Haibane Renmei

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Haibane Renmei is a 13 episode anime series produced by RADIX (2002) and brought to the US by Geneon. The show follows a group of girls born with angel wings as they try to make sense of the small, enclosed world they suddenly find themselves in upon birth.

1 Characters
2 Plot
3 Haibane
- 3.1 Rules of the Haibane
4 Openings/Endings
5 Links

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Characters

Reki: The one of the two oldest Haibane, Reki is named for the pebbles she saw in her dream. She was born with darker wings, which she is uncomfortable about, and smokes constantly. Her job is to watch over the children.
Rakka: The newest haibane, Rakka is trying to find her place in a world that she knows nothing about.
Kuu: Kuu is the youngest of the older haibane. Her playful spirit is charming to everyone, but she really wants someone her age to be born.
Kana
Hikari
Nemu
Washi

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Plot

The anime begins a young girl falling through the sky, spotting a town towards the end of her descent. A haibane (young woman with wings) finds a cocoon in an abandoned room of a large stone complex. A human girl hatches finds herself among the several angel-like creatures. They give the girl a name (Rakka) and a halo. Most leave for work, but Reki stays. Shortly afterwards Rakka grows wings and becomes a haibane herself. Rakka explores the world she was recently born into. Her fellow haibane help her understand the life of a haibane. The older haibane walk to a human town where Rakka gets new clothes. They see the toga, the only people allowed outside the town. Returning, they find Reki waiting in Rakka's guestroom. Rakka collapses from the day's exhaustions. Rakka must go to see the Haibane Renmei to establish her place in this new world. She spends time on the complex helping Reki and the other girls trying to find her own job to do. She ends up helping the Haibane Renmei clean tablets underneath the temple.

After a short time, Kuu (one of Rakka's closest friends), starts to act strangely. She ends up near the wall, where she disappears, leaving only her halo. Rakka is very upset by this loss and her guilt causes her wings to turn black. Desperate to hide the change, Rakka cuts off her wings. Reki finds out about her problem and reveals that she also has black wings. Unconsoled, Rakka finds herself by the spot Kuu disappeared. In a nearby well she finds the body of a crow, reminding her of her dream. Rakka begins to understand that the crow trying to help her in her dream has forgiven her for her past deeds. She learns Reki will soon disappear as well.

Rakka seeks someone to forgive Reki and finds a group of abandoned haibane in the city. In her past, Reki tried to escape from the city resulting in the near death of her friend. Reki, however, refuses to accept Rakka's help. She retreats to the darkness of her painting room, trying to push Rakka away. Rakka overcomes the pain of Reki's rejection and forgives her. The next morning, Reki is gone. Rakka continues her life in the complex, soon finding a new cocoon growing in an abandoned room.

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Haibane

The name is translated as Ash Wings. The people called haibane are born at a certain age, but never grow older. They grow wings and are given a halo shortly after hatching from a large cocoon. They are also given a name based on their dream within the cocoon.

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