Parents' Guide to The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya

TV Crunchyroll Anime 2006
The Melancholy TV Show Poster: A teen girl smiles smugly with her arms crossed, she is wearing a Japanese school uniform and has a yellow ribbon in her hair.

Common Sense Media Review

By Jeremy Looney , based on child development research. How do we rate?

age 13+

Misadventures unfold in quirky high school comedy anime.

Parents Need to Know

Why Age 13+?

Any Positive Content?

  • The Melancholy TV Show: A girl speaks to a group of students in a classroom using a paper megaphone, she looks pleased while they look unsure.
  • The Melancholy TV Show: A girl smiles confidently, she holds a paper megaphone in one hand, she has an orange armband that reads brigade leader.
  • The Melancholy TV Show: Two chibi characters, a girl who is blushing and fist pumping in a celebratory way, the man behind her looks distraught.

Parent and Kid Reviews

See all
age 14+

Based on 1 parent review

 

 

See all 1 parent review
 

 

What's the Story?

THE MELANCHOLY OF HARUHI SUZUMIYA centers around Kyon (voiced by Crispin Freeman), a regular high school student, who finds himself entangled in the extraordinary escapades of his classmates, each possessing unique supernatural abilities. As part of the SOS Brigade, led by the eccentric Haruhi Suzumiya (Wendee Lee), they navigate a series of events that blur the boundaries between reality and fantasy. Unaware of her reality-altering power, Haruhi's whimsical quest for excitement becomes a mission for the group to maintain her happiness, as her moods hold the potential to inadvertently disrupt reality itself.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say ( 1 ):
Kids say : Not yet rated

This bizarre supernatural anime stands out from the rest of the high school slice-of-life series. The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya tells a captivating story in a different order. Its supernatural and science fiction elements offer a new perspective on high school life and contribute to the show's charm. There are unexpected twists, some solid comedic moments, and standout characters with unique abilities. The art and background, particularly for an older series, are great and contribute to an overall enjoyable viewing experience.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the cultural aspects of this anime. How are the cultural aspects of Japanese school life different from your own experiences?

  • Supernatural themes are explored in this anime. Out of the different supernatural abilities of the characters, which one was the most interesting and why?

TV Details

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by

The Melancholy TV Show Poster: A teen girl smiles smugly with her arms crossed, she is wearing a Japanese school uniform and has a yellow ribbon in her hair.

What to Watch Next

See all

Best Anime Movies

See all

Anime TV for Teens and Tweens

See all recommended tv lists

Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.

See how we rate