Tenshi no Tamago

I won't pretend I understood what it was about, but I will say that I loved it. I mean, plenty of ideas come in mind, as to what the movie was about or what messages it was trying to pass to us, but writing about them would be pointless since you (the viewer) will arrive to a completely different conclusion. And that's the trick with art, because this is clearly art, everyone views it differently. The setting is a futuristic (I think) world that at times seems abandoned and at times since inhabited by strange machines that... That I have no idea what they're doing. The only 2 human characters we ever meet is a small girl carrying what looks like an egg and a young man that frankly looks like Archer from Fate Stay Night. As far as I can remember the biggest dialogue ever exchanged was "Anata, dare?" (Who are you?). Yeah, imagine a movie with only 2 people who are both the typical silent game protagonist. Is that a bad thing? Not really, since there is no society to compare them to, it just adds to the mystery. The movie can be summed up by Surrealism + Silence + Everythingcanbescreenshotedandusedaswallpaper-ism. The art is simply fantastic. There are probably higher meanings behind most of the scenes but honestly, they are just so amazing and grand to look at that you simply get lost admiring them. Honestly not much to say about it, it can't exactly be described... Just watch it by yourself late at night and take your time to draw out your conclusions.

I thought this movie was amazing, others may not. Angel's egg is an art film, I doesn't have much of a storyline and is heavily symbolic. The visuals of this film (designed by world renowned artist, Yoshitaka Amano) are amazing. The settings and the characters all look beautiful. It is a perfect example of anime as art. The movie's dark, orchestral score matches the film perfectly. Anyone who loves to analyze the symbolism of films will have a field day on this. It is open to interpretation with alot of religous imagery and interesting thematic elements. Fans of slow moving, artistic dramas will love this, fans of fast paced action may not. If you're looking for something thats artsy and gives you something to think about, this is for you!

This movie going to make you feel like a moron .. when every pretentious individual talks about how this is a masterpiece .. how everything in it has a meaning .. but it only leaves me confused .. very confused It was brilliant to look at though.. that's one of the most visually pleasing anime I've watched.. and it's from 1985.. insane .. but sadly not much of actual substance in this "masterpiece" For the artwork and animation alone i give it 4 , it's just that good .. other than that I can't seem to measure it on any other objective scale.. it has no story .. it raises questions and mysteries but never solves anything .. there's just two characters doing things that have or don't have any meaning .. pacing is realll slow (but at least Because of it I could look at the art more lol) .. it has no start and has no conclusion .. you just can't measure it objectively It just wants the viewer to think and make up their own head canon.. find references and meanings in anything that happens in the film .. find what those two characters represent and like them for it Basically the rest of the 6 points is the perceived depth .. whoever thought he/she understood it to whatever degree is the score this movie gets .. To me the depth was just 1 .. i just couldn't grasp anything .. so my final score for this movies' review is .. a very generous 5 .. i did and did not enjoy the movie .. do i recommend it? Yes and No .. yes i sound confusing .. so is the film .. you have to make your own decision for watching this film .. and once you watch it you have to make your own story around it. And that's just me looking at it for what it's trying to be .. if I were to look at it as an actual movie meant to entertain .. I'd give it 0/10 .. because it's got no substantial whatsoever And no "symbolism" doesn't make a movie worth watching.. symbolism is like paint and decor .. and the plot/Characters/world is the structure of a movie .. if there is no structure to this movie at all , where are you going to put the decor and paint? .. it's good that a movie has symbolism and hidden messages in it's plot , it's like Easter eggs for people who do care about that .. but making a full length movie with no plot to follow .. just some symbolic imagery is weird .. and unappealing .. and if you think you like such movies it then who are you lying to? Overall I'd say it's quite the overrated film and a pile of hot garbage .. but who knows .. you might like it

A slow and overhyped film, praised mostly for its director and the so-called “symbolism” hidden so deep that many viewers end up watching hours of explanation videos before and after. The avant-garde style is not the problem, many works do it well ,but here the story feels unclear on purpose, empty, and not rewarding. Even the creator, Mamoru Oshii, has said he is not sure what it means. Many anime sites that list the synopsis admit the story is vague or confusing, often stating they don’t fully understand it themselves. The images of fish shadows, endless water and stone statues hint at Christian symbolism, but without a clear story they are just nice visuals. In Arabic, there’s a saying for such empty works: “It is Egg. هذا بيض.”

Its an ok watch. Its not anything special or meaningful. I think its more judt a showcase. Have to remember this is from the 70/80s. People trying to find some sort of meaning or plot hear are chasing ghost. There really isnt. Its just a bunch of peaceful scenes featuring some girl carrying her ”Tamago”. Its quite a relaxing hour of watch. Music is nice. I like the animation. The little voice acting there is is good. Its enjoyable and id recommend it if you understand what you are getting yourself into. If you expect it to be some deep meaningful thing then no. Thats just people seeing ghosts or maybe trying to look sophisticated or smart. Rather watch this and have a good relaxing hour you will find yourself rewarded.

