GKIDS has announced that it has acquired the North American rights to Mamoru Oshii‘s arthouse Angel’s Egg science fantasy OVA.
The announcement comes in honor of the OVA’s upcoming 40th anniversary in 2025, which will be released in theaters nationwide for the first time in a new 4K restoration, supervised by Oshii himself. The screening dates will be coming soon and fans can sign up for more updates about the OVA here.
GKIDS is proud to announce the acquisition of N. American rights to Mamoru Oshii’s ANGEL’S EGG.
In honor of its 40th Anniversary in 2025, we will release the film in theatres nationwide for the first time ever in a new 4K restoration supervised by Oshii.https://t.co/XX55gRmmnT pic.twitter.com/z8bAjNOA7H
— GKIDS Films (@GKIDSfilms) May 29, 2024
GKIDs also confirmed a physical home video release for Angel’s Egg at some point in the future, via a Twitter user’s query.
— GKIDS Films (@GKIDSfilms) May 29, 2024
The OVA’s drafts and scripts were co-written by director Oshii and the visual director Yoshitaka Amano (Vampire Hunter D and Ayakashi: Samurai Horror Tales original character designer, Final Fantasy XI character designer).
Other staff include the late Shichiro Kobayashi (Nodame Cantabile, Simoun, and Berserk 1997 art director) as art director and layout supervisor, Go Abe (Revolutionary Girl Utena, His and Her Circumstances co-special effects) as special effects staff, the late Michiyo Yasuda (The Wind Rises and Princess Mononoke color designer) as color coordinator, Juro Sugimura (Kiki’s Delivery Service) as director of photography, and Yoshihiro Kanno as music director. Studio Deen was in charge of the animation production.
Meanwhile, the voice cast starred Jinpachi Nezu and Mako Hyodo as the unnamed Boy and Girl.
A Blu-ray of the OVA was released in 2013, and was screened by Japan Society NYC in 2022. Another screening was held in 2023, which was attended by Amano. Earlier this month, it was also announced that the OVA was receiving a 4K remaster set for release in 2025.
© YOSHITAKA AMANO
GKIDS describes the synopsis of Angel’s Egg as:
In an underwater city, a young girl takes care of a large egg she holds carefully in her arms – a treasure that she believes is an angel’s egg. A boy with a gun arrives in search of a bird he saw in his dream. At first it seems as if feelings of sympathy are developing between the two. Then, one night, the boy crushes her precious egg.
GKIDS also announced in April that it acquired the North American rights to Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence, which will also receive a 4K restoration release.
Source: GKIDS Official Twitter