Haibane Renmei

This is the most striking anime I've ever seen. The care and imagination that went into every aspect of the show is remarkable, but due to the slow, gentle nature of the series I wouldn't recommend it to everyone, if only because this isn't a typical anime in terms of plot. The suspense is subtle -- difficult to spot if you're watching it for the first time -- and builds up over half of the series. Haibane Renmei starts off languid and mysterious, and it tapers off just as languid and mysterious, and every episode seems to reveal more questions that never get answered. Even ... with the sudden spike in conflict later in the series, most of it is internal.

Don't be fooled by the angel-like appearance, by the way. Religion has nothing to do with this anime, and ABe has said before that it's a purely aesthetic choice, though some do feel that there's symbolism involved.

That said, it's provocative and heartbreaking and dreamlike. Pacing is slow, but expertly done. You'll find that one episode transitions easily into the next. And so much of the story is implied... as well as character backgrounds and the like.

Its art doesn't try to wow the viewer, and it seems content to just let the setting and soft colors and unique character designs speak for themselves. The backgrounds are gorgeous and detailed. Characters' personalities are mild and realistic; no character gets shoved into the standard archetypes you so often see in anime.

Also notable is the soundtrack. Every song fits the mood of Haibane Renmei perfectly -- especially notable (aside from the opening, "Free Bird," and ending theme "Blue Flow") are "Garasu no Yume," "Ailes Grises," "Starting of the World," and "A Little Plate's Rondo." Many of them feel like lullabies. Personally, the soundtrack is one of my favorite parts of this series, but looking at the other reviews, it looks like I'm the only one who finds it so breathtaking. Your mileage may vary.

It begins by letting the viewer into the peaceful simplicity of daily life in Glie, allowing insight into the setting and the minor characters, but it grows into a story about friendship and letting go and guilt and forgiving yourself and so much more. The climax of the story is likely to make you cry or cringe or suck in your breath -- maybe all three.

At times depressing and at times gently uplifting and feather-soft, Haibane Renmei is unparalleled in beauty, and I wouldn't hesitate to call it my favorite anime of all time.

It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that a large number of anime fans have encountered Yoshitoshi Abe or the shows he’s created and worked on, nor would I be wrong to say that he has gained a strong fanbase for his beautiful art and creative vision. Many people were turned off by the gritty confusion that was Serial Experiments Lain (one of his previous works), but there were a still few willing to dive into Haibane Renmei despite the previous title's flaws. In his debut as a writer, Yoshitoshi Abe envisioned and penned an anime series that quietly tugs at the heart and that ... has carved its own place in the anime medium with its unique charm. Like most things, the show is not for everyone. Although it is a solid work that should be at least enjoyed by most of its potential audiences, for those of us who, like I, find themselves yearning for a show that will sweep them away into another world and enchant them, it can easily become more of an experience than just a work of entertainment.

One of the first things a viewer will notice when watching this series, is the visual and artistic style with which it is produced. Although the animation does not excel on any technical level, with occasional distortions and simplifications in the cel work, it certainly gets the job done and is more than made up for in the other artistic elements. The background artwork is detailed, scenic and fits the tone of the series perfectly. The character designs are simple but memorable and attractive, particularly Rakka. Most importantly, the series is washed in a soft, water-coloured style that gives it a subtle dream-like quality. The audio aspects of production were also strong, but, especially in the case of the score music, did not excel. Kou Otani (who recently did the score for Shana) handled the music and created a score that was engaging but ultimately forgettable. The main problem is likely that a real orchestra and instruments were not used to create the music, and although her synthetic compositions are strong, the sound ultimately feels tinny and a bit cheap. The OP and ED are very good, particularly the OP, which fits the series perfectly and is an inviting start to every episode.

Haibane Renmei (lit. Ash feather federation), starts off in "Old Home," a small, peaceful village full of enthusiastic youths. The story focuses on a group of five female "Haibane," whom are young girls with tiny wings on their back, and halos floating above their heads. The five eventually become six as a new girl, Rakka, is "born" into their world. From there, Haibane Renmei follows the trials and tribulations of these girls until its stunning climax in episode 13. With little tangible plot to grip onto beyond the premise, Haibane Renmei essentially revolves around the characters’ journeys in confronting their own personal issues, set against the mysterious backdrop of Old Home and the encompassing town. People often have gripes about plot points and settings not being literally explained or explored, but in the case of Haibane Renmei the fact that the surroundings of the Haibane and their circumstances are a nostalgic haze lends focus to their internal struggles. This series makes no mistake about what lays at the core of its tale and, as such, every heart-warming gesture or pang of despair is captured with potency and poignancy.

The characters themselves are benefited from this focus, with the two main characters given a remarkable amount of depth and intensity for a series of this length. The supporting cast are lent a certain weight, but are not completely fleshed out, which is befitting of their supporting roles, really. One great asset the series has is that, perhaps because it appears to be completely unconcerned with pandering to an audience or a market, its characterization feels uniquely sincere. They’re not classifiable as prodigies, tsunderes, role models or heroes, but rather feel like real people with a real heart and soul behind them. Not only does it make the cast likable, but, particularly in the case of the leads Rakka and Reki, this earnestness draws you into their emotional dilemmas and makes you empathize and identify with them. As the characters struggle to come to terms with themselves and their mistakes, it’s hard not to be stirred and affected.

But much more than just a drama with believable characters, Haibane Renmei is hued in a melancholic and languid atmosphere, and dripping with beauty in its symbolism and mystery. Inviting, warm, and ultimately gripping, Haibane Renmei is a series that is nurtured on emotion and thematic overtones, rather than being constructed with plot and action. If you can appreciate that, then it is sure to captivate. Where Haibane Renmei truly succeeds and other dramatic anime fall to the wayside is in its sincerity. Rather than being conceived for audience appeal, one can feel the passion and emotion of the creator seep through. In short, on top of its charm and poignancy, it feels genuine.



This review is the final result of a review team composed of members from the "Critics and Connoisseurs" club. The team members were:

Washi - who composed the actual review
Archaeon - who contributed directly to portions of the review and gave feedback
Seishi - who contributed guidance from his own experience after already writing a review of this show

Here are their individual scorings for the show:
Category - Washi, Archaeon, Seishi

Story - 9, 8, 8
Art - 8, 9, 10
Sound - 8, 9, 10
Character - 10, 8 , 8
Enjoyment - 10, 9, 9
Overall - 10, 9, 10

In the club wide poll held for Haibane Renmei it received an average overall rating of 8.23

An endless fall; a young girl wrapped in white abruptly descends from the skies. A weightless haze lucidly embraces her. A dream too real, a fall too sudden; awakens she, from a strange trance and finds herself confined in a vessel that’s all too familiar in place that’s all too peculiar. A craft in the form of a cocoon holds the enigmatic maiden—a strange rebirth is to take place. The inhabitants of the building in which the cocoon swiftly lies, await in great patience for the arrival of the girl in white.

Thus begins the hauntingly decorative tale of “Haibane Renmei”

Instantly, “Haibane Renmei’s” inquisitive ... nature provokes the viewer while simultaneously mesmerizing with an unsettling, yet evocative atmosphere. Aesthetically, Renmei is subtly similar to that of an aged watercolor painting with broad strokes and distinct backgrounds. Musically, the series charms with its mellifluous pieces that refine its forlorn and bittersweet atmosphere with poignancy and care. Thematically, it probes the audience to ruminate indefinitely. Combining all those elements and packaging them in an amicable manner, “Haibane Renmei” manages to weave together a captivating tale with unforgettable characters that will surely capture the hearts of those who give it an honest try.

The story is simple. The series traces the “new” life of Rakka in the quaint town of Glie that is enclosed off from the rest of the world by an impenetrable wall. The bucolic town is home to both humans and haibane—“beings” with halos and char-coal grey wings. Distinctive of something akin to angels, the haibane subtly but distinctly set themselves apart from their physical image and beatific attributes. Rakka with no former memory or traces of her past assumes her new role and life along with her new haibane family.

Although the story seems straightforward, it is equally deceptive because where Renmei lacks in a strict plot, it makes up for infinitely through its substantial style and themes. With that being said, it is important to note that this is a series that capitalizes on maturing with time, making it a slow ride thereby allowing the viewer to appreciate both the artistic and thematic merits that constitute the show. There aren’t any cheap thrills, gratuitous expositions, female and/or male exhibitionists servicing the fans, or flashy fights; rather it’s a simple tale to bring the viewer a thought-provoking and beguiling experience.

As aforementioned, the story is one that may seem simplistic, but under its “no-frills” veil, it’s a labyrinth coated with insightful and empathetic themes. The series is structured in a way that certain, obvious questions are raised. However, while the series provides perceptive themes, it does not supply many answers. Like a distant illusion, a hopeful mirage, the prospect of a potential resolution looms, but never fully manifests. While that can potentially turn away many viewers, this plays to the show’s strengths because it allows room for imagination and speculation while holding true to the essences of the series. Often times there are no answers and in a narrative based around some themes such as self discovery and self truths, churning out linear answers would be clearly unjustified and of poor taste.

"Haibane Renmei" is a tale that inquires, but doesn’t resolve; it’s not to patronize the viewer, but to enhance the experience by showing rather than telling: a technique that’s highly underrated because it’s often misused or overly-done to a point where it can seem conceited or forced. Through Rakka and her fellow haibane comrades, we get to embark on a very special journey; a journey about a once crest-fallen girl who awakens in foreign lands only to discover the greatest truth—one about herself. "Haibane Renmei" illustrates the importance self-discovery, friendship, forgiveness, guilt, salvation, and “truth” in a world shrouded in ambiguity. The haibane almost seem like a nostalgic metaphor, one that eerily resonates with the viewer. Frequently, the closest familiarity lies within the most strangest of places/individuals and through these bizarre encounters do we get the chance to really look into who we are and more importantly, understand who we are.

One of the strongest points of the show is the characters. The developing propinquity between the characters is depicted in a classy manner while also establishing memorable personalities amongst the cast. Most of the themes of the show are actualized within the interactions and through the wonderfully constructed dynamics between the close-knit haibane family, the true importance of relationships shine through with blinding effect. The notion of friendship is crafted with extreme care; it isn’t overdone nor is it overbearing to a point where it becomes a contrived plot-device. Rather, it’s there for a definitive purpose: to engage the themes of the show and direct the characters unto their respective paths while providing the viewer with a filling sense of empathy and endearment. The two main characters Rakka and Reki are idyllic in that sense because their dynamics as friends and individuals are done with principle and relevance rather than characteristics defined by formulaic absurdities that accompany “power of friendship”. Both girls struggle and continue doing so but how they cope with their struggle and try to manifest their true selves through their respective struggles is one of the greatest accomplishments of this series and rightfully so.