Angel's Egg is a cult classic film from the mid 80s that is truly a case in its own league. What I mean by this is that the film is so avant garde, that even the director of the film doesn't really understand what the story and or the meaning of the movie is about. So the story is very simple. We follow this unknown girl who wakes up in a post-apocalyptic like world and she possesses and egg that she is very protective of. She sets off on a journey and meets this unknown boy who starts to tag along with her. That's about all the objective stuff about the plot I can say because as crazy as it sounds, EVERYTHING else is left for the viewer to interpret themselves. Everything from the fever dream like world, its events and even its inhabitants are all unexplained. However, based off from the little dialogue the movie offers around the mid point, the story can somewhat be interpreted as an alternate world setting of the flood narrative from the book of genesis. Oh and if it wasn't obvious by now, the film is chock full of religious metaphors and parallels. Now as an atheist, my knowledge of the scriptures is only vague at best, which probably hampers my ability to try and decipher the meaning behind the film myself. There are countless theories about every thing of the movie but again, we will never have confirmation on any of those. In a way it reminds me of the directional style of my favorite movie director David Lynch who is also notoriously famous for never explaining any of his works. Explanations aside, the film is gorgeous in its darkness. At the very least it is a visual spectacle and all the brilliant shots make everything feel so alive, yet dead at the same time. It's really fascinating. Futher emphasizing this is the score. Its fairly minimalistic but at times we even have these very tense orchestral arrangements setting the bleak mood and occasionally there is simply no sound at all which to me was a great directorial choice. This is one of the rare exceptions where I don't think I can score this movie as is. I would either have to do way more research about the themes and or watch it more than once to truly grasp my feelings about it. I would definitely recommend it though, solely for the artsy feel of it, which it captures really well. MAL obviously requires me to rate it for this review so you can ignore the number.

Before talking about the film there are some information about Oshii we should know about.... Oshii in his early life was religious as he studied in a school of priesthood in his youth but he abandoned his beliefs and denied them.. The Angel's Egg reminds me of Tarkovsky's films, which are based on the drawing of paintings of pure cinema. Through these paintings, he depicts his feelings, thoughts and orientations, and what he wants to say The film is based on slow motion to give the viewer an opportunity to think, analyze and scrutinize so that the spectator will be able to understand the ideas of the author in the film , this film prioritizes symbolism over traditional storytelling. The author did not explain the film or gave a clear explanation of his film, and this is usually from the big directors, it reminds me of Stanley Kubrick's statement about his masterpiece 2001: a Space Odyssey "How could we possibly appreciate the Mona Lisa if Leonardo had written at the bottom of the canvas: 'The lady is smiling because she is hiding a secret from her lover. ' This would shackle the viewer to reality, and I do not want this to happen to 2001. ". Every picture in the film is a painting of the meaning of the word in addition to the mystery and the mythic in the isolated world and the dark city and the mysterious characters with philosophical ideas, which appeared clearly in the little dialogue between them and that music and the design of characters that give a closer atmosphere of Fantasia and magic. The film does not depend on events and ordinary scenes through the beginning, events and end, but on the ability to create a poetic painting through the mixing of music and events to create an integrated image Oshi did in his film as Tarkovsky did in the mirror by giving the feeling and idea through a cinematic picture without ordinary understandable events. A surreal story. Symbolic, fantastical, religion, human, post-mortem or other life ... etc. Everything is permissible There are those who see that the man betrayed the girl and destroyed it and there are those who see that he was the savior I tend to the idea that the characters represent Oshii and his psychological vicissitudes and the world is a surrealistic picture of his ideas and beliefs. Oshii was deeply influenced by Christian religion and his great quote from the Bible and Christian beliefs - which is understandable when we know that he studied in a school of priesthood in his youth. The characters are Oshii but in different levels on his life The young girl represents Oshii when he still believes in his beliefs the reason that made me say that the both characters have the same white hair this wasn't a coincidence. The egg represents Oshii's faith the girl believies that the egg one day will hatch In the other hand the boy represents oshii but when he denied and left his beliefs. The boy thinks the egg is empty and there's nothing inside it and the boy was right , when the egg was broken there was nothing and the girl was wrong , her faith was illusion when the girl drowned in the water this is a Christian symbol of purity and self-cleansing of sins. When the police were chasing fish's shadows on the walls this a symbol To religious believers (policemen) who follow their imagined beliefs ( fish's shadows). The ship is a store of souls and the scene of white trees and its connection with the end gives us a picture and meanings such as: "conservation" in the sense of saving the lives of uncleanness and resurrection in Paradise and "purity" cleansing the evils and this reflects the conservation in the sense of purification and reservation. The egg is a search for the truth .. You do not see it ,looking for it ,always asking what is the existence, and all that and when you enter in depth ,nihilism ,can't see and find nothing to look for, not all of us know what the truth. In conclusion.. Angel's egg is a wonderful spiritual experience. Some people may think that the film didn't affect them or didn't understand what the film is trying to say, because they did not fit into the atmosphere of the film. I excuse them. Not all people can cope with the slow pacing and cinematic style in the narrative And presentation of ideas. Oshii tried to get rid of the frame of the traditional film and to rebel against the stereotype and to present his ideas in a new unconventional way. I appreciate his his effort in trying to make something new and creative.

