Atma Xplorer

Some people described it as the best anime live event they had ever attended. And indeed to a Haruhi/Hirano Aya/Chihara Minori fan like me, it?s a dream come true.

The much anticipated Suzumiya Haruhi no Gekisou has been released on DVD. The entire main cast of Suzumiya Haruhi no Yuuutsu: Hirano Aya (Haruhi), Gotou Yuuko (Mikuru), Chihara Minori (Yuki), Sugita Tomokazu (Kyon) and Ono Daisuke (Itsuki) gave the fans of the series a concert they would not soon forget. After watching the video, I?m quite sure I wouldn?t either.

NOTE: The video has been uploaded on several torrent trackers for a hefty download of 1.93 GB. I won?t be posting links to encourage everyone to buy the DVD and not just go for the
ripped version.

The first hour and a half was a series of skits and talk, and the final two hours was the much awaited concert, with 17 songs by various members of the cast, including five solos by Hirano Aya, two each by Gotou Yuuko and Chihara Minori, Hirano and Chihara playing guitar, and the ED song and dance performed by the three women and by the full SOS-dan (takes the cake IMO, I will be uploading part of video on youtube and adding it to this post later).

(left to right): Hirano Aya practicing guitar with “ENOZ,” the back-up band for performances of God Knows and Lost My Music. Rehearsal and costume-fitting the week before the event (Aya looks like a high school student from this shot). Aya during final rehearsal, the morning of the performance. (click photos to enlarge)

Pictures and videos of the event were absent from the period immediately after the show to the DVD release. The audience was asked not to shoot the performances, and surprisingly they didn’t. Apparently, they have much respect for their seiyuus and their works.

Sugita Tomokazu, Shiraishi Minoru (Taniguchi, but cosplaying Haruhi?. His entry really disturb me for some reason) and Ono Daisuke. Sugita in another costume, for one of the skits in the first part of the show, which made references to various anime. Chihara Minori and Gotou Yuuko looking at the stage lighting before the show.

Aoki Sayaka (Kyon’s imouto) with Gotou Yuuko. Two shots of Chihara Minori, Hirano Aya, and Gotou Yuuko, at the end of the show, after doing four numbers straight, including their show-stopping performances of “Hare Hare Yukai.” At the end of the show, with everyone gathered on stage, Aya was nowhere to be found. Matsuoka Yuki (Tsuruya-san) went and found her weeping uncontrollably, with excitement and relief, after the end of her last number. This is touching to me, as this side of Aya shows how much effort and heart she puts into her works.

Hirano Aya in the rocker outfit she wore to do “God Knows” and “Lost My Music.” Aya with Matsuoka Yuki (Tsuruya-san =3). Aya holding the pick she was given by Yamaguchi Kappei on the set of Eyeshield 21, to replace the one she broke during her performance. Not disappointing her fans, Hirano Aya gave lots of fanservice with panty shots from her outfits.
It would be obvious to anyone who watched the concert that this was not accidental. Besides, the audience loved it.

Hirano Aya with Noizi Itou, the illustrator of the novels, and original character designer for Suzumiya Haruhi and for Shakugan no Shana. The two of them with Tanigawa Nagaru, the author of the Suzumiya Haruhi novels. Aya with Yamamoto Hiroshi, overall director of the series, creator of the “Hare Hare Yukai” ED

The cover of the DVD of the show, the art of which has been my wallpaper for the past few months with knowing what it was. The entire cast.

One of the balls signed by the cast and given away (thrown?) and at the end of the show. This one is signed: “Nagato Yuki - Minorin.” A sign in the concertvenue reading: “Don’t use this toilet!”

The backstage shots gave great insight as to what goes on behind the scenes and provides ample breaks for the parts of the concert proper

The performance level on the concert really knocked me cold. From Gotou Yuuko?s entry up to the finale, Hare Hare Yukai dance. The full version of the dance was a real treat to fans since the release of the special edition from the series? DVD release. Even if I have every single found in the concert, seeing them being performed live gave an impression of something more and left me wanting more.

