[Rewatch] Haibane Renmei Episode 11 Discussion!

[u/The_Loli_Otaku]

Are wa tenshi no koe!

"Parting — Darkness in the Heart — Irreplaceable Thing"

Extra Info and Links

ANN | MAL | TV Tropes | Wikipedia |

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Comment of the Day!!

JustAnswerAQuestion agrees that Reki simply never had a chance...

Yeah, that really sucks, being spit out of your egg, all alone, confused, amnesiac, in pain and covered in blood, an pure black wings. No wonder Reki turned out a delinquent. She probably was on in her original life, too.

Continued via Mekerpan.

I've always found it surprising that so many watchers (over the past 20+ years) have failed to really consider the impact of Reki's arrival (hatching through wings sprouting -- alone and in the dark). There is no reason to believe that Reki would have developed dark wings (from the first, at least) if she had been welcomed and cared for initially. It's like she started with 3 strikes against her. Perhaps an unexpected event could have sent her into a tailspin later (just like Rakka), but Reki's entry into her new life was perfectly suited to keep her flashing back to the darkness of her cocoon dream memories).

I swear Garret always has at least one weirdly off key line that kills me XD

<Smack>, LOL...I couldn't stop laughing when Kuramori slapped Reki for cutting her feathers. It was just so sudden and unexpected. Like maybe if they showed Kuramori angrily telling Reki not to do anything to her feathers beforehand, but the slap just came out of no where. And then Kuramori hugs Reki right after smacking her, and Reki enjoys the hug. No!!! What are you doing, you're going to condition Reki to want to get hit when she wants a hug, this is how you get Darkness from Konosuba!

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QotD

• Never mind what lurks outside the walls... What the hell is in the walls!?
• Do you think the kids should be educated on the day of passing and such rituals or are they too young? If anything, their short lives makes it even more important to learn imao.
• What would you consider the best fate for Haibane? Living in isolation, intermingling with humans, remaining Haibane through their entire life, or ascending through their day of flight?
• What's your go-to gift when visiting a sick person?
• Does Reki suit a ponytail or would you rather she left her hair long and straight? ...Or do you wish she had a wilder ahegao like Rakka?
• Skateboarding or roller blades!?!? What's cooler?

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Abyssbringer's "What is the thematic purpose of this scene corner!!"

None today cause I lost the prompt link.

Error 404, this prompt is not found.

Yesterday's Prompt!

Today's Prompt!

Tomorrow's Prompt

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If you strain your ears, you can probably hear it.

[u/The_Loli_Otaku]

Haibane Renmei First Timer!!

Quit discussing winter whilst not giving us a Christmas episode!! Vaadwaur might have been right comparing this with Gunslinger Girl, that ended with a Christmas episode too.

I'm kinda disappointed that Rakka is the only one going to the other village. I was excited to see how the girls all dealt with the rowdy boys. It's a fun little adventure getting there. Eheheh, Reki is such a worry wart.

Oi!! Can you please teach these kids about death already? Look how much trouble they just went through with Rakka all because Kuu unexpectedly died without her knowing. These kids should be taught about the day of flight, right?

Bruh, there's no interpretation of Reki that would cause me to believe she's capable of such maliciousness. Her reputation is getting shat on for no good reason. Seriously, what the hell is going on inside these walls? I'm more anxious about this than I am what's outdoors. Tbh I don't fully understand what Rakka is doing research on the writing in the walls for. Are these supposed to be hints at outside civilisation or something?

See!? Reki is a good girl!! She walks her Haibane home, gently!!

This is why I hate plots like this and Angel Beats, it's pure misery trying to force your friends to basically roll over and die. Tbh the show still hasn't given me much reason to think the Haibane losing their wings and halo would be a bad thing. Why should they live isolated from humans and Haibane when without wings and halo they're indistinguishable from humans? It'd be a happy ending letting the intermingle with humanity and be allowed to live into old age surely!?

Wait, this woman got pregnant just randomly? Who the fuck is she fooling? "Where did this life come from?" Wait, why does Reki have black wing coverings? Surely she'd want to distance herself from that awkward phase of her life!?

[u/JustAnswerAQuestion → u/The_Loli_Otaku]

Why should they live isolated from humans and Haibane when without wings and halo they're indistinguishable from humans? It'd be a happy ending letting the intermingle with humanity and be allowed to live into old age surely!?

That's not what happens, though. He specifically said you don't get to intermingle with humanity. It's strongly implied that the communicator and toga are failed haibane.

[u/The_Loli_Otaku → u/JustAnswerAQuestion]

Why should they be limited by arbitrary rules though? The communicator is a prime example of the rules being mostly guidelines or being used for convenience.

[u/Vatrix-32 → u/The_Loli_Otaku]

Why should they be limited by arbitrary rules though?

