Seconding what invisibleink said. The angel statue is a reference to the prologue/side story Angel Eyes, where Shorter realizes that Ash looks like an angel. It's also playing into the symbolism and dichotomy between light and dark, moon and sun, where most characters see Ash either as a Demon(beast) or as an Angel (never as a human).
2018-12-16 21:18:14 +0000 UTC
The manga actually had a more fucked up plan with Banana Fish. Arthur also planned to have Max and Ibe kill each other off in front of Ash then brainwash Eiji into killing Ash so that Ash will have to shoot him in self-defense.
2018-12-13 15:57:05 +0000 UTC
Ash looked like the angel in the Christmas card Shorter received from his sister when they met in juvie. Eiji is not as carefree as Yut Lung thinks. He was actually depressed pre-canon when Ibe convinced him to take a break and to go to the US with him (caused by many piled up reasons, his career-ending injury being one of them, but I wont spoil it for you in case you want to read the manga and its side stories).
2018-12-13 15:44:49 +0000 UTC
Rip mappa budjet. They spent every yen they had on this, I bet. But it's worth it. Shorters deat is huge turning point and I still cry everytime I see it or read it... Also the angel has a meaning. That is explained in Angel eye, but I don't know if they are going to animate it... I know they are making it into Drama CD which is cool, I guess but I want more Shorter always ;____;
