Review of the movie "Inukami!": A thorough analysis of the exploits of the special spirit investigator Kana Shiro

The appeal and evaluation of "Inukami! THE MOVIE: Special Spiritual Investigator Kana Shiro!"

■Overview of the work

"Inukami! THE MOVIE: Special Mission Psychic Investigator Kana Shiro!" is an animated feature film that was released on April 21, 2007. It is based on a light novel by Mamizu Arisawa, distributed by Kadokawa Pictures, and animated by Seven Arcs. It is a 30-minute short film, and the story continues the world of the popular TV anime "Inukami!" while showing new developments.

■ Story

Keita, Yoko, and the cute Inugami will be back on screen. The story begins with the sudden death of Kana Shiro, a special spiritual investigator under the direct control of the Cabinet Secretariat. Behind his death, the existence of a mysterious group called "Project K" that is relentlessly pursuing perverts to eradicate them emerges. As an uneasy atmosphere hangs over the area, Keita and his friends rise up to save the perverts. Then, it turns out that cases that appear unrelated on the surface are connected by invisible threads, and the story becomes even deeper.

■Explanation

The protagonist, Keita Kawahira, is a high school student descended from the Kawahira family, a clan of long-established inugami masters. He makes a contract with the inugami "Youko" who appears before him, and they begin living together, full of erotic fantasies. However, Youko is a big problem child among the inugami, jealous and selfish. The high-tension love comedy between Keita and Youko has been the subject of much discussion as a TV anime series. Now, in this movie version, Keita, Youko, the cute inugami, and those perverts are returning to the screen once again.

■Cast

The voice actors for the main characters are as follows:

• Yoko: Yui Horie
• Keita Kabira: Jun Fukuyama
• Brush: Toshihiro Nakamura
• Shiro Kana: Shou Hayami
• Dianthus: Kaori Nazuka
• Tomohane: Shizuka Hasegawa
• Tayune: Rika Morinaga
• Igusa: Yoko Honda
• Sendan: Yuki Matsuoka
• Shopkeeper: Eriko Kikawa
• Furano: Shimu Hirota
• Tenso: Akiko Kobayashi
• Imari: Aya Endo
• Sayonara: Ryoko Shintani
• Kaoru Kabira: Yuki Kaida
• Head of the family: Naoko Kyoda

■ Main staff

The following staff members are involved in the production of this work:

• Original author: Mamizu Arisawa
• Director: Keizo Kusakawa
• Screenplay: Go Tamai
• Character design: Kanna Wakatsuki
• Character design: Tomooka Shinpei
• Storyboard: Keizo Kusakawa
• Director and animation director: Tomooka Shinpei
• Art director: Shinji Katahira
• Color design: Megumi Nagasaka
• Director of photography: Atsushi Nakayama
• Cinematography: Digital Network Animation
• Edited by: Winds, Yumiko Fuse, Yukiko Nojiri
• Music: Inukami! Ensemble
• Music Production: Starchild Records
• Sound Director: Hiromi Kikuta
• Mixer: Masaki Tsuchiya
• Effects: Hidemi Tanaka
• Sound production: Rakuonsha
• Animation Production: Seven Arcs
• Production: Theatrical version of the Inugami Tsukai Haken Kyokai

■Main Characters

The details of the main characters are as follows:

• Yoko: A problem child among the Inugami who made a contract with Keita Kabira. She has a jealous personality and her special moves are "Daijaen" and "Shukuchi."
• Keita Kabira: A boy descended from the Kawahira family, a clan of noble inugami masters. A high school student full of worldly desires who loves girls and money.
• Hake: An inugami who serves the head of the Kabira family and is always calm and collected. He is skilled in powerful barrier techniques.
• Kana Shiro: A special spiritual investigator directly under the Cabinet Secretariat. One day, he suddenly passes away. What does his death mean?
• Nadeshiko: Kaoru Kabira's dog god, ranked second. She is the polar opposite of Yoko, being pure, modest and good at housework. She is devoted to Kaoru.
• Tomohane: Kaori Kabira's dog god, ranked tenth. A lively dog ​​god who loves funny things. She likes Keita as much as Kaoru.
• Tayune: Kaoru Kabira's dog god, ranked fourth. A martial arts dog god who is good at all sports. But in reality, she is very scared and lonely.
• Igusa: Kaoru Kabira's dog god, ranked third. Shy and not good with men. Good with computers, and in charge of the household finances.
• Sendan: Kaoru Kabira's Inugami, ranked first. Daughter of the oldest Inugami and leader of the ten Inugami. Basically a rich girl.
• Gogyoya: Kaoru Kabira's dog god, ranked fifth. A hard worker who strives to improve medical treatment for the Mononoke. An intelligent man who always remains calm.
• Furano: Kaoru Kabira's dog god, ranked seventh. A dog god who is skilled in fortune telling from all over the world, past and present. A cheerful and easy-going person. Sometimes predicts the future.
• Tenso: Kaoru Kabira's dog god, ranked sixth. He's good at drawing. He's always in a daze and it's hard to tell what he's thinking.
• Imari: Kaoru Kabira's dog god, ranked 8th. A pair of mischievous twin dog gods. Imari is the one with her hair tied to the right.
• Sayoka: Kaoru Kabira's dog god, ranked ninth. A mischievous twin dog god. Sayoka is the one with her hair tied on the left.
• Kaoru Kabira: A boy descended from the Kawahira family, a clan of long-established inugami masters. A genius who made a contract with ten inugami.
• Head family: An old woman who is the head family of the Kabira family, a clan of long-established inugami masters. She made a contract with Inugami no Hake when she was a young girl.

■ Related works

This work is related to the TV anime series "Inukami!" You can enjoy the entire series, including the original light novel.

■ Theme songs and music

The ending theme and insert songs are as follows:

• ED1: Friendship Story - Minna ver. (Sung by Team☆Cantare)
• IN1: In the Name of Justice ~Kana Shiro's Theme~ (Sung by Kana Shiro (Hayami Sho))

■ Evaluation and impressions

"Inukami! The Movie: Special Spiritual Investigator Kana Shiro!" has been praised for bringing out the best in the original work while adding new developments. In particular, the story centered around the death of Kana Shiro provides a different kind of tension and thrill than the TV series. In addition, the comical exchanges between Keita and Yoko and the unique characters of the Inugami are still there, making this a must-watch for fans.

The voice actors' performances are also superb, with Yui Horie as Yoko and Jun Fukuyama as Keita bringing out the best in their characters. Additionally, Shou Hayami as Kana Shiro also provides solid support for key points in the story. Music is also an important element in enhancing the atmosphere of the series, with the ending theme "Yuujou Monogatari ~Minna ver.~" and the insert song "In the Name of Justice ~Kana Shiro's Theme~" adding depth to the story's development.

Visually, Seven Arcs' careful drawings and color design stand out. In particular, the unique designs of the dog gods and the powerful battle scenes are worth seeing. Art director Shinji Katahira's background art also richly depicts the worldview of the story.

■ Recommendation points

This work is recommended not only for fans of the TV series, but also for those who are experiencing the world of "Inukami!" for the first time. In a short time, you can enjoy the charm of the original work and new developments. In addition, the unique characters of the Inugami and the comical storyline will be enjoyed by a wide range of people. In particular, the mysterious developments centered around the death of Kana Shiro bring out new charms in the series.

In addition, the voice actors' performances, music, and visual quality are all high, making it an overall satisfying work. Please enjoy the movie "Inukami! The Movie: Special Spiritual Investigator Kana Shiro!"