The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya Vol 1 Bundle [DVD]

If you're an Anime Otaku (and you understand what an Anime Otaku is) then this series is for you. This review concerns Volume 1 of The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya (Limited Edition).BLUF: Worth every pennyDetails: If you're reading this - then you already know the story behind this anime. (If not, I won't spoil the series here.) Watching this series in Broadcast Order is essential to appreciating it. Volume 1 of the Limited Edition box set includes a gorgeous art box for the DVDs and CDs associated with this season of the show. It also includes a CD with Music from the series that is actually an imported version of a CD sold on the open market in Japan - and if you like the music in this show, you'll want this CD. Finally, there's beautifully drawn insert that has the show's characters in various poses on both sides that's printed on plastic (the pencil board mentioned in the description and it's actually very nice) and other goodies in the box.So is it worth paying extra for this version versus the Regular Edition? ABSOLUTELY. It's actually a great value:-Same DVD you get with the regular edition (price varies - but $9 as of this writing)-A Gorgeous Art Box-Hare Hare Yukai CD Single (about $25 from Amazon Japan depending on the Dollar/Yen rate)-Other goodies thrown in for good measureFirst time viewers need to know, that you will also want to invest in the other Limited Edition volumes of this series. Each includes the Regular Edition DVD + an English Subtitled DVD of the show in Broadcast Order (very important) + a US release of the Japanese CDs associated with this season of the show (big value) + other goodies. The Limited Edition is worth it for the CDs and the Broadcast Order DVDs alone. The Goodies are what make this a very special Limited Edition release that is well worth the extra money.Also, I HIGHLY RECOMMEND that people who watch this show view it in Broadcast Order the First Time. If you do this with the English Dub, you'll actually lose part of the story (while this is minor with most anime, but it is particularly true for this series). Dub Fans, bear with me - you'll appreciate why I tell you that after you've seen it through.The Hare Hare Yukai CD Single contains:-Hare Hare Yukai - the full version of the (pleasantly addictive) ending song used in the Anime Series-Welcome Unknown - the full version of the ending song for the radio drama series broadcast in Japan-Karaoke Versions (No Vocals) of the above songs - so you can embarass yourself in the privacy of your carFinally, if you haven't watched this series yet - there's enough depth to this show that you'll get something different out of every viewing.This series has my strongest recommendation.

So I bought this set, and it's awesome. It's just plain awesome to actually have these episodes on DVD. The box is awesome too. As far as the review of the DVD goes, buy it. If you're an anime fan, or even if you're a non-anime fan living in a sea of fans of something else (video games, etc.) you'll enjoy this and find a real character connection with the narrator, Kyon.But the packaging is where this set's all at. Great box with high-quality art on every side, even the inside, the doors to the front are magnetic, and there's places for the other DVDs and CDs from the other limited edition volumes. Getting the CD drawer out was a bit of a hassle. When I finally got it out, I put a loose piece of tape on the bottom of it to use as a pully to get it out easier next time. There's also a box holding the extra goodies that is holding space next to the dvd, where the others should go if you collect 'em all. This is where I get a little confused. It seems like they want you to buy the other dvds, and put them in this box. That presents a few problems. The first, being if you copped out and got the dvd only editions, is that now you have to take that box of goodies out and throw it somewhere. I guess if you actually used them for stuff then they'd already be gone, but collectors try to keep it all together and can't in this situation. The other issue involves the CDs. There's a drawer, for all the disks that come with the other limited edition dvds. Let's say you're a good fan, and you buy all 4 volumes, put the CDs and DVDS in this case, and think everything's complete... until you realize that you have 3 other fancy-shmancy boxes with extra goodies and nowhere to put them! You can't exactly keep them with your dvd collection as it defeats the purpose of having the volume one set.Maybe they just don't want us to box it all in their specially designed volume one package.

i bought this mainly because a coworker of mine recommended it and i figured why the heck not. I'll give just about any anime series that has some substance to it a shot. With this one at first watching episode 00, it made me want to just lose all control and just freak out. I am sure that it was well thought out but after watching that. I just wanted to move on and try to get the story advanced somewhat. It does that in episode 1 enought to get me slightly interested and the 2nd episode was cool as well. Episode 3 however didnt really do anything for me at all, it was just kind of a seen it and want to move on episode.It's something that's a little different. I didnt care for Haruhi forcing the other member into wearing a bunny costume. Why not just go out and hand out fliers like everyone else instead of dressing up like an extra from the Pussycat Dolls. I know the girl is one screw loose from being sent to the funny farm for life.Sometimes i thought she was cool and others. I wanted to kick her in the head for being some freakin annoying and bossy. Its crazy that the other members of the "SOS Brigade" put up with her. I know she's important for various reasons, but come on anyone ever hear of the word NO. There's some comedy and fun parts to this first volume.I just hope the 2nd Volume kicks it up a notch for me, some action maybe. I know everyone won't agree on this and thats okay. I just wanted to get this out there. Melancholy of Haruhi has promise and i hope to be there enjoying it with everyone else.