episode 6

Tetsusaiga, the Phantom Sword

不気味な妖刀 鉄砕牙
An Ominous Demon Blade, Tetsusaiga
Canon Episode | 3-episode story, 5-7

By TAKAHASHI Rumiko
Episode Capsule last revised on 05 Mar 2008.

ORIGINAL AIRDATE: 20 Nov 2000

OPENING SONG: Change the World by V6
ENDING SONG: My will by dream

PRODUCTION:
Script: CHIBA Katsuhiko 千葉克彦
Storyboard: NISHIMORI Akira 西森 章
Episode Director: HISHIDA Masakazu 菱田正和
Animation Director: SAKUMA Shinichi 佐久間信一

SEIYUU:

Inuyasha: Kappei Yamaguchi
Kagome: Satsuski Yukino
Shippo: Kumiko Watanabe
Miroku: Kouji Tsujitani
Sango: Houko Kuwashima
Imp: Tadahisa Saizen
Villagers: Toshihiko Nakajima, Masaki Kawanabe, 柴山由崇, 栗山貴嗣

STATISTICS:

Sacred Jewel fragment: 1
No. of 'sit': 0 / 6
‘Iron-Reaver, Soul-Stealer!’: 0 / 3
Kagome's arrow hit percentage: 20.0%


Contents

  1. Synopsis
  2. Inuyasha’s Jar
  3. Quotes
  4. Oddities & Other Notes
  5. Comments
  6. Production Notes
  7. Script
  8. Contributors & References

Preview from previous episode

Inuyasha fights hard to save his mother. Looking at the kimono on his mother, Inuyasha should be from a noble familly! But Inuyasha is so uncouth! Sesshomaru sets a trap for Inuyasha using his nostalgia for his mother. Inuyasha, that's not your mother! Next episode, 'Tetsusaiga, the Phantom Sword'!

InuYasha’s Jar

#6 Myoga 冥加

Alias, old flea. He has an extensive general knowledge, but when hides when things become dangerous. {Shirogetsu}

通称、ノミじじい。
物知りだが、危なくなると
すぐに姿を隠してしまう。

Quotes

Oddities and Other Notes

References

King Arthur and his Excalibur
The Tetsusaiga may have its roots in the tales of King Arthur and his mystical swords. In Robert de Boron's French verse tale, 'Merlin', King Arthur drew a sword from a rock to denote his kingship (that he was the one to inherit the throne), similar to how Inuyasha is supposed to draw out his inherited Testusaiga. In Sir Thomas Malory's 'The Sword in the Stone', the sword that Arthur drew out was called the Caliburn. He was later given Excalibur by the Lady of the Lake. <Wikipedia>

Oddities

First appearance of Tetsusaiga.

Did you notice…?

Freeze Frame Fun

Links

Comments

Add your oddity, observation or comments?

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transcript

Abbreviations
INU: Inuyasha
KAG: Kagome
SHI: Shippo
MIR: Miroku
SAN: Sango
KIR: Kirara
TET: Tetsusaiga
HIR: Hiraikotsu

[ recap ]

Recap of the story till now. Images from the previous episode are shown.

MYO:  (narrating) Half-demon Inuyasha, born half demon and half human. Unable to come to terms with this circumstance, he tries to possess the Sacred Jewel in order to become a full-fledged demon. Despising such a younger brother, the cold-hearted Sesshomaru concocts an evil plan. In a cart appears Inuyasha's human mother, who is supposed to be dead. Seeing his mother bound in chains, Inuyasha's feelings of anger reach the boiling point.

Cut-scene of previous episode when JAK's giant demon clenches INU's mother tightly in his fist.

INU:   Impossible! My mother died a long time ago! ! As if I'd fall for such a trick!

SES:   Trick, huh?

JAK:   Do you not understand? Bringing dead spirits from the netherworld is a simple task for someone as great as Lord Sesshomaru. He was so kind as to give her flesh! Her own son won't believe that it's her. How mortifying it must be for your mother!

