Inuyasha Manga: 059 Temporary Arm

Only temporary? With both of my natural ones fully intact, I could use a few extra arms to work with, ones that are decidedly permanent. But a combination of how difficult it must be to find suitable prosthetics in Feudal Japan, how short a time they must last, and how finicky the person looking happens to be must add up to a steady STRING of temporary arms. The only question here is whether or not I'm sympathetic to the plight of our disabled subject.

No. No I'm not.

I guess you could make that mistake if you're used to seeing really well-dressed old dudes wandering around by themselves in the wilderness...

One of these bandits intrigued by the armor the figure in the distance is wearing, and the guy who identified this figure as human lifts his sword, planning to kill whoever it is and take all he has. The figure turns his head to view the oncoming threat in his periphery. Then...

He's not looking too friendly, guys. Maybe turn back?

Whoops. Too late.

Jaken comes shuffling from some nearby grass to tell Sesshoumaru how great he is, Sesshoumaru looking down at him like he's just randomly met up with the little guy at the supermarket. He clutches at the forearm of his mismatched limb as he identifies Jaken. Jaken says that he KNEW the arm Sesshoumaru took from the blue oni he killed earlier would be strong and gets a kick in the face for it.

Sesshoumaru holds up the arm to show that most of the skin has already rotted off of it as he asks Jaken if his eyes are just useless holes. The arm isn't working out. Jaken frets about the arm still not being good enough, and Sesshoumaru turns away while he commands Jaken to find him a youkai with a stronger arm, or die.

Jaken's heart hammers in his chest, contemplating how tired he is of living like this. What THIS is isn't exactly clear, but I'm guessing it's just been a repeated cycle of Sesshoumaru demanding Jaken go find him strong demons to steal arms from, Jaken doing this, and then being reprimanded for the demons not being strong enough. Just a shot in the dark. Jaken thinks back on when Inuyasha sliced off Sesshoumaru's arm and blames HIM for the current rash of misery. Sure, don't blame Sesshoumaru for being enough of a dick to make people WANT to cut off his limbs.

Both Jaken and Sesshoumaru look off in the direction of a voice saying that they appear to be having a bit of trouble there.

That's not really a distinguishing feature. Sesshoumaru could say he has a TON of friends if his only requirement for such was that they hate Inuyasha. I don't know if you've noticed, Monkey-Suit, but a lot of people seem to hate that boy just for EXISTING.

Monkey-Suit holds up a severed arm like it's an offering to one of the elder gods or something, pleading with Sesshoumaru to make use of it. Sesshoumaru doesn't say anything, leaving Jaken to shout at Monkey-Suit to cut the bullshit, because he's holding up a lowly human arm. Monkey-Suit says this is true, but the human arm also has a Shikon fragment embedded in it. Jaken repeats this information like a question, encouraging Monkey-Suit to add another important point to his pitch.

Hel-lo! Now you have his attention.

Monkey Suit goes on to say that he's heard of the Tessaiga that protects humans, and its reputation for being a blade that a PERFECT youkai like Sesshoumaru wouldn't normally be able to handle. If you open a little wider, you might be able to fit the balls in too, Monkey-Suit. How did you hear this about the Tessaiga anyway? The only people who should have been privy to that particular feature of the Tessaiga are Inuyasha, Kagome, Kaede, and Myouga. I'll bet you it was that little fucker Myouga, because we all know youkai gossip like they were all living on freaking Wisteria Lane or some shit.

Sesshoumaru scoffs and recalls that Monkey-Suit said he hated Inuyasha, putting two and two together when he supposes that means that Monkey-Suit approached him in order to use him to kill Inuyasha. Monkey-Suit confirms this, prompting an angry retort about how much nerve he must have from Jaken. However, Sesshoumaru is smiling when he says he'll go ahead and use the arm. Jaken stutter's Sesshoumaru's name in alarm.

Monkey-Suit isn't done handing out goodies, though, because he tells Sesshoumaru he has something else. He holds up what looks like a round wasp nest that he claims should prove useful to Sesshoumaru.

DUN DUN DUN!!! Although, some of the gravitas of Naraku's first appearance is taken by Sesshoumaru asking for his name in the douchiest way possible.