Set list for the concert that formed the second half of the event. Comments from
the wiki:

1. Koi no Mikuru Densetsu — Asahina Mikuru (Gotou Yuuko)
2. Bouken Desho Desho? — Suzumiya Haruhi (Hirano Aya)
3. Kazeyomi Ribbon — Suzumiya Haruhi (Hirano Aya)
4. Yuki, Muon, Madobe ni te — Nagato Yuki (Chihara Minori, singing and playing
guitar)
5. SELECT?
– Nagato Yuki (Chihara Minori)
6. Parallel Days
– Suzumiya Haruhi (Hirano Aya)
7. Mitsukete Happy Life
– Asahina Mikuru (Gotou Yuuko)
8. Seishun Ii Ja Nai Ka?
– Tsuruya-san (Matsuoka Yuki)
9. COOL EDITION
– Asakura Ryouko (Kuwatani Natsuko)
10. God Knows
– Suzumiya Haruhi (Hirano Aya) singing and playing guitar.
– Hirano introduces back-up band ENOZ, who played on Sound Around CD.
11. Lost My Music
– Suzumiya Haruhi (Hirano Aya) singing and playing guitar.
12. Maggare?Spectacle
– Koizumi Itsuki + Kyon (Ono Daisuke + Sugita Tomokazu).
– They dance with dancers, and there is comic repartee between Kyon and Haruhi.
13. Kentai Life Returns
– Kyon, with Haruhi (Sugita Tomokazu, with Hirano Aya)
– Kyon ends piece with a devilish laugh.
– Comic repartee among Sugita, Ono, and Shiraishi Minoru (Taniguchi) dressed as Haruhi.
14. Saikyou Pare Parade
– Haruhi, Yuki, and Mikuru (Hirano Aya, Chihara Minori, Gotou Yuuko)
15. Welcome Unknown
– Haruhi, Yuki, and Mikuru (Hirano Aya, Chihara Minori, Gotou Yuuko)
16. Hare Hare Yukai
– Haruhi, Yuki, and Mikuru (Hirano Aya, Chihara Minori, Gotou Yuuko).
– Full dance version. Brings the house down.
17. Encore: Hare Hare Yukai, TV length
– Haruhi, Yuki, and Mikuru (Hirano Aya, Chihara Minori, Gotou Yuuko).
– Hirano solo, with entire SOS-Dan dancing with ED on screen.
– Matsuoka Yuki introduces all but Hirano, then hands it over to Sugita Tomokazu while she goes to look for Hirano.
– Everyone says thank you and good-bye, then Hirano shows up, weeping, and is helped along by Sugita and Gotou, as she says a heartfelt thanks through her
tears.
– The cast members sign balls and throw them out into the audience.
– Hirano makes the announcements (”Please be careful as you go, and don’t leave anything behind,” etc.) as people are leaving. Applause.

Performers: Hirano Aya (Suzumiya Haruhi), Gotou Yuuko (Asahina Mikuru), Chihara Minori (Nagato Yuki), Sugita Tomokazu (Kyon), Ono Daisuke (Koizimi Itsuki), Matsuoka Yuki (Tsuruya-san), Kuwatani Natsuko (Asakura Ryouko), Shiratori Yuri (Kimidori Emiri), Aoki Sayaka (Kyon’s sister), Shiraishi Minoru (Taniguchi), Matsumoto Megumi (Kunikida).

The concert was held Sunday 18 March in the Great Hall at Omiya Sonic City. Info for this post came from posts on 2channel, Japanese blogs, eggplant’s great post on AnimeSuki, performers’ blogs, hashihime?s blogpost, and the Japanese Wiki for the show. There was talk during the show of wanting to do another one, and there are rumors of a possible future show in the Kansai (Kyoto-Osaka) region.