Dear Inuyasha,
Sure they grow. They function sort of like a lion's mane. The bigger the fluff, the more powerful you are, and it gets even bigger when you're angry and want to look threatening. It's also soft and comfy and makes a nice body pillow, too.
Dear Terra,
They say it's in the "boundary between this world and the next", so it's not really the underworld OR the world of the living. It's sort of the stepping stone between them, where I'd suppose you could still somehow pass one way or the other. Dunno, Housenki just showed me the place once, and I thought it would be cool to build a summer home here.
Dear marbles,
It's... kind of hard to explain. "-sama" is sort of servile, and puts yourself at a lower position than the person you're addressing. The "-dono" is sort of like "respectfully equal". It's a way of giving someone respect without lowering yourself. If Rouyakan had called him "-sama", it would have sounded like he was asking Sesshoumaru to become his superior rather than his assistant.
Dear confused and interested,
Well... it's more of a text-based "voice". I've gotten to the point where I'm decent enough at reading and writing English, but I have little practice actually speaking it, since there's really no one to talk to down here.
I've been in the hospital this past week and my good friend Winry was nice enough to lend me some of her Inuyasha manga.
What I wasn't able to understnad- Dragonscale Tetsusaiga? Huh?......How... Could you sum up how all that happened please?
And why Sesshoumaru's sword snapped in half exactly? *swirly eyes* I'm all confused....
Sincerely,
Hagane no Edward
Dear Hagane no Renkinjutsushi,
Well, Inuyasha wanted to add some power to his sword, and lo, ever-so-conveniently, one shows up, in the form of the sword Dakki that can suck up an opponent's energy. So, after a rather long and anticlimactic battle, Inuyasha destroys the Dakki and integrates its ability into Tessaiga, thus creating the dragonscale ability. However, where the manga stands now, Inuyasha has yet to master this ability, as he can't handle all the energy that the sword absorbs.
Toukijin snapped in half when Sesshoumaru attacked Mouryoumaru after he insulted Kagura's memory. And... I guess he was so angry, he wasn't thinking clearly and didn't realize how much stress he was putting on his sword with the attack until it was too late. Thus, SNAP! Bye-bye, Toukijin! Can't say I'll miss it.
Dear Blackrose,
No. I do believe that all creatures within a species have the same potential as each other, but the worm will never eat the bird. I would not hesitate to kill a rabbit for my food, because I do not hold it in equal regards to myself. I do not pity the earth for being tread upon, because that's what it's there for.
One small question:
If the newest chapter of the Inuyasha manga was released on the 11th of May, how is it that Patches' review is dated the 10th?
Sincerely,
mokomoko of mine
Dear my mokomoko,
From what I've heard, between her and Japan, there's this mystical boundary called the "International Date Line", where one day suddenly becomes another once you cross it. So Wednesday in Japan is Tuesday in America.
Japanese, written: Does it use symbols or letters? Because I have seen both. And does it go right-to-left,
left-to-right, or up-and-down?
Sincerely,
Curious Creepy Crawler
Dear CCC,
Well, letters in and of themselves are "symbols" in a way. Japanese has three alphabets. Two are what you would consider "letters" and the third is more like Chinese characters. When written vertically, Japanese is read top-to-bottom, right-to-left. When written horizontally, it's read left-to-right, top-to-bottom.
Do you hate cats?
Sincerely,
Tigger
Dear Tigger,
"Hate" is kind of a strong word. More like, "intensely dislike", simply because they scare me.
I was wondering which side Inuyasha got his stubborness from. Did he get it from his mother? Or did he get it from you?
Sincerely,
Reoko-chan
Dear Reoko-chan,
Probably a little of both. I can be stubborn, unless I'm dealing with someone I like, like my kids. Then whoever's arguing with me basically has me wrapped around their finger...
For having such a perfect body, have this! *throws him a steak and some gravy basted milkbones*
Sincerely,
U R Mine
Dear U R Mine,
... After eating something like that, I don't know if I'd have a perfect body anymore... Or is that the point?
I've got you a Speedo. It's a skin tight piece of clothing that you wear while you swim. Does it fit ? *tosses speedo*
Sincerely,
IWatchYou
Dear IWatchYou,
*stretches it testingly* Wouldn't something like this, like, cut off circulation to vital organs? And why would you wear anything at all when you swim?
What does Rumiko mean in Rumiko Takahashi's name???
Sincerely,
booger head....
Dear booger head,
I guess "Rumiko" would break down as "fastened beautiful girl". So... I dunno, the pretty girl you want to hold onto?
What would you do if you found yourself standing next to Naraku ?
Sincerely,
I'mInOZ
Dear I'mInOZ,
Give him bunny ears.
Dear Inugurl,
Probably bonds with his sword or something.
Dear Dumb Dead Dragon,
If I recall correctly, I merely got impaled and beaten to death. You, on the other hand, were totally disintegrated, so I actually had a skeleton left to live in, while you just had a pile of debris. Sucks to be you.
How can I get Sesshomaru to bear my child ?
Sincerely,
Kita
Dear Kita,
First, you'd need to turn him into a woman...
Does Sesshoumaru have a home (palace, cave, hobbit-hole, etc. etc.) or does he just wander around looking pretty until he gets sucked back into the plotline?
P.S. Your elder son needs to work on his swordsmanship. Breaking his sword AND losing face to Mouryoumaru in one day is too
sad for words. *hugs* And have a bone.
Sincerely,
Raniel
Dear Raniel,
No, he has no home. As you say, he merely wanders around until the plot needs him again (which, amazingly, seems to be rather frequently lately. He's been in enough chapters straight to fill a whole tankoubon).
And while he may have broken his sword and lost face... meh, he needed to let off some steam. And Toukijin is a crappy sword, anyways. I was rooting for that thing to break. My swords are always better! Hear that, Sesshoumaru! Use your daddy's sword! I gave it to you for a reason! *chews on the bone*
In fan fictions, when a couple wants to become mates (especially Inu and Kags) the author always says that they have to have this 'mating mark'thing. How do all the authors know this? Does it say in the anime or manga? And why is the 'mark' always(actually, usually)a bite on the juncture of the neck? (where the neck and shoulder meet).
Thanks and please answer soon.
Sincerely,
FireDemon
Dear FireDemon,
*beats his head on the desk* My good demon, what you have encountered is a thing called "fanon". It is something that some fan somewhere just made up, and the rest of the fandom followed. Sort of like calling me "Inutaisho" or Sesshoumaru "Lord of the West". These are things that are never, ever mentioned in the anime or manga, and people merely go by what other fans say in their stories.
Dear Why,
Because I don't wear my fluff to the shower. That thing takes forever to dry off. .... Not to mention, come to think of it... I shouldn't be wearing my fluff in any of those pictures anymore... Ah well, the camera must be looking into the past.
Thnx soooo much! *tosees a 1kg bag of milk bones* ^^
Sincerely,
*Mimi*
Dear Mimi,
In your first question, the first katakana is "shi" while the second is "tsu". "shi" is drawn with an upward stroke while "tsu" is drawn with a downward stroke. In the second pair, you have "n" and "so". Again, "n" is drawn with an upward stroke while "so" is drawn downward. The word you gave me is "karaa" or "color". The line at the end of the word merely means a long vowel sound.
