Audience reviews
20 · Sample from the first available page, separate from the total number of ratings.
Atlas722
The absurd school of literature was a mistake. it gave any Idiot with a pencil the ability to vomit random problems and philosophical themes into a frame of art, with some symbolism, and label it a work of art, I blame France specifically.
Old examples of this "wannabe" form of literature ranges from "The Stranger" to "Waiting for Godot". They all have one thing in common, and that is the loss of meaning, but flashing the evidence of it's existence(the meaning)all around the work, through symbolism and dialogues with open-ended meanings.
But nonetheless, first-world teenagers and their likes will continue to praise these types of works under the false impression of depth and intelligence, and they are yet to wake up from this endless delusion.
Read at the sourcelegalize_ranch
Finally I know why teenagers love this, it's a soulless tragic story with empty hope behind it and no character development (basically most (first world) teenagers). Have heard people call this deep and philosophical, actually embarrassing.
Filled with pointless scenes and story plots. On top of that the dialogue and animation are so out of touch with what the anime is trying to convey a lot of the times, feels very awkward.
This anime doesn't deserve the soundtrack it has and especially that ending song.
All in all this gives a very clear feeling of the maker looking at things and throwing it all on paper without knowing what any of it is or what it means (read a book maybe?). The ending song has more depth and atmosphere than the whole show.
Read at the sourceOptigisa
Elitist Anime are very dangerous at times, due to them being alluring. When a group of people circlejerk something over and over again, it becomes very difficult for a newcomer to see the flaws in the show that those people are praising. Some elitist Anime are deserving of the praise when you think about them critically, but then some boggle the mind as to how they are even receiving said praise in the first place. Today we take a look at Haibane Renmei, an Anime that is so beloved by the Anime community, to the point where it has become one of the holy elitist Anime and is praised as one of the best Anime series of all time. So, is Haibane Renmei really deserving of an elite status? Or did the masses blindly praise another title simply because the artstyle looked different and it was crea…
Read at the sourceKrunchyman
Every once in awhile, an anomaly occurs, which shakes us to our very foundation. For the masses, the distinction is straightforward: love or hate; brilliant or idiotic; transcendent or pretentious. When the Beatles came along, it was immediate and sustained adoration. Justin Bieber, on the other hand, was considered the 5th most hated man in the United States, just behind O.J. Simpson. But to explain why the public supports or denounces a particular person/group is next to impossible, as it culminates from the attitude of the era and chance. One thing, however, is certain: ingrained perceptions are difficult, if not impossible to change.
Once a Beatles fan, always a Beatles fan. Once a Justin Bieber hater, always a Justin Bieber. Once considered an elitist anime, always considered an eli…
Read at the sourceliteraturenerd
Overview:
This is my 5th year on MAL and this will be my 300th review! I would first like to thank all the people who have given me helpful feedback over the years and all those that have encouraged me to keep writing. It's been a fun journey so far.
For such a big occasion, I decided to pick an anime that's actually legitimately great. No caveats, no buts, it's just flat out an amazing anime. This will be the first in a trilogy of reviews in which I'll be looking at great anime that don't quite have the popularity they deserve. The first in this trilogy is Haibane Renmei from 2002!
Background:
Haibane Renmei was released 17 years ago by a small studio called Radix that is now defunct. While always a critical darling, it wasn't a blockbuster financial success either in Japan or really…
Read at the sourcehazeltons
An interesting world with nothing to offer.
Haibane Renmei, like many other anime, presents to us an slightly mysterious and compelling world where humans and Haibane - angel-like creatures - coexist. The relationship between said creatures and humans is one of kindness, nonetheless, an uneasy feeling hovers near. Something feels out of place. For that reason, at first, I thought Haibane were being used (and maybe abused) by humans, something the protagonist would slowly figure out...
...HOWEVER...
...that concept wasn't explored...
...and what we are left with is, rather than a mysterious psychological thriller, a slightly mysterious fantasy anime with pretentious philosophical themes. The false sense of mystery is an excuse for the teenage level philosophy about themes like death.
Th…
Read at the sourceLIQfilms
Soaring towards the ground, a lone crow flies frantically in pursuit of a falling girl. Clutching desperately to her white dress, the poor creature struggles in vain to slow her descent. Touched by the crow’s efforts, the peaceful girl lovingly embraces the concerned soul, assuring the animal that all will be fine and thanking it for the worry. The crow, now aware of its powerlessness, ascends back up into the heavens, allowing the girl to fall in tranquillity, awaiting her next journey. A journey of self-discovery. A journey of acceptance. A journey of forgiveness.
