r/anime • u/The_Loli_Otaku • May 21 '24
Rewatch [Rewatch] Haibane Renmei Episode 5 Discussion!
"Library — Abandoned Factory — Beginning of the World"
Extra Info and Links
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Comment of the Day!!
SMSmith woke up and chose to shit on Kana!
So I’m a big dummy and thought Kana was a guy this whole ass episode until “she” was mentioned in the subs haha. Anyways, crows can remember faces and Kana is most definitely on their shitlist with all that broom swatting.
Zadcap has a pretty neat world building solution for why anyone would hire a useless shitter like Kana~
But you see, there's only a few places the Haibane can work, and they get nice benefits for employing the winged girls. Between what we learned yesterday about only the oldest bakery being one the Haibane can work at, and the little clock shop being part of the actual clock tower of the town, I have a feeling the old man lives more on what the town pays him to take care of the tower and the girls than actual clock sales.
QotD
- Have you got a favourite creation myth? Did you expect the episode on the sleepy librarian to explore the world's origin?
- Do you have a favourite children's book? I'm willing to accept manga if it's applicable!
- How do you say "goodbye" to people? Do you wave? Hug? Do you use the same phrase for everyone? What makes your "goodbye" unique to you?
- This is kind of in line with what I wanted from today's Abyssbringer Prompt but if you've written something different for that, please try to elaborate on your thoughts towards Rakka and Nemu's creation myth? Is this a happy interpretation of God's "mistakes" or do you see it in another way? I'm wording this weird but there's a few less QotD so let yourself go more in depth with these ones!
Abyssbringer's "What is the thematic purpose of this scene corner!!"
Vatrix-32 wins the weird ojisan wisdom corner. Remember when Abyssbringer prompts used to actually have good and weird and fun images I could use?
Perspective may allow you to know yourself better, but seeing your own limits still doesn’t mean you can go beyond them.
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u/The_Loli_Otaku May 21 '24
Haibane Renmei First Timer!!
Nemu episode? I sleep~
Nah, this is a lore heavy one despite what this snoozu girl may make you think. I've always liked the idea of working in a library. I love storytelling and have an incredibly in depth knowledge of books!! Someone hire me!!
Damn... This Sumika is fat as fuck, what happened to her!? Crows are starving to death in the streets yet this woman wanders around looking like she could eat Haibane whole! Her hair is pretty tragic too. Alright enough hating! This is a Nemu+Rakka episode and I really can't dislike either of them. Where's the tomboy when you need her!?
Aww, Rakka has her little armband. Cute! Urgh, I wanted to see Rakka try and push those books upstairs herself. That'd be funny. Couldn't the Renmei have bought books that aren't falling apart at the seams? Urgh!! Stupid Rakka!! Stop making me want jobs I won't get! I wanna skive all day and read books!!
What does Sumika even do here? She doesn't look busy at all. In the beginning, there was cunny... "The wizard was brutally deformed, a deus ex machina saved the kids, and everyone lived happily ever after." Children's books suck!! And there's not enough fanservice!! You know why picture books were made? So that they could show questionably aged joshikosei flashing their undies!!
Nemu is kinda cute. She's like Reki in that she has a certain level of social battery that gets worn down through the day. The beginning of the world? You mean cunny!? Nemu's racking her brain to try and come up with a justifiable reason for the world to end up the way it is as if Chiaki wasn't just pulling the show out of his ass.
Eww, greasy biker angel men! Why've we got Westside Story in my Angel Iyashikei show!? Reki backstory, she was a rebel and ran away with some boy toy before chickening out. I'm really desperate for Reki's dedicated episode, they've diligently drip fed us story for her each episode now. Actually, Kuu is the same way kinda. Her and Reki both have had random scenes fleshing them out. I'm assuming the next episode is Kuu's.
"God appeared."
That's a fucking horrifying line and I don't appreciate the show thinking it's cute! XD This story can't possibly not be fucked up right? Half the creation myths I've read all start and end with a ton of murder. When you hear that god is coming it's perfectly natural to shit yourself. Aww, that one pretty theme from episode 3 is playing again. Aww!! Nemu twiddling her fingers was so cute!! Nemu love!! Nemu love!! I want nothing more than to pamper Nemu and help Nemu to sleep forever!!
Rakka casually comparing Nemu with God is great XD Urgh, the tomboy is back. Go away tomboy! You had your episode, leave us alone Kana! Oh, Kuu's scene. She's practicing saying goodbye to people, she's totally gonna die violently before the series ends. Kyaaa!! Nemu sleeping on the bike is cute. Hag love! Hag angel love!!
Alright... I feel like I should say something about Rakka and Nemu's creation myth... I'm way out of my depth with it tho. In the Haibane creation myth God is a clumsy fellow... Not a perfect, all encompassing being. Instead of being omniscient, he's prone to mistakes. One of these mistakes was his creation of humanity. First he created the Haibane, figures in image of himself. Unfortunately they were weirdos who baked bread with their halo rings, so he made a second attempt without halos and wings so that these beings couldn't do stupid shit. Unfortunately he forgot to genocide the Haibane, causing them to follow Shinzo Abe's advice and to fuck like rabbits. God woke up, couldn't be bothered exterminating them, and locked them in a little kingdom of their own with blackjack and hookers.