Dear Nikki-chan,
The first episode of the anime aired on October 16th, 2000. At that point, the manga was at chapter 188, which was the beginning of the Ryuukossei arc. The production of the anime series was originally announced around chapter 165, which was the Juuroumaru and Kageroumaru battle.
What do uke and seme mean?
Sincerely,
Bob the Frog Lord
Dear Frog Lord,
Those terms are used in reference to "boy love" manga. "Uke" comes from the word "Ukeru", or "to receive", and refers to the member of the couple who is more submissive and feminine. "Seme" coems from "Semeru", or "to attack", and refers to the partner that is more dominant and masculine. ... I learn this stuff from other people, don't look at me like that.
Dear Ravyn,
Because people realize that it's not spelled "Tetsusaiga", it's "Tessaiga". Sometimes things get messed up in translation, and they just keep the error for consistancy.
I do eat some vegetables, yes. But no fruit, at least not the really sweet or sour kinds. I can handle mild melons, but anything else is just too sweet for me. I like asparagus and carrots, though. But, naturally, my main diet is meat and dairy.
Dear Housenki,
No I don't! You have your own computer now, so any files of yours that you stuck on my computer you'll just have to get again. Besides, your computer's all top-of-the-line and fast and whatnot, while I still have this ancient piece of junk. And what's that crap all over the keyboard, huh? ... Not that I sneak on your computer ever... I just saw it once and wondered.
Sincerely,
Horsegirl
Dear Horsegirl,
Change their clothes once in a while, maybe. Unlike me, I doubt they have time to do laundry every couple days, so I'm guessing their outfits are starting to smell pretty ripe...
Sincerely,
Twiterz
Dear Twiterz,
"Angry", maybe not, but I've certainly been frustrated enough at times to maybe lightly beat my head against a blunt object. It takes a lot to get under my skin.
Dear Schiff,
Wouldn't that be, "Watashi no ko o hadaka ni shite" ... Oh wait, you mean "bear" children. Well, Miroku's line is always some form of "Watashi no ko o unde kudasai". And to learn to speak Japanese, the best bet would be to find a school or a tutor or something, since like any language, it's something you need to learn from someone proficient in it.
Dear Karuku,
Nope, they actually do say "Yo". Kagura's pretty big on this, but I've heard Toutousai do it, too. When they laugh, they say "Hahaha", too. Some sounds are just randomly universal.
Dear Ryuukossei,
Okay, but just be warned, I've been honing my skills in Soul Caliber, so you may have a run for your money, lizard breath. You, me, Hiten's place, and the N64. Be there.
Pop Quiz: Do you know why Ryokan (I don't know how to spell that...) is killed by Inuyasha in the beginning of the series but later comes back to life to grovel at your other more gorgeous son's feet?
Thanks Papa! (My doggie Godiva says 'woof', and wants to know if you ever had a stuffed man-doll like she does.)
(Ps- Can we have hugs?)
Sincerely,
Ruler Ah and Godiva
Dear Ah and Godiva,
Um... Rouyakan wasn't killed by Inuyasha in the beginning of the series. He had a Shikon shard and a plant embedded in his forehead, and Kagome removed them both, allowing him to go free. He was actually one of the few people used by Naraku who didn't end up dying.
Hugs for both of you for the misunderstanding. *hug* *hug*
Do all youkai have human forms, or is it only the most powerful ones? And how often did you use yours?
Sincerely,
Arisa
Dear Arisa,
I believe all youkai at least have the CAPACITY to take human form, though many lack the power or dedication to do so. I personally learned to take human form out of necessity when I was on my own as a child, and have more or less grown accustomed to being so ever since. I spend most of my time in human form, since hands and speech are useful, not to mention it conserves energy.
Dear My Name,
It is true, actually. I believe any sort of cartridge-based video games from Japan can also be played on American systems. Sort of like how Japanese VHS tapes will work in American VCRs, but Japanese DVDs won't work in American DVD players.
Dear Shakira,
Because he's a lazy pile of rocks, that's why.
Dear Keira,
Hey! I'll have you know that I wash my feet daily! And my boots get cleaned regularly as well. If you smelled my foot, I think you might actually find the odor rather pleasant! *wiggles his toes*
Is there any way you can help me get Housenki out of my closet? He's starting to creep me out, not to mention he's stealing
my clothes. I mean, sure, he's all sparkly and pretty, but maybe he should be stealing someone ELSE'S clothes? My clothes
REALLY don't look good on him. If you can do this for me, I'll throw in a lifetime supply of cocktail weenies and math
homework! *huggles*
Sincerely,
Mandaz ^_^*
Dear Mandaz,
All right, math homework! I'll do just about anything for math homework! Let's see, where can I stash him....? Okay, Housenki! You're about to become a lawn ornament! That oughtta scare any would-be burglars or vandalists away!
Is Japanese a hard language to learn? I'm 13 and American. Is it possible for me to learn it?
Sincerely,
Kathleen Margeotes
Dear Kathleen,
I'd say it's possible for anyone to learn it, so long as they're dedicated and aren't looking for some overnight epiphany. It'll take years to become fluent, but it took you that long to learn your own language, you just likely were too young to remember the process at that time.
I care for some one very much, although we met online. He and I were very close. I was talking about how people can have many different personalitys over the computer, and he took it as i was saying he was included, I must admit my wording was bad how ever.
So he is mad at me. And i realize now its an issue of wheter or not HE trusts ME. Which i think is going to take time. I care
for him. I really do. Please offer me advice.
Sincerely,
Helpless
Dear Helpless,
Online relationships can be tricky, since trust is pretty much all you've got to go on, given that you can't actually see the other person. It's true that most of the time, people don't act on the computer the same way they would in real life. In general, they're more open on the computer because there isn't the intimidation of face-to-face contact. All you know of the other person is what they write, in essence trying to piece together a storybook character in your mind. In some ways, this is some of the more unadultered forms of friendship, since there's no good looks, sexy voice, nice car, etc. to cloud your judgement. The only thing to cloud you is their honesty, and hopefully people who really like each other can be truly honest with each other.
Dear omaki,
Golden Week is a span of three holidays: Green Day (April 29th), Constitution Day (May 3rd), and Children's Day (May 5th) which all happen to be within a week of each other, so generally the entire week is considered a holiday, thus "Golden Week". "White Day" occurs a month after Valentine's Day, and has about as much national significance (ie none, really). On Valentine's Day, the girls treat the guys, and on White Day, the guys treat the girls.
Dear Rieko,
*shakes his finger and grins* Sore wa himitsu desu!
But for the sake of the bad day, here's a hug... *huggle*
Also...What is a Takouban? Is it like a chapter or a short story or a collection of stories?
Thanks for your time.
Sincerely,
The Great Frog of Doom
Dear Doom Frog,
Naturally, most stories have roots in older folktales. In your world, you likely wouldn't consider stories containing wizards, fairies, elves, genies, and whatnot as "copying" each other, since they all draw from inspiration that is much older and harder to pin down. It's the same with anime. "Saiyuki" itself is a very old story, and it's not uncommon to see it referenced in other animes (even Inuyasha made a nod to it in one episode. Dragonball is another series based on this legend). For your other question, a tankoubon is basically what you would call a "graphic novel", and is a collection of chapters from a serialized manga. In short, pretty much all the books you can buy off the shelves are considered "tankoubon". In Inuyasha's case, the story is serialized in weekly 18-page chapters in Shounen Sunday, then is compiled and sold in tankoubon of ten chapters apiece.
