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The small stone and the involved nut - The theme of isolation and connection within Haibane Renmei

Actually sitting down and writing an analysis? For an anime that was released almost 20 years ago and that like almost nobody knows? Me? Apparently, yesh!

After I rewatched Haibane Renmei months ago I couldn’t get it out of my mind all this time and writing about it has burned under my nails ever since, so yes. This analysis will examine the themes of “isolation” and “connection”. At first there will be an examination of the setting and the way the world is built in Haibane Renmei and how it presents “isolation” and “connection”. After that there will be a closer look to the characters. The second chapter will analyses how the characters isolate themselves and how isolation is presented. The last chapter will focus on connection, the breaking up of said isolation and will further discuss how the theme of “connection” ties to other main themes, which are “guilt” and “forgiveness”.

Charcoal Feather Federation and the end of the world

I’m sorry for putting a reference from the title of the book “Hard-boiled Wonderland and the End of the World” in the title of the chapter, which talks about the setting of Haibane Renmei. But it is stated from the creator ABe that he drew inspiration from Haruki Murakami’s (imo fantastic) book “Hard-boiled Wonderland and the End of the World” and the similarities in the setting are striking. But this is not about the relationship between Haibane Renmei and the book, but Haibane Renmei alone and how it integrates the theme of isolation and connection in its setting. The setting of Haibane Renmei is a setting of isolation. The town of Glie and its surroundings are sheltered from the outside world by massive walls. It serves as a closed microcosm, the inhabitants of Glie – as shown with Sumika – may wonder what’s behind them, but never make actual attempts to overcome it. Coming neat towards the wall or even touch it leads to serve injury and sickness, which happens to Hyoko in the past and to Rakka in the present of the narrative. This way the isolation stays untouched. There are three entities, which are able to cross the walls: The crows, the Touga and Haibane that receive their Day of Flight. Their life as Haibane ends as they overcome the walls, the closed, isolated space which is Glie. Curiously their life as a Haibane starts in a similar way, namely sheltered in a cocoon. The cocoon isolates the Haibane from the world outside, serving as a sort of wall in itself. The first episode shows this very well with paralleling shots of Rakka in her cocoon and the other Haibane in front of the cocoon, who are discussing what to do. As soon Rakka hatches, she is no longer isolated, starts to connect with others, becomes an active part of the world around her. The progress of a Haibane hatching from the cocoon parallels in them crossing the wall during their day of flight. In both instances an isolated space is left behind, in other words: The Haibane are breaking free from the isolation. The cocoon could be seen as an Day of Flight on a smaller scale, preparing the Haibane for their mental journey that leads to cross the walls someday.

But the isolation is not only empathized in the world around the Haibane, but becomes especially clear in the social coexistence between Haibane and humans. Haibane are subject to the strict ruleset by the Haibane Renmei. They are separated from humans as they live in long-abandoned buildings like the Old Factory or Old Home away from town. On top of the physical separation and the appearance (halo and wings) that separates Haibane from humans, there is the social ruleset that furthers the Haibane’s isolataion. They are only allowed to possess goods that they have made themselves or that the townspeople have cast aside, like donations and discarded items. They have to find an occupation. On the other hand, money is something Haibane are not allowed to have as well; instead they carry notebooks used as scripts. These are instruments of oppression, creating a power imbalance, separating the Haibane further from the humans. Furthermore Haibane are seen as someone who brings luck, which makes them to be seen more as a “lucky charm” than a person by some. This is especially apparent with the woman who is harassing Rakka, who was already struggling with being sin-bound, by highlighting her strangeness as well as calling her Haibane, a term and a position, like I said Rakka was struggling with at that point.

The theme of isolation and separation is also explored with the entities, who are directly involved with the Haibane: The Haibane Renmei and their Communicator and the mysterious Touga, who are able to leave the walls behind and serve as merchants. The Touga are generally not allowed to speak directly and communicate with sign language only the Communicator knowns – furthering the Touga’s isolation within the community and the “otherness” of their status. A similar phenomenon can be observed between the Haibane and the Communicator. The Haibane are not allowed to speak to the Communicator directly (showing the power imbalance) and use their wings for sign language. “Silence” and “not speaking” are prominent elements to show and strengthen the theme of isolation. This is not only appearing in an outward ruleset but also within the characters (Rakka and Reki), but we will get to that later.

There are two other separated groups within the setting: The sin-bound Haibane and the crows, which curiously both have black feathers. It may be strange to examine those two together just because of this, but there is a reason, as both are separated by their unique statuses in the setting. Sin-bound Haibane are Haibane who can not fully remember their dream, which separate them from other Haibane. As seen in Reki’s past, they are shunned and avoided because of their otherness among other Haibane. Furthermore the ultimate fate of a sin-bound Haibane is “to fall”, to lose their wings and Halo, living a life separated from humans and Haibane alike. Speak: Ultimate isolation.

The crows are isolated because of their unique status of crossing the walls. Especially Kana shows disdain towards crows, scaring them away (similar to everyone except of Kuramori was discriminating and avoiding Reki because of her black wings). Rakka (and as well Kuu, who foils Rakka in being the youngest Haibane, their dream/name is about falling, both are struggling to finding themselves and a purpose in life, as well as Kuu being the first one to receive her Day of Flight while Rakka’s ability to receive the Day of Flight is questionable for a long time due to being sin-bound) on the other hand is much more empathic with the crows (which becomes an extremely important plot point later on), even suggesting to give them food. In her response Kana shows a lot more insight and motifs that go beyond that crows are “dirty” animals and envy that they are able to cross the wall: If they get too comfortable they might not want to leave and lose their freedom, which shows Kana’s wish for her own freedom but also a empathy for the crows that only Rakka seemed to show.

While crows can cross the wall by nature, the formerly sin-bound and fallen Haibane have lost the possibility to do so at all – Haibane on the other hand all have the potential to cross the wall on their Day of Flight.