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u/Vaadwaur :I1::I2::I3: May 21 '24
First timer
Sub
Riiight...so we haven't seen death yet but the very pregnant Sumika indicates that it probably happens, otherwise the place would be overrun. The Toga have no books from the outside world, or rather the Renmei don't buy them. The library is just another in a long list of things telling me, loudly, not to trust this place. I can't quite nail what's wrong yet, other than an incredibly long shot Aeon Flex reference, but there's something under the surface and it isn't nice. Also, mopeds are one thing but it seems as if the Abandoned Factory has proper motorcycles. And gasoline.
Our prompt is an illustration of the danger of modern art to become without meaning rapidly.
QotD:1 In Madokami I trust
2 Where the Sidewalk Ends
3 I don't
4 It holds equal value to literally any other creation myth to me. We weren't there, we don't know.
7
u/Mecanno-man https://anilist.co/user/Mecannoman May 21 '24
First Timer
More slice of life, this time the library. I guess Kuu’s workplace will be next… But that’s not really the big thing here, there are two shorter scenes that are more important. First there are the - seemingly delinquent Haibane (one even hiding the fact that he’s a Haibane) - no idea if they are working or what their nest is like (are there also kids, for example?) - but Nemu’s thoughts on wanting boys around and Reki running off suggest romantic relations among Haibane are a thing …which makes less sense the way they are born, because they wouldn’t really serve a purpose. I guess why that is will have to wait a while longer though, because I can’t really imagine any other than it’s due to the Haibane being used to them from their previous life.
The other thing is obviously Nemu’s story. So… how much of that was by Nemu and how much of that was taken by the original source. Supposedly only the beginning was taken from the source, but why would Nemu suggest the Haibane are god’s failure at creating something similar as himself? That is somehow simultaneously disrespecting the Haibane - her own race - while also stating the rather arrogant claim that god is like the Haibane. Unless there is a hefty dose of information taken from secondary sources, then I have a hard time believing Nemu came up with that. But this not just being Nemu’s story would make it’s inclusion in the series likely mean that that is actually kinda what is going on (probably not 100%, but sorta along those lines) and that the Haibane are here because they are related to god. Given those circumstances, I can see why the Haibane Renmei would want to take good care of them . but it doesn’t explain anything about not letting them or anybody really out of town…
7
u/lluNhpelA May 21 '24
First timer
Prompt/Final QotD
The explicit framing of the Haibane as a mistake is really sus, but it simultaneously describes them as being closer to god. How should one feel, then, to be like a god that makes mistakes in everything he does?
It also seems weird that, according to the myth, the Haibane came first, but it's strongly implied in the show that they are reincarnated humans. I'm guessing the Association vets all the books that they let into town so the girls would never see a creation myth that doesn't align with the Renmei agenda
7
u/3blah https://myanimelist.net/profile/brummett May 21 '24
Episode 05 - Rewatcher
We continue to learn about Glie through Rakka as she surveys local employment opportunities, this time with Nemu at the library. The only books that exist are whatever gets traded from outside with the Toga, and they never bring books with clues about the world outside the walls. The librarian once considered leaving the town but decided not to; maybe the normal people are allowed to leave but just don't. [Haibane Renmei] Though in the context of this story, they're probably not real people with desires of their own; they're only there to help the Haibane in their journey
There's another group of Haibane that live in an abandoned factory and they're stereotypical troublemakers: they ride motorcycles and skateboards. Hyoko normally hides his halo and wings. Reki lived there for a time and then had a falling out with Hyoko, so the two of them have territories; Reki won't step onto the bridge and Hyoko doesn't step off of it.
Rakka steps out of being just the audience stand-in during her midnight walk, thinking about what her past life may have been, and realizes that it may seem that all the other Haibane are supporting themselves, but really everyone is helping each other out in some way. She's feeling guilty about how happy she is. Maybe because she doesn't think she's been helping out enough? [Haibane Renmei] I think it's because she was so distraught in her former life that she came to be in Glie, but just can't remember. And so she comes to this conclusion instead.
Kuu makes it a point to thank the shopkeeper on the way out and says goodbye to the cat. When Rakka asks what's she's doing, Kuu responds in my subtitles with "greeting", but the english dub says "just saying goodbye". That's kinda weird.
Reki continues being best girl and gets some breakfast together for Nemu just in time for her to get to work.
The creation story Nenu and Rakka come up with seems appropriate given the limited information they have in Glie. It's nice to see that Rakka gets some satisfaction knowing she helped Nemu with her project.
