Folklore serves as an open doorway to history where stories are handed down to future generations in order to retain memories of the past. In the animated fantasy Inu-Oh, these tales are central to the film, recalling the lost lives of the Heike clan as a result of their war with the Genji in 12th century Japan. The film takes place 200 years later during which the land remains in political unrest as shogunates vie for total control. As the Ashikaga clan rises to power, it erases the Heike clan’s history by censoring their stories.
Inu-Oh begins when a young Tomona (the voice of Mirai Moriyama) and his father find Heike treasure for a wealthy employer. However, when they open it, the father is killed and Tomona is blinded. Although his father’s spirit demands him to take revenge, Tomona instead chooses to grow up with blind monks who play biwas to preserve stories of the Heike people. While learning their trade, he meets a boy born with deformities, who comes from a family of well-regarded Noh theater performers. The family has disowned the boy, who has to wear a gourd mask to hide his face. Although the boy is treated like an outcast, he finds a passion for dancing to the beat of Noh drums. Due to Tomona’s blindness, the boy also finds comfort in talking to the young biwa player, and the two quickly become friends.
When Tomona grows tired of the monks’ traditional storytelling, the pair start a theater troupe of their own. Years later, the boy, now a man, takes the name of Inu-Oh, (the voice of Avu-chan, lead vocalist of Queen Bee) or “King of the Dogs.” The duo’s new and daring form of music is unlike anything the people of Kyoto have ever heard, attracting crowds from across the country and transforming the film into a fully-realized rock opera. The combination of Otomo Yoshihide’s rock music along with Yoshihiro Sekiya’s cinematography during these concert sequences are the most captivating part of the film, blending modern elements with Noh theater. Inu-Oh performs with the shrieking falsetto and flair of Freddie Mercury while Tomona – now called Tomoari – favors a fluid, androgynous appearance and sings with grunge-like vocals.
The animated concert sequences allow Yuasa to run wild, imagining performances where Inu-Oh rides a giant whale of light above a cheering crowd. Yuasa considers the pair’s performance art to be a transcendent experience that captures the importance of remembering the past. The film realizes storytelling holds restorative properties where keeping history in the minds of the living may heal or inspire those who are willing to listen. As Inu-Oh performs and puts dead Heike spirits to rest, he begins to change into human form.
While the concert scenes are enthralling, Yuasa occasionally gets bogged down in the plot, especially in the first act where he attempts to explain the historical background of the film. The exposition includes a sizable list of names and settings that eventually grows tedious. Conversely, the second act – although technically brilliant – lacks any substantial character development, instead leaning solely on the musical performances.
Despite the theatrics, the film takes a melancholic tone as Yuasa examines the conflict of art existing in an autocratic regime. It is realistic about how far artists can subvert the status quo before receiving retaliation from those in power. Considering Inu-Oh is based on a real-life Noh performer, Yuasa’s work acts as an elegy to the histories that have been forgotten. Although the film’s ending is colored with tragedy, there is a ray of light for the art that grows beyond the lives of their creators and oppressors and into the consciousness of future generations.
Photo courtesy of GKIDS
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