INU's mother: I am returned from the dead…(little demons tug at the chains around her and she faints from the pain)

INU:   Iron Reaver Soul Stealer!

INU leaps up and claws the giant demon's hand, cutting it into two. The fist which was clenching INU's mother falls to the ground.

SES:   You hopeless imbecile!

SES whips the demon in the face. The demon growls and reaches towards INU's mother.

INU:   Mother!

INU's mother: Inuyasha!

INU blocks the demon's hand from his mother and the hand stabs into his back instead. She gasps in horror and holds out a white glowing orb in her hand, which enlarges and engulfs INU, KAG and her.

[ End of recap: 1min 36sec ]


[ Title Screen: Tetsusaiga, the Phantom Sword ]


[ ACT I ]

Nighttime, a group of villagers are searching the forest, holding torches in their hands.

Villagers: Miss Kagome! Miss Kagome! Miss Kagome!

Two villagers found KAG's bicycle under a tree and waves to the rest.

Villager 1: Hey! Look!

Villager 2: Over here!

The villagers gather around KAG's bicycle.


Nighttime in modern day Japan, just outside the Higurashi house. KAG's mom is twisting a seat on a bicycle, making sharp creaking sounds. Sota, in his pajamas, opens the door.

Sota: (rubs eyes) What're you doing in the middle of the night?

Mama: Did I wake you? I'm sorry. I was just lowering the bicycle seat to Kagome's height. She took her own bike to the other dimension. I thought she'd have a hard time using this one when she returns.

Sota: Sis won't be back for two or three days. She took so much clothes with her.

Mama: I know. But I just want to do what I can for her.

Sota: Sis is so lucky! You're so concerned about her.

Mama: Oh, but I'm just as concerned about you, Sota. Concerned that you won't wet the bedding again.

Sota: (embarrassed) How can you say that?! I'm already in the third grade! I won't do that!

Mama: (giggles) I want you to help Sister out too, okay?

Sota: (nods) I know. (notices something in the sky) A falling star!

Mama: (making a wish) Oh! Please let me win the lottery!


Continuation from last episode, KAG, INU and his mother are in an enchanted garden. The reflection of INU's mother is seen in the pond, but there are no facial features on her face in the water. KAG lays sideways on the ground, unable to move.

KAG:  (thinking) There's no face in the reflection! Inuyasha! Inu-- My voice… I can't speak. Please notice it, Inuyasha! She doesn't have a face! She's… not your mother!

INU's mother: Inuyasha… I must return to the netherworld.

INU:   Oh… Must you go?

INU's mother holds up a lotus flower in her hand and lets it fall into the water. The petals fall apart and cause ripples in the water.

INU's mother: Inuyasha… Look at the surface of the water.

INU kneels next to the pond and an image is formed.

CUT TO FLASHBACK. A ball bounces across a bridge spanning over a pond. A toddler chases after the ball and catches it after running across the bridge. A woman stands serenely among flowers, looking at the toddler. The toddler notices her, throws his ball away and runs into her receiving arms. Cut to another scene of the woman sitting in a pavilion, overlooking the pond. The toddler sits in front of her. The woman hugs him snugly from behind.

INU:   (voice-over) That's back when I was a kid…

INU's mother: (voice-over) So you remember! When you were a child, I often embraced you like that.

FADE TO PRESENT. INU's mother is hugging INU from behind, in the same way as in the previous cut-scene.

INU's mother: Good boy… Let me hold you tight. (INU, looking dreamy, turns around and they hug face to face) I won't let go. (INU's mother sinks her hands into his back) Become one with me.

INU:   (winces in pain) Mother… (lose consciousness)

KAG:  (thinking) Inuyasha! Wh-Why can't I move?!

Chains appear around KAG's body, followed by the little imps from the previous episode. They are chaining down KAG. A darkness start to swipe across the pond and slowly, the garden is engulfed in darkness. Skeletons of animals appear. The scene is now a desolate swamp.

KAG:  (thinking) This is… all an illusion!