I’ve always approached visual media—particularly film—at face value. That is, I prefer to engage with what is presented on-screen without external interpretation or theorizing. When I analyze a film, I focus on drawing empirical observations from it, forming conclusions strictly from what can be clearly seen or deduced. I tend to dislike films that lean heavily on ambiguity, open-ended symbolism, or elements left intentionally vague despite their apparent importance. With that in mind, I’ll admit upfront: I was out of my depth watching Angel’s Egg (Tenshi no Tamago). That disclaimer aside, here’s my review. Angel’s Egg presents the story of a young girl and a nameless man in a desolate, haunting world. It’s a place seemingly abandoned by humanity, populated only by spectral fish and hollow, automaton-like men who chase them in vain. The girl drifts through this eerie landscape, clutching her most precious possession—an egg—hidden under her blouse. Eventually, the man arrives, traveling on massive, tank-like machinery. Unlike the rest of the world, he and the girl are depicted with light and color, establishing them as the sole living presences in this void. Their interaction becomes the film’s only grounding context. Through their sparse conversations, the audience gleans fragmented insights into the world’s past—a cataclysm brought on by a mysterious, colossal bird, remembered only faintly amidst the monotony that followed. The man grows increasingly uneasy about the egg, suspecting it may contain the very bird that once brought ruin. His concern reveals the only moment of genuine emotion he expresses, subtly steering the film’s final act. Angel’s Egg is a masterclass in visual storytelling. Even without sound or dialogue, its narrative would remain largely intact—a testament to its cinematic strength. Although the film offers little in the way of exposition or clarity, the progression of the two characters and the visuals they traverse provide just enough to construct a vague sense of meaning. The direction by Mamoru Oshii is deliberate in its restraint; what the film doesn’t say is just as significant as what it does. Some elements are lucid, others entirely opaque—but all are purposeful. Rather than telling a conventional story, the film invites the viewer to sit with its silence and mystery. It avoids easy answers, concealing its full meaning behind dreamlike imagery and enigmatic symbolism. The plot is simple, as are the characters’ motivations, yet the reactions of the world around them—and its refusal to explain itself—keep the viewer suspended in uncertainty. That intentional ambiguity lingers through to the film’s final image: a surreal planet slowly fading into the void. It’s a conclusion that offers no resolution, but that too is by design. If I had to sum it up in one word: kino. My biggest critique—though a relatively minor one—is that the film lacks the polish it needed to be truly exceptional. Given its 1985 release and its origins as Studio DEEN’s first major project, this is understandable. Despite the clear artistic vision, technical imperfections occasionally break immersion: jittery frame rates, odd animation quirks (like the unnatural movement of the girl’s hair), and a sparse soundscape that misses opportunities for deeper atmospheric impact. These shortcomings hold the film back from being fully transportive. Still, Angel’s Egg stands out for its stunning art direction, imaginative worldbuilding, and bold narrative minimalism. It’s a work that respects its audience’s intelligence, trusting them to sit with discomfort and draw their own meaning. I give it a 9 out of 10 and strongly encourage others to explore more of Mamoru Oshii’s work—it’s well worth the effort.

