“«Inu-Oh» – Japanese folklore meets rock opera
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After more conventional works like “Ride Your Wave”, exceptional director Masaaki Yuasa returns to his experimental roots with his latest film “Inu-Oh”.

Trailer:

This is what the movie is about:

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Criticism:

history and its winners

It is a well-known fact that history is written by winners. This also applies to the Genji clan, who prevailed against the Heike clan in Japan in the 12th century and thereby secured supremacy in the country. With the fall of the Heike clan, the three insignia of the Japanese throne, including the Kusanagi sword, also disappear. Years later, the curse on the sword blinds young Tomona. Roaming as a blind biwa player, he encounters the disfigured Inu-Oh, the son of a well-respected Noh theatrical family. Without further ado, they join forces and present themselves as a rock duo. The themes of their songs: stories of the restless spirits of the Heike clan. Their performances bring them a lot of fame, but the shogunate greatly dislikes the protest songs.

Masaaki Yuasa’s latest film is a wild mix of folklore and Japanese mythology mixed with a good portion of rock’n’roll. This quite original mix sounds bizarre and it is. At its core, however, Yuasa’s work is a story about two outsiders, the question of their own identity, historical correction and the power of music.

The film needs some time to process the complex history of the warring clans, as well as the mythological meaning of the sword and its curse in desaturated images. At the latest, however, when Tomona meets Inu-Oh and strikes the strings on his biwa while Inu-Oh begins to dance rhythmically, the film really picks up speed.

Hip hop and rock meets Japanese history

The meeting of the two protagonists marks the turning point of the film, especially in musical terms. While the film has been accompanied by traditional Japanese music up until now, elements of rock are suddenly mixed in underneath it. As in his previous film «Lu Over The Wall», Masaki Yusa’s love of music is reflected here again. The operetta-like rock interludes are fabulous and bizarre at the same time, poetic and yet political at all times. Towards the end of the film, sounds from Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody” can even be heard. If you like this kind of music, which also combines elements of hip hop, you will have a lot of fun with «Inu-Oh».

At the same time, the film always remains open to experimentation and thus stands out from Yuasa’s works of the earlier past. The animation style seems a bit too static, especially in the sequences reminiscent of concert recordings, but it still exudes a very special charm. At the same time, the film doesn’t lose sight of the overall political dimension and the friendship between Tomona and Inu-Oh.

Conclusion:

“Inu-Oh” is an exciting mixture of music film and fictional storytelling. Fans of traditional Japanese history, but also lovers of the rock genre should definitely take a look. The film definitely takes some getting used to with its rather unconventional narrative style and loose character drawing. But if that doesn’t bother you, you’ll experience a musically accompanied journey through time of a different kind, which you’ve certainly never seen before. In any case, director Masaaki Yuasa proves once again that he is one of the exceptional directors of Japanese animation cinema.

Thanks to Rapid Eye Movies for providing the screener!

The post «Inu-Oh» – Japanese folklore meets rock opera first appeared on BuradaBiliyorum.Com.

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