There was a massive boom of new isekai anime made in the 2010s after the mega-popular Sword Art Online was released. As a result, the isekai subgenre has become popular among anime fans in recent times and new stories of protagonists transported to another world are constantly joining the fray.
Inuyasha may not be as popular as anime's traditional Big Three, but it has managed to stand the test of time for over two decades. Here's how the famous isekai by Rumiko Takahashi managed to stay on top for so long.
The Plot of Inuyasha
Set between modern-day Tokyo and Feudal Japan (Sengoku period), Kagome Higurashi is an average middle school student trying to graduate and get into high school. But her life changes forever on her 15th birthday when she learns about the Jewel of Four Souls (Shikon Jewel) and gets pulled into the well at her family’s shrine. Realizing she's no longer in Tokyo, Kagome soon stumbles upon a sleeping boy fixed to a tree by an arrow stabbed through his chest. Once she meets the nearby villagers, Kagome finally gets some answers. The village’s head priestess, Kaede, tells Kagome about the “Forest of Inuyasha” and the “Bone Eater’s Well.”
When she’s later attacked by the same demon who brought her into the Sengoku Period, Kagome frees the sleeping half-demon Inuyasha who kills Mistress Centipede; then Inuyasha sets his sights on Kagome. Kaede subdues Inuyasha by placing a set of magical beads around his neck, saying Kagome can stop him with a command to "sit". While Kagome's stuck in the past, she must protect the Shikon Jewel as Inuyasha tries to steal it. Problems arise, however, when a large demon crow picks up the jewel. After Inuyasha attacks the demon, the only way for them to get the jewel back is for Kagome to shoot it down with an arrow.
It’s the first time Kagome has used a bow and arrow, so she misses. On the second try, she attaches the bird’s dismembered foot to the arrow’s shaft, knowing the limb will try to reattach to the demon. Unfortunately, Kagome’s plan works a little too perfectly; a burst of light reveals the Shikon Jewel has shattered into pieces and scattered across the land. Kagome must go back and forth between the Feudal Era and modern Tokyo, struggling to balance school and hunting demons as she works to repair the broken jewel.
Inuyasha Remains One of the Most Popular Isekai Anime
Most isekai from the 2010s -- like Sword Art Online and The Rising of the Shield Hero -- focus on the (usually male) protagonist being transported into another world. Unlike these modern titles, Inuyasha has a classic feel and style to it, focusing on a young girl getting sent into another time period instead of a video-game reality like SAO.
Even with The Rising of the Shield Hero’s growing popularity, Inuyasha retains a solid and active fanbase full of people who make content like fanfiction and fanart on a regular basis. A search for Inuyasha on any mainstream social media platform like Twitter or TikTok will reveal a plethora of videos and other types of content instantly available. Although it’s difficult to pinpoint the most popular isekai anime to date, Inuyasha is definitely one of the most loved and memorable.
Inuyasha: The Manga vs the Anime
Many Inuyasha fans have criticized the animation studio, Sunrise (now Bandai Namco), for its portrayal of the beloved manga. While the anime is very similar to the manga, well-read fans know exactly where the studio went wrong. Most are annoyed about the tiring romantic feud between Inuyasha, Kagome and Kikyo; while it's present in both the Inuyasha anime and manga, the anime exaggerated the love triangle to the point of exhaustion.
Multiple fans have said the studio staff favored Kikyo and disliked Kagome, going so far as to add scenes that weren’t in the Inuyasha manga just to give Kikyo more screen time. The staff also exaggerated the love quarrel and there are a number of filler episodes throughout the anime, emphasizing Kagome's jealousy over Inuyasha's feelings for the deceased priestess. Of course, there are canon manga scenes where Inuyasha does chase after Kikyo, sometimes with Kagome’s “permission.” For example, after Kikyo dies at Mount Hakurei, Kagome tells Inuyasha to go look for her -- but Sunrise also removed some romantic scenes between Inuyasha and Kagome in favor of focusing on the love triangle.
Sunrise also made Kagome overuse the “sit” command on Inuyasha, shoehorning it into filler episodes and situations for comedic effect. This has led some fans to label Kagome and Inuyasha’s relationship as “abusive” because Kagome constantly punishes Inuyasha by telling him to “sit,” slamming his face into the ground. While fans have a right to think what they want, the command is used as a form of outdated slapstick comedy.
Inuyasha's Characters Give the Story Its Charm
Some characters in Inuyasha -- namely the main group -- are varied and complex and remain loved by many. New fans of the series should keep in mind that creator Rumiko Takahashi has a habit of repeating similar and overused tropes in her work: love triangles, perverted characters and other tropes that don't age well when viewed under a "modern" lens.
Despite reusing similar archetypes and tropes, Takahashi still manages to charm her audience and keep new and old fans coming back for more. For example, Sango is a unique and complex character who starts out as Inuyasha and Kagome’s enemy, teaming up with the series' main villain Naraku until he betrays her. Sango may not be as popular as Kagome, but she has great story development rightfully holds a special place in many fans’ hearts.
Inuyasha has plenty of differences from modern-day isekai anime, but its characters and plot keep fans intrigued as Takahashi's stories remain in the hearts of many -- even in 2022.