The on-going investigation of aliens, time travelers and ESPers with one of anime's most popular schoolgirl in recent years continues with The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya Vol. 2 DVD.  Starting where volume one left off, the episodes The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya Parts 4, 5 and 6 as well as The Boredom of Haruhi Suzumiya are contained.  As hardcore fans would know, the main disc represents the episodes with both English and Japanese audio, with English Subtitles in chronological ordering or Haruhi order but otaku expecting the broadcast order or Kyon order shouldn't feel disappointed as BANDAI have graciously included an extra disc with the first 5 broadcasted episodes in original Japanese audio.

Originally a light-novel, the anime itself has been a phenomenon, having been released in Japan last year and spawning into a variety of other media including video games, merchandise and a manga adaptation.  What makes it so appealing include the diversity of the 5 main cast, the excellent and consistent quality of the animation thanks to Kyoto as well as concepts introduced which makes viewers rethink their position on Haruhi-ism.  There are countless of comedic incidents and parodies which fans of anime will thoroughly enjoy.

As a US release, the English audio included is highly commendable.  The actors chosen for these much loved roles do an astounding job in not only staying true to the original seiyuu cast but also presenting themselves in a more believable and natural manner compared to other anime voice-over dubs.

A great starting point for those new to anime thanks to the series light hearted content and simply an astounding production for anime otaku not to miss.  If you haven’t picked up the first volume, you can still enjoy the story in chronological order with the episodes in Japanese included on the extra disc.  Fans of the series can also continue to obtain the Limited Edition DVDs to collect the extra content including T-Shirt transfers, Pencil Boards and Cosplay items at a decent price.