While all the restrictions that are put on the Haibane makes the town of Glie appear like a bleak world, the opposite is actually the case. Glie presents itself as a peaceful, even idealistic place. One does wonder why there are restrictions in the first place – but Kana’s dialog with Rakka about the crows offers a interpretation: If the Haibane would get too comfortable within the town of Glie they would have an harder time to leave it, receive their Day of Flight and to move on with their existence. The life in Glie is a peaceful, worriless one. Every human is kindhearted (even the woman at the shop who tried to touch Rakka’s wings has no ill intention), conflicts don’t arouse. Even though some of them are curious about what is behind the wall (such as Sumika used to search for book) the human inhabitants and Haibane alike mostly don’t seem to mind the fact that they are not able to cross it and focus on their lives within the walls. The shop-owner is generous and friendly, Sumika the librarian is kindhearted, the man who works in the clock tower may seem grumpy but he appreciates Kana a lot.

The first episodes focus on Rakka being following Hikari, Kana and Nemo to their workplaces. Not only she connects with her fellow-Haibane this way, learning about their daily life and personality, but she also forms connection to humans this way. Human and Haibane are even able to connect through their differences – this is what the pregnant Sumika did when she asked Rakka what it is like to be born (empathizing the theme of birth). Most Haibane have initially connection to humans through their workplace, they even form deeper connections like friendship as it is shown with Nemu and Sumika. The town of Glie is a idealistic, kindhearted world – even impactful events like Kuu’s disappearing are, though they are mourned after, accepted relatively quickly and everyone goes back to their mundane everyday life pretty fast. But from this arises the problem what happens to them who don’t conform to such a idealistic world, for those who struggle and feel pain in an intense, long-term way? Who don’t seem to fit in a world where open, negative emotions don’t seem to have a place in? This is what happens with Rakka and Reki respectively.

If conflict arises it appears mostly within the realm of the Haibane. And if there is conflict in the realm of the Haibane, it revolves around those who are struggling with negative emotions and can’t find a place in such a idealistic world und struggle with those feelings: Rakka and Reki. Either in the form of inner conflict (wondering what is their purpose of their existence, struggling with their status of being a Haibane) or outer conflict (Nemu’s negative emotions arise from the worry for Reki; Rakka feeling out of place since she can not cope with Kuu’s disappearance but everyone else can; Reki’s past as a sin-bound Haibane, her feeling betrayed by Kuramori, her plan to escape, hurting Hyouko and Midori in the process). How Reki’s and Rakka’s struggles steam and are fueled by isolation shall be observed in the following.

Birds of a feather – Rakka, Reki and the burden of isolation

Isolation is one of the main themes surrounding both Rakka and Reki and during the narration they heavily foil each other via paralleling and contrasting.

Reki’s start as a life as a Haibane is defined by loneliness, pain and isolation – her cocoon emerged in a boarded up room and when she was found she already hatched. She had to bear the confusion of her new life, the erupting of her wings and the accomplished pain and fever all by herself. She was found unconscious and covered in blood, her wings being black instead of the charcoal color. Kuramori took care of her, cleaned her wings and nursed her back to health.

Rakka’s start highly parallels and contrasts Reki’s arrival. Rakka’s cocoon is found by Reki by chance in an abandoned section of the building complex. But contrasting her own fate, Reki finds before Rakka hatches. And right after she emerged, Reki takes care of her. Reki explains the situation to her, warns her about her condition, nurses her in a devotedly (she uses her own thumb so Rakka doesn’t bite her tongue while being in pain, foreshadowing her self-scarifying personality) and stays at Rakka’s bedside the whole night, watching over her and cleaning her wings. Reki gives Rakka what she couldn’t have at the start of her life: Company, care and compassion – the feeling of belonging, a connection to others. Rakka’s start in the life of a Haibane highly contrasts Reki’s because of the influence of Reki herself, who gives Rakka a different fate than her own by taking care of her.

The contrasting doesn’t stop there: Reki compliments Rakka’s charcoal wings, a callback to her own darkly stained feathers. While Reki started out as being sin-bound from right the beginning, Rakka adapts the status of being sin-bound only later on due to Kuu’s departure. What are Reki’s starting conditions is a development for Rakka. The black wings and the stigma of being sin-bound are the reason why Reki was discriminated by the other Haibane with only her mentor Kuramori giving care of her. In the present, Reki adapts Kuramori’s role as a caregiver towards Rakka. But in contrast to Reki, Rakka is able to bound to the other Haibane right from the beginning. She is bid welcome, everyone introduces themselves in a friendly manner and over the course of the first episodes, Rakka is able to connect with them individually with each episode being decided to a certain Haibane (Episode 3 is focused on Hikari and Kuu, Episode 4 focuses on Rakka’s and Kana’s relationship and Kana showing Rakka her project and Episode 4 Rakka helps out in Nemu’s workplace). All this activities are centered around giving and receiving help. Rakka is introduced to the world of the Haibane, receiving help to orientate herself in her new life, while Rakka on the other end gives help as well, e.g. helping in the library. The other Haibane willingly connect with Rakka, letting her into their personal lives.

As said before, Reki’s first time at Old Home was very different, spending her time as an outsider. Her first experience besides Kuramori introducing herself was Nemu, who refused to talk to her and ran away from her. A situation that would draw through all of Reki’s early experiences in Old Home. While Nemu is surrounded by the other Haibane children, Reki, a child herself at point, it standing isolated on the side, hiding herself. This highly contrasts the warm welcome Rakka receives. Furthermore her caregiver Kuramori falls ill several times due to her weak condition and the exhaustion of collecting medicines to bleach Reki’s wings. Something, Reki not only blames herself for but is blamed for it by an outside force, namely Nemu, who loves Kuramori as well and shoves the blame for her sickness towards Reki. In the end, she openly says to Reki, it will be her fault, if Kuramori died, which makes Reki cry out of fear and self-blame (the long shot on Nemu’s face instead of showing Reki crying suggest that Nemu is sorry). While Nemu watches over Kuramori, Reki is isolated again, even from giving help...until the point she shows up with food she bought for Nemu, thinking she was hungry. Nemu not only accepts the food, but apologies for what she said before. After that she suggests that they could cook together. A connective activity, showing Reki that she is accepted, wanted by someone else but Kuramori. Both are connected by the caring for Kuramori, but Reki bringing food, Nemu understands that Reki not only cares for Kuramori (by coming back instead of staying away) but for her as well, despite of what she has done (by bringing her food). Reki’s action of reaching out to Nemu leads to Nemu reaching out for Reki on her behalf. Nemu even integrates Reki in her activities, allowing Reki to be there and help, doing stuff with her instead of being isolated. In the next morning, when Kuramori wakes up, she sees the two Haibane sleeping on her bedside (paralleling how Reki stays at Rakka’s bedside several times, highlighting her caring nature), holding hands, which symbolizes the connection and the friendship the two girls have made. They are not only connected by caring about Kuramori, but also caring about themselves. Reki’s connection to others even expands further from this point, as she receives the job as the caregiver for the younger Haibane from Kuramori, which – after a moment of doubt if she is really fit for it (same as Rakka is always struggling with what she wants to do) – she accepts happily. She, who only was on the sidelines, is now not only in the center of other people and strongly connected to them, but has also a position of responsibility, showing the trust Kuramori has in her.

