Episode 23

Kagome's Voice and Kikyo's Kiss is the twenty-third episode of the InuYasha anime. It first aired in Japan on April 16, 2001.

Synopsis

 * 1) Kagome confronts Kikyō; Explaining Inuyasha didn't betray her, but victims of an elaborate ruse.
 * 2) Kikyō ignores Kagome, and is resolved to destroy Inuyasha.
 * 3) Inuyasha and Kikyō meet, Inuyasha declares that he's never stopped thinking about her and they kiss.
 * 4) Kikyō attempts to drag Inuyasha to hell so that they will be together; but Kagome's voice saves Inuyasha.
 * 5) Witnessing the whole thing, Kagome goes home.

Summary
Inuyasha separates from the group to find Kikyō, and goes to the location Sayo told him then sees a hairband and wonders if she's still alive. Kagome finds Kikyō sleeping in a tree before she wakes up to see her. Kikyo asks how was Kagome able to get past her barrier, who didn't notice. Kagome sees the Soul Collectors carrying souls of the dead women and told Kikyo that she has to set them free. Kikyo ignores Kagome's words and asks Inuyasha's whereabouts, who says he went off to find her. Filled with jealousy towards her living reincarnation, Kikyō paralyzed Kagome with her touch and tied her to a tree so that Inuyasha couldn't see or hear Kagome when she arrived. Inuyasha notices Soul Collectors going into a barrier and wonders if Kikyo is behind it.

However, Kikyo immobilizes Kagome by tying her to a tree with her Soul Collectors so that she does not intervene with her plan to kill Inuyasha. When Kagome tried to explain to Kikyo the true circumstances that led to her death, because of Naraku's plan and not because of Inuyasha. Kikyō silenced her, saying that whoever caused her death is not important, as she cannot bring her back to life. Her plan consists of taking him to hell with her so they can be together.

Before Kagome could convince Kikyō otherwise, Inuyasha arrives, who only notices the presence of Kikyo. Kagome tries to talk to Inuyasha but immediately notices that he can't hear nor see her. Inuyasha asks Kikyo if it's her gathering souls and says she must recharge it with dead souls if she was to remain in the world of the living. Kikyo tells Inuyasha that he must despise her for collecting souls to lead her revenge, but Inuyasha tells her that even if she hated him, he hadn't spent a single day without thinking about her. Touched, Kikyō kissed Inuyasha and professed her love for him and embraces him in his arms, making Kagome sad. Sensing that Kikyō's body lacks warmth, Inuyasha realized that he couldn't help her and wished for time to stop, to which Kikyo responded by trying to take him with her to the underworld to join her in death.

As Kikyo begins to open a portal to take Inuyasha away, Kagome tries to wake him but is useless at first. However, Kagome was able to reach Inuyasha with her voice in time, and Inuyasha left Kikyō to free Kagome from the tree. Kikyo, heartbroken, asked if Kagome was more important to him than she was, and left with her soul collectors, telling Inuyasha, who was telling her to wait, not to forget that her feelings when they kissed were true.

After witnessing Kikyo leave, Kagome decides to go back home and Inuyasha follows her as they have a heartfelt conversation before she angrily tells him to "SIT" and walks away. Miroku and Shippō find Inuyasha and notices imbedded agroof in the ground. Later at night, Kikyo visits Kaede to find out more about Naraku and confirm that he was responsible for her death and her separation from Inuyasha and about Kagome changing Inuyasha. The next day, Kagome travels all the way back to the well to return to the modern era.

Miroku and Shippō meanwhile accost Inuyasha about who he wants to be with. Kagome returns to the Feudal Era as she forgot her belongs and secretly listens to their conversation. Miroku and Shippō ask Inuyasha which woman he wants to stay with, Kagome or Kikyo. Inuyasha asks if he can't just be with them both, much to Shippō's annoyance. Miroku tells Inuyasha that Kagome must never find out about this. Kagome tells Inuyasha to "SIT" and Miroku and Shippō looked to see him imbedded agroof in the ground again. Shippo says karma includes bad thoughts.

Quotes
[Shippō and Miroku find Inuyasha imbedded agroof in the ground]

Shippō: Inuyasha! What're you doing here? Have you seen Kagome?

Miroku: I've seen him like this before. Kagome is just fine.

Kikyō: By the way, Inuyasha has changed. His face had a softness. In the past, he trusted no one. His eyes were cold.

Kaede: That Kagome is a strange girl. She has been able to slowly heal Inuyasha's heart.

Kikyō: That girl, again. So she's the one who changed him... [bitterly] ...If I had lived, I would have been the one to heal his heart...

Miroku: "She's gone. Inuyasha, Kagome wasn't her usual self. What on earth happened with Kikyō?"

Inuyasha: "The same thing you always do with women."

Miroku: [jumps back; shocked, appalled] "Wha—?! You mean—?! You did something like that in front of Kagome?!"

Inuyasha: "What do you usually do?!"

Kagome: [reappearing in bottom of well] "What's the matter with me? I was in such a state I forgot my things here. Hey, is anyone out there?" [hears others talking]

Miroku: "What'll you do, Inuyasha?"

Shippō: "Who will you choose?"

Miroku: "Decide now(!)"

Shippō: "Well?"

Inuyasha: "...Can't I choose them both?"

Shippō: "You mean— Two-timing?!"

Miroku: "Well, it often happens with men. But regardless, no matter what happens, Kagome must never find out about this. If she were ever to hear what you just said...

Kagome: SIT!!!

Miroku: "That's right, BIG sit."

Shippo: " They say karma includes bad thoughts."

Differences from the manga

 * In the anime, Inuyasha is shown to have traveled all the way to the lake where Kikyō killed Seikai.
 * The conversation between Kikyō and Kagome is much longer in the anime than in the manga.
 * The anime omits the scene of Miroku and Shippō noticing the souls escaping from Kikyō.
 * The anime and the manga are nearly completely different in their handling of the fight between Inuyasha and Kagome after Kikyō leaves. In the anime, Kagome's anger leads her to travel all the way back to the well to return to the modern era. Miroku and Shippō meanwhile accost Inuyasha about who he wants to be with. In the manga, Kagome and Inuyasha continue walking around the river area they previously made camp at, and eventually have a heartfelt conversation.

Episod 23 第二十三集 Tập 23