Episode 8

The Toad Who Would Be Prince is the eighth episode of the InuYasha anime. It first aired in Japan on December 4, 2000.

Synopsis

 * 1) Inuyasha and Kagome meet a young samurai named Amari Nobunaga.
 * 2) They help Nobunaga rescue Princess Tsuyu from a toad demon who has a shard of the Shikon no Tama.

Summary
Kagome is swimming in a lake and states that she likes the water and fresh air, while Inuyasha and Myōga are up in a tree. Inuyasha complains that Myōga told them that they would be able to find Shikon Jewel shards in the land of Musashi. Myōga isn't listening, though, as he is more preoccupied with Kagome swimming in the lake. A small white flash of light comes dashing through, which Inuyasha notices. Inuyasha follows it and Myōga tells him that he's a naughty boy going to see Kagome in her bathing suit. Kagome screams, which made Inuyasha land on a stone in the lake. He says that it's not what it looks like. Kagome agrees, stating that she was startled because her clothes had been stolen. Inuyasha hears a whistle. Nearby, a young samurai is waiting for this monkey to return. The monkey gave him Kagome clothes then he was shocked to see it, saying that he had hoped the monkey would have brought him food. Inuyasha and Kagome pop out of the bush that was by the samurai and demands that he give Kagome's clothes back. The samurai draws his sword as he thinks they are suspicious, and Inuyasha was going to ask the same thing. Kagome gives the samurai some potato chips and tea. They introduce themselves and the samurai reveals that his name is Nobunaga. Kagome knows about him from her history class and wants to get an autograph from him. But he wasn't actually Oda Nobunaga like she had hoped, it was Amari Nobunaga; this disappointed Kagome. He goes to leave but instead Nobunaga falls down a shallow cliff, showcasing his clumsiness.

In a village there were a line of young girls being taken to a castle. Amari finds out that the rumors about the young girls are true. Inuyasha and Kagome tag along with him to go the castle where the girls are taken to. Meanwhile a young princess named Tsuyu was serving a drink to a bandaged lord. The princess asked him about the rumors of the young girls being taken to the castle, but the lord angrily replies that he won't tell her as he slams his fists on the ground. Tsuyu begs for his forgiveness. The group arrive at the bottom of the castle and Inuyasha smells a demon nearby, so they enter. When they do they find a couple of guards sleeping, though it does not seem natural; it turns out that most - if not everyone - in the castle is asleep in the same manner. Amari calls Tsuyu in the castle; they come into the room and they find her. Myōga sucks her blood to wake her. Tsuyu happily greet Nobunaga, stating that of course she remembers him as they've known each other since they were kids. Kagome deduces that Amari must be in love with Tsuyu. Tsuyu tells them that her lord husband slipped in the pond and got a terrible fever and has been acting strange ever since. As they speak, the lord enters the room. Inuyasha slashed the bandages off and it turns out that the lord is a possessed by a toad demon, having taken on its appearance. Kagome sees a glow on his right shoulder which happened to be a shard of the Sacred Jewel. Myōga warns Inuyasha that the toad is a formidable foe, much stronger than it appears. Inuyasha assures him he can defeat it. The toad breathes out toxic fog which knocks Inuyasha down. The toad demon attacks Nobunaga with its tongue, impaling him through the shoulder.

The toad then takes Tsuyu to a room where it has been holding other princesses in egg sac-like prisons; it turns out that the toad eats young women's souls to stay alive. Inuyasha attacks the toad with Tessaiga, managing the inflict a wound on its' shoulder. However, the toad calls forth the souls from some of the women it has captured and its' wound is healed instantly. Soon after, Nobunaga is able to free Tsuyu from the sac that she was in. Inuyasha hits the toad in the head, which apparently caused the young lord to regain his consciousness, expressing horror for the actions he has been forced to commit. He then begs to be killed, for his actions are unforgivable. Inuyasha then moves to kill the toad, but Nobunaga stops him, saying that he soul of the lord (Tsuyu's husband) is still alive inside the toad; aside from that, Nobunaga does not like bloodshed of any kind, regardless of the situation. Nobunaga tells Inuyasha to sheathe his sword, which he does, telling Nobunaga that is his problem now. But the toad demon shows that it actually was still in control, and it was just manipulating them. The toad attacks Nobunaga again in the shoulder. Kagome quickly gets the princess away from the toad. Myōga tells Kagome that the toad's weakness is fire. Nobunaga's monkey finds a small flame, but Inuyasha appears informs Kagome that luxury something they cannot afford for the battle, preparing to kill the lord and toad demon simultaneously. Kagome knows that she can still save the lord, and she tells Inuyasha to "Sit", which allowed her to use her hairspray with the fire to burn the toad out of the lord's body; Inuyasha kills the fleeing toad demon and retrieves the shard. Nobunaga is grateful. Tsuyu runs into her husband, making Nobunaga upset. Nobunaga admits he is a fool. When leaves he falls off the same shallow cliff that he did before. Inuyasha and Kagome look down and agree with his confession.

Characters in Order of Appearance
Der Krötenprinz