Rakka and Reki are slowly finding their places in the world, but both are taken aback by a loss in this stage of their development. In both cases Rakka and Reki are losing their mentor and family figures Kuu and Kuramori through their Day of Flight. Kuu and Kuramori disappear suddenly and the grief Rakka and Reki feel, pushes them into isolation. Reki feels betrayed by Kuramori disappearance, who promised to never leave her, fueling her existing trust issues and self-hatred. She can’t believe or accept Kuramori is gone, paralleling to how Rakka refuses to believe that Kuu won’t come back. Reki’s grief turns against herself in form of self-hatred and anger against Kuramori who seemingly abandoned her, Rakka’s depression partly stems from the fear for another person, namely that Kuu, who was so important to hear, will be forgotten. But this is only one aspect of Rakka’s depression. She is also unable to get back into normal routine after Kuu is gone, holding onto her grief. Seeing how all the other Haibane are going on with their everyday life every fast cuts Rakka’s emotional life off from the rest of her peers. She is unable to fit in and isolates herself. Her black feathers only emphasis her isolation from the world around her. Because of what happened to Kuu she begins to question the existence of the Haibane in the first place, asking questions humans and Haibane ask alike. “Why am I here?” “Where do I go?” “What is the point of my existence?” “What’s the point of my existence if I will disappear? If no one will remember me anyway?” Not only is Rakka unable to find an answer, but she also questions the legitimacy of her very own existence as a Haibane since the black feathers mark her as sin-bound, a “flawed Haibane”, in her and Reki’s eyes. Not only Rakka’s view of the relationship of the Haibane and the world around them (which is obviously a world were Haibane disappear someday) is torn apart and thrown into insecurity – but her own relationship with being a Haibane is just as well torn apart and thrown into insecurity. It is implied that Rakka always had those feelings of inadequacy (as she questioned why her, a normal girl, would become a Haibane) and was prone to questioning her own existence (how she wondered serval times over the nature of the Haibane even in the first episodes). Reki on the other hand always seemed to have the same feelings of inadequacy and loneliness accompanied by the fear of abandonment. In both cases, the disappearance of another Haibane (who was a mentor figure just as much as a part of the family), fuel and worsen Rakka’s and Reki’s existing issues.

In both cases it causes them to run away – in Reki’s case she found shelter in the Old Factory, where other Haibane most importantly her friends Midori and Hyouko live. So it was not a complete isolation, but she did cut ties with her actual home. Also the isolation furthers as Hyouko and Reki tried to flee together as it not only cuts ties with Midori, but Reki and Hyouko are planning to leave this world (the town of Glie) entirely. The attempt to run away is not only fueled by Reki’s perception as the town of Glie as a prison (as it not only her status as a sin-bound Haibane is a prison for her, but also her distance to Kuramori and the rest of the outside world), but also an attempt to reunite with Kuramori – which is an evidence that Reki forgave Kuramori the “betrayal”, even though she never overcame the feelings that “betrayal” left in her. The plan to run away horrible fails as Hyouko is badly hurt through touching the wall, almost bleeding to death – leaving Reki with an immense sense of guilt. Not only their plan is foiled, the ties between Reki and Midori are even more cut, as Midori blames her for Hyouko’s near-death. Furthermore, the Haibane from Old Home and the Old Factory are not allowed to interact with each other as an aftermath of their stunt, leaving Reki and Hyouko isolated from each other.

In comparison to Reki, Rakka is a lot more aimless. She is convinced that she can’t go back to Old Home anymore because she is not a “proper Haibane”, but she doesn’t have a concrete plan and – different to Reki – no other Haibane to support her in the situation (expect Reki, but Rakka has the feeling that she can’t entrust her worries to her and that nobody cares about her anyway. Here we have the theme of “not talking/staying silent” and how it causes issues.). The one guidance she has are the crows, which she emphasizes/connected with right from the beginning of her life as a Haibane (unknowing that she has a much deeper connection to crows due to her dream, which she can’t remember). She is able to emphasize enough with the crows to follow them in the forest, where she finds the skeleton of the bird in a dried up well (dried up as a symbol of death or how Rakka’s happiness has dried up). The theme of isolation and connection is heavily empathized with everything surrounding the well. First of all, it is a symbol for Rakka’s mental state: In a deep hole, unable to crawl out, the ladder is broken, her ankle is hurt (making her even more trapped); the well is in an isolated place so nobody could hear her, nobody knows where she is. In other words: Rakka is feeling depressed and hopeless, she doesn’t know how to feel better (in comparison to Reki, who thought she would feel better if she climbed the wall), any opportunity to feel better doesn’t work, her body is working against her (like the black wings), she feels isolated, nobody knows how she feels or that she needs help. The skeleton of the bird could foreshadow her possible fate (read: death) in the well, which is only emphasized by the falling snow, as snow is traditionally a symbol for death.

