#my:inumeta

[karingu]

inukag's conversation in ch 176... yea that one

This scene at the well in Ch 176, when Kagome asks to stay by Inuyasha, meant a lot to me… so I decided to do a whole ass formal translation for myself (which you can read at the way bottom, but it's probably not too different from what's already out there.)

While translating, I came across 3 details from the original text that I felt were super important 🤧

①　Everyone knows Inuyasha said that he must "give Kikyo his life" in the official Viz translation. Yes, in the original text, Inuyasha says:

命懸けで応えなくちゃならねえ。 In return, I must stake my life for Kikyo.

But that bolded part implies that staking his life for Kikyo is not something he necessarily wants to do out of his own free will, but something that he must do beyond his own will, if that makes sense. Right here, Inuyasha conveys clearly how he feels about the matter.

If he meant to say that he chose this out of his own volition, he would've said something like "...なくちゃいけない" which implies a will out of choice... But no, he said ならない, which implies it's "out of his control", so that gives clear insight to his feelings. He's not doing this because he wants to. He wants to stay with Kagome if he could, but he thinks his duty binds his fate to Kikyo, so therefore, this must be so.

+

②　Usually, Kagome is translated saying (to Inuyasha) "I want you to live." But I noticed something. She says:

"生きててほしい" ....not just "生きてほしい".

You might think, "Wha? That extra little word changes things?" HAHA well, if you care to know why... yes... bc she's using the present progressive form of that verb. So, I feel there's something missing in that translation.

Kagome doesn't just want Inuyasha to live (as in "be alive"), she wants him to keep on living. She wants to see him live past his trauma, to not give up his life. So, this is a bit of an interpretation, but I personally would translate what she's saying as "I want you to live on." Like when we wish for a friend going through hard times to not succumb to darkness :(

③　Finally, Sunrise had Kagome say something different in her final monologue (wow, what a surprise). (Note, Viz actually did translate this appropriately in the manga.)

In the anime, she just says...

楽しんでほしい。 I want you to be happy.

It's cute, but in the manga, she says...

楽しいことがあってもいい。 -> literally: It's okay to have happiness. -> It's okay (for you) to feel happy.

She's reassuring Inuyasha that it's alright to feel happiness, presumably despite his survivor's guilt. He told her at the start of their conversation, "But… to feel happy, to laugh, I shouldn't be doing these things." This is a response to that. It's so sweet.

+++

THAT'S IT!! There was A LOT of weight to this scene. It made me ugly cry until my eyes got swollen lol...

(if you'd like to read my full translation of their conversation, it is right here below~)

Note: I tried to translate as close to the original nuance of the Japanese text, so the sentence structure may sound unnatural at times.

(SFX: refreshing breeze)

Inuyasha: Kagome...

(Kagome sees him and begins to speak.)

Kagome: I thought about this the whole time I was back home. About you, Kikyo, and me…

Inuyasha: Kagome… I…

Kagome: I know. I know what your feelings are; that's why… I thought I can't be here anymore.

Inuyasha: Kagome… until I met you, I couldn't trust anyone. But you cried for my sake, you were always by my side. When I'm with you, Kagome, I feel happy. My heart is at ease. But… to feel happy, to laugh, I shouldn't be doing these things.

Inuyasha: Kikyo… she followed after me in death. In return, I must stake my life for Kikyo.

Kagome: I understand. I can't compete against her... because I still live.

Kagome: I thought about her a whole lot too. Kikyo and I, we're so completely different. Even with all this stuff about how I'm her reincarnation… well, anyway, I'm not Kikyo. My heart is my own.

Kagome: But you see, there is one thing. How Kikyo is feeling... I get it. I feel the same. We both want to see you, Inuyasha, one more time.

Kagome: You know, somehow, when I thought, "Don't Kikyo and I share the same feelings?", I became a little more at ease. Like, our feelings of wanting to see you are the same, aren't they... So, I gathered up the courage, and came to see you.

Inuyasha: Kagome… As for me, I wanted to see you too. But…

Kagome: I want to be with you*, Inuyasha. To forget about you, I can't do it.

(*T/N: She does not mean "be with you" in a romantic sense. She means to literally be near him, to exist by him, etc.)

