cause since there such a large following of both novel,manga, and anime likelihood your getting same amount of criticism even if you deviate.
This will be the most absurd thing on DVD. I mean, it'd be a FULL DVD of the same 30 minutes with minor adjustments. like a TV episode with 5 directors cuts.
After three episodes of endless eight, I really didn't enjoy it anymore. It's like filler episodes. Anyway, I decided to take up reading the novels which I enjoy a lot. If the last half of season 2 is the the "Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya" then all will be forgiven. Maybe they couldn't make the "Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya" into 11 episodes so they are just using Endless Eight as a filler?
I've watched the first 2 new episodes on Season 2....but I wonder why KyoAni just didn't do Endless 8 with the same number of episode and the same repetition but....different character POV? Like one episode Kyon, one Yuki....etc
At least you'd have a slightly less pissed off fan base, and KyoAni would still be trolling us at least.
Had it been 1 episode like the beginning, 1 "wow, deja vu" episode, & the final episode where they break the time look, I would've been fine w/ that. It seems the other 3 "deja vu" episodes are just filler so they can finish the other episodes. The idea is neat, but the way they did it ruined it a bit.
To me, while all of the comments before are valid and explain why it's a bad idea, I just can't agree more but have to say the first thing I think of is it's just damn lazy. The episode should repeat twice at most. If anything it's just them trying to make money and draw something out with little effort.
So far 5 Episodes have been this crap and I'm pretty sure it's going to be 8. It's such a retarded idea.
You have hardcore fans who are dying for some more CONTENT and you give them (14 - 8) 7(probably) episodes and call it a season. Yeah right.
I'm sick of the endless 8 and I was a massive fan of Haruhi. GG KyoAni, damn retarded.
I loved the first season of Haruhi enough to spend hard earned money on the DVDs when they were released. Thanks to this ridiculous arc, I will NOT be buying the second season on DVD when it comes out here in the States. There is no sane reason to spend $30+ on one disc full of the same episode.
Now that I think about it; DVDs here usually run 4 eps to a disc so (if this arc runs a full 8 shows) that would mean that it will actually be 2 freaking DVDs, right? What?!
Judging from the responses I've seen in this thread, I can definitely say one thing about this Endless Eight stunt move: it's polarizing. Yes, I disliked it heavily, but then again, a lot of people I know hated the Watchmen movie. But I liked it, and so did a lot of people.
If anything, this reminds me of that End of Eva movie, which I didn't like, but scores of die-hard Eva fans seem to love.
And guess what ? I'm a die-hard Haruhiist and, even thought I downright hate Endless Eight, I still love this show. I love this show mroe thn any of KyoAni's other endless KEY adaptations or endless moe shows. The themes in this show are just unique (to explain: the last time I saw similar themes in this show was in Abenobashi, and I didn't like Abenobashi's treatment of those themes)
That being said:
@Heero_yuy: IIRC, it was Kadokawa, not KyoAni responsible for the trolling. Kadokawa are the people who arrange and order the episodes, and they kinda specified 6 episodes of Endless Eight.
Still, provided the next episode is the last of the Endless Eight, I'm hoping the rest of the season redeems itself.
Endless Eight:
I don't like it, but I don't hate it.
I liked Endless Eight. I'll say that the idea of repeating the episodes with slight changes was a neat idea. It was, however, boring as heck for the middle 6 episodes... It could have been shortened to 2 (4 max) and it would've been perfect..
Still, as a dedicated fan, I watched them all. Now give me my medal!
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