I love it, please give me your opinions. I admit, that there are maybe better shows out there, but it creates a very comfortable feeling sometimes.

>please discuss the anime for me

>>279719338
/thread

>>279718965 (OP)
>>279719338
Alright OP, since you want discussion, I'll bite.

I had previously written a theory about what the "humans" of Glie, the non-Haibane humans of Glie, really are. I'll repost the pasta here, but you can find it >>128739861 , >>135885876 and >>184149852

The "humans" of Glie are not actually human. They're angels

Here's the evidence to support this interpretation:

1. If each haibane was actually a human in a previous life, who is undergoing a form of purgatory before entering the afterlife, then Glie would have required undergoing some form of trial
2. Each haibane was attached to a particular "human" in Glie which, for all intents and purpsoes, serve as a guidance to them (Reki to the school teacher, Hikari to the baker, Nemu to the librarian and so on)
3. There is no outright mention of sex. Even the pregnant librarian mentioned that the life came from nowhere. It is possible to believe that pregnancy among "humans" in Glie exists, merely to help the haibane associate with something they had encountered in their past lives
4. So what are the Toga? They are angels that visit Earth The Toga are responsible for visiting the outside world and collecting random items, in order to help Glie seem more familiar to the Haibane staying within. They remain silent because telling the Haibane whats going on in the real world will affect their trial

In that case, who are the Speaker, and the actual fallen Haibane? [Spoiler]Well, they work at the temple, and wear the false wings. I think these people are most likely to be the Haibane who failed their Day of Flight then the Toga

Now mind you, this is just an interpretation. There was a good response to it here >>254506780

>>279719338
fpbp

>>279720540
>[Spoiler]Well, they work at the temple, and wear the false wings.[/Spoiler]

forgot to spoiler award

>>279720540
I agree with everything except the angel bit. Even that I can't really disagree or dispute, it's just that the role of the "humans" in Glie is secondary to the story. It really doesn't matter whether they are humans or angels. So I guess you could believe that. I personally find them being ordinary humans more interesting.

>>279720540
>>254506780 eloquently describes what I wanted to say. My strongest belief about the show is that the Haibane are humans that died before they were meant to. Either due to accidents, illness or voluntarily giving up on their life. They end up in Glie as a sort of Purgatory where they can live the life which they missed out on. Once they are satisfied with their life, either by fulfilling their wishes or by severing whatever attachments they had with the human world. they have their day of flight.

>>279718965 (OP)
>please give me your opinions
I think it's nice.

>>279723220
Me too.

I like Haibane Renmei because it's one of a very few media pieces I've seen that takes Christian beliefs and ideas seriously and doesn't make fun of it. In most western media (that isn't specifically supposed to be Christian centered) the only religion routinely made fun of, mocked, or not taken seriously is Christianity. Some others might be joked about, but not near to the extent that it's allowed for Christianity.
The ideas in Haibane, while loosely based on without directly copying Christianity, take the same ideas of personal damnation, forgiveness of self, nondescript despair from uncertainty, purgatory or the after-life before Heaven/Judgement, and all-in-all rather serious and mature topics. It does this without having any obligatory anime bullshit like panty shots or random moans in it, so the anime just seems to take itself seriously and I like that.
I like that it references important self-reflection situations and scenarios that can really be looked into from a Christian perspective. If you're not Christian, or aren't familiar with the ideals and real deep meanings of the metaphors and literal situations provided in the bible, then it might not seem that deep. But just like scripture, there's lots of instances where there's multiple layers to what's being told in the anime. There's what's literally going on, what it's trying to convey and drive the viewer or characters to understand in the scenario, then there's another layer that is sort of like 'how does this particular situation I'm seeing reflect in my own life', just like when you read scripture.
I think it's super neat and good for multiple watches for re-evaluation because things can be missed the first or second time you watch it. Also the characters are nice and the world is cool.

>>279723251
cute!

don't make haibane and tex threads

make texhnobane threads

Despera when?

It's a shame the blu rays are terrible upscales. Digital anime was a mistake.

>>279718965 (OP)
One of the best. Watch if you haven't yet.

>>279719338
>>279721856
Well then, how about a thread topic to get this thing rolling: do their wings twitch when they orgasm?

>>279721916
I saw the thread late at night and was manually adding the spoilers from my old copypasta. It happens.

>>279722490
I share the same belief. It was an interpretation I came across before, but I also agree that the haibane were the souls of humans who had young and thus not accomplished what they wanted in their past life. This applies to the more grown up haibane (Kuu, Rakka to Reki & Nemu( as well as the kid haibane (Hana, Shota and so on). A t least one person had the impression that the humans in Glie were actually the stillborn and aborted, but I actually think this is the little haibane

>>279722169
>>279724733
The beauty of Haibane Renmei is that it's highly interpretive and is meant to be as such, I have a particular Christian or rather, Catholic, perspective of it due to my own upbringing and background, corroborated by similar perspectives who appreciate the anime from a similar background. But I can also see the Buddhist influences, since aBe is a Buddhist I also understand that it could be a highly psychological metaphor/allegory, similar to what Texhnolyze is (one interpretaion of Texhnolyze is that it's a metaphor for a dying man).

