Manga

InuYasha
Written & Illustrated by: Rumiko Takahashi
Published by: Shogakukan
Premiered: November 13, 1996
Ended: June 18, 2008
Volumes: 56
Genre(s): Action, Adventure, Comedy, Drama, Fantasy, Historical, Romance, Shōnen, Supernatural
This series follows InuYasha who is half demon, half human from the Shengoku period, and Kagome, a human girl from the present. When a misstep sends Kagome to the past into InuYasha’s world, both are quested with the task to gather shards of the magical Jewel of Four Souls. A jewel that once assembled will grant immense power to whoever possesses it. And of course like many supernatural emblems, this jewel can be used for good or evil. Question is which will prevail?
 
Retrieving the shards becomes more than what Kagome and InuYasha have bargained for. Many foes and allies alike are also vying to obtain the shards.  The pair is forced to fight, hide, run, etc. Even InuYasha & Kagome have their own reasons for wanting the jewel whole again. A struggle that becomes very apparent throughout the series. Because of this, many conflicts arises between the two. However, despite that they are brought closer together, even adding more cohorts to their band of two. The differences between them add substance to the story making it more interesting and animated.
 
Both Kagome & InuYasha become important instruments on the search to retrieve the shards.  The story unfolds around each ones personal link to the jewel, something that neither is aware of.
 
I find that when reading a manga I like it to be either all violence or all romance, but for some reason with this series I found that the combination of both aspects being present at various times throughout the story kept me engrossed. Takahashi does a great job at maintaining that balance, and I enjoyed that.
 
For someone who is just starting to get into manga, InuYasha is a good first choice. I guarantee you will enjoy it. The story is not predictable, of course it has its highs and lows, but at moments when the readers least expect it.
 
The mixture of modern and ancient kept me intrigue. I found myself reading a few volumes a day. I am somewhat of a history buff, so I got to embellish in that with this series.
 
The pairing of the two protagonists is another reason that kept me attracted to the story. You have a head strong male, who is set in his ways, stubborn and protective. Then on the other end of the spectrum, you have a naïve teenage girl, who is away from home for the first time, wanting to do her own thing.  InuYasha’s world offers adventure, a place with supernatural powers, excitement, and danger.  Kagome is intrigued by all this. I would be to.  It definitely beats staying home to study. However, she can be reckless, which drives InuYasha up the wall.  Then on the other hand, you have InuYasha who is on a mission and wants to make no time for anything else. This frustrates Kagome because she is so willing to lend her aid to the unfortunates that they meet along the way. Nonetheless, even with their differences, I found that they complemented each other quite well.
 
This is a series that will take you on a good ride, it will make you laugh, cry, etc. You have your great and not so great moments, but the story is anything but boring. Rumiko does a great job taking readers back and forth through the past and the present. She makes sure that readers get to experience InuYasha and Kagome world alike.
 
This is a story that brings Japanese bedtime stories to life, stories that even Kagome herself heard about but dismissed as being fairy tales.
 
Despite all that, the one thing that annoyed me,  was that some of the crucial  characters were written out way to fast. There stories never really came to an abrupt end, leaving me with unanswered questions.
 
A GREAT READ!!!!!
 
If you want to add more to your InuYasha experience, be sure to watch the anime television series, which has 167 episodes. There is also the InuYasha final Act anime series, which consist of 26 episodes.  Similarly to the manga, the anime has also ended. The InuYasha series has also inspired 4 movies.
 
I enjoyed the anime series, although not as much as I enjoyed the mangas. This series can get a 8.5/10
 
Happy Reading
Riri