Inuyasha Manga: 344 Error From the Past

We all have a few of those. Some of them are minor, little things that don't really matter in the long run and are probably more embarrassing than anything else. In those cases, the person holding onto the memory of these errors are probably the only ones who remember them at all. But some of those errors are quite egregious and can cause some emotional and even material issues for us down the line. I'm currently contemplating one of those kinds right now in my own life, and more the reasons that I made that error in the first place. 

Word of advice: letting people who hate you and want you to suffer dictate your decisions, even when those decisions are the OPPOSITE of what those people would have imposed upon you, is a big mistake.

Thanks for reminding me to turn up the thermostat, Kagome. 

Nose running in the cold, Shippou asks with some asperity why MIROKU is the only one who gets to hang out in the house, and Kagome says that she doesn't know for sure. She does relate what he told her about wanting to discuss things with the family, though. With all the delicacy of which he is capable, no doubt. Shippou asks if Miroku will refuse to join the family by marriage, and Kagome says he SHOULD, considering how he promised to marry Sango, who stands off to the side looking sullen. If I were her, I would be rethinking MY commitment to that plan myself. Miroku hardly seems worth the heartache. 

Inuyasha turns his head to question Sango if she can really trust Miroku, because after all, it IS Miroku. He delivers what must be some sort of aphorism: "Shame on a man who doesn't accept a woman's proposal", which inspires Sango to glare DAGGERS at him as she sweatdrops. Kagome yells at Inuyasha to sit, and as he raises his head from the dirt in consternation, lectures him like he's a toddler, asking where he learned such a nasty phrase. He's a 15-year-old boy, what do you expect?? Kagome then implores him to READ THE FUCKING ROOM, and Sango is kind of hung up on the fact that this was a secondary concern to Kagome than the gross phrase Inuyasha used. 

Meanwhile, inside, Shima's father is telling Miroku that he wants to conduct the marriage ceremony as soon as humanly possible, while Shima continues to hang off of Miroku on the adjacent side of the fire. Miroku does NOT refuse outright, instead drawing attention to the fact that Shima's harasser is a youkai, and argues that he's liable to pursue her regardless of her marital status. Basically, he asserts this isn't the time for a wedding because it's not going to matter anyway, but Danna-sama begs to differ. He says Nushi-sama has expressed his preference for a "pure" girl as a bride, and it's this preference that makes them believe that he'll give up once Shima's married. Miroku is not convinced, insisting that it won't work, but Shima begs him to let her become his wife before Nushi-sama comes. Miroku regards her seriously, but he's reduced to a nervous chuckle when her own father recites what Inuyasha said earlier: "Shame on a man who does not accept a woman's proposal". Well, it can't be THAT taboo of a saying...

Suddenly, a giant version of Sango's head floats at Miroku's nervous back, surrounded with spectral fire. 

Shippou pops back into his regular form, claiming he was just trying to communicate Sango's feelings to Miroku. She says she's not mad in a deadpan tone, carrying Shippou by the back of his collar back out the door while she offers an apology for intruding. She casts withering look over her shoulder at Miroku, wishing the fool death, and Miroku picks up on THAT message CRYSTAL CLEAR, his nervous smile weak and unsteady. 

Shima's parents ask trailing questions about that woman, and he's about to deliver what I can only assume is a half-explanation when another earthquake rattles the house. Outside, Kagome runs up with bow in hand, acknowledging the renewed tremors, and Sango has also shouldered her Hiraikotsu by its strap across her chest. Inuyasha has a hand on Tessaiga's hilt, saying that something reeking of fish is approaching. He asserts that the "Nushi-sama of the lake" is finally making an appearance. 

The ground heaves and crumbles like some large burrowing animal is digging directly for them. A dark figure emerges from the dirt, shadowed and imposing, Inuyasha and Kagome agape at it, but it's not for the reason you might think. 

Uhhh... a bit LESS intimidating that I was expecting. 

A sweatdropping Kagome makes a confused noise, the gapes of those around her not letting up in the slightest. Smooth head glinting in the moon/lamplight, Nushi-sama introduces himself as the master of the lake, and says he's come for Shima as promised. Kagome, Inuyasha, and Sango all lean in to confer in hushed tones, questioning if this is really the guy, unable to come to any other conclusion, since there's no one ELSE around vying for the identity. 

