AVERAGELY-SIZED WALL OF NOTES THAT HOPEFULLY DO NOT HAVE SUDDENLY-APPEARING RIPPLES WITHIN IT AND WHICH SHALL BE PRESENTED TO THE OTHER PRESENT INTELLECTUALS OF THE SOCIETY OF MYANIMELIST SPECIFICALLY PERTAINING TO EPISODE ELEVEN OF THE SHOW HAIBANE RENMEI
• Immediately, Rakka’s interpersonal sensitivity is showcased, putting two-and-two together and commenting that Reki is still struggling with her Sin-Bound curse and her lost dream. Maybe Rakka doesn’t exactly know how Reki feels, but Rakka was able to pick up on at the very least the fact that she’s having this struggle.
• During the conversation between the kid headed to the Abandoned Factory and Rakka, the character models were derpy as fuck. It was funny to see, but it distracts from the conversation. I’m glad the conversation wasn’t very important, but still…
• The laugh the “welcoming party” made was very stupid. It’s not the stupidest laugh I’ve heard in my life, but it’s up there.
• The way the young kid just awkwardly listens to the adults conversing gives me some nostalgia.
• Skateboards, because early 2000s.
• The young kid is going really fast on that skateboard. Usually, a newbie would wobble in one place, too scared to move too fast.
• Also, screw helmets.
• Midori is a tsundere, 100%.
• “She is always considerate of others, even when she’s suffering inside.” It’s kind of weird that Rakka can sense Reki’s inner suffering, but seems to forget that people can be different from who they were before.
• After this line, she even states that she sensed that Reki suffered far more than herself when Kuu died. She’s emotionally sensitive enough to know this, but she’s still not smart enough to realize that people are different from who they were in the past!?
• Maybe I’m being shallow about this. Maybe there’s a reason why Rakka cannot realize this basic fact.
• Maybe she underestimates how much people can change over the course of their lifetime.
• Maybe she senses an inner strength within Reki that seems so powerful that it seems like the kind of thing that is built into a purpose from birth.
• Maybe she places Reki on a pedestal because of how kind Reki has been to Rakka. Maybe because of this, she cannot imagine Reki as anything less.
• Midori’s lines earlier does seem to hint that Reki’s do-gooding is compensation for something terrible Reki’s done in the past or for her own lack of self-worth. At least, it does shine a light on how Midori views Reki.
• Oh boy. The show just got kind of creepy. Ripples appearing out of nowhere just really creeps me out in a way no other thing can.
• I keep forgetting about the possibility that the winter itself might represent something. After finding out that not a lot is explained by the end of the show, I’m willing to bet that everything about the setting of the show is metaphorical of something, and that winter is one of them. Yet, I will not make any conclusions to as to what the winter represents. I will wait for the ending.
• A bit more world-building. Some Haibane do not have their Day of Flight. The Communicator, from the way the scene was directed, seems to be one of them.
• Did they just call the bicycle a “scooter”?
• I don’t think it’s a good idea to let a newbie skateboard right next to the river (where there are no guardrails).
• Y’know, I really dig the show’s main theme song. The way it plays while Rakka runs sadly was pretty effective. Also, it sounds nice regardless.
• Rakka crying was beautifully pathetic. Pathetic scenes like that just hit extra hard, you know.
• Also, it was an interesting decision to have Rakka cry in front of beautiful reflecting water. The reflected light from the water seems to almost consume Rakka. I like that decision.
• Rakka suddenly crying after only just talking to Reki was surprising, but an interesting choice. I guess Reki was so goddamn depressing (in a non-straightforward way) during their talk that it seemed hopeless for Rakka who wanted to help Reki with her depression.
• Reki says the line everyone in the movies say before they kill themselves. It’s pretty cliché. However, it is also one of the lines most used as red herrings.
• Well, it was a good episode. It was a lot more fleshing-out of Reki’s character. We didn’t necessarily learn anything new about her, but the episode helped with our understanding about her character and her struggle. We also crucially learn that some Haibane don’t experience the Day of Flight. (It is implied the Communicator is one of them with his old age and how the shots seemed to emphasize him when he revealed that). We also see Rakka grow a bit. She wants Reki to be able to experience the Day of Flight, however she knows how she acted when Kuu had her Day of Flight. Along with that struggle, Reki just seems so depressed that Rakka doubts whether it is possible to really help her. Also, there are STRANGE THINGS in the walls and PETRIFIED MAGIC BOOKS. Overall, a good episode. The climax really does feel like it’s nearing.
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