Summary:
In the midst of a massive space fleet labeled “SOS SPACE FORCE,” Haruhi orders the annihilation of the enemy fleet. Kyon convinces her that her fleet should hang back by reminding her that in shougi or chess, you don’t send the king out to the enemy lines. Haruhi agrees, so she sends out everyone else to find and attack the enemy admiral.
This all started one week ago. It’s a fall day after the cultural festival has ended. Everyone except for Haruhi (who is on cleaning duty) is in the room doing their normal activities – reading, playing board games, making tea – when there comes a knocking on the door. It’s the Computer Research Society and they’re looking for Haruhi. Seeing that she’s not there, the president gives Kyon a copy of the new video game they created, “The Day of Sagittarius III.” He says that they had presented it during the Cultural Festival, but Kyon doesn’t remember anything other than Mikuru’s yakisoba cafe costume. As for the reason the Computer Research Society is here, it’s so that they can challenge the SOS Brigade to a contest through this game. The president keeps repeating the word contest, which makes Kyon afraid of what would happen if that happens to reach Haruhi’s ears.
Right on cue, Haruhi enters the scene by delivering a flying kick to the president’s head. She assumes they’re the bad guys and starts babbling about how the SOS Brigade illuminates the darkness and exterminates evil. When things finally settle down, the president explains that the prize that his club wants for winning is the return of the computer that Haruhi stole. At first, she refuses because the computer is already theirs and they’ve been using it for editing their recent movie and for their homepage. But then she decides to accept the challenge and asks what the Computer Research Society is betting on the game. The president says four computers, and Haruhi makes him promise not to go back on his word. Haruhi then remembers that the Computer Research Society has no girls in it, so she decides that if her opponents want, she’ll give them Yuki. Or perhaps Mikuru is better? Kyon takes Haruhi’s arm off Mikuru and suggests that she bet her own body instead. Haruhi of course objects because being the commander is a holy and sacred existence.
For the match, the Computer Research Society sets up four laptops for the SOS Brigade. The game is going to be a five versus five online space battle simulation. The game will be in one week and the president advises them to improve their skills in that time. On the way home, Kyon tells Itsuki that he doesn’t want him to cheat. He thinks it’s best if they have a proper fight, whatever the outcome. It’s ok for them to lose because if they do, they only lose the computer that they had stolen in the first place. Itsuki is more concerned about the fact that Haruhi won’t like losing and that it could lead to a Sealed Dimension. Kyon doesn’t really care, which gets Itsuki laughing because he’s envious of the mutual trust between Kyon and Haruhi – Kyon trusts her not to create a Sealed Dimension if they lose and Haruhi trusts that she can win with him. The next day, the group takes their first crack at the game. Each of the five of them gets 15,000 ships under their own control and the objective is to annihilate the enemy or to destroy the enemy admiral’s fleet. The admiral for their side is of course going to be Haruhi. And since there is a fog of war, they have to search specifically for the enemy’s location. In their practices though, Haruhi keeps ordering all out attacks that wipe them all out. Haruhi gets frustrated, but Kyon blames it on her bad strategy. Despite this, he still tells Yuki not to cheat.
When the day of the match comes, Haruhi gives them a motivational speech about winning and getting the Board of Education to create SOS Brigades in all public schools. To Kyon she gives a long stare which she claims was filled with energy she sent to him. At 4PM sharp, the game starts. Yuki engages the enemy as she searches for them, whereas Haruhi and Mikuru are basically useless, making the match more like five versus three. The enemy fleets flank Kyon and Itsuki’s fleets, but they run away when Kyon finally turns his fleet in the right direction – a hit and run tactic. Haruhi gets so pissed off that she decides not to wait in the back and instead charges ahead. Itsuki and Kyon have no choice but to protect her sides, but that actually leads to their ships colliding with each other. In the chaos, the only reliable thing is Yuki and her fast typing. All of the sudden, the entire map lights up as numerous pockets of the fog of war are uncovered. Itsuki explains that Yuki has split her fleet into twenty smaller fleets and is thus able to explore more of the map at once. However, controlling twenty fleets simultaneously is technically impossible for a human.
Kyon gets up and walks over to Yuki’s computer, which has the game minimized and has dozens of command windows appearing and disappearing as she types lightning fast. He reminds her that he told her not to cheat, but she says that she’s not doing any special data manipulation and is observing the rules that were imposed on her. What’s more, she adds that it’s the Computer Research Society that’s cheating. Yuki explains that the computer club’s search mode is off, meaning that they could see the entire map from the very start. Kyon doesn’t think that they should cheat too because then they’d be the same as their opponents. Yuki once again says that she’s not violating his instructions and then goes on to say that she wants to introduce modifications to the program that are in accordance to the technological level of Earth. Kyon decides to let her do it, so Yuki executes her changes.
Yuki’s changes turn the Computer Research Society’s search mode on and throw them into disarray. The tides quickly turn, but the enemy admiral’s fleet is still at almost full power. Yuki uses her fleets to push the computer club’s president right into the fleets of Kyon, Itsuki, Mikuru, and Haruhi. And the final ship is destroyed by none other than Yuki herself. Having lost, the president comes over to concede defeat and apologize. He can’t believe that someone rewrote the game in the middle of playing. Haruhi is happy that they now have four new laptops for the club. The president figures out that it was Yuki who had those hacking skills, so he goes over and asks her if she would participate in some of his club’s activities. Haruhi gets angry because she claimed Yuki first, but Kyon stops her. He’s saw how happy Yuki seemed to be when she was typing on the keyboard and thinks that even she must be tired of observing Haruhi all the time. Kyon suggests to Yuki that she do what she wants, so Yuki tells the president that she can go once in a while. The president’s joy is cut short by Haruhi telling him that as the losers, the computer club should obey the winners. She wants all of them to swear loyalty to her. If they work their hardest, she’ll even make them SOS Brigade members. As she’s having Itsuki drawing up the paperwork, Kyon notices that Yuki is tapping her book like it’s a keyboard.