"I would keep calling you a bastard, but I wouldn't want to be rude or anything."

The next page shows us a quaint-looking little town overlooking a stretch of rocky coast, buildings peppering the small mountains lining it. At a big house behind a large gate, Kagome is sitting comfortably with a bowl of rice and a happy word on how great it is that she and her companions aren't staying outdoors tonight. Inuyasha sits against a wall behind her, sarcastically apologizing for the fact that they always sleep outside. She looks around and asks if he's recently developed a persecution complex or something, while Shippou sits nearby tipping a bowl as big as him up to his lips.

Elsewhere, Miroku's hands (the right one covered in its sealing glove so you know it's him) are shown smoothing a paper charm on a pillar as he says that should do it. He tells an old man next to him that the ominous clouds that hover over the mansion should be cleared up by the charm in no time, and is thanked kindly while they walk together down the pathway. Apparently, Kagome heard this and thanks Miroku for putting the charms up too as Miroku walks through the door. Now that he's done with work, he's ready for a good rest, but an incredulous Inuyasha isn't content to let him do that just yet.

Inuyasha says he just can't figure something out, so Miroku asks what it is. Inuyasha leans right up in Miroku's face to ask why it is that when it's time for them to sleep they always end up in the biggest house in the area which just so HAPPENS to have ominous clouds hanging over it. Miroku looks confused for a moment, asking Inuyasha in turn if he's never heard of a "convenient lie" before. Inuyasha is that very distinctive blend of shocked and appalled that he wears so very often, and Shippou joins in on this emotion for the moment. Kagome's face falls, thinking that she had her suspicions, but probably still surprised that Miroku admitted it so boldly like that.

Inuyasha accuses Miroku of being a wicked guy, and Miroku accuses Inuyasha of being obstinate, while Kagome sits there wondering which one of them she should side with. Seems to me you've already picked a side, considering you suspected Miroku was being a jerk and didn't intervene. She suddenly shivers, and it's not awareness of her own comfort with sitting around taking advantage of people that's making her do it, either.

Inuyasha looks over his shoulder when a shudder runs through the house.

He runs out of the house and gate to see what's going on, followed at a distance by Kagome.

WORSE THAN A T-REX. SO MUCH WORSE.

As the giant oni comes closer, Kagome gasps. Inuyasha identifies a figure sitting on the beast's shoulder, casual as can be.

You should have made SURE he was dead, Inuyasha.

So, what did I think of this chapter overall? It's very interesting to see Sesshoumaru struggling somewhat with his new disability. Because he doesn't show up too terribly often, we don't get to see this kind of struggle in depth, but it's good to see it at least acknowledged in the beginning of the chapter here, especially in such a subtle way. It's GOT to be subtle, because Sesshoumaru isn't the type to admit to having difficulty with anything in any capacity. THAT would be admitting to weakness, which is both damaging to his gigantic ego and his safety. So, he'll settle on trying on various different arms from other youkai he's killed (thus proving in the process that regardless of being short an arm, he's still powerful enough to take out anyone in pursuit of whatever he wants) and blaming Jaken when it doesn't work out.

This is doing its job in preserving his status as a big man on campus, given how Naraku has approached him in a deferential posture, presenting him with a tool while practically grovelling. Not that this isn't a carefully calculated approach on Naraku's part rather than simply an ego-stroke. He's heard enough about Sesshoumaru and Tessaiga to know that the best way to approach Sesshoumaru is to appeal to him as someone USEFUL, which presents Naraku right off the bat as a character who is given to manipulation of others as management, rather than getting things done himself.

Of course, despite how much Naraku may fancy himself a puppet master, Sesshoumaru is on to his game. He comes right out and says that Naraku is only proposing this because he's wanting to use Sesshoumaru to kill Inuyasha. Since Naraku doesn't hesitate in confirming this, I doubt he didn't expect Sesshoumaru to catch on. Both of these characters are calculating types who are sizing one another up while they're speaking, and their precarious agreement to work together is each of them taking advantage of the other and the opportunities they represent.

And that's why youkai really need to stop gossiping all day every day. Shit like this happens.