The art and music both compliment the series nicely. The characters are designed in a humble manner which can be off-putting to certain viewers, but in all reality, the character design fit well for the purposes of the show. The art is fluid. A soft, pastel palette is used to give life to the rustic town while contrasting with darker tones of blues and grays to maintain the melancholy that lingers throughout the series. There seems to be a misnomer regarding this show’s art coming off as ostentatious and obtuse which could be considered distasteful due to personal preferences but as a whole, the art is alluring, complimentary, and aesthetically appeasing.

The soundtrack is heavily composed of harmonious yet melancholic piano music accompanied by the lilting of a jubilant violin. Although, the soundtrack is sublime at parts, it isn’t a collective masterpiece or something that would compel the viewer to indulge in as a detached element of the show. Conclusively, artistically and musically Haibane Renmei does not disappoint and serves its intended function to augment the atmosphere and setting of the show.

Perhaps it should be noted that this series comes from the unconventional yet brilliant mind of Y.Abe who created works such as Texhnolyze and Lain. Whether that is appealing or detracting, it must be understood that Haibane diverges from the extremely dark and brooding presentation of the aforementioned but maintains the thematic and aesthetic segments exceptionally well, just as the other works by Abe. Consequently, if you’re fan or new to Abe’s works and yearn for something that’s delectably intriguing but its own, Haibane Renmei will fulfill every intended quota.

Haibane Renmei is truly an enchanting series that appeals to the viewer not just as a series to enjoy imminently, but one that forces introspective contemplation afterwards. Truths and answers about the world and self aren’t black and white, but similar to the haibane’s wings--tinted in shades of grey. Immerse yourself in the town of Glie and walk aside the haibane in a world that’s as strange as to you as it is to them; perhaps in the process, you’ll find your shade.

This is truly a stand-alone work in terms of originality. ABe did not self-censor and allowed the full weight of his intuition and dreams to direct his hand, and the result is a beautiful, ethereal, archetypal world fully-realized and yet deep enough to retain mystery. The show does not explain everything, even the most important aspects of Gile, and that feels okay. We can see in this fantastic world what is in our innermost hearts, and our intuition fills in so many of the gaps. Few stories manage to do this so well.

The story manages to blend soft, yet interesting, aspects of slice-of-life with haunting ... and bittersweet themes such as suicide, sacrifice, and redemption. This hints of something intimate from within ABe's innermost heart, something he himself has experienced--and in that rawness, there is a universal quality. Many people in fandom have experienced profound loneliness and depression in a manner that seems to echo throughout the story. Many of us have felt useless, hopelessly misunderstood, and lonely. This is a story of comfort.

True to ABe's style, the artwork for this title is utterly fantastic. The setting is stunning in its beauty, European-style architecture amid emerald-green fields and rust-mottled windmills, harmonized with East Asian-style shrines, festivals, and esoteric memorabilia. The characters' names come from Japanese words for concepts, and the world's writing is in Japanese, so it is by no means divorced from its source country, nor does ABe try. The result is not in the least jarring: if anything, it is merely another aspect of integration, something soft and beautiful and lush. And the clouds--the weather phenomena simply looks fantastic.

If you cannot stand anime with a slow, idyllic pace, or you simply must have action, giant robots, and political intrigue, this is not the show for you. Likewise, if you cannot stand symbolic, dreamlike storylines in which not everything is explained explicitly, this will drive you mad. Otherwise, I highly recommend taking a trip into Gile. It will be greatly worth your time.

After watching this for a third time in the last eight years, I can still say that this is my favorite anime. The themes are very real to me and if you let yourself be immersed by the characters, culture, and plot, you will walk away with a heavy heart and a full mind.

Like most ABe anime, this is not for everyone.
If you are looking for constant action or laughs, I would chose something else.
The first five episodes are quite slow, but it lets you take in the details. It helps you focus on the characters and realize they were all part ... of different walks in their previous life. It more importantly sets up the culture and setting, helping you to form your own theories about who the haibane are meant to be.

The sixth episode is where the darker underlying theme start. This series tackles ideas of loss, attachment, depression and suicide. I admit for anyone who has not felt the sense of pure helplessness or bundling emotions until they burst can not fully understand the weight of the internal conflicts both Rakka and Reki face.

I personally view this series with a spiritual mind rather than a religious one. Though haibane resemble angels, they are born again due to some past sin that they committed or couldn't overcome. Their wings are useless, they do not have a connection to a higher being, and they are almost seen as mystical creatures by the residing humans, often described as a cheerful presence that can give good luck. The haibane are instructed not to use anything that wasn't first used by a human, leading me to believe it is a hint for both discrimination and to cut off ties of the material nature of man. Their whole existence is to make peace within themselves so they can escape the walls on their Day of Flight.

This anime teaches you that salvation can not come from yourself. You need to trust others and express your emotions or you will find yourself in the endless, vicious, self-loathing cycle.

"To recognize one's sin is to have no sin. So are you a sinner?"
"But if I believe have no sin I become a sinner."
"This is the cycle of sin. Think about it. To spin in the same circle, looking for where the sin lies, and at some point losing sight of the way out. To find the answer is to find redemption."

If you are someone who has trouble breaking the sinner's paradox, you will forever be sin bound. You need to realize your sin and know that you will sin again, but to learn from your mistakes and help others forgive you. In turn, they will aide you to break the cycle.

Both Rakka and Reki exemplify consuming sin, which is shown by their wings turning a spotty black. Rakka had help from a crow (who was someone she knew in her previous life), which showed that although someone cared for her, after she presumably committed suicide, they still forgave her and wanted to send a message that she was not alone. After overcoming the feelings of wanting to disappear, Rakka uses her strength to help Reki, who was even more hopeless in finding salvation.

The ending is bittersweet, but truly outstanding. This series is haunting yet charming, unique and touching. The musical score is enchanting and although the art may not always be the best, it makes up for it in every other aspect. For someone who constantly struggles with depression, it gives you hope and a reason to trust others, even when you don't believe in yourself.

Please read my review before pressing 'Not Helpful' and if you have any comments feel free to leave me a note

QUICKREVIEW
Story: 6 (beautiful anime universe but cliche' story)
Art: 8 (reminiscent of renaissance-era angel paintings)
Sound: 7 (average sound, interesting use of sign language)
Character: 8 (look very unique but stereotypical at the same time)
Enjoyment: 6 (Haibane universe got me hooked)
Overall: 35/50 = 7.0 (good, but leaves questions unanswered)

...

Full Review
At first, Haibane Renmei starts off as a wonderful alternate universe where angels and humans coexist but as the story progresses, they manage to make a very average plot twist that leaves too much to be desired.

Falling from the sky, a young girl embraces a black crow as she's rapidly falling towards the earth. Many images fill the screen as this poor girl is falling. From the start, this brings up many questions and possible reasons of what is going on for the viewer. It's a wonderful start for a deep and involving story, complete with its own take on a Monotheistic society and beings who don't know why they exist or why they are there. Unfortunately, this show sells itself short halfway through the series by turning the main character into a cliche' self-pitying character that finds resole too far into the show to make it matter to the series. Which doesn't make any sense at all considering the creator of this show has made such a detailed civilization with its own take on religion, numerous allusions, and so many better ways to take this show to a more involving story. But in the end so many things are left unanswered and we just end up watching a remake of a show that you've seen many times before.

Another part of wanting to know more of this show is all the symbolism and allusions involved in all the artwork to support the back story. Things like dreams, memories, and everyday things bring out the beauty of the Haibane universe. Some things are also left unanswered as to why things look the way they do. Art quality isn't amazing on a detailed sense, but it IS amazing from an artistic standpoint. One theme referenced over and over again in every episode, old. Things like the "Old Home" or an archaic clothing store all keep their clutter and sense of all things old. Even though they do reference "old" a lot, the only things that are new in this world seem to be the new Haibane. The artwork also manage to make quite a few memories throughout the show. One of the most memorable scenes i have seen in any anime is definitely the first scene of the first episode.

The sound effects and music are something left to be desired but are good at best. The music didn't evoke much emotion with the exception of the OP theme. From a sound effects standpoint, everything sounds standard with the exception of emphasizing silence (you will understand soon). Kids get rowdy, old things creak, shells crack... these things are expected and therefore get a standard grade of good.

Characters are all good and fit their stereotype very well. They're all very cute but in a unique way. If you look hard enough Rakka looks exactly like Lain for obvious reasons (same creator). And in the same vein as Lain, this show has a large female cast. The artwork really brings out the characters in their own unique way. You'll be hard pressed not to feel sorry for all the characters in their tragic situation. That, in turn, makes information about the universe that much more desirable.

Like Lain and Texhnolyze, its artwork, character design, and universe will entice you to wanting more, but will just end up being disappointed again with such poor story telling. I can only recommend this show to hardcore angel lovers and Abe fans.

Some time ago, probably around 2003, I heard about this show called Serial Experiments Lain. Now, at this time, I was only vaguely into anime, and starting my first year at university. Eventually I got it, and watched it, and was amazed that an animated feature could impact me so much. These days, SEL isn't so much a favourite of mine anymore, but the legacy of its creator, Yoshitoshi ABe, passed on to another feature that we call Haibane Renmei; a show that definitely is a favourite of mine to this day.

Story - 8/10

Haibane Renmei (lit. Ash feather federation), starts off in "Old Home," a ... small, peaceful village full of enthusiastic youths. The story focuses on a group of five "Haibane," which are girls with tiny wings on their back, and halos floating above them. The five eventually become six as a new girl, Rakka, is "born" into their world. From there, Haibane Renmei follows the trials and tribulations of these girls until its stunning climax in episode 13.

Art 10/10

I can't really say enough about Yoshitoshi ABe's watercolour style. Haibane Renmei was adapted from an original doujinshi, almost unheard of for something of this caliber. His artistic style really transfers well to television; animation studio Radix does a superb job making Rakka and Co. come to life.

Sound 10/10

Haibane Renmei's music is initially highlighted by the appealing opening song and ending songs, but is really made by the stuff in-between. Koh Ohtani (Shakugan no Shana, Shadow of the Collossus) brings his A-game as per usual, really reflecting what it's like to be a Haibane. Also, the sound production itself remains solid to compliment Ohtani's musical score.

Character 8/10

Rakka comes across as a generally lovable lead, followed closely by her faithful supervisor Reki. Most of the girls get varying amounts of screentime beyond that. The only negative here is that not every character is developed enough, but minor and overlooked quite often because of the main two girls.

Enjoyment 9/10

Haibane Renmei definitely starts off slow, but it's a good slow! The characters will marvel you, the majestic scenery will move you, the dark undertones will haunt you, and the ending will spellbind you. If you're an anime enthusiast who isn't completely shallow, you owe it to yourself to at least check this title out.

Storytelling is a labor of love, regardless of what you aim to accomplish with the story. To tell a story that conveys conventional entertainment (through elements like plot, action, and drama) is tough. To tell a story that conveys meaning (through elements like symbolism, motif, tone, and theme) is tough in a whole different way. And to tell a story that conveys both of those things in a deft, skillful manner is the mental equivalent of giving birth: A long, unspeakably painful process. But at the end, you've created something of value and sent it headfirst into the sunlight of this world. Brief, deceptively simple, ... original, and thought-provoking, Haibane Renmei is such a story.

