I am writing for teenagers and adult, interested in experimental artistic films, on the meaning of the feature-length anime- “The Angel’s Egg” and the social issues concerning religion and loss of faith that are contained therein. I am writing in the form of a blog-post and thus the language and overall structure used is quite relaxed and informal in order to appeal to my internet-faring audience.
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Hello to all you beautiful people!
Ah yes- "The Angel's Egg"- an obscure little gem I found in one of my late-night Youtube odysseys. For those of you who don’t know- “The Angel’s Egg” is a hand-drawn art-house anime film produced in 1985- a time when Japan had a bubble economy that allowed for personal projects without much promise for commercial gain. It captures the story of a man, carrying a large cross, as he follows a young girl with an undying obsession with a large egg, through a dreary, almost post-apocalyptic landscape. Long story short- he crushes the egg, while she is sleeping, to reveal no “bird” inside- it has a rather-drawn out plot with many still images. Like many of its style- it’s the kind of movie that, if you were brave enough to scroll down, has a comments section littered with remarks such as… “wtf did I just watch?”- often followed by furious rants by dedicated fans on the “divine beauty that they have been blessed with beholding in this era of superficial despair.”
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Let’s start with the egg- it’s a symbol of a false idol and the little girl is a follower of said idol. She carries the egg everywhere with her under the impression that, if she continues to care for it, it will hatch into a beautiful bird, in much the same way that followers of a religion believe that if they pray and follow their beliefs they too will be rewarded in death. She also obsessively collects and fills vases with water- to me this seemed like a pointless task that held little meaning yet she seemed to derive a pleasure from it as if it were her solemn duty- I realised I was viewing this in the same way an outsider views the seemingly tiresome and futile practices of a religion.
“Even though the fish aren’t really anywhere, still they chase after them.”
Again- this is a symbol of the blind followers chasing after their god. Fish are a recurring element throughout the bible so this statement is most likely aimed at Christianity. It is noteworthy how even the little girl, who herself is devoted to a false faith recognises the futility of the fisherman’s actions, similarly- in conversations with people regarding their beliefs I have always found it interesting how many believe that the religious convictions of others are incorrect and yet are so completely convinced of the legitimacy of their own faith. Of course, we’ll never know who’s right… at least not in this life.
The conversations between the man and the girl also reveals a lot about these themes, despite there not being many (only four minutes of speech in a seventy minute movie!!!)- when the girl holds the egg to her ear she talks about how she can hear the little bird’s heart beating, the man replies that it is only the sound of the blood rushing through her own ears, but she still continues to smile and press the egg against her ear anyway- the conversation reminds me of when an atheist tries to dissuade someone of their religion through scientific arguments but to no avail.
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Now I know what you’re thinking- “Wait you’re telling me that the dude carrying the massive cross is actually an anti-religious symbol trying to destroy the little girl’s faith?”- this is actually a significant point- and the fork in the road in terms of dominant interpretations, pro-Christian readings see the man as being basically a “Jesus metaphor”- using his own beliefs, (the cross) he exposes the deceptions of the false faith, in order to lead the girl along the “true” path of Christianity. Alternatively- he could be an ex-follower of Christianity, one who has tried to seek out truth in holy readings but never found it, one who has reached the conclusion that his religion is just another empty egg, one who was once like the little girl and so wants to end her ignorance- to rip off the band aid, so to speak.
Before the film’s production the director- Mamoru Oshii (the same guy that would later go on to make more amazing titles such as “Ghost in the Shell”) was a devout follower of Christianity, in fact he was going to be a priest before he was introduced to the world of animation. However, shortly before the making of “The Angel’s Egg” he had a falling out with his faith. With this context in mind, I believe the latter interpretation is likely to be more along the lines of how Oshii felt about his work- perhaps the little girl was how Oshii saw himself when he was younger and the man being who he became upon emerging from his crisis. This idea also fits the scene where the little girl undergoes a sudden transformation into an adult after falling into a crevice, while chasing after the man, in anguish of the destroyed egg- as it symbolises maturity through understanding and acceptance of the truth- in much the same way children grow up a little when, (please forgive the forthcoming blasphemy Santa) they recognise that father Christmas isn’t real.
To summarise- the message behind “The Angel’s Egg” is that blind faith will only bring you false comfort and that spiritual maturity can only be reached through seeking and accepting the truth- even if doing so may initially bring pain. So yeah, in answer to the question that plagues many a forum and comments section- that’swhat you just watched. Of course- a work of genius such as this contains so many intricacies and details that one could spend a lifetime in blissful analysis of it. The beauty of its symbolism and depth of meaning can only be paralleled by the beauty of the art itself- in fact, that alone is reason enough to watch it. I recommend saving this masterpiece for a late night when the troubles of the day are but an echo in your mind- oh and keep a copy of the children’s bible on stand-by! Amongst other things, I also believe that this film would appeal to anyone with an artistic appreciation for AMAZINGLY DRAWN HAIR. Seriously- I’m not the only one, just listen to the fan messages:
Anyway, next time I see you I will be exploring how pink alien wombats can reveal the inner secrets of the human condition in a detailed ten-page analysis of “Cute Earth High Defence Club Love!”
Peace, Love, Unity and Ramen
-Clare