Customer Reviews

Haibane Renmei - New Feathers (Vol. 1) With Series Box

5 star:		(36)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

What attracted me to this series was the artistic connections to Serial Experiments - Lain, which was an outstanding example of what anime is capable of out of genre. What kept me from getting to it when it first came out was that, depending on the review I looked at, it either sounded humdrum or was painted as a 'magical girl' story. Now that I've seen this first DVD I can report that it is neither what I expected nor what the critics reported, but something quite unique.

A young girl finds herself plummeting through the air only to wake up unexpectedly in a strange bed surrounded by people with wings. She discovers that, like her, each has awoken from a dream to find themselves in the Old Home with no memory of the past. And like them, she grows wings and acquires a halo. The remainder of these four episodes follow Rakka as she adjusts to her new like and discovers the world of the Haibane, the Old Home in which they live, and the town of Glie, which forms their boundaries.

There are countless mysteries. Rakka and her friends like, Kuu, Hikari, Kana and Reku, only know the way things are, but have no idea how this came to be. Thus the origins of the Haibane (charcoal feathers) and their role are mysteries. They exist within the walls of Glie, where no one, Haibane or normal human is allowed to enter the outside world. Only birds and the masked Toga (traders) can to so, and the Toga may not speak. Amidst this, the Haibane themselves carry on, working in the town and living off its largess with surprising acceptance and a great deal of charm.

And charm is what this series has a surfeit. The Haibane and the townsfolk all seem bounded together in a supportive fashion, which is almost, a model of what most of us would think of as a perfect community. It doesn't take long before the viewer becomes complete enchanted. Not just with the story, but the art, acting, and music as well. Despite all the signs that things are not really as they appear you will find yourself hoping that things will go on just as they are, that the glimmer of light here will prevail.

What the future will bring, I can't say. But I hope we get add least a few more DVD's of the tranquility and almost Zen-like atmosphere that permeates these first episodes. This is a delicate story that unfolds in the pastel shades of some wonderful artwork and character design. In any case, I believe you will find the originality of the story and its characters refreshing and worth pursuing.

Like his earlier work "Serial Experiments: Lain", "Haibane Renmei" starts out apparently slow, then builds like the proverbial snowball to an astonishing finish.

The web of drama and mysticism in this series has to be one of the tightest I've seen in anime. Almost every conversation reveals, in the most subtle manner, the hopes and fears of the characters involved. At first, the town of Guri seems to be an idyllic paradise. Then...

This is "real life". We get to know the characters in "Haibane Renmei" like we do our own co-workers and neighbors: one encounter at a time, day by day, each day a little more revealing than the last. For some of us, our life goals and beliefs about God take years to understand; it is the same for Rakka. "What are the Haibane?" is a question that is asked, and never quite answered, throughout the series. That's the point. It is up to us to take in all the information and decide.

This series is not for mecha-lovers, or for impatient action fans, or for anyone who can't sit still for 13 episodes without a building blowing up or a legion of aliens taking over. This is a series to ponder. Like life, it must be experienced forwards, but can only be understood backwards. That is why multiple viewings are common among HR fans: there are so many layers to delve through.

We start, as Rakka does, confused as to where we are, what our purpose is. We experience incredible highs and devastating losses. We find friends who know what we've been through, and other well-meaning people who love us despite our weaknesses. We don't quite understand some of the processes, the "ground rules", of the world around us. And we learn that the world is not always a safe place.

Probably one of the most "human" animes ever produced.

As an artist I am in love with this series. The world is richly portrayed, and unique in it's blend of asian, european and fantastic elements. The story is slow to develop but in a good way, there is a gentle, soft telling of a tale here which is rare and unique, and the characters and unfolding plot are better for it. You can't watch this series without becoming aware of the obvious care and devotion the artists have put into it.

This is an animation which evolved from a written story, which evolved from a piece of poetry, so maybe there is some literary aspect of it that failed to engage the Amazon reviewer. But don't believe it, there is a lot going for Haibane Renmei beyond it's artwork.

The story, the characters, and the world they live in have depth and heart. It compares favorably to some of anime's great titles, notably "Spirited Away," "Castle in the Sky," "Lain," and "Key the Metal Idol." If you liked any of these, you will enjoy Haibane Renmei. I strongly recommend it.

Haibane Renmei is a rare treat - an anime that utterly eschews bright colors, violence, nudity, and giant robots, yet is utterly captivating. The pace is somewhat slow at first, but it serves to deepen the numinous mystery of the setting. The effect is one of deep unease. What is the nature and purpose of the Haibane? The answer seems destined to be unsettling.

We get to know all the major characters in the first disk, as well as the lay of the land - Old Home, the town, and the Wall. The latter will play an important role in the series to be sure, but in an unexpected way. The real meat of the story is the growth of Rakka's character and her relationships with the other Haibane. This is what makes Haibane Renmei a treasure.

The collector's box, pencil boards, and the Haibane Hakusho (info booklet) are all wonderful additions to this DVD. Extras on the DVD are pretty standard for an anime, and include previews for other series, some character sketches, and a few other things like that. The English dubs aren't exceptional, certainly inferior to the Japanese voice talent. Hopefully the other volumes will include a more interesting assortment of extras.

I find myself wondering whether the Amazon editorial reviewer watched the same series I saw as a fansub.

Haibane Renmei is beautifully drawn, enigmatic and steeped in otherworldly mystery. No fights. No fanservice. No slapstick humor - although it has moments that make you laugh. Just an introspective, achingly beautiful story.

Probably not appropriate for young kids, although not for the idiotic reasons cited above, but instead because the series examines issues that would be troubling for most pre-teens (betrayal, redemption, suicide, death). I can only assume that all this passed right over the head of the reviewer.

