AoD Review: Inu Yasha Vol. #55 - The End

[Chris Beveridge]

http://www.animeondvd.com/images/boxart/inuyasha55.jpg Review (http://www.animeondvd.com/reviews2/disc_reviews/6319.php)

Released By: Viz Media
MSRP: $24.98
Running time: 75 minutes
Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
Resolution: 480i/p (mixed/unknown)
Encoded With: MPEG-2
Release Date: 06/26/2007
Review Date: 06/29/2007
Date Announced: 03/14/2007
Region: 1 - North America
Reviewed By: Luis Cruz

In Summary:
Inu Yasha is an example of a series hobbled by its own popularity and the inability of its author to plot out an ending. While it had its memorable moments, the series dragged on far longer than needed. Once we arrive at this final volume, the plot and character development is moving on fumes, nearly all interesting aspects exhausted. Due to the never ending story that is the manga, there is no resolution to the story leaving it open for continuation. However, it does not exit the stage leaving the audience wanting more; all it promises is the same material it has already flogged for 167 episodes. It ends not with a triumphant howl but with a pitiful whimper. But to quote a long-running, popular US animated series: It's an ending; that's enough.

[slerch666]

After following the series and spending ~$15 a disc for 55 discs, I'd say wanting a resolution was a reasonable thought.

I knew around disc 20ish though that this thing was going to be typical of Takahashi; the Manga was still going and when it really took off you could tell their were Yen signs in her eyes. It was the same with Ranma. The ending to InuYasha at least was more than "congratulations, you made it to the end, now fuck off."

Once I realized what was happening to the series, instead of being smart and stopping the series, I just kept going like a mindless zombie. I guess that's what Viz and Takahashi want.

I wouldn't recommend either series to anyone given the shit that is their endings.

[Suwako Moriya]

Once I realized what was happening to the series, instead of being smart and stopping the series, I just kept going like a mindless zombie.

While I did watch the entire series I'm just glad in my case it was by way of Adult Swim. Because while the show had some decent episodes I'd be pissed if I wasted that much money on such a long series with no ending. Even more so because I know a lot of it is a result of them dragging out the story as much as possible.

[angelx03]

Well, at least KyoAni got quite of bit of this. right? I mean, they did assisted Sunrise in animating it. :sd:

[The Great Bear]

Once I realized what was happening to the series, instead of being smart and stopping the series, I just kept going like a mindless zombie.

While I did watch the entire series I'm just glad in my case it was by way of Adult Swim. Because while the show had some decent episodes I'd be pissed if I wasted that much money on such a long series with no ending. Even more so because I know a lot of it is a result of them dragging out the story as much as possible.

I bought all of season 1, but then stopped, waiting for boxsets which did eventually come out. It's a show that has its high points, but it really did drag on much too long. And with no real resolution at the end, it probably is one that is best just watched for free (well, as free as cable TV is :P ) on Cartoon Network.

[MagicBox]

It's a shame the anime couldn't reach anything even close to a conclusion, but the writers were smart to just end the series and not continue to drag the show into the ground with even more worthless filler (Even though they should've probably ended it many episodes ago.). I guess I'm one of the few that would like the anime to continue when (or "if") the manga ends, just so we can have a better conclusion.

When InuYasha started, I really loved the series (It was probably my favorite for a little while.), but once it got past episode 100, they really weren't doing anything new, and I realized that it had jumped the shark. There were still some episodes that I enjoyed, like the occasional episode that would focus on Shippo (my favorite character, and funnily enough, the least used or developed,), but the series had just become a mere shadow if itself. I'll probably try to find the first and second seasons at a cheaper price, and then maybe buy season four, but that's about it. I already managed to find season three for $35 at Wal*Mart (which is about $65 cheaper than it should be), so I'm hoping that luck continues.

Oh well, I'm glad the single disc volumes are finally finished. I'm glad the series is over, but I still would like it to continue when the manga ends so that it can conclude properly. But hey, if it doesn't, then that's fine as well.

