InuYasha
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The Girl Who Overcame Time... and the Boy Who Was Just Overcome is the first episode of the InuYasha anime.

Synopsis[]

  1. Inuyasha attempts to steal the Shikon no Tama, but Kikyō seals him to the sacred tree before dying.
  2. Modern-day Kagome Higurashi, the reincarnation of Kikyō, is pulled through her family's well to the Sengoku jidai.
  3. 50 years have passed, and Inuyasha awakens and Kagome frees him from his seal.

Summary[]

The hanyō Inuyasha is in the middle of stealing the Shikon Jewel from a village in feudal era Japan. The villagers yell that Inuyasha is here and try to trap him with a net but he easily breaks free as he smirks. The villagers tried to trap Inuyasha again with arrows and ropes but he dodges them. Inuyasha breaks into the temple through the roof and grabs the Sacred Jewel. The villagers bust through the doors throwing spears at Inuyasha. Inuyasha dodges and escapes the temple through the roof with the Sacred Jewel as the temple explodes. Inuyasha says to himself that'll teach them and with the Sacred Jewel in his possession he can become a real demon at last. As Inuyasha is escaping the village, a fatally wounded Kikyō calls out to him before shooting him with her Sacred Arrow pinning him to the Sacred Tree. Inuyasha reaches out for the Sacred Jewel as it falls on the ground. Inuyasha is surprised as he calls out to Kikyō and asks how could she and he thought before he peacefully falls asleep. The injured Kikyō staggers towards the Sacred Jewel before she drops her bow and kneels down. Kaede and the villagers rush to Kikyō's side. One of the villagers says Kikyō is badly wounded. Kaede asks Kikyō how did she get hurt. Kikyō says it was her cowardliness and mutters that it was all for the Jewel of the Four Souls then aches in pain. Kaede tries to comfort Kikyō and tells her they must tend to her injury. Kikyō says to Kaede that she is beyond saving and tells Kaede and take the Sacred Jewel and burn it with her body as it must never get into the hands of evil-doers. Kikyō falls to the ground and dies. As Kikyō's body is burned with the Sacred Jewel she vows to take it with her to the other world.

Kikyo's Reincarnation, Kagome

Kagome with a replica of the Jewel of Four Souls

In 1997 Tokyo, 14-year-old Kagome Higurashi is being told the story of the Shikon no Tama by her grandfather. Her grandfather gets upset when he notices Kagome isn't interested in his stories. He gives her an early birthday gift, the mummified foot of a water imp, which she gives to her cat Buyo to eat.

The next morning is Kagome's 15th birthday. As Kagome leaves for school she notices her brother Sōta near the shrine's sacred well. Approaching him she stands beside her brother in the doorway, asking what's going on. He explains he believes the cat is down near the well. Kagome heads inside towards the well in search of Buyo. They hear a scratching sound that scares Sōta, but Kagome continues down the stairs, convinced it is Buyo. Kagome walks down the steps and finds Buyo. Just then, the well explodes in a flash of blue light and a monstrous creature grabs Kagome and pulls her down into the well.

Kagome meets Inuyasha

Kagome meets Inuyasha

As the monster exclaims that it can feel its power returning, Kagome demands that it let her go and she pushes it away. Suddenly, a purple flash of light hits the monster, sending it away from her as it screams about the Sacred Jewel. Kagome then lands at the bottom of the well and, thinking she's still home, she calls for her brother to get their grandfather. Using the vines in the well to climb out she quickly notices that she isn't home anymore, as she is now in a forest. She searches around the clearing hoping to find her family when she sees the Sacred Tree from her family shrine. Walking closer to the tree she notices the half-dog demon Inuyasha pinned to the tree. Curious, she reaches up and pets his cute little dog ears. The villagers, thinking that Kagome is a demon, attack her and capture her when they notice her near Inuyasha. The villagers tie up Kagome and take her to their village. The villagers question Kagome being a young girl in strange clothes from a foreign land, wondering if her appearance means war, with some of the villagers wondering if she is a kitsune in disguise. Kagome thinks to herself why are all the village men wearing topknots and wonders where she is. High Priestess Kaede appears and approaches Kagome. Kagome thinks to herself that Kaede is another weirdo. One of the villager men grabs Kaede's bow from her before she throws purification salt on Kagome. Kagome shakes off the purification salt and asks Kaede what is she doing.

