Anime Review: Inuyasha: A Striking Anime That Combines Folklore and Fantasy With Reality

                                                      Source: Netflix

 

Introduction

“Life Itself Is A Frightening Image For Every Human Being. Being Strong In Life Isn't Easy.”

Inuyasha is an adventure-based fairy tale anime based on the manga named ‘Inuyasha’ written and illustrated by Rumiko Takahashi. It is among the most popular Isekai animes of all time.

Details

Anime Name: Inuyasha

Adaptations: 2 

• Inuyasha: A Feudal Fairy Tale

• Inuyasha: The Final Act

Genre: Fantasy, Adventure and Romance

Animation Studio: Sunrise

Number of episodes: 167(Inuyasha: A Feudal Fairy Tale), 26(Inuyasha: The Final Act)

Written by: Katsuyuki Sumisawa

Warning: Mild spoilers ahead!

Plotline

“There Was No Place For Me, So I Had To Make One For Myself, And Then I Realized, I Had A Place, But I Was The Only One In It. I Didn't Know Any Other Way To Live.” 

                                                                                                                      - Inuyasha

Kagome Higurashi, a 15-year-old student, resides at a Japanese shrine rich in tradition. 

Additionally, she is the reincarnation of Kikyo, an ancient priestess who protected the revered Shikon no Tama (Jewel of Four Souls) and imprisoned the half-demon Inuyasha who attempted to take it in order to turn into a complete demon. 

Kikyo torched the jewel along with her body after passing away from her wounds. 50 years after Kikyo's passing, Kagome is one day dragged into the historic well on her family's shrine and propelled into the past. 

Kaede, the late Kikyo's sister, whom she meets, recognises Kagome as Kikyo's reincarnation. When they are attacked, they find out that Kagome genuinely has the Shikon no Tama inside her body.

When the diamond is mistakenly torn from Kagome's body, she awakens the dog-demon Inuyasha by accident and sets him free. 

Inuyasha now requests the jewel back, but Kagome won't give it to him. He is made to wear a necklace (by Kaede's magic) that enables Kagome to command him by simply saying the word "Sit!" to send him face-first on the ground. 

Accidentally shattering the jewel, Kagome and Inuyasha must now cooperate to locate every fragment before they fall into the wrong hands. 

Only Kagome has the ability to "feel" the location of the shards, and only Inuyasha is strong enough to capture them from demons or individuals who possess them. But can they put their differences aside long enough to cooperate?

The Isekai Genre

In the fantasy subgenre known as isekai, a character is abruptly teleported from their world into a strange or new one. Reverse Isekai occurs when visitors from other planets or worlds come to Earth.

During the 1990s, isekai manga was highly well-liked by the Shojo, or young girl, audience. 

Isekai manga created during this time period depicted regular adolescent girls who were sent to high adventure in unfamiliar worlds where they faced magic, dramatic battles, and, most frequently, romance. 

These characters would frequently be faced with the dilemma to choose whether to stay in the fantasy world or return home after finding their true love in another world.

The characters of Inuyasha were able to freely transition between the two worlds, modern Japan and feudal Japan, unlike previous isekai heroes.

Analysis

What makes Inuyasha such a unique anime? Let's analyze.

Setting: Inuyasha is based on the theme of time travelling. Inuyasha takes place in feudal Japan from 1467 to 1603 during the Warring States Period. 

It's already rather uncommon for anime and manga stories to incorporate supernatural elements from the Warring States Period. It accounts for the variations between Japan's past and contemporary time periods. 

Inuyasha must adjust whenever he travels to Kagome's time and finds it different from his own. Similarly, Kagome from the Modern Era feels out of place in the Feudal Era. 

Cultural norms evolve with time.

Love Triangle: Love triangles frequently feature rivalry among the participants, enticing the audience with a more intricate romantic tension.

The love triangle in Inuyasha is a topic of intense discussion among the fanbase.

Every time Kikyo entered the picture, Inuyasha and Kagome's developing friendship and trust were cut short. 

Inuyasha would focus on Kikyo whenever she was present. When Inuyasha chased after Kikyo, Kagome felt abandoned and dejected.

Conclusion and My Personal Verdict

Overall, I really like Inuyasha. The artwork is excellent. Although the plot is quite straightforward and simple to understand, this anime may be for you if you have patience with long stories.

Each of the characters is a flash of absolute brilliance, and each has a running joke. With the exception of Kagome, every character has a troubled past that frequently involves the loss of a loved one.

Even while it shares some traits with a soap opera, it goes far beyond that since the animation and the plot mesh so perfectly. 

This is a grim fairy tale that is captivating and gorgeous from the very beginning. I would give a rating of 3.5 out of 5.

Written By: Manisha Nair