The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya Volume 1

When high school student Kyon meets headstrong and eccentric Haruhi Suzumiya, he's utterly captivated, and only slightly deterred by her proclamation that she has 'no interest in ordinary humans.' Haruhi craves excitement, and meeting 'espers, aliens and time travelers' would fit the bill nicely. But she doesn't realize that the mysteries she's seeking are closer than she thinks.

The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya starts off like your average high school romp. Eventually, it turns into a cosmic comedy that bends time and space, with lots of busty girls in bunny girl outfits too. A fun read that's mostly for anime fans.

Kyon enters high school anticipating a dull four years of study. But all that changes when he meets Haruhi Suzumiya, a pretty and headstrong classmate. On the first day of school, Haruhi announces that she has 'no interest in ordinary humans,' and puts a call out to befriend 'aliens, espers and time travelers.' Naturally, everyone thinks she's a bit of a kook, but that doesn't stop Kyon from being utterly fascinated with Haruhi.

But as Kyon later finds out, Haruhi's impetuous ways and strong personality has also caught the attention of a few classmates who aren't exactly "ordinary." As he gets sucked deeper and deeper into Haruhi's vortex of eccentricity, Kyon discovers that his classmate's desire to discover aliens and psychic phenomena may have cosmic consequences.

If you've watched the anime version of The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya, then the manga version will delight you, or at least meet your expectations. The story doesn't stray far from the anime's plot and pacing. The art is faithful to the anime version's character designs and its manic, tongue-in-cheek mood.

If you've never watched the anime or have just been outside the squealing range of otaku who adore this character, then I don't want to spoil the fun. Tanigawa and Tsugano take readers on a wild ride that starts off like a typical high school comedy. But over the course of a few chapters, The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya reveals itself to be a sci-fi comedy-adventure that bends time and space, while cheerfully serving a hefty helping of fanservice cheesecake, complete with maids and busty bunny girls.

If you're not hip to otaku humor, then Haruhi will likely leave you baffled. It doesn't mean you won't like it -- but 'ordinary humans' probably won't enjoy it as much as your average anime enthusiast. In any case, it's a fun, wildly original comedy of cosmic proportions.