[leongsh]

A standing ovation please for Luis Cruz. He has braved and endured to review 55 volumes of a show that after it got a decent start ended up going around in circles with nary a resolution in sight.

ChrisB should reward him with no more review assignments of such shows. Giving him another such series would constitute cruel and unusual punishment which I understand is disallowed in the US Constitution. Of course, that does not apply if it was all done on the AoD secret island given by the Dark Lord of TRSI :D

[Chris Beveridge]

I've already asked him to re-evaluate the series in season set form. I'm wondering if he'd enjoy it more in larger chunks than 3 episodes at a time.

His response to date has just been a whimper I believe.

I'm trying to convince him to take on MAR but I don't think I'll have any luck there.

[leongsh]

You're a bona fide sadist :D :D :D

[Luis Cruz]

I've already asked him to re-evaluate the series in season set form. I'm wondering if he'd enjoy it more in larger chunks than 3 episodes at a time.

His response to date has just been a whimper I believe.

I've got your response right here (http://www.vgcats.com/comics/?strip_id=191). :P

I'm trying to convince him to take on MAR but I don't think I'll have any luck there.

I'm going to tell God to stab you.

[Teiresias]

No offense intended, but as a fan of the show --something I enjoyed watching together with my son--
I dreaded reading Luis Cruz's reviews about as much as he appeared to dread reviewing the series.

Glad there'll be no more Cruz Inu Yasha reviews. Though I wish there was more Inu Yasha. :D

[michaelwb]

I've already asked him to re-evaluate the series in season set form. I'm wondering if he'd enjoy it more in larger chunks than 3 episodes at a time.

His response to date has just been a whimper I believe.

I'm trying to convince him to take on MAR but I don't think I'll have any luck there.

Chris,

I assume that if Viz releases Doraemon (http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/anime.php?id=1318), you'll assign him to it?

Let's see around 1095 episodes. Let's be generous and put 8 per disc and release six discs a year - that's only about 22 years! :>

And congrats Luis. You're a better man that I. I still haven't gotten around to watching the season three box set.

[Chris Beveridge]

No offense intended, but as a fan of the show --something I enjoyed watching together with my son--
I dreaded reading Luis Cruz's reviews about as much as he appeared to dread reviewing the series.

Glad there'll be no more Cruz Inu Yasha reviews. Though I wish there was more Inu Yasha. :D

Trust me, he was far more forgiving than my reviews of it would have been. :D

[Teiresias]

No offense intended, but as a fan of the show --something I enjoyed watching together with my son--
I dreaded reading Luis Cruz's reviews about as much as he appeared to dread reviewing the series.

Glad there'll be no more Cruz Inu Yasha reviews. Though I wish there was more Inu Yasha. :D

Trust me, he was far more forgiving than my reviews of it would have been. :D

Yeah--but everybody knows you'd have given it a "B+". :>

[AubreyOthella]

I too love the show and enjoy watching it with my daughter. However, I am glad its ended. I haven't gotten around to buying this last volume, but I'll eventually get around to it. I am really disappointed to hear that there is no real conclusion. Oh well. I'll still enjoy it with her.

[Suwako Moriya]

I'm trying to convince him to take on MAR but I don't think I'll have any luck there.

So wait is this your real reason for seeking out new reviewers on occasion? To have a larger pool of victims to have review series which you consider torture? :P At least that's the impression I get from the MAR review anyway. A series I honestly have no interest in watching to be honest.

[leongsh]

EDIT:
Partial posting error

[leongsh]

I'm trying to convince him to take on MAR but I don't think I'll have any luck there.