Haibane Renmei begins with a scene of strange beauty. A young girl wearing a white robe falls headfirst through an azure sky. A crow appears near her, gently grabs her robe with its clawed feet, and, with genuine compassion, attempts to stop her from falling. This little bird cannot, of course, break her fall. The girl smiles wistfully at the crow and shakes her head. “You can't,” she says. “But...thank you.”

The girl, we later learn, is a Haibane—a humanoid who is birthed live from a huge cocoon. Haibanes possess wings and halos whose purpose is unknown. The Haibanes live in a small town called Glie, which is surrounded on all sides by massive walls. To even go near the walls is strictly forbidden. Haibane have no memories of their past identities, and are given a name based on the dream that they had while sleeping in their cocoons. The aforementioned girl is named “Rakka” (eng. “falling”) by the group of five female Haibanes who help her hatch from her cocoon. These five then help Rakka learn the ropes of day-to-day life in the town.

At the halfway point of the episode count, the plot makes a transition to darker, more character-focused drama, and it's at this point that the show really hits its stride. This series possesses a key component for dramatic validity that most others simply do not have: Balance. I sympathize heavily with the common complaint that drama is sometimes “overdone” or “forced,” but I found that in Haibane Renmei, the opposite is true. The show's emotional content is often quiet and understated, and it is all the more powerful because of its subtlety and the suddenness with which it can develop out of seemingly normal situations.

The characters (or, at least, the two main characters) are fleshed out remarkably well despite the time constraints of a thirteen episode series. The first, Rakka, is a sort of empty vessel; she's born into the world without much of an identity. However, she is naturally curious, and she takes in everything around her and makes it a part of herself. It would have been all too easy to make her into a braindead, one-note, always-smiling-always-happy type, but in a display of very sensible character writing, she instead grows into someone who is influenced by both the positives and the negatives of what she sees in Glie. She is hopeful to the core, but possesses doubts and insecurities which threaten to overcome that hopefulness as the series progresses. Nothing bounces off of her. She is a living character, responding in the truest of fashions to everything that's thrown her way.

The other main character is the perpetually smoking Reki. One of the oldest living Haibane, she is a cynical but caring individual who helps take care of the children and newborn Haibane. Reki hides a troubled past underneath an unmoving exterior of wry humor and grit. An extremely well-written character, she is also a powerful symbol, and one of the main vehicles for conveying meaning within the series. She is Rakka's darker counterpart, and many of the most compelling scenes in the show are a result of Rakka's wide-eyed optimism facing off against Reki's wizened voice of harsh realism.

Thematically, Haibane Renmei makes several comments on human sin and redemption. Where the series shines on this front is, once again, the understated way in which it delivers powerful and mature ideas. There aren't any Evangelion-esque scenes where the characters appear to be having a bad acid trip while a weird voice-over shouts philosophical questions. Instead, in the tradition of literature, ideas are conveyed through symbols and recurring themes. It's surprising just how rich with symbolism Haibane Renmei truly is; from the titular gray wings of the Haibane to the walls which surround the city of Glie, it seems like everything is more than it appears. The amount of thought that went into designing this world must have been staggering. And yet, at the same time, the thematic content of the series is easily accessible. This show doesn't ask that you be an analyst to understand what it's about. It only asks that you pay attention.

Haibane Renmei's soundtrack is a superb demonstration of how an orchestra can navigate the entire spectrum of human emotion. Sometimes it's boisterous and whimsical. Sometimes it's chilling. Sometimes it's unutterably sad. The music here has enough range to perfectly complement whatever is happening onscreen. An upbeat, string-driven instrumental opening and a quiet, vocally haunting ending are perfect bookends for each episode.

There is one area where the series falters. Whatever else it might be, when it comes to visuals, Haibane Renmei is no masterpiece. There are some good elements here: The backgrounds are lovely, and the character designs are a breath of fresh air. In recent years artists within the anime industry seem to enjoy depicting women as overly sexualized blobs of skin with massive soul-searching eyes, so it's nice to see an all-female cast that is rendered as a little more realistic looking. It sounds strange to note that the Haibanes, with the full halo and wing treatment, actually look more like humans than most modern characters, but sadly, it's true. However, while the designs themselves are good, the execution is...a little spotty. Character art is often a bit blocky. Characters tend to have poorly defined lines, especially around the hands/arms. This is particularly noticeable in scenes that show them from a distance. Animation is often a little stiff; granted, there isn't a lot of action, and this hardly detracts from the show overall. I'm not going to go on and on, but suffice to say the art in general just looks a little rough. I debated taking a point off of the overall score due to these flaws in artistic execution, but in the end I asked myself: Would the series really be any better if it had sharper visuals? And the answer, I believe, is a resounding “no.” The strength of the show lies with the story it weaves, and no degree of special effects magic would make it any more compelling than it already is.

At times uplifting, at times haunting, and always beautifully understated, Haibane Renmei is a superb example of the “complete package” of fiction: In addition to being an extremely entertaining emotional roller coaster full of memorable characters, it's also a collection of powerful and intelligent ideas that are conveyed elegantly to the viewer. Don't be fooled by its brevity or its seeming simplicity—there's far more to this one than meets the eye.

Overview:

This is my 5th year on MAL and this will be my 300th review! I would first like to thank all the people who have given me helpful feedback over the years and all those that have encouraged me to keep writing. It's been a fun journey so far.

For such a big occasion, I decided to pick an anime that's actually legitimately great. No caveats, no buts, it's just flat out an amazing anime. This will be the first in a trilogy of reviews in which I'll be looking at great anime that don't quite have the popularity they deserve. The first in this trilogy ... is Haibane Renmei from 2002!

Background:

Haibane Renmei was released 17 years ago by a small studio called Radix that is now defunct. While always a critical darling, it wasn't a blockbuster financial success either in Japan or really anywhere else. It never aired on TV here in America, but Pioneer did release an English dub for DVD. I personally thought the Pioneer dub is quite awful and I would highly recommend you view the original Japanese dub with subtitles. Pioneer clearly lacked faith in this project, because they put their D-tier actors on this one. This was the opposite of what they did for Cowboy Bebop.

This may change, but at this point in time Haibane Renmei is the poster child for underrated. Not only is its MAL score far lower than it derserves, but its popularity is well outside the top 500. Not a single one of my offline anime friends had heard of Haibane when I started watching. I asked them to ask all their friends and they hadn't heard of it either. It's odd because you CAN get casual fans to watch more artsy anime. Even the most casual anime fans have seen Evangelion. Most of them have seen Serial Experiments Lain. With Haibane, not only have the vast majority of anime fans never seen it, they haven't even heard of it! That's honestly quite sad, because this is a series I think a LOT of people would really enjoy and get something out of!

Story:

There is a mysterious town called Glie that is surrounded by walls. Every once in a while, a cocoon forms and a child emerges. Sometimes they are small children, while other times they are young teens. When the youth emerges from the cocoon, they are asked what they dreamed of when inside. That becomes the basis of their new name. The story begins with a young girl emerging from her cocoon and being given the name "Rakka" taken from the word "falling". Her dream was that she was falling from a great height and a crow was trying to save her from hitting the ground. Rakka can't remember anything personal from her past life, but remembers speech and what objects are. She is told that she is now a Haibane and has a halo placed above her head. She then immediately starts sprouting angel wings, which is an extremely painful process. Rakka is nursed back to health by a kindhearted older Haibane named Reki. It is explained that Haibane must work a job in town and live a modest life to strive towards forgiveness for their sins. It is not immediately explained what these sins are, but it is made apparent later. Haibane that achieve redemption undergo the "Day of Flight" and ascend to heaven. Those that can't find redemption after a certain amount of time has passed are called "Sin Bound" and ultimately face oblivion.

This really pains me, because I want to talk more about the plot and characters, but I also REALLY don't want to spoil anything. The good thing about Haibane though, is that it isn't absurdly esoteric. If you plan on watching this, you probably won't need a critic to explain the true nature of Glie or what the girls did in their past lives to wind up there. The series never ends up saying it outright, but it's really not difficult to figure out.


Rakka: “We Haibane just appear suddenly and soon we disappear. What’s the meaning of our brief existence?”

Reki: “I believe there is meaning. You just have to find it”


Haibane is both an existentialist anime and also a character journey about depression, sin, and redemption. An important element of Haibane is that in order to achieve forgiveness, one must first recognize the sin and then ask someone for forgiveness. Nobody can forgive themselves. In order to find inner peace, you need to open up to other people. However, this is possible because none of us are truly alone. Japan has a HUGE problem with youth suicide and depression, so it isn't surprising that many anime have tried to tackle this. However, I can't think of any that have done it better than Haibane. Certainly Evangelion is also in this category, but Eva spends half its time being a subversion of the kids pilot giant robots genre...or introducing superfluous plot elements like SEELE...or being up its own ass. Haibane though manages to deliver its message pretty flawlessly. It never really gets distracted from its goal and deserves some major applause for that.

Art:

The man behind Haibane's writing and creation was Yoshitoshi Abe, who also did the character designs and helped with the art. Abe is an artist by trade and normally leaves the writing to his friend Chiaki Konaka, with whom he collaborated on Lain and Texhnolyze. If you liked the art and character designs from those series, you will be quite pleased by Haibane. While Studio Radix was never a major powerhouse, this anime looks pretty darn spectacular for 2002. The only exception being the hideous CGI windmills. Why Abe?! Why did you do it?!!

Sound:

The Soundtrack is fairly minimalist and you probably won't be humming the tunes all day. However, it does its job of helping to establish the atmosphere. The soundtrack was handled by the highly talented Kow Otani, who also did the soundtracks for Outlaw Star, Gundam Wing, and most famously Shadow of the Colossus.

Overall:

Haibane Renmei is a DAMN good anime. I was honestly split on whether to give it a 9 or a 10. To be honest, if I had seen this in my teens and it was one of my first 150 anime, I would have given this a 10 without question. The only real issue for me is that the first half is a little slow. Episodes 3-5 especially are purely "slice of life" and add little to the overall show. They just flesh out minor side characters that don't end up being important or effecting the plot in any way. These minor characters like Nemu, Kana, and Hikari perhaps add a little to the world building, but that's it. If you do watch Haibane though, I'm begging you to just reach episode 7 and the back half is amazing! If you're looking for an underrated gem or just something a little different, I would highly recommend this series!

Soaring towards the ground, a lone crow flies frantically in pursuit of a falling girl. Clutching desperately to her white dress, the poor creature struggles in vain to slow her descent. Touched by the crow’s efforts, the peaceful girl lovingly embraces the concerned soul, assuring the animal that all will be fine and thanking it for the worry. The crow, now aware of its powerlessness, ascends back up into the heavens, allowing the girl to fall in tranquillity, awaiting her next journey. A journey of self-discovery. A journey of acceptance. A journey of forgiveness.