Preview:

It figures that for the space battle simulation game, they’d actually animate a space battle. Certainly made it that much more exciting than just watching them play. And the rousing musical score made it all the better. Heck, this episode makes me want Kyoto Animation to do a space sci-fi series.
And so, Yuki becomes the hero and savior for the second episode in a row. Not that I mind because she pulls off some of the cooler stuff. This allows them to develop her personality a bit, as shown by the way she’s typing on the book at the end there. Should make all the Nagato-ism fans pretty happy lol.
Watching Haruhi’s flying kick was pretty funny, as was watching Yuki trying to figure out how to use the mouse and Haruhi trying to send her energy to Kyon through a stare. Oh, and there was the ever-so-blatant Gundam reference too (animated gif courtesy of DARUI).
As for the preview, for once Haruhi and Kyon agree on the next episode! That means story 12 next week! Looks like it’ll be the cultural festival that was hinted at in this episode.

62 Comments

  1. Lolz.

    I like how this one show essentially OBLITERATES the aspects of anime that other shows revolve themselves entirely around.

    The show doesn’t seem to “stick” to one primal theme. In doing so, or “lack of so”, it dips into every other theme and excels at it.

    There are ACTION scenes in a show not based in action, and it still has better fights than some purely shounen anime.

    The romance leaves a bit to be desired, but I could easily support any budding relationship between the three girls and kyon lolz.

    etc. etc. etc….

    Huzzah!

    Kuya
  2. Hehe, looking good, as usual 😉 Didn’t expect anything else from Kyoto Animation.
    @ Omni:
    Some small questions, please excuse me if there are things you already said:
    – Does Kyoto Animation plan to do a second season of Suzumiya Haruhi?
    – What do you think would be a good ending for Suzumiya Haruhi? Is there a pessage in the novel you think it would fit? It’s just 14 episodes after all and the novel has 8 books^^

    Domo arigato gozaimas^^

    *Chi*
  3. Does Kyoto Animation plan to do a second season of Suzumiya Haruhi?
    They’d be crazy not to, but I honestly don’t know.

    What do you think would be a good ending for Suzumiya Haruhi? Is there a pessage in the novel you think it would fit? It’s just 14 episodes after all and the novel has 8 books^^
    Answering that question would require me to actually have read the novels, which I haven’t really. I’m intentionally keeping myself in the dark until after the anime episode airs.

  4. Hmm.. is this series going to be 14 episodes + one dvd-only episode or just 13 + one extra? I was just wondering since next episode is going to be ep 12 and we are still missing episodes 5,6 and 11. Maybe the dvd-only episode is 5 and 6 combined into one 1 hour episode?

    JohnS
  5. That’s it, failure by KyoAni to provide a second season would provide an excuse for a glorious siege and subsequent riot. Mikurur and LOL-Fang-tan are doing a miedo cafe? Time flows too slowly. I loved the Space Battleship Yamato 2 blue face homage. Go Nagato Fleet!

    Crusader
  6. As I am watching the first minutes, I pee’d my pants.

    While waiting for the summary… *simutaneously watches raw while reading translated novel to know what’s going on X_X*

    Pakxenon
  7. I got to say 3rd row first picture… “Head Shot”
    and Nagato learned how to use a computer so fast O.o she didn’t even know to use a computer but then she was typing so fast ^^ Nagato ftw

    GStrike-
  8. Kyon is clearly the parody of the Alliance Commander from 銀河英雄伝説 , Nagato – 電子の妖精。。。

    Tsuruya actually looks ravishing…

    Haruhi beating up the Computer Club Chief reminds me of those Bruce Lee films where the bad guys come knocking and Bruce (in this case, Haruhi) just gives it to them.

    tonbo
  9. oh my, in my excitement , i left out the ” GUN[BEEP!!!] hashin sasenasai- !!!” ” Ikima-su !!! Muri !!! ” bit…

    almost fell over seeing the mozaic launch sequence … just like in GUN[BEEP!!!] series, launch the MS as a last resort…

    tonbo
  10. So Yuki is going to be part of the computer club now? IS she still part of SOS at the same time?
    I must assume she is because she was still in the club during episode 14.

