Well, looks like after this volume I'll have to stop for a while and wait. That's okay. I'm getting pretty tired of reviewing anime anyway. Those have been my reviews for the past, what? Several months now? Still waiting for the other volumes to show up, but those reviews are done, so they'll be slapped up the second the products are. To the show!

F.Y.I. – Inuyasha is brought to you by the talented and creative Rumiko Takahashi, who is also well-known for Ranma ½. If you are new to Inuyasha, don’t start here. It’s a bad idea. You wouldn’t have a clue of what is going on. Scroll to the bottom of this review and choose Volume 1. If you’re a parent and have no idea what you are looking for, I suggest you get help from your children, but if you’re just perusing around, by all means, forge ahead. Inuyasha is a series with a total of 167 episodes with only 3 episodes per DVD. Such was that decision made by Viz to get the episodes out to the public faster. I do not recommend buying them this way.

Episode 124: For the longest time now, Naraku has desired Kikyo’s death, but was unable to do it because of Onigumo’s heart inside of him. Now he has gotten stronger and seeking only to obtain his goal of destroying Kikyo.

Episode 125: Naraku, always scheming, always planning, has a way to capture Kagome in order to find the last few Shikon shards, using Inuyasha’s weakness and soon finding Kagome’s as well.

Episode 126: Can someone as pure as Kagome be corrupted? The others are stuck elsewhere and are unable to help her, which leaves her as prey for one of Naraku’s creations and in a bad way.

Yay, Nay, and New Stuff:
The last episode I saw on TV (not counting a few weeks ago when I caught a new one, I mean like a year ago when they ran out of new stuff) was #124. Did I believe Kikyo was dead? As horrible a person I am, hoping that yes, she was finally gone, no, I did not truly believe that she was. Kikyo’s one of those characters you know just won’t die and will eventually pop up again. Am I right? Well, I’ll find out in the future, but as of right now, I’d bet $100 that she comes back. I do have to say that the music playing when Inuyasha realizes what’s just happened seemed a bit random. I almost expected it to turn into the credit song, but it didn’t. It was a male singer and I haven’t heard one in a while (in Japanese) so that made it a tad weirder.

#126 – I was hoping for some really good drama here, but again denied. Sad. And Inuyasha, no offence, but all the promises you make are pretty futile, i.e. “I won’t put Kagome in danger ever again.” Yeah, sure you won’t. This episode was also a little different in that it rolled the credits and then had a sort of epilogue to it. I feel bad for Kagome…

Just the Facts Jack:
Animation – the animation is awesome. It’s not going to stop being awesome unless the animators suddenly get lazy and start drawing stick figures. But I doubt that because we’ve gone over 100 episodes, so that must mean everyone still liked it beyond this point, otherwise I’m sure it would have been cancelled over in Japan. Great use of character design, color, detail (I’m always a fan of detail when it comes to anime – the more the better – we don’t do enough of it here in the US, so sad), and always the facial expressions. Gotta love anime facial expressions.

Music – The opening song is called “Grip” by Every Little Thing. It’s a good song, but it doesn’t make me want to go out and by the soundtrack or anything the way others do. It’s peppy and fast with a female singer, but somehow doesn’t strike me as very unique. It almost gives the show more of a kid-like feel than it really has, which is starting to get a little weird. A new ending song appeared at #109; it is called “Kiss” by Day After Tomorrow and I approve. I don’t go bonkers over it, but it’s upbeat and works well for the series, somewhat like “Grip” only taken down a notch in pep so that it doesn’t give off the same young kiddy feel. Either song can get stuck in your head, so watch out. Instrumental background music is done by Kaoru Wada and is very good, a lot of the same themes repeat, but after a while you sort of stop paying attention. The instruments are nice, such as flutes, piano, and soft strings, combined in unique ways for each character or scene.

Voices! Japanese is great of course. English; as pleasing as the Japanese. As you can see from the little compiled list below, I’m not always biased toward the Japanese version. It just depends upon the script and who they hire for voices. Sometimes they do a good job and I prefer the English version. Then there are times like this, when I just can’t decide…

Inuyasha – love both VAs, and am unable to pick a favorite. Perfect characterization.
Kagome – enjoy both, but prefer Satsuki Yukino for Japanese version.
Sesshoumaru – I *love* David Kaye for the English version, but just barely over the Japanese VA
Shippou – both are totally cute, and I cannot choose a favorite
Jaken – they both crack me up, prefer Japanese just a *bit* over the English one
Kikyo – definitely prefer the Japanese version, just seems to fit better
Miroku – both VAs are very good, very similar, and I can’t pick a favorite
Naraku – the evil guy, done very well by all VAs (2 Japanese, 1 English), no favorites, though they have different qualities, they’re all good.
Sango – both are very good, though I do have a slight preference for the Japanese version
Kirara – no actual voice here, but I like the sound effects chosen to represent her, such as the snarling jaguar noise in her fired up form, and then the little squeak of a mew in her adorable little form.
Kouga – English favorite hands down, but Japanese is still cool. I just love Scott McNeil.
Everyone else, such as Souta, Kagome’s mother, grandfather, Myouga, Kaede, Kohaku, and demons involved are well done. Kaede would be better if she weren’t speaking in medieval English all the time (“Ye?”), but that’s blame on the scriptwriters.

Note to Parents: There is some language, some implied nudity, a lot of violence, blood, and dead people are involved. Some of the demons themselves are pretty creepy looking and do some bizarre things. Hey, demons are demons. Comparing it to other anime series I’ve seen though, it’s not as realistic by far, but hey, you’re the parent; you decide.

Episodes in this Volume:
Episode 124. Farewell Kikyo, My Beloved
Episode 125. The Darkness in Kagome's Heart
Episode 126. Transform Heartache into Courage

NT


Earlier Inuyasha Volumes:
Volume 1: Down the Well
Volume 2: A Girl’s Best Friend
Volume 3: Fathers and Sons
Volume 4: The Thunder Brothers
Volume 5: Secret of the New Moon
Volume 6: Deadly Liaisons
Volume 7: Face of the Enemy
Volume 8: Kikyo’s Wandering Soul
Volume 9: Origin of the Sacred Jewel
Volume 10: Scars of Battle
Volume 11: Into the Miasma
Volume 12: Swords of Destiny
Volume 13: Den of Wolves
Volume 14: The Wind and the Void
Volume 15: Broken Fang
Volume 16: Heart of the Beast
Volume 17: Shattered Memories
Volume 18: The Demon Within
Volume 19: The Way to Wisdom
Volume 20: Fathers and Sons
Volume 21: Double Trouble
Volume 22: The True Face Of Evil
Volume 23: Wicked Clutches
Volume 24: Severed Identities
Volume 25: Crimson Blade
Volume 26: Curse of Generations
Volume 27: Brothers In Arms
Volume 28: Promise of the Past
Volume 29: Castle of Evil
Volume 30: Monkey Business
Volume 31: Duplicates and Dilemmas
Volume 32: Glow of the False Jewel
Volume 33: Unexpected Encounters
Volume 34: Children of Snow
*cue gap for Volumes 35, 36, and 37*
Volume 38: Battle on the Sacred Island
Volume 39: The Black, Impure Light
Volume 40: Divine Malice
Volume 41: Naraku Reborn


Inuyasha Movies:
Movie 1: Affections Touching Across Time
Movie 2: The Castle Beyond the Looking Glass
Movie 3: Swords of an Honorable Ruler

Recommended:
Yes

Viewing Format: DVD