In this moment of isolation, Rakka is able to reconnect to the past: She remembers a time, where she felt exactly the same – lonely, isolating thinking, nobody was there for her or would grieve if she was gone. She is also able to recognize the skeleton of the bird as someone she knew, someone who was dear to her. The present reflects her past situation and through meeting the skeleton Rakka is able to remember her dream, having a moment of self-recognition: She remembers that the crow was indeed there for her and cared for her – even though she is unable to remember the context or who the bird originally was. What Rakka remembers is, that she felt lonely in her past life, wanting to disappear, thinking that nobody would care. But the person, represented by the bird, wanted to show Rakka that she was not alone, wanted to save her. That relates to Rakka’s dream how the bird is trying to stop Rakka’s fall – without success. Rakka feels guilty about letting the person, represented by the bird, down, for being unable to recognize their care, for leaving and leaving the bird alone. As a last act, Rakka buries the skeleton, an act of connection and respect, giving piece to the bird. And giving piece to herself. Soon after, Rakka is found by the Touga. Despite the gaps and restrictions between the Touga and Haibane, they both assist Rakka and help her out of the well, most likely saving her life. They never speak to her and are probably not allowed to interact with her, but they still emphasize with and reaching out to her.

It is no coincidence that Rakka and Reki both happen to be in the forest as a part of their personal journey. The forest is an isolated place, not meant to be intruded. Here, Rakka and Reki are confronted with themselves (as isolation means continuous self-confrontion with no one else) and with the consequences of their actions. Reki is confronted with her own recklessness wanting to cross the wall, while Rakka is confronted with the actions of her past and her inability to accept others attempts to reach out to her. In a similar line, both confrontations surround the theme of death and grief, as Hyouko almost died and the withered corpse of the bird – Reki and Rakka both being stricken with guilt. But for both, Hyouko and the bird, there is some sort of relieve. Hyouko survives while the bird is buried, giving it salvation and a reconciliation with Rakka. As Rakka touches the wall, as Hyouko did und falls seriously ill afterwards, Reki is confronted with her past all over again.

Receiving and accepting forgiveness from the bird and forgiving herself releases Rakka from her sin-bound status (we will talk about it in more detail later). Being told this throws Reki into depression – the only person who was like her archived what she never could. Rakka being sin-bound gave Reki comfort, the feeling of not being alone; shared pain is half pain after all. But for Reki it feels, they are no longer the same and Rakka cannot empathize with her anymore. She feels confirmed to the idea that she always be alone. That Rakka is no longer sin-bound can be interpreted as a “betrayal” in Reki’s point of view, which fear of it is one of the main themes surrounding her. A fear that comes true in her eyes. Furthermore the information of the Communicator that Nemu is always worried about Reki drags her down further as she fears to burden Nemu, hindering her Day of Flight – something which she does fear she will never accomplish. Not receiving the Day of Flight/worring about Reki too much would delay Nemu’s Day of Flight and may cause her to “fall” as a Haibane. This is what Reki thinks. She feels guilty about Nemu caring about her, this is why she tells her not to see her as a burden (cementing her worldview of not being able to ask for help). This shows, even though she will feel lonely and she feels envy of the Haibane (especially Rakka), who can take their Day of Flight, she wants others to take their Day of Flight, even if it means to be all alone.

As her time runs out more and more, Reki isolates herself more and more. She makes preparation to leave, thinking she will disappear soon. She is giving Rakka her cigarettes reminiscent on how Kuu gave her coat to Rakka, making Rakka worried. Furthermore she gives Hyouko his bell nut, the symbol of apology, a week earlier because she thinks she wouldn’t make it until the festival. She isolates herself not only emotionally by covering her pain with a smile but also physically, locking herself up in her room.

Reki may have received forgiveness from Hyouko and Midori, but that doesn’t better her condition.

She is convinced that she is not allowed to ask for help or rather she is afraid to ask, because she fears nobody would answer what only would confirm her ultimate loneliness. Reki expresses the wish to become a unfeeling stone – she can’t stand her feelings, because she feels too much, especially pain. Becoming a stone – this not only dehumanizes her, but gives her no chance of communication, no opportunity of interaction. It also reflects how low she thinks of herself, a stone on the sidewalk nobody notices. That the younger version that appears to confront her turns into stone, makes Reki cry, trying to stop the process, hugging her petrified, dissolving self. She doesn’t want this, she doesn’t want to become a stone. She wants someone to do what she did to her younger self – hold her, stop her from emotionally dissolving.

As Rakka offers Reki her real name as a last straw, the name indicates that there was no salvation for her in the first place (something that Reki is already convinced off). “The one who was run over and torn apart” – this being reveled her true name, suggest that there is no hope for Reki, only despair, pain and death. Reki remembers her cacoon dream, remembers the despair, the helplessness and hopelessness, the feeling of being always betrayed and the strong sense of abandonment and loneliness that she felt at this time in her past life. But not only within her past life, but her life as a Haibane as she feels abandoned by Kuramori, the other Haibane who reach their Day of Flight, by Nemu, who she thinks she only sees her as a burden, by the Communicator who refused to talk to her after the incidence with Hyouko (as part of the montage in ep 13 implies, which may be why she didn’t trust him anymore), by Midori (even though the conflict resolved). And last but not least she feels abandoned by God, who won’t give her blessing despite of all that she tried. This, mixed with the despair stemming from the current situation, that she thinks she is really beyond help (confirmed by her nametag), lets Reki hit her lowest point. As a result, Reki pushes everything away ultimately. Her own life and identity. And she pushes away Rakka, who can only watch helplessly. Reki claims to only care about herself and using Rakka as a tool for her own salvation. She opens up what she perceives to be her true feelings to Rakka: She tried to be a good Haibane to shed up the guilt that she felt all her life. But “being good” means to Reki that she was only accepted if she closed away her true feelings and acted that she was nice. Reki’s true feelings harshly clashes with what has been shown about her and her caring nature towards Rakka. To Reki, these feelings weren’t genuine. She harshly tells Rakka, her feelings for her weren’t genuine, but that it could have been anyone, that Rakka wasn’t necessary. Furthermore Reki expresses her jealousy towards Rakka, as both were sin-bound, but only she “was forgiven”. Her jealousy towards the happiness of others makes Reki hate herself even more. As the final straw Reki mentions the bet that she made with herself: That if she could make the Haibane that hatches from the cacoon trust her, that she would be forgiven. She says that to underline her selfishness to Rakka, who refused to believe that Reki is bad in any way. Reki refuses to believe in her own kindness, sees it barely as a facade to cover up her faults that she sees a her true personality (similar on how she dyed her wings to cover up the black spots. To her everything positive about her is just a cover, a facade for the “ugly” interior). By claming that her kindness has merely been a lie, Rakka is pushed away completely. Reki hates herself so much, that she pushes the last one away that she has, thinking she doesn’t deserve the love that she gets (just as Rakka used to think, which was made explicit during her conversation with the Communicator). She hates herself so much she can not accept the positive feelings towards her and does everything to push them away. Furthermore her plan to use Rakka for her own salvation failed, Reki abandons herself completely. Showing what she thinks is her true self to Rakka is relieving to her, since she doesn’t have to act anymore, can finally show how she really is and can finally get a reaction she thinks is appropriate to her (= abandonment). She tells Rakka to go out. Rakka, completely agonized and shattered by Reki’s words, leaves the room and Reki alone. This makes Reki’s isolation complete and her situation ultimately hopeless, because Rakka, who was the last hope to help Reki and the only one who was even trying, abandons Reki and feels to hurt and betrayed that it is unlikely that she will come again. Inside the room, Reki is isolated. Reki even compared the room to a cocoon, which is a symbol for isolation in itself as discussed before, emphasizing that theme. In the first episode, Reki said that there shouldn’t be help to break the cacoon – if there was help, the hatchling wouldn’t grow strong. This implied that she viewed to get help as a weakness right off the bat. But alone she can neither leave the cacoon nor her room nor her dream nor her negative self-image. All those words are synonyms in this situation. This is implied by how Reki said, that she never stopped having that dream – implying she never stopped feeling as worthless and guilty as she did in her past life. She was never awake and always in a dream – isolating her from the “real world”. She never stopped abandoning herself, as she abandoned herself on the railway.

