musings on Haruhi (and A Song of Ice and Fire, Books of Magic, etc.)
I’ve been obsessed with reading the Haruhi Suzumiya light novels for the past two weeks. This involves occasional procrastination and lugging my laptop around everywhere, including the breakfast table. While the wiki translation sometimes leaves much to be desired in terms of style editing, the translation itself seems solid. Hell, I’m really grateful that it even exists or else I’d have to shell out serious cash for imported volumes.
I’ve been reading the series because the anime ended at a peculiar point. Ending with Haruhi’s ominous wink, the whole thing was screaming out, “but wait, there’s more!” So of course it was just necessary to go to the source material.
I’m quite happy that Adam roped me into watching this. Alas, I’m not happy that Adam thinks I’m neglecting my writing. But that’s how I am… the entire time I read grrm's “A Song of Ice and Fire” I didn’t have any blog posts or fanfic either, because I was reading non-stop and obsessing over the dismal fate of everyone with the Stark last name. (Jon Snow counts, too. Jon ROCKS. I ♥ Jon.) The last published book of the Martin series disappointed me somewhat, only because there was very little Jon action, and there was no Arya....
[Long-winded feminist analysis of Sansa Stark deleted here -- does anyone want to read that?]
[Yet another aside -- aha! I've always wanted to link to G.R.R. Martin's lj. Whee~~~]
I’m rambling; let’s get back to Haruhi.
Haruhi is probably a tween’s fantasy self actualized: she’s cute, perky, and unconscious of her omnipotent creator/destroyer powers. Because she’s not conscious of them, she’s ultimately free from liability and blame for any collateral damage, whether it’s an alien taking over the body of the computer club president or movie props becoming real weapons. In fact, she’s the only character in the series who doesn’t have to question the concept of free will. She just does her thing and that's it.
Haruhi’s actions, however, have become the responsibility of Kyon and the rest of the SOS Brigade. Secrecy and conspiracy becomes more evident in the latter parts when everyone - especially Kyon -- decides to withhold the truth from her.
As the series goes along, in fact, Kyon’s skepticism regarding Haruhi’s mysterious and erratic powers becomes a never-ending saga to control and contain them by not letting her get bored or lonely enough to set them off by accident. While the other characters are assigned to this task, it’s Kyon alone who takes it on willingly.
What exactly is free will and what is pre-determined, however, is up for grabs. These words brings Mikuru Asahina to mind, that deceptively moe time-traveler who is probably the master-puppeteer of the series. Koizumi is only right to be wary: time travelers have their own agenda.
When I first saw Mikuru in the anime, I thought, by golly doesn't she remind me of girl-type Ranma. I’m pretty sure some else has pointed this out before:
And just like girl-type Ranma, her superficial characteristics (always acting girly and fragile, no weapons, a body meant for cosplaying) seem to be put on, the type meant to appeal to men. Most specifically, to Kyon, the narrator. The worst parts of the series - and I say this from a literary standpoint - is whenever Kyon rhapsodizes about Mikuru’s beauty and vulnerability. The man thinks in cliches. Sometimes it’s funny, often it’s just overtly flowery and disgusting.
And yet I keep reading. Because ultimately the plot is good and the premise is still unusual given it’s well-defined context. A manic schoolgirl with a cosplay fetish turns out to be a god who created the universe three years ago… now that’s something I’ve never read before.
While Haruhi definitely calls to mind other characters with god, or godlike powers who are totally clueless about them (Adam in Neil Gaiman-Terry Prachett’s Good Omens, Tim Hunter in Books of Magic), she doesn’t share much in common with them. In Good Omens, Adam doesn’t know he’s the anti-Christ due to some crazy baby-switching incident at the hospital… so instead of being raised by an evil American ambassador into being the ideal son of Satan, Adam grows up in a quiet English suburb and has a team of friends who could probably rival the Little Rascals for their aw-shucks mischief. Tim Hunter is a 13-year old wizard, probably the most powerful one in the universe since Merlin, who doesn’t understand his powers and makes a lot of awful mistakes along the way, becoming a moody, egotistical jerk - depending on the timeline. (I’m totally ignoring that other 13-year old wizard, who has to go to school to learn to use all his abilities. Tim Hunter can gate-crash into hell, change the nature of golems and succubi, and basically create worlds without so much as lifting a finger. In the world of Books of Magic, incantations and spells are required for everyone else except Tim. There’s a lovely little one-shot of Tim going back to his old playground, and finding that all his imaginary childhood friends are real because he created them. Harry Potter, suck on that.)