Inuyasha: Kagome… what's the best way for me to respond to you?

Kagome: Inuyasha, let me ask you just one thing?

Inuyasha: Yeah…

Kagome: Is it okay if I stay with you?

(SFX: surprise...)

Inuyasha: You'll… stay for me?

Kagome: Yeah… (she smiles.)

Inuyasha and Kikyo's bond absolutely cannot be severed. That... I understand. But you know, Inuyasha? I thought about it… Our meeting was not just a coincidence either.

I want you to live on, Inuyasha.

Kagome: Let's go, Inuyasha.

Inuyasha: O-Oh, yeah, okay...

It's okay to feel happiness. I want you to laugh a lot. I don't know what I can do for you, but…

I will always be by your side.

#paying homage to the scene that rewrote my brain chemistry #my:translations #inuyasha #kagome #kagome higurashi #inukag #inuyasha x kagome #kagome x inuyasha #inuyasha anime #inuyasha manga #inuyasha translations #inuyasha ch 176 #inuyasha e48 #犬夜叉 #かごめ #犬かご #my:posts #my:inumeta

[karingu]

*taps mic* yes hello just wanted to pay tribute on my blog to one of my favorite scenes in all of Inuyasha…

Kagome: "Big brooo!" Sesshomaru: *death glare* (SFX: twitch) Kagome: "Whoa, that looked like a super disgusted face he made — huh? You too, Inuyasha." Inuyasha: "That was a super gross sound*."

1) Kagome brazenly calls out to daiyokai Sesshomaru "onii-saaa~aan!!! ❀" because she can now. 2) Kagome wears a visibly troubled expression as if she has no idea why Sesshomaru and Inuyasha would be pulling those faces. 3) Inuyasha basically goes, "That was the worst sound I've ever heard."

Feelin like Takahashi knew everyone was thinking it. And then she delivered.💀

*響き (hibiki) can mean "echo", but it can also mean a sound that's felt in the heart. So Inuyasha's really feeling the chills. 😂

#my:translations #i almost keeled over in death when i saw this in TFA #inuyasha #inukag #kagome #kagome higurashi #sesshomaru #also i used the japanese voiceover to help translate this cuz i wasnt sure how kagome was reacting to sesshy hahaha #inuyasha translations #my:inumeta #my:posts

[karingu]

When Inuyasha is confessing to Kagome while she's asleep (Ch 78), these are a couple nuances in the Japanese text that made me squeeaal...

What he thinks when she falls on him. He's gently surprised: かごめ ... そばにいてくれるんだな。 "Kagome... you're beside me, huh."

He's exhaling (in surprise) in that panel. So the nuance is like, "Oh? Kagome... she's next to me, huh..." which kinda just sounds like an observation BUT!!! He uses くれる (kureru), a loaded word that implies it’s something he appreciates or cherishes. Sorta like, "Wowza I am the receiver of this beautiful action..." like that. LOL 🥺 ugh... my feelings..

His tone in his confession is very soft. なんか ... おまえと一���にいると、ホッとするってゆーか... "Somehow... when I am with you, I feel at ease — something like that..."

(Btw, "relieved" is a fine translation, but ホッとする can also mean "to be at ease" depending on context, which could be how he feels.) I see translations not including that last bit because it's not literally what he says... but that's the nuance. I dunno if I can explain it well but it's sooo soft. He's trailing off all shy and stuff 🥺

てゆーか just means ていうか, which is what you use when u want to say "this is the impression," or when u want to explain something (better). In this context, it also sounds sort of meek and shy... it's so NOT like him, his speech was usually so harsh and macho, like "yagaru" central 🤣 In other words, he's really choosing to be vulnerable right now. ISSA BIG DILL

In English, this scene is already so sweet. In Japanese, there's this extra layer of vulnerability to hiM IT MAKES ME WANT TO COMBUST AND LEAVE THIS EARTH BEHIND!!!!!

