#i think it goes back to me feeling like kikyo doesn't really love HIM

[vendettasfanfictioning]

The Nightmare of Zoldyck (Musical) was gay as fuck and here's why you should watch it.

Bingeing The Nightmare of Zoldyck reminds me just. Just how fucking gay it was??????? And this was made almost 11 years ago???? And it's just so insane and surreal to me?????? They could've added any sort of twist to the Zoldyck Arc and yet the twist they chose was 🌈🏳️‍🌈??? In all fairness, they did also add Hisoka so maybe that's just how it is lmao

Now you may think I'm joking or being delusional—but no I swear THEY MADE IT GAY AS FUCK OK. IT'S ACTUALLY AMAZING

First, we have the obvious; the adorable, blossoming friendship between Gon and Killua. The very reason this arc exists is because Gon refused to let Illumi's teachings corrupt Killua's self-esteem. It's so, so, so touching in the manga and both anime adaptations, but in the musical they just... The songs just made it come off more romantic?

I'm biased, I love the friends-to-lovers development these two undergo, but I swear, take the shipping goggles off and it's still has a subtle if not in-your-face obvious, romantic tone.

Why? First, the presentation. The Zoldycks are introduced by Milluki through song. They each get lines which are backed up by epic music and stage effects, come together for the iconic chant of, "Zoldyck," before ultimately gathering around and sitting down.

Kalluto, Kikyo, Illumi, Silva, Milluki, and Zeno have a family meeting while Killua's hung above them, representing where he is in the dungeon, and right off the bat, you get hit with "forbidden romance" vibes.

The family talks about what Killua did, what he said, while Killua sings about how he doesn't want to inherit his dad's position. HE ALSO SINGS THIS LINE WHICH IS SO?????

And he sings a little after Illumi visits him in the dungeon and, y'know, messes with his head even more. He writes a letter of sorts to Gon, Kurapika, and Leorio, telling them they should go to protect them from Illumi and he just sounds SO heartbroken...

Then we skip forward, this is after the gang has won Gotou's approval. Gon writes a letter, and it's so fucking sweet because it's basically him saying look. Look at Zebro, Gotou, Canary, these people who care for you, who love you. You're not alone, we understand your feelings, ok? AND THIS PANEL IN PARTICULAR IS SO RAPUNZEL SO ROMEO AND JULIET IDK

And that super serious discussion between Killua and Silva? He gushes about Gon a lot, and they really took some liberties with Silva because this man keeps grinning like he knows his son's got a crush.

And of course Gon's not gonna back down. Canary asks how their Young Master Killua was like, outside Kukuroo Mountain, and... just look.

I'm not gonna include every damn time they sing together but when they finally meet? They're so. so happy. I can't.

And there's this scene after the party (yes they have a goodbye party of sorts for Killua) where Killua thanks Gon for coming to get him and Gon says ofc we're friends and they play around and they're so happy together...

Look at them they ded

There's also this moment when it all goes to shit and THIS SONG SLAPS Gon metaphorically slaps Killua out of it too but just. Just listen to it, it made me cry

And since this happens right after the Hunter's Exam, Kurapika and Leorio are still a bit wary of Killua, so while Gon's ecstatic and unwavering about being Killua's friend, the other two sort of bond in the sidelines as well?

Take this shot of leopika dancing. It's short and sweet and they're so stupid but they're at least getting along!!!

I forgot they bickered a lot, especially during the Hunter's Exam, but now look at them. This isn't the gayest part though, because Leorio finds out there's a hot spring in the Zoldyck mansion... and... yeah... I'll let y'all watch this scene for yourselves but uh, stuff happens and I fucking screamed is all

LIKE LOOK THESE MFS END UP STAR GAZING TOO COME ON

They also share a bit in the end where Gon sniffs Zebro??? And he says that Zebro has a similar scent to Leorio??? And leopika turn to each other and go:

LIKE HELLO?? HELLOOOOO???

And of course, I saved the murder husbands for last. While the gang have their fun, we would sometimes cut to black and these two would be shown, scheming in the dark and talking about their own plans.

They be dropping some bomb ass dialogues tho

AND APPARENTLY ILLUMI GAVE HISOKA A TOUR LMAO

Mind you, there is no fucking explanation as to why Hisoka's there. His narrative purpose is ofc to sow chaos and stir trouble, look out for Gon or whatever, but why is he here specifically in the Zoldyck Estate is never stated. BUT he does refer to it as a vacation. Twice.

