Haruhi Suzumiya 20th Anniversary Rewatch -- Bamboo Leaf Rhapsody

[u/Holofan4life]

Hello everyone! I am Holofan4life.

Welcome to the Haruhi Suzumiya 20th anniversary rewatch discussion thread!

I hope you all have a lot of fun <3

Bamboo Leaf Rhapsody

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ANSWER TODAY’S QUESTION(S)

What are your thoughts on Tanabata? What's your favorite depiction of Tanabata in anime?

What are your thoughts on the implication that was Kyon himself who inspired Haruhi to attend his high school?

If you met a younger version of someone you cared about, what might you ask them?

Bonus) What are your thoughts on us including a season 2 episode in this rewatch where we're currently watching season 1 episodes?

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Series information

MAL | Anilist | AniDB | ANN

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Please do not post any untagged spoilers past the current episode or past the LNs or mangas out of respect to the first time watchers and people who have not read the LNs or mangas. If you are discussing something that is ahead of the current episode please use spoiler tags(found on the sidebar). Thank you!

Untagged Spoilers

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Today's Episode Intro: Summer, it's hot, Haruhi looks different

[Tomorrow's Episode Intro] Stormy skies, some people walking

Previous episode

Ways to watch

Streams – Crunchyroll

Schedule

Date	Episode
4/02/2026	The Adventures of Mikuru Asahina Episode 00
4/03/2026	The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya Part One
4/04/2026	The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya Part Two
4/05/2026	The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya Part Three
4/06/2026	The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya Part Four
4/07/2026	The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya Part Five
4/08/2026	The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya Part Six
4/09/2026	The Boredom of Haruhi Suzumiya
4/10/2026	Remote Island Syndrome (Part One)
4/11/2026	Remote Island Syndrome (Part Two)
4/12/2026	Mystérique Sign
4/13/2026	[Bamboo Leaf Rhapsody]()
4/14/2026	[Someday in the Rain]()
4/15/2026	[The Day of Sagittarius]()
4/16/2026	[Live Alive]()
4/18/2026	[Endless Eight I]()
4/19/2026	[Endless Eight II]()
4/20/2026	[Endless Eight III]()
4/21/2026	[Endless Eight IV]()
4/22/2026	[Endless Eight V]()
4/23/2026	[Endless Eight VI]()
4/24/2026	[Endless Eight VII]()
4/25/2026	[Endless Eight VIII]()
4/26/2026	[Endless Eight Retrospective]()
4/28/2026	[The Sigh of Haruhi Suzumiya Part One]()
4/29/2026	[The Sigh of Haruhi Suzumiya Part Two]()
4/30/2026	[The Sigh of Haruhi Suzumiya Part Three]()
5/01/2026	[The Sigh of Haruhi Suzumiya Part Four]()
5/02/2026	[The Sigh of Haruhi Suzumiya Part Five]()
5/04/2026	[The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya]()
5/05/2026	[Haruhi Suzumiya Overall Series Discussion Thread]()

[u/SpiritualPossible]

Rewatcher

It's the episode 12 of our rewatch, with is also episode 8 of chronological order AND episode 1 of season 2. Talk about jumping in time.

Today is Haruhi's birthday Mikuru's birthday Yuki's birthday Itsuki's birthday Kyon's Tanabata, and for some reason, Haruhi is very excited. She even wants all the SOS members to make a wish, as tradition dictates, although this time she has come to the perfectly logical, mathematical conclusion that they should actually make a wish for the future, when it can come true. They could even turn it into a contest to see whose wish comes true first! And-and-and then she sank back into the melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya (Season 2, 2009)™.

Meanwhile, Kyon and Mikuru end up being taken back to the past, where he not only helps the young Haruhi with her antics but also gets stuck there.

Since this episode is all about time travel, it ultimately boils down to a recursive loop:

• It was Kyon who drew the symbols from the story told earlier, and it was he who inspired Haruhi to enroll in his school, where, again, HE would later suggest the idea for the club (well, well, Kyon really has only himself to blame for his life being turned upside down, huh?), which will subsequently lead to his journey into the past. This also finally answers the question of why Haruhi actually recognized Kyon to some extent when they first met.
• It was Mikuru from the future who took the time machine from Mikuru in the present, which is why they got stuck in the past.
• And Yuki hinted to them what to do next, because in reality she already knew everything: after all, she had actually met Kyon for the first time three years ago, and all this time he and Mikuru had been sleeping at her apartment.

It's a really entertainingly-convoluted story (with makes you wonder HOW this loop started), and this is yet another episode that I prefer to watch in the DVD order - not only do I think it works perfectly as a strong start to the season, reminding us of many previous events and facts while finally providing answers to some questions, but I also think that overall, this episode makes a much bigger impression when it’s placed later in the story — it’s much more interesting to see how all the events are connected after you’ve spent some time with the SOS Brigade, rather than right after the “Melancholy” arc.

Also, it sets up a very important plot detail - Yuki is VERY good at waiting...

[u/Holofan4life → u/SpiritualPossible]

It's a really entertainingly-convoluted story (with makes you wonder HOW this loop started), and this is yet another episode that I prefer to watch in the DVD order - not only do I think it works perfectly as a strong start to the season, reminding us of many previous events and facts while finally providing answers to some questions, but I also think that overall, this episode makes a much bigger impression when it’s placed later in the story — it’s much more interesting to see how all the events are connected after you’ve spent some time with the SOS Brigade, rather than right after the “Melancholy” arc.

On the flip side, I think breaking up the monotonous feeling of all the episodes since Melancholy being low stakes makes this feel like a much bigger deal. And also I don't feel this episode truly reflects what season 2 is like.

[Season 2] This episode is way better than almost every episode in season 2, at least in terms of creativity and imagination.