>>21

Oh, hey BCS I remember you and your work from the shoujoai.com forums back when I used to post there (under '3_Libras' most of the time if you remember me).

Anyways, to answer your question, I honestly don't think Yoshitoshi really ever had the idea slip into his head (much less consider) that their relationship (or the relationship between Reki and Kuramori, which it reflects) would be anything more than sisterly. Of course this is pure speculation about what he actually thought. Still, Haibane Renmei is influenced by Buddhism and Catholicism - The former frowns upon unproductive sex within practicing followers, while the latter frowns upon sexuality altogether - and like I said it's not quite our world and life they are experiencing. In fact, I would generally frown upon the conforming that characters do as Haibane in almost any other scenario.

Sorry, I suppose that dodges the question. While my opinion still stands, I guess I'll admit that I would try and mentally block ideas that don't coincide with the way I like to think about Haibane when thinking about the series as a whole (even if I would find the idea interesting to explore). I've heard theories about how many of the Haibane might have just come from the town of Guri, rather than another world, and after I thought about it and decided it wasnt the way things were (because of a line in the first episode) I tried not to think about it for similar reasons.

I suppose I get to be as a rabid a fan as others...but fans with deep interest in their fandom have a lot of emotional investment in the artist's work as well. This sounds really weird, but it's a good example: I fell in love with Rakka in an almost fatherly sort of way (which isn't to say I would have a problem in the future if I had a daughter who was a lesbian). And while I NEVER think an artist should try and cater to their fanbase, I fully support the fans to diverge their own entity from the artist's creation (which is why while I have my own idea of that universe (and hope that it's also Yoshitoshi's intended message) I wouldn't actually bitch to anyone about Haibane slash unless it was just done in a horrid way). Holy crap, I wrote alot...oh well, you should see me with the Zelda series. But I don't think badly of you; I enjoy being challenged to think.