Inuyasha - A Feudal Fairy Tale

Introduction

Inuyasha started out as an anime series written by Rumiko Takahashi, author of popular series such as Ranma 1/2. It was loved in it's comic form and turned into graphic novels by Viz. It was then quickly adapted into a manga series for TV

Basic plot summary

A normal 15-year-old school-girl, Kagome, from Japan is pulled down the well of the sacred shrine in her back garden after going in there to rescue the family cat; she emerges in the feudal era of Japan where demons are commonplace.

She quickly meets up with Inuyasha, a hanyou (half-demon) who seeks something called the shikon jewel; this jewel possesses amazing powers which can help him become fully demon. Years ago his first love, Kikyo, a human priestess, had charge of the jewel but she was killed and the jewel was burnedwith her body.

It quickly becomes apparent that Kagome is the reincarnation of Kikyo and the jewel emerges from within her body; it breaks into thousands of shards during a fight and Kagome and Inuyasha must team up to piece the jewel together.

Characters

Inuyasha

Inuyasha was born to a human mother and a powerful youkai (demon) lord making him a hanyou, or half-demon. Hanyou's are distrusted so after his mother died Inuyasha was forced to survive on his own; he fell in love with a human priestess by the name of Kikyo, he was going to use the Shikon jewel she guarded to become fully human for her. But she betrayed him and pinned him to a tree in an enchanted sleep for 50 years; when he awoke he was quickly pushed into a mission with the human girl Kagome who he grows to love. He finds out along the way that an evil hanyou called Naraku was responsible for Kikyo's deception; he wields a powerful sword called the Tetsusaiga which is coveted by his half-brother Sesshoumaru.

Sesshoumaru

Sesshoumaru is a full-blooded youkai; he is Lord of the Western Lands (a title which passed to him when his father died). He despises sharing a bloodline with a half-demon and loses no opportunity to try and kill his younger half-brother. Sesshoumaru travels with a servant called Jaken, a small human girl called Rin and a demon called Ah-Un.

Kagome

Kagome was just an average school-girl until she fell down the well in her family shrine to the feudal era. She discovers she has the mystical powers of a priestess and quickly gets into the routine of fighting for jewel shards. She falls in love with Inuyasha but would never admit it to him.

Sango

Sango is a human from the village of demon exterminators; she joins the group hunting for Naraku after her younger brother, Kohaku, is killed and his corpse reanimated to do Naraku's bidding.

Miroku

Miroku is a human monk who's family was put under a curse generations ago; his hand contains a black-hole of sorts (the wind tunnel) which has to be held at bay by prayer beads. The only way to break the curse is to kill the demon which placed the curse in the first place - Naraku. He is often in trouble for his lecherous ways and is quick to ask any pretty girl to 'bear his child'.

Shippo

Shippo is a fox demon cub, his parents were killed by two demons called the Thunder Brothers who Inuyasha destroyed. After this Shippo travelled with the group helping them in their quest against Naraku.

Naraku

Nraku is an evil hanyou spawned from when the human bandit Onigumo allowed scores of demons to feast on his body and soul. He is truly evil and is the group's main threat. He already has many of the shards of the shikon jewel for himself and will stop at nothing to retrieve the rest.

Episode List

Season 1

1. Girl who Overcame Time and the Boy who was Just
   Overcome
2. Seekers of the Sacred Jewel
3. Down the Rabbit Hole and Back Again
4. Yura of the Demon Hair
5. Aristocratic Assassin, Sesshoumaru
6. Tetsusaiga, The Phantom Sword
7. Showdown! Inuyasha vs. Sesshomaru
8. Toad Who would Be Prince
9. Enter Shippo Plus, the Amazing Thunder Brothers!
10. Phantom Showdown: The Thunder Brothers vs.
    Tetsusaiga
11. The Terror of the Ancient Noh Mask
12. Soul Piper and the Mischievious Little Spirit
13. The Mystery of the New Moon and Black Haired
    Inuyasha
14. Kikyo's Stolen Ashes
15. Return of the Tragic Priestess, Kikyo
16. Mystical Hand of the Amorous Monk, Miroku
17. The Cursed Ink of the Hell Painter
18. Naraku and Sesshoumaru join Forces
19. Go Home to your True Time, Kagome
20. Despicable Villain: The Mystery of Onigumo
21. Naraku's True Identity Unveiled
22. A Wicked Smile; Kikyo's Wandering Soul
23. Kagome's Voice and Kikyo's Kiss
24. Enter...Sango the Demon Exterminator
25. Naraku's Insidious Plot
26. Secret of the Jewel of the Four Souls: Revealed
27. Lake of the Evil Water God

