Suzumiya Haruhi no shôshitsu

I have always loved animation and anime from an early age. Having loved the show, I knew I had to see this film, and I loved it just as much. Initially I was worried about the length due to whether it would be long winded or padded out, but actually it is just right. This length ensured that the story and characters were developed well as well as maintaining your interest and The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzamiya does that superbly. The storyline is compelling, with its great ideas developed perfectly without it feeling rushed or sluggish regardless of the length and you are left thinking about it for a long while afterwards. The characters are instantly likable, never annoying, jarring or stereotyped, basically true to the personalities they have on the show. The script has some light-hearted moments, but also some poignancy and a lot of depth. There is also some clever references to the show, showing that they have these great ideas without completely ignoring the show, which I have seen movies based of TV series do. To those who say that it is a good idea to see the show before the film, I absolutely agree, the thought of people being confused by any references to the show was what immediately came into my mind while watching. The music has a haunting ethereal quality to it, and the animation is superb, beautifully coloured and drawn with something interesting to look at in every frame. The voice acting is also fine, I do find the original voice acting to be superior to the dubbed version(though dubs are good for those introducing themselves to anime and for them to fully comprehend the story) but that is largely true to that of most animes. I know that I have added very little to what has been said already and so wonderfully might I add, but I have done my best. Overall, The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya is a wonderful film in every way, anime or otherwise, it doesn't feel like a direct copy of the show but it doesn't ignore it either. 10/10 Bethany Cox

As a fan of the franchise, this was a wonderful treat for me. My expectations were very high ever since the Endless Eight fiasco in Season 2 but the film did much more than just fulfill those expectations.

What I really loved about this film was that it took its time, it did not rush into the situation but lovingly and subtly guide us through it. Never overblown, patient and mild, hauntingly realistic in some cases and plenty of time to express proper emotions rather than make the characters throw in goofy faces and tones.

Though predictable, the story was interesting and rather amusing. The movie was based less on Kyon's Journey, but rather him finding his true thoughts and beliefs at the end of it. These sorts of movies are quite rare, many exaggerate the adventure and its moral message does not reach the audience in the right atmosphere. So bravo to this movie.

Unfortunately, this movie will prove alien to anyone who is not familiar to the franchise, so any casual movie goer will find this film very difficult to follow and hollow in information and detail. Be warned. The movie does not stand alone.

The movie is a masterpiece to someone if they are a fan of the franchise, a puzzle to casual watchers, a surprise to Haruhi haters and probably the best piece of anime of 2010. I am looking forward to Season 3 now more than ever.

This movie is not a stand alone piece, and not recommended for viewing if haven't already seen the entire "Suzumiya Haruhi no Yuutsu" TV series. You wouldn't understand why things happened the way it happens in this movie without this background information.

Kyon wakes up one morning and discovers that his world have changed literally overnight. He goes to school and there is no sign of existence of Haruhi. He suspects that Haruhi did something again that changed the world, but this time his hunch turns out to be wrong. He needs to find out who and how this change was brought.

Kyon thought he would have a more peaceful life without Haruhi, but he's in for a surprise when he discovers that he really isn't enjoying the "alternative" reality that excludes her existence from his life.

This is a well crafted plot where many of the past Haruhi sagas are woven into this entirely new story. It gives everyone an opportunity to see what the world would be like without Haruhi Suzumiya as we know her including Haruhi herself.

One thing I don't understand in this entire story is who shot the reprogramming needle towards the end of the story.

This is also one of the all time best anime movie to come from Japan. Definitely worth a watch if you've been following the Haruhi Suzumiya series.

This is a very long movie, but in my first viewing I found it captivating until the end. I watched this before I watched the TV-Series, which compelled me to watch the TV-Series. I found the movie much better, but I must admit the TV-Series was good as well. I can confirm its possible to watch this without watching the TV-Series, but I cannot confirm this is the best way to watch the movie. The mystery keeps you glued to your seat, the only issue with not watching the TV-Series is the very end lacks punch. ON my second viewing I found the end a lot more moving, which proved this was one of those movies you can keep on re-watching. The only issue with the 2nd viewing is the mystery was gone.

I love this movie to death. I started watching the anime at the beginning of 2012 once I saw the first episode online then proceeded to purchase Season One, Two and the movie. While I do love the show, it all just feels like a prologue to this movie. It all flows perfectly and really is a thank you to the fans.

I am saying this because for those who have not seen the show, I can imagine that this movie would be extremely confusing. It constantly references events from the show and interweaves certain aspects of the plot around it. This movie can still be enjoyed by people who have not seen the show but many things will be missed or misunderstood. This movie is not a stand alone piece of content. It is something that needs context to be enjoyed and that context is acquired from the show.

In short, watch both seasons of the show before watching this movie and you will discover one of the greatest movies ever made.