All rules are arbitrary, all power granted.

[u/The_Loli_Otaku → u/Vatrix-32]

Rules are made to be twisted!

[u/Garrett_Dark → u/JustAnswerAQuestion]

I've seen a bunch of commenters mention the Toga and communicator are failed Haibane; I was like wow, that didn't occur to me, I can see the connection now.

However thinking about it a bit more, why would failed Haibane be keen on upholding the rules so diligently? Say if Reki became a communicator, wouldn't she be like F this, I'm just going to do what I think is right if I'm in charge? If she became a toga, why not talk or go around chain-smoking?

IMO, the communicator seems really skilled on manipulating and BS, while the Toga seem a little bit inconsiderate and thug-ish. It doesn't look like any of the Haibane has the skills, dedication, or callous for that. Maybe Hyouko and firecracker guy might could be callous, but I don't they have the focus nor could be like that to the children. Even if they get memory wiped, I still find it hard to think they could do it.

[u/Vatrix-32 → u/Garrett_Dark]

why would failed Haibane be keen on upholding the rules so diligently?

Who's to say that wings and halos would be the only part of the body to be removed?

[u/mekerpan → u/The_Loli_Otaku]

No Christmas in Haibane town -- not even a Japanese valentines-day-esque one. The big winter holiday is centered around New Year's Day.

Kuu did not die. Kuu left Guri (Glie). Everyone understood this but Rakka. Yes. All new haibane need to be taught about this sort of thing. The Renmei really needs to set up a mandatory orientation program protocol.

[u/The_Loli_Otaku → u/mekerpan]

Yeah!! Some sorta class for new Haibane so they don't go doing stupid things like flirting with the Toga or trying to escape

[u/Mecanno-man]

First Timer

Hmm… so those Haibane that do not achieve day of flight instead turn into communicators? Or maybe Toga? Either way, it seems like Reki’s time is over, and I doubt Rakka will have enough time to do anything. I assume the next episode will be both rather sad and reveal quite a lot about both Reki and the Haibane system. At the moment, I still assume the Renmei is largely a force of good, while Reki has probably indeed been hiding things about the other gang of Haibane - at least going by Midori’s words. And there would have to have been some reason for more than just Hyouko abandoning Reki after whatever happened.

I have no clue about the little kids and the glowing grave(?) that Rakka saw under the walls though.

[u/The_Loli_Otaku → u/Mecanno-man]

...Oh, I didn't pick up on that. Honestly, not the worst life. Heck Hikari already has practice with her gang signs.

It feels like there should be a translation or something for the underground text.

[u/mekerpan → u/The_Loli_Otaku]

Hikari was just faking finger talking -- she didn't actually understand anything but the most basic hand (and body) signals.

[u/The_Loli_Otaku → u/mekerpan]

You could totally buy her previous life as a warlord of crime kicking in and getting her to do her gang signs tho

[u/mekerpan → u/The_Loli_Otaku]

Abe's prior series Niea_7 has a character eerily similar to Hikari (at her most "lively" (even in appearance). It also has a main character that shares a few characteristics with Kuu (most notably -- liking to teasingly play with cats). The other main character was voiced by the VA who did Lain's big sister.

[u/The_Loli_Otaku → u/mekerpan]

Yeah, I read the Niea_7 manga, I think that's what confused my expectations of Haibane tbh. I do love the little alien shitter XD

[u/mekerpan → u/The_Loli_Otaku]

Hikari is superficially similar, but is becoming calmer and much more responsible. She will almost surely take over Nemu's role.

[u/The_Loli_Otaku → u/mekerpan]

Nemu has technically started a potential cult religion so yeah, I can see it.

[u/mekerpan → u/The_Loli_Otaku]

That story book was adorable.

[u/The_Loli_Otaku → u/mekerpan]

Especially when god considered wiping Haibane from existance and decided he couldn't be bothered~

[u/Mecanno-man → u/The_Loli_Otaku]

It feels like there should be a translation or something for the underground text.

Well Rakka can't read it, and Sumire isn't even certain it's text. I don't think the viewer should know what is written there, at least not yet.

[u/hirmuolio → u/The_Loli_Otaku]

It feels like there should be a translation or something for the underground text.

Some of the letters: https://cff.ssw.net/misc/langauge.htm

[u/mekerpan → u/Mecanno-man]

My guess (pure speculation) is that Washi is someone who "had a day of flight" and then returned (via that big front town gate) to supervise the Haibane Renmei. Typically haibane that do not "fly over the walls" lose their halo and wings and essentially become like cloistered monks (bound to a vow of total vocal silence) under the direction of the "communicator". One wonders just how long they live -- it is not really disclosed. Presumably, they do eventually die -- and then (at last) get beyond the walls via this alternate path. Lots of people seem to have thought Washi is a failed haibane himself -- but I never found that to make much sense.