When Rakka leaves, Reki has a conversation with a younger version of herself. A version, who actively wants to ask for help and saw this opportunity to help within Rakka, who reached out to Reki. Reki refused, says that she doesn’t deserve to be saved – her younger version desperately asked if she can’t even ask for it. She confronts Reki with her fears, if she was afraid to be betrayed. Reki agrees, agonizing, watching her younger self turn into stone and dissolving (symbolizing Reki’s wish to become a stone, Reki’s own loneliness [even a part of herself leaves her…by becoming that what Reki wanted. But Reki’s agony shows that she clearly did not want this] and her fear of vanishing if she can’t get salvation). She claims that there was no way of asking for help. After all salvation has never come to her. The younger self replies, it is because she never asked for help. She only did passively wait. By this, the younger self represents Reki’s own desires, not only turning into stone, but a Reki who wants to be helped, who isn’t afraid to ask. Reki on the other hand was too afraid for help, because being refused would confirm to her, that she was truly alone and nobody there to help her. Instead of acting she avoided it, the uncertainty was less agonizing than the possible truth and confirmation, that there was really nobody there for her. That somebody could help her never crossed her mind, due to that asking for help would mean to open up, to show her side that she considers “impure”, which would dispel any willingness to help from the person who offers help. Reki hugs her dissolving self, an act of despair (she can not stop herself from dissolving) and last act of self-care alike. Her other self vanishes and Reki is truly alone in her room. The painting comes alive and Reki is shown agonizing, waiting her fate. She knows what this fate is, since this situation perfectly mirrors her past experience, which she not only knows because of her dream but the as well as the letter which accompanied her true name.

Outside the door, deeply hurt Rakka begins to cry, thinking that she can’t love Reki anymore. And this would be the end of it…if Haibane Renmei wasn’t a story that would value connection, empathy and forgiveness.

Breaking the circle of sin – breaking the circle of isolation

Before talking about the theme of connection in Haibane Renmei further, this analysis will examine the Circle of Sin, as it presents itself as a closed, isolated system like a circle always leading back to the starting point – seemingly without a way to break free. Despite their name “sin” and “sin-bound” are original concepts within Haibane Renmei, working by their own rules which this analysis will try to approach. The first information we get about sin-bound Haibane are embedded in Reki’s and Rakka’s dialogue, after Rakka becomes sin-bound. Reki explains the sin-bound Haibane as Haibane who are not blessed and who are unable to remember their dream within the cocoon. Sin-bound Haibane are unable to receive their Day of Flight. Reki distinguishes between “good” and sin-bound Haibane – marking herself as bad in the process. During the dialog with Rakka on the other hand she claims that Rakka is not sin-bound because her feathers were charcoal when she emerged from the cacoon – Reki strengthens her point by telling Rakka that it was her who took care of her and saw this, emphasizing their connection in a positive way, using it as a proof for Rakka’s “goodness”. At this point Reki tries to comfort Rakka, but telling her that they are not alike creating a gap between them. On the other hand Reki is secretly comforted by the fact that Rakka is like her – explaining her feeling of loneliness when Rakka is no longer sin-bound. Within Reki’s explanation the title sin-bound seems like a condition that is inherited within a Haibane. As Reki views it, it can neither be obtained (as she denies that Rakka is sin-bound despite her black feathers) nor shed off (as she says, sin-bound Haibane can never achieve their Day of Flight). This reflects how hopeless she sees her own situation, having no hope in ever breaking her condition. She claims that it is something that just doesn’t work (because nothing she did to break from the condition showed effect) – but because nothing works it only strengths her despair and her feeling of being trapped in her situation. Again, at first it seems that there are “good” and “sin-bound” Haibane and there is no way of development and change. But when Rakka meets the Communicator within the forest, he discusses the circle of sin with her and we learn that there is more to the nature of “sin”.

The Communicator says that Rakka’s wings and Halo are the proof that she has no sins to be atoned. Noticing that Rakka bleaches her wings and her sin-bound condition and Rakkas question whether she was a sinner, leads the Communicator to tell Rakka a riddle. Rakka is convinced that she is a sinner and not supposed to be here – she feels that she doesn’t deserve the kindness she receives from the town. This leads to following dialogue, the Riddle of the Circle of sin.

Communicator: "To recognize one's own sin is to have no sin. I ask you, are you a sinner.”

Rakka: “If the dream in my cocoon was real, then I think I am a sinner.”

