Review of Haibane Renmei

This anime is genuinely moving. It handles very dark themes with unexpected grace, and if you can identify with the struggles of Rakka and Reki, you will greatly appreciate its messages. It's one of those pieces of art that, if discovered at the right moment in your life, will leave a permanent mark. I stopped giving numerical scores to the anime I watched some time ago, because I could never craft a real standard for myself to follow, and anyway I mostly use Myanimelist as a personal archive. In this case though, I felt compelled to write a review, especially after seeing some of themore negative ones.

Let's start with the more technical aspects.

The animation is sometimes sub-par, especially around the beginning of the second half, but the very strong sense of style of the character design, together with the atmosphere created by the beautiful backgrounds and coloring choices more than make up for it.

The music fits perfectly with said atmosphere, going from very soothing to pretty intense. The opening theme is especially beautiful.

The slow pace of the first half didn't bother me; in fact, I believe it's instrumental in introducing the world and its characters. However, I can see how it could turn away some people, especially if they intend to binge the whole series in one go.
I think it's best to watch only one or two episodes a day and let your mind slowly absorb it. It's short, so it won't take much time anyway.

When it comes to its characters, the show excels at giving each one a distinct personality. You'll grow very attached to the main cast.

Now, let's talk about the story.

The premise is really strong, and right from the start it introduces many questions. A sense of uneasiness permeates even the happier moments. Some of the answers to these questions are left to the viewers interpretation, but the show is not exactly subtle with its symbolism, making it not very difficult to arrive at a satisfactory conclusion.

If you like angst, you will love Haibane Renmei, but be wary if you are sensitive to themes of self-harm or suicide. It has those.

Overall, a great watch.