There's everything to admire – from the detailed animation to the truly touching story.
For Science SARU Studio, Inu-Oh is the second foray into the territory of the most influential work in Japanese history, Tales of the Heike. In 2021, Naoko Yamada's The Heike Story was released, which can be considered a kind of prequel to Inu-Oh.
Made by the studio's founding father, Masaaki Yuasa, it recounts the events that followed and the oral tradition that formed the basis of the tale, taking a liberty with the original source.
What Is Inu-Oh About?
A long time ago, two people met in Japan: Inu-Oh and Tomona. The first was cursed at birth and given such a horrible body that he was forced to wear thick clothes and a mask made of a pumpkin.
And the second lost his eyesight when he was a child. Inu-Oh is the son of a genius dancer: his father rejected the child, so the boy had to learn choreography all by himself. And Tomona, like many other blind people in Japan, became a biwa-hoshi – a wandering storyteller.
The fateful meeting of the musician and the dancer opened a new chapter in the old story and changed the lives of them two forever.
You Don't Need to Know Japanese History to Enjoy Inu-Oh
Thanks to the chosen approach, it is not necessary to know the history of Japan at all: it is enough to know that there was a whole class of wandering blind monks who performed songs with historical plots to earn a living.
The musical numbers retell important scenes from the story of the Tales of the Heike, providing a certain context, and while the plot unfolds, the viewer will also become acquainted with how history is written.
Inu-Oh Is One of the Most Strikingly Beautiful Anime Released in Recent Years
In Inu-Oh, Yuasa's characteristic style finds its perfect content: expressive drawings, sometimes more like sketches, accurately convey the rebellious mood of the anime.
At the same time, as always, the outward simplicity of the animation is deceptive and hides the meticulous work that is clearly visible in the details.
The director is famous for his attention to detail, and Inu-Oh is no exception: an attentive viewer will definitely notice the small movements that enliven the dance, the numerous traditional patterns on the fabrics, and the rich elaboration of the backgrounds.
Inu-Oh Is a Must-Watch for Every Anime Fan
Inu-Oh is a beautiful movie that hits many key points at once: some will enjoy the excellent music, some will admire the bright and imaginative animation, and some will be captivated by the plot.
Some may see themselves in the main characters. Stories generally do not change, and many plots that took place long ago are still relevant today.