paranoidphantom
24 August 2025
Haibane Renmei (Review) [Anime]
Source: Haibane Renmei
Release: 2003
Episodes: 13
Charcoal Feather Federation is an anime that first saw the
light of day back in 2003. The most remarkable fact about its
creation is the involvement of Yoshitoshi Abe, a talented
artist best known for his character designs in
Serial Experiments Lain. And you may ask: “To what extent
did Yoshitoshi Abe take part in the making of
Now that all the cards are on the table, let’s take a closer look at Haibane Renmei. Together, we’ll try to unravel its themes and symbolism, and briefly compare it to some of Yoshitoshi Abe’s other works.
Une Fille Qui a Des Ailes Grises
The anime opens with a breathtaking scene: a girl named Rakka is falling from the sky. Beneath her stretch endless green meadows. Soon, tiled rooftops come into view - a small town. It looks like that is where she will land. For now, though, she drifts freely in the azure sky. Something clutches at the hem of her dress. A raven! Let go, raven - it’s useless. You cannot stop her flight.
As will soon become clear, this was only a dream, one the girl had while inside a cocoon that sprouted in the storeroom of the Old Home. The cocoon cracks open and casts Rakka into an entirely unfamiliar world. Luckily, her birth is already eagerly awaited by others with the same grey wings. A whole group of haibane girls, led by Reki, welcomes the new fledgling into their nest. Reki in particular becomes Rakka’s guardian, supporting her at every step of her early new life.
And so the story begins - an anime that shows us Rakka’s first, hesitant steps in her new life. Yet it is about more than that: it is also about what Charcoal Feather Federation really is, and what the everyday lives of the haibane in Old Home look like.
Old Home and the Charcoal Feather Federation
Haibane Renmei is an anime with an incredibly fascinating approach to worldbuilding. Its folklore is layered and multifaceted, so it’s worth clarifying some of the foundational concepts right away.
The haibane are beings who resemble humans. Their main distinction is a pair of beautiful grey wings on their backs and a glowing halo above their heads. Each haibane is born from a cocoon as a young adult, but they remember nothing of their previous life. Their names are given based on the dream they had while inside the cocoon. They are forbidden from leaving the city walls or possessing new belongings. The haibane are expected to live ascetic lives, separate from ordinary humans, working diligently and pursuing spiritual growth. They can leave the city only once, and forever - on their inevitable “Day of Flight.”
The enforcers of these rules are the masked attendants of the Charcoal Feather Federation. Cloaked in long robes, they hide their faces behind masks. Yet behind this cold, distant appearance lies the gentle wisdom of mentors who use their authority not merely for control, but also to help the haibane adjust to their new existence.
Our group of haibane lives in a nest called the Old Home. It is a large estate with its own chapel. Many of its rooms stand abandoned, so there is never a shortage of space. There is, however, another nest in the town, called the Factory, where another group of haibane lives.
The town itself and its surrounding lands are enclosed by an impenetrable wall and forest. The haibane are strictly forbidden from approaching the wall, let alone attempting to cross it - except, of course, on the Day of Flight. No one can leave or enter the town, except for the masked attendants of the Federation.
What Does It All Mean?
So, there’s quite a lot of unusual lore in this anime, isn’t there? That’s right, it’s saturated with various artistic images, including metaphors. Let me be clear: I wouldn’t call Haibane Renmei an anime inspired purely by Christianity. To me, it doesn’t confine itself to any single religion (though it does borrow freely from Christian visual aesthetics); rather, it explores the idea of spiritual growth in the broadest sense. That’s the point I’m trying to make.
The most common analogy would be to say that the town in Haibane Renmei is akin to a Christian Purgatory, while the haibane are souls that haven’t fully cleansed themselves of sin and cannot yet enter Heaven. But you can also see influences of Buddhism (concepts of karma and reincarnation), Shintoism (the wall as a boundary between two worlds), and other spiritual sources of inspiration.
The idea that the characters are in a place they cannot leave because of their sins is expressed directly in the anime. Everyone awaits the day they can finally leave the city walls, having fully purified themselves from the burdens that hold them back from flight. But the way the characters confront the consequences of their past sins is the central focus of the story.
Don’t worry, though - the anime isn’t only about the main characters’ self-reflection. Far from it. A great deal of screen time is devoted to depicting the simple, ascetic daily life of people with wings. And this is no coincidence: a life without excess or upheaval creates the conditions for spiritual cleansing. The girls go shopping together (haibane don’t use money, so the process itself is quite interesting), help the townspeople, care for one another and the younger haibane, celebrate holidays together, and navigate everyday troubles as a "family". This routine fosters humility, patience, compassion, and sincerity—qualities that nurture their spiritual growth.
Once Upon a Midnight Dreary
At the heart of the anime are the residents of the Old Home, specifically six girls: Rakka (the newest member of the nest), Reki (one of the oldest, mentor to the younger haibane), Nemu (the eldest resident), Kuu (the youngest and most cheerful), Kana (a straightforward girl, apprentice clockmaker), and Hikari (a slightly lost haibane who most often interacts with the Federation’s clerics).
