Inu-Oh (2022) Review
Masaaki Yuasa’s latest endeavor is one that is worthy of the eccentric maximalist’s repertoire; maybe even just creative and ballsy enough to be considered his masterpiece. Inu-Oh is a story of how societal turmoil will always lead to the most progressive of art, how it has the power to heal trauma, and the people who will always take advantage of that. It also manages to be a beautifully animated story of everlasting friendship within the context of a feudal Japanese rock opera; it’s kind of insane. Yuasa has always been a storyteller for the underdogs and this recent project is no different; it’s a tale for those that yearn to create and a world that desperately needs it.
As a child, Tomona, permanently blinded due to the consequences of a 900 year old war, joins a troupe of biwa players who share the same disability. Here, he claims a new identity as Tomoichi, though, in doing so, he separates himself from his father’s spirit; who will be unable to navigate towards him. Meanwhile, the leader of a Noh dance troupe dons a demonic mask and goes on a murderous rampage – killing off many biwa players in the process. He, in turn, gives birth to a deformed son who desperately seeks to fit in with his father’s troupe – but ends up shunned away in the process. One day, he encounters Tomoichi in the village and they both share a bond due to their love of music; the latter is so moved by this he changes his identity once more and renames himself “Tomoari.” The duo create a troupe and perform unlike the world has ever seen, and with it, end up healing themselves and unfulfilled spirits in the process. Though, due to their art’s progressive nature, their success becomes overshadowed by those in power – leading them to choose what they value more; their life or their art.
Brilliant premise aside, Science Saru crafts one of the most beautifully animated films ever put to screen; with energy, passion, and psychedelia brimming in every frame. Yuasa’s experimentality works wonders for a project like this – proving why animation is such an intrinsically cinematic medium in the first place while pushing the boundaries for more thoughtful narratives within it. The film toys with the nature of progressive art and its political repercussions; something we have and always will face as a society. Yuasa’s world exists in a plane that balances the dark realism of modern society while crafting a joyously exuberant tale of friendship and art that’s hard to look at as anything but bittersweet by the finale.
Masaaki Yuasa and Science Saru manage to hatch a timeless fairy tale that may just be too niche to find wide appeal just yet. But, like his previous works, this will undoubtedly, and deservedly so, find a passionate cult-following. There’s genuinely not another movie like Inu-Oh out there and that deserves praise alone. The film has a boisterous energy within all its genre-bending glory; leading it to be much more than the sum of its parts. Featuring vocals from Avu-Chan (lead singer of Japanese rock band Queen Bee) and Mirai Moriyama (voice actor and professional dancer), the musically-inclined duo carry the rest of the film to the finish line. Their glaring personalities shine through their dialogue and into their music as well; immediately transporting the viewer into this world of magical realism. Coupled with Science Saru’s gorgeous animation work, it’s hard not to fall in love with such a passionate film such as this.
Inu-Oh is a story about storytelling. It’s a film that cherishes the freaks, geeks, and artists in between. It’s a tale of the indefinite healing power of art and the inevitability of those who will fight back because they don’t understand. Masaaki Yuasa implores the viewer to tell their tale as well, as painful as it may be at times, because without it, the world would be a much lonelier place.