Angel's Egg is quickly becoming one of my favorite films, and I barely understand what's going on! Here's a basic and most likely incorrect plot interpretation: In an abandoned city, a soldier finds a young girl caring for an egg which may contain a creature he is hunting. That's it! Ask someone else what they think the movie is about and you'll probably get a completely different answer. Ask the director and he'll tell you he doesn't know either. Oh, and it's also packed with weird Christian imagery and symbolism. Does that sound esoteric and opaque and pretentious to you? Well I'll admit it's all of those things. But it's also a beautiful piece of "moving art" conceived by one of the most talented artists Japan has ever produced (Amano, the man behind the Final Fantasy video games respective logo art and formerly their concept artist), and a great director (Oshii, of Ghost in the Shell fame). The colour pallets used in the film are mostly very dark. Black layered on black layered on black. This creates a very stark effect which combined with the unsettling soundtrack and almost complete lack of dialogue creates a pretty strange and bleak world. The backgrounds are all excellent, as is the animation. I don't go into Angel's Egg when I'm looking for a nice relaxing anime to just throw on and chill out to. Angel's egg is my artsy dark depressing cry time movie. It's a movie that makes me wish I could make movies and makes me wish there were more films like it. I think every piece of art should have that kind of impact on its audience. A small tip: Angel's Egg is a movie I would love to own but is almost impossible to purchase on the cheap. However, a certain popular video streaming website has some nice subbed versions of it should you be so inclined to watch this lost masterpiece. The day a criterion version of Angel's Egg comes to bluray is the day I can die a happy man ;). Enjoy!

In an OVA with an all-star staff behind it, and with a dialogue that could be written on one page, Angel’s Egg is an artistic masterpiece. Where to start understanding this film, is to understand the key staff involved. It was directed by Mamoru Oshii (Ghost in the Shell), which is why there are so many underlining meanings and symbolism throughout the 71 minutes. Christianity is an obvious point throughout this wasteland environment, and depression plays a role as well. Oshii’s directorial points maybe tend to shadow how he himself was feeling at the time, much like Tomino’s (Gundam) take in direction in later years. The original creator was Yoshitaka Amano, whom was also the key illustrator of the early Final Fantasy games (1-6). This explains the film’s gritty art and stunning character illustrations with a landscape of utter beauty. Key animation was done by Toshio Kawaguchi (Akira) and Yoshiyuki Sadamoto (Evangelion). With an art staff like that, it’s no wonder that each and every scene, movement, and still could be a painting displayed on any wall. The music is deep and a consistently melancholy type of feel. This really compliments the environment in which the two characters wander in. There are only two characters. One is a little girl whom fetches water in jars and carries a peculiar egg around under her dress. Two is a man whom carries around an iron scrap cross that contemplates in little dialogue to the girl about the egg, and the world they live in. That is the entire OVA. The extreme small amount of dialogue and scenes where nothing is happening might throw off the average anime viewer. However, this is purely a work of art with an exuberant amount of symbolism thrown out there. It is worth a watch purely for the artistic genius that is Angel’s Egg.

Angel's Egg is truly a piece of art. There is no correct or incorrect interpretation of what is presented. The experience is highly emotional and therefore very subjective to the viewer without any clear indication of what the viewer is to conclude from these emotions. There is a distinct contrast between reality and unreality as well as stark religious symbolism. It is, in essence, a commentary on the emotional journey of each individual through hardship and inquisition. Story N/A I can't rate this metric because the story is particularly irrelevant to the message of the film, but rather exists out of convenience. Art (9/10) For a movie made in 1985, some of the art is simply superb. The depiction of water, trees, and various other elements of the setting are extremely detailed and greatly contribute to the overall ambience. There are instances where the art is not spectacular, especially in the presentation of the characters. However, it only detracts from the presentation minimally. Sound (10/10) The foley effects as well as the soundtrack are superb and are most likely more necessary to the movie than the dialogue. Not only have I re-watched the movie multiple times now, but I have listened to the soundtrack even more times. It's absolutely gorgeous, ephemeral even. Character (9/10) The characters are barely developed. They exist not so much as characters, but rather as a representation. It is incumbent upon the viewer to determine what exactly each character represents to him/her. Having said this, they do present their position in the film quite assertively, accurately portraying their mentalities with respect to their world and holding steadfast in their personal views of reality. Enjoyment (10/10) This section is, of course, completely subjective due to the fact that enjoyment of this film is directly correlated to the extent to which the viewer allows him/herself to become immersed in the universe presented and determine its particular significance/meaning. I believe most viewers have a difficult time gathering any meaning from the film, and I know that I had some difficulty my first couple views as well; but the more I watch it, the more clear the depiction becomes. This meaning, I feel, is directly correlated to our own experiences in reality as it is an entirely emotional journey. Overall (10/10) This movie is a fantastic depiction of the psychological and more artistic and symbolical genre that exists in anime. I feel that, due to its brevity and stark depiction of this, it is a fantastic preview of the genre as a whole and is therefore very accessible to the common viewer. It is also accessible in the sense that there are no barriers to entry since any viewer can draw most any conclusion with confidence. It is not very often I encounter an anime whose entire message is constituted by the experience. This is both beautiful and unique.

