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Inuyasha: The Final Act | 22 - Naraku: Trap of Darkness
Oh, be still my beating shipper heart!
This is just a warning: if you aren't a Sess/Kag fan (or if you never understood where interest in the Sess/Kag dynamic comes from those of us who aren't in love with Sesshoumaru), just GTFO. Because I'mma gush. A LOT. A LOT A LOT A LOT.
Oh, and some Mir/San love, too <3
Everything finally seemed to click together in this episode - we get a bit of shipping, a lot of action, character redemption, and even some lighthearted comedy. The art was gorgeous (by which I mean, Miroku and Sesshoumaru were gorgeous - they are my character benchmarks, especially in action sequences). This episode exceeded my expectations, even if it did piss me off in a few places.
It's been awhile since I read the manga chapters associated with this particular arc, so I'm not sure but I did feel there were some inconsistencies with Inuyasha's changing back and forth from demon-hearted youkai and his normal hanyou state. It lessens the impact of the fact that only catching Kagome purified him in the end, even if he did manage to salvage his link to Tessaiga even while lost in the midst of the jewel's corruption.
But the rest? Gold.
I love that we started off with some Mir/San, and that we "saw" the death of Miroku's father. Naraku was successful in his use of this illusion, as it was not Miroku he was aiming for - but to show Sango just how devastating her fiance's death would be if he was swallowed by his wind tunnel. It worked, too, because they ultimately ended up separating, after Miroku opened it to save Sango from some of Naraku's creepy minions. I hate that the storyline took this particular turn, especially as it leads up to the conflict between Sango and Sesshoumaru, but alas. I guess it makes for greater drama in the end.
Okay. This is the episode all of us *astute* Sess/Kag fans have been waiting for, ever since this particular chapter was released. You seriously have to squint for subtext, but this is the sort of interaction I love between these two - Sesshoumaru being his badass, dismissive self, and Kagome just kinda following along at a safe distance, knowing that's her safest bet to keep herself from getting killed, as well as perhaps finding Inuyasha as well. My favorite part was definitely the "we fly" scene. I LOL'ed, not even gonna lie - I couldn't tell if she was casually hanging on to mokomoko already or not, but she certainly did when he took off! Absolutely adorable. And, see, this is just how I picture them, especially when I'm writing on my post-canon serial that forces them together, without love or even common regard. Sesshoumaru is so focused on his goal - finding Rin, destroying Magatsuhi - that he doesn't even really notice she's there. To him, Kagome is a means to an end, an asset to be used - nothing more, nothing less.
That doesn't stop my shipper heart from melting into a puddle of goo, though. Love it!!
Loved the entire scene with the brothers, their showdown and their fighting and, of course, Sesshoumaru having the chance to finally best his opponent. The action was really pretty flawless to my eye, very fast moving and the sequences flowed well. The one thing I hated, though, was when they cut from the mediou zangetsuha straight outside to Jaken, Shippo, and Kohaku. WTF PEOPLE, JARRING MUCH?! Jeez. That was not the right time or place for that little cut scene, even if it was where it happened in the manga.
Priorities, people.
And - okay, even if you don't get the whole Sess/Kag vibe, there was plenty of Inu/Kag goodness, including a flashback to the 494 scene where Inuyasha declares he'll protect her with his life. *sigh* Gold. Loved it, loved that it was that memory that brought him out of Magatsuhi's hold (even if Sesshoumaru thought it was dumb, LOL). Sess recognized his moment and took it, obliterating Magatsuhi with one savage sweep of Tenseiga - and him being all badass is the final still of the episode.
FUCK YES.
This is going on my repeat-watch list, LOL.
And, even though I complained about it, I loved the scene with Shippo and Jaken. I was seriously LOLing all over the place when they started fighting about how they were gonna get up to Naraku's spider ball. Jaken just cracks me up, period, because he's so much the long-suffering yet loyal servant and retainer to his lord. I'd almost say he deserves better than Sesshoumaru's foot in his face, but alas...he deserves that, too.
So - yeah. Wonderful episode, in my estimation, after a string of "blah" ones. The anticipation of Miroku's wind tunnel breaking, of Inuyasha's possession and subsequent pursuits of Kagome and Rin, and Sesshoumaru's display of power? *fans self* It was much needed!! FOr once, I didn't mind the breakneck speed with which it all commenced...
Next week: The Inutachi falls for Naraku's illusions of Rin, including Sango - who makes a dangerous choice: her life for Miroku's.
Here's hoping they can keep up the good work!
This is just a warning: if you aren't a Sess/Kag fan (or if you never understood where interest in the Sess/Kag dynamic comes from those of us who aren't in love with Sesshoumaru), just GTFO. Because I'mma gush. A LOT. A LOT A LOT A LOT.
