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Inuyasha: The Final Act | 20: When the Jewel is Whole
Or, how to made bad action mix with great angst.
This episode was very "meh" to me. The art direction wasn't that great, and the action didn't really pick up appreciably from the last episode, though I did appreciate the short cold opening being a replay of last week's ending, to kinda anchor us back into the storyline, such as it was. Nothing terribly extraneous this time around *whew*
So Sesshoumaru shows up and kicks a little non-worldly ass before disappearing again, presumably to find out what's wrong with Rin. (Why the hell did it take him so long to get back to the village if he left before the battle v Naraku really began? Continuity: you need some o.O) That leaves Inuyasha, Kagome, Sango, and Kohaku to deal with Naraku, who was hiding behind a barrier none of them could sense while Magatsuhi was playing around out in the open. Naraku takes Kagome hostage and threatens Kohaku, telling him he must turn over his shard in order to save Kagome's life. Again, by this point I'm really getting tired of these false dichotomy-type choices, so I had to just roll my eyes a little and buckle down - they are really getting predictable with this same trope. The person under seige always finds a way out beyond the two choices presented...and Kohaku is no different.
Stealing one of Kagome's arrows, he allows himself to be taken into Naraku's custody, where he then stabs him, piercing the armored shell in his shoulder that houses the Shikon no Tama. This is enough to freak Naraku out and, what with having his priorities straight and all, he flings Kohkau into the great night air in order to save himself, giving Inuyasha the chance to free Kagome from his clutches, and he does so with a very nice adamant barrage attack. ('Destroy his head'? Really? How many times has he done that now, only to have no effect? Geez, where is Sess with his organic-matter-destroying sword when you need him?!)
So all is well, or so they think...we have a little interlude with Miroku, Jaken, and Rin, where we see some mysterious light emanating from the monk, one which later captures Rin under its influence and spirits her away. When Sesshoumaru arrives, he is none too pleased to find out, but, in typical asshole fashion, he gets the information he needs and leaves the rest of them in his wake, questions going unanswered. I had to LOL when Shippo observed, "He's still not very friendly." Ah, did we truly expect anything less from a vengeful taiyoukai?
The part of the episode I did like was the scene were Kohaku dies. It was really brilliant in its understatement, and the viewer is taken just as much by surprise as the other characters. One moment Kohaku is smiling and vowing to atone for his sins, and the next, the life is wisked away from his body and he falls to the ground like the lifeless corpse he always was. It was really well done, IMO, as was Sango's reaction, taking him into her arms and crying.
Then we learn that Naraku had taken Kohaku's shard and fused it with the rest of his jewel, and that it was complately black now, Kikyo's light having faded into nothingness. This frustrates and enrages Inuyasha, but it was nice to see a moment of strength from Kagome as she shows him the way, all the while knowing her spiritual powers are still sealed and her sacred arrows are virtually useless. Now there's a heart of cold determination fit to match with Sesshoumaru's...
...but I digress.
A really lovely scene as well as Kohaku is brought back to life, saved by Kikyo's light, but the whole "sun rising and tears drying" part was a bit overdone, IMO. Maybe I'm just not in a sentimental mood, but alas...
This goes straight into the blood red moon ominous warnings from the end of the story, and I wonder - is it here already? I don't think I'm ready :-/
Next week: the final battle begins...really? We need five episodes for this? (I'm assuming the last episode will cover the last chapter of the manga, if not more...) It feels so weird seeing this on the heels of Kohaku's resurrection o.O
This episode was very "meh" to me. The art direction wasn't that great, and the action didn't really pick up appreciably from the last episode, though I did appreciate the short cold opening being a replay of last week's ending, to kinda anchor us back into the storyline, such as it was. Nothing terribly extraneous this time around *whew*
So Sesshoumaru shows up and kicks a little non-worldly ass before disappearing again, presumably to find out what's wrong with Rin. (Why the hell did it take him so long to get back to the village if he left before the battle v Naraku really began? Continuity: you need some o.O) That leaves Inuyasha, Kagome, Sango, and Kohaku to deal with Naraku, who was hiding behind a barrier none of them could sense while Magatsuhi was playing around out in the open. Naraku takes Kagome hostage and threatens Kohaku, telling him he must turn over his shard in order to save Kagome's life. Again, by this point I'm really getting tired of these false dichotomy-type choices, so I had to just roll my eyes a little and buckle down - they are really getting predictable with this same trope. The person under seige always finds a way out beyond the two choices presented...and Kohaku is no different.
Stealing one of Kagome's arrows, he allows himself to be taken into Naraku's custody, where he then stabs him, piercing the armored shell in his shoulder that houses the Shikon no Tama. This is enough to freak Naraku out and, what with having his priorities straight and all, he flings Kohkau into the great night air in order to save himself, giving Inuyasha the chance to free Kagome from his clutches, and he does so with a very nice adamant barrage attack. ('Destroy his head'? Really? How many times has he done that now, only to have no effect? Geez, where is Sess with his organic-matter-destroying sword when you need him?!)
So all is well, or so they think...we have a little interlude with Miroku, Jaken, and Rin, where we see some mysterious light emanating from the monk, one which later captures Rin under its influence and spirits her away. When Sesshoumaru arrives, he is none too pleased to find out, but, in typical asshole fashion, he gets the information he needs and leaves the rest of them in his wake, questions going unanswered. I had to LOL when Shippo observed, "He's still not very friendly." Ah, did we truly expect anything less from a vengeful taiyoukai?
The part of the episode I did like was the scene were Kohaku dies. It was really brilliant in its understatement, and the viewer is taken just as much by surprise as the other characters. One moment Kohaku is smiling and vowing to atone for his sins, and the next, the life is wisked away from his body and he falls to the ground like the lifeless corpse he always was. It was really well done, IMO, as was Sango's reaction, taking him into her arms and crying.