Self-discovery. Acceptance. Forgiveness. The driving forces behind Yoshitoshi ABe’s 2002 cult-classic, Haibane ... Renmei. A true gem of a series and a shining example of what the medium is truly capable of, Haibane presents the viewer with a narrative unbound by genre convention and is one created out of a genuine love and passion for artistic expression. Through its evocative atmosphere and setting, Haibane Renmei is a show that enchants the viewer immediately into its world. Awaking from her dream, the falling girl finds herself entrapped in a cocoon before eventually breaking herself free, with no recollection of her life before this event, or of any knowledge of this new world she finds herself in. Given the name Rakka, the other girls who find her, called the Haibane, inform Rakka that she is now a Haibane herself; an angelic being adorning a halo and a pair of wings. The rest of the series sees the newly born Haibane learn more about the world in which she has been placed into and seeking untold answers about the circumstances of herself and the Haibane at large. While Haibane Renmei may seem like a simple show at a surface level glance, it is deceptively so.

Haibane Renmei is a series that presents the viewer with many questions about the world and origins of the Haibane but provides very little answers for any of them, and this is certainly one of the main pieces of criticism I see many people have regarding this series. While perhaps it may have been interesting to learn more about the world and to have many of the mysteries the show presents us with explored, I believe in doing so would strip Haibane of one of its greatest assets. Its ambiguity.

Haibane is a series shrouded in ambiguity and this is certainly one of the most engaging things about Haibane’s narrative. The show respects the viewer’s intelligence and slowly drip feeds the audience small and subtle pieces of information as the show goes along, aiding in our understanding of what the Haibane really are, allowing the audience to piece together things for themselves. The ambiguity of the show is only enforced by the sense of history the show constantly protrudes from itself too. The Haibane often refer to old customs that they follow, simply because the previous generation of Haibane did so too, or of folklores and beliefs carried throughout the seemingly tranquil town the Haibane share with the humans. In the fourth episode of the show, Kanna, a fellow Haibane, informs Rakka of a book she found containing the work of an unnamed figure, and in the proceeding episode, Nemu writes a book as a gift to her friend about the creation of the world and how the Haibane came to be. The constant references to old figures of the past, or of days gone by cements the narrative with a greater sense of mystery, as the answers the audience, and by extension, Rakka seek, are buried by the mutability of time. It aids in enhancing the mystery of the show, and the viewer truly feels all the more alienated about the world and the true nature of the Haibane as a result, instilling a truly evocative setting, while aiding in Haibane’s inherently captivating nature, making the viewer wish to seek the answers they want all the more. It gives the series a kind of “magical” fantasy-like setting about itself.

This sense of history is also present in each locale the Haibane occupy. Each location, from the town, to the Old Home in which the Haibane live, are all run-down, old, and feel as if they have had years of unknown history behind them. As a result of the watercolour paint aesthetic used for the walls, it gives the show a “muddy” vibe, and just by looking at the different sites, can the viewer understand the level of history and decay each place has endured, which, again, aids in enhancing the mystery of the show.

Ultimately, Haibane’s purposeful ambiguity is used as a means to explore one of the show’s core themes of self-discovery, as the protagonist Rakka desperately seeks answers about the true nature of her circumstances and the world in which she has been placed into, much like the viewer who understands nothing about this world initially either. I would argue that Haibane’s lack of definitive answers about the functionality of its world and the mysteries it presents us with, parallels that of the real-life. Much like Rakka, we often find ourselves questioning the viability of what it truly means to be “alive”. What is it like when we die? What does it mean to “be”? What even IS life? Haibane manages to juggle these heavy themes of existentialism in such a way to never feel overbearing or to drown the viewer in nihilism either. It’s there for those viewers who enjoy such thematic exploration but used subtly enough that those who don’t care for such things to look past it if they so wish. But, even though Haibane Renmei requires the audience to piece things together for themselves, I wouldn’t put forward the argument that Haibane Renmei is an incredibly enigmatic series, as I’ve seen others argue from time to time. As I’ve already mentioned, the show drip-feeds the viewer constantly with small pieces of information, which not only acts as an incentive to watch more and keep engaged with the work in order to pick up on such things but allows the viewer to grasp what Haibane attempts to communicate. The ambiguity in the series serves an obvious function in not only theme exploration but in character drama which I’ll get into more a bit later, so in my eyes, I can’t really agree with the notion that the ambiguity is a “flaw”.

As Momo, the creator of Metacritic for Anime once said, “If you can’t see the value of ambiguity, then you’re gay” which is the ultimate checkmate argument!

Haibane’s use of ambiguity also gives the narrative a strange sense of pervasive uneasiness. The second episode of the series, while starting off itself pretty calm and relaxing, reveals things to the audience about the nature of the Haibane and their rules that result in this aforementioned unease. We learn that the Haibane must live separate from the humans, that the entire town is enclosed in a giant wall in which nobody may enter or leave, and the Haibane must stay away from said wall, and that the Haibane are only allowed to use items that no longer have any use to humans, hence the reason as to why they resort to second-hand clothing stores for any necessary items. As a viewer, we never learn the exact reasons as to why the Haibane are treated as such, or why they have to abide by such rules. There’s a constant sense of looming danger or paranoia lurking in the air, which only grows in intensity as the narrative develops. The overall sense of uneasiness is achieved by making the viewer feel nervous somehow; afraid of some over lurking power or threat that they can’t explain, and thus we seek comfort naturally in Rakka, who shares in the same circumstances as we do, allowing the viewer to grow a greater sense of attachment to her as a result of such.

One thing that I certainly appreciated more during my re-watch of the series was just how much thought was put into the first half of the show regarding the heavy use of foreshadowing for future events. The earliest parts of the series offer the audience small yet important subtleties that play a larger role later on, such as in the second episode when Rakka innocently asks Reki what her dream inside the cocoon was, whereupon everyone present at the table goes strangely quiet and the mood becomes much more hostile, cluing the viewer in that despite Reki’s seemingly kind front, she is ultimately a troubled person. Or in the case of episode four when Kuu’s boss asks Rakka if Kuu is going to “disappear”. While the viewer would take this line in the literal sense initially, it takes on a whole new meaning later on in episode six when one of the Haibane takes their Day of Flight; a process in which the Haibane moves on from the world and goes, supposedly, beyond the walls. And there are plenty of other examples of this as well. The use of foreshadowing not only indicates thought put into how the narrative is structured but also makes it more rewarding for a viewer to experience as they piece things together, enhancing the level of engagement with the work at hand.

I’ve seen many people remark that the show only begins to be of any true value in the second half of the series, where the aforementioned Haibane takes her Day of the Flight, as the narrative henceforth centres more so around a continuous drama, and the themes of self-discovery, acceptance and forgiveness are explored in more depth during this period too. However, to make such a claim would be silly in my eyes. The first half of the show is devoted to establishing the world, and the customs of the Haibane, all the while adding layers of characterisation onto some of the cast in their own standalone episodes. During episodes four and five, Rakka accompanies two different Haibane who befriend her, in their work to see what job would be best suited for her, and in both instances, the viewer learns a substantial amount about how the world in which these characters occupy functions, as well as their outlook on it too. Kana’s work involving the fixing of clocks has obvious allusions to the mutability of time, a pervasive concept throughout the narrative, and she even projects some level of introspection into her life as a Haibane too. Nemu, working in a library in episode five with extremely old books that are practically falling apart, once again aids in the sense of history the show permeates, but it also provides the audience with Nemu’s creation story about how the Haibane came into existence, which of course alludes heavily to that of religion, something that is explored much more in the latter half of the series. While certainly the earlier parts of the series still retain that level of uneasiness I mentioned before, the show is still somewhat light-hearted for the most part, depicting each character as being incredibly cheery, all of which seem perfectly happy going about their daily lives. This is what makes the sudden shift in tone in episode six all the more hard-hitting, as the mood built and established early on, is flipped entirely around, ramping up the sense of unease even more, and making the events felt upon Rakka all the more impactful as a result. Without the first-half’s build up, the latter part of the series would not nearly be as effective.

The show also exhibits a plethora of symbolism as well, with perhaps the heavy use of crows being the most prolific example of such. Acting as a direct parallel to the Haibane, the crows in this world are said to carry important things, as they are the only creatures capable of flying over the walls and into the outside world. However, the crows also possess an inherent danger about themselves too, due to the colour of their wings, which in turn factors into the narrative as we learn that a Haibane who comes into contact with the walls will be surely punished. The crows can be seen as a metaphorical representation of “the truth” of the world, due to their ability of flight and their freedom, which is interesting to think about when we consider the most of the Haibane’s general disdain for the creatures. In episode two, Kanna remarks that she “hates crows” which could be taken at face value as in a couple more episodes we see her fighting against them as they keep pulling out all of the trash from the furnace, creating a mess, but also as a statement of her fear of the unknown as the crows can be seen as holding the “truth” about the world. Most of the Haibane in the series seem perfectly complacent about their role in the world and do very little in actually finding their true purpose, with the exception of Rakka, whose opening dream sees her embracing a crow into her arms, and therefore embracing the idea that she is not afraid of seeking the unknown, as she does do in the show. But the crows also act as a means of acceptance for Rakka in the latter half of the series, as one aids her in her quest for self-discovery, which is used to provide the viewer with hints about how Rakka originally ended up in this world, and what the crow in her dream was attempting to accomplish. As such, the crows embody the idea of self-acceptance and forgiveness and help to develop Rakka’s character in the seventh and eighth episode in creative and interesting ways.

What really ties the show altogether and gives the series emotional weight are indeed the wonderful cast of characters, all of which manage to be insanely lovable. Each occupant of Old Home has great chemistry, and you really feel as if these characters truly do like one another, with plenty of wit and banter thrown between them, all of which is adorably charming. There are also plenty of cute moments between the cast too which made me develop a big dumb smile on my face, such as when Kana wakes Rakka up early in the morning by pulling on her halo, as Rakka flails her arms up and down; a moment that always made me laugh, and there are plenty more of this in the show, giving it a real sense of character and likability. While some of the members of Old Home get some level of screen time and development, such as the aforementioned Kana and Nemu, some of the cast are completely neglected, such as Hikari who doesn’t really add much to the plot, or Kuu, who, while certainly playing a larger role, is used more so as a means to kick-start the drama in the second half. The crux of the narrative and its emotional weight relies on the relationship between Rakka and Reki and each of their respective inner turmoils and character arcs.

