Some Thoughts on InuYasha's Power...

Now and then I have pondered just how InuYasha's power works.  I mean, I've read what the fan book has said, but I gotta say, I'm not impressed with their take on it.  They try to explain each of his abilities separately with separate elements or causes, rather than trying to find one element that can cover most if not all of what he does.  In science, the simplest explanation is often the answer, and I think for InuYasha it can also apply.

Here's my thoughts:

With the exception of using his Hijin Tetsu or "Blades of Blood", I think InuYasha's power stems from controlled use of his youkai power in the form of "push".  Here are some examples:

When InuYasha travels he can either run fast or leap in high long jumps.  He can even control his descent, so.....

My rationale for his speed:  If he uses "push" he can push against the air behind him or on stationary objects to give himself real forward momentum.  Add that to his own physical speed and strength, and he gets mobility, maneuverability, and accuracy.

For his leaps:  He needs only to "push" against the ground when he leaps.  This would lift him as high as his demon energy permits, effectively launching under power every time he steps off.  The length of time he's in the air is determined by how much demon energy he has within him to create that "push" away.  Note that Sesshomaru exhibits a much more sophisticated control of "push" that allows him to fly, hang stationary in the air, move and change directions in air with nothing but air to push against.  Sesshomaru can even fly in his massive dog form.

When InuYasha controls his descent, he "pushes" downward with much the same effect as pointing a high pressure water hose at the ground.  A water nozzle pointed downward will itself will be pushed up and away.  So I surmise that InuYasha is emitting his demon power directed downward which would have the effect of either lifting him or slowing his descent.

When InuYasha uses Tessaiga in a big swing and creates the Kaze no Kizu or "Wound of the Wind", he's using the blade's power to focus his own demon energy into "pushed" pulsed waves that tear at the fabric of the world.  I say pulsed because the illustrations commonly shown of this move show a blaze of energy with multiple spikes.  These spikes resemble waves.  And I say tearing at the fabric of the world because the blaze of energy can leave great huge scars in the earth or destroy flesh; even demon flesh.  And to carry it further, his Backlash Wave (there's the wave again), actually traps the enemy's strike and turns it back or "pushes" it back at the enemy.

This is only a half-formed theory so I welcome thoughts on the matter.  What I'm looking for is a sort of formula that would help define the parameters of his energy and ability based on the body of data from the manga and the anime.

When I think about the power that InuYasha and his brother and father wield, I think about what Sesshomaru does that is similar first.  I mean, Sesshomaru is a full demon, as is Inu no Taisho, and both of them can act as examples of full inu-youkai power.  Then, when I compare what InuYasha does to anything his brother or father does, there are parallels.  For instance:

When InuYasha uses his claws, he makes ragged tears of light that are deadly to anything that comes in contact with them.  Sesshomaru uses his claws to create an energy whip that is tightly controlled and far more deadly.  The latter is a more sophisticated version of the former.

InuYasha is described in passing by Jinenji's Mom as "half-transformed", as if he's stuck between states.  Sesshomaru can transform fully into a huge demon dog.

InuYasha can jump very high, very far, and can float for a distance and control his descent, whereas Sesshomaru can fly under full control both in dog form and humanoid form.

One area where they differ is:

Sesshomaru has his poison claws.

InuYasha has his Hijin Ketsu wherein he uses blood from a wound.  He flings the blood at his attackers and rather than what is suggested by the Fan Book that the blood "hardens into blades", I think it would be fair to suggest that his blood acts as an energy conduit, carrying his power to his enemies further away than his claws can reach.  That energy has all the cutting/tearing capacity of his claw slashes, but in smaller weaponized bursts.

All in all, there is a lot to ponder about just how far the length and breadth of InuYasha's power and abilities go.

I hope this is lucid, since I'm muddling through a sick brain fog at the moment.  Seems to be a fast moving illness so maybe I'll be over it soon.

By the way, here is a link: sites.google.com/site/theclock…

That will take you to a Google site I've put up that will (for the time being) feature images from InuYasha that you've seen, but not REALLY seen.  In other words, they will be scenes that were seen only fleetingly, or were panned past rather than seen in their entirety.  Please forgive my hamhandedness at getting the page set up since I haven't learned all the controls yet.

Take care,

Mary Lynn (cough-cough)