War, magic and romance during “the warring states”.

The reflection of the Sengoku Period (1467/1477-1600) in the anime Inuyasha

Abstract

The animated adaptation of the InuYasha manga, written and illustrated by Takahashi Rumiko, is regularly at the top of the rankings for series released at the beginning of this century as the most loved by anime fans. Its mix of shōjo and shōnen elements, its dynamic animation and the undeniable chemistry between its protagonists are some of the elements that continue to attract fans from all over the world. However, there is a key factor that acts as a basis for the good development of the whole series and that, most of the time, goes unnoticed: its detailed setting which combines fantastic elements with a realistic representation of the 16th century Japanese civil war period known as Sengoku. In this article, we will carry out a comparative analysis between what is known about the way of life during “the era of the warring states” and the world in which the adventures of Inuyasha and his group take place, with the aim of determining whether the magic well of the Higurashi shrine is capable of transporting to those remote days not only the protagonist Kagome, but also the spectator.