After diving for an ancient sword in the waters where the battle of Dan-no-ura was fought and the Heike clan fell, Tomona loses both his sight and his father. Left with few options other than learning to play the biwa, Tomona gains enough skill to join a prestigious troupe of storytelling performers and takes the name "Tomoichi."
Soon after, Tomoichi meets a strange person who finds joy in terrorizing others with his deformed appearance, but is surprised when the sightless storyteller treats him as an equal. The pair become fast friends and begin performing together after the stranger—who chooses the name "Inu-Ou"—discovers that he is able to hear spirits telling forgotten tales of the Heike clan.
Tomoichi changes his name again to Tomoari and uses his music to promote Inu-Ou's underground dance performances, achieving incredible popularity among the masses. However, the brazen and unconventional style they develop challenges traditions that the shogunate values deeply. As the pair's fame continues to increase, they must contend with the forces of tradition that control the society around them.
[Written by MAL Rewrite]
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Comentários
HannahFantasia
Sat next to the director himself while watching it at Annecy 2022. INU-OH is an absolute masterpiece on it's own. While Yuasa is becoming more orthodox with his art style which does not bother me but leaves me with an odd aftertaste, it does not take away the fact that he can still make fantastic movies. What really helps to watch this film is to absolutely not watch it at home on a laptop if you have the means not to! It is a musical, a concert and theater show at once. The totals, medium close ups and visual effects are deliberately chosen to compliment that styleof storytelling. INU-OH is an absolutely progressive film with two characters going through their mental and physical transition. Choosing between what is right and what is wrong.
A big 10 for sure.
Again, watch it in a cinema, your laptop or TV will not hold up to a true festival film.
Turtles_cute
Bear with me, for this is my first review on this website, but more importantly, this is the first anime for which I feel the need to write one. Inu-Ou is a musical in the truest sense of the word, in that it presents almost all of its story beats through the art of music. A fantastic musical at that, as the use of the biwa in the film alongside some other instruments as well as their melding with modern music left me in awe, as I am a person who is not particularly interested in music. The music is magisterial, commanding the progression of thestory every time it swells and falls.
Speaking of stories, Inu-Ou tells three in its runtime of an hour and a half and some odd minutes. It is hard to follow, and the film moves at breakneck speed without any regard for the viewer's convenience, with much being left up to the watcher to infer at certain times. The three tales are those of the Heike clan (for context, I would HIGHLY recommend watching 'The Heike Story', also from studio Science Saru), of Tomona, and of Inu-Ou himself. One might think that all this would jumble up the themes and make the entire ordeal seem muddy in its message, however, I argue that these three storylines are intrinsically connected to one another, and exploring one leads to the natural exploration of the other in the film. Without spoiling much, I believe the film succeeds entirely in portraying themes of historical reclamation, rejection of that which is new, greed, as well as, believe it or not, the power of friendship. It explores successfully the treatment of an outsider and the power of a name.
Alongside being masterful in its storytelling, Inu-Ou looks fantastic. Although not as grand as theatrical productions from the likes of Kyoto Animations or the films of Makoto Shinkai, the studio has made a film which makes brilliant use of camera angles, tight editing, and a sort of look that just perfectly fits it (I don't know how to explain it, not that experienced with techniques of animation and stuff) to make a movie that is just as beautiful to look at as it is to listen to.
I admit that this film is a challenging watch, and requires some prior knowledge of Japanese history. However, to readers who are willing to overlook some minor problems with a small lack of character development (the movie does the best it can in its short runtime) and the apprehension it requires, you will be met with an experience worth remembering.
ichin
Inu ou can be a very good movie if you go into it with an open mind. I watched it a year ago at the Venice Biennale. It was the only Japanese animated entry of the festival, which happened to screen somewhat close to where I lived. I went there just to see it thinking that no matter what, even if I wouldn't get the story at least I would let my eyes feast on what looked like the next great feat of animation, provided by such an indie and original studio as SCIENCE SARU, known for jewels like Devil Man Cry Baby and laterHeike Monogatari.
What I got was the complete opposite.
Even if I didn't get it completely, the story was heartrendingly beautiful and well executed, while the animation.. well I would not have paid the full ticket just for that. No Makoto Shinkai level of detail for sure, but not even the elegance seen in previous features like the Night is Short.
It has a gritty, almost dirty, yet precise style that nevertheless manages to perfectly portray the vibe of a story revolving around the poor and outcast. Realistic and vibrant, with uncensored sweat and spit and bodily hair which is pretty refreshing to see in the contemporary hyper-idealised anime landscape. The character design and the action is great, bold, intense.
