Haibane Renmei

Original undated review (probably 2004):

Melancholy and lovely Anime, a story of redemption and coming of age from Yoshitoshi ABe (Lain, Niea). More info and a review (Dead links.)

Update 3 August 2020:

I don’t remember this Anime at all. I found a reference to it in a diary entry from late 2004. The webpages in the review are gone (tho' the psu.edu one is in the wayback machine.) It is available on crunchroll and funimation. I found a clip of the opening, of Rakka falling with the crow and a very vague memory stirred. I must have liked it and I’d like to watch it again.