So wait is this your real reason for seeking out new reviewers on occasion? To have a larger pool of victims to have review series which you consider torture? :P At least that's the impression I get from the MAR review anyway. A series I honestly have no interest in watching to be honest.
I think we have a potential new victim.. err.. reviewer, yes, reviewer here for MAR. The Tatyana Lasaiev Fanboy himself. He should not have any problem writing reviews of the series. His post count has already far outstripped everyone else here. It should be his well-deserved reward :> :D

[Luis Cruz]

No offense intended, but as a fan of the show --something I enjoyed watching together with my son--
I dreaded reading Luis Cruz's reviews about as much as he appeared to dread reviewing the series.

None taken; good to hear you can enjoy the series with your son. I just couldn't get into it over the loooooog haul.

Glad there'll be no more Cruz Inu Yasha reviews. Though I wish there was more Inu Yasha. :D

I've been half joking that AX will yield an announcement of new IY seasons being produced. The universe enjoys yanking my crank just enough to pull something like that on me. :sigh:

[ChibiGoku]

I've been half joking that AX will yield an announcement of new IY seasons being produced. The universe enjoys yanking my crank just enough to pull something like that on me. :sigh:

Heh...

<Mendinso> Hey, how much longer till ViZ's panal?
* Izumi_Konata has quit IRC (Ping timeout)
<bay|AX> 28 minutes
<Mendinso> Alright.
<Chris[not_at_AX]> 28 tense minutes.
<Chris[not_at_AX]> until we find out they're funding new inuyasha tv episodes.
* jopchan121 is now known as Izumi_Konata
<Mendinso> >_>
<bay|AX> o_O
<Mendinso> Chris wants to torture his reviewer more.

Chris apparently wants you to do more InuYasha reviews, it seems.

[Mafty Allegro]

Inu Yasha, as a whole, wasn't too bad. The beginning was suitable and had a few high points (the two-parter backstory being the best two episodes in the entire series), but there were a number of times where the story churned out the same formulaic plot without advancing the story any further (e.g. x-amount of times Naraku remains alive despite delivering the newly-discovered "killer blow," countless, and worthless, clones) or offering any real solutions to anything. There were also a lot of missed opporitunities at creating compelling storylines, such as the big build-up of, and all-too-easy disposing of, the anti-Seven Samurai group, which makes so many of the episodes seem like a waste of time since there was little to no payoff. Of course, there was also the overly-convoluted love triangle between the title character, Kagome, and Kikyo, which no matter what the series tried to do, always made it appear as if Kagome was just a replacement for the latter, and the cyclical "romance" between Miroku and Sango.

The worst travesty of the show was the cop-out ending (that's exactly what it was, "an ending"), which only served to underline the whole of the show. In spite of the build-ups, power-ups, character additions, and the such, no effort was ever made to tie the story up and make all of the earlier machinations worth it in the end. Instead, we get a continuance in wanting to hang onto the ride and not let go, and to keep going even when the gas tank's going empty.

It didn't make the same monumental mistakes that the DragonBall series made, but Inu Yasha still succumbed to the sort of problems that many long-run shows create for themselves. However, what made it one of the better ones was that the ride itself was good for the most part and had some enjoyable arcs and episodes in between the slow nothingness of the show.

[MegsLeigh]

Inuyasha was one of those series that I championed for a long time. Even though the anime just stops in the middle of volume 36 (out of 52 and ongoing volumes), I was enjoying the journey. The series was always more for me about the characters and not the end result.

But really the way they've dragged out the series has killed my enjoyment of it for the most part. Had this series ended at Ogre's Rock, it would probably still be among my top favorites. Now it's not. I follow it more out of a sense of obligation to see if an ending ever comes and I haven't enjoyed it in awhile because of the ridiculous length. It's a fate I worry that Bleach will have.

[gogeta999]

Thank god I never started to collect this series what a waste of money it would've been to buy a anime series with no ending.

[Suwako Moriya]

I think we have a potential new victim.. err.. reviewer, yes, reviewer here for MAR. The Tatyana Lasaiev Fanboy himself. He should not have any problem writing reviews of the series. His post count has already far outstripped everyone else here. It should be his well-deserved reward :> :D

Sadly for your plans and thankfully for my own sake well I likely don't meet the requirements to be a reviewer anyway. As in I have a basic TV, I'm not very detailed in my opinions, and I can't afford to buy the series anyway. Remember kids being unqualified can be a benefit.