Let me tell you right off the bat that i didn't read any reviews etc. about this movie i went in fully just for enjoyment of not knowing anything, That was a bad mistake. The story of the anime movie Tensi no Tamago is about a girl and her egg which she carry everywhere. Now the anime's idea is that it has a religious meaning to it and i did not understand it at the beginning and i still don't like it, you will not understand the story at all and if you do its still not deep enough to make you be like "oh wow this is really amazing story". In conclusion i don't think you want to watch a movie with first spoiling it and then watching just so you know what it really means. The art is really good in this Oshii Mamoru did an amazing job in this one, every scene is an art piece it self, tbh the art was the only reason i watched the whole movie. Sounds are not that good in this present time but at that time i believe its been good in that time. Theres not alot about the characters, the only plus about them is how Oshii presented their thoughts through the movie which is why i gave a better points. Overall: This movie is an art piece without an story, if you just like to watch the art style then this is your movie but the story itself is nothing.

It's hard to describe something like Angel's Egg. It's like trying to tell you something but you have to go through several steps to achieve and in the end it's just leaving you hanging. I consider this film to be an art piece rather than something to be consumed by mainstream audience and its not trying to hide it at all. You don't watch this with friends with chips and drinks at the side. It is more of like a personal experience more than anything. It is less of an entertainment medium than a expression of raw emotion encapsulated in about an hour long film. The basic premise of the movie is simple but confusing at the same time. It involves a girl taking care of an egg and just she traveling to this sort of like a ghost town, then meets this boy with a weird symbol for a cross that he carries with him. Nothing is really explained throughout the entire film, proof by the little dialogue it has. All was given are vague context about the world involving themes in religion like angels and the story of Noah's Ark but there was no blatant explanation on all this leaving the viewer to decipher it. There are only two characters in the movie, unamed characters as a matter a fact, namely the boy and the girl, though I wouldn't really call them characters as they are more like plot devices, though the movie itself deprives itself of any sort of plot but it is more like a long skit. They serve more or less like symbolism to something and it its up to the viewer what that is. They have have no characterization whatsoever other than the girl's attachment to the egg. Visual and animation-wise is very good for its time, though I digress that criticising the visuals is kind of irrelevant just for the fact that this movie is not for mainstream audience, though for its time the visuals are pretty good. It sets itself well in this eerie atmosphere of post apocalyptic environment, and it makes you curious about the world and such, most notably the camera angles it uses like long camera shots showing bits and pieces about this world, that seem abandoned. It uses alot of prolonged shots which gives more tension but at the same time you think to yourself that they are just doing that save time and budget. Sound-wise is nothing to complain about either it compliments well with the atmosphere of the film, but by nature the film is mostly silent to give this eerie feeling of loneliness and isolation so its not much to talk about. Angel's Egg is not for everyone. Some would say that you have to think and analyze it to better understand it. Some would dismiss this as bait. Others just avoid it just for the fact that it is different. I do recommend to watch it at least once just so that you will have an opinion about it. It is something to watch with an open mind. Though at an entertainment stand point it is not satisfactory but as an art piece it can reach at a deeper level and meaning. People wouldn't have made this without reason, and to be made in 1985 and still eluding to this day speaks volumes.