I've preordered the disk, and anxiously await the rest of the series coming out.

"Charles Solomon is an internationally noted historian and critic of animation" - you'll see this peppered all over amazon.com. Apparently after having been noted in so many nations he no longer has to see an entire work before pronouncing it dull. If you, on the other hand, are not quite so widely noted and you're looking for an enthralling meditation on salvation, check out Haibane Renmei. Not just the first disc (that just sets the stage) - watch it all the way through. Don't be confused because the story features adolescent characters: they are wrestling with questions about sin, redemption and the purpose of existence. This isn't really a story for kids. They haven't sinned enough to appreciate it. Perhaps Charles Solomon hasn't, either.

Okay, so I've only seen the first four episodes. It has never happened to me before where I immediately buy the first four episodes of a series I've never seen in its entirety while eagerly awaiting the release of the remaining nine. This disc is great. Really.

If you're looking for a garishly colored series with scantily clad large breasted women with blue hair wielding the controls of giant robots with action sequences that would cause epileptic shock and humor suitable for 12 year olds, you may wish to look elsewhere in the anime section.

If you're looking for a compelling storyline, excellent character development with a huge dose of imagination thrown into a fully realized world (not to mention strange beings that grow wings and wear a halo), I'd whole heartedly recommend seeing at least the first four episodes. You owe it to yourself to break away from the stereotypical anime and check out something truly unique.

The only other anime that I loved this much would be Ghibli works such as Princess Mononoke, Spirited away and Grave of the Fireflies.

Highly recommended to anyone with an attention span greater than that of a gnat.

Thank you for taking the time to read this,

Bill Smith

This is a fairly short series at 13 episodes that is well worth your time to watch and is based on a comic written by the creator of Serial Experiments Lain and Niea_7.

It is refreshing to see a show that relies on likeable and realistic characters, albeit in an unusual setting. At no point does this show deteriorate into a fan service showcase as so many with a primarily female cast seem to fall into. There are no explosions, no giant robots, no save-the-world exploits. Rather, there are many unanswered questions as we explore the world of the Haibane, people who awaken into a world where they are given halos, grow wings, and have no memory of their past.

I recommend the show for it's beautiful animation, soothing music, and of course for a wonderful story about a young girl trying to find her place and who struggles with the limitations and mystery of the new world into which she has been born.

I do not recommend this show if you are interested only in action heavy shows or for those who often complain about slow pacing in stories, although I do urge you to give this one a try. You may be pleasantly surprised.

As far as the available language tracks, I felt that the English voice actors did a very good job with their characters, and I would venture to say that they were overall on par with their Japanese counterparts. As it is, I was able to enjoy watching it dubbed or subbed.

I have to wonder why Charles Solomon even does the anime reviews for Amazon, since he seems to hate every series that actually contains a plot and decent character development. He has given bad reviews to all of my favorite series: Escaflowne, Utena, and Haibane Renmei. Just ignore his review. Haibane Renmei is an excellent anime. Try to watch it in its entirety -- I only had the first 3 disks for awhile and went nuts trying to track down the 4th. Though it is delicately paced, rather like My Neighbor Totoro, this is a not a vapid or uninteresting story. The themes it touches on are very intense. The plot did not progress in a way I expected AT ALL, and the ending is incredibly moving. However, if you can't stand NOT seeing something explode or a girl's top fly off every 10 seconds, you should avoid this series. It requires you to actually invest in it. You can't watch this as a passive viewer, you have to think. If you're willing to do that, I can't recommend Haibane enough. It is hands down the best story I've experienced, written, animated or otherwise, in years.

I am a fan of many things, and I normally have a hard time choosing favorites. Why? Because I tend to enjoy each form of entertainment I indulge in for its own peculiarities, which renders the idea of "my overall favorite" meaningless to me.

Except in this case.

As of the time of this review, I have watched the entire Haibane Renmei series 33 times -- officially. That means each episode in its entirety, in sequence, with the opening credits, as part of a deliberate and comprehensive series viewing. Unofficially, I have certainly seen each episode in its entirety at least 50 times, and I seriously doubt it will stop there.

I am not the kid who insists on seeing Star Wars -- or the craze du jour -- 500 times so he can be the kid who saw it the most in his town. In fact, there are very few things I consider worthy of my repeated attention. And, as a man in my forties, though I never have thought of myself as a "grownup", most people would probably not think of me as a "kid", either.

I have waited several months before presenting my review of Haibane Renmei here, because I wanted to "make sure". Make sure of what? That I really do love this show as much as I did the first time I watched it.

Well, I do. I love this show more than anything else I have ever watched. Ever.

More than any Disney movie, more than any movie, more than any TV series, even Babylon 5 or any flavor of Star Trek (I loved them all). More than The Usual Suspects, a brilliant movie I could watch anytime, anywhere. More than anything else I have ever seen.

For me, Haibane Renmei is "The One".

Of course, I am clearly obsessed with this anime, and thus recommend to you that, as someone who has perhaps never seen it, you take that into consideration. I do not wish to mislead you. This is not the "perfect anime". It is loaded with all sorts of flaws that any self-respecting otaku could point out in a heartbeat.

But I don't care. This is a story with true heart. This is a series which gets to the bread and butter of what it's really all about. There is nothing else like it. I have never seen its equal.

This show is not a cute little commercial for toys or anything like that. It is a drama, and as a drama, it deals with the fundamental questions of life. I do not recommend this series for children. Most kids are not ready for this, and it can seem a bit scary at times.

Just like life.

In my mind, it is pointless to try to explain what Haibane Renmei is really about. Rather, you just have to watch it and decide for yourself. You may want to rent it first, or see it at a friend's house, or whatever.

You may not like it. But I'm betting that, as several online polls have shown, once you have seen this anime, you will want to own it.