Like sure this is just him being a little shit but COME ON. If Illumi really didn't want him there, he'd have chased Hisoka out, swatting him with a broom while at it. But no. They scheme in the dark and Illumi shows him around and Hisoka says it's a vacation. Wonder who could've invited him.......

This interaction also happens. And I will only be thinking about this for the foreseeable future.

HISOKA CHASES AFTER HIM OFFSCREEN IT'S KINDA CUTE AND ALSO RUINING MY LIFE????

Insane that the killugon heart-to-heart, leopika hot spring moment, and hisoillu bickering happen back to back to back. They're all paired off. The way they switch the audience's perspective actually really satisfying. Each couple gets their alone time and it's like seeing the different stages of a relationship. INSANE and HELLA GAY

And, of course, the heart of the cards—easily one of the most iconic lines Hisoka's said, which is, coincidentally, the point of conflict of the entire musical

While Killua's fighting for his life, here's the magician who's basically getting everything he's ever wanted served on a silver platter. This mf is so happy he got to fight Illumi's family lmaoooo

AND HE SAYS IT TWICE!!!!

ONLY FOR MAMA ZOLDYCK TO MIC DROP WITH THIS IN THE END

I just. I love this musical so much. It used to be my comfort watch when I first got into HxH, and while I joke about how fucking gay it turned out to feel (I'm being serious about it though) I do think it's a great production.

The actors did amazing, the dance/fight sequences and the dialogue were so well done, and it just added so much depth to the Zoldycks, y'know? I do wish Alluka was here, but we all know why she's not... That would've been so fun though.

Anyways, if I've convinced you, then you can watch it here!!!

[shinidamachu]

Hello ma’am at Wendy’s; could you analyze some inukag scenes in the first movie? 😍

I could talk about how Inuyasha was strugling in the first battle — to the point of Shippo stating he's hopeless when Kagome isn't around — and how he headed back to it with renewed energy once she got there.

I could talk about how he bickers with her the entire time, but it's always so gentle while constantly carrying her away from danger — bridal style, no less — and asking her in that soft voice we don't ever hear him use with anyone else if she is alright even though he was the one just getting his ass beaten.

I could also talk about how he follows after Kagome when she runs off, supposedly to "give her a piece of his mind" yet doesn't deny it when Shippo counter arguments that she got him wrapped around her finger. I could. But that's just our everyday Inukag, so here are the scenes I feel like are worthy discussing on a deeper level.

When Inuyasha found Kagome after she accidentally cut herself, he got closer, wanting to take a better look at her wound, but for a second there Kagome forgot about her injury and really thought he was going to kiss her. You can see her surprise at his sudden proximity and then the disappointment when he goes for her hand instead.

Then he took her finger to his mouth, to the place where his fangs are, without overthinking it or fearing any judgement, simply trusting that Kagome wouldn't be scared or disgusted by the gesture, by him. And she never does. What really makes this scene, though, is that Inuyasha is completely oblivious to the effect his actions are having on her so far or just how intimate they actually are.

Kagome's safety is his number one priority and Inuyasha feels comfortable enough with her to follow his instincts without reservations, so he doesn't quite realize the romantic implications because it's natural to him, to them, to be this close.

Then Inuyasha uses Kagome's favorite handkerchief to patch her up. Considering she sounds more upset about him ripping it to do so than surprised that he has it in the first place and that he doesn't seem embarrased to have it at all, my guess is that she must have gifted it to him at some point.

And even though he claims it's just a piece of cloth, the fact remains that he carried it with himself for who knows how long — probably because it smells like her — and kept it intact despite the many battles, that is until she needed it as a bandage and we get visual confirmation that Shippo was right: Kagome literally got him wrapped around her finger.

Flash forward to the bridge scene, where Inuyasha thinks he's seeing Kikyo at first, then notices is actually Kagome in priestess clothes and runs to her. If you ask me, it's pretty telling that he'd only mistake the two of them when Kagome isn't acting like herself.

I love his reaction to realizing Kagome is there, safe and sound. He's just so genuinelly happy and relieved to see her. Those aren't emotions we're used to get from him. Plus, he worries about her being pale and insists that she gets back to Kaede's so she can get more rest.