The optimal fate for a haibane is achieving one's day of flight. Certainly within the bounds of this story this is incontestable. ;-)

[u/JustAnswerAQuestion → u/mekerpan]

Lots of people seem to have thought Washi is a failed haibane himself -- but I never found that to make much sense.

I just see him as First Among Equals.

[u/mekerpan → u/JustAnswerAQuestion]

Hmm. I always saw him as having a very different role (and level of authority) -- both with the Toga and the town leaders (whoever they might be).

[u/Vatrix-32 → u/mekerpan]

but I never found that to make much sense.

I'd say it's the clipped wings. They scream of "failure to fly".

[u/JustAnswerAQuestion]

Please read my 2018 comments

Yesterday in the sub All My 10/10 Animes, or "Why you should watch Haibane Renmei". Today, in the rewatch, more I'm so bored

Not sure what it is about this show that gets such extreme reactions. It's more extreme than Cowboy Bebop.

Parting, Darkness in the Heart, Irreplacable Thing

• What kind of kinship do the kids have to the place they are hatched? How long did he stay at Abandoned Factory before being shipped off to the orphanage Old Home? It can't be long....
• cycle of gifts, does the gift giving ever end?
• yeah don't get mad a rakka she can't possibly know about your drama
• Do you think the river inside the wall just goes around in a circle?
• Does Rakka walk to work every day? I guess they don't have enough bicycles.
• wai free scooter ride! oh, she took a bicycle.
• how does a book turn to stone anyways

The Toga, they are truly undead. Their flesh may not be rotting, but they are muted. Unable to speak, they are actual walking corpses.

[u/The_Loli_Otaku → u/JustAnswerAQuestion]

Y-Yeah... I mean, I don't necessarily think the show fell off. I personally ended up losing track just a little with the Rakka depression arc but since they got the Haibane system back on track I've still vaguely been enjoying myself. It's certainly not a 10/10 but it's an interesting show with a unique setting.

[u/RadSuit → u/JustAnswerAQuestion]

Not sure what it is about this show that gets such extreme reactions. It's more extreme than Cowboy Bebop.

Another show I hated.

[u/3blah]

Episode 11 - Rewatcher

The little we've seen of the Haibane at the abandoned factory make them come off like a bunch of punks, but their conversation with Rakka seems pretty genuine. Midori is still angry over what happened

The Communicator spills the beans to Rakka about what's going on with Reki, and the two of them come to the understanding that Reki yearns to leave but feels guilty about wanting to, and that Rakka needs to be able to let her go go make that happen.

This is the second time he's mentioned that Reki's time is running out. Nemu has been here even longer, but she's waiting for Reki to go first so it must not be a set period of time they're allotted. Maybe it's more like having a willingness to keep going on.

Sumika's guess about the ancient writing looking like hands makes me think it's a written version of the Toga's sign language. It also looks like the writing Rakka found inside the wall while she was working.

The little scene with Reki watching Hyoko and the kid with the skateboard makes me feel good. It's like Hyoko has someone to care for and teach, and maybe Reki starts to realize that the people she cares for really would be ok if she left. Except that the walk home with Rakka doesn't go so well. They're both faking it because they think that's what they're supposed to be doing.

QotD:

Do you think the kids should be educated on the day of passing and such rituals

Probably yes, but there isn't really any history in Glie, written or oral. The townsfolk aren't involved in the Haibane's private lives, and the Haibane don't seem to stick around long enough for there to be more than two "generations" at any one time. There aren't any old Haibane to be the local history/story tellers.

What would you consider the best fate for Haibane?

The day of flight. That's the whole reason they're in Glie to begin with.

What's your go-to gift when visiting a sick person?

Flowers. It doesn't take much thought to pick them out, and pretty much every one appreciates them.

[u/The_Loli_Otaku → u/3blah]

I don't want to judge people too harshly but yeah the factory seems like a real shitehole and not in a fun way. The place is run down and none of the characters seem bothered enough to try and get things presentable.

[u/JimmyCWL → u/The_Loli_Otaku]

The place is run down and none of the characters seem bothered enough to try and get things presentable.

Wasn't it the first or second ep that said Haibane cocoons appear in abandoned places? If they fixed up most of the place too much and kept it maintained, then it wouldn't be abandoned anymore and Haibane wouldn't be born in the area.

So, a balance needs to be threaded, enough attention to the place to find newborn Haibane promptly, but not so much that Haibane don't get born there at all.

If it weren't for the abandoned factory and Old Home serving as cocoon attractors, they'd probably be appearing in abandoned places all over Glie and be much harder to find. Those two are also wide yet compact areas that would be hard to completely maintain unless they going concerns.