What did not sit with me was the conspicuous use of frame recycling. There were many instances where the scene is exactly the same and just the color or the context change, while the animation goes in a loop.
But allow me a little digression. I need to mention how this anime is, first and foremost, a musical. It is a story told almost entirely through musical lines, like a biwa player singing in the streets used to do.
There is an incredible amount of time (like 10+ minutes) in multiple sections throughout the movie dedicated to the full development of a song, which makes it feel as if you were really witnessing a rock concert in real time. The music the two protagonists craft with just their voice and a biwa pimped to electric guitar has a visceral, universal allure that will probably make you hum the lyrics while clapping your hands to the beat. If you like festival folk music you'll have a blast and will be avle to grasp what I think is the most important message in the movie: how the power of music and art unites people through the ages, through their differences, through their struggle against society and against fate.
Just like the development of the folklore fairytale it is based upon, the story and the music in this movie go through a repetition with variations scheme until they gradually reach a climax. It's an elementary old way of treading a story, something I only remember hearing in my grandparents bedtime stories or some Grimm Brothers. Not the kind you'd expect in an anime. Which is probably what makes Inu Ou a unique viewing experience.
I deeply appreciated this decision to honor the forgotten ways, but to come back to my point, I still felt like I was being cheated on a bit in terms of the looping animation. Was it laziness, lack of finances or time? Or was it done on purpose for full coherence in all facets of the medium? In that case I could accept it, as radical and weird as it feels.
In all other aspects Inu Ou is successfully fleshing out character dynamics and their ambitions, the clashes within society and the politics of that historical period that so often tend to blend into myth.
More than anything, it reveals how magic is intimately connected to human psychology and spirituality.
And that sometimes, what originates a legend is the sheer energy turned sacrality of certain extraordinary instants we live in our ordinary life.
moonbell
Cobbled from my two Letterboxd reviews of the same: I'm not a very good film reviewer. I really want to explain how I feel about Inu-Oh, but I'm not quite sure I have the words. Still, after catching the only screening of it in my town, I waited for the home video release then forced 15 people to sit down and watch it so I feel like I need to somehow articulate at least part of what I feel: First things first, I'm a devotee of Yuasa's, so I might be biased. It's hard not to be. He has yet to let me down in any way,and while he says this project fell into his lap by chance, I literally cannot imagine anyone else doing it justice the way he has.
As an artist, Inu-Oh means so much to me personally. The first time I watched it I wept in the cinema several times. At first I cried because of the way animation itself is used - it's heartening and poignant and moving to see all this, when working professionally within animation's commercial side can make the medium feel so dead, especially when you know that it's an art form that can be so free. And then I kept crying, because it turns out Inu-Oh is, among many other things, a film ABOUT the freedom art offers. The freedom to have your story heard. The freedom to tell the stories of those whose voices have been suppressed. The freedom to define your own self. Freedom from what others have chosen for you, freedom from who or what others have decided you are. Freedom of expression.
And then I cried again because it's also about how threatening that freedom is to others, how dangerous it is to embrace, and what lengths people will go to to take it away from you.
It's about that, and about so much more.
Inu-Oh is many things. Among them, for me, it's a film to feel understood by, for those who may not often feel understood.
I could go into all the things I personally loved in terms of style, storytelling (Yuasa said F*** your three act structure), music, even casting, but I think that would require me to meticulously describe the entire film and it's not one that should be described, it should be seen, and heard, and felt. And maybe, if you're me, cried to.
I saved face this time because I was screening it for quite a large group, but I'm going to rewatch it by myself very soon and have a good cry.
Thebruhhomie
-Inu-Ou Review.- Most modern anime movies (that aren’t tied to a series that is) usually fall into one of these two trends: Makoto Shinkai rip-off or Ghibli rip-off. But there was a time, years ago, when this wasn’t the case. You won’t believe this, but there was a time when weird movies like “Memories”, Satoshi Kon films, and Mamoru Oshii movies got made and released.If they were successful or not at the box office, it does not matter, because the thing is that they actually got made and became classics that will be revisited for years to come.
But because anime nowadays is as popular as it ever has been, “weird” films are just not going to get made because if you are gonna appeal to the widest audience possible you have to play it safe. So make a movie that’s a sequel to an already existing series, or just imitate Shinkai/Ghibli's visual and narrative styles if you are gonna make something original.
That’s not to say that all the films among this trend (or the films that have inspired this trend) are bad, but it means that there is less variety overall, many of them just seem extremely generic, and the landscape for modern anime movies as a whole is just really not interesting (proof of that is that I have no interest in most modern anime films).
But well, as Inu-Oh demonstrates, there is always hope that something weird and unique will eventually get made (even if it doesn’t end up being great).
And weird it is.
