The feature anime film Inu-Oh by Masaaki Yuasa was in production for a long time and it took a while to get a handle on it, as is the case with a lot of Yuasa’s films. GKIDS picked up the North American rights to the film directed by Masaaki Yuasa and based on the screenplay by Akiko Nogi but it previously saw a May 28th, 2022 release in Japan and gave it an August 12th, 2022 US theatrical release.
Now, the film is getting some new streaming distribution as Hulu has added it to the service today where it’s available in its original Japanese language with English subtitles as well as the English dub that was produced.
GKIDS worked with Shout! Factory to bring out the film as a DVD/BD combo release on January 24th, 2023. Priced at $26.98, the set will come with a number of extras:
- Q&A at US Premiere
- Interview with Masaaki Yuasa
- Yuasa Draws Inu-oh
- Scene Breakdown
- Trailers and Teasers
The film will also see a digital release through major digital platforms on December 20th, 2022.
The Japanese cast includes Avu-chan of Queen Bee will be playing the title character while Mirai Moriyama will play Tomona.
The English dub cast includes Joshua Waters as Inu-oh, Sena Bryer as Tomona, Cory Ree as Ashikaga, Holden Thomas as teenage Inu-oh, Carter Young as young Tomona, and Jonathan Leon as teenage Tomona.
It’s based on the original work by Hideo Furukawa and Taiyo Matsumoto. The animation is produced by Science Saru.
Plot Concept: INU-OH is born with unique physical characteristics, and the horrified adults cover every inch of his body with garments, including a mask on his face. One day, he meets a boy named Tomona, a blind biwa player, and as Tomona plays a delicate song of tangled fate, INU-OH discovers an incredible ability to dance.
INU-OH and Tomona become business partners and inseparable friends, using their creative gifts to survive on the margins of society, as song after song gain them notoriety and propel them to stardom. Through the songs, INU-OH mesmerizes his audiences on stage, and gradually begins to transform into someone of unequaled beauty. But why is Tomona blind? Why was INU-OH born with unique characteristics? It is a story about the friendship of INU-OH and Tomona, who dance and sing to get to the truth and break each other’s curse.
Previous promos and visuals:
INU-OH features character creation by Taiyo Matsumoto (#Tekkonkinkreet, #PingPongTheAnimation) and stars Avu-chan (#QueenBee) & Mirai Moriyama as two outcast musicians who blaze a trail thru 14th-century Japan with their anti-establishment performances.
⭐️https://t.co/n5CULe9qlk pic.twitter.com/4HHI3FArTA
— GKIDS Films (@GKIDSfilms) May 26, 2022