*VIOLENTLY GASPS FOR AIR*

#my soul choked me on its way out of my body #moment of silence for the extremely ill-advised choice to leave this out in the anime. #inuyasha #kagome #kagome higurashi #inukag #inuyasha x kagome #kagome x inuyasha #inuyasha manga #inuyasha translations #my:inumeta #my:translations #my:posts

[karingu]

On the topic of nuances in IY, there's one more I didn't mention in this post about Ch 78, because I feel it deserves its own. The way Inuyasha describes Kagome’s scent…

In the middle panel, he says "やさしい匂い" (yasashii nioi) which means "gentle/kind scent." Perfectly translated 👌

But, I thought it was a lil curious because やさしい or 優しい is typically how you describe people themselves, not scents. For example, I'm reading YoTD atm too and Yona calls one *ahem* character やさしいひと or 優しい人 (kind person) for their kind and gentle nature. That's the typical use of it.

What does a "kind" scent even smell like? I thought... Then, I realized oh... Inuyasha is smelling beyond her scent as a "fragrance"... he’s smelling Kagome's spirit. He's smelling who she is. 🥺

The way I interpret it, it's sort of a play on words between "scent", which Inuyasha has a keen nose for, and "air," a concept that exists in both Japanese and English.

Even in English, you can say there is a "kind air" to someone. While our inferior human noses can't actually smell that, Inuyasha's fourth-dimensional sense of smell probably can... 😁

#the boy... is in love #my:translations #inuyasha #kagome #kagome higurashi #inukag #kagome x inuyasha #inuyasha x kagome #inuyasha manga #inuyasha translations #my:inumeta #my:posts

[karingu]

can i say something about inukik & inukag lol

For context, I’m a latecomer to this series. I just finished it last month in the year 2023. And “Did Inuyasha love Kikyo more or Kagome more?” is sort of a weird debate for me.

Because it's sort of implying that "love" could be quantified or something. Like it’s something you can point your finger at and count. But from my, ahem seasoned expertise, that’s not how it works.

So I want to look at it in a different way.

Let’s get it straight. Love is not quantifiable. Inuyasha loved both Kikyo and Kagome the best way he knew how. He was genuine about both of them. His feelings were earnest and true.

But you can’t deny his love somehow feels... different between the two of them.

So what is it? What is this difference?...

*deep breath* please bear with me I need to get this out of my system

+

Inuyasha loved Kikyo. But their love felt transactional.

Kikyo showed him kindness, didn't try to kill him, treated him like a normal person for once. But... she was kind of in a sad place in life. In protecting the jewel, she felt robbed of a normal life. So, she asked him one day, "Will you become human and destroy the jewel? For me?" Kind of a tall ask, but I don’t blame her. She was feeling miserable. And Inuyasha's like, "Yes, of course!"

But then she died. And got resurrected. And Inuyasha's like “well shit, now I REALLY need to do something for her. She DIED because of me.” That's really what's driving his love (is it love anymore? idk) at this point. It feels like he's chasing to pay off his debt.

That's what I mean by “transactional.”

Okay, so Inuyasha loved Kagome too. But their love felt unconditional.

Kagome also showed him kindness, didn't try to kill him, treated him like a normal person etc. just like Kikyo. But she doesn’t really need anything from Inuyasha, right. She’s content with her life and all. So... she didn't ask for anything back. She just gave kindness to him and went on her merry way. Ok ya, sometimes she gets a lil grumpy (she’s human) but she always believes in him, trusts him to do the right thing, supports him when he's weak, yada yada... and like, that's it. Inuyasha even tries to make himself look like the bad guy, steals her shards, freakin’ pushes her into the well to get her to go home (cuz he didn’t want her to get hurt anymore), but Kagome comes back HUGGING him LMAO

Kagome is giving him literally nothing but love and trust and support. Not really expecting anything in return. She just wants to see him be his best and do his best. Encourage him during hard times. Even when she sees him with Kikyo lol… Clearly it hurts her and she realizes she caught feelings (oops), but she accepts that about herself and holds on to her desire to support him through and through.

She kinda says to him, "Hey… I know my place (in relation to Kikyo), but I still want to support you. I want to see you smile and be happy. Will you let me stay by your side?"

DAMN. Inuyasha says, "You’ll stay for me?" (well, in the anime in Japanese that's what he literally says, I replayed that scene like 500 times to make sure I heard it right). And she's like ya! Let's go!

