An Angel Passing By: Haibane Renmei Simulwatch - ep 05 29/12

[Geriatric hedgehog]

Episode 12

Fireworks and reconciliation. Wasn't expecting a fireworks episode in this show but the tolling bells at the year's end celebration brought a very peaceful vibe to the town. The distribution of presents by the Haibane, in silence, to the humans that had nurtured them over the year was heartwarming.

Reki fortunately didn't come out of her room sleepless in the early hours transformed into a moody goth. Rather she has been very much the resolute adult (whilst of course still rebelling against Haibane dude heh, do we ever stop rebelling against our elders??) in accepting her fate, whatever that may be. Rakka, and her apparently no longer estranged bff, demonstrate that, underneath it all, Reki is not as alone as she may think. Hopefully this can count towards absolving her of her crime against the wall, the same as Rakka was able to achieve thanks to the bird that was looking out for her.

On another note, some cryptic chat was had between Rakka and Haibane dude about their true name reveal on ascension to the throne of heroes (apologies for the terrible reference, been playing too much FGO). I'm shocked and disappointed that we have not had any overt hauntings inside the wall tunnel workspace for Rakka after all the ominous warnings... Onwards to see how this wraps up now.

Edit: Oops I had accidentally labelled this episode 11 when it was 12, having forgotten I'd done 11 with 10; apologies

 

[Birdie Num Num]

Episode 11

• Its time for one of the children to go back to the Abandoned Factory and the way in, is of course, a hole in the fence.
• The smell of the river remind Rakka of something, from her forgotten past?
• Skateboarding is cool.
• Hyohko almost died because of Reki. Could this be one of things holding Reki back?
• Inside the wall, laughter can be heard from drops of water in the waterway, a fading wave.
• Time is up for Reki at the end of winter.
• The consequences of not having a Day of Flight are revealed.
• Saving Reki also means losing her.
• No more bike slides in winter.
• Reki is determined to end it, but in what way?

 

[D1tchd1gger]

Episode 11
Not too much to add from above, but as The Communicator was explaining what would happen if Reki didn't get her Day of Flight, he first said she would lose her wings and halo I was thinking "ah, that's what happened to Hyouko", but then he added that she would have to move far away from everyone else. Wonder if you can get far away from everyone else within the walls or maybe that's who the Toga are? They can go outside the Wall, but maybe not to the same place as the other Haibane?

The scene at the end reminded me of the Fast Show skit:

Spoiler: Black, black, BLACK

 

[Geriatric hedgehog]

Episode 13

A lovely way to end a lovely little gem of a show examining themes around redemption through the lense of SOL, and at times psychological horror.

In the end, Reki's main test was to open her heart again to trust others enough to be able to ask for much needed help. Both Rakka and Reki demonstrated insight to be able to pass their tests, one accepting how her weakness and self denial took a toll on a loved one, and the other doing good for the selfish purpose of obtaining salvation. The latter for Reki was very interesting. It is very human to do good for one's own benefit, just that it's very easy to delude oneself into thinking that such actions are purely out of benevolence. I still believe that is a noble purpose, as overall all parties benefit, as opposed to doing harm to others for one's own benefit. Conversely, a good deed is not purely for selfish reasons either, but does indeed carry benevolence and kindness within which is also just as human a drive. Humanity just loves a good paradox in all it does. And despite what both Reki and Haibane dude state about her kindness being bourne out of a selfish desire for salvation alone, her actions and demeanour throughout the show definitely have me of the opinion that there was a lot of magnanimity in Reki's kindness to those around her. Rakka agrees. It was therefore a relief that, after all the so-called betrayals she had been through, to see Reki trust Rakka enough to plead for her help to attain forgiveness and finally send her off.

Her dreamscape was certainly hellish and boy did Haibane dude play high-stakes reverse psychology to push Reki out of her rut. Unlike with Kuu, there were no surprises for anyone with this day of flight, but rather relief. And now it's Rakka's turn to look after twins! Lastly, the halos really are just for comic relief after all!