>>279724733
You get it! Haibane Renmei take it's Christian symbolism and imagery seriously, and does it in a far superior way compared to something like Evangelion. Haibane Renmei is one of the reasons why I remain a Christian

It's just a reheated version of Hardboiled Wonderland and the End of the World.

>>279731529
It's plausible! The layout matches.

Test

>>279730264
>do their wings twitch when they orgasm?
I hope so.

>>279732318
>>279730264
Please don't lewd the haibanes

>>279718965 (OP)
Angel Beats without guns.

I like them both.

>>279718965 (OP)
It is the favorite anime of the video game comedy youtuber Soviet Womble.

meow?

>>279735232
Wan

>>279724733
I myself am not christian, but I highly support the ideals. I think the way Haibane Renmei portrays this kind of religious and spiritual mixture of situations and ideas of what you can relate to in your own life.

>>279718965 (OP)
It should be mentioned that all the weird ideas are based on two Haruki Murakami novels (Abe admitted it).
1) Hard-boiled wonderland at the end of the world (the world)
2) The wind-up bird chronicles (the well chapter)

>>279730264
>do their wings twitch
citing from wikipedia, I'll guess during excitement they will most likely be stiff and closed mostly and when in orgasm they'd probably open as far as it can and experience muscle spasms or they'd tense even more.

The upside? Birds are mates for lives. They are highly monogamous and never lose any love towards partners.

If this is your fantasy, theres a game called "degrees of lewdity" where you can become half human half harpy and experience love yourself

>>279731269
>It happens.
to the best of us

HAIBUMP
I love this show so much it's unreal.

i want to [Spoiler]hug [/Spoiler] rakka so much until she [Spoiler]knows everything is going to be alright[/Spoiler]

i want to [Spoiler]hug /spoiler rakka so much until she [Spoiler]knows everything is going to be alright /spoiler

>>279737034
Sell me on Murakami. I've been stuck on genre fiction for too long.

>>279718965 (OP)
love it too thats my opinion

>>279732214
it is almost certainly based on the book to some extent.

I wish I was a girl, and looked like Reki

>>279742421
sorry i'm a lurker but this was one very important thought

>>279742472
ctrl+s

>>279742595
ty

>>279742422
It inspired Haibane renmei

Just got a new monitor and my Reki wallpaper looks great on it!

>>279746757
post reki

Look at these cute little wings

>>279749370
200 days left, brother.

There are already some nice comments about interpretations and theories, so I'll focus on a different aspect that I liked. I watched it during the Great 4chan Crisis recently and it put me at ease in many ways. The atmosphere - the music, the setting, the artstyle, the colours, the everything - had a very calming effect on me, while having a tint of beautiful sadness to it.
Another part of it that I rather liked was how it took some simple themes straight but with some maturity and without overblowing it, such as Reki being there for everyone while keeping silent about her own issues. Nothing extraordinary, but I liked the way it was presented more than I'm used to.
Probably and possibly not the best anime, but one of my favourites.

>>279749370
Now that I've almost finished Haibane I can say I like it better than Sora No Woto.

Reki had a hard lives.

>>279720540
I think this is sort of correct, but I'm not sure about the Toga. Plus, why does Rakka not get her own angel to help her?

where did those haibane kids come from?

>>279720540
The bluray insert stuff seems to imply they are typical humans and Glie is really just on Earth.

>>279722490
That fits with the classic Japanese view of children who die.

They mix the Buddhist belief that children did not live long enough to build Karma so they exist in a sort of limbo for a while to build up some karma to dictate their next life. And the later belief that they are guarded over by Jizo while they work at building karma.

Haibane Renmei has what amounts to kids that died young and exist somewhere for a while so they can grow a bit before they move on to their next life. The Washi tales the role of the Bodhisattva that watches over them until they are ready to move on.

>>279758301
Reki's abandonment paranoia likely started in her original life before going to Glie.

>>279718965 (OP)
Did the girl on the right go to heaven in the end?

>>279766394
Most likely

>>279766394
She was reincarnated as Mayuko.

>>279767816
But for a serious answer, the end goal of Buddhism is to attend Liberation of the Self, wherein the cycle of birth and rebirth comes to an end and your soul is completely liberated from the material world. This means cessation of all material desires, which is a part of the story in HBR. The Haibanes are only allowed to own second hand things, for example. Their Day of Flight occurs only when they are no longer longing for the human world and have no unfulfilled desires. When they are satisfied with their life. Therefore I think their souls are freed from the cycle. It wouldn't make sense for them to go through all that only to reincarnate as humans in the material, fallen world.

>>279764346
I got that impression too.

>>279731529
Why do you need to exaggerate that much? There's a clear inspiration and recurring motifs, but essentially the stories are very different and have diverging conclusions, character-wise and thematically. Not even to speak of the "mobius strip" kind of narrative that the novel depends on and that is nowhere to be seen on the anime.

>>279737034
ABe admitted that the novel was a conduit to him expressing fantasies that he had had since he was a child. I have read mentions of the well chapter in the Wind-Up Bird Chronicles but I've never heard ABe mentioning it, only Hard-Boiled Wonderland and The End of the World.

