INU-YASHA 3: SWORDS OF AN HONORABLE RULER (2003)

 

PHENOMENALITY: *marvelous*
MYTHICITY: *good*
FRYEAN MYTHOS: *adventure*
CAMPBELLIAN FUNCTION: *metaphysical, psychological*

Not only does the third INU-YASHA movie build a new arc for the titular hero and his half-brother Sesshomaru, it works a new twist on the mythology of their patrimony from their deceased demon-father. In the manga, the dog-demon Toga leaves one sword to each of his two sons. The Tetsuseiga Sword is given to Inu-Yasha, son of a human mother, because Toga wants him to cherish his own human side and protect other human beings from demons (including from Inu-Yasha himself). To Sesshomaru, Toga leaves the Tenseiga, a sword whose only ability is to revive the dead. I'm not sure if Takahashi specified Toga's motive for the latter bequest, but that motive would have been in line with Toga's character as an "honorable ruler."

The third movie introduces a third sword owned by Toga prior to his death, the Sounga, but this blade is the repository for one of the many demons whom Toga defeated and sealed away. Moreover, the writer of SWORDS makes Sounga a symbol for the misuse of power. In a prologue, Sesshomaru asks his father to bequeath him both the Tetseiga and the Sounga. Toga enigmatically asks his son who if anyone he would protect with such power, and Sesshomaru arrogantly declares that he need not protect anyone. Later, Toga perishes but makes it possible for his human wife to raise Inu-Yasha to manhood before she too passes away.

But the Sounga shows up in Kagome's contemporary times, having been passed through the time-well to keep it out of the hands of Sesshomaru. Unfortunately, Inu-Yasha happens to be visiting Kagome in the present. There's some comic byplay about the Beads of Submission he wears, which allow Kagome to force him to fall to the ground whenever she says the word "sit." But then Kagome's family comes across the sword. Inu-Yasha happens to touch the weapon and Sounga's hellish spirit possesses him. He storms back to the medieval era, and the loyal Kagome follows. 

Sesshomaru, who holds his half-brother in contempt at best, is enraged to see Inu-Yasha possessing the sword. The two have a rousing sword-battle, during which fight the Sounga tries to reach out and seduce Sesshomaru. Kagome intervenes, using her power-of-submission to exorcise Inu-Yasha. The Sounga flies away and by this time, even Sesshomaru doesn't want such a threatening weapon.

So the Sounga seeks out another old enemy of the late Toga, a dead human warlord named Takemaru. who wanted to steal Toga's human wife from him. The warlord in turn raises an undead army. Inu-Yasha leaves Kagome in the care of his other friends (including some support-characters, including Tota the sword-smith and Saya, spirit of the Sounga's sheathe). Inu-Yasha and Sesshomaru fight again, but they're eventually forced to make common cause against Sounga's army. In particularly the two brother-rivals must temporarily put aside their old quarrels, and Sesshomaru must find that he does have something more than personal self-interest to consider.

And, just to come back to the comic byplay about the Beads of Submisison, Inu-Yasha briefly manages to rid himself of their influence. But Kagome makes sure that he falls under her aegis once again-- which is, to be sure, for his own good, since she keeps him from getting lost in his own arrogance.

What makes SWORDS more mythic than the two previous movies is its attempt to build on Rumiko Takahashi's concept of channeling the power of male heroism into a way of protecting others-- not least cherished females, like Inu-Yasha's mother and his true love Kagome. Various Takahashi stories show Inu-Yasha losing himself to his demon-half's lust for violence, and the SWORDS script is on the same page by having him go berserk with the power of the Sounga. Even when he's not so possessed, the heroic half-demon is so fiercely independent that he can't accept help from his friends-- though it's not impossible that he also plays a lone game at times because he's afraid of their coming to harm, particularly Kagome. Sesshomaru, a full demon, ends up learning lessons about humanity's virtues of persistence, restraint, and perhaps even love. (I should note that at this point in Sesshomaru's story, he inexplicably has taken a little orphan girl, Rin, into his retinue, as if he feels some need for human connection despite his claims to the contrary.)