[slerch666]

Though I wish there was more Inu Yasha. :D
You're insane. :D

[MegsLeigh]

Though I wish there was more Inu Yasha. :D
You're insane. :D

I actually wouldn't mind seeing a 13-episode OVA that wraps up the series when the manga ends. Even though things have been dragged out, the actual important events themselves can really be condensed down. Quite a lot has happened and it looks like we're finally nearing the end since it looks like Kagome's finally going to take her entrance exams.

[brycec1701]

Hey!!

Don't spoil my enthusiasim for Bleach. I'm only four discs in on the review...... pile?

[MegsLeigh]

Hey!!

Don't spoil my enthusiasim for Bleach. I'm only four discs in on the review...... pile?



*gives Bryce a stuffed Kon to snuggle up with at night.* Trust me. You'll need it. :neko:

[The Great Bear]

Hey!!

Don't spoil my enthusiasim for Bleach. I'm only four discs in on the review...... pile?



We'll check in on you again in…15 years. When you're about halfway through the 135,255 episodes they decided on making.
:P

[joelgundam01]

While I did watch the entire series I'm just glad in my case it was by way of Adult Swim.

I did the same thing.

Although, I did bought the first 13 volumes of the series, but I sold them off after seeing the same "rinse and repeat" scheme.

[Suwako Moriya]

Although, I did bought the first 13 volumes of the series, but I sold them off after seeing the same "rinse and repeat" scheme.

Ouch buying 13 volumes before you realize you've been wasting your money and still having 42 more volumes to get if you had been crazy err dedicated enough to continue. :sd:

[Teiresias]

No offense intended, but as a fan of the show --something I enjoyed watching together with my son--
I dreaded reading Luis Cruz's reviews about as much as he appeared to dread reviewing the series.

None taken; good to hear you can enjoy the series with your son. I just couldn't get into it over the loooooog haul.

Glad there'll be no more Cruz Inu Yasha reviews. Though I wish there was more Inu Yasha. :D

I've been half joking that AX will yield an announcement of new IY seasons being produced. The universe enjoys yanking my crank just enough to pull something like that on me. :sigh:

Next up: The Naruto Uncut Boxsets!

[joelgundam01]

Although, I did bought the first 13 volumes of the series, but I sold them off after seeing the same "rinse and repeat" scheme.

Ouch buying 13 volumes before you realize you've been wasting your money and still having 42 more volumes to get if you had been crazy err dedicated enough to continue. :sd:

At the time (in 2003), I didn't know how many episodes were there.

However, after getting volume 13. I heard the series was over 90+ episodes and still going strong. That's when I decided to call it quites.

BTW, that was almost three years ago. :)

[leongsh]

Next up: The Naruto Uncut Boxsets!
I think you have let the cat out of the bag, so to speak. :D

My sympathies to whoever among the AoD reviewers' pool who has to review the whole series.

[CGord]

InuYasha will always have a special spot in my anime pile, because it was the show that really got me hooked on the medium. I'm glad I didn't begin buying the DVD's until the box sets came out, though; I don't want individual volumes of a show that long clogging up my shelves. I can only pray Bleach gets season releases after awhile, so I'm not forced to buy all of that series individually. Because I will. :p

My favorite InuYasha has always been the comedy episodes, I still crack up at many of them.

[JackProton]

Though I wish there was more Inu Yasha. :D
You're insane. :D

I actually wouldn't mind seeing a 13-episode OVA that wraps up the series when the manga ends. Even though things have been dragged out, the actual important events themselves can really be condensed down. Quite a lot has happened and it looks like we're finally nearing the end since it looks like Kagome's finally going to take her entrance exams.

I was just hoping for a movie to tie up the series but your idea is much better. OVA!

