Falling for Haibane Renmei
Haibane Renmei - An Anime Review
Hey Everyone!
This time we thought we'd talk about Haibane Renmei, a wistful yet beautiful 13 episode anime series created by Yoshitoshi ABe who you may recognize as the character designer for animes like Serial Experiments Lain and Texhnolyze. Haibane Renmei tackles some darker topics such as death and suicide, but does so in a mindful way, which makes Haibane Renmei an anime deserving of notice. For our full review you can watch our anime review video below.
For the rest of this post, we’ll be going over our theories about the series so you are advised that from this point on there will be spoilers - So let’s get to it!
Just a quick disclaimer before we get started - we are not personally religious, so any mention of religion or spiritual beliefs were approached from a purely academic standpoint and are used merely to explain and examine our theories in regard to the anime Haibane Renmei.
Who are the Renmei?
In the series, there are two mysterious groups/entities which we are given little information about. These groups are the Toga and the Renmei. Now as of writing this we still can’t say much about the Toga, but the Renmei is another story. Our main clue comes from the Renmei themselves. When speaking with Rakka, the Communicator who is the de facto leader of the Renmei tells her that the Haibane who fail to achieve their Day of Flight “are no longer called Haibane. They lose their wings and halos and live away from both the humans and the Haibane, and sooner or later they grow old and die. It is a quiet and peaceful, but lonely life.”
We couldn’t help but feel as if the Communicator was speaking from experience, but could the Renmei really be former Haibane? Let’s look at what he said -
The first part talks about how those who are no longer Haibane, lose their wings and halos. While we can’t say that they had any to begin with, it is curious that they seem to wear a symbolic halo around their hoods and fake wings with bells. The Communicator actually wears a pair of black wings, which could simply symbolize his ranking within the Renmei or it could also be a sign of mourning due to having lost his wings.
The second part of what the Communicator tells Rakka is that the former Haibane must live away from both the humans and the Haibane. If we’re talking about those that reside within the walls, then the only group that seems to live in isolation, away from the town of Glie and the Haibane nests, are the Renmei.
The fact that the Renmei know a lot about the Haibane also helps the case that they may have been former Haibane. Never having taken their own Day of Flight means they are able to now accumulate much more information about the Haibane and what’s needed to help them. Perhaps not being able to move on, means that they must now stay behind and look after the next “flock” of Haibane that come along, and make sure they don’t fall into the same pitfalls that they did.
When creating the Renmei, it seems that Yoshitoshi ABe was influenced by many different religions, from Buddism, to Shinto, to Christianity, to even Shamanistic-like religions. But there is one that seems to not only have influenced the show aesthetically but also through a lot of themes and symbolism. This religion is Christianity and more specifically Catholicism. Putting aside the fact that the Haibane resemble angels, even though ABe has strongly said that they aren’t, there are a lot of other signs that point to Catholicism as an influence. Take the vow of silence that the Renmei seem to be practicing. Sure there are other religions such as Buddhism that also practice vows of silence, but during our research, nothing came as close to the vow of silence that the Renmei practice as the Monastic Silence practiced by the Roman Catholic Church. Vows of Silence is meant to help the practitioner develop self-knowledge, and achieve enlightenment or spiritual purity, which will allow them to become closer to God.
During our research, we also came across a Trappist’s commitment to silence which is said to assure solitude within community, which is what the former Haibane and Renmei would be encouraged to achieve. Making them both a part of the walled community and apart from the other inhabitants. Early monastic communities also evolved simple hand signing for essential communications, and were only allowed to speak in certain situations, much like the Renmei, who will speak to the Haibane but will only communicate with each other using signs.
Are the Haibane dead? If so how?
One of the biggest theories about the series is that the Haibane are all dead. That they died in their previous lives and were then reborn in Glie. And many people also think that the Haibane all died from suicide, this mainly due to clues found in their dreams.
