Review of Haibane Renmei

First: You will think about this anime for years after you watch it. What can you say about this anime other than what it does to you. It draws you in, you follow the same progression as Rakka as she is 'born' of her cocoon and finds out about life in the idyllic setting designed for the haibane. Then the loss of a friend and she understands that not all is as it seems and we follow her arc through the series. Getting a job, the well, the confusion and not understanding which is inherent in her surroundings. This show is a rare one in that itis entirely different on a second watching, there are so many little subtle clues about what the haibane are, and what the place itself is.

Spoilers below

My thoughts on the series is that all the haibane are teen suicides who are given a second chance. The towns folks are in heaven (a form of it anyway) and to be members of the town the haibane must do penance in the form of work and wearing only second-hand clothes. My reasoning for this is the librarian who kept mentioned how many days she had left, and that time coincided with the disappearance/flight of Kuu. (this also explains the 'lucky' comments from the woman, Rakka's reaction to her, and then why the townspeople are so protective of them and why they can only work in certain places) I believe their old selves become part of the wall, which is their souls that quite literally guard the town. The haibane cannot touch the wall because their souls are not ready because of unfinished business and/or sin.

We were not given any information about the young-feathers other than they choose names on their future, it could be the haibane have to take care of these souls while they wait to be born. Or perhaps these are the souls that would have been had the haibane not killed themselves.

The Touga, who cannot speak to the residents or haibane are angels who keep the town alive and safe through trade as the Haibane Renmei stated that it was 'inevitable' that Rakka would be pulled from the well by them and was quite specific about that.

The Haibane Renmei himself I believe to be a failed haibane (based on his fake wings) who become priests who learn the language to talk with the angels (touga). The fact that Rakka is brought into the wall and learns this language could mean she is destined for this life.

You can spend a lot of time pouring over each episode because of the sheer weight of the symbolism and metaphoric elements used everywhere.

This is a must see anime.