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Feature Presentation:
Special thanks to Geneon Entertainment for sending a copy for a review for this site. Well, I don't know how to start this, but this Anime is very interesting, like it's in you're in a dream world. Well, the Haibane are angel-like begins, born out on cocoon, with no memories of their past life, living with humans in a town that is isolated with walls. No one, not even the humans, ever know what's beyound the wall, except selected groups. However, I think there is a part of human thinking that anyone that isn't really human is projected as a outcast. Somehow, I feel the Haibane are treated that way. The main character is Rakka, a new born Haibane, but she is very curious on her new life, but I think she senses that she is something more. She also have a strange dream. I love the setting where this story is set, somewhere in 1900s style era. The only thing I dislike is the first episode, one scene, when Rakka's wings came out, it's the only gross part in this volume! The music is very nice to listen at & it goes very well thoughout the series.
Video:
Geneon Entertainment did a very great job. I found no problem, the image are clear & the color looks perfect. To top things off, the series is feature on Widescreen format. If you got a Widescreen TV, you're going to enjoy this even more. There is some watermarks done for the introduction & ending credits (they are translated in English). Oh, I don't know why they did this, they kept the original text credit for the introduction of the first episode (with subtitle), but they watermarked it for the rest. Strange! Each episode are split into 4 parts, introduction, part A, part B & ending. There is no preview for the next episode. Also, on some episode, you might have a little epilogue right before the introduction, but intergraded to it. Since all the episodes are on one single track on the DVD, there is no loading time or changing tracks when you move on to the next episode. I do note that you can skip all those warnings & logos when you first load the DVD by just pressing the "Menu" button on your remote control.
Dubbing: English:
The dubbing is really well done, they suit the characters & they kept the expression just like the original Japanese. It's about 85% of the original Japanese.
Audio 01: English 2.0:
No problem found.
Audio 02: Japanese 2.0:
No problem found.
Subtitle:
Geneon Entertainment have selected a great font, very easy to read. They use green for the ending theme, the rest is yellow & white for Japanese signs & text. There are two tracks of subtitling. One track is for the sign subtitling & the other one is for the Japanese dialogue. I might note every odd numbered episodes, the intro & ending subtitles are in English, while the even numbered episodes are in Japanese original text on this volume.
Menu Option:
The menu is also in widescreen format, but if got just a regular full screen TV, it will display in that format with no problem. It's very simple. It's just moving clouds in a green glowing sky. There is a moving Halo right in the middle. There is the "Play All", "Screen Access", "Set Up" & "Extras". When you selected any options, the menu makes you fly in the clouds at high speed, which is really cool. The icons used for the selected options is the Haibane-Renmei logo, which is really cute. The music playing in the background is one of the music in the series. There is only music on the main menu, but the other section doesn't have any.
DVD Extras:
The only thing that bugs me, why Geneon Entertainment put the previews of each episodes in this volume in the extra section. They could put it right after each episodes when it's over. Well, the preview isn't dubbed at all, it's only in Japanese with subtitle. There is also a non-credited opening & the original Japanese text opening, There is a simple art gallery with various drawing of characters & items within the 4 episodes on this DVD. One more thing, the best extra that it comes witha booklet inside the case with tons of information about the characters & town!
Packaging:
Green, lots of greens. This package is pretty much green! On the cover, you see Rakka wearing her PJ, but it's more of an artwork, like a painting, then an actual picture take off the animation. In the back, you got some screenshots with a green background with a fading halo hidden. The insert is pretty simple, it's the same image used as the front cove. It also got the credit list, as well a mini-poster of Rakka, another beautiful artwork. The DVD disc itself is another same image of the cover, but tainted in greenish color. Since the DVD case is a clear one, you can see another image, again, the same as the front cover, tainted also in greenish color. Boy, over using that image I say!
PC Viewing:
Watching it on the PC is the same as watching it on the TV. However, I don't know, it seem to be there is a slight problem viewing it, like there is invisible static lines if you look closely & it makes the imahes a little fuzzy. I guess looking at a distance should fix that. Anyways, the sound is just great. The episodes are place on one single track as you play the episodes, so loading time is really small. You can fast forward to the first episode to the last episode with one move on your mouse! Like on your regular DVD player, you can skip the warnings & logos when you load the disc, just use the "menu" option to go to the menu screen.
Overall DVD Rating:
I think this is a wonderful series to take a look. Though, I want to know what happen next & discovering more about the Haibane & how Rakka is evolving through her new life & the meaning of her dreams.
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