Inuyasha steps forward silently and whacks Nushi-sama on the top of his head, telling him to go home. 

The best reason he could have, honestly. 

At last, the family, and Miroku, have emerged from the house, Shima's father stuttering as he acknowledges Nushi-sama. Shima peeks out from behind Miroku's sleeve, complaining that she's scared, a claim Sango responds to with some incredulousness. I mean, LOOK at the dude. Nushi-sama waves at Shima and greets her with a flirty tone, but she wails and cringes. Girl, come on, this is EMBARRASSING for you. Inuyasha pats Nushi-sama on the shoulder in a mockery of sympathy, advising him to give it up. 

Nushi-sama sweats profusely, asking why, because he was clearly under the impression that he was promised he could come for his bride today. Miroku asks what promise Nushi-sama is talking about, with Shima insisting from over his shoulder that she never promised ANYTHING. Her father grovels in the dirt in front of Nushi-sama, begging for forgiveness, shocking his daughter. Dad's got some 'splaining to do, for sure.

He recalls again Miroku's past prescription of herbs made into tea for Shima to drink every day, relating once again how he boiled those expensive-ass plants just as directed, but this time he's hanging his head in shame. The water from the lake was his medium for them, and in drawing water from the lake, he did a little extra something as well.

Wrote a BIG fucking blank check there, dude. 

From the obvious result, Miroku deduces that what Nushi-sama asked for is Shima as a wife. Nushi-sama himself elbows Inuyasha and asks him if he had made any kind of mistake in his assumptions that Shima was all set up to marry him, Inuyasha keeping his eyes closed and mouth shut in the face of this condescending rebuttal. Kagome admits she sort of feels bad for the guy, as if his ask itself was at all reasonable. The very clear mistake Nushi-sama made here, extending Shima's father's promise that HE would do anything to a promise that anyone CLOSE to him could be made to do anything too, will NOT be pointed out by our young and clueless protagonists. 

Fingers covering her mouth in her shock, Shima mutters that she had no idea her father had made such a deal with the lake youkai. Her father asks for forgiveness, and she tells him it's alright, all done in his dedication to the healing of her illness. Her own filial devotion will no doubt prevent her from telling him he could have been a BIT more careful with her future if he was so concerned that she be healthy for it. 

Sadly, Shima goes on to say that there's no avoiding a promise like that, despite the fact that SHE didn't know about it. Nushi-sama is ecstatic at her apparent acceptance of their impending nuptials, suggesting so in a sing-song voice. Miroku and Sango are in horrified shock, questioning if she would ACTUALLY marry a youkai. I think the fact that he's a youkai is like the LEAST of his character flaws right now, guys. 

Also, Inuyasha is RIGHT THERE. The product of a youkai-human union. RIGHT THERE. 

Shima kneels in front of Nushi-sama, who doesn't even look tall when her head is on the ground, and begs his forgiveness, claiming she's not WORTHY of becoming his bride. He literally looks like a character from Spongebob Squarepants when he looks down at her with a flat expression (mirrored by Inuyasha and Kagome behind him) and asks her WHY. Shima tells him that she'd heard he desires a pure girl for his wife, but she's not been pure since two years before. 

Girl.  O.o

Danna-sama stutters as he asks Shima if that's true, and she apologizes for not being able to bring herself to tell him. Inuyasha says it figures, but Kagome admits she's still a bit shocked despite having heard this shit before. Miroku looks highly agitated and not at ALL stoked about this statement from Shima, while the absolutely dead-eyed Sango beside him repeats the lie that this is all fine, because it's something that happened a while ago. Nobody's buying that, sweetie. 

Danna-sama repeats to Nushi-sama that this is the situation as it stands, and Shima's mother suggests they pretend it never happened. Little rivers of tears run down Nushi-sama's cheeks(?) as he blubbers that they deceived him. No dude, no one deceived you, you just had expectations of someone you have never fucking spoken to before now that were not reflective of reality. THAT'S ON YOU. But like any guy with an entitlement complex who doesn't get what he feels he's owed, he transforms into a monster, screaming about how Shima's cuteness just makes his hatred worse. The difference between him and a human man is that he LITERALLY transforms, his goofy unthreatening form stretching and expanding into a giant demonic fish. 