CMONNNN. His brain is probably like “NO STOP! I OWE MY LIFE TO KIKYO!” but his heart is already saying “JFC THIS GIRL. I LOVE HER.” And he wants to do everything for her, not because he's indebted to her. It's not a transaction he needs to pay up. He does it because he really wants to.

So like, people making a ruckus about “Inuyasha Loved Kikyo!!!” vs “NO INUYASHA LOVED KAGOME!!” And I’m just sitting here going, uhh. I mean y'all both right! He... loved them both? Hello? And he loved very adorably for both of them. He’s such an honest lover.

But the circumstances in which he loved each girl are totally different. 

With Kikyo, the circumstances were pretty dire. They were both deprived of something important to them. Her, a normal life. Him, just basic love and affection. They weren’t able to love each other with no strings attached bc they both still had stuff internally to deal with (her: the need to be liberated & him: insecurity). But, regardless, they shared a special bond that can’t be replaced. That’s a given.

Kagome... gave him better circumstances to love. Her love made him feel light. It felt so good and positive. She taught him a lot on what it means to trust and love someone unconditionally. He could show her all his ugly and she accepts that about him. She helped him meet lifelong friends too, Miroku, Sango, Shippo... And he really treasures her for that. They also shared a special bond that can’t be replaced, literally no one can replace bc he basically screams out loud (in the Meido) she is his soulmate. :’) suh cute

I think at the end, yeah, Kikyo might’ve got some smooches and our InuKag friends are like D: But… I’m romantic ace so maybe I see it differently, but it’s just a kiss. I never doubted that the only kiss that would truly make his eyes light up, the only kiss that could cause his entire soul to leap out of his own mouth and stun him into silence, is a kiss with Kagome. And Rumiko Takahashi did that without actually providing us a kiss scene (in the manga). 

Takahashi made me trust Inuyasha like how he and Kagome trust each other. :((((

That’s... incredible. Standing ovation character building 👏🏼

#that's it #let’s just all love each other okay #i'm done with this fiasco #inuyasha #kagome #kagome higurashi #kikyo #inukik #inukag #inuyasha anime #inuyasha manga #my:posts #my:inumeta

[karingu]

Inuyasha comes off to me as someone who's incredibly shy about stuff like kissing, tbh. I can imagine as newlyweds, Kagome notices how hard he stares at her sometimes and she'd finally have to say: "It's okay to kiss me, if you want :)"

And then his face turning crimson red.

#HAHA #man this stuff makes me want to draw again #inukag #inuyasha #kagome #kagome higurashi #inuyasha x kagome #kagome x inuyasha #my:posts #my:inumeta

[karingu]

The way Inuyasha always says Kagome’s name with such love always throws me into a glass case of emotion fjladkfjjlsdkf

He’s in love with her name as much as he’s in love with her huuuuuu

#i'm having a moment #pet names don't exist between inukag #'BABE'??? fuck that #inukag #inuyasha #kagome #kagome higurashi #inuyasha x kagome #my:posts #my:inumeta

[karingu]

So you know that scene in Ch 411 when Inuyasha tells Kagome —

元気出ぜかごめっ！ Cheer up, Kagome! いつだっておれがついてるからなっ。 I'll always be with you, after all.

...he sounds really cute 🥺 cuz ついてる makes him sound sorta playful, like he's saying "I'll always be right behind you!" or "I'll always go where you go!" and it just… made my heart melt a lil oTL

HE'S JUST A PUPPY ISTG 😭

#dflkfdjajfdkl #can i dunk him into my coffee #inuyasha #inuyasha ch 411 #inuyasha manga #inukag #kagome #kagome higurashi #inuyasha x kagome #kagome x inuyasha #my:posts #my:inumeta #my:translations

[karingu]

inuyasha is kagome's scratch post lol

(I had this sitting in my drafts for like 7 months so I'm finally giving it a prison break.)

I thought about what I felt Kagome gets out of her relationship with Inuyasha, since I think it's pretty clear what he gets out of the relationship with her...

Kagome is already sort of at a good place. She knows her worth, what's worth her time, and doesn't need a Man™ (or any person) to satisfy anything she "lacks"... we all know she was just vibin before slipping into the feudal era.

