Episode 23: Naraku: The trap of light
(奈落 光の罠 Naraku hikari no wana)

Chapters covered: 540 through the end of 544

I don't have any serious complaints about this week other than the fact that Sakuma directed it. There was nothing special about how the animation looked this week nor did it deviate from the manga. If I wanted to nit-pick, I could say that the whole scene with Sango begging Sesshoumaru to kill her and Kohaku trying to verbally defend her didn't translate very from the manga to the anime. However, it wasn't great writing to begin. The shots off Rin's feet was also kinda weird.

Furtheremore, call me an insensitive fan if you will, but this anime is just terrible at eliciting an emotional response from me. Sure, there was plenty  of on-screen emotion this week, but it just isn't translating towards me. I don't get it.

Finally, right now, pacing is perfect. 24 should cover at least through the end of 548, but I'm pretty sure it will go through the end of 549. Since we are averaging 4-5 chapters per episode, I'd like to make a preliminary prediction of the last 3 episodes.

24: 545-549
25: 550-554
26: 555-558 (end)

Summaries and animation directors for those episodes will most likely appear on Sunrise's website by the end of the week.

Episode 22: Naraku: The trap of darkness
(奈落 闇の罠 Naraku yami no wana)

Chapters covered: Second half of 534 through the end of 539

mapThere were some things I liked this week and some things I didn't. First of all, chapter 537 and 538 were adapted to the point where they were practically changed. The end result was rather well-animated claw battle between Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru, but how Inuyasha loses his grip on Tessaiga is a considerable departure from canon. Rather than Narakua and his tentacles being the one to pry it from his hands and removing Inuyasha from the fight, it is instead Sesshoumaru who rather effortlessly knocks it away onto the fleshy cliff and continues the fight. I could continue to remark on this destruction of canon, but I'll not waste my breath. Just reread 537 and 538 and you'll see what I'm talking about.

On the bright side, Shippou vs. Jaken was hilarious and the dialogue with Kohaku perhaps even moreseo. Furthermore, I wasn't expecting the death of Magatsuhi (539) to be covered this week. I'm not sure how this will ultimately affect pacing. Also, remember that 558 has the content of 2 chapters.

Next week should at least get us through 544.