Inuyasha - Special Limited Edition (Vols. 1-3)

Kagome Higurashi is an ordinary girl living with her family at an old Shinto shrine. That is, until an old well takes her back in time to an era of warring lords and demons, where she finds that she is the reincarnation of the venerated priestess Kikyo, who died clutching the Sacred Shikon Jewel fifty years before. As the jewel resurfaces (from inside Kagome's body), she inadvertantly wakes a powerful half-demon, Inu-yasha, from the spell Kikyo used when he stole the jewel.

Since Kagome is the spitting image of Kikyo, Inuyasha doesn't like her. But when Kagome accidently shatters and scatters the jewel, they have to work together (she can sense where they are, he can fight for them). They battle the prissy Yura, who uses hair as a weapon, a monstrous toad, Inuyasha's cold-as-ice half-brother Sesshoumaru, who is trying to find an incredibly powerful sword made from their father's fang, and the deadly (and very immature) Thunder Brothers, one of whom wants to turn Kagome into a hair-growth remedy.

If there were some way of cross-breeding "Lord of the Rings" with "Much Ado About Nothing" and a few of those great old martial arts movies, the result might be something like "Inu-yasha." At least, that's as close as it can get. One of the major complications with this DVD set is that, since it has the first three DVDs, it ends on a massive cliffhanger (as many of the Inu-yasha DVDs do). So have Volume Four on hand, or prepare to shriek with frustration.

The picture of a fantastical medieval Japan is pretty exciting, with demons popping up all over the place. The animation is pretty good, although occasionally flawed (Inu-yasha's sword, the Tetsusaiga, keeps changing size); while the early episodes don't have as many "romantic-cute" moments of later episodes, they do have some comedy (Kagome trying to rip Inu-yasha's clothes off) sprinkled through the drama and action.

Inu-yasha is, at first glance, a rude and very crabby teen boy with superhuman strength and some serious emotional issues. But you get to see his softer side, like when he thinks he's seeing his dead mother again. Kagome seems a little dizzy at first, but by the second DVD she's adjusted enough to be smart, capable, and good backup for Inuyasha. Regulars such as the orphaned fox-demon Shippo and the wise but wussy flea Myoga also join Inu-yasha and Kagome on their quest.

The first three volumes of the Inu-yasha series are solid and enjoyable, full of action, humor, and in the wind-up for some romance too. If they had included the fourth DVD in this set, rather than leaving it at a cliffhanger, then it would have been even better.


Good Start   February 3, 2004
Matt Benner (allentown, pa United States)
9 out of 9 found this review helpful

This is an excellent buy. For big fans of inuyasha this is a great start. Not only do you get vol. 1-3 but it comes in a limited edition box set with lots of extras. To make things better, it only costs the same as two volumes.

Inuyasha is a great anime with a story that can be enjoyed by anyone. The animation is done very well as are the voice overs. This series has surpassed one hundred episodes and is still continuing. That within itself tells you that this series is bound to be a classic.


Simply Exquisite   January 31, 2004
HULK SMASH!!! (HULK SMASH)
7 out of 39 found this review helpful

...hulk smash?
...hulk smash.
...HULK SMASH!
HULK SMASH!!
HULK SMASH!!!
HULK SMASH!!!!
AH HA HA HA HA!!!!
HULK SMASH!!!! AH HA HA HA!!!

...mufasa...