Dreams could be a clue as to the method of suicide. Some examples:
Rakka falls from the sky ____________________________Jumping from a rooftop
Kana sees fish while underwater _____________________Drowning herself
Nemu is sleeping _________________________________Sleeping pills
Kuu feels like shes floating __________________________Hanging herself
Hikari sees a bright light ____________________________Electrocution
We don’t think this is the case though. Only Reki who can’t remember her dream and was born with black stained wings can be tied to having died from suicide. This is because we actually see her finally remembering her dream (more like nightmare) in which we see her step in front of an oncoming train.
None of the other girls seem to go through anything like this and are all born with stainless wings. Yes, Rakka’s wings start becoming stained over time, but only because she goes through a dark depression after losing Kuu, and no longer wants to exist. Once she’s able to pull herself out of this depression and find “salvation” her wings go back to being stainless. Which makes us believe that all of their deaths could have just been accidental.
Rakka falls from the sky____________________________Fallen from somewhere high up
Kana sees fish while underwater _____________________Fallen into a river
Nemu is sleeping _________________________________Died from an illness or in a coma
Kuu feels like shes floating __________________________Faulty elevator/plane crash?
Hikari sees a bright light ____________________________Car accident /Explosion
So have they all died? We think so. Did they die from suicide? Other than Reki, probably not.
What are the Haibane?
Another mystery found in the show which is left up to the viewers' interpretation is what are the Haibane exactly? We don’t get too much information about them, but from what little we do know about them here’s our theory. First, the Haibane are neither human nor are they angels, though we don’t blame people for coming to that conclusion given the wings and halos; but the creator of Haibane Renmei, Yoshitoshi Abe, has adamantly said that’s not the case.
When Rakka and Nemu try imagining the Origin of the Haibane, the story they come up with is that when the “Creator” first created the Haibane he was displeased for he felt that they looked too similar to him, and so he shortened their wings and cut holes in their halos. He then stored them away at the back of his mind and continued creating the world. When he finally created humans he was satisfied and proceeded to sleep. While he slumbered the Haibane hatched a plan and escaped out into the world. When the “Creator” wakes up, he notices that the Haibane have escaped, but decides to let them be.
This implies that the Haibane lie somewhere between humans and the “Creator”. And so we agree with Yoshitoshi ABe, the Haibane aren’t angels, at least maybe not yet anyway. We believe that their life in Glie may be merely a precursor, to their next destination (Heaven/Nirvana/etc). One in which they prove that they are worthy of ascending to the next level. To do this they’ll have to shed everything that is weighing them down, such as feelings of guilt, fear, anxiety, pride, despair, etc.
This could explain why they have these stunted charcoal colored wings and forged halos. It’s not like those tiny wings serve any use, being too small to allow flight. Instead, it seems to keep them grounded, like birds with their wings clipped. We like to think that once they have their Day of Flight, they’ll be reborn with a new set of pure white wings that will allow them to fly and therefore be truly free. Kind of like going from Gandalf the Grey to Gandalf the White.
What’s the meaning behind the name Glie?
Does the name Glie have a special meaning? Well we don’t think it was a coincidence that the town of Glie, pronounced “Gu-ree” in Japanese sounds a lot like the French word “Gris” meaning Grey. Grey is neither white nor black, but is somewhere in between, just like the town of Glie.
This would also help better explain why the studio chose a French tagline for the Haibane Renmei logo. The tagline in question reads “Une fille qui a des ailes grises” which translates into English as “A girl who has grey wings”.
We can’t help think this is an easter egg of sorts, pointing to the importance of the word “Gris” or “Grey” - Well played Radix Ace Entertainment, well played.
What’s this symbol mean?
Something we found curious was the book that all the Haibane are given in lieu of pocketbooks. On the cover, we see a gold logo that looks like a scale made of wings with a halo on top, the same logo the Renmei sport. We couldn’t help thinking this looked like some kind of Scale of Judgement. Like that of the goddess Ma’at from ancient Egyptian mythology that weighs one's heart against her feather of truth. If your heart weighs less than the feather you are allowed to journey to the afterlife, but if your heart weighs more than the feather it gets devoured by a beast. The Day of Flight does imply that their actions are being tested, and this just seemed like another reminder.