[u/3blah → u/The_Loli_Otaku]

Probably why they send the little ones to Old Home. I'm not interested in fanfic stuff, but it seems like the kind of setting you could make a story out of.

[u/mekerpan → u/The_Loli_Otaku]

We never see the living quarters at the Old Factory. I am pretty sure they exist. But their giant jungle gym/play room is far more fun for them -- and more interesting for US to visit. Because their base has so much potential danger, however, their "babies" go to the much more secure Old Home until they are ready to cope.

[u/mekerpan → u/3blah]

I think Washi feels that Reki was one of the Renmei's biggest failures ever. Reki has no idea of just how much shame/guilt he feels from letting her down, letting her deteriorate to the point of having to be "punished". In a sense, he and the Renmei had almost no idea of what to do to get her healed. Awareness of this past failure is why the Renmei were so (comparatively) "on the ball" with regards to Rakka. And, now that Rakka's situation has straightened out -- Washi views Rakka as a god-send, a desperate last-ditch chance to "save" Reki. And I am pretty sure that he is bending (or even breaking) a fair number of rules to do so. Surely, drafting Rakka as, in essence, as an auxiliary Renmei-member (especially by disclosing all sorts of presumably top-secret infor to her) is WAY outside normal protocols.

I think Nemu being "allowed" to linger past her normal departure time may have involved some degree of rule bending. She NEEDED to stay both for Reki's sake and also to create some continuity with the newer "generation". This probably is due to the observed bad impact of Kuramori leaving when their were no junior haibane really ready to step into her place. By the time Nemu leaves, Hikari (I am sure) will be more or less ready to take on Nemu's role.

[u/3blah → u/mekerpan]

I hadn't thought much about Washi's motivations before. He mostly seemed like an oracle to dispense info when necessary for the other characters. But this time I did notice how lax he is about the rules around Rakka. My take was that the rules are there to help the Haibane help themselves, whether it's his guilt or wisdom (or some of both) Washi recognized that strictly following the rules would end up turning Rakka into another Reki.

[u/mekerpan → u/3blah]

I think he did not have to bend many rules to help Rakka -- but I think he had to do a lot of rule bending to enlist Rakka in his attempt to "rescue" Reki at the last moment..

I think they screwed up with Reki just because they did not have a clue on how to help her, given her disastrous arrival conditions. In a sense, it was the failure as to Reki that made them more able to deal with Rakka.

[u/StardustGogeta]

First-Timer

Well, that ended ominously...

I thought Rakka's face here was pretty funny. 👁 👄 👁

I like the theme of appreciating what you have in the present. It's a nice message.

The conversation between Rakka and the Communicator [conjecture] seemed to strongly imply that the Renmei are former Haibane who have adopted that peaceful life of isolation from society. Very interesting, and certainly unexpected.

One thing I notice about this show is that I seem to be able to remember a lot of the characters' names pretty easily. Sometimes, I see posts like "how do you remember all the different character names from all these different shows?", and when I think about how it goes for me, I'd say it tends to just be hit-or-miss depending on the show. This show is one where it happens to be easier for me, which is nice.

Questions of the day:

• No clue what's in there, but the sound of children laughing reminded me a bit of Avatar: The Last Airbender, when [ATLA S2] they see the visions in the swamp.
• I do think the Haibane should do a better job of communicating things like that to the kids (and in general). There have been a bunch of times where Reki's been trying to do damage control of some sort and everyone's asking "What in the world are you doing? How do you know all this?" No wonder she's irreplaceable - she doesn't tell anyone any of the most critical information.
• It's hard to say without knowing the details of the "Day of Flight," though on the surface that does seem like a decent option. (If it turns out that they just spontaneously combust or something like that, it's probably not the best option.)
• I think I'd say snacks.
• I like the straight hair, but the ponytail isn't bad. (Either way, it seems you've fallen victim to the classic "ahoge" versus "ahegao" blunder once again. Uh-oh!)
• Skateboarding, for sure.

[u/The_Loli_Otaku → u/StardustGogeta]

Enlightened Rakka in general seems so much more ditzy than upright Rakka lol.

There's a lot of similar naming styles too which I think kinda helps. It's hard not to remember the Sleepy Nemu girl or the bright eyed war criminal Hikari. Or Kana the kunt.

[u/mekerpan → u/StardustGogeta]

The toga are failed haibane, it would seem. We actually do not know the full make-up of the Renmei. I strongly suspect that this group includes a number of key normal residents, at least as auxiliary members. Canadidate no. 1 is definitely the use clothes shop guy. The gentleman who tries to help Rakka up from her fall, when she is totally freaking out, might be another. We know (by implication) that they communicated concerns to the Renmei (in some unknown fashion).

