Title: Inu-Yasha

Genre: Fantasy/Romance

Airs: Cartoon Network, check local listings

Company: Viz Communications

DVD Info: 38 volumes are out so far 3 episodes in each volume

Creator/Studio: Rumiko Takahashi/Sunrise

Summary: Kagome is a young girl who has traveled to a world similar to that of feudal Japan by falling through a magic well. There she meets a half-man, half-demon named Inu-Yasha and learns that she has a special gift that allows her to see the shards of a mystical necklace that have been scattered across the land. The evil Naraku is searching for the shards as well, because they are a key to great power.

The Good: There’s a lot of action and humor. This is a great epic fantasy.

The Bad: It’s not the easiest of series to jump in on. However, they do provide some flashbacks at times. You may also need some knowledge of Japanese literature and folklore to understand some of it.

Offensive Material: Because this is fantasy, it should come as no surprise that magic is quite common. It may also put off people that even though Inu-Yasha is half-demon, he’s actually a decent person—most of the time. There’s some graphic violence as well, probably more now that it’s uncut. There’s also some nudity, but not much. Curse words are also rarely heard. Overall: If you like The Hobbit, Wizard of Oz, Tamora Pierce’s Circle of Magic series or the works of Piers Anthony, you’ll definitely enjoy this series. My Review (out of 4): 4.0

Category: B (Borderline)

Note: Rumiko Takahashi also created Ranma ½, Urusei Yatsura, and Maison Ikkoku. Like the other series listed above, Inu-Yasha is based on a manga published in America by Viz. Beginning in December, Viz will publish what is called a “visual manga”. This manga will use scenes from the television version to tell the story. Each issue follows the DVD collection.