[Suwako Moriya]

I was just hoping for a movie to tie up the series but your idea is much better. OVA!

The length won't matter until you deal with the regeneration plot device. One of my least favorite since you can just claim snot was hidden in another universe or crap like that. :sd:

[CrazyCanuck]

Ouch buying 13 volumes before you realize you've been wasting your money and still having 42 more volumes to get if you had been crazy err dedicated enough to continue. :sd:

Hey! I resemble (http://www.image-upload.net/files/4098/IY.jpg) that remark! -looks at user name- Oh, wait. Nevermind.

Fifty-nine DVDs... The sad thing is it's only the second longest series I own.

(I counted the movies so 59 is correct.)

[Chacranajxy]

I'm not sure how anyone could suffer through 167 episodes of this. I remember the first like... 3-5 episodes had promise, but it went straight to hell nearly immediately after that.

[ricecooker]

Ouch buying 13 volumes before you realize you've been wasting your money and still having 42 more volumes to get if you had been crazy err dedicated enough to continue. :sd:

Hey! I resemble (http://www.image-upload.net/files/4098/IY.jpg) that remark! -looks at user name- Oh, wait. Nevermind.

Fifty-nine DVDs... The sad thing is it's only the second longest series I own.

(I counted the movies so 59 is correct.)



Wow that's determination to complete the series right there. It only took 5 individual volumes to make me wait for the boxsets. :sd:

[MegsLeigh]

I have 33 of the singles myself (30 TV and three movies.) I'm probably just going to get the rest as boxsets and eventually convert the singles to boxsets. The only thing holding me back is how they changed the subtitles on the first season boxset from the singles - like how in one episode Shippou's "Fox Fire" in the singles suddenly because "St. Elmo's Fire." That's shying me away from the boxes right there, at least for the first season.

How I did it though was just do a Right Stuf sale combined with GA discount. That dropped the singles down to $13.49 a disc, which isn't that bad.

[HitokiriShadow]

Although, I did bought the first 13 volumes of the series, but I sold them off after seeing the same "rinse and repeat" scheme.

Ouch buying 13 volumes before you realize you've been wasting your money and still having 42 more volumes to get if you had been crazy err dedicated enough to continue. :sd:

I did the same thing. I bought and watched up to around volume 11 or 12 and then realized what a mistake I had made (it was already getting repetitive and dragged out) and cut my losses. Soon after, the show stopped in Japan and I heard about the ending, or lack thereof.

[karen0586]

I'm glad for Luis that he's finally finished with this torture of 55 discs into a series he just couldn't actually like or get into. I loved Inuyasha when I saw the first episodes but then the whole recycling of what's going on and the very high episode count just wouldn't do it for me. At least with Detective Conan I get to see different people die in various ways :sd: . Now I just can't help but wonder as to which series Chris will assign to Luis next... :> , it's probably a long one as well.

[Mateo_home]

Although, I did bought the first 13 volumes of the series, but I sold them off after seeing the same "rinse and repeat" scheme.

Ouch buying 13 volumes before you realize you've been wasting your money and still having 42 more volumes to get if you had been crazy err dedicated enough to continue. :sd:

I did the same thing. I bought and watched up to around volume 11 or 12 and then realized what a mistake I had made (it was already getting repetitive and dragged out) and cut my losses. Soon after, the show stopped in Japan and I heard about the ending, or lack thereof.

I guess I'm in the same boat. I bought the first 17 discs and then I decided to abandon InuYasha and focus on some of the more shorter anime out there. Never did find out what happened after InuYasha and Miroku were trapped in that Moth demon's poison cocoon. I just heard that InuYasha went in demon mode and killed all but three of the demon's men and Sesshomaru shows up to assist.

But enough about that. As others stated, it had a great start, but gives signs that it will continue even after time stops. To be fair, I liked the music, the animation was top notch, and the mix of comic relief and darker moments was cool. But it probably should have been shaved down to like 70 episodes. But that's only an opinion.