But compared to the other suitors in her life (Koga and Hojo)... Inuyasha doesn't quite treat her like a princess. Of course, he loves her and would do anything for her, but he doesn't exactly grovel at her feet either (I mean, he's tsundere max x5).

(This panel is pretty early on in Ch. 44, but basically summarizes their dynamic lol.)

Some people would prefer to be treated like a princess, but I don't think bad azz b*tch Kagome does. Inuyasha pushes back, fights her a little, he has a little pride, and Kagome is the same to him, but never to a point of no return, and they both trust each other to know they can handle criticism. They humble each other. Kagome seems to get a bit of satisfaction from that.

If she were with Koga or Hojo, I imagine it feels like a cat scratching at a smooth pole. It doesn't satisfy her. Whereas when she's with Inuyasha, it's like scratching... you know, at a scratch post. There's a right amount of resistance.

He's also a good guy, and that helps.

So it's not so much that Inuyasha fulfills an emotional need — he simply complements her personality. Meanwhile, he's not all fight; he's gentle in their moments alone later on, he keeps his promises, believes in her, reminds her of her worth when she's feeling insecure, and always shows up for her no matter what, which includes unsolicited visits to her house or room.

He's a kind person and also a protector of not just her, but everyone she cares about.

Kagome knows she is safe with him, just as Inuyasha knows he is safe with her.

#and um he's kinda babygirl :3 #my:inumeta #inuyasha #kagome #kagome higurashi #inukag #inuyasha x kagome #inuyasha meta #inumeta #inuyasha manga #inuyasha anime #my:posts

[karingu]

It just hit me like a truck that Inuyasha was still wearing his subjugation beads when Kagome returned after 3 years ;___;)

Kaede probably offered at least once to take them off for him… since Kagome wasn’t around anymore… but maybe he refused bc it’s his last reminder of the love of his life!!!! .·°՞(≧□≦)՞°·.

#with each passing inukag thought #i stray further away from getting into an actual relationship #inukag is too powerful in my heart #inuyasha #kagome #kagome higurashi #inukag #my:posts #my:inumeta

[karingu]

One casual detail I really appreciate is that Inuyasha wasn’t alone during the three years Kagome was away. Miroku, Sango, and Kaede were concerned for him, Shippo was pestering him, Kin-Gyo goofin' off with him while MirSan hangs their laundry...

Kagome not being there was a bummer but no worries. At least he had his found family to look out for him (ಥ﹏ಥ)

#the nakama became tomodachi #no im not crying.... #inuyasha #kagome #miroku #sango #shippo #inugang #inukag #mirsan #my:posts #my:inumeta

[karingu]

I know most people don't consider InuKagMor’s separation "canon" (like me), but InuKag thinking/talking about their baby day in and day out just affirms to me how much they wanted to have her in the first place... and I hold that very dear to my heart (ㅠ﹏ㅠ)

#i love seeing parents who want to be parents #inukag #inukagmor #inuyasha #kagome #moroha #hanyo no yashahime #yashahime #my:inumeta #my:posts

[karingu]

I have a headcanon that Inuyasha was the one to come up with the name Moroha.

The name just sounds very… Inuyasha of him lol. Like of course it would be related to WEAPONS 🤣 but also symbolic of him and his wifey ♡ (I can imagine him racking his brain and overthinking bc it's his first child)

Anyway, I wasn't expecting her to be named something like "Moroha" but knowing what it means, there's no other name I'd wish for (ᵔ◡ᵔ)

#inukagmor #inukag #inuyasha #kagome #moroha #yashahime #hanyo no yashahime #my:posts #my:inumeta

[karingu]

The more I read about Sengoku era life, the more I'm like damn. Kagome must really fkn love Inuyasha cuz Sengoku era life is uhh… pretty damn rough…..

#i cannot imagine living it #i'd be like goodbye my good man. i will see u in my next life instead #inukag #inuyasha #kagome #kagome higurashi #my:inumeta #my:posts

[karingu]

Chapter 474 made me want InuKag to break up (temporarily)

There's something that always bothered me about this chapter, but I finally have the words to explain what it is. (This is the one with Kaou, the weird sadness eating demon that made Inuyasha have a dream of Kikyo and cry blood and stuff.)