>>279767816
JUST

>>279718965 (OP)
saw the thread image last night and watched it without knowing anything about it and I am shocked, genuinely such a great watch.
The atmosphere is so good I didn't need an introduction to be hooked, I love the characters and I nearly teared up a little watching the final episode. Not to mention Blue flow is such a great song.
Thanks anon

>>279767917
The Day of Flight comes for all, even those who still have unresolved issues. It's heavily implied that the haibane whose day of flight came while they were sin-bound became the Toga. Reki just got saved at the nick of time.

Speaking of influences, Afterlife (1998) has a few common themes and images with Haibane Renmei, particularly the construction of a strong and compassionate community among the dead, as well as happiness and good faith in others being the key for salvation. It's an excellent movie that I recommend if you want to go through something with a very similar pleasant feeling as Haibane Renmei.

>>279767816
Mayuco had to put up with so much shit.

After reading a bunch of interviews with ABe, it becomes incredibly obvious how much of himself he put into Reki's character.

>>279770999
Interesting.

>>279718965 (OP)
I wanted to see more of the guys with the mask. Don't remember their name.

>>279718965 (OP)
Good ost that really makes certain scenes like Rakka growing wings and sets a nice tone, and the visual design on paper is good, but the show came out in an unfortunate era and aged like milk. It's too hideous to watch now.

>>279718965 (OP)
I love it, too. We should be friends, Anon.

>>279718965 (OP)
My favourite anime, tied with Rose of Versailles.

>>279773202
HaiBane?

>>279742422
>Sell me on Murakami
Gabriel García Márquez but Japanese

>>279773444
Checked
The OST is immaculate
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yWMrTMDocJE

>>279770999
Well, Reki IS an artist.

Can someone please identify the OST in this trailer. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JOIjRIc1WsM

>>279742422
loser man self insert fiction

This was a good post which I recently screen-shotted from the archives.

>>279718965 (OP)
Finally, a haibane thread. I love these.

>>279778859
Here you go anon! Its the song that plays whan Rakka spreads her wings for the first time.
https://youtu.be/x6dUo7GeJrM?list=PLatw8Lp2TiN3PGsgsolHmB-y-KFkEFOmP&t=111

I tend to have dreams of this song sometimes. I wish i had a Rakka of my own. https://youtu.be/5JX1DzQBegk

>>279770957

>>279779238
I love this gif.

>>279766257
Dammit...

>this pic is now ancient

>>279766257
Reki's boobs aren't that big

>Also the sequel, drawn back in 2022
>sadly uncoloured

Haibane Renmei is better than Lain

>>279761407
The Toga are a mystery. I prefer to think of them as special angels as unlike the temple haibane because (a) they're not wearing the false wings & masks and (b) they're the only people allowed outside of the city. Its why I think of them as the angels tasked with bringing things from the outside world into Glie. I have a personal headcanon that for all the things and items we miss in our world, they find their way into Glie thanks to the Toga.

>why does Rakka not get her own angel to help her

It has to do with Rakka's own lack of personal motivation. One thing that Rakka has in common with Mayuko is that she doesn't know what she wants nor does she know what she's good for. A part of Rakka's journey is themed around finding an identity for herself. Noting how many of the Haibane quickly adapt or pick jobs that feel intuitive to them, perhaps Rakka's past life had a lack of a specific occupation. (contrast this to Reki's possible past as an artist, Kana as an athlete/mechanic, and so on)
If Rakka had committed to one of the jobs, the ascribed human would have been the angel 'picked' for her. I feel the librarian Sumika could have been her human/angel if she had stayed at the job - and maybe she might pick it up if the Speaker decides that Rakka has fulfilled her job of collecting halo material. Alternatively, and if you follow my own belief that the Speaker is not a fallen haibane but actually an archangel, one responsible for all the humans/angels within Glie, then Rakka is VERY special - by having the biggest angel in all of Glie as her personal guide and mentor.

>>279780421
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sq_Fm7qfRQk

>>279775287
Not only that, but the reason she paints is to pull from her memories a clear memory of her past hidden in her subconscious, which is precisely what ABe was trying to do with Haibane Renmei.

Are you guys planning to visit ABe's exhibition in Shibuya?

>>279779214
I love Tkmiz

>>279718965 (OP)
I despise this anime. I disagree with the themes.
Reki deserved staying with Rakka. Going on alone was a disturbing development to her character.
Rakka deserved reuniting with her crow in the afterlife.
I hate it.

>>279782786
Life is about letting go and being grateful for the time you shared with your loved ones.

>>279782902
I won't let go until I die and if there's an afterlife I won't let go after either

>>279783034
With that attitude you're going to suffer pointlessly. That's that Rakka needed to learn from her experience with Kuu.

>>279728957
DESPERA TOMORROW

>>279782786
>Reki deserved staying with Rakka. Going on alone was a disturbing development to her character.
Why? It was the perfect resolution to her character arc.

>>279773563
no, the Toga

>>279782786
Did you not experience growing up? Maturing? Sometimes you have to endure something unpleasant or hard for the betterment of yourself.

i feel like trannies could really latch onto this anime. hoping they never find it.

>>279787402
They already did. Everyone has moved on long time ago, only aging millennials and pseud zoomers stayed.

>>279718965 (OP)
you are not entitled to my opinion

>>279780421
It is nothing like Lain

>>279787402
shame the schizos are already here, though
Regardless, I'd much rather have people interestested in empty aesthetic signifiers than useless identity politics posts.

