INU-OH
Japan, 14th century. Some music-lovin’ priests and Noh theater actors set up the 14th century equivalent of the Critereon channel: culturally approved, ideal for stroking your goatee but ultimately a little stiff and lifeless. Even the legendary battle between two rival Samurai clans, the Heike and the Genji, turns to boring Bible school fodder in their hands. In the midst of all this artistic mediocrity, a blind musician called Tomona meets a strange fellow who goes by the name of Inu-Oh on a bridge in Kyoto. Inu-Oh, more used to being met with lots of stone-throwing by his fellow man due to his numerous malformities, is pleasantly surprised by the company of his new blind friend. No judgement, no rejection, just passionate discussions about art and music. When Tomona starts playing his guitar, Inu-Oh can’t help himself – it’s as if his feet, his whole body is enchanted by these devilish tones, and despite his physical limitations, he starts dancing in complete rapture and with a new-found sympathy for the devil. And slowly, this lapidated freak is going to bloom into the rockstar of the Middle Ages, rockin’ & rollin’ from Mount Fuji…
Sixteen years after his visit to the BIFFF with MIND GAME, Masaaki Yuasa is back with this long-awaited animation gem. Going against the flow and far removed from the gentle poetry that often turns up in manga, the film is very much like its protagonist: rebellious, crazy and eager to throw all conventions in the garbage bin with one thundering guitar riff! A truly mesmerizing rock opera!