Review of Haibane Renmei

Here we have an anime that's all about subtlety and creativity. Preferring not to make any big grandiose statements, Haibane Renmei instead tells a simpler story without too much pretense or ambition. It's simply there for the viewer to absorb, and what you'll get out of it is entirely up to how you interpret its themes and how much value you place on those interpretations. There's a lot to like with this series because there's a lot to explore. The sheer amount of detail put into Haibane Renmei's setting alone is impressive, and it's a very specific kind of detail that focuses on the smaller sideof things while leaving the bigger concepts to the imagination. Almost every mundane aspect of life for the inhabitants of Grie has a purpose, explanation, and reason for being included in the show. There's a believability to the world that goes a long way in convincing the audience that the titular Haibane could actually exist as they're shown to.

All of the series' central characters happen to be Haibane: angel-like beings donning wings and halos who spontaneously arrive in the town of Grie by hatching from cocoons. There are numerous rules set in place that govern what the Haibane can do and how they should behave, and interestingly, they're treated both as secondary citizens and as highly respected individuals depending on the situation; Rakka, the show's main protagonist, tends to have the most difficulty dealing with this. Only having just been born as a Haibane, she isn't exactly comfortable being treated as one yet and goes though a bit of an identity crisis. It's hard for her to figure out how she fits into this somewhat unsettling new world, and it's all pretty relatable.

Beyond just the setting, there seemingly exists an extensive lore rich with intrigue; I say "seemingly" because it's mostly a clever trick on the creators' part. They know exactly how to trickle just enough information to you over the course of the series so that you get the idea but never the answer. The world outside the walls of Grie remains a mystery, and the origin of the Haibane is never truly explained. Because, at the end of the day, the entire setting is just a carefully constructed allegory for what the creators actually wanted to express to the audience: a simple story about redemption and forgiveness.

Almost everything in the show's setting is there to serve the main plot, which is a character study involving Rakka and her housemate, Reki. Both of them suffer from similar feelings of regret which is used as a means for them to understand one another. This is the part of the show where symbolism starts to come into play, and there are quite a few visual metaphors used. I kind of wish the creators had a little more faith in the viewers here, as sometimes more is said than needs to be. It's nice to use these kinds of metaphors, but it goes against their purpose when they're talked about at length. However, that's a relatively minor complaint considering their greater value to the narrative.

I also want to say that I really appreciate how the drama never quite turns into full-blown melodrama even when it looks like it's going to. For the most part the show is pretty restrained, and when characters inevitably tear up it's for understandable reasons. That being said, the emotional impact wasn't always there for me, particularly concerning one event that I don't feel was given enough build up in previous episodes. To be fair, though, that event wound up being the catalyst for some interesting developments, so it worked out in the end.

Now, as for the visuals of Haibane Renmei, they're unfortunately a mixed bag. On one hand you have the art direction which is undeniably fantastic, and the character designs which are distinct and memorable; together, with the beautiful background art, a nice mixture of nostalgia and surrealism is achieved. Then on the other hand you have the inconsistent animation quality. Most of the time the fluidity is just not there, and although the characters are rarely drawn simply standing still, their motions usually wind up feeling stiff and rigid. Even so, while it doesn't always come out smoothly, the animators do make an honest attempt to always have the characters express themselves realistically with body language and facial expressions, and that I can respect.

On average, though, the directing isn't all that interesting either—at least not to the extent that it could have been. Save for a few great instances here and there, the show is directed in a surprisingly straightforward manner. It's filled with some pretty jarring zoom-in shots and flat compositions—indeed, this is an early 2000's series. But, when it really wants to, this show can actually look amazing. I remember episode eight in particular catching my attention, and the climax of the final episode was visually stunning. This show is at its best when the already gorgeous art direction compliments the moments when the director did make the effort to go above and beyond the standard.

Either way, the unique tone of Haibane Renmei is unmistakable, and the atmosphere it creates is heavy. Its cult classic status shouldn't be in question at all, as it offers plenty enough to reflect on even after it's over. While I think the show really deserved a better presentation and perhaps a more fleshed out cast of characters, what we do have here is a great series that, on occasion, looks as beautiful as its message.