Inuyasha is a classic introductory anime: if you've yet to watch an anime or if you're looking for a traditional anime, you should see Inuyasha. Despite its numerous flaws, the show holds a special place in many viewers' hearts due to its addictive characters, exquisite animation and soundtrack, and unending nature.
The series follows the adventures of fifteen year old Kagome Higurashi, an ordinary schoolgirl who accidentally falls down a well in the old family shrine and ends up in the feudal era of Japan. Kagome and friends Inuyasha, Miroku, Sango, Shippo, and Kirara wrestle against wicked humans, demons, and their own hearts, all the while trying to locate the shards of the mysterious Shikon Jewel before Naraku can get ahold of them.
Inuyasha is an instant classic primarily because it truly is a "feudal fairytale," immediately accessible to viewers of all ages. What really drives the series are the characters, each of whom is dynamic enough to support entire episodes (and perhaps even series) dedicated solely to their travels. Each member of Inuyasha's group has a story and a reason for fighting which unravels as the series progresses. Just as interesting as the main plot (if not moreso) are the sideplots revolving around Kikyo and Sesshomaru. Both characters manage to command a presence that makes them "main" characters despite the fact that they do not appear in every episode. Particularly, in the story between Kikyo and Inuyasha, Rumiko Takahashi manages to capture a sense of depth and emotion that is attempted in many anime but rarely achieved. (See especially Episodes 147-48: The Tragic Love Song of Destiny).
Despite its greatness, the show's criticism is warranted. At well over 150 episodes, the series is drawn out. However, it should be stressed that the "filler"/length issue is fundamentally different from length issues in other long-winded anime (e.g., Dragonball, Bleach). The filler stories in Inuyasha are not "arcs" but rather adventures that last an episode or two, so the viewer is never condemned to some non-canonical story for episodes on end. Nor is filler in Inuyasha entirely bad, for it nearly always moves the story along: for instance, many of the stories in season 4 are filler in nature, but they also provide hints about Naraku's whereabouts. Moreover, the filler in Inuyasha may actually be welcomed by the viewer, since it develops the characters. Indeed, the cast of Inuyasha is one that you will probably want to see more of, even if they are doing things irrelevant to the main plot (such as killing a food demon at the cultural festival).
Other obvious weaknesses abound. The series is rarely suspenseful and the fights become absurdly repetitive. The classic "level-up" nature of the characters can grow tiresome and the show lacks continuity at certain points. This is particularly true in the transition from the original series to "The Final Act," which moves the story along so abruptly in the first episode that one must read the manga to be able to understand why things are now different. from the way they were in episode 167. Indeed, The Final Act is deserving of its own review and analysis, but I have chosen to include it as part of this review. The Final Act is to be welcomed by viewers given that it provides an actual anime ending (as opposed to episode 167, which did nothing of the sort and forced viewers to rely on the manga), but it suffers from the serious flaw of attempting to cram too much material into 26 episodes. It is simply too fast-paced: this point becomes imminently clear when one realizes that Inuyasha only learned 3 moves in the the entire 167 episodes that were seasons 1-6, but learned 2 new moves in the mere 26 episodes that are The Final Act. In the end, Inuyasha's story is one of great promise which often delivers but often falls short due to the experimental way in which Takahashi develops the story.
Inuyasha's voice cast and soundtrack are absolutely superb and easily rank near the top among all anime. The English voice cast is to be highly recommended and in nearly all instances cannot be matched by the Japanese cast. Particularly the English voices of Inuyasha, Sesshomaru, Kikyo, Kagome, and Naraku become so intertwined with the character that an English viewer find himself incapable of watching the show in Japanese (indeed, in watching The Final Act in Japanese - as it was not yet dubbed - I found myself having to imagine the English cast saying whatever was dubbed rather than listening to the lackluster Japanese cast). Inuyasha's soundtrack shines in that it is not only extremely well done, but highly thematic: characters each have their own songs (if not several) and you will find yourself easily predicting what music will accompany a scene. Nor is the soundtrack so limited that its repetitiveness becomes a problem - the same soundtrack is used for the entire series (perhaps a few changes/additions in The Final Act), but I wouldn't have asked for anything else.
Last but not least, Inuyasha's animation (especially that of the earlier seasons) is exquisite. The scenery and, to an extent, characters are painting-like and can be likened that of a Miyazaki film. The animation later strays (see the beginning of the fourth season) and tries for a more polished, shiny look, but the show fortunately reverts to its original look by the end of the fourth season. The characters' faces can be far too similar to one another (though dress is always unique and interesting). I am a fan of the older, deeper look that is captured by Inuyasha and so I think that this ends up being one of the nicer animations out there.Much like this review, Inuyasha holds promise and often delivers but is often long-winded and lacking in direction. If you're like me, you will find yourself drawn in from the very beginning and incapable of letting go, no matter how bad the series may periodically become. Even knowing this, you will consider Inuyasha not only a success but an anime worth watching again.
Story: 8.2
Animation: 8.6
Sound: 9.3
Story: 8.2
Animation: 8.6
Sound: 9.3
Overall Score: 8.4 - Excellent
