While Yuasa is a director who I have been somewhat mixed on, not in terms of his visuals (they are basically always gorgeous with Japan Sinks 2020 the exception), but moreso the overall emotional connection I have to his works and their narratives in general. Tatami Galaxy and Ping Pong I adore, for their respective stories on appreciating the life you have and on coming to terms with your place in life and sports and where you want to go with them. Plus, I really like Night is Short too but have more problems with it. However, I don't quite love Kaiba or Eizouken, as the former is too messy in my eyes for the emotions to fully land, and the latter just didn't do much for me in general but may need a rewatch. On top of these middle grounds, I hate Japan Sinks 2020 which I doubt I need to explain and Devilman Crybaby which I found morally hypocritical and unnecessarily shock-based. His work is capable of incredible highs, and rarely fails visually, yet narratively I don't always connect. As a result, I was aprehensive going into Inu-Oh because I was concerned the narrative and emotions would crumble for me.

Ultimately, while the narrative was messy, I adored Inu-Oh, as the emotions still came through.

Inu-Oh is an imperfect scream of passion.

The film's pacing felt a bit off and occasionally lost my attention, the ending a bit abrupt, and the repeated animation and music a bit annoying and distracting. Yet, it is great in so many ways. Anyone who says Yuasa has been toned down in recent years and more commercialised is in my opinion not entirely wrong, though they downplay the worth of those stories and the formal genius still on display, plus the fact he still innovates and teaches. However, this is not withholding anything in my eyes, an absolute explosion of art. Formally pushing itself, with incredible shifts in art style, each as well considered and expressively raw as the last. It is very impressive how much Yuasa pushes the visuals in here, and how strong the sound design and passionate the vocals such as those by Avu-chan are etc. Not a return to form per se, but an exclamation that the form never left. Yet more than that too.

Is it about art and making art? About finding your own path separate from your parents and the past? About the need for telling stories and the difficulties that come with that (and thus a nice bounce off of Yamada's companion piece of sorts)? Is it about finding your voice? About how many people and voices were drowned out in the past, and shouldn't be now; how the people alive today should let voices be heard? About marginalised communities? About the stories that are and aren't (or aren't allowed to be) told? About stories of the old and lost needing to be kept and new needing to be forged? About greed? As an expressive art piece about making art is it semi-autobiographical to Yuasa's recent works and changes in style? Is it about gender identity and identity in general? Is it about all these things and maybe more?

Probably. Damn.

Here we are