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I've been thinking about watching this anime for many years now and finally got to watching it and it was definitely worth it.

One of those animes that i can really say that they are beatifull in every aspect. Characters were great, drama touching, animation relaxing, and the ost one of the best i've ever heard. I liked the pace of this anime a lot. Never it felt rushed or never did it feel too slow. Just right for this type of a show.

Truly a rare specimen in the world of anime.

Watched this in one evening. I'm not even sure what do I think about this rationally, but, emotionally, I'm very moved.
It's a combination of fun slice of angel life (making of 'em halos and taking care of 'em wings etc) and pure depression. At least that's what I felt. The half-mysterious setting was very welcome. I only wish they showed more of the factory and other haibane. On the flipside, it did remain pretty focused on Rakka and Reki, and it's a good thing for story to not lose the focus. This key relationship makes me think of Kurau Phantom Memories, which explored a similar sort of feelings between two females vs the world, although the world was openly hostile in Kurau, whereas in haibane the isolation comes from within.
ugh, I can't decide on the rating. *15 minutes pass, heavy thinking* alright, it's eight point eight, but I use .5 rating system, so I'll give this 8.5. very, very nice and mature, but something doesn't let me give this a 9. heh.

Too bad that it's only a half-season and lacks an appropriate ending to such a great start.

Lain still remains as the best work of ABe.

Really good story, but the animation quality here is a bit lacking. Even though there's not much action going on, those 'semi-still' frames with minimal movement bothered me a bit. The background images are good, though.
Really recommended anime

An abstract theological study. The titular Charcoal Feathers all have their own personal struggle to overcome. Everyone's struggle can be seen analogous to depression, and their birth out of the cocoon into the world of Haibane, as the result of suicidal tendencies.

Reki, one half of the lead pair of the story, is a very interesting character. She believes in much of the traditions and superstitions she has learned in her 7 years in the world, all the while trying to challenge every notion of it that she wants answers for. She can be seen being both the knowledgeable care taker of the new born, and the brash child who hasn't figured everything out yet.

It is her internal conflict and the conclusion of it, which adds lot of depth to an otherwise mostly open-ended SoL affair. Showing how a person in conflict can always choose a different interpretation for even their own intentions, based on their state of mind. The difference in being a Stone

It is a very interesting story of how your conflict, even if the solution is a sentient being right in front of you, trying hard to help you, cannot be resolved until you yourself acknowledge it and take the step towards it.

The world itself has systems surrounding the theology of Charcoal Feathers. They have a economic system that feels fully developed. Although they do not explain things like where the younger Haibane come from and if Haibane can reproduce, or any thing on love of that sort. It does a good job however, of keeping itself meaningfully within it's limited scope.

Does a great job with story telling where you will find many moments with no spoken dialogue but can feel everything that you think the main character is expressing. A lot of implied meanings.

A good 13 ep show that is set up nicely in the first episode itself.

I'd only ever watched this once, probably around the time it came out. Over the years I'd remember it, here and there, in no detail, but mostly the melancholic atmosphere it takes towards the end.
So I was pleasantly surprised with the way it starts and develops. It's not just sadness, not just happiness. Every character in the Haibane group is given some time and the end with Reki and Rakka is quite well earned and not forced.
The last few scenes made me want a continuation, too!