Haibane-Renmei: Episode 5 Commentary

Library. Abandoned Factory. The Beginning of the World.

Rakka has reached a point where she is both curious about what lies outside the town walls and where she is content with the life before her in Old Home and in town. Sumika is an example of finding joy, and ones life, ones future, within the walled community.

If Nemu has to push a cart full of books up from one floor to another, and is working overtime a lot, it’s no wonder she’s always tired. As Kana says, she gets her work done, and that’s what really matters. On top of that, the library’s image has improved since Nemu started working there, so she’s undoubtedly had nothing but a positive influence on the establishment. I can’t imagine Kana and Hikari being able to say the same (although Hikari did design the donuts). Still, one doesn’t have to make such grand changes to have a meaningful impact.

By placing the haibane within the walls of the story, Rakka is viewing her new home as her place to be. She may wonder about her parents, if they’re still around, outside those high walls, but she is also accepting her place. She wonders if her wings becoming a complete part of her will be the last step, if it will mean she’s no longer connected to the outside world, to lost memories of her past.

Old Home is female haibane only, save for the Young Feathers. Old Factory is co-ed. Are there any other places? Any with male Haibane only? And just what is the nature of these places where the haibane nest? Why was Old Home abandoned? What was the purpose for such a large lodging? What about Old Factory? Could it be a coal-run factory which was obsoleted when electricity began to be used, and power lines running from the windmill to through town?

A hat is worn over Hyohko’s halo. His wings are kept hidden. Is he unsatisfied with his life as a haibane? Does he yearn to be human, to be as free as he perceives the humans of town to be, compared with his own protected life?

After her past with Hyohko, Reki probably has things in her past she’d like to move away from. The town walls don’t allow her to completely get away from anyone. At the same time, it’s because she’s kept in that she’s able to help raise the Young Feathers. As Rakka says, the community helps one another, depends on one another. And the town walls, they ensure the community stays together.

At one point, Rakka couldn’t remember who or what was with her in her dream. By now, she recalls being protected by something. She had had another dream about the bird (until Kana woke her from it), so she may continue to dream similar dreams. Do all the haibane have ongoing dreams, related from one dream to the next? For Reki, it’s the same dream each time, and probably a very vivid one.

Everyone’s work has been seen except for Kuu’s. She continues to be a joyful character, playing around and having fun at any given time. The sugar cubes she’s given she shares with a cat, not unlike her words to Rakka about befriending the crows. It’ll be nice to see what work she does. Is her work for the man who gave her the sugar cubes, or does she simply help him out sometimes, and get the cubes as thanks (this being the impression I got from how Kuu spoke of things in the prior episode)?

When the house mother at Old Home commented on how Reki didn’t run away, I didn’t expect more information about her running away to be revealed so soon. There’s still unknowns around specifically why she ran away, and what happened when she did. Does Hyohko blame Reki for his being unable to visit Old Home? Was it Reki’s idea for the two of them to run away together? Why are they still banned from on anothers’ homes at their current ages? How long ago did they run away together?