Inu-Oh is about a guy in search of something similar to revenge in feudal Japan who talks to his dad (who is a ghost) and is also blind, and is also a Monk that plays the Biwa (a guitar of sorts) that meets a deformed idiot with a giant hand that is cursed (the idiot, not the hand) and starts a rock band (I remind you that the film is set in feudal Japan btw) to get back at those who mistreated him, making this essentially a musical.
Yeah, it’s a trip for sure.
All of this weirdness works in its favor, as it fits really well with the insane fast pacing, comedic tone and anti-traditional/authoritarian attitude that the film presents, creating an intense, crazy and fun experience.
Its art also deviates from most modern anime movies, as desaturated and grey colors are present throughout most of the backgrounds, and its world is populated by ugly and simplistic character designs.
But all of that is meaningless if we don’t have a strong core, and luckily, the movie features a strong core in the form of the relationship between its two main characters.
Both are presented as cursed beings who are unfit for society, and their friendship is pretty charming and the strongest part of the film.
A word must also be said for the unique directing and storyboarding (unique as far as modern anime movies are concerned): There are lots of Pov shots (some really unique, like the ones from the perspective of the blind character), beautiful jump cuts are also constantly used to present the passage of time, there are some very interesting camera movements throughout the film, a scene in which a swordsman kills multiple guys over a stretch of time is presented as five different horizontal panels in one single shot...The list could go on.
All of this being said, the movie is still extremely flawed.
Its main problem is that musicals go on for far too long, and even worse, in all of them they repeat shots of looped animation several times in a row.
Also, while the relationship between its main two characters is charming, the insanely fast pacing doesn’t give this relationship the proper weight that it should. In fact, the first third of the film used to present both characters and their relationship is literally the highest point of the film (and the relationship isn’t explored much after that).
Its art might work well for presenting the bleak world of our two cursed main protagonists, but on the other hand, it doesn’t fit the most upbeat scenes of the second half of the movie.
And finally, the cgi and vfx at times are just fucking ugly and ruin some shots.
But at the end, I still think that the final result is a very fun and unique experience. Maybe it isn’t great because of the flaws mentioned but it’s worth your time if you are looking for a fun and different film.
While I haven’t watched most of Yuasa’s work, this and “Night is short walk on girl” (which is better and more consistent than this film btw) have been a pleasant surprise (a shame about Devilman midbaby).
I hope that I can explore more of Yuasa’s work in the future.
Bye bye
Thanks for reading.
TheRealRouges
First thing and the most important: this movie is insane, I was in awe throught the entire 90 ish minutes it lasted. I'm gonna start my review by saying I'm not particularly a fan of Masaaki Yuasa, apart from Tatami Galaxy, Ping Pong and Kaiba I didn't really like his other works that much (especially that awful Japan Sinks 2020, that was just pure garbage), but this movie is really a damn masterpiece. For context, to enjoy it the most you should be kinda familiar with some aspects of Japanese history, namely the Genpei war (for that I can recommend the brilliant Heike monogatari anime series, madeby the same studio of this movie) and the Nanbokucho period of the Ashikaga shongunate, the era in which this movie is set, and a bit of Noh theater's history, since we see the two most important playwriters and perfomers of the traditional Sarukagu (later renamed Noh), Kan'ami and Zeami.
The tale is simple enough, but it's narrated flawlessly in a kind of "musical movie" way, with most of the scenes later on dedicated to musical and dancing exhibition, but with a modern twist. I gotta say all the songs are great and memorable, I was really surprised. I wouldn't say I was emotionally impacted that much, but it gives you enough emotional investment to care about the two main characters, Tomoari and Inu-Oh, both of them are really good characters. Where the movie shines the brightest are the visuals, not necessarily because of stunning animations, which are actually presente (in some scenes it goes really crazy), but because of great direction and inspired visuals, it's really pleasing.
If you care enough about Japanese history and also a bit of music/theater this movie is incredible and deserves to be watched and appricieted by more people
Final Score: 9/10
-AlexL-
Inu-oh is an unique cinematic work that delves deep into the journey of discovery and self-acceptance, challenging the definition that society tries to impose on who we are. The film explores the difference and beauty of individuality in an artistic and reflective manner, touching on themes of exclusion, acceptance, and the struggle against the world's tendency to reject what is different. This audio-visual spectacle delves into the critical point of individual identity, challenging the social definition of personality. The film also addresses themes of historical complaint, rejection of the new, and issues of authority, politics, and ownership in the artistic sphere. Inu-oh stands out for its emotionalanimation and immersive soundtrack, with lengthy musical segments that, although challenging, captivate the viewers if they allow themselves to be carried along with the rhythm of the music and narrative. Ultimately, the film is a musical, conveying a significant portion of its story through music, which is an incredible blend of classical instruments, with special emphasis on the biwa, combined with modern music.
