Review of Haibane Renmei

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 instancethe 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.