Sincerely,
A Demon-God Halfbreed
Dear Halfbreed,
Um, well, just because one gene is yH doesn't mean that the hanyou is that overall. There are thousands of genes in the body, each one equally likely to be yh, Yh, yH, or YH. If, somehow, every single one of the hanyou's thousands of genes ended up yH, then... I don't know. Hanyou themselves aren't really common enough to predict how they'll look and behave.
Dear ChibiTenchi,
You're not always going to do the right thing in life. Even I'm guilty of doing things that seemed good at the time, but which later ended up hurting me and the people around me. The thing is, you can't let these mistakes cause you to give up hope. You need to learn from them to change the way you do things so that you can prevent yourself from making the same mistake again. If you do try again, you need to be relaxed about it. It's no fun to be paranoid that you'll do something wrong all the time. I'd say it's worth the risk of getting hurt in pursuit of love. Things aren't always going to work out, but the only thing you can fault yourself for is not trying.
Dear InuBoy,
Probably because his objectives mean more to him than hers do. He needs her around to track jewel shards and purify stuff, so his quest gets held up whenever she decides to go home. Evil doesn't take days off, so neither should he.
Dear Yasha boy,
.... My translator is a noncorporeal voice in my head. Hell if I know what it is. But, I'm not about to look a gift horse in the mouth. As long as it's useful, I might as well not worry about it.
Dear utena,
Well, youkai hair is obviously much stronger and more resiliant than human hair, so it takes a lot more abuse for it go get really messed up. Nevertheless, that's still no excuse for bathing regularly to keep it in prime, flowing condition.
Dear Sesshoumaru,
"Kijinga" (機神牙) comes to mind.... ("Deus ex machina fang")
Did you even INTEND for Inuyasha to learn the Kongousouha, like you did the Kaze no Kizu and Bakuryuuha?
Sincerely,
Me
Dear Me,
I may have planned pretty far ahead, but I'm not psychic. To "plan" for Inuyasha to learn Kongousouha, you'd have to assume I also "planned" everything leading up to it, including the jewel shattering and Housenki's death so that he could take a piece of it to the afterlife to lure Inuyasha back there. No, Inuyasha's pretty much on his own now. I'm just watching, just like the rest of you.
Dear Jiji,
It's never actually stated what gender Kirara is in the manga, since Japanese pronouns are gender-neutral. However, given that the name "Kirara" is composed of the kanji for "cloud" and "mother", one could reasonably assume that it's a female name.
Dear My Name,
It's not OCC, it's OOC, and I believe it stands for "out of character". You know, the ones where the characters bear no resemblance to their canon selves aside from their names and physical appearances (and often even THOSE change).
Dear TheEvilPotato,
Does my first wife count?
Why does Inuyasha call his mother ofkuro (that spelled right?) and you oyaji (that spelled right?)? Does the words have
any kind of sentimental meaning like mommy or daddy or mama and papa or something? Or is it just...there...
Sincerely,
Charlo
Dear Charlo,
"Ofukuro" and "oyaji" are merely colloquial ways to refer to one's parents, and are literally "the old bag" and "the old man". .... It's cute when it's not disrespectful. Really.
Dear nemele,
Inside my skeleton, last I knew. You know, that place where Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru first fought over Tessaiga? Yeah, that's my house. Cozy little place, if you don't mind all the bones. I just wish those two could've TOLD me they were coming over so that I could make plans to be around. But, no, I was out watching a wiffle ball game at the time. And then I come back, and grah! My house has been ransacked and totally demolished! Stupid kids!
Dear confused,
An oni is simply a specific type of demon, usually represented as a large man-like creature with horns. They are typically considered creatures from the underworld, while youkai are evil spirits from the living world.
I have something concerning your friends in the afterlife. It was either Housenki or Bokusen-ou you said was a tree or something like that. But how could a tree die, and go to an afterlife or was it a mystical-magic-demon tree thingy!? o_O That's why I'm confused. Did it die by evil people chopping it down for magical fire wood or.....?
P.S.
Do you watch any other anime, like Full Metal Alchemist or Cowboy Bebop?
daitemo ii? onegai?!?!
Sincerely,
Kaira Matakashi
Dear Matakashi,
Well, yes, Housenki and Bokusen'ou were both my friends, Bokusen'ou being the tree and Housenki being dead and sharing my living space. They're two different people.Yes, I have seen other anime series, both of which you mentioned. But, this really isn't the place to talk about them. You may hug me, though, as long as I can hug you back. *hug*
P.S. we might not be able to return all your underwear due to the increase in avid fangirls nowadays.
Sincerely,
Youkai Cleaning Co.
Dear Youkai Cleaning Co,
Unfortunately, the only clothes I've got are the ones I died wearing, so I've got all of one set of undergarments, and you can guess where those are right now. *cracks his knuckles* You wanna try taking 'em? Be my guest.
If you could come back to life....but sadly your wife and also the person who made the ADORABLE baby inu ><P couldnt
would you fall in love with someone like her reicarnation or sumthin, cause you bein Inu-Yasha's father you obviously passed
down some of your blood to him, fallin for kikyou then kagome and all...so do you think you would fall for her reicarnation?
Sincerely,
Twitchers
Dear Twitchers,
Er, if I did come back to life, I don't think I'd limit myself to seeking out a previous lover's reincarnation. They're dead and gone, so I should just let them rest and not try to rekindle my love for them in someone else. There's nothing wrong with finding someone new.
Dear Esperanza,
She does have her own e-mail address, though, located at the bottom of the main page. I, unfortunately, do not respond to questions addressed to her or regarding the site in general. I run this section and this section only.
im sorry I don't know Japanese...which makes me feel like a total idiot....
Sincerely,
watashi wa baka...
Dear bakana watashi,
It means "Are letters in Japanese okay?" The response means "Japanese is fine. English is also fine. Spanish, however... IS NOT." I like reaching as wide an audience as possible, but I do have my limits.
Dear paranoid,
Well, you may note that youkai can be killed rather easily with holy powers, which is in essence positive human energy. But the world in general is fairly neutral, so if all negative energy were to suddenly disappear, youkai would just slowly die out of starvation rather than instantly vanishing. The only way that would happen is if the entire world was suddenly purified.
Thank you for clearing that up for me earlier, I'm a little too cynical for my own good. I have another question though; since demons and youkai are of ancient races, how come they like to take on human forms so much? Considering that the human race is relatively new, wouldn't it be more practical to retain an ancient race form instead of trying to obtain a human-like one? I guess what I'm asking is why they would choose to take on a human form, even those who live far away from people so that disguise wouldn't be a reason, why take a form like that when the human body is relatively weaker than that of a demon's? Or am I yet again being too cynical?
Sincerely,
Changling
Dear Changling,
Youkai may be ancient, but they're only as ancient as humans. It is said that the first youkai was born from humanity's first fear. Therefore, since youkai were born from human energy, I guess they instinctively return to their roots sometimes, even though they hate it. However, I wasn't around when the first youkai was born, nor when the first youkai decided to take human form, so I don't actually have a firsthand account of the reason youkai do this. I just followed the trend.
since I havent seen the entire seris of Inuyasha, do we ever get to see you in a human form in the seris ever or is it just in the third movie, which sadly enough, I haven't seen that yet either T_T
Sincerely,
Tasuki From Boston
Dear Boston Tasuki,
Nope, I'm only ever shown in human form in the third movie. The only time I'm ever shown in canon at all, human or not, is when Kaede initially explains Inuyasha's origins way back in the beginning of the series.
