Inuyasha Manga: 016 Tessaiga

Much like the "Hanyou" chapter, I'm leaving the title in Romanized Japanese, because I'm not going to call it the Steel-Cleaving Fang while I'm doing my reviews. The name in Japanese is much more economical, and I'm lazy. You may notice, however, that I am spelling it differently than the official translation, and even the online translation I'm using to provide pictures for my reviews. It can be spelled both as "Tetsusaiga" and "Tessaiga", they're just different interpretations of the character in the middle of the name. I happen to like "Tessaiga" for a couple of reasons, one of which is that it better illustrates how to actually pronounce the word. The other is that Sesshoumaru's name also has that character in it, and no one spells it as "Setsushoumaru", do they? "Tessaiga" just makes more sense if you ask me.

With all that out of the way, I present the following snark.

Are you going to just stand there making love to this sword with your eyes, Sesshoumaru, or are you going to pull it out of the dais and become the King of England?

He says that it's a sword that can kill one hundred youkai in one swing and FINALLY grips the hilt to pull it out. About time. He calls it the fang sword, Tessaiga, as Jaken starts expositing all the things he heard about it. The one who holds it will inherit Sesshoumaru's father's spiritual power, and it was actually made from one of that father's fangs. Should Sesshoumaru be looking at it like that, then? Seems a tad incestuous.

Also, is that why one of the fangs on that skeleton is broken off? *shrug*

That took a while, didn't it? All the time Jaken was saying those nice things about the sword.

"It's cool, I'll just let him finish flattering me, then I'll shock the shit out of this guy."

Still cringing, Jaken asks if it really won't come out. Sesshoumaru continues to examine his smoking fingers dispassionately while he says it figures that there was a barrier on it. You should have known, dude. Someone shouts Sesshoumaru's name from above and he looks up, just as unconcerned as it's possible to be. It's Inuyasha, of course, yelling that he's not finished with Sesshoumaru yet while Kagome clings to one of the ribs next to him. Inuyasha leaps down with claws extended to use Sankon Tessou on Sesshoumaru, but he just hits the skull-littered base of his dad's stomach.

Are these all victims that weren't fully digested at the time of death? Like this?

That moment when a cartoon reminds you of actual real science and shit.

... you're here to hurt me for being a tremendous dick to you earlier???

Or Sesshoumaru could completely ignore that more obvious explanation in favor of assuming that Inuyasha came for the sword just like he did. That's cool too. Upon hearing the name of the sword, Inuyasha looks curiously at Tessaiga. Myouga urges him to pull out the sword, hopping excitedly on Inuyasha's shoulder, even getting as bold as to address the obvious fact Sesshoumaru couldn't pull it out aloud. Sesshoumaru glares silently a moment before asking Myouga if he's suggesting Inuyasha CAN pull out the sword.

Myouga says that the proof lies in the fact that the tomb was entrusted to Inuyasha. Not so much entrusted as inserted in his eye without his express consent, but details, amirite? Kagome is attempting to climb down the roots that lead down to the bottom of the skeleton, but is also listening intently to the conversation. Myouga tells Inuyasha to pull out the sword again, but Inuyasha scoffs. He's hunched and holding up a fist as he says that he's not interested in an old sword, when he could be punishing Sesshoumaru for deliberately screwing with his head. He launches himself at his half-brother, but said half-brother just leans away from Inuyasha's attack. Inuyasha hits the decorative flame backing to the dais for the sword instead while Sesshoumaru perches himself on a set of roots growing from the side of the skeleton. He asks where Inuyasha is aiming, and Inuyasha growls.

Well, at least I could agree with Sesshoumaru on one thing; Inuyasha's aim IS terrible. Inuyasha curses Sesshoumaru as he lunges for him again, only managing to hit the floor instead in a somewhat painful-looking skid. Inuyasha is cursing up a storm now, with Sesshoumaru mockingly telling him that his fighting style hasn't gotten any less childish. Not only have they met before this point, they've also fought before too. Interesting. I want to know more about these first meetings.

Fanfiction. Get on that.

Myouga tells Inuyasha that he can't win unarmed, and tries to steer him toward considering the sword again, but Inuyasha tells him to shut up. Finally, Kagome shouts at Inuyasha to grab the sword already. He stops his attack on Sesshoumaru and looks up at her clinging to a root above as she explains that if Sesshoumaru couldn't pull the sword out, it would be devastating to his pride if Inuyasha were to do so easily. Disgraceful even! Inuyasha stares at her with one wide eye, and Sesshoumaru glares. Inuyasha turns to look back at the sword with hunched shoulders, like he's regretting not having thought of this himself.

