And they have to perform, and I think that contributed to amplifying their performances. They try to take work that won’t change them. “Also, the two of them as performers are really true to themselves and really free. “So even during the recording sessions, they would give opinions to each other on improving their character building,” he said. And one of the many reasons that he selected the two leads was because they were childhood friends. Not surprisingly, it was the close friendship between the co-protagonists that most excited the director. It’s a phantasmagorical, stream of consciousness extravaganza (with substantial historical and supernatural backstory), serving as a bridge between the past and present, compelling us to embrace our identities and rediscover our humanity.

But the way Yuasa assaults us with dazzling imagery and musical performance, he comes off as the Baz Luhrmann of anime. The film’s an anime rock opera set in 14th century feudal Japan about the friendship between two cursed musical performers, who serve as historical versions of modern-day stars with theatrical fearlessness: the real-life, enigmatic Inu-Oh (Avu-chan from fashion punk Queen Bee), a Noh dancer who dramatizes the Heike’s slaughter at sea in the Battle of Dan-no-ura, and Tomona (Mirai Moriyama), a blind biwa player who chronicles the story in song. He takes everything he’s explored in “Lu Over the Wall,” “Mind Game,” “Ride Your Wave,” and “The Night Is Short, Walk on Girl,” and explodes it in “ Inu-Oh.” It’s the culmination of his wildly imaginative and deeply compassionate work about honoring marginalized people.

“Inu-Oh” (screening theatrically from GKids) represents Masaaki Yuasa’s summary statement about animation, music, history, and rebellion.

Rock opera examples