Sun Television, the broadcasting station in Japan’s Hy?go Prefecture that is Japan’s first station to run The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya anime’s “renewed airing” in 2009, has aired the first new anime episode in almost three years on early Friday morning. The 2009 airing has been running its episodes in the story’s chonological order, and “Sasa no Ha Rhapsody” (”Bamboo Leaf Rhapsody”) is the next story chronologically in Nagaru Tanigawa and Noizi Ito’s original science-fiction comedy light novels. However, this episode was not animated during the anime’s first airing in 2006.

Source: 2channel

Update: The Teletama station in Saitama Prefecture, northwest of Tokyo, is now the second station to air the new episode.

Update 2: Yasuhiro Takemoto, the “Brigade Leader’s Assistant” of the 2009 broadcast’s main credits, directed and storyboarded this episode. Futoshi Nishiya, the 2009 run’s production chief director, supervised the animation production. Fumihiko Shimo (episode 8 and 13 of the 2006 run) wrote the episode.

Update 3: Haruhi voice actresses Aya Hirano, Minori Chihara, and Yuko Goto sings the new ending theme song “Tomare!” as their characters Haruhi Suzumiya, Yuki Nagato, and Mikuru Asahina, respectively. The CD single will ship in Japan on August 26. Source: Natalie

Update 4: Both Bandai Entertainment and Kadokawa Pictures USA have declined to comment on the future status of Haruhi Suzumiya in North America.

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