Then when Kagome hugs him, he apologizes — which we also don't see him do often — for not getting to her sooner, thinking that's what earned him that hug. And he returns her embrace in true Inuyasha fashion: tight and cradling her head.

That's when Kagome pulled this little trick and I think two things are worthy noticing. One, she managed to break free from the mind control long enough to tell Inuyasha to get away. That's quite impressive. Two, when confronted with the idea of Kagome betraying him, Inuyasha came to the only possible conclusion that she was under a spell, never once doubting her.

He makes one attempt to reason with her, pleading for Kagome to snap out of it, but when that fails, he doesn't even try to immobilize her or adopt a defensive stance, he just runs, flat out refusing to lay a hand on her, the opposite of his fighting style.

And even though Inuyasha knows Kagome is being controled, I still appreciate his reaction to hearing the one person who makes him want to live telling him to die. Not to mention how it brought back some very unpleasent memories. Speaking of which...

What's interesting about this scene is that, again, Inuyasha knows this is Kagome attacking him — although against her will — but the very idea of her hurting him is so inconceivable that Inuyasha tries to make sense of it with the situations he has experienced before.

Then Kagome explained she has no control over her body and just can't stop, begging him to run again before it's too late. Inuyasha, however, wouldn't hear it.

"I'm not running. Not without you. I won't leave you behind."

And honestly, who would have blamed him if he had run? Certainly not Kagome. She understands better than anyone just how difficult reliving those old traumas must be for him. Yet he would rather stay and die by her hands than leave without her.

That's why she fought so hard against the spell here, in a way she couldn't quite fight when it wasn't Inuyasha's life on the line. Until the very end, she refuses to be the one to cause Inuyasha the same harm he has suffered before. But she ultimately fails.

It's only after Kagome realizes what she's done that she manages to break the spell. It's very meaningful that she screams his name the exact moment it happens and that her eyes were full of tears even before she shot that arrow.

She runs to Inuyasha and wraps him into one of my favorite Inukag hugs ever. The position they're in is so intimate, it's like she wants to melt into him and protect him from the entire world while begging him to say something and open his eyes, chanting how sorry she is.

It also parallels the scene in the beginning. Same spot, similar situations. Except where once was Kagome injured, now is Inuyasha and where once was him patching her up, now it's her who is taking care of him.

Kagome doesn't let go of Inuyasha for a good while and when Kikyo tells her to return to her own time, since she doesn't belong there, Kagome answers that she won't, that she can't leave Inuyasha — echoing his words from earlier.

Even after Kikyo explains that once the well it's covered over, Kagome won't be able to return to her own world anymore, she is still reticent about leaving Inuyasha and Kikyo has to literally force her out.

"Inuyasha! My hands can't touch him anymore. My voice can't reach him anymore. I won't see Inuyasha ever again."

I absolutely love how classic Inukag this quote is. You have Kagome saying his name twice, a mention of touching, which is a huge part of their love language, a nod to her voice reaching out to him, which is a recurrent theme for them and "I won't see Inuyasha ever again" as opposite to our many "I want to see Inuyasha once more."

Another thing I love is how this scene mirrors the one when Kagome first meets Inuyasha: unconscious against the Sacred Tree, her hand reaching out to him. Except then she ended up saving him later and now she was the reason he was there.

Then we finally get to the reunion scene, the heart of "Affections Touching Across Time" which by the way is such a great name for the movie! Not only is it poetic, but it also paints Inuyasha and Kagome's relationship as the transcendental love story that it is. As if no matter the circumstances, it's inevitable for the love the feel for each other to find its way back to them.

Inuyasha wakes up and Kagome is his very first thought. For her part, Kagome is also able to feel Inuyasha through the tree.

"I can feel him. I can feel Inuyasha."

They start to talk even though they're years and years apart, Kagome asking if he is okay and Inuyasha brushing her worries off as usual. He then says he's surprised she isn't there and when Kagome says she came back home, he teases her about being scared.

Kagome denies it and I believe it's because she was initially thinking about the dangerous situation they were in, but then images of Kikyo telling her to go home and kissing Inuyasha flashes through her mind and she admits that e was right, that maybe she did run away.

She did get scared, but not of the danger they were facing. She was scared to find out Inuyasha was truly in love with Kikyo and that, since Kagome hurt him, he would be better off without her around.

Once Kagome explains that to him — minus the Kikyo part — Inuyasha gets up despite his wounds and tries to make his way to her, but Kagome meets him half way.

