One of Anime’s Most Beloved Films is Leaving Netflix

While Netflix has helped house anime exclusives on its platform, with the likes of JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Steel Ball Run, Delicious in Dungeon, and Cyberpunk: Edgerunners remaining some major examples. On top of its original entries, the streaming service houses classic franchises including Jujutsu Kaisen, Attack on Titan, Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End, and many more. Unfortunately, one of the most beloved and highly rated anime movies that currently sits on Netflix is set to depart from the platform sooner than you might expect. If you want to see a movie from the legendary studio Science SARU, you might want to do so quickly.

Inu-Oh first hit theaters in Japan in 2022, brought to life with some breathtaking animation from Science SARU, who fans might know best for their work on Dandadan, Scott Pilgrim Takes Off, and Devilman: Crybaby. Rather than focusing on a story of world-shattering battles and/or powerful transformations, the film covers a completely original story from the studio exploring wildly different subject matter. Its titular character is a young boy born with deformities that cause him to wear a mask whenever in public, ostracized from society. In meeting a musician on the street, Inu-Oh follows the pair as they share their art with the world and, in the process, find acceptance. The movie will depart from Netflix on April 2nd, so if you’re a subscriber, now is the time to check it out.

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Inu-Oh: Why You Should Watch

As of the writing of this article, Inu-Oh has around ninety percent approval from both critics and audience reviews alike via Rotten Tomatoes. While this might be one of Science SARU’s lesser-known stories compared to the likes of Dandadan, the original film has an animation style that rivals many of the other works made by the production house. Inu-Oh’s story is also a compelling one, focusing on themes of isolation, alienation, and uniqueness. While the film might not have been a box office success to rival some of the other biggest examples of the medium, it’s still a worthy entry in the medium.

While Science SARU is losing this beloved film from Netflix, the anime studio is still planning to have a big year in 2026. Later this year, the production house is recreating one of the biggest anime franchises of all time with a new take on Ghost in the Shell. While the franchise has had plenty of animated interpretations of Major Kusanagi in the past, SARU’s take is going to look far more like the source material than any other anime to date. Set to premiere this July, the upcoming Ghost in the Shell anime will be streaming on Amazon Prime Video, as the company has been inching further into the anime world in recent years. Needless to say, the streaming wars continue to have a strong focus on anime these days.

What do you think of Netflix losing one of Science SARU’s biggest original projects? Leave a comment below and join the conversation now in the ComicBook Forum!