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InuYasha was my very first anime, so it seemed appropriate that it would be the first review I ever wrote! I certainly enjoyed it for the entirety of its run, and although the conclusion wasn't satisfying, a few years later a continuation was produced under the title InuYasha: The Final Act. It picks up right where InuYasha left off. It was fun to also have a majority of the setting take place in feudal Japan, while part of it took place in present day Japan where Kagome attended school and spent time with her family.

This show is far from perfect, but the characters, plot and ... music all drew me in.

Story: The plot intrigued me from the beginning, and I enjoyed watching the conflict unfold over time. We're introduced to characters who are united in one goal because of some tragedies that happened in their lives. This made the story more believable and enjoyable to watch. Like most anime and manga being produced around the same time there were quite a few filler episodes, but nothing too bland to watch. I loved how the show could be dark and emotional but also quirky and humorous. The action scenes were well done and there was always a sense of peril for the characters, and sometimes defeating an opponent took several episodes or even had its own arc. There is a love triangle, which could get exasperating at times, but it had a good resolution that I think most people will be pleased with.

Art: Considering this was made in the early 2000's, the art isn't half bad. You do get used to after a few episodes. There were some episodes where it looked like a different animation team was used though and the characters faces looked odd.

Sound: The voice actors for both the original and the dub were great! Sometimes I can't stand the dubbed version of a show but InuYasha is very enjoyable in English. I especially thought InuYasha and Kagome's voice actors were well chosen. The music does get repetitive but it suits the show and the emotion of certain scenes. I love almost all of the opening and closing themes and they changed every 30 episodes or so, so there are a handful of them.

Characters: I thought the character development was really well done. InuYasha and Kagome's relationship started out a little cliche, as in they hate each other but over time begin to develop feelings for one another. But they grow so much over the course of the series. At first, all InuYasha cares about is collecting the jewel shards and becoming a full demon. This perspective changes as he befriends each member of the group and becomes softer. Kagome is a strong heroine, and she's not afraid to put InuYasha in his place if need be. She is constantly putting others before herself, which does get her into trouble often, and usually InuYasha has to rescue her, but her heart is always in the right place. The lecherous monk Miroku, demon slayer Sango and cute but tough kitsune Shippo all have tragic pasts and each of them is fleshed out nicely throughout the show, which I loved. There are many more supporting characters that make appearances throughout the series that I think added a great dimension to it. Overall, the characters are what I loved best about InuYasha.

Overall: This is a great show for anyone who enjoys adventure, romance, comedy, tragedy...it has a little bit of everything. I definitely recommend it and you have more than enough episodes to enjoy (167). The story that Rumiko Takahashi has created will draw you in from start to finish, but not without a few dull moments here and there. Give it a try! I'm sure you'll be entertained :)