[zaldar]

I've already asked him to re-evaluate the series in season set form. I'm wondering if he'd enjoy it more in larger chunks than 3 episodes at a time.

His response to date has just been a whimper I believe.

I've got your response right here (http://www.vgcats.com/comics/?strip_id=191). :P

I'm trying to convince him to take on MAR but I don't think I'll have any luck there.

I'm going to tell God to stab you.


Thank you so much! Did you write that comic? That was hilarious and oh so true...

[zaldar]

gah....might I recommend when you son is older that you show him ghost in the shell or here and there then and now? Inuyasha was not any better than any number of american action cartoons, and that is not a compliment.

[zaldar]

I'm trying to convince him to take on MAR but I don't think I'll have any luck there.

So wait is this your real reason for seeking out new reviewers on occasion? To have a larger pool of victims to have review series which you consider torture? :P At least that's the impression I get from the MAR review anyway. A series I honestly have no interest in watching to be honest.


Even if thats true I'd still love to review stuff for you....don't have a directional speaker system though..(just what comes out of the TV sigh)

[Luis Cruz]

Thank you so much! Did you write that comic? That was hilarious and oh so true...

No, I have nothing to do with that web comic other than enjoying its humor.

[Fencedude]

Can I say I told you so? Because I said, WAAAAAY back when this first started getting released that anyone who bought each disc individually was crazy.

Personally, I made it to the Band of Seven arc on "alternative viewing methods" before bailing on the series entirely.

[Suwako Moriya]

Personally, I made it to the Band of Seven arc on "alternative viewing methods" before bailing on the series entirely.

Ah, but that means you didn't get to see the part where they postpone their important mission to help out a random village. :P Seriously no wonder Naraku was always one step ahead of them. Okay I meant to say mile.

[Teiresias]

gah....might I recommend when you son is older that you show him ghost in the shell or here and there then and now? Inuyasha was not any better than any number of american action cartoons, and that is not a compliment.

You're, of course, entitled to your opinion--no matter how lame it might be. :D

My son has watched GiTS:SAC--he didn't like it much: "Too much talk, talk talk." As he's 8, I imagine it'll be awhile before he's interested in those types of shows. I guess that'll be up to him.

[sonnybonds]

I knew around disc 20ish though that this thing was going to be typical of Takahashi; the Manga was still going and when it really took off you could tell their were Yen signs in her eyes.


I remember lurking on here when the anime ended in Japan and the people on these boards in Japan indicated that the manga version was starting to move towards a final confrontation with Naraku and an end to the series.

It still hasn't ended?

[zaldar]

gah....might I recommend when you son is older that you show him ghost in the shell or here and there then and now? Inuyasha was not any better than any number of american action cartoons, and that is not a compliment.

You're, of course, entitled to your opinion--no matter how lame it might be. :D

My son has watched GiTS:SAC--he didn't like it much: "Too much talk, talk talk." As he's 8, I imagine it'll be awhile before he's interested in those types of shows. I guess that'll be up to him.



yes but that is what makes it anime and what makes it good! Talk, intellectualism, thought provoking plots. Not just crazy action, silly humor, rinse and repeat. I mean inuyasha was only slightly better than pokemon!

[Teiresias]

gah....might I recommend when you son is older that you show him ghost in the shell or here and there then and now? Inuyasha was not any better than any number of american action cartoons, and that is not a compliment.

You're, of course, entitled to your opinion--no matter how lame it might be. :D

My son has watched GiTS:SAC--he didn't like it much: "Too much talk, talk talk." As he's 8, I imagine it'll be awhile before he's interested in those types of shows. I guess that'll be up to him.



yes but that is what makes it anime and what makes it good! Talk, intellectualism, thought provoking plots. Not just crazy action, silly humor, rinse and repeat. I mean inuyasha was only slightly better than pokemon!


z, you're killing me! O.O

But you hit the nail right on the head: He loves Pokemon even more than InuYasha! :D