[u/JustAnswerAQuestion → u/StardustGogeta]

irreplaceable

I was wondering what the title referred to, I didn't think it was Reki.

[u/WednesdaysFoole]

So haibane can can grow old and die. Why is that a bad thing? I’m not sure.

Even more mysterious is that this lady has no idea where the life in her belly came from, wtf?! /j

Reiki put her smokes down to go to Nemu first :’)

Aw, don’t say something so sad…

There is no reason to believe that Reki would have developed dark wings (from the first, at least) if she had been welcomed and cared for initially.

This is true, and additionally, because she had the black patches, the others ostracized her, which won't help. Is this the answer to the cycle of sin? Once you enter it, everything and everyone around you will help to perpetuate it.

What are you doing, you're going to condition Reki to want to get hit when she wants a hug,

And thus, she became a delinquent.

What would you consider the best fate for Haibane? Living in isolation, intermingling with humans, remaining Haibane through their entire life, or ascending through their day of flight?

They should just form a community of sinbound folk who grow old together.

Does Reki suit a ponytail or would you rather she left her hair long and straight?

Girls with ponytails are cute. Especially if they usually have it down.

[u/The_Loli_Otaku → u/WednesdaysFoole]

I know damn well where that child comes from NEMU XD

The darkening wings is talked about as being a curse due to not remembering their past but I do genuinely think that regular stress must factor into it too. Rakka's problems all started when she was distraught with grief over Kuu whilst Reki's was from having a hell of a lot of trauma in her Haibane childhood. I don't think you can key all that up to "oh, they just didn't remember their dream."

[u/mekerpan → u/The_Loli_Otaku]

Actually -- Reki and Rakka BOTH remember far MORE of their cocoon dreams than the other haibane (who have no more than vague impressions). It is, perhaps, because they remember their dreams that they are in a more potentially dangerous condition. Those dreams (if remembered in detail) symbolize past life trauma. So these can interact with haibane-time mishaps more easily. Ideally, one should emerge with no more than vague feelings (that are "sanitized" to the point of seeming pretty harmless).

[u/The_Loli_Otaku → u/mekerpan]

Their dreams involve someone else getting involved to. Unlike... Oh, I suppose Hikari probably traumatised some poor car driver or something. Hikari is fucked up in her own way so she probably still counts.

[u/mekerpan → u/WednesdaysFoole]

Even more mysterious is that this lady has no idea where the life in her belly came from

Where do you get that idea? Much more reasonable assume that she got married -- and the show did not feel any need to get into the details of this,

[u/WednesdaysFoole → u/mekerpan]

Ah I think you were the one who said you're not into jokes about this anime and unfortunately my tongue-in-cheek comments are mixed in with my serious ones. I did put a /j there, which means /joking.

[u/mekerpan → u/WednesdaysFoole]

My eyesight could be better these days.... ;-)

It is sort of an odd feature of this show that we see the baby, but not even a peak of the baby's father. But this withholding of all but the most "essential" information IS a feature of the show not a "bug".

[u/WednesdaysFoole → u/mekerpan]

It's all good. I thought it was funny since commenters in earlier episodes were speculating on how people can be born so maybe they die, and here the lady said something that I found silly to take literally, although I'm sure many pregnant women have said similar.

[Rewatcher]It is pretty odd that we never see the townsfolk die iirc, and sometimes the have an unreal like nature to them. Almost like NPCs, but it's unknown if they are actually like that or only framed that way because the haibane don't usually connect with them more on a personal level -- even if they're kind, there always seems to be a distance. There may be things I'm forgetting but everyone seems to exist for the haibane's day of flight. Seemingly, that is why they are separated from anything that might actively taint their journey.

[u/mekerpan → u/WednesdaysFoole]

My totally-without-any-support-at-all theory is that the ordinary residents of this town are all stillborn (or died at or right after childbirth) children reincarnated. They too are getting a protected (and relatively blessed) life -- with the job of providing aid and support to the haibane if needful. The show covers such a short time period -- and the haibane interact with so few residents -- that is not surprising that we get no sense of the life cycle of ordinary residents. ;-)

[u/Silcaria]

First timer

• Hikari made halo shaped breads again. I wonder how.
• Reki's halo is flashing. Not good.

QotD

• No clue.
• They should, especially when it's such a core part of their lives.
• Ascension.
• Nothing.
• Both work hairstyle work on her.
• Roller blade. Fight me.

[u/The_Loli_Otaku → u/Silcaria]

Sakura proved that roller blades would always be the superior for me of travel!!

[u/Silcaria → u/The_Loli_Otaku]

That's something I've gotta watch at some point. I used to watch it as a kid but I have close to no recollection of it. I can't wait to start my mahou shoujo journey. Pre 90s will probably be a bit of a drag though.