With superb artistic direction, Inu-oh delves into three intertwined stories: that of the Heike clan (this movie is best appreciated if one is already familiar with the tales of this clan, for which one can watch the anime "Heike Monogatari" from the same studio, but it's not really necessary), that of Tomona, and that of Inu-oh himself. This might seem to suggest that the film will have difficulty conveying its message and not confusing its themes; however, these three stories are inherently connected, allowing for the natural exploration of one to lead to another. However, the fast pace of the film can be a bit excessive, affecting the absorption of the themes and messages it seeks to convey.
slimysteak
Inu Oh is a good movie, but it is absolutely chaotic. This benefits it in some ways, and hinders it in others. I'll get back to that in a bit, first I want to talk about the strongest part about Inu Oh; the art. The art direction is superb. I love everything they were going for in that department of this movie, and they pulled it all off. The animation is wonderful. I can't describe my favorite scenes in all that much detail due to spoilers, but there are some really awesome artistic moments in this movie, most of which relate to the main characters' disabilities.Under the same umbrella of 'art', I'm going to include the music as well, which was PHENOMENAL. Even if you take nothing away from this film, you'll still be able to appreciate it musically. Inu Oh combines traditional Japanese instruments with modern rock styles, and it's really unlike anything I've ever heard. Towards the end of the movie there are multiple 10+ minute long musical numbers (or they at least felt that long) which will really take your breath away. While being a little repetitive sometimes, the music is still strikingly unique and interesting. It isn't just there to sound cool or to fill space either, the lyrics help to develop the backstory and plot of the whole movie. Although I haven't seen all that many music related anime, Inu Oh is definitely one of the best when it comes to the music itself.
The characters aren't all that developed, but they're certainly interesting; Inu Oh specifically. He was born horrifically deformed, and because of that, he is shunned by his family and treated like a dog. His father was a dancer, and all Inu Oh wants is to become an amazing performer (partly to spite him, and partly to live up to his family's legacy, if you ask me). It's a pretty interesting concept, and he really stole the show every time he was on screen. The other main character, Tomona, was good as well, but noticeably less so than Inu Oh. He had some great moments in the final act, but he took a back seat to Inu Oh for a large portion of the movie.
Now with all of that being said, this movie ultimately fell short in a lot of areas for me. I liked it, but it is significantly flawed. The pacing, story, and themes are all pretty chaotic all throughout the film. There is no down-time in this movie at all. It jumps from one year and place to another, without even giving you a chance to process what you just saw. I wouldn't exactly call the pacing 'bad', but it is very very quick, which just adds confusion to an already tricky to follow plotline.
For a movie that is barely over 90 minutes long, there is a ton going on. There are 3 stories all getting developed simultaneously; the story of Tomona, the story of Inu Oh, and the story of a war that happened over 100 years ago. Given some more time it could have worked pretty well, but like I said in the last paragraph, the pacing does not help. The abrupt time and location jumps leave you feeling a bit winded as you try to keep up with what's going on on. A lot of the lose ends get tied up towards the end of the movie, but the ending just unravels a few more. The story is far from bad, and there was a lot about it that I liked, but I just felt a little overwhelmed with the scope of the story they were attempting to tell here. That left the themes feeling pretty jumbled, and me feeling like I missed out a lot of the deeper messages. Don't get me wrong, I do love confusing movies. Films that leave me thinking after I watch them are often-times some of my favorites, but it came off as bit more of a negative thing than a positive one here. Or maybe I'm just an idiot who can't understand a director's vision. That may also be true.
Despite having a lot to gripe about, I still thought it was a good movie. It is truly special from an artistic perspective, however the rest of the movie doesn't really pull its weight, which has dragged down the score a bit for me. Maybe after another watch my opinion will change a bit, but maybe not.
Overall: 7/10
beargolfer
Just saw this in theaters, and I'm not sure if I can call this good or not. I won't make this horribly long, just sharing the vibes of it. First off, I cannot overstate just how fantastic this film was from an artistic standpoint. Whenever there's a music number (that's right babey, this is a musical), I was absolutely entranced. Mirai Moriyama and Avu-chan absolutely killed it, their performances sucked me into this underdeveloped story more than they should have. Side note, I think it's hilarious that the professional dancer voices the singer character and vice versa? The animation and choreography had the messiness that Yuasais known for, and it worked perfectly for the rock-inspired songs. I was a bit frustrated when scenes reused the same piece of animation four times in a row, but that's my only major gripe visually.
