Recap: Seekers of the Sacred Jewel

Hello again, and welcome to the dog phase of my Chinese Zodiac theme. I wanted to have this done sooner; but this heat wave has been murder on me. On top of that, we might be moving soon and I have to really get myself in gear for my plans. 

That said, let’s talk InuYasha. This anime is an old reliable high concept: combine elements of period drama; a fish-out-of-water love story, and quite a bit of stellar action as the eponymous “dog demon” (roughly translated) slices apart yokai with his claws and a sword made from his father’s teeth; as Kagome courts him in one of the most bizarre love stories ever, but still not as bizarre as Bella Swan and Edward Cullen’s. 

I would have done the first episode; but there were too many elements that would have pushed the content past the “hard PG13” I cap my content at, or at least try to. I can easily do R when I’m having a rough time. Even so, the second episode still provides plenty of material. So, let’s open up “Seekers of the Sacred Jewel!”

After a stirring orchestral opening, we are now dealing with the aftermath of the pilot: despite the fact that the village has been saved from a massive centipede (said centipede was a key element why I decided not to recap the pilot), InuYasha is still considered a pariah by the villagers. Not that different from how Adult Swim did after 2007, really. 

Anyway, the elder, once a child that crossed paths with him; bestows a charm necklace which puts him under the control of Kagome; who is a descendant of a woman named Kikyo.  In true dog fashion; he’s quelled with a simple “sit!” 

Amid the situation; InuYasha naturally doesn’t like it one bit as he laments the whole thing with Kagome in the elder’s cabin. 

He also recognizes the elder from when she was younger. It seems one of the abilities granted to him is the inability to age. So, he’s physically and emotionally a teenager in the midst of a girl who’s a descendant of Kikyo. This is going to be fun.

Some things never change, huh?

It also turns out Kagome is in possession of the sacred jewel that relates to the episode; which keeps her safe from everything going on. Naturally, we find that many people are after it as well; wanting to use it for evil. 

I also note that Kagome is taking the fact she’s in the Warring States period shockingly well. Even as she shares some vegetables with InuYasha; she’s very accepting of the whole thing.

Even so, she does realize what’s going on by that evening. 

I just realized-I'm away from my friends and family in a time period I may not survive in!

Even as she’s kidnapped; she won’t take any shit from her captors, whose leader is possessed by a yokai! Not Whisper, thankfully: that dick splash wouldn’t survive here.

Despite the thinly-veiled sexual tension between them, InuYasha does decide to help take down their leader. 

He manages to tear the crow yokai out, but the crow swipes the jewel and flies off with it!

It’s up to Kagome to take up the bow and fight; but her marksmanship isn’t the best right off.

Still, the lush forest settings are surprisingly well-done after all these years.

Amid all the chaos, Kagome rescues a child from drowning as he gets caught in the crossfire! 

Alas, the crystal has been destroyed; and now they must spend quite a bit of time collecting the shards.

“Seekers of the Sacred Jewel” is a worthwhile experience for early InuYasha. While it has aged; and I’m not the biggest fan of the series (I was more of a Full Metal Alchemist guy), I do like its use of the period setting and dark tone in how it handles the yokai; including InuYasha himself. The animation is also great from Sunrise (Mobile Suit Gundam, Code Geass); and I may look at more in the future; since there is material. Next up: I reach pigs in the cycle, so it’s time to look at the Dragon Ball episode “Oolong the Terrible!” See you, space cowboy!