Together, these girls form an organic, family-like unit among the adults of the Old Home. Yet the nature of the haibane dictates that they must eventually leave the city, leaving behind friends and loved ones. Our protagonists are no exception. The first to depart is the cheerful Kuu, and her disappearance hits Rakka hard - she sees it as a betrayal. Her soul fills with resentment, and instead of purifying herself, she postpones the day of her own flight. Rakka grows more withdrawn, bitter, and depressed. Over time, her grey wings develop the black spots of haibane illness, a physical manifestation of spiritual burden.
The apex of this narrative arc occurs when Rakka falls into an old well, twists her ankle, and remains trapped at the bottom, waiting for help. Immersed in her despair and locked in dark thoughts, she cannot get out on her own. At the bottom of the well, she finds the remains of a raven and recalls the dream she had in her cocoon. Recognizing the raven as someone important from her past, she overcomes fear and revulsion, buries the bird’s remains, and breaks the cycle of guilt. From this moment, she is free. Her soul is saved by a bird that cared for her even after death, allowing Rakka to confront her fears and cleanse herself.
Rakka is eventually rescued from the well by the clerics. She returns to the nest as a changed haibane - aware of her sins and purified by that very awareness. Self-flagellation had brought her to the narrow, dark depths of the well, but only accepting care and self-love allowed her to break the chains of guilt and step onto the path toward her Day of Flight.
One Who Has Truly Repented Is No Longer a Sinner
So, as an example, I have roughly recounted one of the anime’s story arcs. What questions does it raise?
The central question is the overcoming of sin. Sin, like a disease, destroys a person. And just as there is healing for physical illness, there is a cure for sin: sincere repentance.
The anime does not explicitly state what sin binds each haibane. However, it is clear to the viewer that the burdens of past life weigh heavily on the haibane, preventing them from leaving the city. Therefore, the main task for any haibane is to rid themselves of the ghosts of the past, free themselves from sin, and, as if reborn, step beyond previous mistakes to continue their journey, ultimately flying beyond the city walls.
What is sin? Sin can be understood not only as a specific misdeed or deviation from a righteous life but also as a state in which a person is spiritually distant from God. In this sense, it could refer to Rakka’s self-deprecating mindset, her sense of worthlessness and helplessness. By doubting the value of her own life, rejecting herself, and abandoning hope, she descended into self-destructive despair - despair being one of the Seven Deadly Sins (aka sloth) - which blocked her path to spiritual growth and salvation.
How does one repent? First, repentance requires understanding the nature of the sin, sincerely acknowledging one’s error, and genuinely committing to change. A crucial element is the recognition of personal responsibility, as it is closely tied to the honest admission of one’s mistakes. Only by realizing one’s own sin can a person become sinless. This is exactly the phrase spoken to Rakka by one of the clerics when she is rescued from the well.
Second, repentance often requires help from others, especially when a person lacks the strength to break the cycle alone. Such a helping hand can come from a community, offering a fresh perspective and motivation to break free from the chains of sin. This is why, in the world of Haibane Renmei, there are clerics and townspeople, and why haibane live in communities, supporting each other.
Yet even this may not be enough. Rakka was able to purify herself from sin only with the help of the raven from her dream - a symbol of someone important from her past life, who helped her realize that her life has meaning.
Throughout the anime, we see love and understanding as the forces that link together to free sinners from the chains of their sins. Everything is interconnected: a person you help today may, tomorrow, either help you in return or help someone else who will, in turn, assist you in the future.
Let’s Talk About Things Beyond the Plot
Now, let’s conclude our overview of the anime’s plot and the themes it addresses, and talk about something more tangible.
In terms of visual design, animation, voice acting, and soundtrack, the anime is top-tier. Every frame is superbly crafted. The subdued color palette and the character designs reflect Yoshitoshi Abe’s unmistakable style. Each frame bears the mark of his hand. It is a tightly constructed, cohesive work with its own character, boldly standing out among other anime as a truly authorial creation.
I also must highlight the breathtakingly beautiful backgrounds. Whether landscapes, cityscapes, or interior designs, they all look phenomenal, with a dream-like air reminiscent of a somberish parable. Old furniture, rusty windmills, dusty clock towers, old shops, nearly empty streets - all contribute to a thick as molasses, atmospheric mood. Yet compared to Serial Experiments Lain, Haibane Renmei is less dark and psychedelic, closer in spirit to NieA_7.
If I were to pick one word to describe the feeling the anime evokes, it would be melancholy. This atmosphere is crafted not only through visuals but also through the music. Haibane Renmei features abundant orchestral pieces. The compositions magically blend soaring string and keyboard melodies with subtle, folk-inspired motifs played on tambourines and accordions.
In conclusion, Haibane Renmei is completely distinct from Serial Experiments Lain. Unlike its darker, cyberpunk predecessor, the anime about the haibane girls exudes far more comfort and love, hope, and gentle melancholy.
A Few Words From Me
I won’t hide the fact that I love this anime with all my heart. The series consists of 13 episodes. It may seem like very little, but in this brief runtime, the anime manages to tell a richly detailed and incredibly touching story about self-discovery, battling inner demons, the courage sometimes needed to rely on someone else’s help, and the gentle persistence required to provide that help.
I often recommend this anime to my friends. To me, it has an almost healing effect, giving hope for tomorrow. Perhaps it is one of those works that can change someone’s life for the better. So, whether you feel a need for something bright and pure in your life right now or not, I encourage you to watch Haibane Renmei. Perhaps this story of maidens with grey wings, searching for salvation from darkness, will help you cleanse your own soul a little, too.