As far as art-house goes, I'm usually not that interested. Whether it be the dangerously pretentious presentation of your average Art College moviemaker or the bizarre nihilism of "Begotten", this type of movies doesn't interest me. Why? Because in 90% of the cases all they do is justify bizarre and pointless (as well as overly sexual) content with fabricated allegorical claims. With this in mind, do note that anime has a tendency to eliminate the borders of pretentiousness and reach those heights of creativity I admire. It was with humble expectations that I decided to give Angel's Egg a chance and it turned out to be quite interesting. Any anime fan that hasn't spent the majority of his life under a rock or his mother's basement is at least aware of the existence of Ghost in the Shell. It's a Cyberpunkish anime directed by Mamoru Oshii that is relatively notorious for having inspired the creators of The Matrix profoundly. What many people tend to overlook is one of his previous creations, the 1985 movie Angel's Egg produced by Studio Deen who rarely choose to lend their penmanship to titles of such obscurity. Is the movie a puddled mess of self-suffocating symbolism or a deep journey of personal interpretations? Let's find out! In a gloomy and desolate city, a little girl wanders throughout the abandoned streets with a mysterious egg neatly placed underneath her clothes. She runs into a swordsman traveling in solitude and they end up visiting a bizarre and gothic place where the girl seems to live. Many questions are raised, most prominently regarding the contents of the egg, but also what has happened to their flawed memories and conceptions of identity. Mamoru Oshii has created a story that progresses at an almost alarmingly slow rate. Several frames are present on the screen for more than a minute each without any form of dialogue or change to speak of in a fashion that's far from as annoying as it should be. Where the infinitely abstract story momentarily fails to impress you, these moments are where the true strength lies. Said strength can be defined with the use of one single word: mood setting. The pacing is extremely slow, and the lack of a concrete story may strike some as unappealing, but few will deny that Angel's Egg exhibits a gloomy and ominous tone that few other titles can match. Whereas the story comes off as interesting based on its ability to set an excellent mood, the animation is notable for its symbolism and sheer creativity alone. Basically, this is the experimental kind of anime that I'd expect from MADHOUSE, but never would I have imagined that Deen would be up for the challenge. But they were, in the year of 1985, and they made the wise decision to craft this little gem with a gothic color palette and a top notch budget. This benevolent creativity as well as the beautiful character designs results in a memorable ride that outshines most modern titles, not objectively but artistically. For characterization, there is only one word and its synonyms that can be used to sum it up decently: irrelevant. Besides the metaphorical parallels one might draw from the non-existent characterization, the story follows a girl and a swordsman. That's all there is to it, and as such, it might be wise to implement your approach of this title with caution if this type of thing does not appeal to you. Just like the characters themselves, the voice acting for each role is of complete irrelevance. Angel's Egg relies heavily on facial expressions to express the relatively muted amount of feelings and thoughts the characters may have, and dialogue is rarely put to use. As dull as it may sound, this reluctance to rely on verbal communication is actually one of the movies' greatest virtues that acts in accordance with the otherwise melancholic touch of the narrative and visuals. With music of such extravagance, and a plethora of suggestive sounds though, you don't need to worry at all; the soundtrack is haunting and creepily effective. After this overly long synopsis and semi-review all that is left is to finally feature my own subjective interpretation of the plot. Two things should be noted; first of all, there are more theories out there than could possibly be counted, and most individuals who choose to see this will interoperate the symbols differently. Secondly, I’m still not too sure about the allegorical function of the ending, but I might get back to it if I ever see this again. My theory: The swordsman recites the story of Noah's ark for the girl and radiates a curiosity to know what's inside the egg. In the gothic depths of the mysterious building that the girl seems to inhabit, a tree is carved into the wall and strikes him as familiar. He then proceeds to say that he remembers the tree from somewhere but acknowledges that it's been so long that he cannot remember where and how it was. He even states that it might have been in a dream but mentions that the tree grows by consuming the life within the earth. At the top of the tree there is a mysterious bird that is directly linked to it, and in the same building there is a huge skeleton of a bird that the girl presents to him. Later on, the girl mentions that she found the egg and believes that it contains a bird (that might be the direct reincarnation of the bird from the legend of the tree) and this causes the swordsman to steal and destroy the egg from her, despite having promised not to harm it. Why does he do this? I have two theories: 1: His intentions are merely to find out the contents of the egg. He mentions earlier on that one cannot know what lies inside it if one does not break it. 2: He believes that the bird in the egg is a direct reincarnation of the bird that shared a connection with the life consuming tree. He believes that if it is allowed to hatch, the tree will once again begin to consume the life of earth. When the girl learns of his betrayal she runs out and ends up falling from a cliff in either a suicide or an accident. It's possible that the egg represented child-bearing, as the girl used to carry it around underneath her clothes which made her look pregnant. As she falls from the cliff she spots another version of herself that resembles a woman more than a girl. This might indicate that the egg represented her childlike innocence which was crushed by the then antagonized swordsman. This allowed her to perform a process of maturity that ends up producing a huge number of new eggs that gives further credit to the thought that the original egg might symbolize the virtue of child-bearing. Is it worth watching? I was skeptical at first since these animated eccentricities usually attract the love of art-house lovers but fail to provide a more broad appeal. I ended up loving it though, thanks to the excellent production values as well as the surprisingly captivating story that opens up possibilities for an endless number of personal interpretations. This is absolutely a movie that gives birth to discussion, and I'd love to see what other theories might exist out there. If you're in the mood for something thought provoking and perplexing, I suggest you go watch it right now!

Now, this is an interesting movie, I think. I don't recommend it to anyone who is terribly impatient, since it has a very slow pace and there is very little action. The art, which is beautifully drawn, does much to emphasis a sense of surrealism and isolation, as does the sound, which, while appropriate, can become maddening with long periods of silence, lacking in anything more than a quiet wind. It's difficult to say much about the plot without spoiling it, but it can be said that the two characters that the movie centers around are mired in mystery and depth, not even their names being revealed over the course of the story, making them more symbolic than anything else. Over all, I would say that this was a good film, albeit a bit slow. I would recommend the movie to anyone who wants to watch something for the sake of art and thought-provoking depth, but I can't see anyone else sitting through it.

