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13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
If only it were released more quickly!, January 11, 2000
This review is from: Inu-Yasha : A Feudal Fairy Tale, Vol. 1 (Comic)
As a devotee of Ranma 1/2, I decided to give Takahashi sensei's new title Inu Yasha a look. I was so surprised and pleased by it! In fact I think Takahashi sensei has vastly improved her repertoire with the introduction of Inu Yasha. The most notable instance is that of the heroine. I hate to admit this, but sometimes Akane just grates on my nerves. She's just a bit too bullheaded to use all her charm, strength, and intelligence to their utmost. Kagome, the heroine of Inu Yasha, definately does not have this problem. This girl knows what needs to be done and does it. She is strong and savy enough to battle the creepiest demons and monsters. She is smart and sensible enough to take care of herself even when her world is turned completely upside down. She is also sweet and sensitive enough to see the truth behind the tough veneer of a little girl's lost spirit (and sometimes behind a demon dog-boy's facade as well ^_^). Should you get Inu Yasha solely based on the merits of Kagome? It is worth it, but the complex and well-plotted story and the amazingly likeable and always interesting other characters are great too. Takahashi sensei combines horror, mystery, adventure and comedy with her signature touch of romance to sweeten the deal.
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12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Want to start a serious manga collection? Start here!, September 6, 2001
By A Customer
This review is from: Inu-Yasha : A Feudal Fairy Tale, Vol. 1 (Comic)
After being entranced by anime such as "Gundam Wing" and "Princess Mononoke," I decided to give manga a try, so I asked a friend, "What's a good manga series to have if you have to have just one?" His response: " 'Inu-Yasha,' hands down." Taking his advice, I tried the first volume. After reading it, one word: "Wow!" "Inu-Yasha" is definately one of the best things I've come across in a long time, and this is from a guy who spent most of his life reading sci-fi/fantasy novels. The story isn't too original -- Japanese high-school girl Kagome gets transported into the past and must collect the pieces of a mystical jewel with the help of the half-demon Inu-Yasha -- but then again, take a look at other outstanding manga: "Magic Knight Rayearth", "Fushigi Yuugi"...you get my point. Although the plot might not be original, a manga artist has to come up with a way to approach that plot in a fresh way. And Rumiko Takahashi does that in a well-crafted and satisfying way. Takahashi's artwork is superb...the ideal thing to start off any newbie's manga collection. The way she frames scenes is so good I can picture it in my mind. Blood and gore are present, and it's not just like a person's head being cut off; it's like a person's head being EATEN off! Luckily, however, the violence doesn't abound too much to draw the reader away from the manga's main attraction: Takahashi's humor. Never in my entire life have I laughed so hard at a work of fiction. The humor is so perfect it'll be hard to find another "anything" that can even compare to this. And while there is some nudity, it is very, very minor and doesn't interfere with the story at all. All in all, "Inu-Yasha" is probably the best way to jump-start a manga collection. The plot might be old, but Takahashi breathes new life into it with her own personal style. There will never be another "Inu-Yasha." Even the "Inu-Yasha" animated series, which follows this manga very closely, can't even come close to the beauty this graphic novel offers.
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8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A modern masterwork by the Queen of Romantic Comedy., September 28, 2001
This review is from: Inu-Yasha : A Feudal Fairy Tale, Vol. 1 (Comic)
If you've every heard about the basic plot of "Inu-Yasha" -- unlikely allies must collect the pieces of a mystical object before it falls into the wrong hands -- then you might think of this series as a rehack with boring, stale story. Think again! Despite the reused plot device, Rumiko Takahashi's "Inu-Yasha" is actually one of the most refreshing things to come along in a long time. And while it does have the usual "magical Japanese school girl" theme, take a look at some other great manga -- "Fushigi Yuugi", "Magic Knight Rayearth", "Ayashi no Ceres" -- that uses the exact same concept yet still manages to amaze and develop a mass following. With "Inu-Yasha", however, there's an added bonus other than Kagome, the magical school girl: the title character, half-dog demon Inu-Yasha. You may not know it from the first volume of the series, but Inu-Yasha is more than the typical anti-hero. Add to the mix a bunch of other odd yet interesting characters, and you have the setting to a terrific manga series. Visually, Takahashi probably can't get any better (although, I must admit, I haven't seen any other other works to compare this to). Everything -- the characters, monsters, surroundings -- is beautifully depicted, often using the Japanese method of "blending" scenes together. But it must be mentioned that this manga isn't suitable for young children. There are scenes containing nudity (although it is very mild), and some scenes contain a lot of blood and gore that might make even some older readers squirm uncomfortably. One of the main attractions of "Inu-Yasha" has to be Takahashi's humor. I have never found anything that made me laugh so hard in my entire life. But another main attraction has to be the complexity of the characters. You might have to read two or three volumes to really understand the complex relationships between the characters, but the farther the story goes, the more "fleshed-out" the characters become. I won't write any spoilers, but I will say this: why is Rumiko Takahashi called the "Queen of Romantic Comedy"? At the time of this review, nine volumes of "Inu-Yasha" have been translated and published by VIZ. From a person who has read all these volumes, I can say that "Inu-Yasha" is turning into a profound and intriguing story. The series in Japanese is (currently) 22 volumes long, and I'm sure it's going to continue even farther. So I warn you: if you're interested in "Inu-Yasha", make sure you have ample resources to buy the entire series, because this is a difficult series to let go of once you start! With that in mind, enjoy! "Inu-Yasha" is a must-have for any serious manga collector's collection!
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