>>279784367
Because after her personal trauma she had to go on alone sacrificing her friend for reasons
>>279787293
Life taught me I had to rely on attachment to go forward

>>279787897
I have no idea who these people are who show up to random threads to whine about "trannies", a scourge on this board. I have seen this in so many threads this year. It's grating.

What surprises me is that no Jungian analysis has been written about this. It checks all the boxes of easy to write analysis. The town is the psyche, the characters are the actors and archetypes within that psyche. The whole storyline screams to me some primal story.

It's one of my all-time favorites. I love its world and everything on it, and it's also one of those stories in which I really want to understand how said world works, but at the same time, I don't want to know much more of it because I want to keep that feeling of oniric/spiritual mysticism that surrounds it. I agree with >>279778961 in a way.

Furthermore, the OST is majestic to say the least which is a plus. Ailes grises is heavenly.
https://youtube.com/watch?v=dWKO7kzMh4M&pp

>>279788696
I'm working on something that's tangentially jungian but not quite.

>>279724733
I'm curious what you think about some aspects of the show's ending. It seems to me that Reki takes a rational and very Catholic approach to the idea of sin, believing that that the most important aspect in determining whether an action is good or bad is intent, and therefore believing that doing a "right thing" for selfish reasons is sinful. But Rakka rejects this idea in favor of what I interpret as more of a mystical and not very Christian view where causation flows the other way: actions are good and bad in themselves, and they tend to subconsciously change the intentions and moral natures of people in the same (positive or negative) direction. But I'm not a Christian anymore, not since I was very young, so this is all based on vague recollections and I'm not sure if I have the correct relationship between these ideas and Christian doctrine. I wonder what someone more educated on the topic thinks about the relationship between sin and intent in Christianity, and whether Reki or Rakka are thinking in a more Christian way. Also, do different Christian sects differ on this matter?

>>279731529
Only someone who hasn't seen the show or hasn't read the book could say that. Most of the themes and all of the characters are entirely different, not to mention the unusual plot structure in Hard-Boiled Wonderland totally absent in HR.

>>279737034
Similar to above: he admits inspiration, not that "all the weird ideas are based on" Hard-Boiled Wonderland. He also admits many other inspirations besides, many from his personal life. Also, I watched all the interviews I could find and I don't think I saw him mention wind-up bird chronicles, though I wouldn't be surprised if it played a role since the parallel with wells as places of memory is obvious.

>>279751858
It pulls off subtlety and melancholy seriousness in a way that very few anime (but lots of books) manage. To me it seems almost unique among the medium. Certainly one of my favorites.

>>279790848
I can't tell you what other sects believe, but I can only relay what I think. I think actions can in themselves be good and bad, AND intention matters. Good deeds done with good intentions are obviously good. Bad deeds done, even with good intentions, are still bad (that's probably where that saying "the road to Hell is paved with good intentions" comes from).
Good deeds, done with bad intentions, are bad too. And Bad-bad is self-explanatory. Your intent matters just as much as the action does, and sinning on behalf of a good outcome isn't a reasonable conclusion. So in a way both of the ideas of Rakka and Reki are correct when you explain them the way you said. I'm not a theologian, I haven't spent years going over studies and constant re-evaluations of scripture (though I might because I find it neat), I've just read through it once (so far) and am interpreting it off what I got from my first read through. So I'm not exactly an authority on the matter, I just try my best at interpretations.

>>279787460
>the only age groups who stayed are exactly the two generations who would have watched the show in the first place
Very insightful

>>279787907
>Life taught me I had to rely on attachment to go forward
But Reki and Rakka both relied on attachment. Rakka reconciled with the crow from her memory, and Reki accepted and received forgiveness from Rakka. Yes, in the end they were torn apart, but there is never attachment without loss. People die, or are pushed apart by circumstance, even positive circumstance, and you just have to move on and remember the good times you had.

>>279779133
Thank you.
>>279787402
I've hoped that this show remains obscure, but at some point fake anime fans are going to latch onto it. I don't want it to get the Lain treatment.

>>279791269
>or are pushed apart by circumstance, even positive circumstance, and you just have to move on and remember the good times you had.
I'll never accept that and I got upset at the anime for pushing this view

>>279791340
I didn't explain it properly. I specifically had issues with the anime showing this in some positive wabi sabi way. I would always fight against it no matter what. I feel like Reki should have sacrificed anything to stay with Rakka, and vice versa. Staying there wouldn't be so bad if they had each other.

>>279773626
Wow, I don't like Marquez's novels, so no thank you

>>279791287
I'm not sure if fake anime fans is really the right way to think about it. I would guess that the typical 25 year old Murakami reader is more likely to enjoy Haibane Renmei than the typical 25 year old "true anime fan", and I don't think there's anything wrong with that. Lain is an unfortunate situation not because of fake anime fans but because it was latched on to by script kiddies and transgenders, both of which tend to be very irritating in large numbers, and from there it hit the mainstream (which consists entirely of retards and people pandering to them). But that happened because of its setting and themes, which I don't really think H-R shares. So I wouldn't worry about it any more than I would worry about irritating people latching on to, say, Princess Mononoke or Mushi-shi.