@kitramune pointed out that Inuyasha smiles at her reaction because not only he knew she would do so, but he also expected her to in order to pull her into a hug.

"I need you with me, Kagome. Haven't you realized that yet?"

Their hug is also a perfect replica of the original one, their very first one. From Inuyasha having a wound on his chest to catching Kagome completely off guard, first pulling her towards him then embracing her tight.

The scene is a masterpiece overall. The music, the dialogue, the voice acting — both in japanese and english —, the emotional conflict. It keeps me wishing it had happened in canon every time I watch it.

And I can't in good conscience leave the ultimate trusting exercise out of this. That Kagome trusts Inuyasha enough to jump into his arms from great heights it's pretty amazing in and out of itself, but the reason her confidence in him is so high is because he delivers it every time. It's all very reciprocal.

And even though Inuyasha complains about her being reckless, I love that he doesn't even bother to sheathe Tessaiga — his most valuable possession — too focus on catching Kagome in the gentlest way possible.

Last but not least: the extra scene. In the beginning of the movie, we hear Grandpa Higurashi say that the Sacred Tree would blossom every single year without fail, until five hundred years ago, when Inuyasha was put under a spell and fixed to its truck, to which Kagome replies that now its flowers are blooming again because she set Inuyasha free.

The blossoms represent just that: a counterpoint to the snow that once fell over them. They're both pretty but where the snow is cold, the petals are warm. Where one is winter, the other is spring. Where one is the end of a cycle, the other is rebirth, it's life.

I hope putting Inuyasha on the shadows and Kagome on the sunny side of the tree was a conscious creative choice here because it accentuates their personalities and the yin and yang dynamic of their relationship, on top of being aesthetically pleasing.

I especially enjoyed how reassuring and straight forward he was here, like it was a given that he would be there for and with her even if it couldn't be physically, like he couldn't fathom any other way.

And of course, there's the way Inuyasha is so aware of her and constantly worried about her well being, noticing how exhausted she was and being concerned she might collapse while having a severe injury on his own chest.

HONORABLE MENTIONS: Sango telling Kagome to be careful and Kagome replying that she'll be fine because she'll be with Inuyasha. The villain saying "I've never seen anything more pathetic than a half demon cuddle by a mortal girl" and Kagome going "why? What's wrong with us being together?" Kagome still feeling awful about hurting Inuyasha and thanking him when he insisted that "it's barely a scratch."

[inukag]

Hi! I'm a huge fan of your blog. I'm new on tumblr and I couldn't be happier that I found you!

Anyway, I have just reread Inuyasha (this time more thoroughly) and it dawned on me that the story between Jinenji and Kagome was somewhat identical to that of Inuyasha and Kikyou.

I think Jinenji's feeling for Kagome can help explain well how Inuyasha felt about Kikyou.

Kagome was the first girl to show Jinenji happiness, his heart was warm when he was with her. I don't think Jinenji's feeling for Kagome was as intense as Inuyasha's for Kikyou, since Jinenji still had his mother around while Inuyasha had no one before he met Kikyou. Not to mention that Jinenji only spent like one day with Kagome. However, it was enough for Jinenji to admit that he wouldn't be able to go on living if he let Kagome die.

And the same goes for Inuyasha. He could never afford letting Kikyou die in his presence, just like Jinenji couldn't let Kagome die. Yet not only did Kikyou die, but Inuyasha was also TOLD that her death was partly his fault. Having seen how Jinenji felt, I can easily understand how depressed Inuyasha was about Kikyou and why he was always eager to know whether Kikyou was safe or not.

Inuyasha's feeling for Kikyou was not really... special or exclusive. Anyone in his position (in this case it's Jinenji) would feel the same way. I think it started out as affection and gratitude. However for Inuyasha it was coupled with the guilt that he "caused" Kikyou's death. All the more reasons why he wasn't able to forget about Kikyou. To be honest, I used to be so frustrated whenever he ran to Kikyou's side. But now, with the help of the Jinenji arc, his actions were quite understandable. I'm glad he'll always have Kagome by his side to heal his wounded heart.

Well that's my take. What's your thought on the Jinenji arc?

(So sorry for the very late response! thank you for the love 🥺 and welcome to tumblr!)