Kaede tells Kagome the villagers told her a demon was found in Inuyasha's Forest and she thought some ritual purification was in order. One of the village men questions Kaede that Kagome could be a foreign spy. Kaede wonders why a spy would be sent to such a poor village as theirs. Kaede says to Kagome to let her take a good look at her face before she grabs her face and examines her and tells her to look clever, annoying Kagome. Kaede releases her hand from Kagome and tells her she looks like her sister Kikyō. Kaede releases Kagome and takes her to her hut and makes stew for dinner. Kaede tells Kagome to forgive her and the villagers as they are living in a time of war, so everyone is on edge. Kagome asks Kaede if this isn't Tokyo. Kaede questions Kagome about Tokyo as she's never heard of such a place and wonders if that is her homeland. Kagome confirms it and says she'd like to go home soon but thinks to herself that she doesn't know how. Kaede looks at Kagome as she remembers the conversation she had with her older sister Kikyō before she died and reflects that 50 years have passed since that day.

Meanwhile, Mistress Centipede, the demon that dragged Kagome into the well, attacks the village. Kaede and Kagome go outside the hut as Kaede wonders what's going on. The villagers' attempts to stop Mistress Centipede have little effect. Mistress Centipede tells Kagome to hand her the Sacred Jewel and attacks. Kaede questions the Sacred Jewel and asks Kagome if she has it. Kagome tells Kaede she doesn't know anything about the Sacred Jewel. The villagers continue shooting arrows at Mistress Centipede, who tells Kagome to give it to her. Mistress Centipede rapidly spins her body in a tornado-like motion. Kagome thinks to herself that Mistress Centipede is after her specifically. The villagers lament that their weapons have no effect against the demon. Kaede says they must throw Mistress Centipede into the Bone-Eater's Well. Kagome questions Kaede about the Bone-Eater's Well. Kaede tells Kagome the well is in Inuyasha's Forest. Kagome thinks to herself that's the well she climbed out of and asks Kaede which way is the forest and she runs toward a light. Kaede is surprised as Mistress Centipede rushes past her after Kagome.

Kagome runs thinking she'll lure the demon away from the village. Kaede questions Kagome and wonders how can an ordinary girl see the foul vapors that rise from the forest. The villagers and Kaede follow Kagome on horseback. While Kagome is running from the demon she calls for help. When she does this, the spell on Inuyasha breaks and he wakes up saying he smells the blood of the woman who 'killed' him. Inuyasha tries to pull out the sacred arrow pinned to his chest but is unable to. Mistress Centipede attacks Kagome and she lands in front of the Sacred Tree. Inuyasha calls Kagome 'Kikyō' and asks her why she was wasting her time with Mistress Centipede. Kagome looks up to see Inuyasha awake and thinks to herself did she just hear him talking and asks him if he's alive. Inuyasha tells Kagome to kill Mistress Centipede in one strike the same way she killed him. Inuyasha becomes confused and tells Kagome to not look so dumb and asks if she's lost her mind while he continually refers to her as Kikyō. Annoyed, Kagome is says she is not this Kikyō person. Inuyasha tells Kagome that Mistress Centipede is coming. Mistress Centipede comes out of the Sacred Tree and tries to go after Kagome but is stopped by the villagers. Kagome tells herself she is saved. Inuyasha tells Kagome that she is hopeless and calls her 'Kikyō' again. Kagome tells Inuyasha to not mistake her as she isn't 'Kikyō'. Inuyasha tells Kagome to shut up and says she has the same scent as Kikyō, but on further inspection he finds that she is in fact not Kikyō after all. Kagome tells Inuyasha her name is Kagome. Inuyasha tells Kagome that Kikyō seemed smarter and was a beauty, offending Kagome. While she is distracted, Mistress Centipede grabs her. To keep from getting taken Kagome grabs Inuyasha's hair.

Kaede tries to figure out why Inuyasha woke up when the spell should have lasted forever, while Inuyasha wonders why Kagome has the Shikon Jewel. Mistress Centipede attempts to bite Kagome but Kagome unknowingly blasts her, cutting off several arms like she had done in the well. The Shikon Jewel then glows in Kagome's side and Mistress Centipede bites her and throws her into the air. As Kagome falls, the Shikon Jewel flies out of the hole bitten in her side. Mistress Centipede then pins Kagome to Inuyasha and the tree by wrapping her long body around it. The demon insults Inuyasha, who claims he can beat her. Kagome asks if what he says is true while Mistress Centipede proceeds to eat the Shikon Jewel.

