i promised you some pics so here´s one of them. i tried to do a 180 panorama, but since i don´t have a support for my camera it´s far from perfect. the image alignement isn´t too good and also there are some mistakes in the photo (but i think they can be corrected with photoshop)
it’s been some time since i did an anime review so here goes: haibane renmei.
first of all this as a great anime. it’s no eva or lain, but for me at least it’s right there in the top with those two. haibane renmei started out as a doujinshi written and illustrated by yoshitoshi abe (character design for lain, texhnolyze) so this alone is reason enough to watch it!
the anime starts with two strange images: a girl falling through the sky with a crow flying beside her trying to stop her fall but to no avail; then we are presented with the image of an old dusty corridor where a girl carrying some boxes accidentally stumbles upon a large cocoon growing out of the ground…
during the 13 episodes you’ll follow a young girl joining the haibane (winged creatures with haloes above their heads) while she retains no memory of her previous life – not even her name – and the joys and hardships she endures while becoming a haibane. in the first three episodes you’ll be introduced to some scenes form the lives of the haibane who live along with regular humans in the town of glie, a town surrounded by a wall that nobody is allowed to cross. after these first few episodes you’ll have so many questions that you’ll just want to continue watching all of the 13 episodes (some of your questions will be answered, some will not). i’ve found a several-page-long essay on haibane renmei discussing the nature of the unknown, the unknowable and faith (but i won’t link it here since it contains spoilers). yes, it’s one of those anime that require you to think.
the animation is exceptional, somewhat different from traditional anime (instead of vivid screaming colors you get a lot of shades and worn-out colors) which makes the setting feel more real. the music is also great and it supplements nicely the majestic landscapes of glie. the characters are well-drawn and very lifelike (much like
bottom line: if you want a very beautiful, emotionally compelling anime that will also make your brain cells jump a little then go watch haibane renmei. if you want a deeply philosophical, psychedelic experience then go watch eva and lain (though these are not recommended for everybody)
