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THIS IS AN ANIME ONLY DISCUSSION POST. DO NOT DISCUSS THE MANGA BEYOND THIS EPISODE.
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this was an odd show, but i think i liked it.

still not sure i believe that they're going over the wall but considering the train scene i think its a bit more likely now ;)

wish i'd been able to find better subs tho, whoever subbed the ones i was watching made alterations to the script all over the place, and not just the meaningless ones that always occur when translating words with multiple meanings but the kind where the actual meaning is either lost or altered because the translator thought they were better storytellers than the original authors :/

I really liked the ending though I wished I knew what is really behind the walls :) but I was really happy for Reki :D

My respect to this series, it was really something...

I really enjoyed the ending. It turned what I felt was a mediocre show into something pretty good.

An unsettling, beautiful series. Oh the wall, damn the unknowable.

This series is totaly magical!
Impressive!
I loved the ending...Reki finally rested and learnt to forgive herself and to ask for help.
I am still very curious of what´s behind the wall...

I liked the show although its kinda made me think alot bout the ending and the questions unanswered.
I just made up for myself that the haibane are something like angels who once where humans and died.
Therefor the came to the wordl with the wall wat i see as heaven and the flyoff i think if nothing more then be reborn into the world.
The normal humans in de world i just think of them as mabey old souls so thats why they cant to and be reborn again.
I really loved the crow part so i think they crow tryd to safe rakka when she died in her humand world.

M might be stupid but im always like this trying to fil in the answers myself.
I liked the show but i would love it more if there was some clearness about the crow and the walls.

Forget the wall! Thats not the point of the show. We should all be raving about the character relationships, that beautiful climax where Reki finally says "save me".

Definitely one of the most emotional moments of anime, for me, especially when combined with Otani's brilliant music.



I think they're in training to become angels, hence why there is such an elaborate process of 'promoting' them once they've matured enough spirtually.

But reincarnation is also another way of looking at it (and probably the better answer considering the Asians behind the production...)

And yeah, obviously they cant remember their past lives because they all died horribly young. :(

Quite the ending! This was easily the best episode of the series. I was breathless for quite a large portion of it, especially when Reki was facing the train. I'm so glad she got her happy ending! :D

Does anyone else think the city is supposed to be some sort of purgatory?

Purgatory?.. hmm.. i think it's interesting idea!
Ok. What can I tell having looked last series? - Good anime it has turned out. It has not caused in me wild delight, as for example FMA, but also did not drive in a dream, as for example Saikano. Such easy perceived things take place to be!

cheap ending, this episode was far from the best, and they didn't explain anything.

8/10

Great series I was captivated the entire time.

That was such a powerful scene for me, as well. I love this character-driven series; it's been one of my favorites for a while now!

Just finished watching this series a while ago. Definitely the best episode and the highlight of the entire series.

The scene and the introduction into Reki's dream / nightmare really brought out how cold, dark, empty, lonely that world was. It feels like that world really sucks the life out of you. Watching it, that was how I felt. And how helpless and hopeless Reki must have been feeling all along inside this dream.

I wish I also knew what was beyond the walls and the town of Glie though. Although that is part of what makes this series even more memorable.

I did not think much of this series when I first heard about it but I'm really glad I watched it. Really unique and different from more mainstream anime series.

Anyone else get the feeling that the Haibane are people who committed suicide?

Yeah, that's my theory too. I think the dream they have refers to how they died (Rakka probably died because she jumped off a building).

So maybe they become Haibane to find peace and then they can go to heaven or something?

It was really an odd show. However, I really like the ending. Pretty much, it's not about the specifics of the story. It's all about the characters.

I guess they spliced those things on this show just to add more symbolism to it. There were a lot of things on which I didn't understand. However, the main plot of the story revolves around moving on with life. In fact, I forgot to focus on the genre itself and focused more on the specifics.

There were a couple of things left unanswered like the outside world. I guess they will leave it to us to figure it out. Most of my other questions were answered anyway. Come to think of it, those angels came out from no where. I guess that's already a given fact when the story started.

I also want to know their previous lives before they were born. I guess they might be reincarnations of humankind or something.

Overall, I did enjoy the show. It was really unique and the last episode was outstanding. In fact, that's the best episode of the entire series. It was executed very well considering the number of episodes. I really like the characters and everything. Therefore, I will give this show a perfect score.

I agree with the sentiments that it's an odd show, however, I really liked it. While some may be irked by the fact that a lot of things were left unanswered, sometimes it's a much better to leave things be, and let the viewer draw their own conclusions. In fact I'd rate it up there with some of the best I've watched. Some points:

-The character development was great.
-The pacing was perfect, 13 episodes felt like it was enough.
-The last episode was easily the best.
-I love the feeling coming out of it where you feel like you know how life will carry on in that world and how the cycle starts anew, along with the closure of Reki finally moving on.

Definitely one of my top watches. Short, but sweet.

Every couple of years, I rewatch some favorite anime of mine, and Haibane Renmei is one of those titles I always look forward to seeing again.

Are they angels, or are they human? What do their dreams mean? Is this Heaven? Hell? Purgatory? What are their sins? Where do they go after when they leave? I love these kinds of stories, with hidden meanings, layers of interpretation to unravel, endings whose ultimate significance is up to its audience.

I also love that it never lost sight of its characters and setting, superbly building a world that seems familiar yet mysterious, and features daily interactions and the simple joys of living. Unlike Eva, which sometimes drove its psychoanalytical bent to extremes and near utter incomprehensibility, Haibane Renmei kept the story grounded, personal and relatable.

Years after I first saw it, I come back and still find new things about it to discover. It really is a work of art; you take away from it as much or as little as you put into it.