Haruhi S1, Strawberry (Ichigo) 100%

copypasta from GFAQs


Haruhi is finished. I enjoyed it. Very happy I watched it in broadcast order, that was a way better final episode than the chronological final episode. I also never really felt disoriented story-wise while watching, perhaps because I watched it all in a short timeframe but when people argue in favor of chronological order because broadcast is disorienting, I don't think that's true at all. Of course some things that were happening but at the time unexplained were strange, but I never had trouble following the show.

I think broadcast order is great though because there was somewhat of a build-up due to spreading out the Melancholy arc (which was the best arc.) It felt like the show was striving towards some big happening and indeed that's what happened. So overall I definitely enjoyed it, and I'm looking forward to S2 whenever I get around to that.


*STRAWBERRY 100% ENDING SPOILERS*

Ichigo 100% is finished

Though I strongly strongly disliked how things wound up, I still felt "satisfied" with the ending. It closed nicely given the circumstances. Some people said the ending was rushed, I disagree. It was fine.

My big gripe is that Junpei wound up with Tsukasa and not Aya. It had to be Aya, from the very beginning, it always had to be Aya. I don't understand how he could've wound up with Tsukasa. They never had that connection. Junpei always felt pressured around her and it was never a comfortable situation for them to be together. And yet they wind up together? It doesn't make sense. Tsukasa was the pairing that made the least sense. Satsuki made more sense, yet she was basically dropped from the story for the final chapters. It's just bull****. Why did the mangaka pair him up with Tsukasa?

On that same token, Tsukasa's relationship did develop more in the later chapters. And the mangaka did a good job handling Aya's feelings on the matter and given the circumstances I'm happy with how he worked things out for her. That she could remain on good terms with Junpei and mature as she did was great. I just would have preferred that that never have been the case, and that Junpei wound up with Aya and it was Tsukasa who came to terms with this. It just feels so wrong. It's just like, all this time it seems like Aya will have to be the one but as the manga nears its close, suddenly there's more development with Tsukasa and then next thing you know the relationship is actually set in stone. It feels like the mangaka just changed his mind. It's just... wrong.

Overall, I'll agree that it was a good read. I had a lot of fun throughout the majority of it, and though I disagree strongly with the ending, with what there is to work with the ending was definitely a good one. I am extremely disappointed, but overall I'm happy with the manga. Ugh.