Inuyasha (character)

Inuyasha
Inuyasha character
Inuyasha as illustrated by Rumiko Takahashi
First appearance	Inuyasha Chapter 1
Created by	Rumiko Takahashi
Voiced by	Japanese Kappei Yamaguchi English Richard Ian Cox
Profile
Species	Hybrid
Relatives	Sesshomaru (brother)

Inuyasha (犬夜叉) is the male protagonist and titular character of Rumiko Takahashi's manga Inuyasha. Inuyasha is a hybrid of human and yokkai who first appears sealed in a tree in the feural world. When a girl named Kagome Higurashi is being chased by a yokkai, Inuyasha convinces her to free him so that he would eliminate the enemy. Despite initially distrusting Kagome, Inuyasha joins forces with her to go on a search to find the shards of the The Jewel of Four Souls which increases the powers of yokkai. Although Inuyasha first aims to become a full demon using the Jewel, across the story he develops strong bonds with the comrades who aid him.

Concept and creation

According to interviews with the author, the style for Inuyasha's clothing was based on "priest's garb" of Japan's Warring States period.

Characteristics

As a dog demon, Inuyasha has claws he uses to fight with, utilized mainly in his Sankon Tessō (散魂鉄爪, "Iron Reaper Soul Stealer" in dub) attack. Due to his half-breed blood, Inuyasha turns completely human on the night of a new moon, losing all his demon traits and powers. Early in the series Inuyasha acquires Tetsusaiga (鉄砕牙, "Steel-Cleaving Fang"), a powerful sword made from a fang of his father that can absorb demonic powers and energy. This proves to be useful to keep Inuyasha from falling victim to demonic nature turning him into a berserker. Over the course of the series, Inuyasha develops Tetsusaiga's signature Wind Scar (風の傷, Kaze no Kizu), Backlash Wave (爆流破, Bakuryūha) and Adamant Barrage (金剛槍破, Kongōsōha, Adamant Destroying Spears) techniques. Eventually, Inuyasha gains a new ability in Meidou Zangetsuha (冥道残月破, Meidō Zangetsuha, "Dark Path of the Dawn Moon's Wave) that Seeshomaru prepared for him as part of their father's design.

Appearances

Born to a dog-demon father and a human mother, Inuyasha is a dog demon/human hybrid who initially wanted to use the enormous power of the Shikon Jewel to become a full-fledged demon. Inuyasha has dog ears, claws on his fingers, sports a red garment called the Robe of the Fire-Rat and is always barefoot which comes in handy when he has to scratch himself like a dog does.

Fifty years prior to the main era of the storyline, though, Inuyasha fell in love with the priestess Kikyo, who was given the task to protect the Jewel. Inuyasha changed his mind, and instead, wanted to use the Shikon Jewel to become a human so that he could live with her, however, Naraku manipulated the both of them into believing they had been betrayed by one another. Before Kikyo died, however, she shot the real Inuyasha with a sealing arrow that bound him to the Sacred Tree. Inuyasha remained there for 50 years, until Kagome Higurashi pulled out the arrow and broke the seal. When the Shikon Jewel, which had previously been embedded in Kagome's body, is shattered into fragments that scatter across Feudal Japan, Inuyasha and Kagome travel together to retrieve its shards with Inuyasha once again seeking it to turn into a full-fledged demon.

He is constantly rude and prone to bursts of violence in retaliation to the slightest thing that upsets him. In the beginning, Inuyasha was hostile and uncooperative towards Kagome, merely seeing her as means of recollecting the Shikon fragments. Kaede places a necklace that restrains Inuyasha to prevent him from stealing the Shikon Jewel and kiling Kagome during their first encounter; whenever Kagome gives the simple command "Sit!", Inuyasha is forcibly pulled face-first to the ground due to the strong spiritual power the unbreakable necklace contains. As the story progresses, however, he begins to fall in love with Kagome, and yet is strained by the unexpected reawakening of Kikyo. He is extremely protective of Kagome and always worries about her safety. He often blames himself when Kagome is in danger because he feels that she would be safer if she was not with him. Because of this, he sometimes tried to force Kagome to stay in her own world. During these times, he was physically weaker without Kagome by his side. Throughout the series, his feelings for Kagome become undeniable, but at the same time he can't get over Kikyo, causing some indecisive behavior from him. After the reincarnated Kikyo's death, Inuyasha finally moves on and realizes that Kagome is and always was his one and only true love, as she is the sole reason that he is no longer lonely or unhappy. During the final battle within the Shikon Jewel, he states that she was born for him and he for her. After Kagome wishes the Jewel away with him at her side, they are separated for three years. However, Inuyasha and Kagome are eventually reunited, and later married.^[1]

Reception

In 2002, Inuyasha won the Animage Grand Prix for Best Male Character.^[2] In the next year, he was third behind Kira Yamato and Athrun Zala both from Mobile Suit Gundam SEED.^[3] He was sixth in the following poll.^[4] John Sinnott from DVD Talk noted how examined was Inuyasha including his heritage and use of his sword that could create a big impact.^[5] In a review of the second manga volume, Megan Lavey from Mania Entertainment commented the character's development was seen for the first time as it explored why Inuyasha is often angry and his difficulties in trusting others.^[6] Inuyasha and Kagome were praised by Mania Entertainment's writer Chris Beveridge for how well they act together in contrast to the leads of Ranma 1/2.^[7] Writing later for the Fandom Post, Beveridge explained how fun was seeing Inuyasha in the modern world and the impact it has on Kagome.^[8] Similarly, Holly Ellingwood from Active Anime particularly enjoyed the comedy that occurs when Inuyasha visits the modern world following Kagome.^[9] Despite noting how several characters had similar faces, Anime News Network's Zac Bertschy noted that Inuyasha stood out thanks to his clothes.^[10]

T.H.E.M. Anime Reviews' Derrick L Tucker expressed concern over the love triangle between Inuyasha, Kikyo and Kagome noting them to be part of the series' "superior characters."^[11] Erin Lewis, also from THEM, stated he could not call Inuyasha a hero "as he pisses off everyone else to often."^[12] In the book "Anime from Akira to Howl's Moving Castle: Experiencing Contemporary Japanese Animation" author Susan Jolliffe Napier analaysed how certain lessons in the series relate to Inuyasha's representation of masculinity.^[13] IGN's D. F. Smith praised the voice acting of Richard Ian Cox as "he does a fine job getting the character's rough-edged, angry mode of speech across, even without being able to stick "yarou" at the end of every sentence."^[14]

References