Yet again, I digress...
Haruhi is one of those characters in which a little development goes a long way. Too much, however, will destroy the creation. Like Dr. House or even Lord Orpheus (Sandman), their pursuits leads them to their greatest heights and yes, the occasional downfall. What’s so crazy about these rare characters is that others see them as megalomaniacs… but their power is such as those criticizing them end up giving way (Kyon, Dr. Wilson, the whole of Dreaming). Uhm, be it strange to say, but they would less interesting if they were more sympathetic.
It’s interesting to note that when Kyon is confronted with a Haruhi without god-like powers, he freaks out. As much as he whines about being the butt of her crazy schemes, in the end he always goes along ith it -- and it’s not just for the smirking self-satisfaction that he probably gets for being instrumental to saving the world.
Somewhere in volume 7 (The Intrigues of Suzumiya Haruhi), Kyon’s thoughts indicate that he’s concerned about guys being interested in taking away Nagato or Mikuru. But he’s not concerned about guys who’d pursue Haruhi, because there aren’t too many only "masochistic, weird guys."
Uhm… look in the mirror, buddy.
Kyon’s constant denial of his attraction for Haruhi is amusing. Faced with the prospect of an omnipotent girlfriend, if I was a guy I’d probably feel emasculated too. Nothing says you’re screwed quite like the fear that flirting with other girls might result in the demise of the universe. Haruhi’s temper is a sight to behold. She might as well have peed in a circle around the guy, like how wild dogs do it, because she’s totally marked her territory since the first chapter.
It’s a pretty three-pipe problem, Kyon.
Still, the author of the light novels still insists on tacking on sub-plots that detail Kyon’s attraction to both Nagato (the token alien) and Mikuru (the token time traveler.) Whether it’s just fanservice or an excuse for crack shipping, for me I read it more like whistling in the dark. He’s obviously fighting because… I don’t know, does he still believe in free will? Kyon’s defiance is in the face of overwhelming odds that one day, Haruhi will once more construct another universe in which only the two of them exist. Adam and Eve, with a whole bunch of blue energy monsters for babies. Niiice.
And to think that Gendou had to control Nerv and orchestrate a conspiracy just to get Shinji and Asuka at the same point. Haruhi really has it easy, doesn’t she? ♥
I promise, after I finish volume 9 I will be back to my usual Bleach programming. Heh.
I’ve been reading the series because the anime ended at a peculiar point. Ending with Haruhi’s ominous wink, the whole thing was screaming out, “but wait, there’s more!” So of course it was just necessary to go to the source material.
I’m quite happy that Adam roped me into watching this. Alas, I’m not happy that Adam thinks I’m neglecting my writing. But that’s how I am… the entire time I read grrm's “A Song of Ice and Fire” I didn’t have any blog posts or fanfic either, because I was reading non-stop and obsessing over the dismal fate of everyone with the Stark last name. (Jon Snow counts, too. Jon ROCKS. I ♥ Jon.) The last published book of the Martin series disappointed me somewhat, only because there was very little Jon action, and there was no Arya....
[Long-winded feminist analysis of Sansa Stark deleted here -- does anyone want to read that?]
[Yet another aside -- aha! I've always wanted to link to G.R.R. Martin's lj. Whee~~~]
I’m rambling; let’s get back to Haruhi.
Haruhi is probably a tween’s fantasy self actualized: she’s cute, perky, and unconscious of her omnipotent creator/destroyer powers. Because she’s not conscious of them, she’s ultimately free from liability and blame for any collateral damage, whether it’s an alien taking over the body of the computer club president or movie props becoming real weapons. In fact, she’s the only character in the series who doesn’t have to question the concept of free will. She just does her thing and that's it.
Haruhi’s actions, however, have become the responsibility of Kyon and the rest of the SOS Brigade. Secrecy and conspiracy becomes more evident in the latter parts when everyone - especially Kyon -- decides to withhold the truth from her.
As the series goes along, in fact, Kyon’s skepticism regarding Haruhi’s mysterious and erratic powers becomes a never-ending saga to control and contain them by not letting her get bored or lonely enough to set them off by accident. While the other characters are assigned to this task, it’s Kyon alone who takes it on willingly.
What exactly is free will and what is pre-determined, however, is up for grabs. These words brings Mikuru Asahina to mind, that deceptively moe time-traveler who is probably the master-puppeteer of the series. Koizumi is only right to be wary: time travelers have their own agenda.
