It is an animated music video created by Studio Ghibli for the song “On your mark’ by the Japanese rock duo Chage & Aska. The song was released in 1994 as part of the single ‘Heart”.
In 1995, Hayao Miyazaki wrote & directed the short film for the song as a side project after having writer’s block with ‘Princess Mononoke’.
It is a non-linear, providing multiple reiterations & alternate scenes to depict the events. Miyazaki purposely mis interpreted the lyrics to present his vision of a world where the surface becomes inhospitable & humans live in an underground city.
The video follows two policemen who raid & massacre a religious cult & find an angel. She is taken away & confined to a secure laboratory. Haunted by the fate of the angel, the two men formulate a plan & break into the lab. Fleeing in an armored truck, the three fall into an abyss.
Suddenly, the armored truck rockets into an apartment complex allowing their escape. Ignoring the radiations & danger signs they emerge near an encased nuclear reactor. The two men set the angel free & she soars off into the sky.
Duration of the film is 7 minutes. Miyazaki offered an interpretation of the angel as ‘Hope’ & to protect hope could paradoxically mean ‘to let it go where no one can touch it’.
Dr Patrick Collins, a science writer, called it ‘the most perfect short science fantasy film I’ve ever seen’. McCarter of EX Magazine praised the film’s attention to detail that brought the world to life. THEM Anime praised the music video & said that it alone was worth the price of Ghibli ga Ippai Special Short Short.
It is engrossing, enlightening & entertaining. Need we say more?
Asian Entertainment 