Dear Keira,
Well, I'm not in Hell. I'm in the boundary between this world in the next, which I guess you could consider limbo. So, since all dogs go to heaven and all demons go to hell, I got stuck somewhere in the middle.
Dear Miko of the Night,
Well, I suppose you could liken it to a lion's mane, that it makes us look bigger and more intimidating. It's just a fashion statement, really, but isn't worn for any practical "purpose".
Does manga mean comic book or is it a type of book? I'm really confused! Please help, i'm hearing different things from
everyone lol!!
Sincerely,
Manga
Dear Manga,
Yes, it's "comics", with the literal breakdown of the word being "comical images".
Hey, did you ever have friends? I mean Inuyasha has friends because he needs them, he's part human and humans need
companionship; Sesshomaru has Rin and Jaken, though I wouldn't really call them friends because he seems to make a big
deal out of not needing anyone. I don't know, you seem like a much less crazy guy to hang out with. I don't think I'd be
quite as afraid for my life.
Sincerely,
the coffee girl
Dear coffee girl,
'Course I had friends, where do you think Myouga, Toutousai, Bokusen'ou, and Housenki came from? I like bug-eyed old men.
Dear noki,
They're weight stones to keep the roofs from blowing off in high winds (Japan has a lot of typhoons, after all). This was an era before nails, cement, and steel beams, so they had to make do with what they could to keep houses structurally stable.
Since you and Sesshoumaru and full-blooded canine youkais, would that mean that you couldn't eat chocolate?
Oh, and here is a Milkbone -^_^-
Sincerely,
Akina
Dear Akina,
It's possible, but I never had any chocolate while I was alive, given that it sort of comes from a completely different part of the world. I've tried some down here, but since I'm already dead, I'm not really sure how badly it could affect me. It did give me aches for a while, though.
Dear Blackrose,
I would assume that this was an implication that Sesshoumaru had seen Inuyasha like this before. He seemed offended by it, which is likely why he's never been around before when Inuyasha was like that. Either that or he's really good at hiding his surprise, which is also quite possible.
Dear REAL Inu-papa,
... FATHER?!
So, when you answered another question about the third movie, you said that they had already recorded the dialoge for
it in English. Do you have any idea when it will be coming out?
Sincerely,
Fleg
Dear Fleg,
Still no date, but I'd assume it would be soon, considering that according to the last report, everything was done except for the DVD authoring.
Dear mirages,
Umm... I know that somewhere they referred to him as "otoko", which is "man". *checks* Yeah, on the title page of 397, there's the text "kono otoko... ittai nanimono!?" which is "This man... just who is he!?" He also uses the pronoun "ore", which is decidedly masculine. Therefore, one would generally draw the conclusion that he's a guy.
Dear Range-o-tang,
I do believe you will find some who will verify that, yes, I do sometimes sing. ... Usually in the form of random showtunes... *coughs*
If you were able to spend a day in Kagome's era, what do you think you would do to pass the time?
P.S. Can I have hug?
Sincerely,
Mandaz ^_^*
Dear Mandaz,
I think there's a few certain people I'd like to track down and give my regards to. Dunno how I'd manage to find them all in a day, but I'd darn well try. In case that ever does happen... you live in New Jersey, right? *huggle*
Dear Gianna,
Well, we never DID hear what happened to his mother.... So, it's entirely possible.
Sincerely,
cheesepoof
Dear cheesepoof,
While I actually have no idea when my actual birthdate is, we seem to have decided to designate June 6th as the celebration date, as that was the day this column, and thus my presence on the internet, was "born".
Do Dog Demons have to mate with other Dog Demons? I was wondering, in a perfect world where Kagura still lived and
Sesshoumaru was a little more affectionate towards her....what would they produce? A wind that smelled of dog or a windy dog?
And if Shippo went back to Souten the Thunder demon, what would they produce? (of course this is when they are both much older)
Thanks Papa, your the best. Here, I have a Dentabone for you, my dog swears by them for his teeth. *toss*
Sincerely,
Demonlover
Dear Demonlover,
Well, Inuyasha is kind of living proof that a youkai does not necessarily have to mate with another of its kind to produce a child. However, I would suppose that there are limitations to what other sorts of youkai they can reproduce with. For instance, many youkai such as Yura and Muonna simply came into being rather than being born from parents, so I would find it unlikely that they would be able to reproduce. So, as for Kagura... it's hard to say, considering she was sort of "born", but not in the usual sense, so one has to wonder if Naraku created her, well, "fully functional".
And a bone for teeth?! *drools* Why didn't they have neat stuff like this when I was alive? *gnaws on it*
Dear Sadie,
A bath is nice, especially when it's given by someone you like. It's like being pet all over, then coming out clean and refreshed.
I have a question that originated from the question sent to you by doggiegal. You said that Sesshomaru's way younger than you were when you died. In another question you answered, you said you were 800 years old when you died.
But here's the thing. I keep hearing that Sesshomaru's about 900 or a little over 900 years old. That's how old I've estimated him to be too...of course, those estimations did come from the third movie which I suppose isn't the best way to come to a self-answer to your own question but...
And also based on the third movie, I've estimated InuYasha to be about 700 or a little over 700 years old. And sticking with the two centuries thing, I'd actually estimated you to be about 1100. O.o Course take my estimations back a couple of centuries and you and your sons are 500, 700, and 900.
So basically, after me doing all the explaining of my freaky logic that I'm fairly sure only I really and truly understand, the question is:
How freakin old are you three?! Well two technically since you already said you were 800 but whatever.
P.S.: Man I hope this made sense...*asd*
Sincerely,
SesshyStalker78
Dear SesshyStalkter78,
I think the confusion comes from a difference in reference points. In the third movie, it is implied that Inuyasha is 200 years old. The seal on the sword was 700 years old in Kagome's era, which is how old Inuyasha would be in that time. Take off the 500 years back in time, and Inuyasha is only 200. I said I died when I was 800, but if I were still alive in Inuyasha's time, I would be 1000. Sesshoumaru was about 150 when I died, making him 350 nowadays.
Where does Sesshomaru get his proud/arrogant/taciturn/aloof/cold attitude from? His mother? Or because of the environment he grew up in?
I mean both Inuyasha and yourself seem more alike in the sense that you both become really agitated (kickin 'n screaming) when it comes to protecting the women you love, and Inuyasha didn't know you at all.. but Sesshie knew you and grew up with your guidance but always act so cool and distant
BTW, you and your boys are the most drool-worthy family i have come across yet!!!
Sincerely,
Drooling Fangirl
Dear Drooler,
Just don't drool on the fluff. Anyway, the only thing I can attribute Sesshoumaru's behavior to is lack of a mother figure. I grew up with my mother, and Inuyasha grew up with his mother, so that's the only difference that I can really see. A father teaches you to be strong, but a mother teaches you humility, which I guess he never got much of out of me. I'm a bad mom.
What kind of place did you live in when you were alive? Castle? Cave? Dog house??? Was Sesshoumaru staying with you at
that time or did he get enstranged from you when he met Izayoi?
