Episodes

A girl dreams she is falling, and semi-angelic beings discover a large cocoon in their home. The girl wakes up inside this cocoon and breaks out of it. The winged people introduce themselves as Haibane, name her "Rakka," and give her a forged halo. One of them, Reki, stays with her as ash-grey, feathered wings grow from her back in a painful way. || A girl is falling from the sky, head down; yet she isn`t scared. A bird tries to hold her with his beak; she calmly tells him that this is of no use. Then suddenly, the clouds open and she can see the ground getting nearer... Finally, the girl awakes from this strange dream, finding herself in a new world where she has to face a lot of questions and some uncomfortable experiences, ending up with her getting two gray wings on her aching back, a halo, and a name.

Rakka's new companions take her into the town of Glie. She learns that most of the people here are not Haibane, that Haibane can only own things humans have stopped using, and that they are required to work. The wall around the city and countryside keeps everyone in; only the Toga can come and go freely, and only the Communicator can speak to them. || Everyday life is about to start for the new Haibane Rakka. She learns about the human city of Guri, the wall that surrounds it (which Haibane must stay away from), the Haibane Renmei (who take care about the Haibane`s life and problems), and about other things - such as how to put on a dress or sleep at night when you have wings on your back.

Kana tells Rakka not to feed the crows, because they are the only creatures who can leave the city, and if they get too comfortable, they might stop doing so. To explore her own job options, Rakka accompanies Kana to work in a clock tower in the center of town. This, she learns, is the highest point in the city, but the walls around it are higher still. || Today it`s the energetic Kana whom Rakka visits at work as apprentice in the town`s clock tower. Still disturbed from her dream about a crow, Rakka learns a number of things, such as why Kana chose this job and why she doesn`t want to feed the crows - but not what`s beyond the wall, as even the clock tower in the center of the town isn`t high enough for that. And why can Rakka remember how to ride a bicycle but not a single one of the songs she used to sing?

Rakka goes to work with Nemu at the library. There she meets Sumika, a kindly pregnant woman who is interested in Rakka's perspective as a newborn. Nemu tells Rakka about an old, unreadable book called The Beginning of the World. Rakka learns about another group of Haibane, both male and female, living in Abandoned Factory on the other side of town. || Finally, Rakka is helping Nemu and her superior Sumika at the library. She learns that there are other Haibane living in Guri and how Reki had contact with them a long time ago. At night, Rakka is asking herself even more questions; her joint secret with Nemu won`t actually answer much of these. And like others did before, she is looking for the "Beginning of the World".

With winter approaching, Kuu gives Rakka a coat and helps her choose a room to live in. Kuu thanks her for the influence she has been, and Rakka notices that Kuu's halo is flickering. The other Haibane tell Rakka about Kuu's history of trying to imitate her older companions. As night falls, it starts to rain, and Kuu is nowhere to be found. || Wishing to no longer be dependent on the guest room, Rakka is looking for her own room at Old Home. Winter is close, so Kuu gives Rakka an overcoat that has always been too large for her to wear it, and a hint where to find the most suitable room for her. They both missed breakfast, so Reki provides them with lunch packets. Then a storm arises, and in the dangerous Western Woods a mysterious light ascends into the sky.

Rakka refuses to believe Kuu will never return from her Day of Flight, and sickly black spots begin to appear on her own wings. Depressed, she goes to town alone and is approached by Hyouko, a Haibane from Abandoned Factory who asks about Reki. Reki gives Rakka medicine for her wings and tells her about the Sin-Bound Haibane and about her own past. || While everyone else lives on as if nothing happened, Rakka can`t forget her friend whose room she regularly cleans like her own. So she avoids the other Haibane and even eats out alone. At town, Hyouko asks her about the light from the forest and whether it was Reki who departed; the mood she is in, Rakka can`t just stand this boy being glad. Anyway, Rakka has a new problem to worry about: Her wings. But this brings her an ally who knows this issue only too well.

Rakka continues to hide her wings from the others. Reki helps her move Kuu's bed into her room and they talk about the wall around the town. They take the children to buy winter clothes and a human girl tries to touch Rakka's wings. She flees into the Western Woods, led by the crows, who take her to an old well where she learns about her cocoon dream. || Rakka is drowning in doubts and questions even though Reki is doing the best she can to help her. But two incidents, at the thrift shop and in the streets of Guri, drive Rakka away from her friends, towards the place she was told not to go. Finally she is forced to remember what she had forgotten - but given her location, will this be of any use now?

Rakka realizes that the crow that died in the well represents someone who cared about her in her old life. The Toga find and rescue her from the well. Hearing a noise, she touches the wall. The Communicator leads her home and they talk about the bird, her wings, and a riddle he calls the Circle of Sin. Arriving home, Rakka becomes ill from having touched the wall. || While the other Haibane search for Rakka in the snow of the night, the girl finds a helping hand from an unexpected side once again. Even after having been freed from the well and understanding the meaning of her dream, there is still a riddle to be solved before she can find forgiveness for her sin. But first of all, she has to pay the price for having touched the wall.

A flashback shows the kindly Kuramori, who promised to stay with Reki forever. In the present, Reki goes to the Haibane Renmei to ask for help for the ailing Rakka, and is told that Rakka is no longer Sin-Bound. Rakka is given her own job within the wall around the city, and the Haibane from Abandoned Factory offer a tentatively friendly gesture. || Rakka is very ill after her forest adventure; Reki can do nothing but wait, remembering the time when Kuramori took care of her. When Rakka`s fever doesn`t go down, Reki chases to the temple, receiving answers to questions she didn`t even ask. Even the Haibane of the Abandoned Factory care about the "girl with the weird hair", and Midori delivers Hyouko`s present. Finally Rakka is ordered to the temple to receive her punishment for touching the wall.

Midori, from Abandoned Factory, gives more hints about Reki's past. The Communicator tells Rakka that while she had the birds to offer her forgiveness, Reki will not accept anyone's help, and has little time left. Rakka vows to try and help her. Visiting the library, she talks to Sumika about an old book. Resigned, Reki works on a secret painting. || A Young Feather by the name of Dai has to return to the Abandoned Factory; Rakka accompanies him there. But neither Midori nor Reki are willing to tell her what happened to separate these two groups of Haibane that once used to be friends. After her work in the temple, Washi tells Rakka that Reki is waiting for her. And when Rakka visits the library to report that Nemu has caught a cold, Sumika shows her an ancient petrified book with strange, unknown symbols... which Rakka has seen before.

The Haibane go into town to buy Bell Nuts, gifts of reconciliation for the Passing of the Year festival. Reki gives one to Hyouko, and he and Midori finally tell Rakka what happened. Rakka learns about the Renmei's sign language, and the Communicator gives her her true name. After the festival, the Haibane of Abandoned Factory send Reki a message. || The End Of Year Festival is near. Reki gives Hyouko a white bell nut, and Rakka finally learns what happened at the wall five years ago. Inside the temple Rakka hears a familiar voice and suddenly understands the meaning of these mysterious symbols. Washi gives her two precious wooden boxes, and what`s more: her true name and identity. Everyone enjoys the festival except for Reki who stays at Old Home. But Rakka won`t give up easily.

Rakka discovers that Reki's entire studio is painted like her cocoon dream. She gives Reki a box from the Communicator, containing her true name, which fills Reki with despair. She throws Rakka out of the room, confronts a manifestation of herself, and relives her dream. Rakka realizes the truth about Reki's struggle and goes back to save her. || After the festival everyone went to sleep, so it`s time for Reki to make her final decision. Rakka is shocked by the revelation and successfully expelled from the dark room. The final battle will be fought with a piece of paper, an open window, a book, and a faint memory from the cocoon. Will the stone be torn apart when the light arrives?