Inu-Oh

is a 2021 Japanese animated musical film directed by Masaaki Yuasa and produced by Science SARU. Based upon the novel Tales of the Heike: Inu-Oh by Hideo Furukawa, the film is set in 14th century Japan and centers on the friendship between Inu-Oh, a dancer born with unique physical characteristics, and Tomona, a blind musician. Ostracized by society due to their physical differences, Inu-Oh and Tomona nonetheless utilize their artistic abilities to propel themselves to stardom. Inu-Oh premiered at the 78th Venice International Film Festival in September 2021, with the film releasing in Japan in May 2022. Plot A withered biwa player narrates a tale of how 900 years ago, the Genji clan sought the Imperial Regalia to unite the emperor's throne. They defeat the rival Heike clan at the Battle of Dan-no-ura, wherein the child emperor drowns while carrying the Grasscutter Sword. Three hundred years later, agents of Ashikaga Yoshimitsu hire young Tomona and his father to retrieve a box from a Heike shipwreck. They find a sword inside the box. Not realizing that it is the Grasscutter Sword, Tomona's father unsheathes the sword, letting loose a blade of energy that cuts him in half and blinds Tomona. Tomona then goes on a years long journey to find answers for what happened, with the ghost of his father accompanying him. He meets a member of a whole troupe of blind biwa players, and decides to learn the biwa and join the troupe. Tomona changes his name to "Tomoichi", but the name change makes it difficult for his father's spirit to find him. At the same time, a Noh dance troupe leader dons a demonic mask. A series of murders of biwa players follow, and then the leader's third son is born with three stubby limbs, a very elongated right arm, skin covered in scales, and a hideously deformed face. The troupe leader has such contempt for his deformed son that he forces him to always wear a mask and treats him like a dog. But one day, the deformed son sees his father try to teach Noh dancing to his other sons. The deformed son practices along with them, and his dance magically restores his legs.