Oh, and some Mir/San love, too <3
Everything finally seemed to click together in this episode - we get a bit of shipping, a lot of action, character redemption, and even some lighthearted comedy. The art was gorgeous (by which I mean, Miroku and Sesshoumaru were gorgeous - they are my character benchmarks, especially in action sequences). This episode exceeded my expectations, even if it did piss me off in a few places.
It's been awhile since I read the manga chapters associated with this particular arc, so I'm not sure but I did feel there were some inconsistencies with Inuyasha's changing back and forth from demon-hearted youkai and his normal hanyou state. It lessens the impact of the fact that only catching Kagome purified him in the end, even if he did manage to salvage his link to Tessaiga even while lost in the midst of the jewel's corruption.
But the rest? Gold.
I love that we started off with some Mir/San, and that we "saw" the death of Miroku's father. Naraku was successful in his use of this illusion, as it was not Miroku he was aiming for - but to show Sango just how devastating her fiance's death would be if he was swallowed by his wind tunnel. It worked, too, because they ultimately ended up separating, after Miroku opened it to save Sango from some of Naraku's creepy minions. I hate that the storyline took this particular turn, especially as it leads up to the conflict between Sango and Sesshoumaru, but alas. I guess it makes for greater drama in the end.
Okay. This is the episode all of us *astute* Sess/Kag fans have been waiting for, ever since this particular chapter was released. You seriously have to squint for subtext, but this is the sort of interaction I love between these two - Sesshoumaru being his badass, dismissive self, and Kagome just kinda following along at a safe distance, knowing that's her safest bet to keep herself from getting killed, as well as perhaps finding Inuyasha as well. My favorite part was definitely the "we fly" scene. I LOL'ed, not even gonna lie - I couldn't tell if she was casually hanging on to mokomoko already or not, but she certainly did when he took off! Absolutely adorable. And, see, this is just how I picture them, especially when I'm writing on my post-canon serial that forces them together, without love or even common regard. Sesshoumaru is so focused on his goal - finding Rin, destroying Magatsuhi - that he doesn't even really notice she's there. To him, Kagome is a means to an end, an asset to be used - nothing more, nothing less.
That doesn't stop my shipper heart from melting into a puddle of goo, though. Love it!!
Loved the entire scene with the brothers, their showdown and their fighting and, of course, Sesshoumaru having the chance to finally best his opponent. The action was really pretty flawless to my eye, very fast moving and the sequences flowed well. The one thing I hated, though, was when they cut from the mediou zangetsuha straight outside to Jaken, Shippo, and Kohaku. WTF PEOPLE, JARRING MUCH?! Jeez. That was not the right time or place for that little cut scene, even if it was where it happened in the manga.
Priorities, people.
And - okay, even if you don't get the whole Sess/Kag vibe, there was plenty of Inu/Kag goodness, including a flashback to the 494 scene where Inuyasha declares he'll protect her with his life. *sigh* Gold. Loved it, loved that it was that memory that brought him out of Magatsuhi's hold (even if Sesshoumaru thought it was dumb, LOL). Sess recognized his moment and took it, obliterating Magatsuhi with one savage sweep of Tenseiga - and him being all badass is the final still of the episode.
FUCK YES.
This is going on my repeat-watch list, LOL.
And, even though I complained about it, I loved the scene with Shippo and Jaken. I was seriously LOLing all over the place when they started fighting about how they were gonna get up to Naraku's spider ball. Jaken just cracks me up, period, because he's so much the long-suffering yet loyal servant and retainer to his lord. I'd almost say he deserves better than Sesshoumaru's foot in his face, but alas...he deserves that, too.
So - yeah. Wonderful episode, in my estimation, after a string of "blah" ones. The anticipation of Miroku's wind tunnel breaking, of Inuyasha's possession and subsequent pursuits of Kagome and Rin, and Sesshoumaru's display of power? *fans self* It was much needed!! FOr once, I didn't mind the breakneck speed with which it all commenced...
Next week: The Inutachi falls for Naraku's illusions of Rin, including Sango - who makes a dangerous choice: her life for Miroku's.
Here's hoping they can keep up the good work!
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And I am unashamed.
That is all.
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*squee*
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I was going to be a selfish shipper and just cap the M/S bits, but then I saw this part and changed my mind.
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Bliss.
