IY 512 - A Right Wish
AdInuyasha has Chapter 512 up here.
This chapter was so full of win. It brought up many issues that I have been waiting to be addressed for a while, plus it referenced so many classic moments from early Inuyasha chapters. It really felt like it was bringing the series full circle. And while it may still be a while yet before the series ends, it certainly did a lot to make me feel like we truly are nearing the end. Why else bring up so pointedly the issue of making a wish on the jewel again?
Page 2 - Kagome wearing regular clothes, always a cute rarity.
Page 3 - Kagome mentions there is less than a month left till her high school entrance exams. Leading me to believe that the series will end when about a month has passed from now in the manga continuity timeline, or shortly thereafter. I think RT will address the issue of whether or not Kagome passes her test around the time the series will end.
Page 5 - Yay for a Kaede appearance, and flashback panels of Kikyo telling young!Kaede to burn her body, as well as shots of Kikyo's body in the fire holding the Shikon no Tama.
Page 6 - Ok, this is the page that absolutely made me squee. A reference to the fake shikon no tama charms Grandpa sells from the very first chapter! This was such a cute surprise. I never thought that would get referenced again. Seeing Buyo batting at the charm was so cute. Yay for Grandpa and Sota appearances too, plus we get Kagome in yet another regular outfit. This chapter's like a practical treasure trove for things we rarely see.
Page 7 - This is very important. Grandpa mentions pointedly, "When the last person to hold the Shikon no Tama makes the right wish... the jewel will be purified and disappear from this world." I've been waiting for RT to bring up the issue of the final wish again. This was very exciting. Also to hear Grandpa say this as though it is common knowledge when I don't believe we've ever heard him say it before. To know that he knew this about the jewel all along... it's very interesting.
Page 10 - LOL at the look on Inuyasha's face when he's holding up the fake jewel charm and asking what it is.
Page 11 - But then this face he's making as he's looking at the fake jewel is so sad and poignant. He's remembering the promise he and Kikyo made about the real jewel all those years ago. This is very important: He's thinking "Inuyasha, what if you became human?" And then several panels are devoted to how Kikyo thought that if Inuyasha wished to become human then the jewel will disappear. All this done to remind us that the "right wish" on the jewel is the original wish that Inuyasha never got the chance to complete... the wish to become human. I'm so happy RT is reminding everyone of this. I've always thought that when the jewel is complete Inuyasha has to wish to become human.
I don't understand how some people think that this wish is somehow bad or unjust. Changing to human is not some cosmetic change or some sort of unacceptance of one's true self like getting plastic surgery or something. Being human already IS part of his true self. He turns human once a month, the ability and quality already exists inside himself. It is his human heart that makes him strong. Turning to human is a metaphor for his emotional growth and acceptance of himself, the knowledge that he isn't weak. He's already proved (was it the Peach Man arc... I'm forgetting) that he can survive as a human.
The only time Tessaiga doesn't work is when he's human. I think that's very important. He can't rely on Tessaiga to save himself. He has to rely on his inner strength.
I don't think Kikyo was being unaccepting of him when she suggested he become human. She already accepted his hanyou self; in fact she was apparently the first person after his mother to accept his hanyou self, when even Inuyasha didn't accept who he was, he wanted to become a full demon. Kikyo was also agreeing to make a mutual sacrifice. She was sacrificing her own powers as well. She was going to give up her duty to become a normal woman for him. They were both agreeing to be regular people and live together. There is nothing selfish about that for either of them.
Page 13 - Inuyasha reveals to Kagome that Kaede thought that the Shikon no Tama itself was what is sealing Kagome's powers.
Page 15 - The Shikon jewel is made up of two parts, one good and one evil. Kaede believes the "evil part" of the jewel feared Kagome's power and thus sealed it. Kagome asks Inuyasha if the jewel has a will of its own. Inuyasha says he doesn't know. But he says that even if it was Kikyo's will, it was because she didn't want anymore fighting.
So we don't know for sure if it was the jewel's will or Kikyo's will that sealed Kagome's powers. But we know that if it was Kikyo then it appears unintentional (not anything personal to Kagome, just something that arrived out of Kikyo's desires for peace when she died).
Page 17 - Kagome shows her strength by once again choosing to fight, and pretty much resolves to break the seal and become stronger. Good for her.
Page 18 - Once again the reiteration of "the right wish," which by this point has been made clear that Inuyasha has to wish to be human, not that Kagome realizes this yet. I think in his heart Inuyasha realizes it.
So much love for this chapter. I think this really puts the series on track toward a definitive ending.
In other news...
I found this video and thought, "THIS is exactly why Sess/Kag would never work out." XD
And iypoems is in serious need of votes right now. You don't have to be a member of the community to vote. If anyone can help me out, please vote here. Thanks!
I also want to point out, if anyone's looking for a poem to nominate for the new Best Poem category at IYFG, iypoems is a great place to look. There are some very talented poets who have posted there this quarter.