Spoiler

 

[Birdie Num Num]

Episode 12

• Reki has given up smoking and is getting her affairs in order.
• Reki's fear of the wall is justified.
• Is Hyohko not able to go into the south district his punishment for touching the wall?
• Rakka deciphers the symbols.
• Haibane have true names when they go beyond.
• Shake those nuts for gratitude.
• Fireworks = reconciliation.
• One more episode left.

 

[D1tchd1gger]

Episode 12
Reki seems convinced she'll be going away soon and that everyone will forget her, but before she goes she give Hyouko a symbolic gift asking for forgiveness as part of the equivalent of New Years festival.
Then we find out why Midori turned against Reki. Hyouko tried to help Reki climb the wall because she was missing Kuramori, but fell off it. To add to the injury he was punished by the Haibane Renmei.

Rakka figures out that symbols on the plaques are the sign language used by the Toga and The Communicator (I was thinking the same, but never wrote it here). The Communicator then tells Rakka that Kuu's plaque shows her real name and then produces box with the carving of her true name too, "Involved Nut"! The Communicator says it was because she sprouted here and connected with others, showing why the OP had a sprouting nut rather than a cocoon when her spirit lands. The Communicator gives Rakka one for Reki too which might give her a clue.

The Haibane go off to the festival, but Reki stays home. Everyone gives out their gifts and when Rakka visits Abandoned Factory Midori asks after Reki, but she's not in town so they have to rush to make sure she sees the fireworks. They are yellow, meaning reconciliation? We don't get a straight answer, but that's what the section is called. Then we hear the walls sing!

 

[Geriatric hedgehog]

Shake those nuts for gratitude.

The Communicator then tells Rakka that Kuu's plaque shows her real name and then produces box with the carving of her true name too, "Involved Nut"!

Who doesn't love an "involved nut"?!

 

[D1tchd1gger]

Episode 13
Seems Reki also possibly committed suicide by waiting for a train! I thought I'd have a look at other theories and found a reddit thread where they said that both Rakka and Reki could have run away from home and accidentally died by falling into or off something in Rakka's case or Reki walking along the railway being too tired to care when she heard a noise, although when she says that it's before the railway bit was revealed and thus hasn't remembered that detail, so back IRL she may or may not have been walking down the tracks deliberately?

All the names/dreams do seem to give clues to how they died, deliberate or not. I think that the sin bound part does possibly indicate that there was something different in the way those two died. Apparently Hyouko means frozen lake and he hides his wings all the time and shows Reki the medicine in the flashback, although I've never heard of someone deliberately jumping into a frozen lake, apart from to save a dog which nearly always save themselves! And in the flashback and right at the end his wings seem fine, so I'm not sure if he is sin bound too. Both Midori and Hyouko must have been there longer than Reki and so has Nemu, so why was Reki so convinced she was going away? Is there a time limit to become un-sin bound and then still more time to do stuff before getting their Day of Flight, or was the stuff she was doing with the kids, in her mind selfishly, actually "filling her cup" as Kuu put it. The other 3 don't seem to be living the best of lifes in town, Nemu is content with working at the library and sleeping the rest of the time and the other two are more rebellious than the Old Home crew. Rakka can't be too far away now she's settled down.

Reki tries to make herself out to be jealous, selfish and untrustworthy. When she was telling Rakka to get out I was willing Rakka to hug her, but she left. But she came back in the end!

The reddit thread mentioned this website for a source of information: Sekai no Hajimari -- A Haibane Renmei fan page

Watching the extras the creator says it's a story of salvation, which comes through at the end. So I guess the message was conveyed.

I assume, having seen it before, @ayase and @Professor Irony are waiting for the rest of us to finish before weighing in? Just @Birdie Num Num to go.

 

[Professor Irony]

Afraid I fell off this one rather badly. Ended up with a lot of work on over the holidays and having recently purchased Elden Ring did not help either. I might try to go back and catch up, but I’ve always found Haibane Renmei a bit elusive - it’s never quite clicked for me the way I know it does for others. It presents an intriguing world filled with likeable characters (and going on what ayase said about the original doujin, it’s crazy that they managed to develop it so much from there), but I would have liked something a little more definite to propel us through the story.

Not sure what’s happened to ayase actually, hope he’s alright.