Season 2

1. Miroku Falls into a Dangerous Trap
2. Sango's Suffering and Kohaku's Life
3. Tetsusaiga is Stolen! Showdown at Naraku's Castle
4. Jinenji, Kind yet Sad
5. Kikyo and Inuyasha, Into the Miasma
6. Kikyo, Captured by Naraku
7. Tetsusaiga and Tenseiga
8. True Owner of the Great Sword
9. Kagome is Kidnapped by Koga the Wolf Demon
10. The Man that Fell in Love with Kagome
11. Two Hearts, One Mind
12. Trapped in a Duel to the Death
13. The Deadly Trap of Kagura, The Wind Sorcress
14. Kagura's Dance and Kanna's Mirror
15. The Wind's Scar Fails
16. Tetsusaiga Breaks
17. Kaijinbo's Evil Sword
18. Sesshoumaru Weilds Tokijin
19. Juromaru and Kageromaru
20. Onigumo's Heart Still Beats Within Naraku
21. Return to the Place Where we First Met
22. Kohaku's Lost Memory
23. That Unforgettable Face!
24. Inuyasha's Soul, Devoured
25. The Demon's True Nature
26. Father's Mortal Enemy, Ryuukotsusei
27. The Backlash Wave, Tetsusaiga's Ultimate Attack

Season 3

1. The Stone Flower and Shippo's First Love
2. Temptress in the Mist
3. Fateful Night in Togenkyo (1)
4. Fateful Night in Togenkyo (2)
5. Beautiful Sister Apprentices
6. Fifty-Year Curse of the Dark Priestess
7. Kikyo and the Dark Priestess
8. Tsubaki's Unrelenting Evil Spell
9. The Red and White Priestesses
10. Giant Ogre of the Forbidden Tower
11. Farewell, Days of my Youth
12. Naraku's Barrier -- Kagura's Decision
13. Howling Wind of Betrayal
14. Shippo Recieves an Angry Challenge
15. 69. Terror of the Faceless Man
16. Onigumo's Memories Reawaken
17. Three-Sided Battle to the Death
18. Toutosai's Rigid Training
19. Shiori's Family and Inuyasha's Feelings
20. The Red Tetsusaiga Breaks the Barrier
21. The Plot of the Panther Devas
22. Target: Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha
23. The Panther Tribe and the Two Swords of the Fang
24. Aiming for Sango, Only You
25. Jaken's Tetsusaiga Snatching Operation
26. Sesshoumaru and the Abducted Rin
27. Finally Broken: Naraku's Mystery
28. The Present and Sengoku Jidai's Connection
29. Girl Yourouzoku and the Great Promise
30. Super Speed Marriage Deal
31. Evil Spirits Rising, Demon's Severed Head
32. Hidden Princess' Secret
33. Wandering Kikyo's Solitary Journey

Season 4

1. The Monkey God's Three Spirits
2. Visitation Confrontation Between 'That Guy' and
   'Him'
3. Souta's Brave Confession Of Love
4. The Mysterious Spritualist and the Black Kirara
5. The Revived Person's Ambition
6. Mystery of the Lecherous Priest
7. Those who Made the Shikon no Tama (1)
8. Those who Made the Shikon no Tama (2)
9. Jaken falls Ill
10. Kirara Leaves and Doesn't Return
11. Just Kikyo and Kagome in a Cave
12. Sesshoumaru and Kouga's Dangerous Encounter
13. Nightmarish Reality: Battle in the Forest of
    Despair
14. Seven Years Later, Lingering Snow
15. The Wolf Demons, Attacked by a Zombie