To begin with, their friendship is one that feels completely genuine, as Reki seems to sincerely care about the well-being of Rakka, as she constantly looks after her. After learning about Reki’s own past, and the hardships she had to endure, does the viewer understand her desire to be there for Rakka, as a fellow Haibane did for her when she was younger. As such, when the roles are reversed, and Rakka has to help Reki, does it take on a greater sense of sincerity and emotional engagement. Reki’s journey of self-acceptance and learning to finally forgive herself for her past mistakes is easily my favourite element of the entire show and consistently had me engaged throughout. I believe the reason as to why her arc and struggles are as effective as they are being because she is just simply an extremely likeable person. Her earnest love for the other Haibane, her kindness, are all things that help the viewer feel sympathetic towards her character and lends itself naturally to give her more emotional weight. Rakka, likewise, is a strong protagonist for a series such as this. Like the viewer, Rakka understands nothing about this world, and therefore we experience the world through her eyes. Everything Rakka learns, we learn. Everything she experiences, we experience. This is what helps drive the emotive insecurities of her character in the latter half of the show even more, as the viewer shares in the pain and sense of alienation she feels as being apart of this world. Rakka’s character arc is all about learning to, like Reki, come to grips with her sin, and learning to forgive herself for what she did in her previous life. Both characters are extremely strong and are able to hold the show together by themselves, emitting boatloads of heart at the same time.

While watching the series, however, it becomes apparent that the show was made on a pretty tight budget! The show often looks really rough around the edges, and plenty of times the character designs were completely off model or simply looked ugly in some scenes, despite how good the designs actually are for the show. In plenty of the accompanying artwork pieces, the character designs themselves look damn beautiful! Even in the few sequences in which the animation gets more fluid, such as in episode four when Kanna and Rakka are riding on a bike to get to work on time, or episode seven when Reki is walking with all of the children from Old Home, the art often takes a hit as a result, and looks bizarre. However, that’s not to say that the show is without merit in the visual department. As I’ve already expressed, the water-colour paint aesthetic used does a good job at moulding each locale and is one that I personally love. Moreover, there were a few scenes that were beautifully crafted. Take for example the scene in the first episode in which Rakka grows her wings. It’s a disturbing, visceral sequence, as the wings penetrate and pierce through her back, and has some unique shots too, such as the one where the wings, concealed in darkness, protrude outwards. Mixed with the music, the scene is perhaps one of the most unique and memorable in the entire show, as well as perhaps the medium at large. Speaking of music, Haibane Renmei boasts one of my all-time beloved soundtracks and is nothing short of what I would consider beautiful. Each track wonderfully enhances the scenes that they’re utilised in and adds onto the show’s overall sense of ambiguity and mystery. Free Bird may perhaps be my favourite piece of music from any anime ever; it’s truly a wonderfully memorising piece of art.

To conclude, Haibane Renmei is a beautiful show and one I have come to love upon re-watching. While certainly, I had enjoyed the show after my first viewing last year, it was only until now was I truly able to appreciate Haibane and was completely engaged with the entire work, even almost tearing up at the show’s cathartic ending scene. Haibane Renmei is a stunning example of what anime is capable of, and a true testament that you can create something so wonderful with such a seemingly simple concept and idea. Attempting to communicate my thoughts and newly found love for this show is something I find hard to properly articulate, as Haibane Renmei evokes such raw and genuine emotions in me. It’s truly a show with a lot to unpack and discover, and I barely even scratched the surface level of what the show deals with as well as the plethora of other themes the anime dabbles in too. Haibane Renmei is a series I give the highest of recommendations to and I believe is the epitome of drama, representing universal themes in a mature and interesting manner. Life is neither pure white nor pure black, but a beautiful charcoal grey.

Haibane Renmei has been one of the only series that has made me cry long after I've finished it. The nostalgic touch in HR rivals that in Azumanga, while they're in completely different dimensions. When I listen to the OP Free Bird I feel as if I'm reminded of a passed away relative, almost like there's a hole in my heart. Haibane Renmei while not exceptionally depressing or tragic definitely had my emotions on a string the whole way through. It's dramatic, it's romantic, it's tragic. Everything in HR had me wanting more and more as if drunk on the enigmatic character development stunning setting ... (and animation). The characters in Haibane Renmei had me feeling as if I was best friends with them, in fact they really did become my best friends while I was watching it almost like we were sharing our problems and getting over our sadness. The characters aren't the only complex element to HR, however, and the themes are still clouded to me. Haibane Renmei challenges the metaphorical ranking in Neon Genesis Evangelion. I have only seen Haibane Renmei once and I look forward to re-watching it, one of my most valuable DVD possessions.

First off, the short review:

Story - 6: Already done before, troublesome religious element (see full review for an explanation of this), but still very solidly constructed, and touching at times.
Art - 8: Pretty fantastic use of watercolor. Not technically amazing, but artistically it's pretty darn good.
Sound - 8: I love the opening and closing songs. The soundtrack is a little bit less impressive, but the series knows how to use silence to good effect.
Character - 8: Two of the characters have surprising depth, the rest don't. Great character designs.
Enjoyment - 7: It's a very calm and peaceful show that might frustrate you with its slowness, ... however patience is rewarded.
Overall: 37/50 = 7.4.
I tend to rate lower than other reviewers, so my score might be the equivalent of an 8.


I am somewhat sympathetic to the raving reviews of this anime, however I think a big part of it is just that it hit a sweet spot, not that it was as great as it's built up to be. What I mean is that it provides a lot of what is lacking in most anime, and for this it gets built up a little higher then it deserves. Yes, it has discarded the flash and dazzle, and made a calm tranquil ambiance, filled with mystery and intrigue, it tells a story directly from the heart, patiently and filled with wisdom. But as much as it blatantly appeals to a more sophisticated audience, it comes across as somewhat pointless.

It tells two stories of human nature, both of losing one’s way and finding it again. The story of Reki was particularly touching, with her perfectly executed self-hatred giving way to a message on how we can never live by ourselves. It doesn't tell anything new, it's an age old theme told time and time again, and already told better by a more famous anime (*cough* evangelion *cough*).

However, in the end the inclusion of religious symbolism is what really hurt this anime for me. Hundreds of reviewers will tell you that this wasn't a religious anime. That's not quite true. It doesn't preach someone's interpretation of someone else's holy words, but the concepts and sentiments it conveys are classically religious. It preaches what is a sin and what isn't, it invokes god (no, they don't literally say “god,” but it's really obvious who represents god), it creates an idealized world as a manifestation of Christian sentiments. This troublesome religious message from the man who brought us Serial Experiments Lain sort of weakened the show for me.

It's not particularly clever, but it says what it has to say in a very effective manner. Just for execution alone this anime deserves props. The characters were all believable, the animation and music were terrifically dreamy. In the end, it was a show worth watching, but I prefer Serial Experiments Lain, a less direct and less preachy show by the same creator.

Haibane Renmai Review

Small village, encased by huge walls... oh and with angels... Biblical reference much?

The Haibane are people who are born from a cocoon and grow wings. This is all set inside a rather large village surrounded by a great wall. Only the birds can leave the city, everyone else including the Haibane must spend there lives within the village. The village is full of normal people and the Haibane live away from the city and commute to the village.

The actual story of Haibane Renmai follows the life of a new born Haibane. When inside there cocoon the New born have a dream, they are ... then named after their dream. The main character of this Anime is called Rakka as in her dream she was falling, and.. as we all know, Rakka means falling in Japanese... right? None the less the story starts with Rakka being introduced to her fellow Haibane, the rules of the village and its customs.


Rakka is a timid little creature, unsure and almost helpless. You cant help but want her to find her place in this new world, and wonder how she came to be there in the 1st place. The supporting cast around Rakka don't make much of an impact apart from Reki, who is basically Rakka's guardian. Both are interesting and memorable characters. The other Haibane however were not so much, but the Anime is only 13 episodes long. I would have liked to seen more character development, and learned more about the other Haibane. But reviewers cant be choosers.

I found Haibane very relaxing and easy to watch. I haven't watched an Anime like Haibane in a good while. No action, no love. It was just a very enjoyable and touching story about redemption and breaking free of past sins and mistakes. And I'm aware that sentence makes it sound very overbearing. However I can promise you its not, you can watch Haibane without really looking at the symbolism behind it and just enjoy. But I've watched Evangelion... symbolism slaps me in the face after that damn thing.

The animation is nothing spectacular, same as any Anime that has been released within the past 2 or 3 years. Which means its nice, just noting spectacular. That's not a bad thing, just no extra points on this front. The music is fitting for the story and is used very well. The opening and closing themes are not what I usually like in an Anime however it suited Haibane perfectly,


Haibane Is a lovely tale of a girls journey to find her place and free her self of the feeling of guilt she has following her. Its a tale that most can relate to, because I'm sure everyone has something they regret and feel guilty about... even if its not as dramatic and ominous as the ones in Haibane. Anyone who appreciates the different genres of Anime out there should defiantly make some time to watch Haibane, Its a tale that will be imprinted on your memoires, and your top Anime.

8.4/10

Danny

Episode for episode, this is probably the best anime I've ever seen.

Premise:
Girl, Rakka, wakes up, hatches from cocoon in other world. No memories of past. People around her, called Haibane, have wings and halos. She is Haibane too. She receives name Rakka based on her cocoon dream in which she was falling. Surreal kind of afterlife-ish world. Haibane have to live differently from humans. Girl struggle to adapt to life as a Haibane and reconcile it with feelings from her previous life.

Characters:
Thinking about the Characters, I feel like very few of them stick out. Inter-character relations are a big part of the story, but I'll ... just talk about the characters that stand out.

Rakka is a very believable sort of introverted girl. She want to have friends and belong and can act happy and be helpful, but she has a hard time really trusting people with her thoughts. She has a hard time making decisions that mean anything and tends to ignore her problems. For instance, Haibane must have a job, though they can't have money. Rakka goes around to all the other Haibane to see if she likes thier work, but she never really takes any of it seriously, she's just having fun being with the others and distracting herself. Eventually she is given the job of washing gravestones as penance. And she comes to like that. She functions as a point of view character than can draw the viewer into the other world as she comes to accept her place in it.

Reki, really warmhearted motherly character or older sister-like character with a dark side. She reminds me of my older stepsister. Anyway, Reki teaches the other Haibane and treats Rakka like a daughter almost. She's not exactly all that mature and she was a real problem child growing up. Still has a big problem with authority. She also has some real issues, in many ways worse than Rakka.

The Communicator is the priest who heads the Haibane Renmei, which is kind of the Haibane religion or society. He wears a mask and a robe so we never see his body. He might not be a Haibane. Only he is allowed to communicate with outsiders who come within the walls. He coordinates trade and in return the humans pay for the Haibane's upkeep. He also acts as the moral and spiritual guide to the Haibane ensuring the preservation off their rituals and the moral growth of the Haibane themselves.

Conclusion/Opinions:
Really, there is as much to say about the society and world of Haibane Renmei as there is about its characters. I don't want to move into too much interpretation, because like a Romantic or Gothic work, a lot of the enjoyment here is in the mystery and the feelings the images and story invoke. Not everything feels like it can be explained. Most people, including myself, look at Haibane Renmei as a story about the afterlife. The creator, Yoshitoshi ABe, has outright denied that such was his intent, but he encourages everyone to come to their own conclusions.

