It has been four decades since Mamoru Oshi’s directed film Angel’s Egg was released. On the auspicious occasion of its 40th anniversary, Angel’s Egg will be getting a 4K remaster, where Oshii himself will oversee the production.
Oshii is a renowned Japanese filmmaker and writer who is known for his philosophy-oriented storytelling. His notable directorial film credits include several acclaimed anime films like Urusei Yatsura 2: Beautiful Dreamer (1984), Angel’s Egg (1985), Patlabor 2: The Movie (1993), and Ghost in the Shell (1995). Unlike his other well-known works, Angel’s Egg is not that famous, but it has maintained a loyal fanbase over the years, so there’s a lot of excitement following the announcement of its remake.
What is Angel’s Egg?
Angel’s Egg is a 1985 Japanese art film that marked the collaboration between artists Yoshitaka Amano and Oshii. It features very little spoken dialogue and a strongly allegorical story, which has led to many viewers being confused about the film’s supposed meaning.
However, Oshii had a purpose behind making the film like this. He said that he wanted to remove a narrative as much as possible and keep the film simple, using animation as an expression to draw out a story and fill it with symbolic expressions and metaphors. Angel’s Egg touches on themes that are common in Oshii’s films, including references to the Bible, the symbolism of dreams, and the intersection of dreams and reality. In a 1996 interview with the magazine Animerica, Oshii stated that he made the film because it had elements that intrigued him, such as “Ruins; I like ruins; I like museums; I like fish; I like birds; I like water… and I like girls.” He also stated that ruins appear to him in his dreams.
While Angel’s Egg was highly acclaimed by critics and people in the Japanese animation industry, it also had its cons for Oshii’s directorial career. Following the film’s release, Oshii was labeled as a director who made films hard to understand, which resulted in him being hired far less frequently for years.
Angel’s Egg receiving a 4K remaster is indeed big news for anime fans. While an American release wasn’t part of the original announcement, it was recently announced that GKIDS had acquired the North American distribution rights to the film. The licensor plans to give the film a 4K restoration that will be supervised by Oshii and screen it nationwide in theaters.
While the exact release date for the remaster remains undisclosed, the confirmation of its American release is nonetheless great news.
