Inuyasha Kanketsu-hen Ep. 16
犬夜叉 完結編 Episode 16 Review
Inuyasha: Final Act – 16

SPOILER Summary/Synopsis:

A powerful miko named Hitomiko is trapped by Naraku and killed. However, as the villagers did not follow her instructions regarding her death, she is now an undead puppet of Naraku, who’s only goal is to trap Kagome. Inuyasha and company arrive and Kagome is caught in Naraku’s trap. She’s forced to learn the power of the bow Kikyou had sent her to retrieve as well as the secret of the name “Kagome” in order to free Hitomiko from Naraku’s clutches and save her own soul as well.

Thoughts/Review:

Meh.

So, the anime blows through stuff like mad, then decides, “You know, I think we need to pad the Hitomiko story because there’s just not enough there.” I was 99% sure that the original manga had nothing about Hitomiko’s past, but I checked to be sure and there was nothing. After all, there was zero point in Naraku contacting Hitomiko as a child and that screamed at me from the start. I guess the anime writers felt that some long-running connection between Hitomiko and Naraku would explain things or help things, but it doesn’t (in my opinion).

Also, the anime writers make some big deal out of Kagome’s name and that was not an issue in the manga and I don’t think it ever was (I did a bit of consulting just to see). I understand that the anime writers are trying to make Kagome a stronger character (or rather a seemingly stronger character), but even though I hadn’t read the manga story in ages, the whole “Kagome” push felt forced to me. Looking back at the manga, I see that the real strength came from Hitomiko, who again overcame Naraku’s influence to teach Kagome the true power of the bow. Kagome’s “whatever” method of figuring things out in the anime again struck me wrong. The manga story showed Hitomiko’s struggle against Naraku, even after death, and her passing on knowledge as best as she could to Kagome in spite of Naraku.

Then there was the Red Tessaiga fail. I looked and it was used in the manga. However, the whole thing made me laugh about a miko‘s barrier only being broken by a miko. That is of course until the story requires it to be broken ’cause I remember at least one of Kikyou’s “miko barriers” being broken. *_*

Pretty negative review, eh? Hmmm. Well, Inuyasha has long caused me frustrations, but then on the day I wrote this entry, there were lots of other frustrations as well. ^_^; Nothing to do but move onto the next episode I guess.