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Honestly...it's not the worst thing I've read. I found this manga through an anime YouTuber I watch who reads yaoi for fun and it looked like a decent read. If you're not expecting much and you just wanna read some smut with some barely-there plot, then you'll probably like this.

[SPOILERS LOL]

STORY

It's pretty meh, honestly. Obviously, the first major hurdle is the MC not wanting to be the Titan's Bride (hahaha) we get your typically "But we can't be together, I'm a guy!" situation that happens in every yaoi. It's a bit annoying to get through but eventually, the MC gets over it and we cooking ... LOL

There's the teeniest bit of "lore" and it's really just an excuse for the MC and top to have sex. One of the first "arcs" involves the MC eating a fruit that, essentially, puts him in heat at night and the top has to "help" him get through it. Is it ridiculous? Absolutely, but the "plot" is just interesting enough to keep you reading.

CHARACTERS

Again, not that bad. The MC is a high school senior named Kouichi who gets summoned into a magical world full of titans (giants), beastmen (furries LOL), and long-ears (elves) he is fated to be the "bride" of King Caius of the titans. He doesn’t want to at first and shenanigans ensue from there.

Caius and Kouichi are a cute enough couple and I like their interactions. It is kinda unrealistic how ~fast~ Kouichi ends up reciprocating Caius’ feelings but it really helps the story pick up afterward.

The other characters are pretty non-consequential in my opinion, they’re kinda there to move the “plot” along. (aka give the MC and top reasons to have sex)

ART STYLE

Really pretty! The art style is very clean and easy to understand between pages, I don’t really get lost in the (very few) action sequences and it’s not hard at all to follow along.

As I said, you should give it a read if you just want some good fanservice/smut and don’t want to think too much about a plot. It’s engaging enough to keep your attention and if you’re looking for something deeper, your best bet is to try something else.

Inuyasha has been an anime that I have memed to death, but it has always been near and dear to my heart. Like many, I was one of those kids staying up late and watching it on Adult Swim (when I probably shouldn’t have), and even after all these years, I can still remember key plot points and beloved characters. Now, with the quarantine giving me all this free time, I decided to rewatch the entire series (plus Final Act) for the first time in 10+ years.

Watching Inuyasha with newer eyes was a worthwhile experience — I have been able to better appreciate Takahashi’s characters ... and the development each of them go through as well as recognize certain parts of the anime that are less than ideal that I didn’t notice as a child.

I assume you know the plot if you’re reading this and if not, just watch the first few episodes to get a feel. Also for the record, this is my review of the dub. I rarely, if ever, watch subbed anime so sorry if that doesn’t float your boat. Also, this is going to be my review of the anime not including Final Act. I’ll give that one it’s own review when I get to it.

What really changed this experience of rewatching Inuyasha was my feelings towards the characters; growing up, I was never a big fan of Kagome, our female lead. Looking back on it, I think it was more of my young eyes just not understanding her character arc. As an adult, I adore Kagome. I admire her strength, her courage, and I love the selfless person she is. Kagome was the character who I rooted for the most and watching her grow from a confused, fish out of water into a brave, righteous hero was heartwarming.

The only time I cried watching this show was when Kagome decided to give up whatever feelings she had for Inuyasha because of how he felt for Kikyo. It’s one of the many examples of Kagome putting others before herself and I’m glad I was able to rid myself of my “I’m not like other girls” mindset to see Kagome for the wonderful protagonist she truly is.

As for the other characters, I love most of them. I will always love Koga. (or Kouga, depending on the spelling) I looked forward to his episodes because his antics with Inuyasha usually lead to a bit of development between the latter and Kagome. (But I still ship KogKag after all these years)

Sango was my “best girl” for years before I realized how much I love Kagome. Still, I enjoyed her character arc involving Kohaku — her torn loyalties between her new friends while also wanting to protect her younger brother and Kohaku’s arc as well, blocking out the memories of unknowingly murdering his family due to being under Naraku’s control and then facing bouts of (essentially) PTSD.
(something I didn’t pick up on as a kid)

I love that Naraku just a villain. Evil incarnate with no redeeming qualities (his name literally means “hell”) There’s no redemption arc for him because he doesn’t deserve it. I don’t know, maybe making a clear villain like that might be lazy writing but there are so many other morally gray characters in the show (Sesshomaru, Kagura, Kikyo) that having the main baddie just being the definition of pure evil sits right with me.