Self-discovery. Acceptance. Forgiveness. The driving forces behind Yoshitoshi ABe’s 2002 cult-classic, Haibane Renmei. A true gem of a series and a shining example of what the medium is truly capable of, Haibane presents the v…
Read at the sourceParaturtle
Story:
Nothing really takes place. I know there's a lot of symbolism and world construction throughout the first few episodes, but these cannot be the primary fuel for the journey. The first few episodes are spent with Rakka trying to find a job, which is supposed to be like a light, existential journey of searching where one belongs, but it's not very strong and clouded by this awkward slice-of-life type of pacing that makes it feel long, boring, and drawn out.
That's not all. The characters are of some interest, but the Haibane are born into the world with little-to-no knowledge of their previous lives. Of course, this is of interest, but it's not something that is expanded upon or mentioned prominently to be of any real interest. This isn't the error, however. That's merely the cause.…
Read at the sourceecstacitylife
Being on every "recommended anime" picture list originating from 4chan or reddit, a lot of people say to watch this anime even though its not for everyone and evidently, not for me.
Story:
The first three episodes were cool and I thought they were the introduction, but it turns out HALF of the series is the introduction. I was super hyped starting this show after hearing about it and having it relate to Serial Experiments Lain (worked on by the same guy but not necessarily in a major way IIRC) but it was a major letdown that the story had a great setting without any movement with the characters.
Art:
It's got that "early 2000's" feel. Concept art is similar to SEL in style (just look them both up) This and the music kept me going.
Sound:
The music is so good, I've listened to it for w…
Read at the sourceCauthan
(This is a spoiler-free review adapted for this site)
[Synopsis]: After dreaming of falling through the sky, Rakka (Hirohashi, Ryou) awakens inside a large cocoon from which she is soon birthed. Once emerged, she meets several winged beings adorned with halos called Haibane who welcome her to their abode: Old Home. Rakka’s own wings grow soon after and she joins the Haibane in their daily routines and lifestyle however she wonders about the nature of the Haibane and at the distant wall that blocks off and surrounds their town of Glie from which none of them are allowed to venture near or beyond.
[Characters]:
Haibane Renmei has a fairly small cast of characters, mostly consisting of the resident Haibane of Old Home and the townspeople of Glie and of them Rakka and Reki are by far the mo…
Read at the sourceFleure
An endless fall; a young girl wrapped in white abruptly descends from the skies. A weightless haze lucidly embraces her. A dream too real, a fall too sudden; awakens she, from a strange trance and finds herself confined in a vessel that’s all too familiar in place that’s all too peculiar. A craft in the form of a cocoon holds the enigmatic maiden—a strange rebirth is to take place. The inhabitants of the building in which the cocoon swiftly lies, await in great patience for the arrival of the girl in white.
Thus begins the hauntingly decorative tale of “Haibane Renmei”
Instantly, “Haibane Renmei’s” inquisitive nature provokes the viewer while simultaneously mesmerizing with an unsettling, yet evocative atmosphere. Aesthetically, Renmei is subtly similar to that of an aged watercolor pai…
Read at the sourceStarDescent
(Read as: A lot of people)Everyone here hates SAO and others that I liked and loves Haibane Renmei, so I figured I'd be "That guy," because I really don't understand what's so great about it.
Basically, the Haibane Renmei are people with angelic appearances, and the story focuses on one who can't remember a thing about herself; she dreams of falling from the sky and wakes up in a cocoon where she's greeted by the Haibane Renmei, and is given a background of where she is and how everything works there.
The story doesn't have a bad idea. Why are they there? Just who are the Haibane Renmei? How do people end up in these cocoons? Unfortunately, questions like that aren't really directly addressed. Everything is inferred, based on key points in the show. Either that, or it's just blatantly st…
Read at the sourceLycan
After watching this for a third time in the last eight years, I can still say that this is my favorite anime. The themes are very real to me and if you let yourself be immersed by the characters, culture, and plot, you will walk away with a heavy heart and a full mind.
Like most ABe anime, this is not for everyone.
If you are looking for constant action or laughs, I would chose something else.
The first five episodes are quite slow, but it lets you take in the details. It helps you focus on the characters and realize they were all part of different walks in their previous life. It more importantly sets up the culture and setting, helping you to form your own theories about who the haibane are meant to be.
The sixth episode is where the darker underlying theme start. This series tackl…
Read at the sourcemahoganycow
Storytelling is a labor of love, regardless of what you aim to accomplish with the story. To tell a story that conveys conventional entertainment (through elements like plot, action, and drama) is tough. To tell a story that conveys meaning (through elements like symbolism, motif, tone, and theme) is tough in a whole different way. And to tell a story that conveys both of those things in a deft, skillful manner is the mental equivalent of giving birth: A long, unspeakably painful process. But at the end, you've created something of value and sent it headfirst into the sunlight of this world. Brief, deceptively simple, original, and thought-provoking, Haibane Renmei is such a story.