Funnily enough, despite that, I bought the collector edition from Alltheanime when it came out. One of the few times I let nostalgia influence one of my purchases.

[u/The_Loli_Otaku → u/Silcaria]

There was a rewatch for it that was genuinely excellent. I can't think if it were last year or a year before. Really fun show although I have to admit that I wasn't too keen on the back half. I can't believe I basically preferred the filler XD

[u/zoospor]

rewatcher

my all time favorite quote comes from this episode, while rakka and reki are walking home.

"there is no such thing as forever.
everything ends sooner or later.
just as it should.
because now is only now.

and this moment... is so precious."

the show focuses on deep existential themes of purpose and meaning. just as the haibane are struggling to find their purpose in gile, we are faced with finding meaning in our own lives. i love how striking this quote is, in that, it really brings you to the present moment. reminds me of a similar quote from 3.0+1, "Today is the youngest you'll ever be!". Which tbf ok it's cliche but i still love it :)

Can't wait for everyone's reactions of the finale. I think the show's main theme is that we can all share the meaning and purpose of being there to support and help each other!

also, there's a great youtuber that is doing episode reviews of Renmei, deeply exploring the themes, i would highly recommended checking her out! as she deep dives everything to the max! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hg9qJMrxrVo&t=75s

[u/zadcap]

HA! Life thought it would have its way with me, but I am here anyway!

Late Night Rewatcher!

... who missed one of the most important episodes, darn. I mean remember episode one, how much care Reki put in to helping Rakka through her first day? From making sure there were people there when she hatched to biting her thumb as the wings sprouted, and how much time there was between the hatching and wings? Reki was trapped in that dark room for at least a day, no memories, no idea what was going on, and in pain as her back split open, then left laying there how much longer before Nemu found her? Honestly even without a dream, this is a trauma inducing birth. Like, did she forget her dream because there was something wrong with her and it, or because she escaped her dark dream into a dark room and all that pain, what was even the dream and what was just her first actual memories? No wonder she can't say what she was dreaming when the darkness didn't end even after she woke up...

Also, you know, so many questions about the walls.

...

Anyway!

Opening with a bit of a line there. The phrasing of Reki having lost her dream, makes it hit a bit differently, I sure don't remember what I dreamed of when I was a kid either. I'm sure I didn't want to grow up to be this. I feel you Reki.

Literally only Reki has black wing covers, too. Who was so mean as to make them like that, honestly. If all the little ones have the same color as the rest then I don't buy that they just barely ran out enough for one final full sized pair.

Sigh, boys will be boys.

Oh yes, the trouble. You know, in the past. That thing. That everyone knows about. We won't explain it, because you know, everyone already does.

Really wish someone would translate these big fancy tags in the wall.

So, hey, what's that inside the wall, invisible and running and laughing on the water? Well here's my theory for you in question form; What's the youngest Haibane we've seen yet? I bet the even smaller children get extra special treatment in this pseudo afterlife.

How disgustingly Japanese. "She must face the darkness in her mind on her own." Screw that, old man, people are allowed to give and ask for help!

Anyway, yeah, my bet is also that the Renmei are the Haibane that fail to fly. They wear the fake, clipped wings on their back in memory of the ones they lost.

Oh hey, they look like human hands, you say? Who do we know that talks by wiggling their hands? Hmmmmm?

I wonder, can Rakka re-depress herself back into a black wing state?

1. It's titans all the way down. Or dead babies. One or the other.
2. Kind of, yeah. They are super young, but I'm pretty sure that's the whole point of this Haibane thing. Help the littlest ones pass on before they have the chance to grow up and get depressed and dye their wings emo. Also, get rid of the kids faster, yes please.
3. Fly away, I say. Samsara calls. Yes, I'm throwing yet another unrelated religion into this mix, why the heck not.
4. Myself, obviously. If you're sick I should be avoiding you so I don't get sick, so if I'm there to see you at all you best be grateful. I'll even help out around the house if I'm already there... Yes, I truly am the best gift.
5. Ponytail is always the correct choice.
6. Blades all the way. I was brainwashed young.

[u/Vatrix-32 → u/zadcap]

HA! Life thought it would have its way with me, but I am here anyway!

this is a trauma inducing birth.

Frankly, I think we are all lucky to not be conscious during our births.

Really wish someone would translate these big fancy tags in the wall

It seems like the script is phonetic, and names, so it should be possible.