He glares at Sesshoumaru, saying he understands that it would be especially annoying for Sesshoumaru. Sesshoumaru is betting Inuyasha can't pull it off, and Inuyasha scoffs. He grasps the sword out of his new defiance, telling Sesshoumaru that this will be his payback, and that he wants to see him cry. Jaken is shocked from his half-hidden position behind the dais that the barrier that rejected Sesshoumaru doesn't seem to be rejecting Inuyasha at all. Myouga says he was right all along that the Tessaiga is meant to be Inuyasha's sword.

Already trying too hard. The sword doesn't budge, and both Kagome and Jaken look on in disbelief. Inuyasha stands hunched, resting from his effort, but also looking really irritated. Inuyasha grabs Myouga from his shoulder after an initial deadpan address, squishing the flea between his fingers and hissing between clenched teeth that he can't pull it out after all. Myouga stutters that he doesn't understand why.

Sesshoumaru says from behind Inuyasha that this whole farce has come to an end.

Typical cartoon villain. Tell EVERYONE about your attack so it's easier to see what's coming. Of course.

See? You might have landed the hit if Inuyasha DIDN'T know that the attack was meant to evaporate him. Might have thought it was a regular old strike and taken it.

This attack name is interesting, though, because I was wondering if it was related to the flower crest on his sleeve and collar. It's a six-petaled flower, which is weird in itself, because I don't know of any flowers in Japan that have six petals. The closest I come to it is the Pacific Dogwood blossom, which is native to the Pacific coast of the Americas. Ha, get it? Dogwood! Not poisonous, though. Just unpalatable, according to Wikipedia.

But I digress. Inuyasha leaps away to the left, but Sesshoumaru gets right up in his face again, telling him he's not going to get away. Jaken is swinging around his staff again, prepared to assist Sesshoumaru with some fire power. Kagome jumps down from her perch on top of his head, then grapples with him over his staff as she calls him a little monster through gritted teeth and he calls her a wench. With a powerful swing, Jaken throws her off the staff and sends her crashing to the ground on her shoulder, shouting that he won't be defeated again.

Seriously Kagome? SERIOUSLY?? You're literally FIVE TIMES the size of that guy, and he was able to toss you around like that? This isn't even an issue of strength; the leverage Kagome has over Jaken alone should have been enough to kick his ass and body slam him into the ground.

Whatever. Kagome pulls herself up by the handle of Tessaiga, just then seeing Inuyasha being held to the carpet of skulls by one of Sesshoumaru's hands while the other hovers over Inuyasha threateningly. Sesshoumaru tells him to just dissolve already.

England, say hello to your new king!

I didn't vote for you.

So, what did I think of this chapter overall? A lot of questions came up during my reading, most of which are listed above and are simultaneously completely unimportant. Does it really matter if Sesshoumaru's Toxic Flower Claw is related to his crest, or what flower that crest actually represents? No, and I'm pretty sure that the six-petaled flower is probably an attempt not to use any actual family crests of the time and invoke someone's ire. It was still a fun question to ask, of course.

But my curiosity about Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru's first meetings remains. With all these hints being dropped here and there that they've been grappling for a long time, I'm really wanting to know more. Unfortunately, we don't get any definitive answers, which is why I'm asking fanfiction to fill that void. Hell, it probably already has, but I'm just too scared to look because I'm afraid I'll come across something squicky that I'd rather not stain my memory. I've had some bad experiences looking at fanfiction in this particular fandom, sorry to say.

Another thing that has me curious is how that sword got so perfectly perched in Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha's dad's remains like that. This goes with my previous questions about how Inuyasha got the pearl inserted in his eye. How did all this work? Myouga's playing coy in this chapter didn't help, because he was acting like the entrance to the grave being in Inuyasha's eye was a clue, as well as the fact that Tessaiga didn't put up a barrier for him. But Myouga HAD to have known all of this beforehand. He said that he was the protector of the grave before, which means he was the protector of Inuyasha.

I'm beginning to think this was all arranged, at least partially, by Myouga. After all, he knew Sesshoumaru was after the grave and the sword. He knew that Sesshoumaru hated Inuyasha, and would use the necessary force to remove the black pearl from Inuyasha's eye. He knew Sesshoumaru had the Nintoujou, and therefore that HE would be the only one capable of opening the entrance at all.

Myouga is the mastermind behind the whole damn ordeal.

Fight me.