"Why is this a 6/10 then? " Well, you see, the story was barely there. I felt as if it needed more time to show us the main characters were friends, to show us how much time had passed outside of "this character's hair grew". Everything just went so fast and I walked out of the theater feeling empty, wishing that there were maybe 15 more minutes and maybe a different ending.
I would never call this film good, honestly, but it was a damn fun time and I don't regret seeing it. If you're not too hung up on a film having a loose/unsatisfying plot and just want to see some crazy Queen-esque songs with cool animation? Go for it.
boguda
Masaki Yuasa's love letter to music, storytelling, and all things creative. Two young kids cursed by fate come together to craft banger hair metal songs in ancient Japan. It's an absurd premise, but absurdity is Yuasa's bread and butter. The melodies and traditional Noh dances not only transport the viewers to feudal Japan but also illuminate the lives of the Heike soldiers, a mixture of history and myth that is intertwined with our main characters' story. The breathtaking visuals and meticulous storyboarding held me captive from start to finish. I honestly can't recommend it enough, it's a sensory trip. Even if you skip the anime, give theOST a listen.
whiteflame55
An excellent movie with direct ties to The Heike Story (an anime from 2 years ago that I liked quite a bit), I found this one a less impactful on an emotional level, though what it doesn't have there, it makes up for with incredible visuals and powerful music. I can't recall seeing a movie so artfully present the "sight" of the blind, and the storytelling in this movie is truly master class as each song comes with a dazzling set of visuals. That being said, the modern story feels a bit underdone, there was a plot element that felt like a weak and underwhelmingversion of Dororo, and the way things wrap up didn't quite work for me, though the ride was well worth it.
leongilpro_
I think Inu Ou's rating is underated. I can accepted get at least 8 until 9. 7,76 is still low. I think. There's animation, music is awesome. Story is not too wow but it's okay because story not strong point of this anime. That's why I think at least still can get 8. This anime have music like kujira, or ude tate is wow. Staff is right to choice Avu chan as inu ou and Mirai moriya as tomona. Even Tomona this anime just sing one song. And as a long Movie just that's song Tomona sing it. but the song its so good.Inu ou sing 3 song.
S0UVIK
I never write reviews but Inu-oh was so good, it compelled me to just type down some of my immediate thoughts. I waited years to watch this movie, and I can finally say that the wait was worth it. I would go as far as to say that this is Yuasa's most expressive work, even more than Mind Game. Yuasa mentioned that he might be taking a break from anime if I recall correctly, and even if (God forbid) he never comes back, this is a fitting end to his career. Like another user mentioned in the forums, this feels like the spiritual successor to Yamada's HeikeMonogatari, especially because that was also made at Science SARU. Both works are extremely different takes on the era covering completely different things, but both of them flows in the same vein.
Yuasa's Inu-oh is feels more of a personal tale. The story might seem simple, but there is a lot to unpack here. Apart from that, the animation, the music, the voice acting and the character designs extremely good.
Just like Inu-oh's audience in the movie, I was engrossed with his performance, dance, and especially stories. This is an experience that will be hard to forget for me. This is Yuasa at his best. And this is why I consider Science SARU to be one of my favourite studios.
boykunron
Inu-Oh is Yuasa’s magnum opus. By far his most ambitious, spectacular work to date. Watching this movie on a monitor or laptop does not do justice to the musical performances in this film. It’s a cinematic experience and by the end of it you’re begging to hear and watch more. Yuasa has created something very special here, like most of his projects, Inu-Oh challenges conventional anime story telling techniques and practices. The narrative of this film is a bit hard to follow upon first watch and requires some supplementary research about the Heike Story and time period, but the plot is entirely fictional. Inu-Oh isessentially an anime rock opera influenced by the likes of Queen and King Crimson with sakuga galore. The music is nothing short of anthemic and will appease to everyone watching. There’s so many great riffs and musical compositions that will get you grooving and moving alongside the epic storytelling and set pieces. The way Yuasa elevates traditional Biwa storytelling with rock music is genius and creative, it’s surprising to see it hasn’t been done before. Heike Monogatari feels like the spiritual predecessor to this movie. Although not directed by Yuasa himself, its still Science Saru and it feels like that was their testing ground to adapt a classic Japanese tale in a historical setting and breathe new life into it with sound and art direction.
Inu-Oh does the same, creating an entirely fictional plot but placing it far into the past of Japanese history. It follows a blind Biwa player, just like Heike Monogatari, and a disfigured “cursed” dancer, the son of a famous dance troupe who perform traditional Japanese dance. Together Tomona and Inu-Oh go against tradition and find the “lost” tales of the Heike and fuse it with their brand of oral story telling – epic rock anthem operas. The performances they give pull straight out of the talents of people like Freddie Mercury or Mick Jagger. The songs here are performed with such passion and vigor its sure to make you feel like you’re witnessing a rock concert.
