TL;DR: No, this is not a Inuyasha remake. It's your typical Japanese Shounen version of "Breaking Bad" but with good vs evil mindless sci-fi that makes you question, who would win? Some edgy teenager or some wholesome grandpa! Oh there is also Anime Trump!
[Story: 7/10 , Characters: 5/10, Art: 4/10, Sound: 6/10, Enjoyment: 8/10]
"So, you're telling me... I'm the villain?" - Hiro Shishigami
Inuyashiki is your classic psychological sci-fi anime, by the visionary mangaka, Hiroya Oku (GANTZ), where the core idea explores the juxtaposition of two ideologies centered around a single question: "What makes a person "human"? Especially when that person used to be a human but after a slight alteration with Aliens, they are nothing more than a reconstruction of themselves out of spare parts. This anime is a bit twisted at times when looking at humans moral ethics and at times ludicrous with its out of character "bang bang" fight sequences. However, it is enjoyable to watch albeit its questionable CGI animations and over the top finger banging skills. Regardless, if you don't mind watching a mindless yet mind-tickling sci-fi action flick, then just watch it. The story in a nutshell is about a shunned Grandpa, Inuyashiki, who dies by alien crash, gets resurrected as a machine with all of his feelings intact and serves justice. Little does he know, the same fate happens to Shishigami but instead of serving justice he commits mass murder. The interesting part of the story is that they both have the exact same power and limitations however one feels humanly emotions from saving people and the other from killing people. This very simple good vs evil setup helps us explore and enjoy the show rather than getting caught up in a convoluted ambiguous melodramatic plot drama. The story is edgy and real to an extent that you can sort of question yourself, "well, if I don't know them, do their lives really matter to me." Regardless, the story is adapted pretty well by Studio MAPPA and has a solid ending. Whether it is good or bad that's for you to decide.
"He isn't Hiro anymore. He is just a killing machine." - Naoyuki Andou
The fun part about this anime are the characters. They main two characters Inuyashiki and Shishigami are polar opposites of each other. They are juxtaposed so well that each of them become foils for one another. You have the morally ethical eponymous protagonist, Inuyashiki, on one end of the spectrum and then you have the chaotic unethical eponymous antagonist, Shishigami, on the other end of the spectrum. Best part is, they don't really realize if they are the typical "hero" or "villain" till half-way through the anime. The side characters aren't too well developed other than Andou, who is best friends with both Shishigami and Inuyashiki and acts as the control variable or represent the viewer evaluating the decisions of both. In a way, it just makes this unrealistic sci-fi anime more realistic and grounded to our society.
"I want you to spend the rest of your lives thinking about the people you’ve hurt and the lives you’ve ruined.” - Ichiro Inuyashiki
Aside from the linear plot and polar opposite characters, for a studio like MAPPA, the CGI animation didn't really live up to its expectation as the show progressed from the first few episodes. By the end, the CGI animations in the fight sequences seemed choppy and some frames were noticeably poorly drawn. If they maintained the quality throughout, this show could've been even better. However, the OP Song "My Hero" and the ED song "Ai wo Oshiete Kureta Kimi e" were really suited for this anime. They are fun to listen to over and over again. The background score was pretty decent. However, since this anime did deals with death a lot, maybe more violin background scores could've enhanced the show. Lastly, the seiyuus did a great job. They made every character feel important. The seiyuu for Inuyashiki was spot on. Kudos to him.
"Anyway, did you hear? There are already 10 fan clubs for Shishigami" - A mindless chick from the anime.
Overall, Inuyashiki is your typical mind-tickling sci-fi anime about two people with the same power but different goals; where one feels alive when saving lives and the other feels alive by taking lives. Sure it deals with some moral ethical dilemmas however it's a show meant to not be taken itself too seriously. If you prefer serious psychological shows, then Parasyte is what you are looking for. Nevertheless, If you don't mind mishandled CGI animation and want a good laugh by watching a kickass Grandpa, then definitely give this show a watch. Let me know later how you like it as well as share with me your favourite quote from the anime! Bang!
P.S. Thank you for reading. I hope you found this short and supaishi review helpful!
