Haibane Renmei eps 5-13

Though very beautiful and moving, this series may be a little too sedate and paced for a lot of anime fans. In the end, It's very like Kino's Journey or Gunslinger Girls...a series that you go into probably expecting building action and a grand revelation, but instead you get quiet, moving stories of personal growth and resolution.

Instead of focusing on mysteries and intrigues, Haibane Renmei focuses on the daily lives of and relationships between the characters, how they deal with their uncertain future, and the blank slates of their pasts. Neither the town nor the haibane are ever fully explained, but they don't need to be. What you need to know, the show lets you figure out.

The series does have some definite religious undertones, but while the angel imagery ties it to Judeo-Christian tradition, in some ways, that's as far as it goes. The world of Haibane Renmei seems to primarily be a resting place to gather yourself between one place and another, rather than a representation of a specific religious idea.

I could say more, but, though not really a series where many spoilers apply, I think it's best watched knowing as few details as possible. Highly recommended

oyceter's tag.

An AMV(it does spoil one of the 2 things that I would call important spoilers in the last minute and a half, so you may want to stop when it hits 4 minutes...there don't seem to be many good AMVs out there for the series, sadly...):

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FUNimation picked up some Geneon titles to redistribute, and hopefully complete the incomplete ones.  Details here.

Has anyone seen a list yet of any manga that Tokyopop is dropping?

comics: Wonder Woman #18-20

Gail Simone continues to be the first WW writer in ages to not make me want to hurt something, even if Diana's voice is still a bit too pop-modern, and she seems to want to give Diana a romance.

( There is a character named Procanon Kaa. All I'm saying. )

A Great and Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray

After her mother’s death, sixteen-year-old Gemma Doyle’s family returns to England. Having lived in India all her life, Gemma often fought with her mother about being allowed to go to school in England, including the night her mother died. When she arrives in Spence Academy in London, however, her experiences are far from what she had expected. Her roommate, Ann, is a “charity case” who is looked down on by the other girls for both her status and her stutter, Gemma herself is “odd” for her foreigner status, and Gemma also has visions with a bad habit of coming true. Two of the girls who bully Gemma and Ann, Felicity and Pippa, however, soon become their friends.

Not long after her arrival, Gemma acquires the diary of Mary Dowd, a student of Spence Academy from twenty-five years before. In her diary, Mary tells of how she and her friend, Sarah, became involved in something called The Order and learned witchcraft. Soon, Gemma and her friends are following in Mary and Sarah’s footsteps, as well as becoming obsessed with the mystery of the two girls, and what happened to them. In addition, a young man named Kartik has followed Gemma from India, for reasons relating to her mother’s death.

( more )

And now those of you who were linking me to reviews while I was reading can relink me. 

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 Set it up to have UPS hold any packages meant to be delivered until the 7th since I wasn't going to be home.  Found out yesterday that they were still trying to deliver.  Made sure the apt. manager wasn't refusing UPS packages and learned they hadn't even tried to leave them there.  Left note saying to leave it there.  Went back today to look for something for someone, and saw the "final delivery attempt" notice, saying I had to pick it up in person.

Problem A:  IT'S THIRTY MINUTES ONE WAY.

Problem B:  The pickup station is only open 4-7.  Most days, I go to work at 7, meaning I wouldn't get to go get it until Wednesday.

Solution:  call UPS to schedule a redelivery. Except that UPS has an automated system that wants you to talk to it, instead of letting you push buttons.  About the 10th time it asked me to repeat myself, I resulted to a keypad smash, which got me to a human being.  Who then asked for my name and phone number about 5 times.  And doesn't seem to be at all sure that they'll redeliver it on Tuesday. 

ETA:  Retagging your LJ is a pain.  Just FYI.