That's an interesting comparison, I never really thought of that because Inuyasha himself never seem to put that much importance to Kikyo being his "first". The only time I remember him mentioning it is when she dies, but even then most important factor that drives Inuyasha when it comes to Kikyo is his guilt (as you said, he was led to believe that Kikyo's death was his fault). Some people in this fandom do try to argue that since Kikyo is Inuyasha's first love, that makes her special and irreplaceable in Inuyasha's heart... but we see nothing of the sort in canon. Very early on in the series, back when Inuyasha still thought Kikyo had betrayed him, he promised himself he "wouldn't be swayed by a woman again" and we've seen him try to distance himself from Kagome by fear of getting hurt again, but him loving Kikyo before didn't stop him from falling in love with Kagome a mere few weeks/months after he initially found out that Kikyo was dead. He also never had any issue stating that Kagome was the first person he ever trusted, the first person to make him happy, the person he owes everything to and the person he was born to be with. In fact Inuyasha... never really says anything positive about his relationship with Kikyo. His best memory of their time together is him agreeing to be human to be with her, which we now know wouldn't even have worked because the jewel doesn't actually grant your wish. Kikyo was the first person to approach him and give him a chance, but at the cost of half of his identity. She gave him one option, the option to choose his human side, which he eventually realized wasn't necessary. That doesn't make his relationship with Kikyo insignificant of course, but there's nothing particularly special about it either that he can't get with Kagome.

Also, Inuyasha is extremely honor bound and despite his earlier claims that he "doesn't have time to save innocents" he is very much a savior who wants to help people in need. I raise an eyebrow when people claim that his dedication to wanting to save Kikyo from dying again is "proof" that he loves her "more than Kagome" because Inuyasha was also desperate to save Kohaku and he was heartbroken when Naraku seemingly managed to kill him..

He also felt guilty when Kagura died after he promised he'd tried to get her heart back from Naraku! Kagura, an incarnation of Naraku and someone who almost killed him before!

People who don't like Inuyasha and label him as a "two-timer" who "just can't get over his ex" don't understand just how good-hearted Inuyasha is. Inuyasha is a protector, that's his thing. His inability to protect Kikyo from Naraku is probably his greatest failure, asking him to just "get over it" because he has a new girlfriend is insane to me.

Anyway, I also wanted to mention that what I personally love about the Jinenji arc is that Jinenji's affection for Kagome and the way Kagome gained his trust pretty much parallel Kagome's relationship with Inuyasha. I mean, this arc was all about Inuyasha realizing that being by Kagome's side is were he belongs, and that he’s loved and accepted as a hanyo (something he never felt while being with Kikyo).

Kagome tried to befriend Jinenji and stood by him when he was called a monster, just like she did with Inuyasha:

Kagome asked Jinenji questions about himself and cared about what he wants to do, just like she did with Inuyasha: 

For both Jinenji and Inuyasha, Kagome was the first person to shed tears for them other than their mothers:

Jinenji experiencing warmth in his heart for the first time is very reminiscent of Inuyasha feeling relieved and content for the first time because of Kagome’s smile:

Like I said, those are not comparisons that can be made with how Kikyo treated Inuyasha, as she never really tried to learn more about him to understand what he truly needed and wanted. She never defended him against bigots who judged him, instead she thought changing him to fit human society would be easier. Inuyasha felt “like he did something wrong” at the sight of Kikyo’s sad face, he never felt happiness like he feels with Kagome and like Jinenji feels with her as well. 

So those are my thoughts on the Jinenji arc and how it parallels Inuyasha's feelings for Kagome!

[nemojokard-blog]

y'know i feel as if I'm not that self indulgent with this account

Let's fix that >:)

Anyway I got into Inuyasha like a year ago (or maybe two years ago i dont remember <3)

But then i kinda fell off it as i do once i finish things. usually after i finish something the most I'll do is like look at fanart, watch clips, and occasionally listen to the ops and eds.

But for some godforsaken reason

I got back into it. And i decided to read the manga

And I've been enjoying it a lot. (Apart from some minor things that haven't aged too well.. looking at u, miroku..) I enjoy the Inugang's dynamic and the found family they created.

Also let's talk about that Love Triangle..

Kikyo vs Kagome..

After reading the manga.. It's not a competition. At all 😭

The first time i watched Inuyasha i thought kagome was in the way. And i think i quit watching it for a while.