This chapter was so full of win. It brought up many issues that I have been waiting to be addressed for a while, plus it referenced so many classic moments from early Inuyasha chapters. It really felt like it was bringing the series full circle. And while it may still be a while yet before the series ends, it certainly did a lot to make me feel like we truly are nearing the end. Why else bring up so pointedly the issue of making a wish on the jewel again?
Page 2 - Kagome wearing regular clothes, always a cute rarity.
Page 3 - Kagome mentions there is less than a month left till her high school entrance exams. Leading me to believe that the series will end when about a month has passed from now in the manga continuity timeline, or shortly thereafter. I think RT will address the issue of whether or not Kagome passes her test around the time the series will end.
Page 5 - Yay for a Kaede appearance, and flashback panels of Kikyo telling young!Kaede to burn her body, as well as shots of Kikyo's body in the fire holding the Shikon no Tama.
Page 6 - Ok, this is the page that absolutely made me squee. A reference to the fake shikon no tama charms Grandpa sells from the very first chapter! This was such a cute surprise. I never thought that would get referenced again. Seeing Buyo batting at the charm was so cute. Yay for Grandpa and Sota appearances too, plus we get Kagome in yet another regular outfit. This chapter's like a practical treasure trove for things we rarely see.
Page 7 - This is very important. Grandpa mentions pointedly, "When the last person to hold the Shikon no Tama makes the right wish... the jewel will be purified and disappear from this world." I've been waiting for RT to bring up the issue of the final wish again. This was very exciting. Also to hear Grandpa say this as though it is common knowledge when I don't believe we've ever heard him say it before. To know that he knew this about the jewel all along... it's very interesting.
Page 10 - LOL at the look on Inuyasha's face when he's holding up the fake jewel charm and asking what it is.
Page 11 - But then this face he's making as he's looking at the fake jewel is so sad and poignant. He's remembering the promise he and Kikyo made about the real jewel all those years ago. This is very important: He's thinking "Inuyasha, what if you became human?" And then several panels are devoted to how Kikyo thought that if Inuyasha wished to become human then the jewel will disappear. All this done to remind us that the "right wish" on the jewel is the original wish that Inuyasha never got the chance to complete... the wish to become human. I'm so happy RT is reminding everyone of this. I've always thought that when the jewel is complete Inuyasha has to wish to become human.
I don't understand how some people think that this wish is somehow bad or unjust. Changing to human is not some cosmetic change or some sort of unacceptance of one's true self like getting plastic surgery or something. Being human already IS part of his true self. He turns human once a month, the ability and quality already exists inside himself. It is his human heart that makes him strong. Turning to human is a metaphor for his emotional growth and acceptance of himself, the knowledge that he isn't weak. He's already proved (was it the Peach Man arc... I'm forgetting) that he can survive as a human.
The only time Tessaiga doesn't work is when he's human. I think that's very important. He can't rely on Tessaiga to save himself. He has to rely on his inner strength.
I don't think Kikyo was being unaccepting of him when she suggested he become human. She already accepted his hanyou self; in fact she was apparently the first person after his mother to accept his hanyou self, when even Inuyasha didn't accept who he was, he wanted to become a full demon. Kikyo was also agreeing to make a mutual sacrifice. She was sacrificing her own powers as well. She was going to give up her duty to become a normal woman for him. They were both agreeing to be regular people and live together. There is nothing selfish about that for either of them.
Page 13 - Inuyasha reveals to Kagome that Kaede thought that the Shikon no Tama itself was what is sealing Kagome's powers.
Page 15 - The Shikon jewel is made up of two parts, one good and one evil. Kaede believes the "evil part" of the jewel feared Kagome's power and thus sealed it. Kagome asks Inuyasha if the jewel has a will of its own. Inuyasha says he doesn't know. But he says that even if it was Kikyo's will, it was because she didn't want anymore fighting.
So we don't know for sure if it was the jewel's will or Kikyo's will that sealed Kagome's powers. But we know that if it was Kikyo then it appears unintentional (not anything personal to Kagome, just something that arrived out of Kikyo's desires for peace when she died).
Page 17 - Kagome shows her strength by once again choosing to fight, and pretty much resolves to break the seal and become stronger. Good for her.
Page 18 - Once again the reiteration of "the right wish," which by this point has been made clear that Inuyasha has to wish to be human, not that Kagome realizes this yet. I think in his heart Inuyasha realizes it.
So much love for this chapter. I think this really puts the series on track toward a definitive ending.
In other news...
I found this video and thought, "THIS is exactly why Sess/Kag would never work out." XD
And iypoems is in serious need of votes right now. You don't have to be a member of the community to vote. If anyone can help me out, please vote here. Thanks!
I also want to point out, if anyone's looking for a poem to nominate for the new Best Poem category at IYFG, iypoems is a great place to look. There are some very talented poets who have posted there this quarter.