I also don't want to spoil anything for you, a lot of the story has to do with the nature of sin and forgiveness. The Communicator has a riddle he uses called the Circle of Sin which is quite insightful. To escape the city, a Haibane must sometimes solve the Circle of Sin, but no one can find it by simply thinking, and that is what traps Reki and what causes her to resent Rakka.

There is just so much going on here, the golden rust on the tombstones, the broken clock, the tallest building in the city built at its lowest point, the supernatural nature of the walls, the identity of the Toga. There's just so much room for speculation. And the world of Haibane Renmei lets the imagination roam free, though not unguided or unfettered. Rather pretentious of me to say, but this series is largely about involving you with life within the walls and taking you into its world.

There's not really much romance, I don't know if the Haibane are allowed to have sex. Certainly, I think some of them, like Reki, might be forbidden. As far as plot, they don't really go anywhere. There are two real arcs, Rakka's story and Reki's, but they kinda flow into eachother.

The art I think is what really makes it a masterpiece and the sound. The background piece called Blight I think is the best depiction of fear and pain I've ever heard. Really heart-wrenching to remember it. The way fear plays into pain. And Yoshitoshi ABe's art is simply unrivaled. I used one of his sketches for my icon. He's noted for being one of the few artists who never uses a ruler. It gives his eyes a unique luster that you just don't see anywhere else. And his taste in costumes and in architecture and art remind me of Shadow of the Colossus. A lot of Haibane Renmei looks and feels like Shadow of the Colossus or Ico.

This is the only anime he wrote the story for and honestly, its probably his most optimistic piece. If you've ever read any of his manga or seen his other animes he worked on, ABe is usually a lot darker and more gruesome than this. But here the horror is much more fear of the unknown and sort of Gothic in nature.

There is no reason not to watch this unless you just can't take anime seriously, and even them, it's Yoshitoshi ABe, just watch it.

This is by far my favorite anime of all time. Nothing short of an absolute masterpiece. It starts out slow, developing the characters in a typical slice-of-life style. They also slowly build the eeriness and intrigue with this strange world the Haibanes have woken up into. Half way through the serious, you will intimately know and love all of the characters. The first 8 episodes are rather slow, but they absolutely necessary to build up to the most intense, emotionally charged, heartfelt powerful ending of any series I've ever come across. I have never sobbed so bitterly about events that aren't even real. Tears ... of sorrow, tears of joy, tears of relief, tears of laughter. This is an anime for the soul.

The artistry is a subtle pastel, strengthening the understated nature of the series. As for the music, there is nothing else like it. I have the entire soundtrack on my computer and listen to it and cry when I need that release.

This series is slow and understated, but overwhelmingly powerful. It'll shake you to your core.

Haibane Renmei, an anime greatly praised by critics yet un-watched by the majority of people due to it's quiet, boring, and old appearance. But you know what they say, "Don't judge a book by it's cover." I decided to give Haibane Renmei a try because I heard that it was rather deep and touching, and I do like deep and touching stories. How quickly I found out that Haibane Renmei is a true gentle compelling story that has hands on both the sadness and happiness of life/reality. If you want to watch a high-tech anime with tons of epic moments, then Haibane Renmei may be ... a bit too mature for you.

How do we know that this world is a reality? What are "dreams"? What is life? Who am I? Does God exist?

Haibane Renmei has answers to several of these questions which linger beneath the outer skin of the show. The show is a wondrous journey through many themes of life, love, redemption, repent upon sins, acceptance, dreams, conquering fears, realizing forgiveness, and death.

There are approximately 140 million people born every year; innocent and pure babies who don't realize the evils and dangers that await them in reality. As these babies grow up into kids, they start to vaguely understand that where are beauties and happiness in this world, but at the same time there are horrors, and suffering; but they tend to turn a blind eye to it because they don't fully understand. As these kids mature into adults, that's when they acknowledge all the things that reality throws at us. During adulthood, people live their lives the way they want to, according to their own philosophies. When these adults grow older into the elderly, they often reflect upon their lives, finally having their own answers to the questions of reality. But what does this have to do with Haibane Renmei?

The city of Glie is a bustling settlement that resides in a place beyond the reach and the comprehension of mankind. Its residents, the Haibane, a population of "people" with an appearance like an angel. The Haibane live a simple existence, working for other who seek/need their assistance. From the moment a Haibane awakens/is born, he/she must determine their purpose in life and determine what ties them to the city of Glie. Those who manage to attain these answers are given their Day of Flight: a day where a Haibane is allowed to soar beyond the walls of Glie to the outside world beyond confinement.

The story revolves around a newborn Haibane, Rakka (Named after the word "falling", because the opening scene of the anime is of a young girl falling through the sky, head downward alongside a crow, who just so happens to be Rakka). The first half of the anime is a splice of life style, with Rakka adjusting with her repetitive daily life, meeting new people and creating friendships with other Haibane. All the meanwhile, subtle hints towards the greater plot in the second half of the show are placed carefully and deliberately amidst Rakka’s quiet experiences. All seems soothing and peaceful at first, but then come around episode 6, and the entire mood and pacing of the anime changes. When Rakka's friend, Kuu goes on her Day of Flight, Rakka falls into distress and begins to question everything related to life; her friends, her city, reality, etc... Deeply depressed and confused, Rakka later runs away from Old Home in despair, and follows the crows into the forbidden Western Woods; there, her fate will be sealed, and she will follow her destiny.

The entire story of Haibane Renmei is a metaphor for our own human existence. Glie is a microscopic simulation of the real world, surrounded by impassable walls. And although people know that they are alive, their name, and what they're going to do in life. In a very real sense, we humans don't understand much of why we are who we are (what's our real identity), and we have only the slightest notions of what waits beyond the walls of our own mortal existence, beyond the atmosphere of earth. At the end of the day, Haibane Renmei may look like a story about angels, but it's honestly a story about human beings.

The character development was phenomenal. Each character are trying to find answers to questions of identity and life. The friendship/family bondship developed between the Haibane, betrayals, forgiveness are all essential factors that Haibane Renmei masterfully weaves into the deeper themes of the plot. Haibane Renmei shines in representing what true friendship really means. The two main characters, Rakka and Reki are both Haibane who struggle in life, filled with much sorrow and pain. The way the story portrays how they overcome their obstacles is phenomenal. Really, all the characters have normal/realistic personalities and act in believable ways, making them very easy to relate to. I know for sure that I cared, and connected with more than one character.

The art and soundtrack of the anime were stunning. The portrayal of the Haibane was mystical; the halos, wings, and character's faces were outstanding. The realism that the art gives to the entire anime is magical. The soothing, masterful music (piano) in Haibane Renmei added so much feeling to the anime, and they were a delight to listen to. The voicing of the characters, wondrous. *Round of applause for the voice actors*.

There were tons of symbolic and metaphoric objects in Haibane Renmei. For example, the untouchable walls that bind the Haibane inside the city of Glie are the representation of temptation. The Cocoons of which the Haibane are born from - A symbol of death and rebirth. Crows, eastern religions in particular seem to view crows as a symbol of love and creation, but in almost all mythologies, crow are the carrion eaters associated with death and life. The shape of a halo is that of a "miragical" circle. This is associated with eternity, a never ending existence, which fits the eastern concepts of reincarnation. This is an extremely old symbol associated with divinity. Wings - This ties in with the freedom associations of flight tied to birds. They are also associated with the immortality of the soul. Black or white, but also grey? This possibly ties in with the concept of yin and yang. The balance, the concept of constant change, all are reflected in the Haibane's wings. Also, the Riddle of the "Circle of Sin" is extraordinarily profound. The answer to the riddle is: anyone can damn them-self, but no one can save them-self. Anyone can decide they are unworthy of salvation, but having done so, they can only then be saved if someone else believes that they deserve salvation. The solution is not to be free of sin, but rather to be forgiven for your sins. Then it doesn't matter if you are a sinner or not, and the paradox collapses because it becomes moot. But that forgiveness can only come from outside, and only if you accept it from outside. That is why Reki becomes trapped; she won't accept forgiveness, thinking that nobody truly knows who she really is. Clearly, lots of things to watch out for.

Whether you like that it is, or dislike that it's all theological and philosophical, Haibane Renmei is a true masterpiece that's very rare to come by. Haibane Renmei is, without a doubt, one of the most incredible and deep animated series I have ever seen. Its combination of charming characters, fantastic storytelling, and lurking themes of reality create a memorable, to say the least experience that nobody should miss out on. In a short span of 13 episodes - around 4 hours of anime, Haibane Renmei changed my life, and I'm sure it'll do the same for you if you just pay attention. Please do yourself a favor and watch it.

We walked with empty smiles plastered on our faces...
As Haibane Renmei touched me in private places...
It finished its job without any traces...
The transition from casual to elitist tastes.

Now that my poem is out of the way...

Haibane Renmei! When describing this series, thought provoking is quite the understatement. Mysterious is a super understatement, and beautiful is also not giving it the credit it deserves. The only way I can describe Haibane Renmei and be satisfied is to call it flawless in every single aspect.

Of course, no anime is flawless, Haibane Renmei included. But when it comes to expressing its themes, Haibane Renmei is top tier stuff. ... It's themes are pretty subtle, and you'll need quite the imagination to get the full experience from this show. The metaphors can be taken in differently from other points of view, but it doesn't do it in a mindfuck way, like Cereal Experiments Lain. It does so with simple yet thought provoking riddles, subtle symbolism, and little life lessons.

Haibane Renmei is mysterious. It starts off asking questions, and ends asking even more. However, it doesn't end off in an unsatisfying way. Instead, I thought that in ended beautifully, in a way that gave closure yet still have you a lot of questions to think about long after you finished watching the show. What do all of these little themes in Haibane Renmei mean?

Pros:
- Simple, well paced, and serene story, full of mysteries.
- A lot of implied facts and themes, meaning that different people will have a different viewing experience.
- Very beautiful yet simple art!
- Another god like soundtrack, Haibane Renmei is another master of music whose soundtrack always seems to fit the mood.
- Main characters are incredibly deep and fleshed out, even given the mysterious circumstances surrounding them.

Cons:
- Very little resolution on mysteries.
- As a result, the plot can feel fairly lacking.
- Side characters are fairly impactful, but get very little development.

Story:
With a combination of slice of life antics, as well as beautiful symbolism, mystery, and heart wrenching drama, Haibane Renmei sports a very simple, yet also complex and confusing story. The world of the Haibane is incredibly mysterious, and the characters know as much as the viewer about their own world. This not only makes the characters believable and relatable, but also makes their daily lives more impactful.

Haibane Renmei first starts out being a normal slice of life. It follows a group of Haibanes, which are normal people but with small wings on their backs and halos on their heads, and their daily struggles. Despite their appearances, they cannot fly and don't have any special powers. Their fantasy appearance causes a lot of normal human beings to mistreat them, and a lot of regulations and limitations are placed upon them.

The world that this story takes place in can be taken in as symbolism as well. In order to fully explain it all, I must describe the world of Haibane Renmei. Thus, there will be slight spoilers I guess...

