Review of Haibane Renmei

I found out about Haibane Renmei through Toco Toco episode on Yoshitoshi ABe. Like many others in here, I was skeptical at first and didn't want to start watching it right away, but in a few months or so I finally got around to it. If you were wondering whether HR bears similarities to Serial Experiments Lain, it definitely does not. ABe didn't write SEL. HR is an auteur's work. Personally I don't put SEL on the same pedestal as HR, so if you didn't like SEL either then don't let it stop you from checking out HR. I suggest watching that toco toco episodefor more (spoiler-free) information.

Here's my personal point: Haibane Renmei is the only show to evoke a flow-like state while watching it. The perfect blend of soft visual style and refrained color choices, often lullaby-sounding music, the mystery surrounding the world keeping your brain looking for clues so as not to distract yourself, and not letting expository dialogue ruin the flow. I wasn't really watching, but experiencing it. One OST track's even named REM Sleep, so they know what's up. Only towards the end part are you
taken aback and made aware. Maybe it's an effect slice of life can have, but I appreciate what it's done to me. I was able, if only for a few hours of watching it, silence the skeptic ocpd nitpicker inside. It's like a direct communication is being established, a Blue Flow, if I may ;).

Of course, your mileage may vary. I was watching in a near-dark room with little distractions. I wasn't holding any expectations. The feeling could disappear in a rewatch. But I value the experience I got. As an aspiring game developer, I think games can capture the feeling a lot more effectively compared to other anime.

Technicalities shouldn't be discussed here, but since publishers pulled the plug on easy to access and legal ways to watch, I suggest DVD over Blu Ray disc. BDs look very bad, I prefer a softer look of DVD. Scale the 480p stream yourself, my player (Daum Potplayer) has Bicubic shader scaling which I find preferable to preserve detail and not blow it up like other, aggressive forms of scaling – those that make things like that Blu Ray video stream; check you video settings anyway.
P.S. The quality keyword you're looking for is [cestfait] ;p