Communicator: “Then, are you recognizing your own sin?”

Rakka: “If so, will my sin be erased?”

Communicator: "Then I ask you again. To recognize one's own sin is to have no sin. So, are you a sinner?"

Rakka: "But if I think I have no sin, then I become a sinner!"

Communicator: "Perhaps this is what it means to be bound by sin. To spin in the same circle, looking for where the sin lies, and at some point losing sight of the way out."

There we see that Rakka proclaims herself a sinner no matter the circumstances. She thinks she is a sinner because of neglecting the person, who is represented by the bird, and was unable to acknowledge their care – leaving thinking nobody was there for her, unable to see someone was indeed with her, hurting the feelings of the person. Rakka equals “recognizing the sin” with “erasure of the sin”. But the Communicator corrects her, that “recognizing the sin” equals “having no sin” – therefore there is no sin to be erased. But Rakka misunderstands the remark, calling herself a sinner again – if she sets herself free from the belief that she has a sin and thinks she has no sin (= not recognizing it), she will become a sinner. This comment of the Communicator shows that this is, what he is talking about by the Circle of Sin: Being caught in the idea of being a sinner, being obsessed with the idea of a bad person and struggling with getting another perspective of oneself. This is not a sin, because there is no sin in the first place. Sin-bound Haibane don’t have sin – they are obsessed with the thought of having one, being obsessed with negative thoughts. A way out of the sin-bound condition is to make a “reality-check”, realizing that those intrusive thoughts are not true. This is shown with how Rakka was obsessed with the thought that she didn’t matter and that nobody would care about her – Rakka recognizes those thoughts and realizes that they don’t withstand reality. That indeed people care about her – this is highlighted not only with the bird, but with Reki (who hugs her when she finds her at the edge of the forest) and the other Haibane as well who desperately search for her. Rakka’s condition strongly paralleled with her situation in the past – in both time she realizes that there are people who love her and care for her and miss her when she is gone.

When Rakka consults the Communicator later on in Episode 9, there are other details about the Circle of Sin revealed. The key to break free from the Circle of Sin is forgiveness, especially forgiving oneself. But sin-bound Haibane are so obsessed with negative thoughts about themselves that they are not able to forgive themselves. Therefore another person is needed who stands by the side of the Haibane and believes in them. Offering forgiveness for the Haibane to their “sin” will break the Circle of Sin and enable the Haibane to take another perspective on themselves. Note that there is no “sin” and the Haibane are not shamed as being “sinful” for their depression. There is no sin. But there is the perception of being “sinful”, or to use other word “flawed” or “not worthy love” that leads the Haibane to be sin-bound. In other words: There is no “being bad” but only the perception of “being a bad person” that lead the Haibane to be obsessed with those ideas, their minds literally circle around it, their negative thoughts about themselves reflect in the black stains of the wings. But the reality is that they are not, but being forgiven for it (and the negative behavior that was caused by those thoughts) loosens the burden and enables the Haibane to forgive themselves. The escape from the Circle of Sin is not atonement or any sort of “making up for it” (this is why Reki’s attempt to reach salvation by taking care of Rakka didn’t work) – but sheer forgiveness. Rakka’s statement that it was not like she forgave herself, implies that forgiving oneself is not necessary to free oneself from being sin-bound. Receiving forgiveness from another person is enough, it is not necessary to be able to forgive oneself. On the other hand being able to receive forgiveness from others requires to forgive oneself to a certain degree. But forgiveness from others and being free from being sin-bound is only one step – the last step is to overcome to behavior and the thoughts that are bound by the perception of being a “bad person”.

This act of overcoming is shown with Rakka, who was obsessed with the idea that she was all alone – realizing that she is not, that people care for her, that she deserves to be happy and she starts to connect with others again. It is also shown with Reki finally asking for help (we will get to this in a minute).

But what makes a Haibane sin-bound? It is shown that the Haibane are born without memories but not without a blank slate as their emotional life. Rakka felt always insignificant, questioning herself and whether she had the right to exist. Those feelings erupted after Kuu’s departure where she questioned her existence even further and starts to isolate herself, thinking nobody would understand her, being afraid to open up to others and unable to receive their care - which she did before in her past life. Reki on the other hand is more obscure, since she had been sin-bound from the very beginning. But it is shown that she is born alone. Knowing how painful the progress is, Reki must have felt scared and abandoned, it is possible that she wanted help and even called for it – but nobody listened; which is exactly the thought pattern she had in her past life, which may confirm these already existing thought for her (even though she doesn’t remember, the feeling of always being betrayed and being unable to ask for help was still left). So a Haibane may become sin-bound if they fall back into destructive thought patterns that lead to their demise in their first life. It may also be called Circle of Sin because it never stops and it reaches from the previous life to the life of the Haibane. Connection to others, empathy and forgiveness are the key to overcome the “sin-bound” status. Breaking the Circle of Isolation means to break the Circle of Sin.

But even before introducing this concept, connection, forgiveness and empathy is something the narratives values strongly.

Kuramori emphasized with Reki and connected to her, helped her with her wings, acted like a mother figure to her and helped her to find to place in Old Home. Reki forgave Nemu mistreating her, emphasized with her as she gave her food and both connect by caring for Kuramori.

Hyouko emphasized with Reki, as she was depressed due to the loss of Kuramori and wanted to help her. He and Midori gave her a new home and Hyouko wanted to do help her more since she understood how much she missed Kuramori. Even though the attempt to help her ended intro tragedy and a long time rip in their relationship, they are able to reconcile their relationship. While Reki is nearly to her darkest point and closing herself up in her room, entirely giving up on action or interaction (which is even emphasized due contrast by the fact that there is a festival, the sense of community and happiness), Hyouko and Midori seek out for her and sending her a message of forgiveness by using fireworks. While Reki has expressed her apology (and her goodbye) before by the bell nuts, she shuts herself up after this. But Midori and Hyouko reach out on their behalves, not allowing it to be a one-way-communication. The firework their launch for Reki represents their forgiveness. This leads to reconciling their relationship, something Reki had already given up to.