Haibane Renmei begins with a scene of strange beauty. A young girl wearing a white robe falls headfirst thro…
Read at the sourceblack_cat20
The only thing worse than realizing you have to take a dump after showering is realizing you've wasted your day on an entire anime series like this once it's over. I don't hate this, then again it's too long, taking me in the middle of no where mentally, and when it's over I ask myself why. I'll try to find good/bad points:
+ Perfect opening scene where she falls from the sky
+ Really addicting harpsicord used in some scenes, watch out for it!
+ I guess it has a nice Castle in the Sky-esque atmosphere
+ Excellent dinner around ep 6
+ The inside of the wall feels like a dark mystical dream
+ Unbelievably well done climax of the last episode (too bad thoes 20 seconds are the payoff)
- I'm pretty sure halo's are used only in iconography
- The wing growing thing was gross
- What's the purpos…
Read at the sourceSiarus
This is the most striking anime I've ever seen. The care and imagination that went into every aspect of the show is remarkable, but due to the slow, gentle nature of the series I wouldn't recommend it to everyone, if only because this isn't a typical anime in terms of plot. The suspense is subtle -- difficult to spot if you're watching it for the first time -- and builds up over half of the series. Haibane Renmei starts off languid and mysterious, and it tapers off just as languid and mysterious, and every episode seems to reveal more questions that never get answered. Even with the sudden spike in conflict later in the series, most of it is internal.
Don't be fooled by the angel-like appearance, by the way. Religion has nothing to do with this anime, and ABe has said before that it's a p…
Read at the sourceTrenchKamen
This is truly a stand-alone work in terms of originality. ABe did not self-censor and allowed the full weight of his intuition and dreams to direct his hand, and the result is a beautiful, ethereal, archetypal world fully-realized and yet deep enough to retain mystery. The show does not explain everything, even the most important aspects of Gile, and that feels okay. We can see in this fantastic world what is in our innermost hearts, and our intuition fills in so many of the gaps. Few stories manage to do this so well.
The story manages to blend soft, yet interesting, aspects of slice-of-life with haunting and bittersweet themes such as suicide, sacrifice, and redemption. This hints of something intimate from within ABe's innermost heart, something he himself has experienced--and in that…
Read at the sourceRanivus
Please read my review before pressing 'Not Helpful' and if you have any comments feel free to leave me a note
QUICKREVIEW
Story: 6 (beautiful anime universe but cliche' story)
Art: 8 (reminiscent of renaissance-era angel paintings)
Sound: 7 (average sound, interesting use of sign language)
Character: 8 (look very unique but stereotypical at the same time)
Enjoyment: 6 (Haibane universe got me hooked)
Overall: 35/50 = 7.0 (good, but leaves questions unanswered) Full Review
At first, Haibane Renmei starts off as a wonderful alternate universe where angels and humans coexist but as the story progresses, they manage to make a very average plot twist that leaves too much to be desired.
Falling from the sky, a young girl embraces a black crow as she's rapidly falling towards the earth. Ma…
Read at the sourceTheCriticsClub
It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that a large number of anime fans have encountered Yoshitoshi Abe or the shows he’s created and worked on, nor would I be wrong to say that he has gained a strong fanbase for his beautiful art and creative vision. Many people were turned off by the gritty confusion that was Serial Experiments Lain (one of his previous works), but there were a still few willing to dive into Haibane Renmei despite the previous title's flaws. In his debut as a writer, Yoshitoshi Abe envisioned and penned an anime series that quietly tugs at the heart and that has carved its own place in the anime medium with its unique charm. Like most things, the show is not for everyone. Although it is a solid work that should be at least enjoyed by most of its potential aud…
Read at the sourceSeishi
Some time ago, probably around 2003, I heard about this show called Serial Experiments Lain. Now, at this time, I was only vaguely into anime, and starting my first year at university. Eventually I got it, and watched it, and was amazed that an animated feature could impact me so much. These days, SEL isn't so much a favourite of mine anymore, but the legacy of its creator, Yoshitoshi ABe, passed on to another feature that we call Haibane Renmei; a show that definitely is a favourite of mine to this day.
Story - 8/10
Haibane Renmei (lit. Ash feather federation), starts off in "Old Home," a small, peaceful village full of enthusiastic youths. The story focuses on a group of five "Haibane," which are girls with tiny wings on their back, and halos floating above them. The five eventually be…
Read at the source