The arc leads into volume 8, with Kyon feeling depressed and unsure of what to do. He begins interrogating his former club members to no avail and decides to donate his energy to finding Haruhi. After much effort, Kyon unites the SOS Brigade and the cause of the temporal shift is made clear.

In a manga in which the story is adapted from another source of media, the determining factor of its appeal is the art. Unfortunately it’s unremarkable. It’s not bad by any means but rather it looks unpolished and bland. It’s not enough to draw in new fans or sustain those already familiar with the franchise.

The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya manga feels more like an attempt to milk the franchise for all its worth. Don’t get me wrong; had the manga come first, I wouldn’t deem it quite so inferior as it would have at least provided the source material for the story. Unfortunately though, it lacks the appeal to rise to the level of its predecessors.