But even before reconciling and apology happened on a smaller scale, since Hyouko and Midori gave the Haibane from Old Home sweets. These sweets serve as an apology as Hyouko had made Rakka upset by talking about Kuu’s Day of Flight (that he apologizes for it underlines is empathic personality that he also showed with Reki. It is even possible that Rakka reminded him of Reki). The treat symbolizes the reconciling between Old Home and the Old Factory and serve as a thematic foreshadowing to Hyouko’s, Midori’s and Reki’s reunion.

Nemu is so worried and cares so much about Reki that it is introduced that the only thing that makes her stay in the town of Glie.

Reki supports Rakka after she becomes sin-bound, she reaches out for Rakka, when she started to cut herself of from everybody and avoids every contact because of the grief and shame she feels. She shows compassion to Rakka and hugs her, comforts her, tells her, that she did nothing wrong. Just like Kuramori treated her. On the other hand, Rakka is so emphatic enough that she notices how Reki hides her grief and sadness behind her smile. This becomes extremely noticeable as Reki cuts herself off more and more over the span of the last episodes and Rakka constantly ponders how she could help her. Rakka is both, extremely empathic and helpful and she loves Reki. This leads her to finally reach out to Reki as the final attempt to save her – and as the last opportunity – give her the tag with her real name.

But as described above the situation escalates horribly, worsening Reki’s despair even more instead of saving her (which is symbolized by her wings turning even more black). She not only abandoned herself again, after realizing that she used to abandon herself and feel the same before and that there apparently no way out. Her harsh words to Rakka made Rakka abandoning her. This situation parallels three other constellations within the story. First of all, it mirrors the relationship between Reki and Kuramori. Reki was distraught because she thought, her mentor and mother figure betrayed her and never cared for her in the first place – now she is the one who betrays Rakka by telling her that she only used her as an attempt to ease her guilt, find salvation and be forgiven.

The other is that Reki’s past situation before becoming a Haibane is mirrored in her lowest point. Thinking she is worthless, being only betrayed and unable to ask for help.

The last situation is the constellation between Rakka and the bird. Rakka parallels Reki, as both cut themselves up from the world, convinced they are all alone and hurting another person in the process. Rakka parallels the bird who tries to save the other person, who is not able to accept their feelings. They want to convince them, that they are not alone, but they are hurt and unable to know what to do. Also, Reki’s room parallels Rakka’s well. Both are isolated places, where the person is locked in – either due physical or emotional borders. While Rakka’s well represented her feeling of emptiness, Reki’s room symbolizes the darkness of her heart (that she painted the room this way herself indicates that her negative self-image is not the real Reki. She paints the room as she paints herself in dark colors). In both cases, the past in confronted and overcome, both Reki and Rakka are able to overcome the sin-bound status. But there is still a long way to go before Reki is able to forgive herself…

Rakka is crying in despair, but she still refuses to think that Reki’s words are true. But she comes to the conclusion that she wished not to know, because she could continue loving Reki – implying that she can’t love her anymore. But Rakka’s view changes as she finds the painting of Kuramori which symbolizes that Reki once genuinely cared for a person. She says she wants to believe Reki, but is still in doubt. These doubts however vanish in another step, namely when she finds Reki’s diary. The first pages imply Reki’s hopelessness because she apologizes to Kuramori for not being forgiven. The next pages on the other hand show sketches from the town, showing that Reki still loved the town in a way despite viewing it as a prison. Last but not least one page shows Reki’s genuine, ecstatic happiness about finding the cocoon. She even thinks God send it to her – launching her thoughts that this Haibane could be a way to find salvation. She expresses that she wants to be very kind to the Haibane and wants to always be with her. She expresses her wish, that she wants to be a good Haibane, like Kuramori. The entry show that Reki doesn’t have ill intentions, she just wants to be a good person. This is empathized by the form of the diary, she writes it for herself and it is not intended to be shown to anyone. So Reki does not have to play-act – the diary implies that these are her true feelings. Feelings who are not as impure as she thinks they are. Rakka remembers as Reki talks to her when she was in the cocoon. How Reki expresses her happiness. She says, that the initial period as a Haibane may scare Rakka and she may feel lonely, but she promises to be always there for Rakka, protecting her. Reki promises to be there for Rakka no matter what. With that she is showing her unconditional love before she was even born. On the other hand, Reki “entrusts Rakka with her last hope”. This is not the selfish enrichment that Reki makes it to be – it is putting trust into another person. And Rakka – realizing that Reki was there for her right in the beginning – fulfills that trust. She emphasizes with Reki with empathy as the key for forgiveness. She not only recognizes that Reki is kindhearted, but is not able to recognize it herself and that Reki’s self-image is not the necessary the real Reki and her real feelings. She realizes how similar hers and Reki’s situations are and decides to become “the bird” for Reki, somebody who offers her forgiveness and shows her that she is not alone and being loved the way she is. By this, Rakka not only chooses to forgive Reki, but finally also her own actions, who are extremely similar. By forgiving Reki, Rakka is able to forgive herself.

Even though Reki shut herself in, Rakka wants to reach her, help her. The separation between both is symbolized by the door. This is reminiscent to the scene where Reki discovers Rakka being sin-bound. Rakka flees into the room, isolates herself, only for Reki opening the door, stopping her from hurting herself, giving her help and comfort, telling her that there is nothing wrong with her. Furthermore that parallels Reki’s past, when she was the one who cut her feathers, only to be stopped and comforted by Kuramori. Now it is on Rakka to overcome Reki’s self-induced isolation, to offer her comfort, to tell her, she is okay. In the current scene, Rakka opens the door, overcomes the isolation, breaks the cocoon from the outside – and steps right into Reki’s dream that became reality (similar how Reki’s negative self-image is reality to her). Rakka sees Reki lying on the railway in distance to her. As she tries to get close, connect with her, it is the younger Reki who holds her back, claiming that Reki is no longer able to hear her. This furthers the isolation between them too. The younger Reki claims it to be too late, paralleling the bird, who tried to stop Rakka’s fall with Rakka telling it that it is no use anymore. Rakka is in the same situation, trying to save a person but this person tell her it is too late and no use anymore. But Rakka doesn’t give up on her, calling out to her desperately. In before the younger Reki was used to contrast the real Reki, questioning her choices and symbolized the wishes Reki had and couldn’t make true, therefore she had an opposing role. This time, she acts according Reki’s wishes, holds Rakka back as Reki decided to vanish. But Rakka is – thanks to empathy – able to realize what Reki really wanted, able to realize that Reki is asking her for help. But knowing that she can only help Reki if she asks for help (because younger Reki holds her back because of Reki’s desire not to get help but to disappear), she calls out to her, asks her to say, Reki needs her. The train (not only representing a real train [reminiscent how Reki may have died in her first life by walking in front of a train] but also symbolizing Reki’s depression and struggles) is getting closer to Reki. In this moment, Reki is able to notice Rakka, is able to realize that Rakka truly cares for her and truly wants to help her – and is finally able to ask for help. This shatters the dream and Reki’s nametag alike, the younger Reki is dissolving. Rakka saves Reki from the incoming train, as she is paralyzed by fear.

