Inuyasha (1997)

[犬夜叉]

Volume 2

Author/Artist: Rumiko Takahashi
Publisher: Shounen Sunday Comics

Synopsis:
Inuyasha and Kagome return to the past to recover the Shikon fragment from Yura. Inuyasha's brother comes seeking the relic sword of their father.

Story/Characters:
We get the first of many drag-out fights in the series. While we'll come to see much more powerful opponents than Yura (in fact, we get one in the very next arc of the story), you get to see just how much punishment Inuyasha can take and how much he can dish out. The Yura fight is pretty satisfying and we follow it up with the introduction of Sesshoumaru. A lot of good stuff on Inuyasha's background comes to light here. The Mu Onna is an interesting tool and shows how Sesshoumaru can use trickery in addition to overwhelming brute force. We're also introduced to the retainer characters of the two puppy brothers, Myouga for Inuyasha and Jaken for Sesshoumaru. Though Myouga is useful in the story, he's not a particularly interesting character. We get to have a lot more fun with Jaken. I rather like how Kagome kicks him around here. Also, with Tessaiga being brought into the story, we're going to see a lot of the plot revolve around that sword, so look forward to that (unless the cycle of power upgrades isn't something that interests you).

Art:
The Yura fight is suitably brutal and really sets the standard for the big fights in the series. Surprisingly, the Inuyasha-Sesshoumaru fight over Tessaiga isn't anywhere near as messy, though Sesshoumaru represents a significantly greater threat. If you watch the anime first, where Sesshoumaru's character design is based more off later appearances, the way he looks here may be rather surprising, much younger and more effeminate. Given that supplemental materials indicate he's supposed to be the equivalent of 19, it may actually be a more age-accurate look.

Conclusion:
We get two good fights out of this volume and the introduction of fan favorite Sesshoumaru. If you were already a fan, you're going to want to add this one to the collection too.

Rating:
Own It