Ranked #1037

Angel's Egg

Wow.

And that's just what's going to be coming out of your mouth after watching Angel's Egg. This is just one of those anime where you sit down for a while after watching it, letting your brain cool down, letting the odd feeling in your stomach settle, and reflecting on what you just saw.

Trying to explain the story of Angel's Egg is difficult. Because it seems as though nothing occurs, when really, so much happens that goes beyond words. But simply put ("simply" is such a stretch): a young girl roams around a mostly-abandoned city in a post-apocalyptic world with a giant egg she keeps hidden underneath her clothes. There she meets a man, and her entire world changes.

There is so much to this story that cannot really be explained completely in a simple review; to do so fully, I may end up writing an essay about it. But do know that the story is highly metaphoric. Honestly. Every event, every line of dialogue, and every plot progression point is indeed symbolic for something else. If you don't like having to dig deep to understand the story, then this anime is most definitely not for you.

Now this is what is going to blow your mind about Angel's Egg (assuming your brain hasn't exploded as yet by watching this) is the art and animation. I was simply awestruck by its excellence. The art is beautiful; a dark, drab, isolated town, a creepy, malnourished little girl, the handsome, mysterious man and the war tanks and forests--these were all amazingly detailed. The animation also was astoundingly good. The art and animation totally blows away a lot of anime made today. It has truly stood the test of time.

Oh my, and the soundtrack. The background music really suited this movie. Haunting, eerie sounds that will truly chill you to the bone. I remember watching this movie very late at night (and in the dark, no less) and the score of Angel's Egg really made me feel a little scared, even. It was sweeping, ethereal and ominous.

Now, despite this movie's length, there isn't much characterisation or character development that went on. The young girl and the man are meant to be plot devices. That is, they only serve as symbols, as vessels that take the movie forward. They remain stagnant; they have the same personalities they do at the beginning of the movie to the end. Maybe the girl goes through the slightest bit of growth, but again, it was to serve the plot. If well-rounded, developed characters are your thing, you may want to consider this twice before watching it.

Ah, and this is the unfortunate. Even though Angel's Egg is critically and artistically a masterpiece of an anime, it sadly isn't very enjoyable to watch. It is mostly confusing if you're not going into it with the frame of mind that everything you see is a visual metaphor, it is extremely slow-paced, so you may spend a lot of time wondering why the movie hasn't ended as yet, and lastly, there is very little dialogue. Most of the anime is spent panning across this desolate setting or watching the characters do mundane things while barely speaking to one another. It was really difficult to think it was entertaining.

You may want to consider it for a while before going into Angel's Egg. If slow-paced, heavily symbolic anime is not your favourite, then most likely, this movie will frustrate you. However, for anyone who loves visual symbolism and surrealist anime, this movie is fodder for your brain, and you shouldn't pass this one up. read more

I heard that this anime was underrated, and then decided to check it out. After watching the film, I was doing two things. One, I was scratching my head, and two, I was trying to pry my jaw from the floor.

Wow, what a surreal, vivid, creepy, terrifying, amazing, astounding, memorable work of art.

STORY
The story here is quite simple, and is presented very slowly. The main character does not hesitate to observe and admire her surroundings. The pacing has been complained about before, and I halfway agree with these complaints. On one hand, the extra-slow paced lingering shots may bore you, and on the other hand, they will create a lasting impression on you once you finish the film. It's kind of a catch-22, which is rather unfortunate. The slow pacing is both good and bad.

ART
The artwork and animation are almost indescribable. I was completely astonished at how lifelike and detailed the characters were animated. For its time, the animation must have been groundbreaking, and it looks great even today. I feel that it transcends the "anime" style. The style and the background artwork I also enjoyed. I haven't seen many animes with a feel quite like this one. It's an extremely moody, creepy and somewhat realistic style. The backgrounds are very imaginative, memorable and often ambiguously symbolic. It's creepy and absolutely mesmerizing.

SOUND
The music was orchestrated and consisted mainly of vocals and choirs. Nothing really to complain about here. The music fit the scenes, enhanced the scenes and didn't detract from or overpower them. It was sometimes downright dreary, yet it was oftentimes whimsical and fantastic. I loved it.

CHARACTERS
There were only two characters, and they were portrayed in a very simple way. Their actions developed them the most, and although they lacked much dialog, it wasn't really needed. Their actions and looks spoke volumes. I wished that they could have been developed a little more, so that we could come to know them. That, unfortunately didn't happen, but seemed to meld perfectly with one of the themes of the movie. I felt that the director, Mamoru Oshii, preferred developing the world over the characters, because there is more time dedicated to showing the nice scenery.

ENJOYMENT
Are you going to enjoy this movie? Well, that, my friend, depends on whether you are able to sit tight and enjoy a very slow movie. Are you watching anime for the art and message, or for the entertainment? Angel's Egg requires the viewer to be on the same mental wave-length, so to speak. And if you are, you will enjoy this film immensely. It reminded me in some was of the film 2001: A Space Odyssey, and if you enjoyed that movie, you will most likely be intrigued and engaged.

OVERALL
Angel's Egg is a memorable, slow-paced, mesmerizing and beautiful film, and although somewhat ambiguous and confusing in its message, it will still stick with you and affect you. Whatever the message is. I felt that this film was expressed very sincerely, from the bottom of Mr. Oshii's heart. He himself said he didn't know what it meant. I got some allegorical and Biblical what-if's out of it, as well as symbols of hope, future and loss of innocence. You may find something else. It is incredibly deep, and it's not laid out for you. read more