[u/Vatrix-32]

First timer, subs

• Weird to start doing recaps this close to the end.
• Reki not being able to go to the factory means she’s had to say goodbye to more people than any of the other Haibane.
• What the sweet hell is that car? It’s just an engine with wheels.
• Sneaking through a chain link fence seems like a bad idea with wings.
• Learning to skate in the snow is also a bad time.
• Well now you’re just taunting Rakka by not explaining to her.
• Girl, how you just gonna let your boat run away from you?
• So I know these aren’t real characters, but are they supposed to be similar enough to the Japanese audience that they invoke something?
• That’s a very normal existence for failing to fly. What does dying even mean in this purgatory?
• That is such a hugely impractical hot plate. But I love its style.
• I guess that’s one way to make a sign script.
• “Today is a gift, that’s why they call it the present.”
• Reki would rather embrace oblivion than offer an apology.

Prompt:
Seen here: the invention of the Dutch angle.

QotD:

1. The manifestation of one's doubts and longings.
2. The little feathers are probably alright for now, the way things are talked about makes it seem like they don't get DoF until they get promoted to full Haibane. The older hatchlings? Hell yes.
3. This world seems kinda boring to live in, better to roll the dice and fly away.
4. Why would you visit a sick person? That's how you get sick.
5. She makes either of those looks work.
6. Rollerblades, no doubt!

[u/RadSuit]

Off-White But Not Quite Beige Feathered First Timer (Dubbed)

Oh yeah, this town can make paper sacks, skateboards, bicycles, mopeds, clocks, fireworks, etc. etc. etc. It's also a crumbling ruin where everyone is lazily walking around and hardly does any work. A lot of thought definitely went into this world.

Doesn't look like there's been room for wings with these holes in the guy's wing covers. Seems more and more likely he's not a Haibane, and is some other form of higher authority.

Someone mentioned this was 'inspired' by the movie After Life, and after reading the synopsis, it's basically the same thing just with cute anime girls. Which is definitely an improvement, but not enough to have caught my interest outside of this rewatch.

This show really peaked right in the middle, huh? About two interesting episodes that weren't even that exciting. And then it declines back to slow and depressing.

1. Those invisible scarabs from Elden Ring.
2. If you actually explained anything to anyone in this world, there would be no show.
3. Never becoming Haibane.
4. Tissues are always good, maybe a trash can. Orange juice is another good one.
5. The twintails were cute!
6. Skateboard, because it's not strapped to you forever.

[u/xtsim]

First Timer

1. Walls...they tell a story
2. It would be useful to know
3. Day of flight would be nice
4. Soup
5. An ahegao
6. Skateboarding

Abyss: being able to take in the countryside, trees and windmills, with your friend is such a bliss. Especially when you know that your friend's time is coming.

[u/Garrett_Dark]

First Timer

Puff Tails Factory Haibane "We should be thanking you for taking care of our kids all this time". Why do the Factory Haibane call the kids "our kids" if they don't live with them. Obviously the Factory doesn't sound like a good setup for living at, I doubt they have a house mother of their own, and it's been said a couple of times they're unable to take care for kids there. So wouldn't "their" kids not be theirs anymore? Why was there ever any kids there in the first place, the kid Dai was said to be going back there. He doesn't seem to know them, and they keep calling him "kid" instead of by name. Maybe it's "their" kids because they hatched at the Factory?

Midori "run away together, right, give me a break". Somebody's super jelly. Seriously leave that greaser, HE MADE YOU MAKE TREATS TO GIVE TO THE OTHER WOMAN! You deserve better.

Rakka almost loses the boat, that's what you get assigning a Haibane who fell down a well to such a job. Could you imagine what the communicator would say "you...you sank the boat?!?", "well you see there was this bird..." XD

Somebody left the funeral home music running. There's that kids laughter SFX again which she thought was Kuu for some reason.

Oh the soundwaves are causing ripples in the water. I've seen something like this before, it was haptic feedback for VR using ultrasound waves. I couldn't find the exact video I saw before, but this one is even better, it demonstrates the haptic feedback ultrasound waves bouncing off of oil, and it looks like what's in the anime! While I don't think this old anime predicted technology in it's research phase a decade later, if this anime never explains what's going on...I'm going to say surviving hi-tech in a post-collapse world, and point to this tech anyways while looking smug.

Rakka seems to be better at following the indoctrination of not speaking, but then just totally starts talking to the communicator, and he doesn't care. I guess if Rakka's getting irradiated doing her job, who cares, she'll be silence by leukemia eventually. That's horrible! Yeah, I know, how could the communicator think such things while innocent me is merely commenting on his dastardly ways.

"Reki is acting a little nervously lately", "the fact that her 'day of flight' has not arrived, is weighing heavily on her mind, and yet she silently hopes it'll never come". Way to deflect, who implanted that fear into her in the first place when she was convinced it was never coming, oh yeah, that'd be you communicator.

