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abunai
Old Regular
Joined: 05 Mar 2004
Posts: 5463
Location: 露命
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Posted: Sat Jun 19, 2004 9:12 am
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The thing about Haibane Renmei is that it contains a lot of unstated elements of sadness. On the surface, it is a melancholy story, and you may shed a tear watching it without thinking too deeply about it.
But the truly poignant elements are the ones that only come to you when you think carefully about the implications of what you have been told:
The haibane are all suicides, reborn into the City and given a second chance at coming to terms with the sadness that caused them to commit suicide in the first place. Every haibane has a name and a dream that somehow relates to how he or she died in the first place - and reaching an understanding of their pain, and transcending it in the limited time given before their halos fade, is what their purpose is.
Conversely, the touga are haibane who failed. They were unable to come to terms with the spiritual pain that caused them to commit suicide, before their time as haibane ran out. It's no wonder that they hide their faces and keep a rule of silence. This sort of strict discipline must be the only way they can stand their situation. Washi, the head touga, radiates a deep and almost crippling sense of sadness.
Finally, consider the implications of the very last scene we are shown. Not one, but two haibane cocoons growing in a room in Old Home. Twins. Think about that - paired suicides.
Apologies for the mass of spoiler material. I have to say, Haibane Renmei is an anime that continues to amaze me with its depth and emotional impact. The theme of remorse and redemption that runs through the story, like the river of souls within the Wall, is gripping.
- abunai
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The Funkee Otaku
Joined: 26 Apr 2004
Posts: 25
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Posted: Sat Jun 19, 2004 11:15 am
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The most touching Anime I have seen is Grave of The Fireflies, I cried for almost an hour. In the end Seita and Setsuko die of starvation.
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abunai
Old Regular
Joined: 05 Mar 2004
Posts: 5463
Location: 露命
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Posted: Sat Jun 19, 2004 11:57 am
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The Funkee Otaku wrote: | The most touching Anime I have seen is Grave of The Fireflies, I cried for almost an hour. In the end Seita and Setsuko die of starvation. |
Not to quibble, but that information is given more or less up front. You are told, within a few minutes of the anime's beginning, that Seita is dead. This isn't really worth using spoiler tags for.
What makes Grave of the Fireflies such a heartrending film is not that they are dead. It's how they got to that point - a story of neglect and misery and magnificently courageous perseverance. It's the story of Seita's struggle, a struggle which is all the more gripping because you know for a fact that it is doomed to fail.
Damn, now I'm going to cry again....
-abunai
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syr
Joined: 09 Dec 2002
Posts: 51
Location: Boston
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Posted: Sat Jun 19, 2004 1:48 pm
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Another anime that I found very touching and heartfelt was Rahxephon because of the emotional attachments that the characters created to me. Especially, When in episode 19 at the end when Asahina was killed.. the part with the lights in the city. Very sad.
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ShellBullet
Joined: 20 Mar 2003
Posts: 1051
Location: I hit things, with my fist.
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Posted: Sat Jun 19, 2004 1:59 pm
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lianncoop wrote: | Call me heartless, but I don't really get why everyone thinks Grave of the Fireflies is so sad. I mean, it's sad...but that isn't what stood out about it to me. I watched it twice and wasn't even close to being moved to tears. Maybe it's because I had heard it was the "saddest movie I'll ever see," and in that sense, had overhyped it for me.
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Truthfully, I didn't cry at the movie either. Perhaps it was because I was expecting it, or maybe it's just a dearth of sentimentalism on my part. Still, this is one of the saddest movies I've ever seen because it depicts real events. It's sad to think that things like that actually happened (and do happen).
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WaR.KiN
Joined: 26 Mar 2004
Posts: 68
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Posted: Sat Jun 19, 2004 2:46 pm
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Now and Then, Here and There... it didn't make me cry, but it is very memorable and touching...