MYO:  (appears and hops onto KAG's cheek) Kagome! Snap out of it! It's me, Myoga the Flea! (hops onto a chain on KAG's neck) Who would have thought that the one looking for the tomb would be Master Sesshomaru, Master Inuyasha's elder brother!! Such a formidable foe! Poor thing, you're chained up and unable to move. I'll undo the spell in a moment. (notices KAG's inviting neck and cheek) Hmm? Looks delicious! (starts sucking blood from KAG's cheek)

KAG:  (slaps MYO and gets up) Thank you! I think I can move now.

The little imps around KAG flee. A flattened version of MYO slides away from KAG's palm. Cut to JAK rolling a boat in the swamp, towards INU and his mother. INU is unconscious and his face and body are half sunken in the false mother's body. The false mother no longer has a face.

False mother: My boy… My dear son…

JAK:   (getting out of the boat) Hey you! Un-Mother! (clubs her face with his staff, chipping some flesh off her face) What's the use of sucking the breath out of him?!

Un-Mother: Master Jaken!

JAK:   What you do to him later is no concern to us! But first, you must get the information out of him! The location of the tomb of Inuyasha and Lord Sesshomaru's father!

KAG:  (hiding behind a boulder) That Jaken fellow is Sesshomaru's henchman?

MYO:  The Human Head Staff… You must watch out for that.

KAG:  (nods) 'Kay!

Un-Mother: Inuyasha! Inuyasha!

INU sinks deeper into Un-Mother. Cut to underwater scene. INU, unconscious, is thrust underwater, with the Un-Mother's long arms holding him.

Un-Mother: Please remember… Where is your father's tomb?

INU:   (thinking) I don't know…

Un-Mother: Think harder! Open up your heart to me.

Cut to long arms curling downwards in the water, towards an black orb.

Un-Mother: What's that?!

Cut to INU sinking into the Un-Mother's body.

INU:   The black pearl in the right…

JAK:   (fierce) The black pearl in the right? That's not enough to go on! Find out more!

Un-Mother: Master Jaken, if I delve any deeper, this boy's spirit will be broken!

JAK:   So what? Just do it!

Un-Mother: (gasps and nods) There, there… Inuyasha. (hugs INU tighter)

Cut to the image of INU under water. INU struggles a little.

INU:   I can't breathe, Mother! (opens his eyes, look upwards and finds the Un-Mother holding him into the water) The face…!

The hands around him curls tighter and strangles his neck. INU gasps for air.

JAK:   Hey! Not yet? Hurry, or I will face the wrath of Lord Sesshomaru! Huh?!

KAG:  (steps on JAK from behind and snatches his staff) Why you… puny troublemaker!

KAG swings JAK into the water with the staff. The Un-Mother gets up and runs away. KAG chases.

KAG:  Wait! Let Inuyasha go!

Un-Mother: No!

Un-Mother runs backwards and sinks INU deeper into her body, until only his hair is visible.

KAG:  (pulls INU's hair) Inuyasha! Huh?! (trips and loses grip on INU) He's being sucked in! What'll I do?

MYO:  (hops onto KAG's shoulder) Kagome! You must awaken Master Inuyasha's spirit!

KAG:  Spirit?!

MYO:  The demon is the Un-Mother.

CUT-SCENE of a ravaged war.

MYO:  (voice-over) She was created by the forlorn spirits of mothers who lost children to famine or war. If you reawaken the spirit that's under the spell of the Un-Mother, his body will be released!

BACK TO PRESENT.

KAG:  Awaken the spirit?! But how?

KAG gasps in horror as INU is almost inside Un-Mother with only his arm visible.

Un-Mother: Oh joy… You and Mother will soon be one…

KAG:  I won't make it in time! (notices the reflection of the Un-Mother in the water, who is holding a kid-INU in her arms) That child… is Inuyasha?

MYO:  Yes! That is the work of the Un-Mother's magic!

KAG:  If I erase that image, then… (steps and hits the water surface with the staff, disturbing the reflection) Inuyasha! Wake up!

The Un-Mother shrieks and INU falls out of her onto the ground.