Sigh. I don't agree with how the ending of this chapter was written (sorry, Rumiko). It made me, an InuKagger, feel devastatingly frustrated about InuKag's relationship for the first time... specifically for Kagome's dignity.

Okay, so Inuyasha's thoughts basically got blasted on speakerphone in the previous Ch:

UM, HI? Kagome is RIGHT FUCKIN' THERE. God, at that point, for Kagome's sake, I had had enough of it. I love InuKag, but in this moment, I don't give a frank fuck what Inuyasha has done to prove he loves Kagome, or what he truly thinks — for Kagome to hear that is so. damn. hurtful. And you know those words had hurt her: they echoed in her mind in a later panel. And she cried.

Up until now, Inuyasha had been reaping the benefits of Kagome's patience. But Kagome is HURTING as much as he is, and she keeps choosing not to show him that side of her because she feels sorry for him… GAH!

KAGOME, I LOVE YOU!!! BUT CAN WE? NOT SPOIL INUYASHA TOO MUCH? PLS...

+

I don’t mind that it took a villain like Kaou for Inuyasha to find out how much Kagome was hurting because of him. Pretty gnarly. However, I'm upset that Kagome herself didn’t fully admit to Inuyasha how hurt she got. And she shut up Kaou before he could say that the "cause of her pain"... was Inuyasha.

I get it — her reasons were personal. But I cannot express how FREAKIN' disappointed I still was about that. Let Inuyasha find out, DAMN IT!!!

I know; Kikyo had just passed on. Kagome was trying to be considerate, and Inuyasha's guilt toward Kikyo was probably made raw again — so I'm not faulting him for his feelings at all. Truly, I understand he's having hard time. AT THE SAME TIME, REALISTICALLY SPEAKING, it is clear it was not healthy for him to be in a relationship with Kagome at that point. And likewise for Kagome.

I wanted Kagome to stand up for herself. When Inuyasha told her that he dreamed of Kikyo, I wanted her to tell him something like, "Hey, I know she's on your mind, and that's okay, really, but... I just don't think I can endure it right now."

How would Inuyasha react to that? He’d probably be disquieted, but I think he’d try to accept it.

Yes, I guess it could come off as "selfish," because Inuyasha is grieving and having a hard time. But look... Kagome is hurt. She had been withstanding it all this time... she had been selfless enough. It is not selfish; it’s an act of self-love. She is her own person, no? She's entitled to look out for herself too, regardless of the circumstances.

Strength is also knowing when to retreat.

Instead of this chapter ending on a jokey note, I truly wanted Kagome to put a pause on their relationship. Have a lil’ time-out. Let Inuyasha grieve for Kikyo properly. Let Kagome be free to feel whatever it is for herself, with no strings attached.

Then, they can reconcile later when they're both at a better place.

From a writer's standpoint, WOOWEE that would've been a great cliffhanger. Tune in next week! LOL (Ok tbh Inuyasha prob wouldn’t last more than 3 days or something before he wants to get back with Kagome LMAO… but at least he knows how Kagome truly feels.)

No matter how much I love InuKag, I recognize a bad situation when I see one. I really... wanted Takahashi to make Kagome take a stand for her own well being. Just this once. JUST THIS DAMN ONCE.

It may seem important to put others first… but man, give yourself some love, too, Kagome.

Sorry… maybe I’m getting too carried away. (I’m seeing too much of my past self in her here.) And who knows? Maybe Takahashi didn’t have time for them to break up, or did this to show that Kagome, still a teenager, doesn’t always make perfect decisions. At any rate, I think Kagome's weakness is being too understanding sometimes :(

#kagome #kagome higurashi #inuyasha #inukag #inuyasha x kagome #kagome x inuyasha #inuyasha anime #inuyasha manga #my:posts #my:inumeta

[karingu]

giving proper thought to the timeskip in inuyasha (part 2/2)

In Part 1, I wrote about what Kagome must've gone through during the three years she and Inuyasha were apart, and why it might've had to take three years for the Well to open up for Kagome.