I actually timed it, in this 71-minute-long film, the first spoken word of dialogue between the two main characters happens 25 minutes in. Very few directors would even dare to try something like that, and it works well for later on in the film, showing you how the nameless girl spends her days, and when we see the bottle lined up, it shows how long she has been at this, which I find very interesting. The girl may have been taking care of the egg for centuries or even millennia, waiting for it to hatch. In the bible, which Angel's Egg references deeply, certain people like Noah are stated to have lived for hundreds of years, as God had willed them to do a certain purpose which allowed them to live so long. In the same way, the unnamed man may have lived so long in order to free the girl from her suffering, taking care of an egg that will never hatch. The fisherman hunting the shadows of fish reflect this well, they hunt for fish long since dried up in their town, all the sealife likely gone after years of fishing being the only way to get food following the flood, which encompasses their whole world, with us seeing the overturned ark at the end of the film, showing that that was what the world had become due to the angel's death. It's definitely a movie that tests your Christian understanding. There's a lot of people that act like they know what Christianity is about when they have a misunderstanding of what it is, and that could probably lead into someone having a pretty different interpretation of the events of the movie, which makes me wonder if that was intentional by Oshii or not. A movie such as this is very reliant on different perspectives to interpret it, was the man malicious in destroying the egg, is the girl now free as a statue on that floating ship, does the ship represent God's eye, watching over this world when the Angel failed to return? There are many questions it asks the viewer, which is probably why a lot of people were so quick to diminish this film when it first released, like people are with things they don't understand immediately. I am glad this finally got a theatrical release in the States, its one film that surely deserves it. Hopefully this motivates Gkids to put out other Mamoru Oshii films that never released in theatres stateside, like Patlabor 2, or The Red Spectacles. Watching his films are always a treat, I hope he's able to continue making movies for as long as he wants! Score:8/10

I'm not an English native speaker but I hope you understand my review: (spoilers) Symbology: God being represented as the big eye in the sky looking above everything, Jesus by the guy holding the cross with covered wounds on his hands, the fish being hunted is the food source of the people in the ark, capitalism represented by the strange machines (or else it was only used for aesthetic purpose although is pretty common to see people trying to force it as something terrible in the media like: "the water is rising and will take our land if you don't take action against the climate changes caused by capitalism" never happened LOL). Theory: This show can be represented by 2 different theories for me: 1 - Not very interesting theory: This show can represented as the same old "Christianity, capitalism and power are bad for the people and will lead them to nowhere" if that's the case the movie would be very disappointing, there is nothing original about that concept it's just political propaganda, maybe the author tried to convey that he knows what he is approaching with the show showcasing Noah's ark history (basic Christian knowledge) to make people who have faith in Christianity think he is ahead of them as he abandoned his faith, he also made Jesus forget what he was doing on earth, this theory starts from the point that the author acts as a problematic child. 2 - Interesting theory: The people hunting Coelacanth (an ancient fish species) shadows lived so many generations fishing in the ark that they forgot or distorted their faith in Christianity that explains the fish everywhere in the city and in the glass of the church instead of Jesus or God, that should be why they are not with God in the sky as the rest of the people who was shown at the beginning and at the end of the movie, they are instead stuck on board of the ark as souls who didn't completed their purpose to ascend to heaven. Doubts: I don't understand why the animal bones in the walls are shown as giant scary monsters so that rises me the question: did the guy representing Jesus broke the egg because it would grow something bad for mankind inside and they don't have the knowledge to control it anymore? And what the eggs and the tree represent? The movie fails to make it clear, the author seems afraid to criticize something openly so he tries to hide it in symbology making it unclear. Visuals: The design is pretty good, the animation is ok but nothing impressive as some scenes from other shows at that time. (A bit of my belief in religion: I'm not a Christian but I do respect their faith, ideals and ethics and those who fight it or feel hate for that may believe in Christianity too since you can't fight what isn't real.)

