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Inu-Oh
By Jeffrey M. Anderson,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Blood and gore in powerful anime fantasy/rock opera.
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Inu-Oh
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What's the Story?
In INU-OH, 14th century Japan is riddled with political unease and impacted by a devastating civil war that's wiped out the entire Heike clan. Young Tomona (voiced by Mirai Moriyama) and his father (Yutaka Matsushige) make a living diving for treasure. They're hired to find a magic sword, and they succeed, but, unaware of its power, Tomona's father is killed and Tomona is blinded. Meanwhile, Inu-Oh (Avu-chan) is born to a famous Noh performer (Kenjiro Tsuda). Due to his physical differences, he's shunned and forced to hide behind a gourd mask. After living with monks and learning how to play the biwa, Tomona meets Inu-Oh, and they become unlikely friends. It's discovered that Inu-Oh has innate singing and dancing skills, so they start performing. As their rock-like concerts draw bigger and more enthusiastic crowds, Inu-Oh's body changes, bit by bit. But what is the mystery behind his situation?
Is It Any Good?
It takes a while to really get going, but when it does, this anime musical is exhilarating, oddly beautiful, and piercingly relevant, given its depiction of greed, power, and lies. Coming from noted anime filmmaker Masaaki Yuasa and based on a novel by Hideo Furukawa, Inu-Oh starts with a narrator who sets up the time, place, and parties involved (anyone not well-versed in Japanese history may want to quickly take notes). The movie's rhythm seems a bit off at the start, as Yuasa presents bloody flashbacks to hints of Inu-Oh's story before switching to Tomona's story and staying there for a while. Viewers also have to wait for both characters to grow up. Even though the movie is only 98 minutes, it drags a bit.
The magic really kicks in when the two main characters meet and Tomona starts joyously jamming on his biwa while Inu-Oh goes into a pleasure-filled dance. When they later perform as adults, they use a three-piece band, with Tomona on his biwa, plus a huge drum and a large bowed, stringed instrument. But the sound that comes out is anachronistic modern rock, with wailing electric guitars and a full drum kit. Visually, Inu-Oh captures the whirling dizziness of the music. The wild, loose animation is probably closer to Ralph Bakshi than to Hayao Miyazaki, sometimes astonishing, sometimes off-putting, but the movie's message about those in power attempting to suppress the truth is bracing.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about Inu-Oh's violence. How did it make you feel? Was it exciting? Shocking? What did the movie show or not show to achieve this effect? Why is that important?
Why is Inu-Oh judged by his physical differences?
Why would people in positions of power want to suppress the truth? Why is it important to be able to tell our stories?
What does "anachronistic" mean? What effect does it have on this story?
How is bullying depicted here?
Movie Details
- In theaters: August 12, 2022
- On DVD or streaming: December 20, 2022
- Cast: Avu-chan , Mirai Moriyama , Yutaka Matsushige
- Director: Masaaki Yuasa
- Studio: GKIDS
- Genre: Anime
- Topics: Magic and Fantasy , Book Characters
- Run time: 98 minutes
- MPAA rating: PG-13
- MPAA explanation: some strong violence and bloody images, and suggestive material
- Last updated: August 2, 2023
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