Anime Haibane Renmei (Charcoal Feather Federation): An Enclave for the Hurt, Alienated Souls

Abstract

Anime is an audiovisual, symphonic narrative form characterised by diversity, fluidity, hybridity and intertexuality. The abundant borrowing of images is a common practice in both manga and anime, and is considered as homage to the pretext and/or the establishing of a provocative dialogue between texts. This paper will discuss some of its distinctive characteristics, mainly intertexuality, using Yoshitoshi ABe's enigmatic 'Haibane Renmei' series (2002) and Haruki Murakami's novel, 'Hardboiled Wonderland and the End of the World' (hereafter HBW/EOW) (1985).