Angel's Egg is uniquely brilliant in that what it set out to do, it accomplished masterfully. Subtle imagery is often held with high regard as it adds nuance and a level of detail to storytelling that is invaluable. Angel's Egg uses a similar technique that is the literal opposite. Instead of using subtle imagery to enhance the telling of a story, Angel's Egg uses a towering amount of imagery as its form of storytelling altogether. In this review, I want to contrast different viewpoints on Angel's Egg's method. I was not the intended audience of Angel's Egg, but former internet personality Sudostef was. I will describe his ideas, with solemn remembrance and respect giving full credit to him, solely as a contrast to my ideas. I don't have anything to cite as he has removed all of his work from the internet. [The Masterpiece...] Sudostef describes this blatant imagery as a means of establishing an atmosphere. He then describes this effective use of the atmosphere as inciting strong emotion and nostalgia. And primarily because Angel's Egg is triumphant in this matter, it is a masterpiece, albeit an abstract one. If you have a deep appreciation for artistic films and masterful imagery, you too are the intended audience of Angel's Egg and you probably won't find anything better anywhere. I am not this person. I value imagery as a means of storytelling and not as being the story itself. Sudostef says that when it comes to abstract art like Angel's Egg, you either hate it or you love it. I'm here to be that happy medium. I don't hate it, but I don't value it highly either. That doesn't mean I can't see its genius. Angel's Egg, being abstract art, will have a different meaning depending on who is viewing it. To me, it set out to do one thing: make me feel hopelessness. I have never felt more overwhelming hopelessness as I did watching Angel's Egg. 10/10 in that regard; I will express it in my art score. The other thing the art did for me is ingrain itself in my brain. I watched Angel's Egg about an hour before writing this and I can recite every scene in order. I can tell you already that I will never forget certain scenes like the weird flying eye spaceship thing or the military-looking dudes hunting the shadow fish. Images like that stay with you forever. Angel's Egg is a master at creating such images. [...That Wasn't for Me] Appreciating the brilliance of something isn't equivalent to valuing it. I want a compelling narrative. I want compelling characters. Angel's Egg gives me neither. And though being as abstract as it is, one may go searching for meaning indefinitely in Angel's Egg, on a surface level, it's not there. Sudostef goes on to analyze the religious and identity-related themes in Angel's Egg. And though the imagery to support a religious narrative is there - the title, the bandages on the hands, the cross, the bible monologue, etc - this narrative is not particularly deep or valuable to me. Even if everything is there as he describes, it's still not notably good. It's creative and innovative, but not good. [Conclusion] Angel's Egg, at what it does, is a masterpiece. There is no doubt in my mind about that. If you watch it, you will never forget it. But to me, as a form of literature/film/anime, it's not quite there.

Short version: This is a slow-paced art film with a focus on images and ideas (mainly religious ones) rather than narrative. The images are beautiful and the themes are intriguing. If you want a definite message or plot conclusion, this movie will frustrate you; if you like thematically or artistically dense work, you should check it out. Long version: Angel's Egg does not feel like an anime. It lacks much of the standard structure of typical storytelling, let alone Japanese storytelling. The best way to describe it is as an “art film”. The resolution of the plot is a subject of debate and there is no definite message (the director has stated as much); one can interpret it however one wishes. If this sounds like it will frustrate you, it likely will. This film is definitely not for everyone. Unless you enjoy philosophically or artistically dense works, the only reason to watch this is if you are a fan of director Mamoru Oshii, who would go on to direct Ghost in the Shell. The sound and visuals must be discussed together because they create a brilliant atmosphere. The older animation helps the world look and feel decrepit and lonely. The dark colours and pervading shadows all help the viewer feel the isolation of the few characters in this world. In the dreary setting, every colour and action becomes more pronounced. The sound adds to everything. I'm not usually one to pay attention to sound design, but when the film ended, I realized that I had been totally immersed in its world. You notice every breath of wind and every solitary footstep. Even without fully understanding what was happening for much of the film, I was absorbed in the atmosphere. While narrative is not the focus, there is a brilliant story here. The viewer comes to learn about the world of the film, how it became desolate, and why the lead character does the things she does. Of course, for every question answered, there is a bigger one left unanswered. There is even disagreement over whether the film defends or criticizes its primary focus of religious faith; nothing is straightforward. All this said, there is enough of a plot that you will come to your own conclusion. You may not know exactly what happened (I doubt anyone actually does with this film), but you will form your personal idea of its story and its message. This subjective element may be the film's greatest achievement. The best word to describe Angel's Egg is “intriguing”. It is only 75 minutes long, and if you are even slightly interested, I highly recommend you to look into it. The visuals are beautiful and, in my own opinion, so are the themes. This movie is a masterpiece, more so of film than of anime. If your main priority is entertainment value, look elsewhere. You may not like it, but, if you are interested, you will find something to appreciate. Angel's Egg is a film that stays on your mind long after you watch it.

My first review: Story moves way too slow for it's own good. The aesthetic is very unique and interesting but because of the movie's horrible pacing and it's on the nose metaphors and symbolism; my rating is lower. You need to have a particular mindset to enjoy this, and I guess I didn't have it. It's pretty easy to understand the "plot" of Angel's Egg. Little girl explores a surreal world protecting a egg, she fails and then she dies. Simple. But that's not what the movie wants you to pay attention to. It wants you to think and question the world she’s in, what's it's purpose, why is it like this, etc. It wants you to question reality basically. That's all interesting but at least don't drag out. Scenes with little importance are drag out to minutes without anyone moving or doing or saying anything, just staring at nothing. It doesn't reveal anything and it comes off as agonizingly boring. This film is not prestigious mind you but it’s just really really repetitive which feels intentional (probably is), but if that’s the case, this is not a film for me.