But eventually i started it back up, and after kikyo died for the umpteenth time i was begging "Please let her rest in peace, please"

Now reading the manga.. I think it's more clear that Inuyasha's more guilty about what happened with Kikyo. He's happier when he's with Kagome. And both of the relationships are both pretty different.

With Kikyo, it's two lonely people finding solace with each other. Inuyasha, because he's a half-demon. Kikyo, because she's the protector of the shikon jewel. Their love is intense as first love is (.. i would not know tho lol) But ultimately they go into it too fast. Kikyo immediately thinks the shikon jewel can be destroyed if Inuyasha wishes to be human and Inuyasha goes with it. This way Kikyo can become a normal woman and Inuyasha.. well, he gets acceptance. Of course this never comes to fruition (because Naraku is a petty bitch™️). But ultimately, the issue was undoubtedly, their lack of trust.

They didn't really know each other.

Anyway, let's move onto the relationship with Kagome. Basically the relationship starts off rocky (probably because seeing someone who looks exactly like your dead ex-girlfriend [and is her reincarnation] who you thought betrayed you will shake anyone up I think. Also Inuyasha is kind of a buttmunch in the beginning.) But, his old feelings for kikyo eventually start to show as he sees her in kagome.. at first. And Kagome starts to wonder if she's a replacement for Kikyo.

The anime for some reason didn't include this, but Inuyasha basically tells her that Kagome is herself and that there is no replacement for her.

And his relationship with Kagome also helps him open up and form relationships with others. (i.e. Shippo, Miroku, and Sango)

He's not lonely anymore.

But Kikyo's resurrection complicates things. Especially when she wants to drag Inuyasha into hell with her at first.

Basically, Inuyasha starts thinking that he doesn't deserve to feel happy because of Kikyo and her demise that was orchestrated by Naraku.

But Kagome shows him otherwise. She decides to stay by his side because she loves him and wants to see him happy.

A YouTuber by the name of Bonsai Pop made a video about the series and I think summed it up perfectly.

Kikyo is his past. Kagome is his future.

Kikyo is the choice to die, Kagome is the choice to live.

(Don't take this as me hating on Kikyo by the way. Her character is pretty interesting and it's extremely tragic what happened to her.)

if i were to go full-english teacher

The start of the series is a nice metaphor for this. Like when Inuyasha is stuck to the tree by the arrow.

The arrow in a way represents his regrets with Kikyo. He's stuck to tree, unable to move forward in time. But Kagome pulls that arrow out. He's able to move on now.

And i think that's so beautiful.

[uptoolateart]

Hi there! I recently just read a post you wrote last year answering the topic on why there actually is no love triangle in the anime Inuyasha - between Inuyasha, Kagome, and Kikyo - and I thought it was fabulous! It made me think about things from a different perspective for sure, especially being Christian, but opening up to ideas from eastern religions, like Buddhism, as you highlighted. I want to ask you something regarding Inuyasha, as well. What does Kagome see in Inuyasha? Besides the fact that their souls were meant to be together, what does she see in him to like him so much? When do you think Inuyasha realized he is falling in love with Kagome? I know for Kagome it was episode 48 in the anime tv series, when she goes back to Feudal Japan and they have that convo by the well and she admits she wants to be by his side - implying she likes him I think more than a friend here. But when does Inuyasha have this moment of realization that he likes her too?Was it around this time? After? Thanks so much! :)

Thank you so much! And sorry it took me forever to write this reply! #jobinterferingwithwhat'simportantlikeTumblr

As with love in real life, I don't personally think any of them fell in love at a precise moment. It developed over time.

I think Inuyasha was equally drawn to Kagome and repelled by her at first sight, due to seeing Kikyo in her. However, in the manga, it's clear that he softens to her fairly early on - namely, the first time he visits present day Tokyo, to help her with the little girl's ghost. He didn't believe there was anything they could do for the child, but Kagome refused to give up, and ultimately she proved him wrong. The imagery in the illustrations, and some of his silent reflections, indicate that he was won over by her heart. He's a bit of a damaged child, orphaned, rejected by his remaining family, yearning for nurturing. She gives this to him.

He's such a softy, really! And I think she was intrigued by the rare moments when he let his guard down and showed his vulnerable side - especially that first time she saw him go full human and he needed her to look after him. Each time he dropped the bravado and showed his inner tenderness, it gave her pause and she felt herself attracted without knowing it was happening. There are moments when she's talking with friends and they all see she's in love, but she hasn't worked it out herself. Their comments force her to reflect on her confusing feelings.