For as much as I enjoyed my rewatch there are a few minor grievances. The first (and honestly the MOST minor) are Jaken and Shippo’s voices. I love Shippo as a character, but sometimes his voice really annoyed me especially when he would just yell out the obvious or whine to Kagome. Jaken is a different story. He brought nothing to the story except to praise Sesshomaru and yell at Rin. His voice was extremely shrill and he was CONSTANTLY yelling. You could’ve taken Jaken out and Sesshomaru and Rin’s story would have stayed the same. He literally does nothing for me as a character.

My second gripe is one I think most people have — the love triangle. Ohhhh the love triangle. Watching Inuyasha constantly go back and forth between Kagome and Kikyo (even after Kagome effectively gave up Inuyasha so he may come to terms with his feelings for Kikyo) was incredibly frustrating and brought to light most of the story’s inconsistencies; in one episode Inuyasha swears to protect Kikyo and even vows to die for her if comes to it. Then, not even ten episodes later while protecting Kagome from Tokajin, Inuyasha nearly dies in the fight and says that he doesn’t care as long as Kagome is safe — what happened to your promise to Kikyo? At points, Inuyasha’s tsundere ways get so frustrating that it made me start to dislike him a bit, especially with my newfound love for Kagome.

And also...I just hate Kikyo. Don’t get me wrong, she’s a fascinating character, and her arc shows how someone as pure as she once was can become tainted in their path for vengeance. There are multiple instances where she manipulates Inuyasha and takes advantage of Kagome’s selflessness for her own needs. The only person that justifies these actions are Inuyasha, but that’s because he still feels guilt over her death and confuses those feelings with love. Inuyasha isn’t in love with Kikyo; he’s in love with her memory.

Still, I hate Kikyo. Episodes without her were like mini-vacations for me. But it’s not to the point where I would want her off the show (like Jaken) She’s absolutely needed for the main story and not to further develop Inuyasha and Kagome’s arcs but for her own. One of the best twists in the show is that Naraku’s main target isn’t Inuyasha like what was initially perceived — he’s out to kill Kikyo because her spiritual powers pose a threat to him and Kikyo’s quest for vengeance is, ultimately, a sad one that leads to her second death.

I think most of my grievances of the show come from its length. At 167 episodes — plus 26 with Final Act totaling to 193 — it’s not the longest anime in the world (looking at the One Pieces and Detective Conans of the world) but for the story it was trying to tell it definitely dragged on at parts. I love that Inuyasha was having an inner conflict with his feelings for Kagome and his unwillingness to let go of Kikyo, it made his more human in his ironic quest to become a full demon. However, due to the number of episodes you have to go through just to get to the end, I kinda just want the show to get to the point. (Like me with this review)

Ultimately, I’m thankful I made the decision to rewatch Inuyasha. Now, I can truthfully say it’s one of my favorite anime series of all time and I think it’s one that I can recommend to someone who’s willing to take it on. It’s not a masterpiece, there are too many times where the show deviates from the main plot and certain characters that haven’t aged well (sorry, Miroku) But overall, it’s a show with a fairly interesting and engaging plot with characters that have their own motivations and stand out in their own ways.

It’s probably the best show to watch during a pandemic.

I absolutely loved Jyu-Oh-Sei! I just wished that the anime wasn't so rushed. So many things would go on during the course of one episode so there was a lot of information coming at you way too fast. But overall, the anime was extremely enjoyable to watch. I seriously haven't enjoyed an anime this much in a long time. Just watch it!