What does Kuu mean when she says her glass is full?
Before her Day of Flight, Kuu tells Rakka that ever since her life began in Old Home she’s heard a dripping sound in her mind, and now with Rakka’s help, she was able to finally add the last remaining drops, filling up her cup.
Ok so we’ve already established that the Haibane are in Glie to overcome certain hurdles that are holding them back from moving-on, moving-on being their Day of Flight. These hurdles can be doubts, feelings of guilt, not feeling useful, etc. We think that whenever these hurdles were overcome they would manifest symbolically in Kuu's mind as droplets. After Rakka is “born”, we learn that Kuu had been looking forward to having a little sister, one that would look up to her. So it’s no surprise that she’d end up disappointed when Rakka is not only older but also much taller than her.
As time goes on Kuu is able to assume a senior/senpai role in regards to Rakka, helping her learn about Glie and the duties of a Haibane. Through this relationship, she is able to fulfill her wish of having someone look up to her, even if that way was different than how she had originally imagined it. (Very Under the Tuscan Sun) This is how Rakka was able to fill Kuu glass. Kuu’s glass was full because she no longer had any regrets, and so she was able to meet her Day of Flight.
Why can’t Rakka help Reki until she asks for help?
There is a scene towards the end of the series where Reki is filled with an overwhelming despair and when Rakka steps towards her, in an attempt to give her aid she’s held back by Reki’s former self. It is only when Reki asks for help, that Reki’s former self lets Rakka go and disappears. Why is that?
In Marc Hairston’s article “Fly Away Old Home: Memory and Salvation in Haibane-Renmei” he writes “ despair is the ultimate sin: the shutting off of oneself from hope, from God, and from the opportunity for salvation. This is why (...) suicide is considered the one unforgivable sin.” “Salvation cannot be forced on a person, and it is pride, stubbornness, or, in Reki’s case, fear that prevents her from reaching outside herself for salvation.”
In the end, Reki is able to receive salvation and thus find redemption because she asked for help. Kind of like getting lost while driving; some people will refuse to admit that they are lost, either due to pride or stubbornness, all the while most likely remaining lost, while others will stop and ask for directions, and reach their destination. Conclusion, it’s ok to ask for help, in fact, it’s encouraged.
That’s it for now, we hope everyone enjoyed that :) If anyone has any thoughts on the theories we mentioned or have any other theories about Haibane Renmei we’d love to hear them! Leave us a comment and let’s discuss. If you couldn’t tell, we love analyzing and theorizing about our favourite animes so join us in the fun! and
~ Stay Obsessed
PS. Personally, we do not view depression or suicide as a sin, but rather as a symptom of mental health issues. If you are in need of help please know that you are not alone and that there are resources available to assist you.
I really liked this anime, it left a weight of desire to wonder and think about. I like the things you discuss on your post, here are some of my thoughts.
ReplyDelete“...the Communicator who is the de facto leader of the Renmei tells her that the Haibane who fail to achieve their Day of Flight “are no longer called Haibane. They lose their wings and halos and live away from both the humans and the Haibane, and sooner or later they grow old and die. It is a quiet and peaceful, but lonely life.
We couldn’t help but feel as if the Communicator was speaking from experience”
I suspected the Communicator of having failed to achieve the day of flight since they pretty much described their life, though they may have said that about someone they know. Which brings me to my theory: the people in Glie could be offspring of those who have failed the day of flight. Because they were born without having the chance of having their day of flight, and because they were becoming numbered and needed more space, they were allowed to live in the town and have a chance at a normal life.
“Only Reki who can’t remember her dream and was born with black stained wings can be tied to having died from suicide.”