It's oddly similar to Samurai Champloo, in the Inu-Oh takes a modern sound and plucks in straight into a medieval Japanese setting. Inu-Oh is nothing short of a good time and proves how much of a visionary Yuasa is when it comes to the medium of anime. However, Inu-Oh isn’t just all show and tell. The story has themes of destiny, fate, and pride. It’s about going against established norms and finding purpose as a reject of society. Inu-Oh’s and Tomano’s physical and spiritual literal transformations as performers is a metaphor for the artist archetype. They represent liberty, freedom, and creation. They literally seek out and create the “new” forgotten stories of the Heike and refuse to be subdued by the establishment, true rock stars at heart.
Inu-Oh is an experience and warrants a second, even third watch to appreciate it in its entirety. It’s difficult to imagine Yuasa topping this work but we shall see where his merits take him.
Chiaki_Shura
With this film, Yuasa offers us a work that encapsulates the history of the conflict between the Taira and the Minamoto (although in the film, this conflict is already in the past) and reimagines the story of this conflict primarily through the language of music. The very work from which the film is partly derived, the "Heike Monogatari" (a Japanese literary work that, in theory, should be historical, though we cannot confirm everything written within it), initially saw its spread through the tales of the Biwa Hoshi, itinerant minstrels who contributed to the dissemination of various versions of the "Heike Monogatari." The presence of these BiwaHoshi is predominant in the work. One of the protagonists, Tomona, is indeed a Biwa Hoshi.
The plot revolves around Tomona and the mysterious Inu Oh, whose destinies intersect. In the case of the former, we are talking about a character who, having lost his sight, seeks to adapt to his new life by becoming an itinerant monk (Biwa Hoshi) in order to fulfill a promise made to his father, who accompanies him in the form of a ghost.
In the latter case, we have a boy born with a rather unique condition who seeks his place in the world. This becomes the common point between the two characters, as both are in search of their role in life.
Both find their place in the world through art, especially through music. This becomes the central focus of the director to delight us with his style, in which he envisions Japan in the 1100s as a place where our two protagonists bring to life a new type of theater. Yuasa blends Japanese music with a modern rock style, assimilating Western aesthetics in clothing as well. This blend, along with Western dance styles, creates a unique, elegant, and one-of-a-kind musical spectacle.
Piggytripper
Going in I had no idea this would be connected to Heike Monogatari (dir. Naoko Yamada which everyone should watch!!) in any way but it was a pleasant surprise. Not only were both of them created by the same studio and released very close to each other, both are about the power of story telling and use the Tales of Heike as a backdrop. Its obvious this is meant to be a companion piece to the anime (or the other way round idk). But its the contrast in how these two approach these themes of storytelling that makes it so fascinating to me. While HeikeMonogatari was focused more on the healing power of storytelling, Inu-Oh concerns itself with the themes of freedom of artistic expression. Heike Monogatari also felt subtle and precise, especially with its animation style and Inu-Oh is unrestrained and free!!
Set in an era where there are severe constraints on how Heike tales should be told the two main characters are basically rockstars who will not only tell whatever stories they like but also however they like it! The performances are electric and the zany animation style gives them so much life, there's no other medium but animation that could make this possible.
No one but Yuasa could have told this story. This was an unforgettable experience
Chrismas95
I went into Inu-Ou completely blind. The synopsis on MyAnimeList didn’t grab me, but since friends were watching it I decided to have a gander. And I’ll admit: for the first stretch of the film I had no idea what was going on and if the movie had substance. Even at the end I wasn’t too sure how certain aspects of it played into the story. But even then, Inu-Ou was such a magical and unique experience that I came out of it completely wowed. Inu-Ou is weird, but in a good way. It takes place thousands of years ago and everything about the film’s presentationdoes an amazing job of seeping you into that world — from the art style to the environments to the characters to the narration. (Even how it portrays things like blindness is creative.) You start off with biwa on its own and feel right at home in the time. But then the performances that the main characters put on after are so progressive for that time that you become blown away by them just as their audience is. They’re so crazy that you have to wonder just how much time these things took to make in-universe. But that’s the thing: as unbelievably energetic and insane the music/props are, they’re still just believable enough for the time and don’t take you out of it.
While the music and performances themselves are impressive even by today’s standards, the singing itself is anything but. Singing is pretty much exclusively rhythmically talking. It seems lame, but it adds to the experience. At the end of the day, the performances in Inu-Oh are still street performances, and the relatively simple singing reminds you of that. Maybe I’m sounding overly poetic here, but it tricks your brain into believing that you ended up walking into this on your way home like the actual onlookers in the film have. Besides, the stories that the songs tell are worded in such an interesting way that the relatively flat singing doesn’t matter that much anyway.