Then we learn that Naraku had taken Kohaku's shard and fused it with the rest of his jewel, and that it was complately black now, Kikyo's light having faded into nothingness. This frustrates and enrages Inuyasha, but it was nice to see a moment of strength from Kagome as she shows him the way, all the while knowing her spiritual powers are still sealed and her sacred arrows are virtually useless. Now there's a heart of cold determination fit to match with Sesshoumaru's...
...but I digress.
A really lovely scene as well as Kohaku is brought back to life, saved by Kikyo's light, but the whole "sun rising and tears drying" part was a bit overdone, IMO. Maybe I'm just not in a sentimental mood, but alas...
This goes straight into the blood red moon ominous warnings from the end of the story, and I wonder - is it here already? I don't think I'm ready :-/
Next week: the final battle begins...really? We need five episodes for this? (I'm assuming the last episode will cover the last chapter of the manga, if not more...) It feels so weird seeing this on the heels of Kohaku's resurrection o.O
no subject
And reading your convo with aamalie about the Sess/Kag stuff - AGREED. LoL. The Kohaku/Sango angst was prettily done for the most part, but what I enjoyed the most were Sess's bits. His obvious concern for Rin, but *especially* that Sess/Kag intersection of purpose. Like, shipper's dream much? I had this whole inner dialog between them going. :P
Although, he does rather conveniently - for Naraku and the plot's sake - disappear with his utterly powerful Bakusaiga. I think this might be a "Superman" moment. You know, how Superman is just too powerful for his own good, so the comic book writers basically spend all their time trying to write themselves out of the corner of their own creation. I mean, a rare rock from another planet is an extremely limited weakness, although every piece of the damn thing seems to have fallen on Earth.
... *ahem* But anyway, along those same lines, Bakusaiga is totally boss. He just flicks it and everything is evaporated. I can see that writers' table - "So... let's just pretend he *walked* back to the village. Totally reasonable, right?" :D
no subject
I saw a couple of interesting points for divergence from the canon, which I wonder if anyone will capitalize on. I was surprised, when the manga ended, that nobody seemed to use that moment in Naraku's body where they're both going after Inuyasha as a starting point for a fic. (I tucked it away for future use, myself, in an epic quest story I may or may not ever get around to writing...)
But - yeah. It was kinda ridiculous, and suddenly gives the batshit insane element of fandom an "OMG ITS CANON!!!!" argument of subtext.
Bakusaiga is totally boss. He just flicks it and everything is evaporated. I can see that writers' table - "So... let's just pretend he *walked* back to the village. Totally reasonable, right?" :D
LMAO. It was a bit more believable in the manga, I must say, but maybe that's due to the medium *shrug* It irks me to watch Inuyasha using mediou zangetsuha, so I like that basically Sesshoumaru's sword combination is better than all his power upgrades, LOL. It mollifies me, I guess you could say :P
no subject
I definitely got a couple half-formed ideas. I read the final chapters of the manga so long ago - I was too entrenched in other stories at that time. But "The Nightingale" is coming to a close fairly soon, so I'm going to need another drabble series. ;) Not an epic quest, but something - there are all kinds of possibilities going on there.
It was kinda ridiculous, and suddenly gives the batshit insane element of fandom an "OMG ITS CANON!!!!" argument of subtext.
LoL. Well, I think they already had that with the whole using-Tenseiga-on-the-otter-demon event (more like a 'softie Sesshoumaru' moment, but it could be interpreted 'shippily, lol) and him saving her from the poison master. I've exploited those two moments a time or two myself, after all. ;) But yeah - more fuel for the fire isn't going to calm them down or anything!
It irks me to watch Inuyasha using mediou zangetsuha, so I like that basically Sesshoumaru's sword combination is better than all his power upgrades, LOL.
Oh, I agree! The whole Meidou arc just screams to me that Inupapa wanted his kids to grow up and get along... but he was really heavy-handed and blind as to how he did it. He puts a lot of faith in Sess, yes, but he also really hurts him. Even if he is the Ice Prince, why would you do that to your son?
He totally deserves the most badass of all the swords. Tetsusaiga is fine and dandy, but unless I had a barrier to break, I would pick Bakusaiga every time, hands down. :D
no subject
You've already written your share of epic quests, so I don't blame you for not wanting to start another one :P Mine may never come to fruition, beyond the scattered pieces of it already out there, but *shrug*. Depends on how much longer I stand to be in this fandom o.O
The whole Meidou arc just screams to me that Inupapa wanted his kids to grow up and get along... but he was really heavy-handed and blind as to how he did it.
Eh, I tend to fall in favor of Sess on this one, in that that whole scenario was more about hurting him (and showing a bit of favor to the bastard son) than anything else. Inupapa already assured that the two couldn't kill each other by designating the swords that he did...more than that I really feel is RT overkill. But, that's jut my opinion...
I would pick Bakusaiga every time, hands down. :D
Its truly a sword that suits his needs, and when used in combination with Tenseiga? Watch out!
no subject
LoL. Yeah... I enjoy having the time and space to really develop a relationship, etc., but it can be really exhausting.
Depends on how much longer I stand to be in this fandom o.O
You can't leave us! The insanity will overwhelm us if the sane ones don't stand strong! LoL.
... But I can understand. ;) Sometimes, you just need breathing room.
Eh, I tend to fall in favor of Sess on this one, in that that whole scenario was more about hurting him (and showing a bit of favor to the bastard son) than anything else.
I know. I just have to believe better things about Inupapa than that arc indicates. It's a compulsion.