"Inuyasha" (2000) TV series 2000-2004

Creator:

Rumiko Takahashi

Seasons:

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6

Release Date:

31 August 2002 (USA)

Genre:

Animation | Action | Adventure | Comedy | Drama | Fantasy | Romance | Thriller

Tagline:

The evolution of Naraku!

Plot:

A teenage girl periodically travels back in time to feudal Japan to help a young half demon recover the shards of a orb of great power.

Plot Keywords:

Jewel | Demon | Priestess | Reincarnation | Well

US TV Schedule:

Sun. Dec. 13	5:00 AM	TOON
Sun. Dec. 13	5:30 AM	TOON

Cast

Kappei Yamaguchi	...	Inuyasha / ... (67 episodes, 2000-2004)
Satsuki Yukino	...	Higurashi Kagome / ... (67 episodes, 2000-2004)
Moneca Stori	...	Kagome Higurashi (64 episodes, 2000-2004)
Richard Ian Cox	...	Inuyasha / ... (62 episodes, 2000-2004)
Kumiko Watanabe	...	Shippou / ... (56 episodes, 2000-2004)
Jillian Michaels	...	Shippou / ... (55 episodes, 2000-2004)
Kôji Tsujitani	...	Miroku (52 episodes, 2001-2004)
Houko Kuwashima	...	Sango (49 episodes, 2001-2004)
Kirby Morrow	...	Miroku (49 episodes, 2001-2004)
Kelly Sheridan	...	Sango (48 episodes, 2001-2004)
Paul Dobson	...	Myoga / ... (43 episodes, 2000-2004)
Dominik Auer	...	Inuyasha (40 episodes, 2000-2004)
Tadahisa Saizen	...	Villager a / ... (35 episodes, 2000-2004)
Kenichi Ogata	...	Myoga (28 episodes, 2000-2004)

Runtime:

24 min (167 episodes)

Country:

Japan

Language:

Japanese | English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

Canada:14 (Nova Scotia) (video rating) | Canada:14+ (Quebec) (video rating) | Canada:18A (Manitoba) (video rating) | USA:TV-14 | Australia:M (some episodes) | South Korea:12 | Argentina:13 | Germany:12 | Singapore:Unrated | Spain:13 | USA:TV-PG (some episodes) | Australia:MA

Company:

Yomiuri Telecasting Corporation (YTV)

Trivia:

Kagome's name is written only in hiragana, the Japanese phonetic alphabet; since there are no kanji assigned to it, it does not actually carry its own meaning. However, it sounds like a word referring to a woven bamboo pattern. "Kagome" is also a nonsense sound featured prominently in a children's song.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: When Inuyasha was fighting Kohaku, he says that he's covered in blood, but Kohaku has no blood on him at all.

Quotes:

Kagome: Oh, wow! He proposed to her!
Inuyasha: He poses a what?

Movie Connections:

Spin off Inuyasha - Tenka hadou no ken (2003)

Soundtrack:

I Am

Strongly recommended to those who enjoy a rich, entertaining fantasy tale.

It's a shame that viewers outside of Asia tend to shun anime as "kid's stuff". Though the Inuyasha anime series seems to be directed at a predominantly teen aged audience even in Japan, Rumiko Takahashi is a master storyteller and Inuyasha nonetheless appeals to people of all different ages, genders and backgrounds. Nobody spins a tale like Takahashi and Inuyasha is a brilliant example of her skill. Weaving a complex storyline interspersed with action, fantasy, the innocence of young love, and a cast of endearing though fallible characters, Inuyasha is a rich fantasy tale drawn from Japanese mythology and set in feudal Japan. Names and references to actual Japanese historical and mythological characters interwoven into the story gives this series added texture and richness not readily found in most graphic novels. Takahashi lightens the serious tone at times with uniquely Takahashi humor (often imitated, never duplicated) and creates credible, flawed characters whose shortcomings become endearing over time. If the animation is too childish for you, try reading the original graphic novel series, which is even more outstanding since the anime doesn't do Takahashi's comic timing any justice. Strongly recommended to those who enjoy a rich, entertaining fantasy tale.