Japanamania: The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya 2

Our Top Ten Anime and Manga Series to Watch For in 2008: It’s easy to find out about a Bleach or a Naruto once it’s being aired on Cartoon Network, but it can take years for an anime to be licensed, dubbed, and put on TV. So here’s our sneak peek at one of the ten manga or anime series that we feel are likely to hit it big in America in 2008:

The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya 2 (anime)
Status: Not yet aired

The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya– which was released in North America by Bandai Entertainment throughout the second half of 2007 is getting a sequel! Seeing as the first 14-episode series covered only a fraction of the so-far-10-volume novel series, it’s unsurprising that a season 2 was announced. Given the international buzz the first season received, it seems likely you’ll hear about the new season, so here’s a quick rundown.

Kyon is your average, normal high school guy. On the first day of school he meets Haruhi Suzumiya, who is not your average, normal high school girl. She insists that she has no interest in normal people, only in “aliens, time travelers, and espers” (psychics). After forcing Kyon to help her establish a club to look for said beings, three people join: former literature club member Yuki, upperclassman Mikuru, and the “mysterious” transfer student Koizumi. Kyon is approached by each member and discovers that they are, respectively, an alien robot, a time traveler, and an esper- and that Haruhi has some weird powers she may not know about herself. Wacky hijinks ensue!

Below: The opening titles from the first season of The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya.

Gia Manry is a Portland, OR-based professional writer specializing in pop culture/entertainment writing. Read up on more of her work at giapet.net or hire her at GiaManry.com.