Haibane Renmei
Jan. 29th, 2006 12:34 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
bookzombieWe watched the last 3 episodes last night. I can't talk about this without spoilers, so some comments and thoughts behind
Haibane Renmei really didn't end up being the story I expected at the beginning. Initially we are led to believe that the story is about 'solving' the town and the Haibanes place in it. It ends up being a very personal story about redemption and salvation. Also, around episode 9 or 10 you suddenly realise that the story is not about Rakka, our viewpoint character, but about Reki.
It was one of those stories that left me fairly emotionally drained at the end, but it was earned emotion - I dislike manipulative sentimentality, and I don't think Haibane ever descends to that. All in all it was very satisfying.
As for the setting, we are never really given more than clues as to what the town is. Looking at some of the fan sites there is, not suprisingly, a fair amount of debate: is the town for the Haibane or are they just an important part of it (Some of the fan comment tries to cast the town as being a sort of 'limbo' for the Haibane; a stepping stone to the next level of existence)? What is outside the walls? Are the other inhabitants real people or, again, are they there for the Haibane?
My thoughts, for what it's worth: the Haibane are 'reborn' people who have died (I like a suggestion someone else had that the are people who died as children) and, for them, the town is a place to move on from. I think that the town does have an existence other than being for the Haibane; it feels too real for anything else. Without wanting to 'science fictionalise' it too much, my guess is that it is set in the far future, perhaps after a nuclear or biochemical war of some kind. Notice when Rakka is under the city picking the verdigris off the walls she is has to wear a protective suit of some kind. Also, when anyone touches the wall they become ill.
Other oddments: I suspect that the traders and the Washi are Haibane who never make it out of the city. It seems clear from context that Reki committed suicide in her previous life, but there are also strong hints that maybe Rakka did too.
Anyway, all of this is fun to speculate on, but doesn't really matter. It is the relationship between Reki and Rakka that is the core of the story and a beautifully told one it is.
Haibane Renmei is a series that I would recommend to anyone, even if they are not fans of anime.
Haibane Renmei really didn't end up being the story I expected at the beginning. Initially we are led to believe that the story is about 'solving' the town and the Haibanes place in it. It ends up being a very personal story about redemption and salvation. Also, around episode 9 or 10 you suddenly realise that the story is not about Rakka, our viewpoint character, but about Reki.
It was one of those stories that left me fairly emotionally drained at the end, but it was earned emotion - I dislike manipulative sentimentality, and I don't think Haibane ever descends to that. All in all it was very satisfying.
As for the setting, we are never really given more than clues as to what the town is. Looking at some of the fan sites there is, not suprisingly, a fair amount of debate: is the town for the Haibane or are they just an important part of it (Some of the fan comment tries to cast the town as being a sort of 'limbo' for the Haibane; a stepping stone to the next level of existence)? What is outside the walls? Are the other inhabitants real people or, again, are they there for the Haibane?
My thoughts, for what it's worth: the Haibane are 'reborn' people who have died (I like a suggestion someone else had that the are people who died as children) and, for them, the town is a place to move on from. I think that the town does have an existence other than being for the Haibane; it feels too real for anything else. Without wanting to 'science fictionalise' it too much, my guess is that it is set in the far future, perhaps after a nuclear or biochemical war of some kind. Notice when Rakka is under the city picking the verdigris off the walls she is has to wear a protective suit of some kind. Also, when anyone touches the wall they become ill.
Other oddments: I suspect that the traders and the Washi are Haibane who never make it out of the city. It seems clear from context that Reki committed suicide in her previous life, but there are also strong hints that maybe Rakka did too.
Anyway, all of this is fun to speculate on, but doesn't really matter. It is the relationship between Reki and Rakka that is the core of the story and a beautifully told one it is.
Haibane Renmei is a series that I would recommend to anyone, even if they are not fans of anime.