I agree, it was clear at the end this was the case with Reki, though not enough information is given to confirm the cause of death of the others and I do not think it is.
The dead crow at the bottom of the well might be an indication to Rakka’s cause of death, having fallen a long distance. Though I think the well is more of a symbolism of being deep in an internal struggle like depression.
“This implies that the Haibane lie somewhere between humans and the “Creator”. And so we agree with Yoshitoshi ABe, the Haibane aren’t angels, at least maybe not yet anyway. We believe that their life in Glie may be merely a precursor, to their next destination (Heaven/Nirvana/etc). One in which they prove that they are worthy of ascending to the next level. To do this they’ll have to shed everything that is weighing them down, such as feelings of guilt, fear, anxiety, pride, despair, etc. “
I too think Glie represents a purgatory, and I like the way you say they have to shed everything weighing them down in order to ascend to the next level.
“Does the name Glie have a special meaning? Well we don’t think it was a coincidence that the town of Glie, pronounced “Gu-ree” in Japanese sounds a lot like the French word “Gris” meaning Grey. Grey is neither white nor black, but is somewhere in between, just like the town of Glie.
This would also help better explain why the studio chose a French tagline for the Haibane Renmei logo. The tagline in question reads “Une fille qui a des ailes grises” which translates into English as “A girl who has grey wings”. ”
Nice catch!
“PS. Personally, we do not view depression or suicide as a sin, but rather as a symptom of mental health issues.”
Exactly, I’m glad this was mentioned.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts with us! You gave us some interesting points to further think about.
Delete“I suspected the Communicator of having failed to achieve the day of flight since they pretty much described their life, though they may have said that about someone they know. Which brings me to my theory: the people in Glie could be offspring of those who have failed the day of flight. Because they were born without having the chance of having their day of flight, and because they were becoming numbered and needed more space, they were allowed to live in the town and have a chance at a normal life.”
We think there is also a chance it could be referring to the Toga, but we think it’s more likely to be the Renmei. We also think there’s a possibility that the Haibane children may become the citizens of Glie.
Children in purgatory or limbo can’t move on and go to heaven, but since they are still considered innocent they can remain in a place that brings them happiness, and Glie seems to fit that bill. The children also talk about a future in which they’ll grow up and have careers, which makes us think that when they lose their wings they’re just able to join the rest of Glie’s citizens, that or they get a second shot at living on earth and are reborn, but our guess is that’s it’s more likely that they get to stay in Glie. That might also be why the people of Glie revere the Haibane so much because unlike them the Haibane are able to ascend to the next level. (Whether they remember ever being Haibanes themselves or not after losing their wings is a mystery)
“Though I think the well is more of a symbolism of being deep in an internal struggle like depression.”
This was a great point! Depression is often described as being stuck at the bottom of a deep hole or well.
Let us know if you catch anything else :)
“We think there is also a chance it could be referring to the Toga, but we think it’s more likely to be the Renmei. “
DeleteI agree. I see how it can be thought it is the Toga based on what the Renmei said (“[the Haibane who do not to achieve their day of flight] lose their wings and halos and live away from both the humans and the Haibane, and sooner or later they grow old and die. It is a quiet and peaceful, but lonely life”) but they always show up in groups and the Renmei seem more lonely than them.
“We also think there’s a possibility that the Haibane children may become the citizens of Glie.
Children in purgatory or limbo can’t move on and go to heaven, but since they are still considered innocent they can remain in a place that brings them happiness, and Glie seems to fit that bill. The children also talk about a future in which they’ll grow up and have careers, which makes us think that when they lose their wings they’re just able to join the rest of Glie’s citizens, that or they get a second shot at living on earth and are reborn, but our guess is that’s it’s more likely that they get to stay in Glie. That might also be why the people of Glie revere the Haibane so much because unlike them the Haibane are able to ascend to the next level. (Whether they remember ever being Haibanes themselves or not after losing their wings is a mystery)”
I like the theory that the ascended Haibane get a second shot at living on Earth, though I think it’s more likely they live beyond the walls of Glie. As you said, the word “Glie” is most likely referencing the French word for grey, gris, and the town is like the middle area between life and afterlife, and once they ascend they would leave the grey area. Although it may not be heaven, the world beyond the walls may be a little more bright than Glie. And if they were to live in Glie, they would be recognized by others who knew them before reaching their day of flight, and no occurrence of that happened in the series.
