★★★

Inu-Oh is an animated mix of Japanese folklore, modern-sounding rock opera, and a paean to the art of storytelling. Full of style and creative visioning, the latest film from acclaimed animation director Masaaki Yuasa (Ride Your Wave) runs you over and overwhelms you, giving you a bountiful feast of images and sound while you attempt to make sense of everything unfolding before you.

Yuasa’s ambition is never in doubt and Inu-Oh is clearly a film which he, and his animation team, have poured themselves into. Set in the 14th century, centuries after a civil war decimated the Heike Clan, a blind biwa player named Tomona finds kinship with a boy named Inu-Oh. Inu-Oh wears a gourd mask and has his left hand connected to his face and his right arm jutting out approximately ten feet in length. Covered in clothing to hide his abnormalities, his face proves so hideous it frightens anyone who sees him without the mask on. An outcast in society, he also loves dance and performance. The movie utilizes this to introduce a cultural touchpoint for the creation of Noh performance, still performed in Japan to this very day.

As we work through all of this, what most will not see coming is that, after around a half hour or so, Inu-Oh becomes a rock opera, where Tomana and Inu-Oh form an alliance and become idols to the individuals residing in the places they tour and perform. Yuasa turns the soundtrack into a series of extended arena-rock ready jams, with catchy choruses, lyrics which underscore the narrative being told, shredded guitar solos, and the like.

On the one hand, the frenetic energy is a bit dazzling - the music vibrant and the visuals stunning. However, the film transitions to one of style over substance, as the narrative gets lost in all the ambition. At some point, with Inu-Oh, you have to decide where your focus lies.

Perhaps, the best way to enjoy Inu-Oh is simply to step out of trying to understand everything and just experience it. I get that. And to be honest, when I stopped trying to piece it all together, I found myself embracing the uniqueness of the piece. Does that mean I have a greater depth and understanding of the entirety of the story being told? No. Not at all. It does however still allow for themes around celebrating creativity, acceptance, not hiding who you are, and embracing the things that make you happy to break through the cacophony of soaring guitars and animated Noh dance and performance.

Inu-Oh is not a movie you’ve likely ever seen before. And even if the film loses its way from a cohesive storytelling construct, Inu-Oh remains a wild, cinematic journey that has the potential to become something of a cult classic in the years to come.

Inu-Oh was screened as part of the 48th Seattle International Film Festival.