Review of Haibane Renmei: Vol. 4

Introduction

If you want something different from your anime, something other than the usual clichés about giant robots, girls with guns, hapless teenaged boys surrounded by a harem of lovelies, in other words something unique, then you could do worse then look up the work of Yoshitoshi ABe. I first noticed his work with the mind-bending Serial Experiments Lain. This journey into a young girl`s mind as she explored the net and found another plane of existence was by turns confusing, chilling, and inspiring. Surreal visuals combined with a complex narrative that invites repeated viewing. Next was the dystopian vision of Texhnolyze, with a prizefighter`s existence in a literal underworld in the midst of a three-way battle for supremacy revealing a dark and foreboding vision of humanity. And with Haibane-Renmei, his attention turns to… angels?

The Haibane are indeed angelic in appearance. They are reborn, with no memory of their previous lives into a mysteriously structured society, and they do indeed have wings and haloes. Their haloes are provided by the Haibane-Renmei, a group that regulates all aspects of their existence, and they live side by side with humans in an isolated town, trading work for goods. We explore this world through the eyes of Rakka, the newest addition to the community of Haibane. The fourth and final volume from MVM subtitled Day Of Flight concludes with three episodes.

11. Parting • Darkness In The Heart • Irreplaceable Thing
Rakka is cured, and hard at work at the temple. With Rakka finding her own place in the world, Reki is becoming depressed, and appears to have lost hope of ever recovering her own dream in time for the Day Of Flight. She`s withdrawing, preparing to sever all ties, but at the urging of the Haibane-Renmei Communicator, Rakka is determined to help her.

12. Bell Nuts • Passing Of The Year Festival • Reconciliation
With the passing of the year, the Haibane prepare for the festival, and that means stocking up on the peculiar bell nuts, with which greetings and messages are exchanged. Reki is intent on saying her goodbyes, and has apparently resigned herself to her fate. But when Rakka deciphers the writing in the town walls, she realises that there is still a hope.

13. Reki`s World • Prayer • Epilogue
For a Haibane to achieve the Day of Flight, she must remember her cocoon dream. After seven years however, Reki is no closer to recalling. Rakka has figured out how to restore her memories, but can Reki handle the truth about herself?

Video

Haibane-Renmei gets a 1.78:1 anamorphic transfer, which is clear if a little soft. The animation is lush with a suitably ethereal feel to it, the palette consists mostly of pastels, and the use of light is delicately but effectively done. The CGI blends well with the 2D animation, and it`s hard to spot the seams.

Audio

You get a choice between DD 2.0 English and Japanese, accompanied by translated English subtitles or signs. Everything is clear and in order for both dialogue tracks. The incidental music suits the story well, and the theme songs are really quite special.

Features

Extras include the Line Art Gallery with 40 images, the Script Cover Gallery with 13, trailers for Ikki Tousen and Kiddy Grade, and a 5-minute Special Ending, which sees the series credits over some concept art, set to a jazz soundtrack.

You`ll also find an interview with the creators, character designer and writer, Yoshitoshi ABe, and producer Yasayuki Ueda. This lasts 11½ minutes, and sees the two talk about the show and what it means.

The episode previews were absent on this disc.

Conclusion

Haibane-Renmei has been a perfect little series, one that has been an absolute joy to watch, and one that presented a world that gently envelops and leaves a warm feeling as the end credits roll. There is something to be said for the shorter series length. There`s never an ounce of filler, the show doesn`t outstay its welcome, and when it gets it as spot on as Haibane-Renmei does, then accolades like timeless classic, peerless storytelling, and essential purchase aren`t unwarranted.

The story is all about the difference between salvation and redemption, what people are willing to do for it, and what they actually need. Any more than that would take us into spoiler territory, but it does spark some interesting questions about the nature of Glie, and just why the Haibane are born there. You can draw your own conclusions, but I found that the implications gave the show a more reflective melancholy.

Why I prize this show above the other ABe creations that I have seen, is that it is far more personal, and accessible. These are all likeable characters, and the journey they take is heart-warming and touching. It doesn`t hurt that the animation is so sublime. The world of Haibane-Renmei is drawn in gentle colours, pastels and warm shades. The setting is a rustic, rural European any-town, with a close-knit community and a refreshing lack of modern hustle and bustle. It`s a show that welcomes and embraces you, a world that you can lose yourself in, exploring the various aspects of its existence.

Haibane-Renmei definitely leaves you wanting more. I could happily watch another thirteen episodes to see the story develop further, and if you could call it a drawback, you never do find out exactly what the Haibane are, and what this ethereal world actually is. I do prefer drawing my own conclusions as I have previously said, but those who prefer the answers at the back of the book, may find the show`s lack of narrative completion disappointing. That isn`t really the point though, as Haibane-Renmei has been more about the character journeys, Rakka and Reki`s, and it concludes these stories most satisfactorily.

As is so often the case with eclectic titles like this, I`m always shocked that it doesn`t do as well as it should. But then in my opinion, anyone who hasn`t seen it is missing out on great television, regardless of what they feel about anime. See what you can do to redress the balance, buy Haibane-Renmei today.