I emphasized a lot in Part 1 and emphasize again, three years is a loooong time that the story just sorta breezed through... so I wanna slow it down. How were things going for Inuyasha? In this part, I want to give attention to his actions and specifically the things he says (comparing English/Japanese) after the timeskip, which showed me how much his ability to love Kagome had evolved.

part 1: kagome part 2: inuyasha

+

First, to get this out of the way, I'm really touched that his feelings for Kagome never wavered. Maybe it's sort of "obvious," but it was still such a pleasant thing to see how much she's on his mind, even when she's not there.

Thanks to Shippo being an endearing lil' shit, the most important thing we learn is how Inuyasha goes into the well every three days. Even Kaede is like "wow, this guy" (and feels really sorry for him bc she suspects Kagome cannot come back).

You know how they say (in the US) you can deduce a lot about a person based on what they do with the shopping cart? It's like one of those things.

Basically, how do you act when (you think) no one is watching?

Anyways, you can tell Kagome's absence is really hard on him.

In the timeskip panels/brief scenes in the Sengoku era, I noticed that Inuyasha seems a bit down. He's not depressed, but his voice/face is just not as energetic, sort of low mood-ish. His body is here but his mind is somewhere else. He has a couple panels/frames where he's just looking at the sky.

But what he said to Kaede really stood out to me.

When he found Kagome's family weeping for her when he saw her home, in the official Eng translation he says: "I realized I wasn't the only one who treasured her." In the Japanese anime/manga, the nuance is closer to "I realized it's not just me who thinks Kagome is precious," or "It's not just me who holds Kagome dearly." (Those are my own translations)

(One thing to note, the English manga said he says, "It was meant to be," but he doesn't say that in Japanese.)

This is SO!!! special for me to hear/read because it shows me Inuyasha has acquired the healthiest form of the "love" skill.

Congratulations, young grasshopper.

No matter how much he loves Kagome, Kagome is also just as loved by her family. By recognizing that and acknowledging his place, he shows that he loves Kagome for all that she is, beyond the scope of just their relationship with each other. He is acknowledging that Kagome has a life without him, and to love her means to accept it, even if it comes at a cost detrimental to him.

To love someone is to let them go.

This is a stark contrast to the beginning, where he's literally throwing trees, boulders and tantrums over Kagome going home. This time, he had no choice, but he is calm and resigned since the start.

So, he goes about his days. That's all he can do. He has this awesome sword that can literally cut a portal to the Netherworld, yet no power to go to the other side of the well, where he wants to be. All he can do is hope that one day, Kagome will come for him, just like how he came for her all those times before.

Trust in tomorrow. (“Tomorrow” or 「明日」 is the name of the chapter/episode.)

He appears semi-resigned to his fate, but it is implied he never lost that hope. One, because he always goes to the well. And two, his nose is always looking out for her scent. When she does return, the second his nose twitches by the scent of her, he drops EVERYTHING AND EVERYONE, B*TCH, KAGOME IS BACK, MAKES A BEELINE TO THE WELL, and oh man, when I saw this page, I almost gasped at his face, which I don't think the anime did justice:

Eyes are the window to the soul, people. And iono. Those eyes said LOVE to me in a way no words can. TAKAHASHI KNEW THIS PAGE WAS IMPORTANT. He is practically kissing her with those damn eyes.

What he said after this is also pretty sweet. In the English manga he says to her: "You fool… what took you so long?" I think that’s a clever interpretation, bc it implies he’s trying to play off how long he waited, which is on brand lol. He might've had doubts that she could come back, but he's pretending he didn't doubt (bc he's a Cool Guy).

I have a soft spot for what he said in Japanese in anime/manga tho:

「バカ野郎…今までなにしてたんだ。」 -> "You fool... what've you been doing 'til now?"

HAHA. (Um, finishing her education, you dumdum.)

Even after three years, he's not saying "I thought you'd never come back," or something along those lines. He just sort of ~whines~ in his gruff manly man way.

The nuance comes across to me like, "What have you been doooingg, Kagome?? :(( I missed you."

Aw shucks just get a room you two.

(And then they did. And then they had Moroha eeeeeee!!!)

-> To read my Part 1 about Kagome, click here!

#now... i rest #dreamy sigh #inuyasha #kagome #kagome higurashi #inukag #inuyasha x kagome #kagome x inuyasha #inuyasha anime #inuyasha manga #my:posts #my:inumeta