KAG:  Inuyasha… Are you all right? (holds up INU)

INU:   Damn! Damn it to hell! How dare they… use my mother like that?!

Un-Mother falls onto the ground, crying.

KAG:  It's all the work of Sesshomaru and Jaken.

INU:   What?!

SES:   (appears from afar and walks forward) Inuyasha… I know where the tomb is.

INU:   What?! Sesshomaru!

SES zooms toward INU and grips his neck.

INU:   Why you…!

SES:   I never imagined it would be there! Very clever… That father would pick such a place. The black pearl in the right… Father didn't want anyone to disturb his resting place so he hid his tomb there.

INU:   You… (holds onto SES hand which is strangling him) What kind of nonsense are you talking about?!

SES:   So you were entrusted with the tomb unknowingly. Well then, would you like to visit father's grave with me?

SES holds up two fingers and emits a spark at INU's right eyeball. INU groans in pain.

MYO:  Master Inuyasha!

SES pulls his fingers towards him, and a black orb in extracted from INU's iris. He takes the orb and plops INU onto the ground. INU holds a hand over his right eye, in pain.

KAG:  Inuyasha! (holds up INU)

SES:   (scoffs) No wonder it was useless looking underground. Visible, but invisible. The true protector of the grave cannot be seen. And… it is the black pearl imbedded in your right eye.

INU:   (lowers his hand, revealing that his right iris is gone) And just for that… You tricked me with my dead mother's image…!

The Un-Mother turns around and looks at them.

SES:   It was just a joke.

INU:   Why you…! Unforgivable! (claws SES but he dodges)

SES:   (takes out his whip and attacks INU) Die!

SES attacks INU several times which INU manage to dodge. One attack hits him and INU is thrown onto the ground. SES readies another attack but the Un-Mother rushes in front of INU. The whip hits her back instead and shatters her body into pieces.

KAG:  Huh?!

The body pieces and shreds of the Un-Mother's clothes fall onto the ground. One shred of her clothes land on INU's shoulder.

MYO:  The Un-Mother?

KAG:  She protected Inuyasha?

MYO:  The Un-Mother is a demon filled with motherly love. It's in her nature to try to protect children.

Un-Mother: My son…

Un-Mother cries weakly from her remaining head and SES whips it into pieces after hearing. INU is furious.

KAG:  Hey you!

MYO:  Don't interfere! Or else we'll both be killed.

KAG:  But--!!

SES:   Jaken! Jaken!

JAK:   (was crawling among the grass, runs up to SES) Lord Sesshomaru! I have my Human Head Staff back! (holds up his staff proudly)

SES:   (holds the staff and looks at the black orb) How I have waited for this moment!

SES drops the glowing orb onto the ground and pokes the lower end of the staff at it. The old man head on the staff cackles.

JAK:   The old man laughs! The tomb will now open!

Light emits from the orb and a portal opens in the air. SES and JAK goes in.

KAG:  They've disappeared!

MYO:  (crawling up INU's hair) Master Inuyasha, hurry and enter before the entrance closes up. Lord Sesshomaru intends to take sole possession of your father's treasure!

INU:   I'm not interested in that!

MYO:  Don't say such a thing!

INU:   Shut up! Who said I wasn't going?! (holding up the piece of the Un-Mother's clothes) That Sesshomaru… I'll kill 'im! (shreds the cloth into pieces) Kagome, it's dangerous, so you stay here—(turns around to find KAG gone) Huh?

KAG:  (climbing into the portal) Will you hurry up! (enters)

INU:   Hey! Hey, Sesshomaru's inside! (catches up with KAG in the portal)

KAG:  (furious) That's why we have to go teach him! Neither blood nor tears flow through him! He's unforgivable!

KAG and INU reaches the end of the vortex and floats in the sky above a desolate and rocky landscape. A gigantic skull of an animal stands in the middle of the land. Below the skull is an armor of sorts. A skeletal bird flies towards them and carries them on its back. The bird flies towards the skull.

INU:   Father…

KAG:  Those bones are your father's…?