Exactly

Inuyasha threatens Kagome

Inuyasha tells Kagome to pull the arrow out of him so he can save them. Kaede warns Kagome against it, saying Inuyasha will kill them all. Inuyasha says that they will all die if he doesn't save them, and so Kagome pulls the arrow free with the desire to live fresh in her mind. Inuyasha quickly destroys Mistress Centipede with his "Iron Reaver Soul Stealer" and Kaede gets the Jewel from her remains once Kagome tells her where it is. Kaede returns the Jewel to Kagome, telling her that she is now the protector of the Jewel. Kagome wonders how it even got inside her body when Inuyasha interrupts her thoughts, threatening to kill her if she doesn't give him the Jewel. Kagome wonders how he can be so bad after saving all of their lives and fears she may have been wrong to free him.

Characters in Order of Appearance[]

Music[]

  • Opening Theme — CHANGE THE WORLD — TV OST Vol. 1
  • Inuyasha debuts and steals Sacred Jewel — Fight to the Death (Shitō) — TV OST Vol. 1
  • Grandpa Higurashi gives Kagome gifts, she plays with Buyo — Cheer Up! Hōjo-kun (Ganbare! Hōjō-kun) — TV OST Vol. 1
  • Mistress Centipede drags Kagome into the well — Evil Spirits Desiring the Shikon no Tama (Shikon no Tama o Nerau Chimimōryō) — TV OST Vol. 1
  • Kagome discovers Inuyasha pinned to the tree — Longing (Bojō) — TV OST Vol. 1
  • Villagers suspect Kagome is a demon — Searching for the Shikon no Tama (Shikon no Tama o Motomete) —TV OST Vol. 1
  • Centipede attacks village, Kagome runs to forest — Fang Sword, Tessaiga (Kiba no Ken Tessaiga) — TV OST Vol. 1
  • Centipede tries attacking Kagome, she steals the Sacred Jewel — Attack (Shūgeki) — TV OST Vol. 1
  • Inuyasha is freed, he kills the centipede — Big Counterattack (Daihangeki) — TV OST Vol. 1
  • InuYasha desires the Jewel — Sign of Unrest (Fuon na Kehai) — TV OST Vol. 1
  • Ending Theme — My Will — TV OST Vol. 1

Notes[]

  • This episode marks one the few times the Shikon Jewel is referred to as "Shikon no Tama" in the English dub.
  • In the English dub Kagome references the Wizard of Oz: "Toto, I think we're not in Tokyo anymore."
  • After seeing Kagome's weird clothing a villager says 'Them Shape-shifting fox's are a lot trickier than that' referencing Kitsune the same type of demon Shippō is.
  • Although this is the first episode, this isn't the first time Inuyasha has killed Mistress Centipede.
  • Although Sango doesn't make her first appearance until episode 24, she appears in the ending credits.
  • Myōga, Sesshōmaru, and Jaken are listed in the credits. However, they don't appear until episode 5.
  • This is one of the few times Kagome is not wearing a skirt and/or out-of-uniform.
  • The only error of the episode is the distance between Kikyō's spot where she shoots her arrow to Inuyasha and seal him to the Sacred Tree. In the beginning of the episode, the two are at a short distance. But when Kagome comes to the tree, the spot that Kikyō stood is no where in sight.

Differences from the manga[]

  • The opening scene is expanded to show Inuyasha fighting with the villagers and stealing the Shikon Jewel from inside a shrine instead of him jumping over the burning village. This places the Goshinboku at the site of a well-developed, hilly shrine, which is later shown to not be the case.
  • In the anime, Kaede throws purification salt on Kagome before taking a look at her face.
  • In the manga, Kaede explains about Kikyō and her role in the village to Kagome while making their supper. In the same scene, Kagome is still bound hand and foot, demanding for Kaede to untie her so she can eat. This is not present in the anime.
  • In the manga, it's Kagome, not Kaede, who removes the Shikon Jewel from Mistress Centipede.


◀ Season 1 
Episodes 1  •  2  •  3  •  4  •  5  •  6  •  7  •  8  •  9  •  10  •  11  •  12  •  13  •  14  •  15  •  16  •  17  •  18  •  19  •  20  •  21  •  22  •  23  •  24  •  25  •  26  •  27
Themes CHANGE THE WORLD  •  My Will  •  Fukai Mori
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