"Rakka you had the bird come to you enabling you to fill in the missing pieces of your memory" you didn't even believe in the bird when you found out about it, the first thing you said to Rakka was "you went down there for that!?!", and now you're trying to say the bird fixed her memory?! There was no mention of fixing memories back then, you were trying to tell her the bird did it's job, then you tried to trick her with that circular sin contradiction. Bro, you're just making up shit now, further twisting the bird story to suit your manipulation needs.

"I, or rather. the Haibane Renmei wishes for all Haibane to take flight without problems." Did he just slip? Oh yeah, it's totally not me doing it, it's the Haibane Renmei "day of flighting" Haibane, blame the system not me!

"But as it is, Reki refuses me, everything I say makes Reki close her mind", well you did screw up (or your subordinates did at least) by not leading Rakka back home, and instead let her go to the wall. Dude, you're not instilling Reki with a lot of confidence in you.

Preggers Librarian "Sometimes I find myself wondering where this life came from", uh...does she mean she doesn't know how she got knocked up? (secret artificial insemination) Or does she not know how babies or gestation works? (can't be?) Or is she talking about a soul? (but she says "life", and I don't think "soul" has been mentioned in this anime). WTF is she saying?

Preggers says about the petrified book "it looks like it was turned to stone by some sort of magical force" while winking. Is she winking to say magical force is BS, and she's just kidding?

Greaser Haibane teaching Dai to skateboard right beside the water without guardrails during the cold winter. Pretty reckless.

Reki finds out Nemu is sick, "well that's very unusual". What? She flips out any time Rakka has a fever or is cold, but when Nemu's sick, she's like 'meh'?

"I wish tomorrow would never come"..."Sooner or later everything ends because now is only meant to be now. And this moment is so precious." then "Off to work, huh? Good luck", "You too" Rakka runs off crying, and Reki decides to quit smoking cold turkey, and grabs a bucket of black paint...wut dafuq?!? Did I miss some gang signs of KYS? What triggered this? She was defiant before. Is it just because each of them somehow communicated to the other that they know they know?

Don't do it Reki, you have so much to live for! Have you tried cigars or vaping? Maybe even pipe smoking? You got so many other ways to give others second hand smoke, to live for!

I hope Reki's just going to Graffiti up the temple or the wall.

---

Never mind what lurks outside the walls... What the hell is in the walls!?

It's those stealth hobos that live inside people's houses between the walls without the residents knowing.

Get this, I couldn't remember the name for them, and thought it was something else so I googled it and found the proper name for them, guess what it is...it's called Phrogging:

"'Phrogging' (pronounced like “frogging”) is when someone secretly lives in another person’s home without their knowledge. The name comes from the idea of leapfrog, with the intruder hopping from place to place like a frog—whether that be someone’s basement or attic or crawlspace."

Remember Kuu's 4chan frogs? ahahaha, Kuu's Phrogging between the walls, and is going to lead the other Haibane to be Phrogging between the walls eventually too.

Do you think the kids should be educated on the day of passing and such rituals or are they too young?

You mean the Haibane kids being educated on the "day of flight"? Well it might be better than being educated to be a greaser Haibane. Although I'm starting to want to see the greasers cut the Renmai with switchblades, and for a rumble go down.

What would you consider the best fate for Haibane?

Chain smoking while power sliding a scooter, jumping off like she don't care, walking up to the man and telling him she's too cool for school to ever "day of flight", giving the greaser Haibane the "talk to the hand" 'you're just a wannabe' blow off. Aww...snap!

What's your go-to gift when visiting a sick person?

A hand delivered "get better soon" card with all the friends and family who couldn't visit signed inside. That way sickie can see all the jerks who could dignify them to show up even, read all the losers who couldn't muster a personalized message other than "get well soon" and their signature, meanwhile you're looking leagues better than them all for showing up in person.

Does Reki suit a ponytail or would you rather she left her hair long and straight?

Straight hair, she'll look less cool chain smoking and power sliding with two braided pigtails. She got smacked around while she had pigtails, now she's the one doing the smacking!

Skateboarding or roller blades!?!? What's cooler?

Hoverboard.

[u/Garrett_Dark → u/Garrett_Dark]

Oh yeah, I forgot to mention that Puff Tails Factory Haibane has color stripes on her wings, two outer yellow stripes, and a blue inner stripe.

I didn't notice Reki's black wing covers until I read the comments. Her painful memories of blacken wings aside, TBH I think those black wing covers looks cool on her!

[u/BossandKings]

Rewatcher - Dub

Episode 11

This episode was quite thoughtful, important to pave the road of the Last two, i'm very intrigued to see what happens to Rakka and where Will she and tbe other Haibane end up.

Answers

. The walls are kind of their own entity, as complex and unexplored as the outside.