INU:   Can't you tell?

KAG:  Well, even if you say that… How was I to know?! It's so huge!

MYO:  His father was a phantom of incomparable stature. And here he is in his truest form, undisguised.

The bird flies into the mouth of the skull.

MYO:  The treasured sword imbedded in his bones… That is what Master Sesshomaru is after.

[ End of ACT I: 14min ]


[ ACT II ]

Inside the ribcage of INU's father. SES stands and gaze at a sword. The rusty and chipped sword is standing upright, with its tip embedded in a golden pedestal.

SES:   I am finally here. To possess the sacred sword imbedded in my father's bones. The lethal fang sword…known to kill a hundred beasts in a single stroke! Known as Tetsusaiga! (holds the sword)

JAK:   Tetsusaiga was forged from one of his father's fangs. Being in possession of this sword empowers you with as much strength as your father!

SES tries to pull out the sword but a static charge discharges and he releases his hand from the sword. His hand turns blue and static surrounds it.

JAK:   Can't pull it out?

SES:   (his hand returns to normal but fumes still emit from it) He was ever so cautious. There's a spell on it.

INU:   (lands with KAG on one of the ribcage bones) Sesshomaru!

SES:   Hmm?

INU:   (leaps towards SES) I haven't finished with you yet!

SES dodges and INU crashes onto the ground.

INU:   Damn! Where'd he go?!

INU looks around to find SES high up in the air.

SES:   This is our father's resting place. Be respectful!

INU:   You hypocrite! You're the one trying to rob his grave! Now get out of here!

MYO:  Master Inuyasha! Look behind you!

INU:   Behind me? Why?

MYO:  That's the sword… made from your father's fang… That's Tetsusaiga!

INU:   Huh?! (goes to sword) It's just an old, rusty sword! Tes-something-or-other?! Hah! You can't even cut a turnip with this!

MYO:  Master Inuyasha! Please draw the sword out. Lord Sesshomaru, you were unable to pull Tetsusaiga out. Isn't that so?

SES:   And you say that Inuyasha can?

MYO:  But of course! Master Inuyasha was meant to inherit the Tetsusaiga! The fact that the tomb was entrusted to Inuyasha is proof of that! (fearing SES's wrath, inches slowly to the back of INU's neck) Now hurry, Master Inuyasha! Draw the sword out!

INU:   What inheritance?! What treasured sword! I could care less about this rusty sword! But Sesshomaru! You've insulted me once too often! Now you'll die inside our father's grave!

INU leaps to claw SES but he dodges.

SES:   Where are you aiming?

SES lands on the ground and leaps back into the air. INU chases and attacks, but SES dodges effortlessly. INU punches him and SES flies further up. INU punches into the ribcage instead, and crashes onto the ground.

INU:   Damn!

SES:   (lands behind INU) Such a childish attack!

MYO:  Master Inuyasha! You cannot fight unarmed! Get the sword!

INU:   Shut up!

KAG:  Inuyasha! Just go and draw the sword out! (shouting from where INU and her first landed in the ribcage)

INU:   Kagome!

KAG:  Sesshomaru couldn't do it! Now, if you pull it out with ease, Sesshomaru's pride will be in shreds! How embarrassing for him!

INU:   I see… All right! That'll be really fun to watch.

INU walks towards the sword and SES gives him an evil eye.

INU:   Hey, I can't wait to see your face! (gets onto pedestal and holds the sword)

JAK:   (appears from a pile of skulls) No…! Master Inuyasha is immune to the spell which cast off Lord Sesshomaru! (INU tries to pull out the sword)

MYO:  I knew it! Tetsusaiga is destined to belong to Master Inuyasha!

INU clenches his teeth and pulls with all his strength, and glow emits around the sword.

KAG:  Draw it out, Inuyasha!

INU is still trying very hard to pull out the sword. A orb of light surrounds the sword. SES looks on. Slowly, the light dissipates, but the sword remains embedded in the pedestal.

KAG:  (in disbelief) Huh?!

INU:   Huh?!

JAK:   Oh dear!

