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Inuyasha the Movie: Affections Touching Across Time
Movie

Inuyasha the Movie: Affections Touching Across Time

2001 • Unknown

Woke Score
2
out of 10

Plot

InuYasha is a half-demon who was trapped in the Legendary Tree and was set free by Kagome, a girl who traveled 500 years through time. This time, both of them will have to face Menomaru, a Chinese demon whose father, known as Hyoga, came 300 years ago to invade Japan, but was stopped by InuYasha's Father. InuYasha and Kagome, along with Sango, Miroku, Shippou, Kaede and Myoga, will try to stop Menomaru in his becoming the most powerful demon ever.

Overall Series Review

The film is an action-adventure set in Feudal Japan, centered on the bond between the half-demon Inuyasha and the modern schoolgirl-turned-priestess Kagome as they face a powerful demon from China. The narrative is driven by classic fantasy tropes of good versus evil, destiny, and romance, focusing on character merit and spiritual strength over modern social commentary. The conflict is a straightforward battle against an invading evil force that seeks to absorb all living souls to gain ultimate power. The core emotional arc is the deepening romantic relationship between Inuyasha and Kagome, tested when the villain mind-controls Kagome to attack her beloved. Female characters, such as the demon slayer Sango and the priestess Kagome, are strong and indispensable heroes, each contributing unique skills, but they operate within a framework of complementary male-female relationships. The movie is rooted deeply in Japanese folklore and spiritual concepts, portraying them as sources of moral and protective power against demonic chaos. The movie is an artifact of its time, produced outside the sphere of current progressive social ideologies.

Categorical Breakdown

Identity Politics2/10

The plot focuses on a traditional conflict between a native Japanese hero group and a foreign invading demon from the 'Continent,' explicitly referencing China. The central hero, Inuyasha, is an outcast due to his half-demon bloodline, but he is judged and succeeds based on his strength, courage, and moral choices, not on an immutable characteristic hierarchy. The entirely East Asian and demonic cast eliminates any possibility of 'white vilification' or 'race-swapping.'

Oikophobia1/10

The central conflict involves the heroes fighting to protect their homeland, Japan, from destruction and soul absorption by an outside, invading demonic force. Ancestors are respected; Inuyasha's father is the great demon who originally defeated the villain's progenitor. The Feudal Japanese setting is treated as a valued place worth defending, showing strong gratitude for heritage and home.

Feminism3/10

Female characters Sango, a highly skilled demon slayer, and Kagome, a powerful priestess, are essential and competent contributors to the team's success. Their strength is not portrayed as instant perfection; Kagome struggles when mind-controlled by the villain, and Sango is a trained professional. The male lead, Inuyasha, is a formidable protector, and the male monk Miroku is a powerful fighter, though he is consistently a 'lecherous' comic foil whose behavior is directly countered by Sango. The story centers on a romantic, male-female pairing as the main emotional anchor.

LGBTQ+1/10

The narrative makes no reference to alternative sexualities, gender identity, or queer theory. The central emotional and romantic themes are focused entirely on the traditional male-female pairing of Inuyasha and Kagome, with another traditional pairing between Miroku and Sango. Sexuality is not a theme for political discussion but a source of light, traditional comedy in Miroku's character.

Anti-Theism1/10

Spiritual power and faith-based elements like the priestess's sacred arrows, Kagome's Shikon Jewel-detecting ability, and the Buddhist monk Miroku's Wind Tunnel are sources of genuine power and good, directly opposing the demonic evil. Morality is transcendent, clearly defining the heroes' spiritual purity against the villain's soul-absorbing destruction. The movie explicitly acknowledges a higher moral law and the spiritual strength of its characters.