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Kawaii Moon Kitty
Joined: 17 Jun 2004
Posts: 76
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Posted: Sat Jun 19, 2004 3:42 pm
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I thought Cowboy Bebop was touching at the end and GTO is pretty touching too, each episode has its touching moments. Berserk has moments that touch but the ending really made me mad!!! I can't believe Guts and Caska finally got together and then in the end Griffith turns into a demon, messes around with Caska against her will, takes her away and leaving poor Guts near dead, and probably heartbroken. Then the series just ends there! GAH!!
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ayamacha
Joined: 17 Sep 2003
Posts: 47
Location: Somewhere you aren't
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Posted: Sat Jun 19, 2004 5:01 pm
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I thought that Cowboy Bebop and Fruits Basket were the most touching animes I saw. I think it's pretty obvious why Cowboy Bebop was touching. And for Fruits Basket, the whole thing about Kyo's inner secret was great. But the part that really got to me was when Tohru was holding Kyo (in his cat form) in her arms. I just thought that was so sweet.
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Lone Wolf and Cub
Joined: 12 May 2004
Posts: 301
Location: tumbleweed, South Dakota
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Posted: Sat Jun 19, 2004 5:27 pm
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Kawaii Moon Kitty wrote: |
I thought Cowboy Bebop was touching at the end and GTO is pretty touching too, each episode has its touching moments. Berserk has moments that touch but the ending really made me mad!!! I can't believe Guts and Caska finally got together and then in the end Griffith turns into a demon, messes around with Caska against her will, takes her away and leaving poor Guts near dead, and probably heartbroken. Then the series just ends there! GAH!! |
I completely agree with you, but the fact that you were probably as emotionally broken as guts was at the end meant that the series touched you in a way that you yourself probably could not even hope to describe. I myself almost cry every time I think about "what could have been" between Guts and Caska. Like I said earlier, this series touched me the most.
~LoneWolf
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Kawaii Moon Kitty
Joined: 17 Jun 2004
Posts: 76
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Posted: Sat Jun 19, 2004 6:29 pm
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Lone Wolf and Cub wrote: |
Kawaii Moon Kitty wrote: |
I thought Cowboy Bebop was touching at the end and GTO is pretty touching too, each episode has its touching moments. Berserk has moments that touch but the ending really made me mad!!! I can't believe Guts and Caska finally got together and then in the end Griffith turns into a demon, messes around with Caska against her will, takes her away and leaving poor Guts near dead, and probably heartbroken. Then the series just ends there! GAH!! |
I completely agree with you, but the fact that you were probably as emotionally broken as guts was at the end meant that the series touched you in a way that you yourself probably could not even hope to describe. I myself almost cry every time I think about "what could have been" between Guts and Caska. Like I said earlier, this series touched me the most.
~LoneWolf |
Yes, that's exactly how I felt! Someone who understands! It's a series with an ending that makes you so mad but then again just wants to make you cry. And mad enough to make you probably put your foot down and demand a deeper ending, or possibly a sequal, to see what happens. But Alas, sadly, we'll never get to see what happens. But yes, I'll agree it is such a touching series deep down through its *coughs* violent exterior.
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abunai
Old Regular
Joined: 05 Mar 2004
Posts: 5463
Location: 露命
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Posted: Sat Jun 19, 2004 6:49 pm
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That reminds me of the way Mahoromatic ended. All the suffering that Suguru went through was so unnecessary. Twenty years of loneliness and bitterness and twisted life, which could have been prevented if Mahoro had only been resurrected earlier. That ending left me very displeased. I won't say it ruined the story for me, because it didn't - but within the context of the story universe, the ending was needlessly cruel.