Season 5

1. Revival of the Shichinintai
2. The Stealthy Poison User, Mukotsu
3. The Strange Unfolding-Steel Weapon
4. Kagome, Miroku and Sango in a Dangerous Situation
5. The First Time I saw Inuyasha Cry
6. The Secret of the Pure Aura
7. Heading to the Misty Mt. Hakurei
8. Enter, Bankotsu: Leader of the Shichinintai
9. Clash! Banryuu vs. the Wind's Scar
10. The Barrier of Hijiri Island, Floating on a Lake
11. Mystery of the Dokko of Hijiri and the
    Sokuinbutsu
12. Koga's Isolated Battle
13. Swallowed by the Black Light
14. The Real Face: Exposed
15. The Man who Disappeared into a River of Flames
16. The Heart of Mt. Hakurei
17. Divine Malice of the Heavenly Saint
18. Good-Bye! Jakotsu's Requiem
19. Decisive Batte! The Last and Strongest Shichinintai
20. Powerful Banryuu! Duel to the Death in Mt Hakurei
21. Naraku Reborn, Beyond the Darkness
22. Farewell, My Beloved Kikyo
23. The Darkness in Kagome's Heart
24. Chaging Heartache into Courage
25. Don't Boil! The Horror of the Dried Demons
26. The Dried Demons and the Fighting Cultural Festival
27. Super Kyukai and a Plundered Bride
28. Roar, Shippo! Arcanum ‘Wound of the Heart'
29. The Scroll Picture of Kannon: Cursing Traps
30. Miroku's Dangerous Confession
31. The Woman who Loved Sesshoumaru (1)
32. The Woman who Loved Sesshoumaru (2)

Season 6

1. The Last Banquet of Miroku's Master
2. The Bizarre Invisible Demon
3. The Ancestor's Name is Kagome
4. Survival of the Two in Demon-Infested Lands
5. Big Duel at the Sho'Un Waterfall
6. Eternal Feelings! Halberd of the Heavens
7. The Released Demon Horse, Entei
8. Out-of-Control Entei and Terrifying Hakudoushi
9. 3,000 Leagues in Search of Father
10. Housenki and the Final Shards
11. The Bizaare Sentries at the Gate to the Other
    World
12. The Wild-Tempered Bird User, Abi
13. A Fateful Love Song from Before we Met (1)
14. A Fateful Love Song from Before we Met (2)
15. An Arrow Brewing Up Disturbance
16. The Mysterious Light that Guides the Saint
17. Kagome's Instinctive Choice
18. Protect and Plunder!
19. The Fate is a Cruel Reunion
20. The Demon that Links to the Other World
21. The Devil that Guards the Shikon Shard
22. Battle before the Tomb! Sesshoumaru vs. Inuyasha
23. Pierce Through Naraku! Kongosoha!
24. A Stampede of Countless Demon Mice
25. Kohaku's Resolution and Sango's Heart
26. The Violent, Two-Timing Boy who brings Happiness
27. Miroku's Old Mistake
28. Together with Lord Sesshoumaru, Forever
29. Sango, Kirara, Kohaku, The Secret Garden
30. Shippo, the Most Dangerous Foe
31. The Most Important Clue To Defeating Naraku
32. Use The Shikon Shard! (Final Episode Special)

Movies

Inuyasha the TV series sparked so much interest that it wasn't long before movies were made; there have been four to date.

1. Inuyasha the Movie 1 - The Love That Trancends Time
2. Inuyasha the Movie 2 - The Castle Beyond the Looking
   Glass
3. Inuyasha the Movie 3 - The Sword of World Conquest
4. Inuyasha the Movie 4 - The Mystic Island