Original artist: yurari

第01話 「奈落の心臓 」 “Naraku’s Heart”

*Opening Sequence:

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*Closing Sequence:

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My how I missed seeing Kikyou~. Felt good to have her back.


It surely has been a long time.


Another shot I liked from the closing credits.


A shot of Kikyo and Kohaku together from the OP.


A shot of Kagome’s classmates; Ayumi, Yuka, and Eri. If I had to choose, Ayumi definitely.


Someone else I missed dearly~


Shot of Kagura and Hakudoushi. Wow they sure crammed a lot in this episode.


Reverse pan of Kagura shortly after the death of Hakudoshi.


This here has to be my overall favorite shot of Sango; seen in the closing.

*Random Thoughts:

Remember where you were and what you were doing when this show first began? Remember how good the soundtrack kept getting as the series progressed? I know I’ve been asked this plenty of times, but if I had to choose a favorite OP from the original series, it would have to be the 2nd with Hitomi. For ED I’d have to go with the first one of course from Dream. The colourful illuminations of the ferris wheel is just something I’ll never forget. Still love the song even today.

Another thing is the show carried with it one of the best English dubs for its time. I’m sure a lot of us remember its run on Adult Swim; and how that decision from CN established such a massive international fanbase that we know of today. The only complaint I heard really was how annoying it was when they later shortened or cut out the OP/ED from the US broadcast.

「Final Act」 promises to conclude the story and cover volumes 36 to 56 of the manga. The first episode aired yesterday and even though it was exciting seeing the whole cast again, it felt quite aggressively fast-paced. I’m not sure just how many chapters of the manga were crammed into it. It has been awhile since I last read it after all. Also there seems to be some uncertainty about exactly how many episodes are planned for the new series. So far we’ve been hearing 26 episodes as the scheduled number. But we’ll know for sure in time.

The new OP is sung by Do As Infinity, who originally disbanded in 2005 but reunited just last year. I was obsessed with DAI’s music back in the day, so hearing them again like this was a real pleasure. Visually speaking, the OP is fairly decent. May not compare to the opening credits of the past, but still quite refreshing to have. The ED on the other hand, that’s more of my style. It is performed by the dance-pop group AAA, whom I remember mostly for their single, “Blood on Fire.” The artwork present in the closing credits were beautifully displayed. The usage of classic clips also added a gentle touch to the theme.

In the episode itself we see Kagura guarding Goryomaru. Soon after Hakudoshi makes his way and tries to convince her into releasing Goryomaru despite Naraku’s orders. Later it is revealed that Hakudoshi is secretly plotting with Akago to replace Naraku and strengthen Moryomaru. The once dead Goryomaru is alive within Moryomaru, the keeper and armor of Akago. Hakudoshi only sees Naraku now as an empty shell where him and the Infant are the real ones. Inuyasha and the others learn of this during their confrontation.

The heart that Naraku carries belongs to Kagura and not Hakudoshi. Hakudoshi reminds her that no matter what she does, she cannot seek freedom from Naraku. Kagura tries to attack him, but his body always regenerates. However due to his betrayal, Naraku disables his barrier and calls back his insects, allowing Hakudoshi to be consumed by Miroku’s wind tunnel. Inuyasha and the others come to realize that they may have been used by Naraku to finish off Hakudoshi for him.

Kagome offers Kagura a chance to travel with them, but she refuses. Instead she reminds them that their first priority is Kohaku since Moryomaru is currently after his shard. Inuyasha vows to get Kagura’s heart back from Naraku for her. Later as the team rescues Kohaku, Sango discovers that Kohaku’s memories have returned. He cannot stay alongside his sister because of what he did to their father and his comrades under the influence of Naraku.

Great episode, only thing is it was a bit rushed. But I’m looking forward to more of course. What I’d recommend first is watch the old OPs and EDs again before watching the first episode of 「Final Act」. Believe me it will better set the mood.

*Screencaps: