Mamoru Oshii

Trained, as a youth, in a Christian seminary for the priesthood in Japan. However, while he was there, something happened (which he refuses to discuss publicly) that shattered his religious leanings. He remains fascinated by Christianity, however, and often alludes to the Bible in his films. There is some debate among his fans about whether Angel's Egg (1985) is an allegory for his loss of faith.

Experiencing a world that is different from reality - somewhere other than here and now as someone who does not exist - is an essential part of living a human life, an essential experience for human beings. It is no exaggeration to say this is the essence of culture and religion. Since prehistoric times, human beings have lived fictions that are not limited to reality, and it is these experiences that have made us human. This is perhaps the only thing that will not change in any given future.