What makes a movie a Christmas movie? While some films are obviously about Christmas, some have vaguer festive links, and more still may simply be set around the holidays. However, The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya is actually a fantastic Christmas film because it captures the feeling of the holidays, and is built around several traditional holiday movie tropes.
The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya was released in 2010. Produced by Kyoto Animation, the movie picks up where The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya ended with Kyon, Haruhi and the rest of the SOS Brigade trying to have a good life while navigating all of the issues that come from being around Haruhi. However, while the group is planning for their hotpot Christmas party, things take a turn for the weird when Kyon wakes up to find that reality has totally changed. In this new reality, Mikuru Asahina doesn't remember him, Yuki Nagato is no longer a robot, and to make matters worse, Haruhi and Itsuki are missing. But while searching, Kyon stumbles on some clues that will help him get to the bottom of the mystery.
Christmas plays a massive role in the film. One of the first scenes details the planning of the hotpot party, and the rest of the film counts down to this event. On top of this, the film's aesthetic is built around classic winter and holiday imagery. At the beginning of the film, Christmas party props and decorations are used to show the group's joy and excitement. Later stark winter environments are used as a metaphor for how disconnected Kyon feels towards the new world. This tone affects the audience as, while the new world is still recognizable as the one from The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya, the wintery filter makes the whole world feel different, helping us understand Kyon's alienation.
It isn't just aesthetics; The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya draws on many holiday story themes to tell its story. At its core, the story is about accepting your family and friends and appreciating what you have, a common lesson in many Christmas films, from It's A Wonderful Life to The Grinch. In fact, The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya actually shares many plot beats with Charles Dickens' legendary novel, A Christmas Carol. While trying to solve the mystery of the new world, Kyon travels through time, seeing an alternate present, past and even a tiny glimpse at the future.
These timelines allow Kyon to think about his life and the effect he has on those around him, which turns out to be crucial to his decisions in the film's final act. And, while Kyon isn't visited by ghosts, he does meet alternate or time-displaced versions of his friends, each of whom reveals something that helps guide his decisions. For instance, a meeting with a past version of Yuki lets him see how he has let his friends down by being emotionally distant. It also allows him to notice that he has not paid attention to their issues and hasn't helped them out when he really should have. In fact, much like Scrooge, Kyon's problems arise from him ignoring the suffering of others due to his own fatigued emotional state.
One of the final scenes of The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya mirrors the Ghost of Christmas Future scenes from A Christmas Carol. In these scenes, Kyon is accosted by a vision of himself. Much like the Ghost Of Christmas Future, this vision is, unlike his previous helpers, more antagonistic towards Kyon. While this vision doesn't show Kyon his own demise, it does use glimpses of the past, glimpses of a potential future and insults to force Kyon to have a revelation that sets him on a new path, one where he tries to help his friends.
The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya is the perfect film to watch during the Christmas season. It is visually and thematically appropriate for Christmas, with its message of appreciating what you have and its backdrop of warm party scenes and cold wintery vistas. If you're looking to mix up your Christmas movie marathons, consider checking in with Kyon and Haruhi.