Sincerely,
Busybody aka eat full too free
Dear Busybody,
I didn't really live anywhere. Just wherever was comfortable when I wanted to rest a little. Once I met Izayoi, I did hang out at her place quite a bit, but I didn't really "live" there. Sesshoumaru had already gone off on his own by the time I met her, so that wasn't really a problem, though it did tend to keep him even further away from me.
.....
Sincerely,
Inuyasha
Dear Inuyasha,
That wasn't a dream, that was when I chucked you into the fishpond for snoring so loudly.
In your opinion, which character do you think has the biggest fan base? In other words, which character from "Inu-Yasha" is
"most popular"?
Sincerely,
Nymph
Dear Nymph,
According to Japanese popularity polls, Inuyasha does, with Sesshoumaru in second and Miroku in third. In my personal opinion, though, I think Sesshoumaru is at the top.
Dear Yasha Boy,
Well, I don't really have much say in the matter, considering I've already been cast in English and the dialogue has already been recorded. I'll be played by Dale Wilson.
So... are both Kuro and Patches girls?
I totally blame you. I wouldn't be so confused if it wasn't for your response.
Sincerely,
frustrated idiot
Dear frustrated idiot,
Yes, they're... both girls. And I think it's their job to confuse people. I just pretend to understand and play along.
Sincerely,
Punny
Dear Punny,
Inuyasha's... what? Inuyasha doesn't wear a haori. A haori is a long trenchcoat-like overcoat that's open in the front, sort of like what Naraku wears, but with sleeves. Inuyasha's outfit is more like a suikan, but with a flattened collar. I never really called it anything other than "hinezumi no koromo". As for why I'd keep it in my clothes... well, where else am I going to carry it? The fluff is not a backpack.
Dear Fluffinator,
Er, no, there's no baby in there... Anyway, I'm not too familiar with your weights and measures systems, but I'd guess that my fluff weighs somewhere around 35 kilograms.
You say that Youkai's age on log base 50 scale after they turn 13, right? And you are around 40, right? That means you are 50^27 years old? That's even before the Earth was created, or even Big Bang (Earth is 4.5 billion years old and Big Bang 10-20 billion years ago)!!
So on to my question: What was the world like before Big Bang? You should publish it in science community! Everyone would
love to hear about it!
Sincerely,
a science major
Dear science major,
Log base 50?! Nononononono, I was giving a linear example that a youkai only physically ages one year for every 50 that pass, because I figured most people aren't all that familiar with logs. I meant it was logarithmic in nature because we age quickly to start out, then the aging process slows down as we get older. Since it's a splice of two linear examples, there really isn't a good fit to the curve.
What is the strangest thing you have ever been asked/had said to you? Are there any kinds of questions you would really WANT people to ask you/things you WISH they'd say?
Also, what's your favorite flavor of Milkbone? I can't remember if you'd said or not...
Sincerely,
Curious puppy
Dear Curious,
Strangest thing? I can't really say, since I've had a lot of weird things asked of me, most of which I don't reply to. I don't have any "ideal" questions, because it wouldn't be much of a question if I knew what they were going to ask.
... And they make different flavors of Milk Bones? *drools*
Have you ever considered charging for your hugs? Not that you would have much use for money in the afterlife, but you could
always buy Inuyasha some sandals. Maybe some toenail trimmers too. If he thinks he's got girl problems now, wait until
Kagome touches his feet.
Sincerely,
Ichigo, Future Dictator of the World
Dear Ichigo,
I can't charge for hugs! That would be like charging for advice! Who in their right mind charges for advice? *looks around suspiciously*
Dear Flip,
Just two kimono layers: the outer white, patterned one, and the inner plain white one. Generally the more layers you wear, the more wealthy you are, but in Sesshoumaru's case, extra layers would be a hindrance to his movement.
Dear LilaFreakk,
I would like it to end, but I want it to have a suitable ending as well. I don't want it rushed, but I also don't want it to drag on forever. It remains to be seen if I'll have anything to do after that, since I don't know whether or not I'll be playing a part in the finale. I sure get mentioned enough.
I have been wondering about this for some time... exactly how old are all of the main characters. Are the ages of Sango
and Miroku ever explicitly stated in the manga?
Sincerely,
greenshoes
Dear greenshoes,
The only characters whose ages are explicitly given are Kagome and Kohaku's, which are 15 and 11, respectively. However, the Zusetsutaizen Ougikaiden guidebook lists statistics for all the characters, including ages. Sango is listed as 16, while Miroku is 18, if I recall correctly.
Dear Kallie Plushie,
You should probably at least ask him how he feels. A sure sign of a good relationship is if he's honest and willing to talk to you about his feelings. And if he's a little dense, you need to talk to him about your feelings as well to make sure he understands what you're going for. From what you say, he seems like an okay guy, since I've heard a lot of stories of men who are controlling or abusive, but if he lets you be yourself and likes you for it, I think he's good to stick with.
Dear American Fangirl,
It's probably the same reason no one retains any scars from battles a few days later, either. They patch it up with some band-aids, then the next day, *poof*, good as new. It's mostly because we always want to see the characters in the same form, so they don't tend to change physically for very long. This is why they never change clothes, either.
... And what makes you think he'll want you just because you stalk him? *blinks*
Dear Kalinka,
No, Musou was... a thing. Sort of like Hakudoushi, I'm not really sure what to categorize him as, because he certainly wasn't human, but he wasn't an actual youkai, either. I guess he was human with youkai pieces.
If (in the series) in fuedal Japan there were demons, why were there none in the future? This bugs me especially since all the humans and human villages that the IY gang encounters always have some kind of mass slaughter on their population by some demons; then they get saved by Inuyasha. and there was much rejoicing. But, when humans went to war or had battles with demons, there would always be human corpses and barley any demon ones. But since there are no demons in Kagome's time(excluding ones that pop out of wells) that must mean humans defeated the ENTIRE demon race, right? that seems highly improbable.
Oh and here's a milkbone. The prices for those things are dropping faster than my cockatiel's IQ.
Sincerely,
featherbreath
Dear featherbreath,
I'm guessing they weren't "defeated", but more likely went into dormancy. Youkai thrive on strife, and so are typically plentiful in eras full of war and death. However, once the country began to stabilize, the youkai didn't have as much of that negative energy to keep them going, so mostly died out on their own. And thanks for the Milk Bone! If they're getting cheap, maybe I should start hoarding them again.
Thank you for answering the question on your page concerning me. I was hoping that the note on Ear-Tweak would be enough... sorry that I caused people to seek news from the Nextworld to find out what happened to me. Ehehehe.
Anyhow, I really DO have a question. WILL PATCHES MARRY ME??! XD Just kidding. Yes, I do realize that I.. we.. uh.. yeah... are confusing, but perhaps if I just said "It`s an inside joke," people might read? *sweatdrop*
And now, about your son. Good heavens, Papa-sama, just when I thought Inuyasha had some sense in him, he decides to go kamikaze-Inu on us and do something totally boneheaded (for the sake of suspense, I imagine, but trust me, I think reactions leaned more towards "facepalm") Papa-sama, I adore your son dearly but for crying out loud, could you just, y`know... appear to him in a dream or something and whap some sense into him that will stay in his brain for more than two chapter installments??
PS - O-tegami wa nihongo no hou ga ii? ;)
Sincerely,
J-Kuro
Dear Kuro,
*points* Okay, see, everyone? She lives!And I don't think Patches would marry you in a million years. And, no offense to you, neither would I. I'm already married. Twice. .... Though, I seem to recall that that's never stopped you, what with your whole harem and all.