 

[Birdie Num Num]

Sorry for the delay, Episode 13 - the final episode.

• Reki halo begins to fade, just like Kuu's
• Lucky for Rakka that Reki gave up smoking, she has a lighter now.
• I think people who need help will keep pushing away until the breaking point.
• With Rakka's help, Reki is able to stand beside her.
• I felt the resolution to her struggle was a little rushed.
• Twins are on the way(Arnold and Danny)

I really enjoyed this series and was pleasantly surprised when someone at work mentioned it the other day. A real standout for me was the music. A definite keep from my backlog of blu-rays. 8/10

 

[Geriatric hedgehog]

All the names/dreams do seem to give clues to how they died, deliberate or not. I think that the sin bound part does possibly indicate that there was something different in the way those two died.

Very interesting thoughts and thanks for sharing the link, I was thinking I need to ask you for your website recommendations to look into the lore further as I was reading your post! The dreams certainly seem to have a very influential role in their existence, being the background and the door through which they enter this world and being linked to their given names. The given names then becoming true names when the Haibane leave after having made peace with whatever was keeping them from progressing.

The sin bound aspect is also very interesting, if Reki commited suicide then her being fully sin bound at birth as a Haibane, may contrast a bit with Rakka having had an accident potentially but then by wanting to progress her previous desires during life to end her existence then resulting in her later achieving sin bound status (assuming touching the wall being an excuse or contrivance then??). As for Hyohka, he seems to hide both his Haibane features, the wings and the halo, when out and about but not inside their factory home (albeit only shown as such in the last scene). Whilst he appears normal, he was the one to show Reki how to cover up her black wings in the yellow paint (hence the significance of that colour for Reki), so it may well be that he uses that on his own wings. His name, as you researched @D1tchd1gger, would fit very well then with getting hurt at the wall trying to help Reki - so if he is sin bound then would it be that hurting oneself for the sake of someone else is not considered a good thing.

Both Midori and Hyouko must have been there longer than Reki and so has Nemu, so why was Reki so convinced she was going away? Is there a time limit to become un-sin bound and then still more time to do stuff before getting their Day of Flight, or was the stuff she was doing with the kids, in her mind selfishly, actually "filling her cup" as Kuu put it

I guess each person and their issues would be considered individually and perhaps the others are seemingly working through their issues whereas Reki was in denial, or stagnant, or just outright defiant of what is expected of her, or perhaps it was just one big push from Haibane dude to get a recalcitrant Reki to truly face up to her issues.

Reki tries to make herself out to be jealous, selfish and untrustworthy. When she was telling Rakka to get out I was willing Rakka to hug her, but she left. But she came back in the end!

Totally felt the same! As I guess everyone did, but was so relieved when Rakka valiantly fought on to be by her side.

I’ve always found Haibane Renmei a bit elusive

That is most certainly the case, but I love shows like that when they have interesting characters, story and lore. Helps to keep one coming back, even years later to revisit such shows b

Not sure what’s happened to ayase actually, hope he’s alright

I second that, hope everything is okay with @ayase

Reki halo begins to fade, just like Kuu's

Oooh, I didn't notice that Kuu's was fading! See, already ready to revisit for more clues heheh

I think people who need help will keep pushing away until the breaking point.

That is the thought-provoking crux of Reki's story, how ignoring one's own needs in favour of others isn't healthy for the individual or the society (I always use the oxygen mask on the airplane analogy in these situations). In her case it's also having the courage to put your trust in others, when one has been burned so often - it's so easy to withdraw within one's shell and become a shut in, but again is this healthy?

Twins are on the way(Arnold and Danny

I really enjoyed this series and was pleasantly surprised when someone at mentioned it the other day. A real standout for me was the music. A definite keep from my backlog of blu-rays. 8/10

Couldn't agree more - I loved the music as well. Whilst I was travelling, the version I watched didn't have the op and ed, so thanks for pointing that out dude. I especially loved the intro, reminded me of the great soundtracks of all the Squaresoft jrpgs from childhood - a most cozy feeling.

Great series and I look forward to rewatching it again in the future (whilst I look with trepidation between the piles of new stuff I want to watch/read/play and all the old stuff I want to re-experience)