Another theory I have is the Toga can be the ascended Haibane, a reason for them not speaking with anyone and wearing hoods is to avoid being recognized by the Haibane they know who are still Glie citizens.
I have another thought... if Reki lived in a place with our society’s current views, her black wings would be considered a difference to embrace, a beautiful distinction. But this brings up questions such as, would this now mean she wouldn’t know she had to do something to turn them lighter, therefore preventing her from achieving her day of flight? And if so, what does this say about our society? Could we also be missing a deeper understanding of some things in this context?
ReplyDeleteI guess this observation is an indication of the significance of perspective.
This is another great point, a lot has changed since Haibane Renmei came out in 2002. We now live in a society that encourages everyone to be accepted for who they are, flaws and all, and this is a great sentiment. But somewhere along the way, the message has gotten warped to mean that we should ignore that those flaws even exist, which is counterintuitive to what the original message was. Those flaws make that person who they are, good or bad, and should not be merely glossed over.
Delete“Acceptance doesn’t mean resignation; it means understanding that something is what it is and that there’s got to be a way through it.” - Michael J. Fox
One thing that has been positively affected by society’s willingness to embrace differences, is that we now acknowledge that mental illness is very real and someone suffering should seek help from loved ones & a doctor. In real life mental illness, like depression, can have symptoms that are visible to the outside, but can also be invisible to others, which makes it harder to catch. In Glie the Haibane’s wings are an honest rendition of their souls, so their emotion and inner turmoil are reflected in their appearance so that the audience can better visualize and understand their struggle.
This topic made us think of the saying “Artists suffer for their art”, which we believe is inherently flawed. Artists don’t suffer for their art, Artists use art as an outlet for their suffering. When an artist creates a piece called “Despair” people will look at the piece and admire the artist’s ability to capture that emotion, sometimes disregarding the fact that the reason they were able to do so is that they are or have experienced it. This might be the reason why Yoshitoshi ABe made Reki the artist of the bunch. She was able to use her art as an outlet for her pain.
Many times people are looking for help, and it's a disservice to tell them that there’s nothing wrong with them. Ignoring that “flaw” is in turn ignoring them, it’s much more helpful to acknowledge that there’s something wrong, and then establish a way to overcome it. Just like how we saw Rakka do for Reki when she helped her overcome her fears.
Perhaps “flaw” is not the right word for it, but I think you get what we’re trying to say.
Wow this is really insightful and gave me so much to think about.
DeleteExcellent point. True, flaw isn’t the accurate word in this context so I’ll just use it in quotations. This leads to understand a necessity that our society now needs to know that some differences are actually “flaws” and to learn to make that distinction, in a non-shaming way of course.
“Many times people are looking for help, and it's a disservice to tell them that there’s nothing wrong with them. Ignoring that “flaw” is in turn ignoring them, it’s much more helpful to acknowledge that there’s something wrong, and then establish a way to overcome it. Just like how we saw Rakka do for Reki when she helped her overcome her fears. “
I agree with this, very important acknowledgement. I have to add something this made me think of, though it may be irrelevant to what was being said previously it is related and I think it’s also really important to be noted. Sometimes the people who are looking for help and think they have a flaw, it may be that their surroundings are convincing them they have it, whether by emotional abuse like condescension or narcissism, or because of a difference in mentality/set of beliefs. In any case, in order to know what is actually wrong it is important to try to understand both the people and the environment they live in, and then find a solution accordingly.