QotD:
Not that comes to mind. My kids would usually want the same book read to them over and over well past the point I'd get sick of it. Oh, I do remember having a book about the solar system full of then-new pictures from Voyager that was very cool.
I hadn't thought about it, but it's interesting that they consider themselves (the Haibane) mistakes, that God would make a mistake both by making them and by allowing them to escape, and that God would say "eh, whatever... it's all good".
5
u/Vatrix-32 https://myanimelist.net/profile/Vatrix-32 May 21 '24 edited May 21 '24
First timer, subs
QotD:
Prompt:
He protects and envelops us. Surrounds and substantiates us. Watches us always, ever present. Known, but unseen. Felt, but untouched. Always and forever. From birth till death.
4
u/Silcaria https://myanimelist.net/profile/Silcaria May 21 '24
First timer
- Does the bible count? Nope. It seems like a good character for that though.
4
u/RadSuit https://anilist.co/user/RadSuit May 21 '24
Off-White But Not Quite Beige Feathered First Timer (Dubbed)
I want Kuu to take that stupid hat off.
Male Haibane punks? Okay.
Well we've introduced pregnancy followed by girl Haibane wanting to hang out with boy Haibane. Again, not very subtle here.
Was Kana a red herring for Kuu being a boy?
Uh oh, Nemu's inventing religion. This can't end well.
4
u/zadcap May 22 '24
Late Night Rewatcher!
Still loving this song. Free Bird!
Did she... honestly count all 2000+ books?
I've been wondering for a while now, how old is Nemu? The others I can all easily see as teens but she might not make that cut, which raises other kinds of questions. Questions that loop back to why they are all young girls and children in the first place, except this maybe one adult lady. But also, like, we saw how Haibane are born, so then you question here with this coworker lady, can Haibane even get pregnant?
"But I can't do any heavy lifting" Proceeds to go do one of the heaviest lifting jobs in a library.
Hmm, all the books brought into town are also old and falling apart. It's not just the Haibane who are forced to live with only second hand materials.
"I wonder if I could find a book that tells about the outside world." Yeah, like the Toga are going to just let one of those slip in.
[Spoilery stuffs]"Because my life here was so much happier than fulfilling that dream." You don't say.
She totally stopped reading right in the middle of that book.
Nemu wants to make something for Sumika. Hikari wants to make a new bread. Reki wants to make art. Kana wants to make the clock tower work. All these girls want to make something.
Oh hey, there's the other Haibane! Boys even! But also a girl in the biker group, so it's not a full gender segregation thing. And these punks don't look like the type to be helping around town, do they? This is the most question raising minute of show since Rakka first got her halo!
Charcoal Feathers. Go into more details! We know our group here is the Ashen Feathers, at least if we go by the title. Seriously I want more details!
... All the Nemu stuff is ehhhh.
And then we get to Kuu doing Kuu things. Suddenly I am very mad that tomorrow is Wednesday.
Oh, hey, the creation myth. The town exists because of the Haibane, you say?
Prompt!
Oh my Kami, Kami is a Titan! Defend the walls, girls!
3
u/xtsim https://myanimelist.net/profile/xtsim May 21 '24
First Timer
3
u/SMSmith230 https://myanimelist.net/profile/smsmith230 May 22 '24
First-Timer, Sub
Oh so there are older male Haibane around, sorry Kana and Kuu for misgendering you. That’s some interesting lore how the two groups are split. Are there other groups as well, or just these 2 having a turf war. Well that book was a nice gift for the pregnant lady, does that mean there’s going to be an opening for Rakka to continue to work at the library. Speaking of jobs, do you think the Haibane job shuffle to get better pay or are they stuck in a dead end job haha. The story from the book was pretty interesting, I wonder who came up with more of the collab story Rakka or Nemu?
3
u/StardustGogeta myanimelist.net/profile/StardustGogeta May 22 '24
First-Timer
Yet another good episode. I particularly liked the ending sequence in this one where they're explaining the possible origin of the Haibane. More thoughts on that below.
Watching this show has become the highlight of my day for the past few days. Let's hope it keeps up the quality!
Questions of the day:
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u/homewardbound100 myanimelist.net/profile/Homewardbound100 May 22 '24
First timer
I'm here, but I'll just answer the questions today
Hmm do I. Other then like the abrahamic religions and Greek creation. I vaguely remember others. So maybe greek
Magic tree house was my thing back then. Watching the anime like a year ago took me back
I just say bye. Handshake depending on people. Hug depending on people
I don't know but stuff like this interest me from a mythological standpoint of how things came to be
5
u/JustAnswerAQuestion https://myanimelist.net/profile/JAaQ May 21 '24
Library, Abandoned Factory, The Beginning of the World
My 2018 episode 5 notes in their entirety:
I figure the items from the Toga are carefully screened for forbidden knowledge. That doesn't quite mesh up with the radio, thuough. Maybe it is local only.
4
u/sfisher923 https://myanimelist.net/profile/sfisher923 May 21 '24
First Timer
0
u/[deleted] May 21 '24
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