Haibane Renmei is a slow-moving but beautiful dramatic anime. A young girl, Rakka, emerges from a cocoon in a strange world. Viewers struggle along with her to figure out what that world really is and why she is there. Along the way, she meets other characters who have their own issues to work through; most notably, her mentor Reki becomes a central character as the series develops. Though not all questions are fully answered, the situation becomes clearer at the end, making this a very satisfying mystery of sorts. Highly recommended for viewers who like drama, character development, and emotional depth, provided they have the patience to deal with a series that is not full of action.

As far as objectionable content goes, there's not a lot. There is some blood and some intense dramatic scenes, including scenes which deal with grief and loss. One character does smoke consistently, which some people may find objectionable.

There is a good deal of philosophical and even theological content in this anime. There is mysticism, but not exactly any magic, and Christianity is certainly not depicted as evil. However, some viewers may be confused by the ways in which the anime does and does not conform to their expectations. Despite what you might think, the theology of Haibane Renmei does not exactly correspond to any specific Christian tradition, though it clearly borrows elements from Christianity. Just be aware that you shouldn't come to this anime expecting it to conform 100% to traditional Christian theologies.