The ground heaves beneath Inuyasha and Kagome's feet, and she clings to his arm to stay steady, Shippou doing the same at Kagome's calf. a heavy smoke fills the air around Nushi-sama's growing form. 

Is this some sort of pun about internet catfishing? I don't know if the Japanese have the same term for it that we do, but if so, there might be a little bit of a goofy parallel here. 

Shima's parents shriek that their house will be smashed as the ground shakes, and Shima herself clings to Miroku's middle, begging that he save them. He promises to calm down the enraged youkai, then turns to Sango for some support in this task, but Sango emits a dark aura, silent and brooding. Her edges are literally prickly as she tells him to clean up this mess himself, since it's HIS error from the past. Congratz to her for getting to say the chapter title, but it's probably not much of a consolation prize. 

Shima asks Miroku if the other woman is going to start transforming too, but Miroku insists that Sango's not a youkai. She could still tear some shit up, though. Kagome shouts that this isn't the time for a dispute, perhaps at Sango and Miroku, but it's kind of impossible to tell to whom she's directing this admonishment. Meanwhile, Inuyasha has leapt forward, pushing off from the roof of the house toward the great catfish glaring at him. He declares that Nushi-sama's opponent is HIM, even though he has less than 0% to do with this shit. Nevertheless, Nushi curves his head down and opens his fanged mouth to make good on his stated purpose of taking Inuyasha down in one gulp.

Somehow, the focus shifts away from the ACTION, to where Miroku is reaching out to Sango, insisting they can talk this out. Sango tells him not to come any closer, and then her enraged expression softens into a more depressed downcast face as she says that it's clear this won't work out. Miroku sweatdrops, his wide eyes and gape indicating a numb shock as he repeats her last phrase in disbelief. 

Your boyfriend is about to be eaten by a big fish, you don't think that's a little more important?

So, what did I think of this chapter overall? I find the framing in this chapter a bit odd. Nushi looks and ACTS a little like Mukotsu, who was unambiguously condemned in the narrative for his behavior, but Nushi is portrayed in a much less malicious and more comedic light. Sure, Nushi isn't trying to outright assault Shima, but the attitude of entitlement to intimacy with a woman is similar, and he turns violent at the end of the chapter because of it. Just because it's not sexual violence doesn't mean it's less severe, or that it's not a serious red flag for escalation. It's because we view this kind of tantrum as more pathetic than threatening and only take it seriously when it crosses over into assault (sometimes not even THEN) that we have a problem reining in misogyny as a whole. 

Nushi's assumptions are never challenged or questioned. It's never pointed out to him that he extended Shima's father's promise to do anything to Shima herself, even though SHE made no such promise. No one ever tells him that viewing his intended bride not as an autonomous person, but a bargaining chip her father can just hand off to anyone who asks might not be the BEST basis for a long term relationship. Nor does anyone have anything to say about how he immediately jumps to the conclusion that he's been LIED TO, rather than his expectations of the situation being mistaken. He literally says that he has a quickly ballooning HATRED for the family and their allies, based entirely on his aggrieved sense that no one should deny him access to Shima/the virginity she claims she doesn't have anymore. 

Now, I realize that some have argued this story is set in a time period in which women and girls WERE indeed viewed as chattel, and were married off to whomever at the whims of their male family members, primarily. Hell, in Japan these days, it's still not all that uncommon for arranged matches to occur. However, it's important to remember that this is a modern story written by a modern woman, and the main character is a modern girl. Kagome could be capable of pointing out the flaws in Nushi's logic and providing an alternative view to this dubious arrangement, and RT herself could have built a similar framing around Nushi as she did Mukotsu to emphasize how Nushi's entitlement can lead to Mukotsu's EXTREME actions. 

But instead she just has Kagome fret about what's going to happen between her friends at the end of the chapter. What a waste.