I don't know about appearing to Inuyasha in a dream, but I did infuse Tessaiga with a bit of my will, which is why it's been burning the crap out of his hands lately, in a sort of "OMFG you MORON what are you DOING?!" sort of way. So Inuyasha has to surpass me to master the sword? Psh, that's just a nice way of saying he can get to the point of being able to ignore me.
Nihongo no hou ga yoi. Eigo no hou mo yoi. Supeingo no hou wa... DAME. *curses the Mexican Mouryoumaru*
Dear Toon Mistress,
Uh, rice is always a good choice to make. Or you could just make up some instant ramen. An easy snacky food to make is onigiri, which is just a ball of rice wrapped in nori (dried seaweed). Youkai eat pretty much whatever they can find, but the basic youkai diet is human flesh, which I DON'T think would go over too well for a school project. The main religions of Japan are Buddhism and Shinto, which in the series are represented by Miroku and Kikyou, respectively.
Dear *headdesk*,
1) You mean "Inuyasha wa goran no suponsaa no teikyou de okurishimasu"? That's just "Inuyasha is brought to you by the following sponsors", and then it just shows the sponsors on the screen, which are usually P&G, Shogakukan, Playstation, and McDonald's.
2) The message at the bottom of the screen I'm assuming you're referring to reads: "A request from Inuyasha... When watching TV anime, please do so in a bright room and not too close to the screen." After an incident with Pokemon gave a few people seizures, this warning was put at the beginnings of just about every anime series thereafter.
3) You do realize that, while he is my son, Inuyasha is not exactly the brightest bulb of the bunch, and won't always consider all possible solutions.
So what im asking here is, What do you think?
Is it the people's fault?
Or mc-d's fault, That the united states of america is the fattest country in the world. :\
Then there are other fast food stores out there people are getting fat from.
But lets concintrate (sp? ><) on mc-d.
Sincerely,
Super Size Me
Dear Super Size,
Uh... obviously it's the people's own responsibility with what they eat. If they don't want to get fat, then they should eat things that don't make them fat. If they eat unhealthy things and get sick because of it, it's their own fault. I've noticed that Americans have a habit of pointing their fingers at others for their problems rather than admitting that they have to change something about themselves.
...WHY!?
Sincerely,
Dude.
Dear Dude.,
Because it accents your eyes. I mean, your eyes are the first aspect of your face that people take notice of, and you want to draw their attention to them right away, and hold their attention. Therefore, you accent them with whatever you've got.
Dear Confused and Angry,
Then everyone would be a girl, I suppose.
I'm curious as to why there are no young men in any village the Inu-gumi stop at. Perhaps I missed them, or are they simply
not there? Did they just vanish? It seems that there are plenty of young girls for Miroku, however... >_>
Sincerely,
Andi
Dear Andi,
My guess is that they've all been recruited to go fight wars, leaving only the elderly, women, and children behind in the villages.
What's the difference between an Oekaki and a fanart?
Sincerely,
Your Name
Dear My Name,
There is no difference. Oekaki is just a subcategory of fanart. It's just a difference in mediums used.
Do you drink soda or anything over there? Y'know, like.... Mountain Dew?
Sincerely,
Kori
Dear Kori,
Well, we do have carbonated green tea... But other than that, the only things I personally drink are tea, water, and sake so I haven't personally gone searching for any other forms of beverages that we might have.
Dear Confused,
It seemed to work on him in episodes 80 and 81, which are canon, so I'd have to guess yes.
Dear absolutely nothing,
When you consider how long it takes for the manga to get through anything, anyway, 100 more chapters doesn't sound like too much of a stretch. There's still a lot of things concerning not only Naraku, but Kikyou, Kohaku, and Kouga that have yet to be resolved. Unless you just want the ending to be rushed.
When you're in the chat room and you're typing in English is Patches ALWAYS there to translate for you or somethin'? Cause you're there like, all the time and I'm sure Patches gets really tired from translating at a hundred words per minute for several hours a day (I guess she doesn't get weekends off when it comes to that).
So can she translate that fast or have you learned proper English?
Sincerely,
A Really Hyper Keira
Dear Keira who needs less sugar,
Well, while I've managed to get a pretty good grip of the written English language by now, she still has to "channel" my thoughts through there, and thoughts have to be translated into words anyway, so it's not really much of an extra step. ... Or maybe I can blame my long idle times on her having to translate what I say, rather than getting distracted by video games all the time... Housenki says I'm hogging Bejeweled. He's obsessed with that game.
Oh, and were YOU educated?
Sincerely,
Aliyah
Dear Aliyah,
He never received a formal education, as schools didn't really exist in my era. He pretty much learned as he went along, and I taught him most of the basics of fighting and strategy, though he learned more when he was older and went off on his own to gain his own experience. Things like the poison claws, of course, he taught himself how to use, since I had no equivalent to show him. I was not educated, either, though I did have a variety of swordmasters and... uh... Toutousai... teach me along the way (seriously, that guy was old when I met him. When 900 years old you reach, look as good you will not...?)
How old are you in human years? Just wondering. ^_^
P.S
Can I have a hug!
Sincerely,
doggiegal
Dear doggiegal,
I never really kept track, but I believe I was somewhere around 800 years old when I died. In dog years, that would be, like, 5,600, but in youkai dog years, it was about 38.P.S. Yes. *hug*
There's something about Naraku which I am curious about...if Naraku is really half-demon, then how is he able to have supposedly full-demon "children?" (Not that I consider that the ONLY strange thing about him)
Also, if he is half-demon, then how is he able to have those purple "markings" above his eyes, despite the fact that no other half-demons have markings? Or is it really just eyeshadow, like some people like to say? ("Maybe he's born with it...maybe it's Maybelline!" *snicker*)
Just Curious
Sincerely,
J-Puppy
Dear J-Puppy,
Naraku is a mish-mash of youkai bodies centered around a human heart, so his body isn't exactly an evenly-distributed mix of human and youkai. He's just one part human and many parts youkai, which I guess still constitutes "half" youkai, even though anything that breaks off him aside from his heart could be considered full youkai. The purple markings on his eyes are indeed eyeshadow, as are the red markings above my and Sesshoumaru's eyes. Only our face stripes are natural, which Naraku does not have. And the stripes themselves don't really signify anything since there is no real "mark" of a full youkai or a half-youkai. They come in all types.
You know, in the website Inu Goya, on the General Episode Information, the column that says "Inuyasha's Jar"? What does that mean?
Sincerely,
*_*
Dear *_*,
"Inuyasha's Jar", or "Inuyasha no Tsubo", was a short segment at the end of every episode in the Japanese TV run where a certain character would get hilighted. For the first 95 episodes, it was just a screen with a character's picture, name, and a short description. At episode 96, it switched to the "puzzle" version where a distorted image of a character was shown and Shippou would ask "Ido no naka ni wa nan jarou na?" ("Who do you think is in the well?"), and then the answer was given after the final commercial break. It was akin to the "Next Conan's Hint!" thing, except dealt with the current episode instead of the next one.
