An American Writer's Thoughts on Japanese Animation

Where Angels Tread – Haibane Renmei Spoiler Review

Haibane Renmei is… actually, that’s probably going to be the hardest part of this review: defining what Haibane Renmei is. As a show it’s a little too plot-heavy to really be called Slice of Life, but also a little too low-key to be called a drama. Perhaps it would be best to term it as a Slice of Life show that evolves into an emotional drama, since there is absolutely a point where the show takes a turn for the dramatic?

It is, without question, a beautiful show. Despite being very down-to-earth, without a ton of places to show off impressive spectacle or visual wonder, I can say that everything looks amazing. The color, lighting, backgrounds, character design, and motion are all quite striking in their own ways, despite being fairly humble. This is a show that takes things that are plain, and makes them memorable and beautiful with its focus and care.

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