A soaring glam-rock opera set in fourteenth-century Japan from visionary director Masaaki Yuasa (Mind Game, Devilman Crybaby) that is an ode to the power of music and a forceful statement on artistic freedom.

Born to an esteemed family, Inu-oh is afflicted with an ancient curse that has left him on the margins of society. When he meets the blind musician Tomona, a young biwa priest haunted by his past, Inu-oh discovers a captivating ability to dance. The pair quickly become inseparable friends as crowds flock to their electric, larger-than-life concerts. But when those in power threaten to break up the band, Inu-oh and Tomona must dance and sing to uncover the truth behind their creative gifts.

For in-depth thoughts on Inu-oh, please see my colleague Julia Tong’s review from its original theatrical release here.

Video Quality

Inu-oh comes to Blu-Ray from GKIDS and Shout! Factory with a stunning 1080p transfer in its original 2.39:1 aspect ratio. We always love a traditionally hand drawn animated film which reminds you of the wonders of the artform. Compared to 3-D animation, you get an an abundance of detail and character in every frame which makes it feel like a more vital experience. The animators add countless subtle touches to each scene that gives it a distinct identity. The detail put into each location is jaw-dropping, especially as you explore some of the background environments more. The character designs makes them feel of the world rather than hastily pasted in. The transfer handles every swift movement and environment change with impeccable stability including no jagged lines or color bleeding.

The textures in the character designs and the environments provide the film with a greater amount of depth. This animation studio chooses to give their worlds a more tactile experience rather than anything overly glossy. The colors present in this transfer are lush with vibrant hues from the lights and nature making a big impression alongside other deeper colors throughout the journey. Black levels are incredibly strong with no hint of compression artifacts or digital anomalies of the sort. You could not ask for much better from this experience.

Audio Quality

The Blu-Ray comes with a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 lossless track presented here in its original Japanese with optional English, English SDH and Spanish subtitles. There is also an English dub provided. The track provides a dynamic listening experience that brings the movie to life with great immediacy and nuance. One of the standout things you will notice is the pivotal place of music in this narrative which is precisely implemented in its placement throughout the room as it immerses the audience. Dialogue also comes through perfectly at all times without being overshadowed by any of the cacophonous competing elements. The sonic detail in the surround channels impresses as the sound of various instruments and environmental flourishes creates a fully fleshed-out world. There are some really creative panning effects in the rear channels that add a nice layer to the story. The track consistently engages the low end in a substantial way as it adds some wonderful texture to the world. GKIDS and Shout! Factory will make fans ecstatic with this presentation.

Special Features

Interview with Masaaki Yuasa: A 12-minute interview with the director in which he discusses the process of adapting the story for the screen, working to develop the character designs and the act of animating them, the appearance of certain characters, bringing modernist elements to the story, musicians that inspired the story, producing the dance scenes and more.

Q&A at US Premiere: A 14-minute post-screening Q&A with Yuasa in which he gives some historical background for the feature, personal connections to the story, his approach to directing this feature, creating the look of certain characters and more.

Yuasa Draws Inu-oh: A 12-minute demonstration for how to draw the character Inu-oh.

Scene Breakdown: A 24-minute piece with Yuasa in which he breaks down “The Whale Song” and all of the different facets that make up the sequence with great attention to detail. This is really worth checking out after you have seen the film.

Trailers and Teasers: This disc includes six minutes of trailers and teasers.

Final Thoughts

Inu-oh is a thrilling and terrifically layered rock opera which goes beyond musical bombast – an area where it delivers in spades – and delves into rich thematic vanes that only rewards the more you learn. Those who come to the feature looking for transcendent musical moments complemented by stunning animation shall be amply rewarded, but the narrative itself is reason enough to pay attention. This is an effort more for a mature audience, a great reminder that animation does not so simply equate to content for children. GKIDS and Shout! Factory have released a Blu-Ray with a stunning A/V presentation and a fine amount of special features. If you enjoy the boundary-pushing nature of certain anime films, do not pass this one up. Highly Recommended

Inu-oh will be available to purchase on Blu-Ray + DVD Combo Pack on January 24, 2023.

Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.

Disclaimer: GKIDS and Shout! Factory have supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.