    golthin
  11. I just couldn’t get tired of screenshot 25, Yuki looking expectenly at Kyon’s order. IT is just like when Kyon gave her the choice of helping the computer club with their programming, she obeys Kyon talk about puppy love.

    golthin
  12. >>> So Yuki is going to be part of the computer club now? IS she still part of SOS at the same time?
    I must assume she is because she was still in the club during episode 14.
    by golthin June 11th, 2006 at 8:46 pm

    I believe she becomes a honored guest member of the computer club, which she occasionally visit to amuse herself, though infrequently. The people in computer club, especially the club president, ends up worshipping her.

    wontaek
  13. actually i think the guy tin the cover looksmore like the captain of the yYamato in the first movie.. oh good childhood memories.. also the computer societey press looks like the evil guys from the first yamato movie, and Yuki as captain reminds me of that girl from Nadesico (the one that they called the fairy or something like that)

    8zil
  14. wow looks good! @___@ didn’t expect kyoto animation to literally animate the game like that!

    LOL i can’t help but to think that Haruhi’s flying kick is totally the same to Kaname’s in FMP:TSR. or maybe its just me? Hmmm~

  15. If was very interesting watching Yuki learning the comp, on the first day she was waving the mouse in mid air LOL.

    And by the time of the battle she was typing so hard HER HEAD WAS SHAKING!!! She must be having the time of her life.

    Hypernova
  16. The music scores used were mostly Late Romantic and 20th century orchestral music, al la Legend of Galactic Hero

    1. DeBussy: either Printemp ( spring ) or one of his nocturns, probably printemp
    2 & 3. Schostokovich’s Symphony no. 7, ‘ Leningrad ‘ 1st movement beginning and the main theme ( This was the game’s BGM as well )
    4. Tchikovsky symphony no.4, 4th movement finale.

    wontaek
  17. I believe they probably used these CDs

    1. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00002MXMY/qid=1150111374/sr=1-7/ref=sr_1_7/002-5314453-2081602?s=classical&v=glance&n=5174

    Recording by Charles Dutoit and Montreal Philharmonic orchestra

    2&3. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000001HCN/qid=1150112697/sr=1-47/ref=sr_1_47/002-5314453-2081602?s=music&v=glance&n=5174

    Mravinsky Edition: Volumes 11-20 [BOX SET] Conducted by Yevgeny Mravinsky, orchestra: Leningrad Philharmonic Orchestra

    no, Wait, That was my preferred recording. The one that was used probably is Leonard Bernstein and Chicago Symphony Orchestra’s recording.

    http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000001GB2/qid=1150113638/sr=2-1/ref=pd_bbs_b_2_1/002-5314453-2081602?s=music&v=glance&n=5174

    4. Most likely Herbert von Karajan and Berlin Philharmonic orchestra’s recording.

    http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000001GYJ/qid=1150113442/sr=1-4/ref=sr_1_4/002-5314453-2081602?s=music&v=glance&n=5174

    Question is, how come no credits were given and did they pay for its usage?

    wontaek
  18. copyrights expire after 5 years , after application for patents or the like… that’s one bit of detail we as consumers are often left ignorant abt

    that’s why the Jpn are able to own copyrights to Romance of 3 Kingdoms Anime and Journey to The West etc in mainland China even tho the creators are frm China and not Jpn… cuz copyrights require application to take effect .. and do expire

    tonbo
  19. Well, I think they should have listed the name of the music and the performers in the ending credit as a curtesy. It is very, very, highly likely that Kyoto Animation used a recording which has recording label belonging to Deutsche Grammophon company, and Deutsche Grammophon’s Japan branch alone is probably bigger than Kyoto Animation, thus they are not to be messed with.

    wontaek
  20. quote:
    Deutsche Grammophon’s Japan branch alone is probably bigger than Kyoto Animation, thus they are not to be messed with.
    imagine… a quartet of black clad “violin players” carrying MP5s in violin cases entering Kyoto Animation to collect due payment

    ewok
  21. @JohnS

    You said ep 5 6 and 11 are missing. However it is pretty likely that the adventures of Mikuru was episode 11 (it was a movie made by haruhi to show at the cultural festival, which we’re going to see in ep12 now).. which makes the last 2 remaining episodes to air eps 5 and 6 which will presumably be some 2 parter based on the ending of the first novel…

    willowywicca
  22. just watched the episode… laughed myself to tears…
    More Haruhi “inspired leadership”! More Nagato l33t skilz!! More Mikuru kawaaiiii!!!
    and more Kyon sober judgement…

    ewok
  23. I was just wondering since next episode is going to be ep 12 and we are still missing episodes 5,6 and 11. Maybe the dvd-only episode is 5 and 6 combined into one 1 hour episode?

    a theory for that is that eps 0 was eps 11…but not so sure on that aspect yet 😛

    DAc
  24. IF they can shove an hour-long finale, which I don’t think will happen since this series is only 14 episodes long, then by all means episode 11 could be Endless Eight (15XXX episodes…).

    I just finished reading the translated novels for Live A Live.
    Show Spoiler ▼

    Pakxenon

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