From the back cover:
A new crop of demons is plaguing the land. The more demons are killed, the more humanlike they become. This progression culminates in a battle between the gang and Moryomaru, Hakudoshi’s new and fearsome creation. Can Koga and Inuyasha stop their infighting long enough to battle a common enemy?
Review:
In volume 34, which I reread before starting this one, Inuyasha and pals pledged to help a living mountain regain his “nulling stone,” stolen by Naraku, which hid his demonic power and let him pretend to be a normal mountain so he could live peacefully and undisturbed. I mention this because the story shifts so abruptly into fighting this new batch of demons created from other demons—or “hodge podge demons” as I dubbed them—that I completely forgot about their quest. Eventually, Naraku’s minion, Hakudoshi, swipes some nulling stone-detecting crystals from Miroku, at which point I went, “Ohhhh! Riiiiight.”
That kind of gives you an indication of how blah these plots were. Hodge podge demons rampage, Inuyasha and the gang kill them. Hakudoshi appears with a more advanced demon. Teamwork prevails and the bad guys flee, etc. After that, there are a few chapters about a girl who Miroku had apparently pledged to marry two years ago who is now due to wed a catfishy lake spirit. The saving of her is not interesting, but I enjoyed Sango’s reaction. I wish she would’ve stayed pissed a bit longer, though, since Miroku’s sleazy ways do not amuse me.
I also liked seeing more signs of dissension within Naraku’s ranks, as Kagura visits Sesshomaru with one of the stone-detecting crystals, which will enable him to find the location of Naraku’s heart—it being kept separate from his body is supposedly what’s allowing him to regenerate so often—and destroy it. It occurs to me that I’d really love to see a chapter or two that tells the story from the bad guys’ perspective—A Day in the Life of Kagura or something like that.
I have a bunch of these but I think I’ll sell them back to the used book store I bought them at and wait for the Vizbig editions in November.
And, come on, Miroku is the man!! You can’t fault the guy for his roaming hands and seed spreading inclinations. He’s so sincere about it. 😉 😉
As a newer manga fan, this is one of those series that intimidates me with its length, so I’ve never even attempted to start reading it. Your mixed feelings here make me feel kind of okay with that, but there’s enough spark to make me consider starting with it when the new Vizbig books come out. Hmmmmm.
I wish she would’ve stayed pissed a bit longer, though, since Miroku’s sleazy ways do not amuse me.
But that sentence amused *me*. 😀
@mark: I don’t think Miroku’s at all sincere! 🙂 The VIZBIGs don’t really tempt me, alas, since I pretty much bought most of these new and that’s a hefty investment. I’m happy that 38+ will read right-to-left, though.
@Melinda: I think you’d end up liking it, actually.