>>279791399
They were companions for the journey, not eternal partners. 'Sacrifice' in this situation (i.e., refusing to move on) would be a meaningless act of rebellion against nature, or fate, or God. Nothing good would come of it: being now trapped outside of the natural movement of the world they would likely fall back into depression in the short term, and in the long term they would be torn apart again anyway. Reki did the best thing she could have done, and Rakka was right to be happy for her.

>>279791772
>They were companions for the journey, not eternal partners. 'Sacrifice' in this situation (i.e., refusing to move on) would be a meaningless act of rebellion against nature, or fate, or God. Nothing good would come of it: being now trapped outside of the natural movement of the world they would likely fall back into depression in the short term, and in the long term they would be torn apart again anyway. Reki did the best thing she could have done, and Rakka was right to be happy for her.
The show is written like you're right which is why I feel bitter about it. They basically embrace being separated despite how they were healing together. It reminds me of the policy of mental hospitals to not form tiers to other people there. The fact that its basically a purgatory for suicides makes me see that connection even more. That was a hellish thing for me and everyone I know who went to a mental hospital either day hospital or full stay, I don't know anyone who got helped by that, and it's just a garbage way to see the world in general. It's worth living because of others, Rakka had lost the crow, everyone had lost people, now they have each other, fuck moving on alone.

>>279791859
*ties. I also forgot to say that I feel extremely weird about the anime as I basically love everything about it except this "message" so to speak, but I hate what I'll call the message so much that it makes me feel in such a complicated way about it.

>>279791859
I don't think Haibane Renmei is telling you to abandon your friends by choice and move on without them. Maybe the opposite; the only reason they made it to the "good ending" is that Rakka did not abandon Reki to her fate, even when Reki wrongly wanter her to. But it is saying that sometimes it's outside of your control, and sometimes it's better to accept the world's changes than to fight them. It's reminds me of the serenity prayer, the one beloved by boomers everywhere: "God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference."

>>279791988
>I don't think Haibane Renmei is telling you to abandon your friends by choice and move on without them
The day of flight is shown as a positive thing they should strive for and it involves leaving everyone behind.

>>279792103
The day of flight comes to everyone at an undisclosed time, but the show teaches that you shouldn't fear it. It comes when it comes, and you should know that while it's inevitable, and sometimes leaving your friends hurts, that coming to terms with it is for the best and you should embrace it when your time comes. I don't think it advocates for trying to make your day of flight come sooner.

>>279784065
I have hope in Despera, I won't die until I see it, after that I'll be happy.

>>279792141
>I don't think it advocates for trying to make your day of flight come sooner.
I felt like it did since there was a connection between it and your personal growth related to confronting your issues and your past.

>>279792103
Because it's a necessary part of their spiritual progression and their whole reason for incarnation. From an out-of-universe perspective, it seems to be most similar to dying of old age in a spiritually fulfilled state, which is not exactly something you can run from without making yourself miserable. Abandoning your friends and life in a less weighty circumstance, say for example by climbing the wall and escaping prematurely (representing a reenactment of suicide?) is not presented so positively.

Also, I should mention that they don't need to strive for it except a few who are troubled, for most of them it's just a circumstance that comes when it comes.

>>279792199
There was a connection, sure. But I think it was advocating for trying to make peace with yourself, and the day of flight was just a side effect of that. I don't think it wants you to leave your friends, I think that's just what happens on the day of flight. It's like you know it will happen, but you shouldn't live in fear of it happening because it will happen one day regardless of when you want it to

>>279792199
Come on, don't be silly, it's about moving on, one day you'll part ways with your friends/bonds, it's not about being alone, it's about cherishing the time you have with those you love, because one day they won't be there.

>>279792196
cute!!

>>279718965 (OP)
Finished it yesterday, it was a great experience. In some ways I think I preferred it to Lain. The themes the creators wanted to express are much more obvious, whereas Lain can feel too cryptic for its own good.

I’ve seen a few people claim that the Haibane were suicides. It made me wonder whether the dream each Haibane has before being “born” shows the moment just before they killed themselves, and that their purpose in Glie is to resolve what led them to take their own lives.

We only know Rakka’s and Reki’s dreams. Reki’s seems clear: she threw herself under a train when her life was falling apart and she couldn’t bring herself to ask for help. Rakka’s dream is more metaphorical. She’s falling—this could mean she jumped to her death, but it could also symbolize a descent into depression. The crow trying to save her is likely a loved one who tried to stop her but failed. By killing herself she hurt someone who loved her, much as she’s later hurt by Kuu’s “death.” That parallel helps her realize suicide is a selfish act; she seeks forgiveness from the crow and comes to accept Kuu’s departure.

I would have loved to see the other Haibane’s dreams—if the series had been a few episodes longer it might have been perfect. Kuu’s death was sad, but it would have been even more impactful if she’d had more screen time before her Day of Flight.

It makes me think of Houseki no Kuni, both in its characters and its themes. In general, I enjoy seeing non-human characters wrestle with human problems.

I’ll now probably watch either Texhnolyze or NieA_7.

>>279779133
Who is this cutie next to Lain?

>>279792679
Just go with Texhnolyze. NieA_7 is comfy but dosen't come close to the direction of Texhnolyze. The way they use silence in the direction of that show is masterful. The three last episodes are one of the best i have ever seen, not even on anime scale but on cinema scale generally.

>>279792679
>The crow trying to save her is likely a loved one who tried to stop her but failed. >By killing herself she hurt someone who loved her.
gone but not forgotten.

>>279793016
>your beloved friend is falling
>you try to grab onto her
>you aren't fast enough
>she dies
>you miss her so much that your soul flies trying to catch her even in purgatory

>>279793045
>you aren't fast enough
I think Crowbro was fast enough. You can see Crowbro near Rakka as she was falling, but you can also see that Crowbro couldn't lift/help Rakka, which makes it even sadder.

>>279792993
>go with Texhnolyze
Fine—eventually I’ll watch everything Abe worked on anyway. it looks like everything he touches turns to gold.

Do you guys have other anime recommendations? I watched the first half of Ergo Proxy a few months ago and plan to finish it soon. I also watched the first few episodes of Key the Metal Idol, but I think it’s poorly written.

>>279793016
>>279793045
:'(

>>279793146
>Crowbro couldn't lift/help Rakka
At least Rakka managed to lift Reki at the end


Also, does anyone know what the kids in this show are supposed to represent? They seem a bit too young to have committed suicide.

>>279792679
I'm not sure the Haibane are all suicides. Actually, I think Reki is the only one who absolutely must be a suicide. Rakka might be a suicide, but it's also possible she died in another way still involving self-neglect (like an overdose, or some other reckless behavior). I say this for two reasons: first, Rakka's sin-bound state is less severe than Reki's, but also and more importantly Rakka's and Reki's dreams are very different. Rakka's dream is vague, and her role in it is entire passive, while Reki's dream has a clear meaning (once she remembers it), and she takes an active role by walking. After that, I think we see things the same way. Her death hurt the crow, but they still loved her and wanted to forgive her.

Houseki no Kuni was nice, and there are some shared themes, but it felt so abbreviated to me, like it could introduce new themes and characters but not properly explore them. I think more episodes would have really helped it. Maybe the manga is different.

Texhnolyze is an artistic achievement and I very much recommend it. It's also great to put it beside Haibane Renmei and seeing the stark differences but also surprising similarities. NieA_7 is fun, but it doesn't reach the same heights. It actually confuses me a little bit.. I'm not sure how they made the boring human so interesting while leaving the interesting alien so boring. In any case, it's still worth a watch.

>>279793381
*entirely

>>279793345
>does anyone know what the kids in this show are supposed to represent?
I don't think they're suicides. I think there's a certain degree of spiritual development that's needed to go on to the next stage, and the older haibane died with some obstacle, small or great, that was preventing them from reaching it, but the children just died too young. So they shouldn't need anything intensive, just ordinary care for a time and they too will have their day of flight.

>>279793345
>other anime recommendations
I really liked Mushishi. It's episodic and nothing ever happens, but it's pretty and it's thoughtful. It's also very female-brained in a foreign and interesting way.

I also saw Ergo Proxy but I was unimpressed. It has this weird thing going on where the "filler episodes" are great, but the "plot episodes" are boring and kind of dumb (and one is just downright awful, you'll know when you get there). I wish they had stopped worrying so much about that plot and especially the "philosophy," and focused on the journey and characters instead.

>>279793345
>Do you guys have other anime recommendations?
I know it's been said a lot, but you should try Sora no Woto, it's more lighthearted but still has good moments, if you want something more dramatic/sad Shōjo Shūmatsu Ryokō it's for You

>>279792561
and sad!!

>>279793725
>Sora no Woto
Don't forget the soundtrack, which is as beautiful as Haibane's.

>>279793909
It's good but no that good.
https://youtu.be/G0eHJtEu24I?feature=shared

>>279794027
That's okay, but I disagree. To me, both are on par with each other.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=V17GUbIe9kM&list

>>279793146
True enough, i just thought that to be more romantic!

>>279793381
>Rakka's sin-bound state is less severe than Reki's
I don’t think being “sin-bound” proves (or disproves) suicide. Its not related of how a Haibane died. It’s basically a warning light (pic related) that flashes when she’s trapped in guilt and can’t take her Day of Flight.

The show presents two flavors of sin-bound :
Reki : chronic case. Born sin-bound, black feathers from day one, a steady symptom of deep self-loathing that lasts seven years.

Rakka : acute case. She is born fine, but after Kuu’s Day of Flight her grief spikes and her feathers darken in seconds. But she manage to works through it in a matter of weeks.

So “severity” isn’t about how they died. It’s about how long unresolved guilt keeps festering. Any Haibane who clings to despair can’t transcend and risks lingering in Glie indefinitely.

I still think every Haibane was a suicide victim, but only those who can’t let go of their negative emotions stay (or become) sin-bound.

>Rakka's and Reki's dreams are very different. Rakka's dream is vague, and her role in it is entire passive
True, but that vagueness is what you would expect from someone coping with the memory of her own suicide. Trauma survivors often rewrite events in softer focus or shift into a spectator’s role because admitting “I chose to jump” is too painful. Rakka literally sees herself falling without remembering the step that began the fall, the mind blanks out the decisive moment to be in denial.