*SLIGHT SPOILERS*

The town that the haibane live in are separated from the outside by a huge wall. The townsfolk, including the haibane, cannot go past the walls, and must stay within the town. Only a mysterious group of people, known as Toga, can go beyond the wall. The Toga's mysterious nature aren't touched upon much, but humans and haibane cannot speak to them, except for a communicator.

The haibane are hella mysterious. They don't know why they are born, or why they exist at all. However, what they do know is that the haibane have some sort of past guilt or sin that they carry with them. Weighed down by their sin, they can't use their wings to fly. However, when a haibane is ready to move on from their guilt and is forgiven of sin, they take what is called "the flight." That is when a haibane is ready to leave beyond the walls, and fly off in a blinding light. Where they go or whether or not they will be seen again is also a mystery. However, there are also haibane who are unable to be forgiven of their sin. These haibane are considered "sin bound" and are unable to take the flight, and are usually depicted as having black feathers instead of gray.

This description may seem kind of confusing, but if you try to look at the symbolism within this world, you can come to a conclusion as to what it all means. For example, the city could represent earth. The outside world is heaven. Thus, earth and heaven are separated by a wall, and there is no normal travel between them. The only ones who can travel between them are the Toga, who can represent god. Humans cannot speak to god, which is why no one can speak to the Toga, except for the communicator, who represents an angel. The Toga, or god, bring in things from the outside world, or heaven, and thus bless the earth with things from heaven. Haibanes, who probably represent normal humans, cannot go to heaven until they are forgiven of sin, which is when they are able to finally fly into heaven. However, sin bound haibane cannot be forgiven, and thus aren't allowed to go to heaven.

And what's even more symbolistic are the dreams of Rakka and Reki. Now here is what I'd call a SUPER SPOILER so please look away, but it's a theory that I need to put it on here...

Reki's dream involves standing in front of a train. Rakka's dream involves falling. These dreams are supposed to represent their past, and their sins. Could these two have... committed suicide?

Think about it. Suicide is one of the most serious sins in the circle of hell, and it isn't one that's easy to forgive. The greatest sin about suicide is hurting the ones who try to save you, which in Rakka's case, is symbolized by a crow trying to keep her from falling. This is also why Reki was sin bound, as she always pushed away those trying to save her.

*END SPOILERS*

There is a lot more subtle symbolism and mystery, like the symbolic meaning of gray feathers, and the circle of sin riddle. These metaphors only scratch the surface.

Art:
Very earthy art style, Haibane Renmei uses a lot of natural colors, like brown, gray, yellow, and green! This makes the show look like a painting instead of an animation. It gives off a very melancholic and peaceful atmosphere, as well as an eerie and mysterious vibe. It truly synergizes with the mysterious story of Haibane Renmei. The character designs are also simple, but very beautiful. Rakka is pretty adorable, and you can somewhat get a sense of a character's thoughts and feelings by their design.

Sound:
Haibane Renmei sports an incredibly beautiful and fitting soundtrack. The OP in particular is just 10/10 all around, and the OST always fits the mood of a scene. The voice acting is also incredibly on point, as it really expresses the moods and characteristics of each character. The use of sound for story telling was also well executed, such as bell tolls and other sound affects.

Character:
Rakka and Reki are extremely deep and down to earth characters, making them amazing protagonists. Despite their fantasy appearance, they are still relatable and believable, reacting to different scenarios in a realistic way. They know very little about their world as well, and whenever they learn something about their world, it isn't always taken well. The side characters are also very believable and well rounded, and although don't go through much development, are still a very likable and impactful cast of side characters.

Enjoyment:
Beautiful, enchanting, peaceful, but also heart breaking! Haibane Renmei was an amazing experience, with a great mix of peaceful slice of life, gripping drama, and thought provoking mystery.

Overall:
Haibane Renmei is still underrated in my opinion. While a peaceful and mysterious slice of life with slow pacing is definitely not for everyone, for those that enjoy these types of shows with substance, you'll really love Haibane Renmei.

TL;DR: In all seriousness, Haibane Renmei easily stands as one of the most emotionally impacting anime that I've ever seen, as it touches such powerful themes in such subtle yet awe inspiring ways. At face value, a plot that brings up so many themes yet doesn't resolve them for you can be a disappointment, but Haibane Renmei does it in the most satisfactory way possible. It's not the events in the show that break your heart, its when you realize what it all means that causes your jaw and heart to sink to the floor. As someone who quite unfortunately relates to the depressing themes that Haibane Renmei delves into, I can honestly say Haibane Renmei has the possibility of being a life changing experience.

Haibane Renmei

Once in a while you stumble upon something that makes you question why you watch so many shallow shows. Haibane Renmei is such a reminder.

It all began when I watched Serial Experiments Lain.
A show I never thought I‘d like, which ended up as one of my favorites. So after being blown away by it I was looking for more.
Texhnolyze offered a similar experience, a similar reminder of something that is so different than everything else that it makes you question why you even bother with generic-ness.

Haibane Renmei was something that took me some time to watch it.
And when the day came, it was something ... that I swallowed as a whole and digested it slowly. So slow, that I am still working on its lasting impression in this moment.

There is much to say about it and yet it it‘s strangely hard to express it in is fullness.

Haibane Renmei is a once in a lifetime experience, one of those rare gems that offers something so unique and beautiful, that it will make it hard to appreciate anything else for a long time because you are over thinking it too much.

So what is it that makes Haibane Renmei so special?
It‘s a combination of various factors, delicately tuned to one another in such a way, that it feels more like a piece of art, rather than a form of entertainment, something you have to invest a lot of thought in, to fully appreciate it.

Haibane Renmei is not hard to understand but offers no absolute answers so there is a lot of think and speculate about.

Anyways I am talking a lot but don‘t tell you anything so I better get started with the review:

Setting / Story

A girl dreams of falling, accompanied by a black crow who is trying to lift her towards the sky, yet cannot accomplish his futile struggle to save the girl from imminent death by impact.
A group of feathered females find a large cocoon from which the dreaming girl is born.

She is born a Haibane, an angel like creature, given a name by her dream.
Rakka - falling.
Her new home is called old home, inhabited by other Haibanes, who explain to her the new world she is now part of.
The story follows Rakkas new life in the mysterious town of Glie, a town surrounded by a wall .
No one, but the crows, that are free to fly over it and the masked merchants, called Toga who no one but the Haibane Renmei is allowed to communicate with, knows what‘s behind the wall.
Haibanes are born into a curious world, a world with fixed rules, yet never to be explained what it is or why these rules exist.

Haibane Renmei carefully crafts a unique fantasy setting, which's time period not really advanced (unlike Lain and Texhnolyze, which are scifi oriented) and settles somewhere between the later 19th century and more modern settings with some technological advancements.
The city itself seems old and rural, and the people are all somewhat old fashioned, use outdated technology, have little to no electricity and besides scooters there seems to be almost no modern vehicle.

One of the strongest points of Haibane Renmei really is the setting. The interesting fantasy setting makes you long for more explanations. What are the Haibanes? What is beyond the walls? Where does the city come from? Why is no one allowed to speak to the Toga? And much more...
It lulls you in its dream like but still realistic world offering a comfortable simple paradise, something that I rarely see in most anime.
I know it‘s maybe very far apart from Haibane Renmei but I had to think of Heidi, Girl of the Alps when I watched it.

The story itself is rather slow. The first half start out as a slice of life, showing you the aspects of the world, how people live, what the rules for the Haibanes are and so on.
The second half revolves around the drama which emerges after the main character Rakka is confronted with one of the more tragic aspects of the Haibanes. I won‘t tell you what it is because that would be a spoiler, but it turns Rakka into a very depressed person.
The second half also answers a lot of the questions, though leaves enough for speculation.

The thing I‘d love to give the most points for though is the premise of the show.
Haibane Renmei deals with sins and redemption, similar to Angel Beats, yet more mature than most anime tend to be nowadays.
It not only creates an original universe, but also deals with Angels, portrait in a unique slice of life, something that couldn't have been done in a more original and creative way possible.
From the first episode on, where it is shown how much pain it causes, for the Haibanes, to grow their wings; to how their halos are made.
It puts most other shows into shame, which often have a rather lazy or unoriginal premise or setting.

People say that, despite Sword art Onlines weak story, the premise was great. Trapped in a MMORPG, but really compared to a slice of life with angels it pales significantly.

Over all the story isn't too complex, there is just a handful of important characters, the universe is limited by default and everything what is part of the plot is explained clearly without too many riddles that make it unnecessary complicated. It also doesn't use technobable to sound smart. It‘s very settled and easy to understand without being brain dead.
A perfect balance of complexity and simplicity.
And unlike it‘s sister shows Lain and Texhnolyze, Haibane Renmei doesn‘t use too many weird symbolism and surreal effects to confuse the viewer. (though occasionally there are dream sequences and dream like scenes which are abstract)

The ending rounds up the whole shows, gives you a not unexpected, yet fulfilling ending.

All in all Haibane Renmei is slow, but beautiful. It deals with serious issues in the most innocent way possible without being to childish or just a fairytale.

Characters

Rakka the main character is curious and confused. She remembers something she cannot remember. Something that feels like it happened before she became a Haibane.
She starts out scared and confused, later turns to become curious but not very confident. But then something happens that throws over her idyllic pace in the world she now lives in. She questions her own sins, seeks redemption and tries to help out the people she used to rely on.

She is not the strongest female character ever to exist but she is believable. Real struggle. Real emotions. A bit overblown at times but never unrealistic.

I could say this about all the characters, because it is true. Haibane Renmei has cast of realistic multifaceted personalities.
Reki the somewhat cold but motherly Haibane, caring for the children, fighting an inner struggle. Always keeping an eye for Rakka
Kuu is the tomboy-ish young Haibane which forms a great friendship with Rakka.
Nemu is the sleepy but capable older Haibane who spend a long time living with Reki.

And the others are just as great.
There isn‘t really much to say here, but the chemistry between Rakka and Reki which becomes essential to the story in the second half of the show, which gives a good backdrop on both characters. There others come a bit shorter though, but it doesn‘t remove any impact the story would have otherwise.
It‘s also not rushed as in Angel beats, where you have a huge cast, but only a handful get any recognition.

Overall the characters are believable, natural and relatable. Even though it is a slice of life, it doesn‘t feel like a sitcom or a moe show of the modern times, but rather a very unique version of how a slice of life can be. It doesn‘t use comedy or overblown drama to create chemistry but the explorable nature of the setting which creates character interactions.

Animation and Artwork

Based on a doujin by Yoshitoshi ABe, Haibane Renmei features similar character designs and backgrounds like Lain and Texhnolyze.
The overall style is quite unique, both characters and environment use an almost outline-less technique which generates a kind of blurry effect.
It‘s not particularly detailed or smooth/clear, it rather is muddy like a wet brush-painting.
The color pallet reflects this effect. Everything has a very „nature“ feel to it. Many browns and dark/olive greens.
It‘s not dark or spooky like Lain and Texhnolyze rather has this old fairytale look to it. Like an old Painting.