Being forgiven by Rakka and forgiving herself through Rakka’s forgiveness by asking for help (if she hadn’t for forgiven herself, she would let herself run over regardless thinking she deserves it) frees Reki from her sin-bound status. Finally she is able to receive the Day of Flight. And this time, the Day of Flight is not seen as a negative event or as a loss, but as an opportunity to see each other again. Rakka and Nemu both view Reki’s Day of Flight with relieve and happiness for her, even though they will miss her.

In the end, Reki won her bet, as the Haibane emerging from the cocoon was the one who helped her to overcome her sin-bound status.

After she is gone, Reki is still valued. Everyone keeps her in good memories, her pictures are cherished and wall-hung for everyone to see. The last sentence of the whole series is Rakka saying “I will never forget Reki”, highlighting the value of memory and that a person is never gone when you remember them.

Reki’s and Rakka’s proneness to isolating behavior reflects in their names. For Rakka, it is Rakka’s “true name”, which has been presented to her by the Communicator. Her “true name” means “involved nut”. It reflects how she used to isolate herself from the world, shut herself up within the dark. Without willing to make any connections to the outside. It also represents her change, how she connected with other people. A nut is a seed (similar to the cocoons the Haibane start their lives in and that does eventually break same as Rakka’s isolation broke). A seed means growth, which reflected how Rakka grew. From a clueless newcomer Haibane with no idea about the world, she began to be actively involved with other people and the world around her. Even if learning about the world and herself was a painful progress (suffering from a loss, becoming caught up in her own grief), she overcomes this pain and reaches out for other people. By getting involved with the crows, she can receive forgiveness from the crow that represented a beloved person and save herself. By other people getting involved with her, she is saved vice versa e.g. how the Touga saved her in the well or how Reki shows her compassion after Rakka becomes sin-bound. She is no longer someone who cuts herself off from others, but interacts with others willingly. She became close friends with all her fellow Haibane and after being forgiven by the bird, she is able to accept their kindness. Most importantly she also chooses to involve herself in Reki’s problems, when everyone else thinks that is not possible (how Midori said Reki cannot be helped, because she doesn’t want help and gives up because of this. Rakka on the other hand doesn’t give up on Reki and stays involved). In the end, it is Rakka’s final choice of involvement and of action and her choice of forgiveness that saves Reki.

While the isolation and breaking up this isolation is the main theme of Rakka’s true name, isolation is the theme of Reki’s name as a Haibane. Reki means “small stone”. It reflects her desires to become a stone in a sense of becoming unfeeling, numb to pain, but also unable to act or interact. While a seed has life in it and it has the possibility to grow, a stone is a dead, static object (this also reflects how Rakka was able to change, to get rid from being sin-bound while Reki wasn’t). So Reki’s name is a lot more depressing than Rakka’s, which has a hopeful perspective and indicates change. It gets even worse when Reki’s “true name” – that is supposed to reflect the true nature of a Haibane – means “The one who was run over and torn apart”, giving Reki’s name an even more negative, destructive and hopeless perspective. For Reki, there is no other perspective than being destroyed. Or so it seems. Because when Reki overcomes her own flaws, the name changes. In before Reki’s true name reflected the result her destructive behavior led to in the end and what is about to happen all over again: To be run over and torn apart. Both figuratively (by her own feelings) and literally (by the train). By changing, by being able to ask for help this time, Reki’s fate changes and so does her name.

This is especially interesting because one would think a “true name” can not change, it is established and set in stone – but in Reki’s case it does according to the choice she makes. So it is very possible that Rakka’s “true name” was something else as well before she started to open up. Even if it is a “true name” it changes. Even something that is considered as someone’s “essential nature” may change! Even if her first “true name” was so negative and let Reki fall into despair – it still had the potential of changing. This is similar how Reki presented the sin-bound status, saying Haibane who are sin-bound can never reach their Day of Flight. That being sin-bound is not a set status is shown with Rakka at first, who becomes sin-bound and is also able to overcome being sin-bound over the course of the story. It is a fleeting status, nothing that is there forever. Nothing is set in stone. This also reflects in Reki’s relationship with Midori and Hyouko. It made the impression to be always strain, since they were even officially forbidden to interact with each other – but in the end they were able to reconcile their relationship and forgive each other. Reki who thought that there was never help for her and she would always be betrayed and that there was no salvation for her in the first place is proven wrong in all these aspects by Rakka. Reki’s true name returns to mean “stone” again – but this time it is a stepping stone. Someone who supports the weak with their strength. The stone that Reki represents is no longer an unfeeling, unconnected object, but something that interacts with others, connects with others, supports others. Her name highlights her caring nature, a nature Reki denied to have in her self-hate, but now is ultimately confirmed to her. Her “true name” and her name as a Haibane were both connoted negatively – but her new true name emphasizes gave her not only a positive true name but also a positive, hopeful connotation to her being a stone.

Haibane values connections to others and forgiveness. It doesn’t shy away from showing how people get hurt by loss and hurting each other and themselves and the effects of it. But in the end there stands the overcoming of grief and (self)hatred and grudge in favor of forgiveness, empathy and love.

On top of that it shows even if a situation seems to be hopeless and that there is no way out of it to the point that they are perceived as fate or “essential nature” – there is always, always the possibility of change and improvement.

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