While I wasn’t sure what was happening at the start of the film, it still tells our main protagonist’s beginnings well. The rest of the story is straightforward, but the fantastical elements make it anything but boring. The protagonists’ character became stronger and stronger as the film went on. I was pleasantly surprised that the supporting cast ended up being interesting and important, too.
While I was drawn into Inu-Ou mostly for its presentation of Japan in the past, everything else caught up to the point where, by the end, I was enthralled and impressed by all of it. It might feel too “artsy” for some people, but I loved how honest it felt.
ggultra2764
Inu-Ou has quite a bit it dabbles into regarding creative freedom within feudal Japan in its focus on a blind biwa player named Tomona and a disfigured social outcast named Inu-Ou, the son within a family of Noh dancers, who form their own dance troupe to portray their own version of stories related to the Heike clan. However, their fame and unconventional storytelling clashes with the traditions enforced by the Japanese shogunate, leading their paths to inevitably entwine. Before I get too deep into my thoughts on this film, some quick historical details on what Inu-Ou is portraying. During Japan’s feudal era, creative freedom with outletslike musical and theatrical performances were strictly regulated by the shogunate to suit the tastes of whomever was in power and craft a desired unified image of particular creative direction taken in these outlets. Those that expressed stories and unconventional creative directions going against the shogunate’s desired tastes and traditional direction were severely punished with death.
This element in the film adds quite a bit of dimension to the backstories of Inu-Ou and Tomona, who both find themselves victims and becoming societal outcasts due to the rigid conformity and influence of the shogunate. Despite their crippling conditions, both don’t let these get to them as they retain their joy for life and combine their talents with biwa playing and Noh dancing in the formation of their troupe.
While faithful in depicting the feudal era in regards to exploring the strict conformity with creative outlets, Inu-Ou does take some creative liberties with elements of the storytelling that don’t completely ground it in terms of realism and historical accuracy. Tomona’s musical performances with his troupe play out more like a hair metal music act popularized in 1980s America. Plus the theatrical performances from Inu-Ou implement staging techniques that wouldn’t have been possible to utilize within 14th century Japan. While this angle to the performances may not be everyone’s cup of tea if looking for historical accuracy, it’s a creative decision that works with the intended theme of the film with the troupe’s performances being unconventional for their era.
The film also implements supernatural lore to explore the motivations behind Tomona and Inu-Ou’s performances. Both are able to able to see the spirits of the fallen members of the Heike clan and fallen family members, that serve as the source of their stories with their performances. This supernatural angle also comes into play with the exploration of Inu-Ou’s backstory as a subtle detail with his performances is that his bodily deformities gradually go away as he continues his immersion with his performances.
Another highlight to the film comes in the form of its animation. Animated sequences depicting Tomona and Inu-Ou’s performances get fairly elaborate and are quite fluid with their movements from Tomona’s hair metal inspired performances to the unique movements of Inu-Ou coming from the extended length of his deformed arms. In addition, this animation gets effectively utilized in the title’s supernatural scenes with the stories told by Inu-Ou’s troupe and their encounters with the spirits.
All told, quite a bit was packed into the ninety-plus minute run of Inu-Ou with its themes, story, and creative direction. Despite this, the film does a great job offering a tight story, dabbling into its main theme of defying conformity with creativity in feudal Japan, and not being afraid to create liberties with elements to the film’s historical era to fit into the theme in question. These liberties and focus on the historical era may not be for everyone. But for anyone interested in exploring this element to Japan’s feudal era and not averse to the creative liberties taken with it, I’d strongly recommend giving Inu-Ou a watch.
Halcyon13
A culmination of song and dance can be enchanting, even more so in a film, presenting both in musical form. Musicals, when crafted with heart, complement the cinematic fantasia well. Masaaki Yuasa's Inu-ou captures the fresh spirit of historical interpretation, and while there is some sacrifice, it is granularly joyous. The marriage between Japanese Noh and rock opera reinvents the presentation of musical theatre in animation, visually justifying the grand scale of each and every successive performance. Inu-ou follows the titular Inu-oh, a high-spirited, deformed boy born with a curse, and Tomona, a blind biwa musician. Both have a chance encounter one night and find harmony in Inu-ohcreatively dancing to Tomona's music. To successfully break the curse, the two band together, showcasing their talents. Their relationship is fascinatingly unique, something like a promoter and an artist. Except the promoter, Tomona, is equally as talented, as he writes original lyrics to advertise the one-of-one shows that Inu-oh will put on.