Noticeable are some paintings Reki is painting in the show, they look as if ABe personally painted them for the show, at least it looks very similar to his style.

Even though the show is based on Yoshitoshi ABes work, I have yet to come across a show that does justice to his great talent, I think only a high budget movie could ever embody his style and fantastic character designs fully.

The animation quality itself isn‘t outstanding, but also not horrible. Keep in mind this show came out over a decade ago. But overall I cannot praise its animation quality. It‘s just not impressive by any means.
Though I give credit for the unique style it has, it‘s not something you see often in anime, especially with the color pallet.

Maybe I‘m spoiled by modern anime and I can never ever again appreciate things that were made before 2008 or didn‘t have a huge budget like Ghost in the Shell or some great anime movies. But it is hard for people from this generation to like things that came out when we were children. Since I also have no idea what the standard was when Haibane Renmei came out I can‘t fully judge the shows animation.

Sound

The voiceactors are good, nothing outstanding but give all the characters their individuality. It fits the natural approach to social interactions and isn‘t too forced on emotions like you usually have (epic outcries, dramatic weeping etc).
The opening comes alongside with the overall OST, calm folk/classical music, a lot of violins, pianos and other classical instruments.
I personally enjoyed the soundtrack greatly, but have yet to download it (I certainly will).

Edit after I got my hands on the OST:
Oh wow I knew it was familiar.
Kow Otani was responsible for the soundtrack to Shadow of the Colossus, which had absolute fantastic music.
I listened to the soundtrack so many times, he is an absolute genius.
Besides that he was also responsible for the sountrack to Shakugan no Shana (which also had great soundtrack) and recently Another by PA Works.


It‘s fascinating that all three of the ABe works I watched, though made by different studios, all offer high quality in their soundtrack. It‘s from the standpoint of presentation the best part.
Ranging from happy, folky, village BGM to dramatic, sad, classical violin/piano duets.
I probably could talk without end on how good the OST is, but I couldn‘t listen to it in its fullness yet so I might edit this part later on to be more detailed.

Over all Haibane Renmei is very nice sounding and offers a wide range of different songs and sounds. The opening and ending theme is good but not great, though fit the show well.

Value and Enjoyment

Done by Studio Radix Haibane Renmei stands out as a work. Besides it only another ABe work (NieA_7) was made by it and a bunch of shows that I deem not mentionable.
Funny how both Haibane and Lain were made by smaller Studios and only Texhnolyze got the huge Madhouse.
So from that perspective it really was an important work for the small Radix which doesn‘t exist anymore.

I personally didn‘t cherish as much as the other two ABe works, but still it leaves a mark in my memory as an outstanding and unique work.
Besides from my personal involvement I also think it offers something much greater than what most other shows do.

There are a lot of shows that deal with sin, redemption, the afterlife, human relationships and so on.
But not many can make it appeal so creative. They are either straight forward and present it in a shallow way, or mix in too much plot or cheeseness.
Some use needless pandering with either, moe, ecchi/fanservice, or gore and violence.
Others are pretentious as heck and cannot really tell you what they want, without relying to much on technobabble or obscure symbolism that no one understands.

Haibane Renmei solves these problems without the use of any of the stereotypical story telling elements. It offers a great fantasy setting and moral that can be understood by many people. What it means to live, to feel remorse and how in the end we need to find salvation within the people we hurt and not some spacedaddy or ourselves. If you do mistakes, seek those who can forgive you and don‘t dwell in your own melancholy.

I enjoyed the show, more than I first thought, less than I did my favorites, but in the end more than I will many others to come.


Story 8/10 (very good)

Premise 2/2 (amazingly creative)
Pacing 1/2 (slow but bearable)
Complexity 2 (perfect balance)
Plausibility 1 (many unanswered questions)
Conclusion 2 (satisfying)

Characters 9/10 (great)

Personality 2/2 (realistic)
Behavior 2/2 (consistent)
Development 2/2 (rounded)
Motivation 2/2 (intelligible)
Likability 1/2 (everyone will be graved into your heart, but non stands out too much)

Animation 7/10 (good)

Artstyle 3/3 (Fitting, likable, unique)
Quality 1/2 (aged)
Background 1/2 (mushy but memorable)
Character Designs 2/3 (great concept but imperfect execution)

Sound 8/10 (very good)

Voiceacting 2/3 (Fitting but not outstanding)
OP/ED 2/3 (only the ED wasn't to my liking)
OST 4/4 (beautiful classical music)

Value 9/10 (great)

Rewatchability 2/2 (something I want to show my children)
Sentimental 3/3 (forever in my heart)
Historical 3/4 (sadly still underrated)


Enjoyment 9/10

Art and Animation 1/2 (sadly it‘s too old)
Music & Sound 2/2 (listen to it again and again)
Story & World 2/2 (most beautiful concept)
Characters 2/2 (realistic and likable cast)
Value & Attachment 2/2 (one of the few true gems)

I think this might be the most personally meaningful a story has ever been to me, and I mean that. Haibane Renmei is just stunning its devastating and complex and mature and understands so intricately what it is to die.
So much thought must have gone into every single aspect from the hazy, dreamlike painterly visuals that gain so much more meaning and importance as the show progresses, to the haunting ,mournful soundtrack that ebbs and flows which such grace.
The storytelling is so interwoven with every small detail and marries together so many different methods and conventions both within anime and wider traditions of narrative.
For instance ... the way this show uses the framework of a 'slice of life' anime to tell a much more personal and nuanced story through it's character writing and glacial pace, it all just lets you completely immerse yourself in its story and world and atmosphere.
I adore it explores every aspect of each and every characters lives from waking up in the morning to going to work to falling asleep. It allows you to gain such an intimate knowledge of who these people are and an insight as to why that could be without relying on tropes or narrative shorthand. The character writing is earnest and real and genuine (and sent me into a full blown panic attack LOL :3) and idk I think I could write a thesis on this show and I don't want to give anything away so I'll leave it at this.

Haibane Renmei helped me learn to forgive myself for attempting suicide and it means more to me than you'll ever know.

Synopsis:

A girl called Rakka dreams about falling from the sky and then she awakens in an odd cocoon. After a little while she breaks free and meets angelic beings with ashen gray wings and halos. In a short time, she grows a pair of her own wings, receives her own halo and becomes a member of the Charcoal wings. The Charcoal wings live in an old building called the Old Home, which is located on the top of a small hill on the outskirts of a town. After some time, Rakka finds out that the small valley she lives in is surrounded by a huge ... wall and that only a small group of people called the Toga can go outside of the city limits. Why did Rakka become a haibane and what mystery does that enigmatic valley hide? You will have to answer on this question by yourself.

-Story (10/10)-

A girl called Rakka dreams about falling from the sky and then she awakens in an odd cocoon. After a little while she breaks free and meets angelic beings with ashen gray wings and halos. In a short time, she grows a pair of her own wings, receives her own halo and becomes a member of the Charcoal wings. The Charcoal wings live in an old building called the Old Home, which is located on the top of a small hill on the outskirts of a town. After some time, Rakka finds out that the small valley she lives in is surrounded by a huge wall and that only a small group of people called the Toga can go outside of the city limits. Why did Rakka become a haibane and what mystery does that enigmatic valley hide?

Haibane Renmei (Charcoal Feather Federation) begins as a typical slice of life and you will probably think that every episode will run in the same vein. But I guarantee you that Haibane Renmei has an ace in its hand and it will surely make you feel sorry about your prejudice. But let’s forget about the bad!

This anime consists of two parts: the first is world building and the second is denouement. The world building might be boring for you and you will probably want to skip a minute or two. That will be quite a big mistake; you should never skip even a second. Before watching this show, PLEASE, ask yourself if you are ready to be attentive. Inattention will result in your incomprehension of the world of Haibane Renmei and in result you will only waste your precious time. However, if you are ready to be attentive and you have never been afraid of a complex story, Haibane Renmei won’t disappoint you, on the contrary, it will reward you with one of the greatest story ever.

I can’t give the storyline anything less than 10/10. It did leave some unanswered questions, but it wasn’t bad. The show gives its viewer a great opportunity to think: it will raise the question, give you all the possible hints (not always), and you will have to answer on these questions by yourself. It was a very pleasing experience for me, to take a break and to give the episode that I have just seen a thought, and I am sure that you will find it interesting, as well.

-Animation(8/10)-

The animation is mostly top notch. The portrayal of landscapes will make you hold your breathe. The character design is unique; it does look plain, but that plainness gave this show a touch of realism and it worked well. Without a doubt, this anime was made in 2002, which makes the animation a bit outdated. That is why, if you are a fan of “cute girls”, you should avoid Haibane.

-Music(10/10)-

I highly recommend to all of you to download the whole anime’s OST. It is something you will never describe with your own words, you need to hear it by yourself. Some tracks will make your day brighter, the others will make you think about something in your life, or will even make you sad. The soundratck is simply brilliant.

I saw Haibane Renmei both in English and in Japanese, and to my big surprise the both versions are equally good. Alas, I can’t tell you which version is better. Both English and Japanese voice actors did amazing job and I highly appreciated it: their characters looked alive and realistic, it was very pleasant for me.

-Character(10/10)-

The entire cast is charming and pleasant. Haibane Renmei shows a wide range of personalities: from the cheerful Kuu and tomboyish Kana, to the gentle yet
melancholic Reki. The bonds that Rakka builds with other characters – especially Reki, which become critical to the plot in its later stages – are very interesting to follow. All characters received enough screen-time and it was very entertaining to follow them from the very beginning until the very end.

-Enjoyment (10/10)-

The good:
1)Storyline.
2)Characters.
3)Music.

The bad:
1)None.

Haibane Renmei is one of these rare gems that you will want to never end. I was shocked by the deep and dark story-line, the animation added more darkness to the show, the music helped me to get accustomed to the Haibane Renmei’s world and the characters were the final drop for me to fall in love with this show. It is truly one of the best of Abe Yoshitoshi’s works.

-Overall(9,8/10)-

On the whole, saying that Haibane Renmei is a masterpiece only because of symbolism will be the same as saying nothing. Haibane Renmei takes care of every little detail, making this anime that fascinating. A beautiful fable about the true nature of forgiveness and resignation.

*Side note: This show has almost nothing to do with the religion. (if you are one of these folks…)

Without a doubt, this show isn’t for everyone. As I have already mentioned, it may be difficult for one to be attentive. This is NOT a series that should be watched without attention. If you are ready for that “sacrifice”, you will have to see the entire anime. By entire anime, I mean every minute, every second, everything! If you see everything, you will be able to understand and fall in love with Haibane Renmei.

Overall, I dropped Haibane Renmei twice. And only when I saw it without skipping even a second I was able to fully understand the idea of this show. If you feel bored, make a pause; Haibane Renmei isn’t something you can easily marathon. If you are ready for this show, I wish you to understand every single detail, which was shown in that splendid fable called Haibane Renmei.