Haruhi-chan huh?
Well. I am a fan of the Haruhi series so far, most noteably Nagato... but that is beside the point. With season 2 now on the air and Nyoroon Churya-san this year as well... Why should you pick up Haruhi-chan?
Because it is hilarious, that's why!
Animation - Reminds me of Puchi Eva
Ok, so Haruhi-chan doesn't have similar animation. Anyway, the animation is different from the regular series, but the characters are still easily recognizeable. The animation is nice and crisp, the lines look good. As a shortened version of the regular series, there isn't as much detail in the backgrounds. While some might complain, it causes you to focus on the characters, there really isn't anything to look at for the backgrounds. They are rather plain and generic school scapes, trees, city, etc. Certainly there won't be any awards given for outstanding backgrounds.
Sound - Yum, delicious notes for my ears
Ok, while it isn't so fantastic as other series. The original cast is back reprising their roles. Which is good, because I am sure there'd be riots in the streets if a characters seiyuu was suddenly changed. The background music is there, nothing ear catching that gives me this irresistable urge to aquire the soundtrack, but it is there.
Story - I'm not sure of the point...
Seriously, I don't know what story is being told. There is no overarching plot that carries through from episode to episode. This is purely day to day lives (or sufferings) of the SOS Dan told in a comedic way. There isn't anything that will make you think deeply or scratch your head and ponder how significant, or lack thereof, you are. Just something short and sweet that you can laugh at. In that aspect, this does wonders. I don't believe there was an episode that didn't make me laugh.
Kyon is fantastic with his narrations and his sarcastic quips. The timing of the jokes and reactions are fantastic. If you could go through this entire series and not laugh... well then I'd say there is something seriously weird about your sense of humor.
Characters - Oh how we love them
Haruhi is still eccentric, Asahina still suffers at the whims of Haruhi (as with the rest of the SOS Dan), Kyon is still sarcastic and the voice of reason, Yuki is still quiet, albeit she has taken a liking to eroge instead of books..., Koizumi is still the stupid smiling bastard, Tsuruya is still the fanged laughing maniac...
The great thing about Haruhi-chan, besides the lack of Endless Eight, it is a sweet and condensed version of the regular series with a lot more comedy/parodies added. There is no character development. This shows requires you to have previous knowledge of Haruhi and her whims/behaviours. If you haven't seen anything Haruhi; manga, novels, anime... then don't watch this first. The anime/novels take on a serious tone and get you thinking about some things. It is an intelligent series that isn't for the faint of heart. There is a lot that can be misunderstood, or not understood at all.
However, Haruhi-chan isn't like the rest of the series. This is something you can sit back, relax, enjoy some snacks (I'd stay away from carbonated drinks, or hot drinks - as it would most likely end up coming out of your nose) and mindlessly laugh until you are crying and your ribs are sore.
Value - OMG!!! RUN TO THE HILLS
WOW. For the first time... ever (I think). I have seperated Value + Entertainment... Value wise, there isn't much to be gained from watching this series. There are no new plots, no new twists, no new developments. This is plainly an Adam Sandler comedy (minus the poop/fart jokes). There is nothing to be gained from watching this series except a plethora of laughs.
Enjoyment - You can come back now...
Entertainment wise... I don't think I have laughed as much as I did watching Haruhi-chan in a while. While I doubt it will get any awards this year, or anything note worthy... It will certainly leave you with a few laughs and something to talk about amongst those that have seen it. For that, entertainment rates highly. More so than the rest of the categories. If you like Haruhi, I would recommend you pick this up and watch it. Each episode is only around 5 minutes, so you aren't going to waste a bunch of time if you don't like it. But I think the chances of you not liking it... are slim to none.
Please note; while I did rate all the categories pretty low, as they are average at best for animation and sound. Also being that there is no story or character development. This is purely for enjoyment. So don't let the overall low rating deter you from getting this series. I gave it an 8.5 for my vote