And this Sess/Kag shipper thanks you for your consideration, LOL :D
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And I'm always glad to make the world a happier place! =P
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Okay, I was really, really exhausted, but when I saw your little teaser, I had to watch! And OMG, I'm so glad I did. Favorite line by far? "You chose the worst possible person to possess!" (or something like that). If that's not seeing the value/innocence/purity/whatever in Kagome, I don't know what is. :P I also loved, loved, loved the moment he realized that Inuyasha is regaining control - the shift in his gaze is really subtle, but very well done. And calling out for Rin? *squee*
Ahem. Sorry. (Not really, lol.)
The Miroku/Sango bits were absolutely heart-wrenching - I agree that I wish the story hadn't taken this turn, but at the same time, the whole scene really reveals the depth of love she has for him in a not-as-restrained way that it sometimes is. And I really appreciated the Inu/Kag bits too - Kagome especially had a lot of strength in this episode, which is a characteristic all too easily forgotten at times.
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I was on a manic high after seeing this (and a review for Fleeting - I mean, my night couldn't get much better!). I've been waiting and waiting and waiting for the action to pick up, and it did in a big way. Plus the animators totally gave us our shippy moments, for all three couples (and as a fan of all three, I kinda loved it all, goggles firmly in place LOL).
Favorite line by far? "You chose the worst possible person to possess!" (or something like that). If that's not seeing the value/innocence/purity/whatever in Kagome, I don't know what is. :P
Well, I think he was technically still referring to Inuyasha, since he'd said that before upon finding him possessed, but I'm all for the cut scene to Kagome, LOL. You couldn't ask for a better visual representation of what I was thinking about during that scene in Allegiance, tho. This anime finally delivered unto me some muse-fuel gold :D
Ahem. Sorry. (Not really, lol.)
No need to be sorry in a shameless shipping post! There was something for everyone in this episode!
The Miroku/Sango bits were absolutely heart-wrenching
It was a great example of how Sango's emotions can get the better of her. I loved the scene at the end of the illusion where she falls into Miroku's arms. In so many ways she's a female version of Sesshoumaru - focused, intense, clamping down hard on her emotions in order to get the job done - so its nice to see the strain, the desperation that goes into her threatening Rin's life.
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Definitely! Heck, I'd say there were little crumbs for more than just 3 relationships. Even if the Inu/Kik ship has sailed at this point, there was still confirmation of how deeply he regretted how everything ended. And you know I love Sesshoumaru's concern for Rin - in whatever light it can be cast! *tightens own goggles* :P
Well, I think he was technically still referring to Inuyasha, since he'd said that before upon finding him possessed, but I'm all for the cut scene to Kagome, LOL.
Oh, yeah. I know. ;) But it seems very odd to place that line there, so I'm going to say it's an ambiguous double-meaning and go with the Kagome side of things, lol.
This anime finally delivered unto me some muse-fuel gold :D
Yay!
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Things I did like. The fight between Jaken and Shippou was precious. They both pretend to be brave. I am glad Kohaku took them in hand. The illusion of Miroku's father's death is so much more vivid in the anime. I liked the meeting between Rin and IY. That and the MZ which missed Fluffy showed clearly that IY was fighting the possession. Riding the Fluff looked just as silly in the anime as it did in the manga. It was not as if Sesshoumaru even noticed that he was there. They gave the line about the fact that IY's sanity was hiding in his sword to Magatsuhi. It belonged to Sesshumaru and is important because he realizes that IY is fighting against Magatsuhi and is why he is not willing to use Bakusaiga. Glad they included the line where Sesshoumaru called Kagome an idiot for going to get the sword and falling off a cliff. It is only appellation he uses for her in the entire manga. He never calls her Miko.
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I thought it was different! I noticed, of course, when Inuyasha didn't catch Kagome when she fell off the cliff. It was dumb to add the wind scar where they did, cause it took away from Sesshoumaru's moment, but I guess they decided they would railroad as much action into the sequence as possible.
I'm sure when I reread the manga chapters I'm going to be really angry, LOL!!
The fight between Jaken and Shippou was precious.
Their going back and forth with Kohaku on Ah-Un was hilarious. It definitely lightened the mood a little, but I could've done without the sudden cut from Inuyasha's mediou release (even if that did provide their way in...)
Riding the Fluff looked just as silly in the anime as it did in the manga.
It was hilarious! So Sesshoumaru to not even notice/care she was there, even if he did say "we fly". That's what I love about him, not gonna lie - his grand focus. YUM.
They gave the line about the fact that IY's sanity was hiding in his sword to Magatsuhi. It belonged to Sesshumaru and is important because he realizes that IY is fighting against Magatsuhi and is why he is not willing to use Bakusaiga.
Well of course - they had to switch around the lines so they could throw in those inconsequential bits about how Inuyasha was never his brother, or whatever. I rolled my eyes and carried on because really, what else can you do? Hope the people watching the anime read the manga?