As for Inuyasha and Kikyo, there's a long scene that happens fairly early in the manga but I think it doesn't show up in the anime until later in the sequence. Anyway, we see the two of them bonding over both being outsiders, unable to live like ordinary humans. She gives is the one to suggest he use the crystal, so that he's fully human and she no longer has to dedicate her life to protecting the stone. She wants to live as a normal woman. He also protects her sister, which clearly attracts her.

All that said...I think the love Kagome feels for him goes deeper. It isn't about simply uniting because they're both misfits in their society. Kikyo feels a little...emotionally contained. Kagome is so much more passionate. Also, Kagome has no interest in changing him. She accepts him as he is - and ironically her acceptance is what transforms him. He's been seeking this from someone, anyone, for so long. She gives him a great gift no one else has ever given him - not even Kikyo, really.

But being with him transforms her, too. It makes her bolder, stronger. The two of them grow together, and learn from each other, the way soul mates should. This growth is possible because she is 500 years on from the point Kikyo was at. She is the soul having lived through so much more. With greater experience, she is able to give more to him.

[inukag]

I'm not an Inukag shipper but I personally don't really see InuKik as a relationship that would've worked out long term. Even without inuyasha meeting kagome or Naraku, there were trust issues at hand and kikyo wanted inuyasha to give up being a half demon, something that's very important to his identity. There's also the fact that Inuyasha destroyed the village, which was disproportionate even if Kikyo was manipulated into attacking him. Kikyo hurting him after her revival cements my opinion.

I think it's interesting that you don't ship inukag but still follow me! At least I think you do since you saw my other asks, lol. I hope you have a good time on my blog despite the overwhelming amount of inukag 😂

But yeah I just can't imagine a scenario where inu/kik would work either. Even if you change the way the shikon jewel works and you imagine a scenario where Inuyasha did become human and the jewel was purified, I think Inuyasha would deeply regret his decision and resent Kikyo for making him change himself. At some point Sesshomaru would show up looking for Tessaiga and Inuyasha would lose his eye permanently and learn that he can't use the sword that his dad made just for him because he decided to forsake his yokai blood. Also like you said, there are trust issues in their relationship. Inuyasha learned to trust Kagome because she cried for him and showed him that she genuinely cares about him, his life and his well-being, which Kikyo never did not even post-resurrection after she was back to "normal". That's one of my main issue about their relationship too, I do believe Inuyasha loved Kikyo but I don't believe he felt loved and cherished by her the way he does with Kagome. In general I think Kikyo loved the idea of being a normal woman and being loved by someone more than she loved Inuyasha himself. If she did love him we would have seen her take back the claim she made on his life and instead encourage him to live and be happy with Kagome, which she never did.

And if you remove both the shikon jewel and Naraku, I don't think Kikyo would have paid any attention to him. She outright said that the only reason she hadn't killed him is because she sees herself in him, so if she wasn't the guardian of the shikon jewel she would have nothing in common with him at all. I think it's a common misconception in this fandom that Kikyo's position as a miko is what makes her lonely, but it's not. She explicitly said she will be a normal woman if the jewel is purified. She dislikes having to fight demons who are constantly trying to take the jewel from her, she doesn't seem to dislike normal miko duty like helping people in need. Also being a miko doesn't stop Kaede from accepting yokai into her home, and it doesn't stop Kagome from marrying Inuyasha, so it's definitely not what stopped Kikyo from being with him.

You bring up an interesting point about Inuyasha attacking the village, it's funny how no one in the series ever brings that up, lol. You would think Kaede would be mad at him since it seems like she lost her eye in that event (in the manga at least, I know anime filler said something different). Or the older villagers who were there would remember. Anyway, even if you imagine Kikyo being resurrected properly and Inuyasha picking her over Kagome, I STILL think Inuyasha would regret his decision and would not be able to forget Kagome. But that's obviously completely up to interpretation and personal opinion. I don't think Inuyasha is as devoted to Kikyo as people make him out to be, I think he did what was necessary for someone he loved who was murdered and brought back to life, but if he truly loved her as much as the fandom says he does, he wouldn't be spending 99% of his time with Kagome while Kikyo is alone, sad and at risk of getting killed by her murderer again. And she did get killed by Naraku again... twice... after Inuyasha told her he wouldn't let that happen.