INU:   (deadpan) Hey… (picks up MYO and squeezes him with his fingers, his eyebrow twitching) I couldn't pull it out!

MYO:  Wh-why?!

SES:   Let's cut the comedy.

SES suddenly flies towards INU, who dodges and sprints away. SES catches up with him effortlessly and pins him onto the ribcage wall. He holds out his other hand threateningly.

SES:   My poison claws will sublimate you!

A green glow emits from SES's hand and charges at INU. At the very last minute, INU breaks away from SES grip and the hand charges poisonous fumes at the ribcage wall instead. Part of the wall melts and forms a hole, which gradually gets bigger.

INU:   (sprinting away, thinking) Wanna turn me into slime, huh?!

SES:   (zooms next to INU) You won't get away!

INU:   Why you--!

INU claws at SES who flies into the air and takes a whip. SES whips INU, who falls backwards onto the ground.

JAK:   (gloats and swings his staff) Lord Sesshomaru! Let me assist!

KAG:  (jumps onto JAK, making him fall flat face onto the ground) Hey you! Coward! (gets off JAK and faces him)

JAK:   What?! Take that! (gets up and swings his staff at KAG)

KAG:  (grabs the staff and pushes it forward) You puny troublemaker!

JAK:   (engaged in a sort of 'tug of war' with KAG) Why little wench!

KAG:  Even humans like me can fight!

JAK:   I won't lose this time! (pushes the staff forcefully which sends KAG falling backwards, near the pedestal)

INU, while engaged in a fight with SES, notices and yells KAG's name. This momentarily distraction allows SES to slug him in the face. Cut to KAG getting up and JAK swinging his staff threateningly.

JAK:   What?! Is that all you can manage?!

KAG steps backwards, one foot on the pedestal. She subconsciously reaches backwards and use the sword as support.

KAG:  Darn it! I'm not done yet! (gasps)

Cut to INU lying on the ground. He struggles to get up and flies at SES. SES charges one hand at INU's stomach, thus stopping INU midair. INU winces and his body starts to curl up.

SES:   (raising the other green glowing hand) This is it! Disappear!

SES leaps into the air and pins INU onto the ground. He flexes his hand muscles as he prepares to move in for the kill. Cut to KAG, whose hand is still on the sword. She runs towards INU.

KAG:  Inuyasha!

As KAG runs, the tip of the sword is dislodged from the pedestal. KAG realizes and stares at the sword in her hand.

KAG:  Huh?!

Hearing, SES stops and turns around to look at KAG. KAG holds up the sword with both hands and look at it in disbelief.

KAG:  (turns toward INU and SES) Sorry… I pulled it out.

JAK looks on, stuttering and lost for words. SES and INU stare at KAG.

KAG:  Sorry… (looks at the sword blade, thinking) What'll I do?

[ End of ACT II: 20min 34sec ]


[ End of episode 6: Tetsusaiga, the Phantom Sword ]


[ Preview for next episode ]

Sesshomaru killed the Un-mother after using her! Unforgiveable! Although I don't know why I'm able to pull out Tetsusaiga, but I will kill him with this sword! Sesshomaru changed into a huge dog-demon! Next episode, 'Clash! Tetsusaiga vs. Sesshomaru!!'

contributors

Compiled on 06 Jan 2005.
Last revised on 05 Mar 2008.

Dialogues adapted from the Japanese-dub, English-sub version of Inuyasha distributed by Odex (Singapore).

InuYasha is copyrighted by TAKAHASHI Rumiko / Shogakukan and its distributing rights are owned by Yomiuri TV and Sunrise.

Contributors & References

Wikipedia on 06 Jan 2005.

犬夜叉 official web - 放映予定一覧 (Sunrise Inuyasha official web - Airing Schedule)

犬夜叉完結編 公式サイト (Sunrise Inuyasha Kanketsu-hen official web - Airing Schedule)

Inu Goya> Metro: General Episode Information

Shirogetsu for Inuyasha Tsubo

DCYK Connection: アニメ犬夜叉のページ

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