Original Title: 天使のたまご | Tenshi no Tamago | Angel’s Egg
Release: 1985
Country: Japan
Director: Mamoru Oshii
Running Time: 71 Min.
Cast: Mako Hyôdô | Jinpachi Nezu | Kei’ichi Noda
Written by Miguel Douglas
Published: 11.11.09
Considering both director Mamoru Oshii and popular Japanese artist Yoshitaka Amano were involved in the creation of Angel’s Egg, it really comes at little surprise to me that this film is, how should I say this, different. Given the fantastic yet odd artistry in Amano’s works and Oshii’s contemplative handling of his own films, Angel’s Egg is a deliberately slow and mesmerizing animated film. The film has little to no dialogue throughout, at times sound is completely omitted, and the film is almost entirely symbolic. The cryptic nature of the film is both amazing and frightening to watch, mostly due to you not really knowing what’s going to happen next. And while events do transpire within the film, they make little no sense at first and one’s subjective nature of reasoning can be completely turned upside down at moments throughout.
I agree that this works in the film’s favor, and lends more to overall experimental atmosphere of the film, but I could easily see the common anime viewer getting completely drained from watching a film like this. I have extreme patience, and this film most definitely requires that. One of the films biggest minuses is this, and even I’ll admit it. It’s one of those films that can be considered so experimental that it will either turn people off or provide an excellent opportunity for viewers to speculate and interpret what they just watched. I would say that if you fall into the latter category, this will be a fulfilling experience. The symbology expressed in the film can also be viewed as a hit or miss with viewers. While I personally found it interesting, I can see viewers becoming quite frustrated in not being able to completely understand the symbolic themes that run throughout the film and would probably rather give up. These qualities can be viewed as both the gift and curse of what Angel’s Egg has to offer in terms of mythological, philosophical, or psychological views on what constitutes visual entertainment within the medium of art.
Considering the many talented individuals behind Angel’s Egg production, it comes as no surprise that the film looks fantastic. From the lush and eerie landscapes to the original character designs, Angel’s Egg is a joy to look at. The abstract use of visual symbolism is one of the main elements within the film, and it’s through this visual imagery that the viewer can begin to understand what the film truly addresses. Since the surrealism in the film is prominent, it’s only natural the animation would coincide. But, one of the most striking elements Angel’s Egg is the score composed by Yoshihiro Kanno. This is exactly what a film needs if it’s presenting surrealistic vision. And with little to no dialogue present, the reliance on visuals and music is extremely important, and the score is beautifully done.
Overall, Angel’s Egg is a tough film to digest thematically, but for what it’s worth—and this is a gross understatement—the film is perhaps one of the finest in experimental animation. It’s a visually stimulated and existential journey into the mind of pure imagination, and it seems like one of those animated films that rarely ever get made. No doubt from the minds of Mamoru Oshii and Yoshitaka Amano, Angel’s Egg is a complicated but unforgettable film that begs for multiple views.