- abunai
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Lone Wolf and Cub
Joined: 12 May 2004
Posts: 301
Location: tumbleweed, South Dakota
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Posted: Sat Jun 19, 2004 7:02 pm
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Kawaii Moon Kitty wrote: |
Yes, that's exactly how I felt! Someone who understands! It's a series with an ending that makes you so mad but then again just wants to make you cry. And mad enough to make you probably put your foot down and demand a deeper ending, or possibly a sequal, to see what happens. But Alas, sadly, we'll never get to see what happens. But yes, I'll agree it is such a touching series deep down through its *coughs* violent exterior. |
Ok this is where my opinion of the series shifts. A lot of people were really upset with the ending calling it "not deep", or "crap. I personally think the ending was made the way it is for a reason. Guts spends a lot of time questioning his purpose, trying to find something to help define his life. At first it was pleasing Galbido, then it was pleasing Griffith. It eventually turned into him pleasing Caska, but I to be honest I saw the tragic ending coming. With a series like this, I think that fairy tale ending would just have ruined it. Although I would like to see Guts go and get his revenge on Griffith, I do not think it is neccesary. Caska is either dead already, or Griffith's love slave. Would you honestly like to see her in that state?
Something I always tell people to do after watching the whole series, is to go back and watch the first episode again. A lot is explained, and you get a hint at what it is Guts is up to. Anywho, this series is in my top 3 all time favorites right now.
~LoneWolf
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Kawaii Moon Kitty
Joined: 17 Jun 2004
Posts: 76
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Posted: Sat Jun 19, 2004 7:28 pm
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Lone Wolf and Cub wrote: |
Kawaii Moon Kitty wrote: |
Yes, that's exactly how I felt! Someone who understands! It's a series with an ending that makes you so mad but then again just wants to make you cry. And mad enough to make you probably put your foot down and demand a deeper ending, or possibly a sequal, to see what happens. But Alas, sadly, we'll never get to see what happens. But yes, I'll agree it is such a touching series deep down through its *coughs* violent exterior. |
Ok this is where my opinion of the series shifts. A lot of people were really upset with the ending calling it "not deep", or "crap. I personally think the ending was made the way it is for a reason. Guts spends a lot of time questioning his purpose, trying to find something to help define his life. At first it was pleasing Galbido, then it was pleasing Griffith. It eventually turned into him pleasing Caska, but I to be honest I saw the tragic ending coming. With a series like this, I think that fairy tale ending would just have ruined it. Although I would like to see Guts go and get his revenge on Griffith, I do not think it is neccesary. Caska is either dead already, or Griffith's love slave. Would you honestly like to see her in that state?
Something I always tell people to do after watching the whole series, is to go back and watch the first episode again. A lot is explained, and you get a hint at what it is Guts is up to. Anywho, this series is in my top 3 all time favorites right now.
~LoneWolf |
Yes, I see what you're saying. I can't stand it either when people get upset over something small like "crap" or what not. There's always either an obvious or hidden purpose for a series's ending. That is a very excellent point you just made right there about the first episode, and I watched that DVD 4 times before I fully understood it. But indeed, it's a good series, I'm going to get the box set when I get money.
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Lone Wolf and Cub
Joined: 12 May 2004
Posts: 301
Location: tumbleweed, South Dakota
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Posted: Sun Jun 20, 2004 12:11 am
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Kawaii Moon Kitty wrote: |
Yes, I see what you're saying. I can't stand it either when people get upset over something small like "crap" or what not. There's always either an obvious or hidden purpose for a series's ending. That is a very excellent point you just made right there about the first episode, and I watched that DVD 4 times before I fully understood it. But indeed, it's a good series, I'm going to get the box set when I get money. |
Buy it off of Deepdiscountdvd.com . You won't regret it. That is where I got my copy, and I love my box of war very much . Something else that I absolutely love about this series is that is rewatchable. I think i've seen it all the way through like four or five times, and I always pick up new things with each new viewing.
~LoneWolf
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bun^ny
Joined: 10 May 2004
Posts: 74
Location: Canada
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Posted: Sun Jun 20, 2004 12:23 am
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To me, Kimi No Eien or something like that. I hated some parts but I guess it the drama was supposed to like that. BUt, in the end.. it just made me angry and at the same emotional. I love the show but I just get so angry on some parts of the story...
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