To understand the film's holistic intentionality, our focus should be on the two character studies that are simultaneously occurring. Inu-oh has been shunned his entire life, unable to interact with his family, who have a history of being renowned Noh performers. Perhaps witnessing this or being born into the legacy is the source of his interest, but his talent for it is undeniable, even in the face of being rejected by his father. Ostracism fuels him to find individuality, and the supernatural element of the film kicks in to give him stories to tell. Not just any stories, but the truth. Heike spirits communicate their tales of great feats to Inu-oh, and the narrative uses this to recount historical accuracy. It's conveyed through song to mesh different disciplines, and Yuasa frames him as an icon to the commoners. The modern-day equivalent of a celebrity arriving at a venue near you. During the concerts, we notice the audience imitating dance moves that have now become trendy, so to speak, and Inu-oh works the crowd by having them sing along. His dramatic growth throughout the course of the film, parallel to breaking the curse, is like witnessing the birth of a pop culture sensation, which is obviously anachronistic but all the more exciting.
Inu-oh's partner in entertainment, Tomona, is a former shipwreck diver turned blind musician. He's just as much of a performer, if not more. The angle Yuasa takes with his character is indie, a small-time artist increasingly finding their stride and personality. The viewer watches Tomona alongside his rise to stardom, boasting incredible stage presence, a genuine rockstar. This description can be visually seen down to what he's wearing (huge platform sandals) and using makeup, hinting at slight queer messaging. His songs are typically promoting Inu-oh's backstory in an effort to spread not only his fame but also encourage listening to the unabridged Heike stories. Tomona remains in the shadows for much of the film but arguably has more compelling character complexity. While Inu-oh searches for a calling, Tomona wrestles with identity, not quite fitting into the general perception of biwa musicians. We begin to see experimentation in his live music, incorporating various circus acts in the vicinity to amplify the audience's fear of missing out on either his or Inu-oh's vastly unique spectacles.
Music is a central theme, narratively and structurally. Composer Otomo Yoshihide crafts a hybrid soundtrack, a fusion of traditional instruments, modern vocals, and historical lyrics. The compositions are comprised of various visions Yuasa had for Inu-ou, a classical rock opera. No artistic aspect of the film is meant to be tied down to existing tenets; rather, it is as contemporary as possible. The choreography using break dancing is an instance of Yuasa finding a throughline, and Yoshihide casts a rock veil over biwa instrumentation. Abandoning the idea of anachronism is the objective, and the score makes this apparent in its combination of glam-rock operettas with the timbre of a resonant biwa. Avu-chan's (Inu-oh) vocal performance, while great, feels a bit trained and is hard to pin down as a teenager. On the other hand, Mirai Moriyama (Tomona) has a raw range that perfectly matches the metal inspiration one can hear in the intonation. Sonically, Inu-ou is at its best, bringing forth strong riffs out of ancient instruments.
One of the sacrifices Yuasa inevitably makes to achieve these stylistic liberties is within character-centric territory. The dynamics between characters, or even the phases of their development, are all but snuffed out under the many moving pieces. As stunning as the two leads are when under the spotlight, there is a subtlety to their writing absent. Some of the momentum drags in the contextual first act, but it's really about the interactions between Inu-oh and Tomona being as limited as they are. Individually, they shine, but the lack of a visible relationship for the latter half of the film is noticeable once there are considerable stakes at hand in its closing act, not fully convincing the viewer of what is lost on their path to glory. I have my doubts about to what degree this is intentional due to the heavy musical numbers compensating for gaps in story cogency in the natural flow scenes shimmering in a fragmented reality of colors, culture, and sound. So even amongst the audience being strung along, taking a step back is required to appreciate the magnitude of novelty in this semi-fictional time period.
Yuasa's distinctive animation is the final component of what feels like a hallucination at times. Admittedly, I don't believe this is the height of his usual transformative impressionism. Inu-ou undoubtedly has the qualities we've come to expect: a beautifully freeform technique of movement. A clear visual downside in the subject matter of the film is that the odds of reused animation are high. In part, it's not abnormal to see the same choreography repeatedly in a dance, but there are definitely areas where I would've preferred a change in perspective or shot selection. Though these are relatively minor qualms in the scheme of the expressions Yuasa exhibits through punk rock attitudes. This project has his personal tastes at the forefront, and it is a closer look at his stranger ideas that are perhaps lying dormant. Each frame includes peripheral characteristics that constantly work to reinforce storyboarding continuity, like something as simple as Tomona having his own security detail during a concert. Inu-ou is a courageous ode to music, identity, and uncompromised artistic freedom.
