Inuyasha the Movie: Fire on the Mystic Island

Release: 2004

Genre: Fantasy

Creator/Studio: Rumiko Takahashi/Sunrise

Director/Writer: Toshiya Shinohara/Katsuki Sumisawa

Distributor: Viz Communications

Running Time: 1 hour, 28 minutes

Age Rating: TV-14

My Rating: 10/10

Summary: Inuyasha and his friends arrive on an island populated by half-demon children, who they protect from four evil gods. This is the final Inuyasha movie, and it leads into the sequel, Inuyasha: the Final Act.

Review: There is a debate on the four Inuyasha movies and whether or not they are essential viewing. Since I haven’t read the manga, I’m not going to get into whether it’s canon. I’m just going to ask is this good? And the answer is yes. I rank this one right below the third movie, Swords of an Honorable Ruler. I don’t hate any of the movies, and if someone were to ask me if they should watch them, I would say “Yes, but space them out.” Don’t watch Affections Touching Across Time until you’ve watched episode 54. The Castle Beyond the Looking Glass is after episode 95. Swords of An Honorable Ruler is after 136. And this movie is considered a prelude for the final series. All four movies are good, so I wouldn’t skip them. The movie takes all the character growth and plot development and brings it to its conclusion before diving into the last chapter.

Language: There isn’t much cursing, but it’s there.

Violence: There is a mild amount of graphic violence, but I wouldn’t say it’s overdone.

Nudity/Sexuality: A child is naked and in the fetal position at the start of the movie.

Religion: There are references to Shintoism throughout the story. While Inuyasha and the children are called half-demons, they’re not the same as the demons in Christianity. This is more of a translation of the Japanese word yōkai, who are closer to fairies.

Inuyasha Movie 3: Swords of an Honorable Ruler

Release: 2003

Genre: Fantasy

Creator/Studio: Rumiko Takahashi/Sunrise

Director/Writer: Toshiro Shinohara/Katsuyuki Sumisawa

Distributor: Viz Media

Running Time: 1 hour, 40 minutes

Age Rating: TV-14

My Rating: 10/10

Summary: Inuyasha discovers another sword owned by his father and it possesses him, meaning he and his brother have to set a truce and work together to free him.

Review: Of the four movies that tie into the series, this one is my most favorite. I enjoy the subplot of Sesshomaru finding Rin and becoming a better person just because he has to protect her.

Violence: There’s a big swordfight.

Nudity/Sexuality: None

Language: Some mild cursing