>Reki's dream has a clear meaning
Reki, by contrast, remembers every detail of walking onto the tracks. Her self-loathing keeps the memory raw and explicit. Rakka’s psyche has already started numbing the wound, so her dream feels hazier and more passive, it’s the same act, viewed through a coping filter.

tl;dr : Being sin-bound, or having different dreamsdoesn’t disprove the suicide theory. The differences simply show how each different Haibane copes with the same situation, their death.

>>279793653
>>279793725
Thx btw

>>279749370
So this argument implies that something is wrong with Haibane Renmei. Care to explain?

>>279795941
Its a shitpost. Shitposters usually don't care and just want to ragebait

>>279792679
>>279792993
>>279793345
>>279793381
NieAnon here. I usually post my NieA/Haruhi copypasta on the Haruhi Suzumiya threads, but the most recent Haruhi thread died earlier this week >>279723743 I felt inclined to post here and in response to this because, and while Niea is one of the weaker shows in the aBe lineup (RErideD is still THE weakest and CANNOT be recommended), I can recommend NieA because of a certain approach.

I have been rewatching NieA_7 lately, and there's a lot of similarities between the progression of NieA_7 and Haibane Renmei. The first 5 to 6 episodes ground the world of the setting, and the remaining focus on a specific main plot. There's also a thematic race, with said race meant to represent certain themes (immigration for the literal aliens in NieA_7, redemption for the Haibane) So, NieA_7 can be seen as a precursor to Haibane Renmei: things that you see in Haibane Renmei had a "draft" stage in NieA_7

>>279796359
True. NieA_7 has this absurd, fever dream like feeling to everything. Its hard to explain. Thats why i would still recommend it. Its very basic, comfy slice of life.
I really love FLCL so that might be the reason i love the alien theme.

>>279792679
>>279792993
>>279793345
>>279793381
>I'm not sure how they made the boring human so interesting while leaving the interesting alien so boring
it's actually one of the weaknesses of the show, and the reason why I consider it a "proto-Haruhi Suzumiya". See, one of the reasons why the Haruhi sseries is so great is because it had humans that were as interesting as the aliens/time-travellers/espers in the show. Kyon is an ordinary human, but his struggle with Haruhi and his commentary on the situation is similar to Mayuko's. In fact, its an improvement on it because Kyon has a wit and snarkiness that's above Mayuko's. Haruhi is the supposed deity of the setting, but she does see hrself as that - she sees and thinks of herself as an ordinary human. So even though her existence creates the extraordinary, the same elements cannot let her know of their existence.

It's something I mentioned before. Haruhi ahd stakes, NieA_7 didn't. But it didn't have to be the case. Pic related was from the NieA_7 manga by aBe, and only 5 chapters of it had been translated. But a moment like this wasn't in the anime: it was only hinted at. I think the anime could have been even better if it had not relied on slapstick/situational comedy and focused on elements like this. There's a lot to NieA_7 that I think could be explored even further had it been done by a different writer (no slight to aBe, as Haibane Renmei was his writing as well)

So I'm of the opinion that Haruhi Suzumiya is "NieA_7 done right" - in the sense that it has the same dynamic - straight man/woman (Mayuko/Kyon) vs manic pixie dream girl (Haruhi/Niea), it had actual stakes, and the different races and supporting cast were a lot more interesting (the SOS brigade and their concepts vs the Enohana bathhouse crew and crater aliens). But I would still like to see NieA_7 revisted/redone, because I think there was a potential to its world and setting.

>>279796424
>absurd, fever dream like feeling to everything

Its the surreal interacting with the real. The extaordinary becoming the ordinary. I think the anime was trying to channel the feeling but didn't quite land it because it didn't explore the extraordinary enough. To give some context, and why I compare to Haruhi - Tanigawa was a survivor of the Great Hanshin Earthquake >>279732181 The depictions of closed space, as well as the disappearance of Haruhi were all tied to the kinds of things one experience in post-disaster trauma. By right, NieA_7 should have these themes - except it didn't, because it was focused only on Mayuko and her father. With the kind of mothership crash and immigrant alien problem, you'd expect more exploration of the refugee crisis (the aliens were definitely not liked, as the manga page showed) I think it should have done that, like how aBe did in the manga extract. So it makes me wonder if it was some executive decision

On the same topic, I really like the encounter Niea had in Episode 8. It was very similar to Kyon's first experience with closed space and the shinjin.

>>279749370

Talking about NieA_7...
https://web.archive.org/web/20090829024512/http://www.geocities.com/nuelow/nieaentry.html

This is about the only major guide there is to this series.

yeahyeah haibane renmei had a nice intro song or whatever and it was kinda sad
but GOD DAMN virgin loser nigga, this was like 20 YEARS ago! Move the fuck on loser

>>279731529
The only thing that ABe took from that is the city at the end of the world, that's it, nothing else is even remotely the same.

There's an interesting scene in one of the episodes where a girl bothers Rakka by touching her and talking about good luck in a kind of objectified way. It just really confused me about the world it's set in, do these people not think the haibane are people of previous lives? I mean, Reki says as much, so I assume that everyone else is essentially aware as well, so why are the humans so nonchalant about it, and why are some so rude? I just don't understand the people in that town, I can't explain their behavior.

>>279797541
>do these people not think the haibane are people of previous lives

I doubt they did. Even the Haibane themselves don't know that they had past lives. Its only Reki who ended up with a clear recollection of what her past life was like.

>why are the humans so nonchalant about it, and why are some so rude

Because they're people. Its a carry-over from NieA_7, and I think touches upon the discrimination theme. The context is also important. We feel bad for Rakka at that moment because she's actually grieving about something. But to those humans, the haibane are a rarity. Only two places have Haibane, and the whole existence of the city of Glie is pattered around Haibane. So seeing a Haibane would be a blessing to the human or rather angel that encounters them.

I really adore the idea of day of flight. The way they started acting differently, as if they had become aware of some purpose others could not grasp. How they give their goodbyes, try to leave no things undone. I found it very touching.

>>279749370
Sora no Woto actually built on its ideas and themes as it went. Haibane Renmei felt more like vague metaphor bait. Not bad, but it didn’t really go anywhere, and most of the side characters ended up feeling pointless.

>>279797706
It reminds me of how some animals are acutely aware of their incoming death and act on it. Even people can do that too; my grandpa died from one day to the next without much warning and the day before he told us he only had a few more hours left and that he loved us.

>>279797816
>>279749370

>>279748809

>>279718965 (OP)
bump

bum

Why we don't have anual rewatch like Sora no Woto?

>>279803723
Haibane Renmei is really good as a self-paced show. Its themes are contemplative and touch upon something very personal.

>>279718965 (OP)
bump

>>279803723
It's being streamed weekly at wideamari but that's almost done now.

>>279806667
I feel the same way.

>>279803723
What’s the point of rewatching an anime every year? Don’t force it, just watch it when you feel like it.

>>279812837
It's a subtle show with a lot going on that isn't directly stated, rewatching lets you pick up on those things. That and it's a community event with all the rituals and traditions that go with it.

>>279718965 (OP)
One of the best anime

>>279813033
It would be nice to spend some time with Haibane anons.

>>279792679
>I’ve seen a few people claim that the Haibane were suicides
Jesus, I've having suicide thoughts constantly and I felt in peace while watching this show for some weird reason

Not yet.

>>279817762
let it go, be a good Haibane and move on.

>>279815495
I think it’s about finding purpose in the day-to-day—nothing grand. something, something we must imagine Sisyphus happy.

>>279815417
We'd have to line it up with new years for the finale, for obvious reasons

I could never take the ending song seriously due to the singer being the same as the one for the Azumanga opening and ending.

>>279821488
Ha! I agree, that would be really nice. I've never done one of these group rewatches before, but I would do it for this show.

>>279812837
I watch Over the Garden Wall every November 1st with my mum; it's nice to have traditions.

>>279823034
Raspberry Heaven is great, dunno what your problem is.

>>279718965 (OP)
It was cinema for sure, i should go for a rewatch.

>>279718965 (OP)
I like it, and it is certainly creative.

The only fault I can really give it is it fell into a strange trope of that era of proto-isekai where the characters killed themselves are in an alternate world for whatever reason. It was surprisingly common, but I feel Haibane did it the best.

>>279823989
The idea of dead people reuniting in a fantastical environment is pretty common in world literature, which also includes Japanese literature. Night on the Galactic Road is a novel thay got turned into an anime that follows that same structure, and even Sozeki in his 10 Nights had a similar premise for one of the same stories

>>279823989
>The only fault I can really give it is it fell into a strange trope of that era of proto-isekai where the characters killed themselves are in an alternate world for whatever reason. It was surprisingly common, but I feel Haibane did it the best.
Its more of a Purgatory than an isekai in my opinion.

>>279808412
>at wideamari
I don't know where this shit is

>>279826305
every saturday

>>279718965 (OP)
I genuinely just avoid people who say they like this show. It attracts moronic /r9k/ posters like flies to shit, which is no surprise as it fits in the "teen girls floating in fields of static while having an existential crisis" genre quite nicely. I have as little respect for Renmei fans as I do for those who enjoy Naruto and One Piece, just bottom of the barrel awful.

>>279828605
>Monogatari fan detected
>Opinion dicarded

>>279828605
Good thing your respect is worth less than shit

>>279828605
So you liked the anime?

>>279828605
So what is an anime you like?

>>279718965 (OP)
They're dead anon. This is basically Angel Beats without rock music.

>>279828339
Thanks anon

>>279833175
No idea what that is.

>>279830437
It's his favorite.

rekki cute

>>279832762
Sangatsu no Lion is my favorite anime.

>>279839113
do you just show up to try derailing every thread these days?

>>279839290
Were you hoping for an answer you could shitpost about? Or perhaps say that I don't like anything? I like lots of anime, I like more anime than you've watched in your entire life. And you haven't seen any of them.

>>279839338
Put your avatar back on.

>>279839370
Get some cream for your sore butt.

>>27983938
you really should stop trying so hard

>>279839645

>>279839924
>Leaf by Niggle
What a title. I have to read it now.

>>279794130
Agreed, they're both stellar. SnW's OST contains what is probably my favourite piece of soundtrack music. Can't really tell you exactly why but something about this song fills me with ease, I never tire of listening to it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kwUi73CEn08
>>279823499
I should give this a rewatch, I guess it's been about 10 years since I first watched it.