Dear unknown,
Well, naturally, it would depend on what it said. Obviously, I answered this one, so I guess the answer is "yes". But I can't say that for all letters. I get some pretty crazy stuff, plus a lot of repeat questions, so I don't answer everything I'm sent. But you can be sure that I read all of it.
did inuyasha go through puberty. oh and heres a dog biscut for u
*troughs a big milkbone at inu-papa
P.S may i have a hug
Sincerely,
puppy lover
Dear puppy lover,
"Did" he? As far as I'm concerned, he still hasn't hit it yet, what with his whole "Eeew, girl cooties" attitude.
Ooh, thanks for the treat! *hugs*
Dear Confused,
And when Inuyasha transforms into a human, his ears change shape and move halfway around his head. ... He's a magical being, we can all just smile and nod.
I've seen yor son Sesshomar in his true form, and he is huge, but how come he's smaller than you are in his true form?
Is it because he's younger than you?
Sincerely,
doggiegal
Dear doggiegal,
It's because our true forms' sizes are related to our overall power, and yes, our age. Sesshoumaru is much younger than I was when I died, and he has significantly less power as well. Once he grows up and learns to rely on himself better instead of weapons forged by others, I'd say he'll be in for some growing.
And...
*Hug*
Sincerely,
Missbookworm
Dear MBW,
It's definitely got quite a bit of weight to it, but it's light enough to billow in a strong wind. Because it's so spread out, it's hard to figure exactly how much it weighs just by lifting it, but I'd guess somewhere in the 35-40 kilogram range.
Okay, here's the thing I don't get. Why, with the exception of a few people (Such as Patches) are all Americans who can speak Japanese such snobs? They go "Oh, thank God I can speak Japanese, because the dubs all SUCK!"
Frankly, I *like* the dubs. With the exception of Kagome's voice, I love Inuyasha, Sango, Miroku, Naraku, Kouga, Sesshoumaru, Rin, Jaken, and even Shippou's voice.
So could you please tell me what is so wrong with the dubs and these people?
Sincerely,
Angry Elf
Dear Angry Elf,
This is one of those "purist" debates, really. A lot of fans tend to consider the original Japanese version the "original" and therefore only "true" version of the series. And then there's the manga purists, who accept only the manga as the "true" version of the series (I admit, I'm one of those). There's nothing wrong with dubbing the series into another language, since it makes it more accessible to a wider variety of people, but there's also the chance of things getting lost in translation. It's the same with adapting a book to film; it makes it more accessible, but things are bound to get cut or changed. But when it comes right down to it, people tend to like whatever version they saw first the best.
Dear Blackrose,
Actually, he was born premature, so I didn't really have time to fret about it. All the fretting came afterwards.
Dear Ranma-chan,
Once again, I'll have to say "don't always believe the subtitles". As far as I can tell, "Sugimi" is a misrepresentation of "Chichi-gimi", a way to speak of someone else's father.
In the third movie, i watched it in japense, how come they kept calling Izayoi princess Jakyrn (its much longer than
that but i cant remember how to spell it)
Sincerely,
Flan
Dear Flan,
Prooooooobably because you're watching a Chinese bootleg, which are notorious for totally inaccurate subtitling. According to them, Miroku is Jewish, Bankotsu is a fruit, and my oldest son is some sort of illicit drug.
Dear Bunny,
If they'd been daughters, they would have both been married off years ago and I'd be swimming in grandkids.
**Hope this question isn't too hard to answer...unlike that question about the well I asked a few weeks ago. That
answer left me unsatisfied.**
Sincerely,
fehBEH
Dear fehBEH,
... Because it would be a little presumptuous, and there really is no reason to. "Inuyasha-sama" would make it sound like she's crawling in the dirt at his feet, and "Inuyasha-kun" is just... it doesn't SOUND right. And Inuyasha calling Kagome "Kagome-chan" would make it sound like he'd be up for a spontaneous cuddle. There really is no set-in-stone "rule" about this sort of thing, it's just based on whatever you're used to calling a person.
Dear Nymph,
Well, because he is described as the "delinquent" monk, obviously such ruled don't apply to him.
Dear me,
Obviously they were actually talking about Miroku.
Dear vermeil butterfly,
1) His mother's, since neither I nor my parents had one.
2) According to the manga, "Ryuukossei ni uketa kizu ga moto de nakunarareta", or "the wounds received from Ryuukossei were the cause of death".
3) Toutousai can use it, too, and he's a youkai, so it likely has to do with benevolent youkai powers. Malicious youkai powers are warded off.
4) Er, Toutousai is definitely a youkai.
5) ... Eh, because she was there.
Dear Cobwebs and Strange,
... Both, actually. It was just a vicious cycle of revenge, since his father killed my parents, so naturally I sought revenge and killed him, thus inadvertantly taking over the domain in the process. Then, of course, Ryuukossei came after me... not really to avenge his father, but he was certainly interested in the real estate.
Dear anonymous,
"Moko-moko" is merely a sound-effect word for something soft and fluffy. It's never been given an official name, but yes, it was referred to as "moko-moko" in an interview with Takahashi (though the term actually originated in the question she was given, and she merely used the word again in her response). Jaken also refers to Sesshoumaru's fluff as "moko-moko" in an episode in the Shichinintai arc.
and all of my friens love the idea of u rapping him
i dont get it
why do fangirsl love th idea of u abusing or rapping your son
and its always sesshoumaru
plz answer me
Sincerely,
about ot be sick
Dear sick,
*sigh* Look, just because I wear sunglasses and poofy pants and am vaguely on the dark-skinned side, don't automatically assume I'm a rapper.
This has been nagging at me for a while. . .so I might as well ask. . .In the anime, the drawings of the characters seem to
change with each episode. I've seen four different styles of drawing the characters: Chubby, as in the Inu-tachi drawn a bit
on the wide side; Perfect ( I can't really say it any other way.); Realistic and, hat hair style. . .
I don't really think that made sense. But, what I want to know is, do the people who draw the characters and stuff rotate
with each eppy?
Oh, and another thing. Why would you have to kill Izayoi if you told her your real name?
:D
Sincerely,
Mad Madyson
Dear Mad Madyson,
Oh man, if only this were "Dear Patches". She'd ramble to you for days about the differences between the episode staff. In short, yes, there are different directors for each episode who rotate every five episodes or so. The webmaster's next order of business is making a subsection dedicated to pointing out the differences between the staff and how to recognize who did what. Look for more on-site information on this topic in the future.
Dear Inu-kun,
Jeez, how many more mods do you need for that thing? You've already added the accessories for suck, blow, texturization, color, and temperature. What more do you need? Vibrating action?
Dear Blackrose,
Because lesser youkai carry plot devices. If the plot device is shattered in the attack, then the youkai vaporizes for easy clean-up. But if the plot device remains, then the youkai's corpse remains so that someone can loot it or absorb it or lay around to signify that Something Messy(tm) happened here.
Dear Lady Gata,
..... Legs?
Why are both your kids so hopelessly befuddled and stunted in the romantic development department? One wouldn't think that they had inherited that from you...
Sincerely,
Dr. Ruth's Assistant
Dear Assistant,
*cough* Um, yes, well... It DID take me 600 years to find my first wife...
Dear Concerned,
Um... Just ignore it? I'd be more concerned if he was looking up how to make bombs or something.
Do you know what happened to Sato? It seems like she's disappeared for the past two weeks. Any news on the subject would be
helpful, and i'm sure other ear-tweak fans would be curious as well.