When I first saw Mikuru in the anime, I thought, by golly doesn't she remind me of girl-type Ranma. I’m pretty sure some else has pointed this out before:
And just like girl-type Ranma, her superficial characteristics (always acting girly and fragile, no weapons, a body meant for cosplaying) seem to be put on, the type meant to appeal to men. Most specifically, to Kyon, the narrator. The worst parts of the series - and I say this from a literary standpoint - is whenever Kyon rhapsodizes about Mikuru’s beauty and vulnerability. The man thinks in cliches. Sometimes it’s funny, often it’s just overtly flowery and disgusting.
And yet I keep reading. Because ultimately the plot is good and the premise is still unusual given it’s well-defined context. A manic schoolgirl with a cosplay fetish turns out to be a god who created the universe three years ago… now that’s something I’ve never read before.
While Haruhi definitely calls to mind other characters with god, or godlike powers who are totally clueless about them (Adam in Neil Gaiman-Terry Prachett’s Good Omens, Tim Hunter in Books of Magic), she doesn’t share much in common with them. In Good Omens, Adam doesn’t know he’s the anti-Christ due to some crazy baby-switching incident at the hospital… so instead of being raised by an evil American ambassador into being the ideal son of Satan, Adam grows up in a quiet English suburb and has a team of friends who could probably rival the Little Rascals for their aw-shucks mischief. Tim Hunter is a 13-year old wizard, probably the most powerful one in the universe since Merlin, who doesn’t understand his powers and makes a lot of awful mistakes along the way, becoming a moody, egotistical jerk - depending on the timeline. (I’m totally ignoring that other 13-year old wizard, who has to go to school to learn to use all his abilities. Tim Hunter can gate-crash into hell, change the nature of golems and succubi, and basically create worlds without so much as lifting a finger. In the world of Books of Magic, incantations and spells are required for everyone else except Tim. There’s a lovely little one-shot of Tim going back to his old playground, and finding that all his imaginary childhood friends are real because he created them. Harry Potter, suck on that.)
Yet again, I digress...
Haruhi is one of those characters in which a little development goes a long way. Too much, however, will destroy the creation. Like Dr. House or even Lord Orpheus (Sandman), their pursuits leads them to their greatest heights and yes, the occasional downfall. What’s so crazy about these rare characters is that others see them as megalomaniacs… but their power is such as those criticizing them end up giving way (Kyon, Dr. Wilson, the whole of Dreaming). Uhm, be it strange to say, but they would less interesting if they were more sympathetic.
It’s interesting to note that when Kyon is confronted with a Haruhi without god-like powers, he freaks out. As much as he whines about being the butt of her crazy schemes, in the end he always goes along ith it -- and it’s not just for the smirking self-satisfaction that he probably gets for being instrumental to saving the world.
Somewhere in volume 7 (The Intrigues of Suzumiya Haruhi), Kyon’s thoughts indicate that he’s concerned about guys being interested in taking away Nagato or Mikuru. But he’s not concerned about guys who’d pursue Haruhi, because there aren’t too many only "masochistic, weird guys."
Uhm… look in the mirror, buddy.
Kyon’s constant denial of his attraction for Haruhi is amusing. Faced with the prospect of an omnipotent girlfriend, if I was a guy I’d probably feel emasculated too. Nothing says you’re screwed quite like the fear that flirting with other girls might result in the demise of the universe. Haruhi’s temper is a sight to behold. She might as well have peed in a circle around the guy, like how wild dogs do it, because she’s totally marked her territory since the first chapter.
It’s a pretty three-pipe problem, Kyon.
Still, the author of the light novels still insists on tacking on sub-plots that detail Kyon’s attraction to both Nagato (the token alien) and Mikuru (the token time traveler.) Whether it’s just fanservice or an excuse for crack shipping, for me I read it more like whistling in the dark. He’s obviously fighting because… I don’t know, does he still believe in free will? Kyon’s defiance is in the face of overwhelming odds that one day, Haruhi will once more construct another universe in which only the two of them exist. Adam and Eve, with a whole bunch of blue energy monsters for babies. Niiice.
And to think that Gendou had to control Nerv and orchestrate a conspiracy just to get Shinji and Asuka at the same point. Haruhi really has it easy, doesn’t she? ♥
I promise, after I finish volume 9 I will be back to my usual Bleach programming. Heh.