Inuyasha Kanketsu-hen Ep. 03
犬夜叉 完結編 Episode 03 Review
Inuyasha: Final Act – 03

SPOILER Summary/Synopsis:

Sesshoumaru is met by Toutousai, who has sensed that Tokijin has been destroyed. Further, he senses the call of Tenseiga, which happened because Sesshoumaru showed compassion for Kagura’s death. As such, Toutousai says that the time has come to reforge Tenseiga into an offensive weapon as well as one that restores the dead. The result is that Tenseiga now has the Meido Zangetsuha, an attack to send foes to the netherworld. Toutousai summons an oni for Sesshoumaru to practice on. The result is a small, crescent-shaped swath that opens behind the creature and a subsequent section of the oni’s body is sent there, killing the oni.

Meanwhile, Inuyasha and company set off again after Kagome’s most recent return from the present-day period. They find an inn filled with fox youkai who are undergoing testing. When Shippou sees himself get high rankings for pulling pranks on Inuyasha, he heavily targets the hanyou, managing to get to the 23rd rank before the testing ends. However, he’s really annoyed Inuyasha so much that Inuyasha ends up attacking the hiding with a Kaze no Kizu blast.

A second attack is absorbed by a young female fox youkai’s sword named Dakki. This youkai, named Mujina, manages to absorb a great deal of youki from Tessaiga and decides to return the favor on Inuyasha. Shippou is horrified to think that Inuyasha might be dead but the surprise is on Mujina when Inuyasha appears unharmed. Not only that, but every Kaze no Kizu attack Mujina launches is absorbed by Tessaiga. Inuyasha breaks Mujina’s sword and restores all the stolen youkai energy to Tessaiga while at the same time forcing Mujina to take his proper shape, that of an overweight, middle aged youkai. Even after sending Mujina packing, Inuyasha is concerned about Dakki’s ability to absorb so much youki.

Thoughts/Review:

I can’t remember for sure (and I’m too lazy to try to weed through so much manga to look it up), but I’m not sure if Tenseiga’s reaction that Toutousai mentions was in the manga or not. I think it was but if it was, the break-neck speed with which this anime is pressing forward had no setup, thus it kinda makes Sesshoumaru look a bit dumb for not noticing rather than him noticing and not knowing what the cause of the reaction is.

I’m STUNNED that Viz is choosing to keep the name Meido Zangetsuha rather than force-translate it as they do almost all of the other attacks. This could be because an actual translation is longer than the name (thus excessively using precious text space) or it could be an acknowledgment by the current management of fans who spoke with some of the powers that be at Viz, begging them for better subtitles. Likely, it is a bit of both because Viz could have chosen to have their subtitles be more Japanese-friendly but opted instead for continuity with the domestication of the past.

As to the Shippou story, this was actually a 2-fer. Sadly, I do not remember the Mujina story at all in the manga (though I did do a tiny bit of research and see it was there) but I certainly remembered the story of the kitsune testing. There had been some concern among fans that this story would be removed, but I felt that the production company would keep it in since it is the only Shippou character story in what remains of the manga (at least, that I recall). From here on out, Shippou will be a simple ornament, contributing virtually nothing.

While some people have written this episode off as mostly filler (which I disagree with since it gave Shippou a chance to do something), it does have more than just the Sesshoumaru element going for it. For starters, I loved the Sango-Miroku element, starting with Sango copping a feel of Miroku’s butt and thus turning tables on him. Of course, Miroku had to be shown being fawned over by the kitsune disguised as pretty young girls and causing Sango to get jealous, but it was fun seeing multiple Miroku’s fawning over Sango and totally suckering her. ^_^ It was enjoyable in the manga and a bit more so in this anime episode.

Another thing the anime has done is set the table for the end of the series. They started with Kagome going with her friends to submit their applications to a high school to take the entrance exams there. I’m 99% certain this was not in the manga because Takahasi-sensei never was much of one for table setting, choosing to just play things out as they came. I also don’t remember Kagome’s grandfather speaking of the end of the legend of the Shikon no Tama and how it was purified, which happened in this episode. Again, I’m relatively sure this wasn’t in the manga (correct me if I’m wrong).

So, even with moving forward at maximum warp, I tip my hat to the production team for at least setting up what will happen in the end, something the manga really never did.