Established in 2013, the renowned animation studio Science SARU is known for several unique anime films and series. For over a decade, instead of working on famous manga adaptations, Science SARU quietly released several visually striking anime with stories just as good as any of the big names in the industry. However, it wasn’t until 2024, after Dandadan‘s debut, that the studio gained a stable footing in the industry and caught the eye of a wider global audience. While Dandadan is easily its most famous series yet, the studio has already released several incredible anime that far surpasses that many acclaimed Shonen.
One of them is the award-winning historical film, Inu-Oh, which hit the Japanese theaters on May 28th, 2022, exactly four years ago. In August of the same year, the film also premiered in the U.S. theatres by the distributor GKIDS. Unfortunately, this masterpiece is easily being forgotten over the years since it’s not even available to stream anywhere in the U.S. While Netflix gained the rights after its theatrical release, the streaming Giant had to remove it from its library in April this year. There could be several reasons behind it, but the most common are the licensing issues and the low viewership.
What Is Inu-Oh About?
Image Courtesy of Science SARU
This underrated film is directed by the renowned director affiliated with Science SARU, Masaaki Yuasa, and didn’t fail to surprise viewers with yet another unique animation style. The story is set 300 years after the fall of the legendary Heike Clan from The Tale of the Heike, a crucial record of forgotten Japanese history. The film centers on the legend of Inu-Oh, a talented but disfigured dancer believed to be born with a curse, and Tomona, a blind biwa musician.
Tomona lost his sight and his father after diving for an ancient sword in the waters where the battle of Dan-no-ura took place. Since both of them were ostracized by society for being different from others, they quickly form a bond and create a duo. It doesn’t take long before they become known across the nation for their creative performances, which uncover the truth behind the forgotten stories of the Heike Clan.
Ahead of its theatrical release in Japan, Inu-Oh premiered at the 78th Venice International Film Festival in September 2021. It was also nominated for the Golden Globe in the Best Animated Feature film category.
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