Sincerely,
Concerned
Dear Concerned,
Well, she did say she was moving and would be gone for a couple of weeks. And the news section of her site states that her visa got held up, so her departure has been delayed and her computer is still packed. She's been doing text-only translations of the latest chapters for the past couple of weeks.
Dear Uwaaaaiiii~n,
"Gendai" means "modern era", so is simply a term to refer to a chapter that takes place in Kagome's time.
Dear Eira-kay,
I did have to bathe him myself for his first few years, since he was more or less helpless to do anything on his own. Thankfully, I taught him good hygeine early on, so even to today, he's still as immaculate as ever.
Dear Pudding Street,
Er, yes, actually, in my era you were considered an adult at the age of 13. Basically, as soon as you were capable of having children, you were expected to start bearing them. Life expectancies were also considerably shorter, and there was a high infant mortality rate, so you made good use of the time you had.
Dear artist,
I tried once. It didn't save. .... Ah well, I'm not much of an artist, anyway. It was just a formless blob of gray that was supposed to be my fluff.
Dear you and you,
Yes, I was born as a dog, and, in fact, didn't learn to take a human form until I was about seven or eight years old. It does vary from species to species, and depends on what form the mother was in when she gave birth.
Dear Andrea,
That depends on what sort of feeling you're going for. You could say "suki desu" for a general statement of affection, or "daisuku desu" if you really mean it. But if you're seriously madly in love with this person and want to get serious about it, then it would be "aishiteru". And "daitemo ii?" would be "may I hug you?" *hugs*
Dear Kat,
The string across his chest is a drawstring to hold his clothing shut. As far as I can tell, the upper half of his clothing isn't anything particularly traditional, but looks kind of like a suikan (the type of outfit Hakudoushi wears) with a turned-down wide collar. Although, if the string is to secure the clothing, it sure is tied loosely. So, perhaps it's merely tied across his chest to keep it out of the way, since normally it would be tied in a wide loop at the ends of the collar under his neck. *hugs*
Why, oh, WHY does Izayoi look so much like Sango?
Sincerely,
Nymph
Dear Nymph,
Probably the same reason all you Westerners look alike, with your fair hair and wide eyes. There's only so many ways to vary the same formula for a character design until some aspects start repeating.
Dear Wheeness,
Unfortunately, she has a rather solid grip over my mind and soul, so I am at her utter mercy when it comes to such things. Just don't give her any ideas. Please. I've had my integrity trampled upon by her enough as it is.
Dear My Name,
Unless they meet up again in the afterlife and hit it off, my guess would be "no".
Dear Lady Assassin,
Yes, I have been married to two women. There was also 200 years separating them, so it was never really an issue of dumping one for the other. However, I have to warn you that a relationship out of sympathy is generally a bad idea. If you're just with the guy because you're afraid he'll feel bad if you weren't, tell him the truth and be done with it. Better than just stringing him along into thinking you're interested in him. *hugs her*
Did Sesshoumaru-sama get any presents or gifts bestowed onto him when he was born from other youkai nobility?
Sincerely,
Sita
Dear Sita,
No, he did not. In fact, the majority of the youkai populace didn't even know he even existed until he was a few years old. Because, let's face it, when you're the most powerful youkai around, and thereby the most saught-after youkai around, having a defenseless child in your care tends to become a liability, so you don't want many people knowing about it. Declaring to the world that I have a son is just an invitation for kidnapping. ... Not that I wouldn't be able to protect him from that, but might as well avoid the hassle completely.
Dear Keh,
What's a "bottle"? Of course I left the feeding of Inuyasha to Izayoi, since I'm not exactly physically capable of performing that task...
I was wondering if you could clear something up for me. In my Inuyasha manga it states that Kagome is a NINTH grader and in HIGH SCHOOL. But in the anime it is stated that she is still in junior high...but she is also a ninth grader.
So which one is it, is Kagome in High School or in Junior High. I assumed that she is in High School because she is in ninth grade not eighth grade, so I'm a little confused on why the manga says she is in High School, yet in the anime she is not. Did the anime screw up in this? I mean in both manga and anime she is constantly worried about tests and getting into High school.
Another thing, when exactly does the japanese school year start? I heard that japanses schools start later than western
schools. Or do schools in Japan go year round even during the summer?
Sincerely,
Your Name Mysterious Miko
Dear Mysterious Miko,
I believe Kagome calls herself a third-year middle-schooler, which is indeed the ninth year of school in Japan, given that elementary school goes to sixth grade. Since Kagome is always worried about her exams, she's certainly not in high school yet, since one of the big things about the Japanese school system is the high school entrance exam. Unlike American schools, you're allowed to choose which high school you want to go to, as long as it's in your area, and then you take that high school's exam to try to test in. There's a LOT of pressure to pass these exams, which is why it's almost always a topic in anime with characters who are in junior high. The reason the manga says she's in high school is simple: it's a mistranslation. I mean, they couldn't even get the year right on the first page (the Japanese states the modern year as being 1996, while the English translation gives it as 1997).
The Japanese school year starts in April and more or less runs year-round, aside from summer, winter, and spring breaks, each of which are only a few weeks long.
What size is your underwear?
Sincerely,
Buddha
Dear Buddha,
A fundoshi is one-size-fits-all.
~Thanks a bunch
P.S. Can i please have a hug
*huggles* ^-^
Sincerely,
EagerToKnow
Dear EagerToKnow,
There are a lot of ways to refer to yourself in Japanese, but the most common ones you'll hear are "watashi", "boku", and "ore". Generally, "boku" and "ore" are reserved for men, while "watashi" is sort of gender-neutral. "Ore" is a more rough, stuck-up way to refer to yourself, and is the term Inuyasha uses. "Boku" is sort of "city-man" speak and is much more mellow. I don't think anyone in Inuyasha uses "boku", except for maybe Houjou-kun. In real life, however, you'd hear that pronoun used much more than "ore". "Watashi" is just the general way to say "I", and is used by characters like Miroku and Sesshoumaru. A more feminine form of the word, "Atashi", is used by Kagura and Kagome.
And the sound-effect for "hug" is "gyuu". *gyuu*
Dear My Name,
"Kagura" is spelled using the kanji for "god" and "pleasure", and the word itself is a type of ritual dance.
In one epsidoes, the Toad Who Would be Prince, kagome thinks someone is Nobunga? What role did he or she play in japanese history? Please help me..haha im kinda a history freak and its going to just bug me forever! Thanks!!!
*huggleys*
Sincerely,
Interested
Dear Interested,
Well, the guy was a little after my time, but he was definitely one of the more influential figures in Japanese history, as he was a key player in bringing about the end of the feudal era. He began making the path to unifying the country under a single government instead of the various feudal lords that had control at the time... and his methodology was usually to kill anyone who thought otherwise. There's a lot more to say about him than that, but suffice to say he was one of those "famous generals" that every schoolkid knows about.
Dear My Name,
Mouryoumaru is a youkai that Hakudoushi created by piecing together a bunch of other youkai. The baby then used Mouryoumaru as his own body and is currently trying to make himself stronger by absorbing the powers of other youkai.
Ps- Can I have a huggie? *does pouty face*
Sincerely,
Ruler Ah
Dear Ruler Ah,
... Because I guess I'm obsessive-compulsive and put the mouse back exactly where I found it. Sort of like how I always give out hugs. *huggles*
Dear Takahashi-sensei,
... It's not like I ever did much work for you anyway...