This blog is going to be a celebration of science fiction and anime, with additional topics of relevance to be determined. The blog is named for the central characters in the stunning anime Haibane Renmei, which is easily the best anime I have ever seen (though I have not seen that many, this guy has seen a lot more and concurs).
Some of the topics that I intend to discuss, in spoiler-laden fashion, will be anime, The Matrix, Battlestar Galactica, various science fiction books and movies, and The Hitchhker’s Guide to the Galaxy. I also will invite others to contribute who will hopefully make this a rich repository of ideas and discussion.
This site will also soon host a Wiki, which will not seek to be a comprehensive database but rather serve as a guide to the discussions taking place at Haibane.info. It will be our archive of what we as a community believe and how we interpret these works of fiction (and non fiction in some cases as well).
So, let us begin. Hane Haeterun?
I started watching anime because of Haibane Renmei. It’s so different in style and content from any other anime, I’ve about decided it’s not really anime, it’s just animated.
Also, if you are collecting resources, you need to know about
http://cff.ssw.net/index.htm
(Episode summaries and analysis).
http://cff.ssw.net/forum/
(discussion forum bordering on scholarly, including some critical translations, a guy translating into German, and more analysis than you can shake a stick at.)
http://cff.ssw.net/episodes/haibane.htm
Extremely interesting suggestion that the Haibane represent the Seven Sins. Not airtight, but thought provoking.
Yes, I’m the Refugee that posted there. (I said pretty much every thing I needed to say, and have not been active recently.)
Ah. Another convert! Our plan to conquer the world in the name of Otakudom proceeds nicely….. heh heh ha ha hahahaha BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA…… *cough* *cough*…. *ahem*
(I’m a staffer for Otakon. http://www.otakon.com)
Enjoy your new addiction, er, hobby. 🙂 I’ve been hooked on anime and manga since 1995, and I’ve been broke ever since. Just be aware that Sturgeon’s Law applies: “Ninety percent of science fiction– of *anything*– is CRAP.”
And you and Steven Den Beste are right– Haibane Renmei is great. I’m glad I read his review and checked it out for myself.
I’m reminded of C.S. Lewis’ “Chronicles of Narnia” in a way. “Haibane Renmei” isn’t as explicitly religious as “Narnia” is, but it has some of the same emotional/religious punch as “Narnia” does. Especially when you consider that there is a bit of Reki (as well as Edmund) in all of us.
thanks, and welcome, both of you! I have so much to say about Haibane Renmei, that I didn’t know where to begin. So I wrote a post about The Matrix instead 🙂
aziz-habiibi
shukran for the invite.
this is going to be soooooo good!
btw, my Faqih Raf Bey says you should more properly address me as habiibti, otherwise there will be more confusion of my gender.
😉