Genkina Hito
映画男！！！
Ah, if only I checked the forum more often. I bought the US edition a couple of years back but it remains unwatched... This would have been a good time. Oh well.
Haibane Renmei Simulwatch
- Thread starter ilmaestro
- Start date
ilmaestro said:
Hah, I don't know - I could be miles out. Just that my kitchen-sink drama sense was tingling...
Episode 10
Not sure if there's too much I can add for this one. Given the way things seemed to be escalating, I thought Reki might have resorted to violence against the Renmei when they threatened to punish Rakka, but that was diffused quite neatly. Interesting to see a bit more of her backstory too - looks like she was born with the black wing disease, rather than developing it the way Rakka did. Also didn't expect to see Rakka acquire a job this late in the series.
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Episode 11
Definitely feels like we're heading towards the endgame now. I'm actually starting to question if we're going to get any clear ideas on how the girls came to be Haibane before the end of the series. Nevertheless, I feel more invested in Reki now (didn't expect her to walk out like that, mind) and I'd settle for a decent resolution to her storyline.
Definitely feels like we're heading towards the endgame now. I'm actually starting to question if we're going to get any clear ideas on how the girls came to be Haibane before the end of the series. Nevertheless, I feel more invested in Reki now (didn't expect her to walk out like that, mind) and I'd settle for a decent resolution to her storyline.
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Ach, I'm sure any contribution would be gratefully received.
Episode 12
Well that was kind of anticlimactic. I thought Reki had actually left their home at the end of the previous episode.
Certainly this episode explains the antagonism between Reki and Midori, but it seems to have been resolved without much actual conflict somehow. Given that it's taken so little effort to apparently fix things, perhaps they're making a point about the importance of being open with one's feelings?
Well that was kind of anticlimactic. I thought Reki had actually left their home at the end of the previous episode.
Certainly this episode explains the antagonism between Reki and Midori, but it seems to have been resolved without much actual conflict somehow. Given that it's taken so little effort to apparently fix things, perhaps they're making a point about the importance of being open with one's feelings?
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Animefreak17
Godhand
I just don't get the series, it's a lot like lain in some ways
To some extent, I have the same problem. I don't think it's as unyielding as Lain, but it does frustrate me, in that I feel it would be considerably more meaningful, if I knew what it was trying to achieve.
I have now watched 13, but it's a bit late for me to properly sum the whole thing up, so I'll deliver my final thoughts tomorrow.
I have now watched 13, but it's a bit late for me to properly sum the whole thing up, so I'll deliver my final thoughts tomorrow.
Episode 13
So, that's it then. In the end, Reki's death appears to be the only one explicitly shown as suicide, but, given that Reki and Rakka both suffer the black wing disease, I'd be reasonably certain Rakka did kill herself as well.
Given how the series has concluded, I'd finally be comfortable saying their world was a version of purgatory. The apparently neutral presence of the humans cast some doubt in my mind, but in the end, their sole function seemed to be like part of a test for the haibane.
Taking the series as a whole, I'd find it a difficult one to really rate. I don't regret finishing it and I can understand why it has such a cult following, but I feel that, for all the care and attention lavished on establishing its world, the end result was unexpectedly lightweight. As a study of how we cope (or fail to cope) with the loss of loved ones, it's rather well observed, but the 'meat' of the story seems almost exclusively packed into the latter half of the series.
Lawrence's suggestion that the first half was like K-On with angels feels kind of on the money, but even during that, I found there was a certain uncanny quality to it. Whether it was just that I kept expecting something to go horribly wrong, or whether it started with the wing-birthing scene, I don't know, but I always thought there was something unsettling in the show's atmosphere. It's tempting to suggest that the series would appeal to slice-of-life fans, but perhaps the underlying sense of dread would go against that 'show about nothing'/'hanging out with the characters' vibe.
Even when we do get into the story properly, the developments are largely measured and gentle. Anyone looking for a shot of carthartic drama could well be thrown off by the sedate pacing. In the end, I feel it was worthwhile, but I do think it requires a great deal of patience on the part of the viewer and, even at 13 episodes, I might have looked more favourably on it as a short OAV than a full series.
Would seriously like to hear what other people think now.
So, that's it then. In the end, Reki's death appears to be the only one explicitly shown as suicide, but, given that Reki and Rakka both suffer the black wing disease, I'd be reasonably certain Rakka did kill herself as well.
Given how the series has concluded, I'd finally be comfortable saying their world was a version of purgatory. The apparently neutral presence of the humans cast some doubt in my mind, but in the end, their sole function seemed to be like part of a test for the haibane.
Taking the series as a whole, I'd find it a difficult one to really rate. I don't regret finishing it and I can understand why it has such a cult following, but I feel that, for all the care and attention lavished on establishing its world, the end result was unexpectedly lightweight. As a study of how we cope (or fail to cope) with the loss of loved ones, it's rather well observed, but the 'meat' of the story seems almost exclusively packed into the latter half of the series.
Lawrence's suggestion that the first half was like K-On with angels feels kind of on the money, but even during that, I found there was a certain uncanny quality to it. Whether it was just that I kept expecting something to go horribly wrong, or whether it started with the wing-birthing scene, I don't know, but I always thought there was something unsettling in the show's atmosphere. It's tempting to suggest that the series would appeal to slice-of-life fans, but perhaps the underlying sense of dread would go against that 'show about nothing'/'hanging out with the characters' vibe.
Even when we do get into the story properly, the developments are largely measured and gentle. Anyone looking for a shot of carthartic drama could well be thrown off by the sedate pacing. In the end, I feel it was worthwhile, but I do think it requires a great deal of patience on the part of the viewer and, even at 13 episodes, I might have looked more favourably on it as a short OAV than a full series.
Would seriously like to hear what other people think now.
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ilmaestro
State Alchemist
I actually did finish this at the time, but have not been back to comment on it unfortunately.
It's a bit too long since for me to now make detailed comments on the last few episodes, but I came away feeling like the series was emotionally well-rounded, and actually thought the ending was a fair bit more cathartic than you seem to have, Prof.
I think the series is extremely hard to categorize (something you have also basically said), and it perhaps doesn't meet some expectations you could legitimately have for it if you take certain things in certain ways. I felt like I was satisfied with the show as a character study of Reki, but perhaps that is too narrow an achievement for it to have truly impressed.
It's a bit too long since for me to now make detailed comments on the last few episodes, but I came away feeling like the series was emotionally well-rounded, and actually thought the ending was a fair bit more cathartic than you seem to have, Prof.
I think the series is extremely hard to categorize (something you have also basically said), and it perhaps doesn't meet some expectations you could legitimately have for it if you take certain things in certain ways. I felt like I was satisfied with the show as a character study of Reki, but perhaps that is too narrow an achievement for it to have truly impressed.