Episode 112

Afloat on the Lake Surface: The Barrier of Hijiri Island is the one hundred twelfth episode of the InuYasha anime.

Synopsis

 * 1) Inuyasha and his friends meet a boy named Shintarō who tells them of a place of purification known as Hijiri Island, which holds the shrine of a deceased priest named Hakushin.
 * 2) They investigate Hijiri Island, and Inuyasha immediately notices the smell of the flowers on the island matches the scent left behind by Naraku's kugutsu.
 * 3) Bankotsu emerges from the temple on the island and challenges Inuyasha once again.
 * 4) Initially, the group believes that there is no way that Hakushin would assist Naraku, as he was a good and holy man, but when they learn that Hakushin is the one who erected the barrier around Hijiri Island, they begin to wonder if he is actually helping Naraku after all.

Summary
A giant purple orb crashes through the trees. It flies through the air and then smashes into an island. A boy and his father run out of their home to look at the island. The father tells the boy that he has to go to the island and check on the Holy One's temple. The father prepares the holy staff. The boy, Shintarō, wants to go with his father but his father refuses. The father tells Shintarō that if anything happens to him, he has to run the village and tend to Hijiri Island. As he rows his boat away he tells Shintarō that he'll be home by morning. The Gang is still looking for water. Inuyasha is going to different bodies of water trying to decide if the water smells like the Naraku puppet.

Meanwhile, Sango is flying on Kirara around Mount Hakurei. Kirara hits the barrier and gets pushed back. They can't get any closer.

Sango returns to the group and tells them that it's no use. The barrier around Mount Hakurei is stronger than ever. Inuyasha finds comfort in the fact that they're closing in on Naraku.

Shintarō is asking some men for a boat but the men tell him no since he's the village headman and they can't risk losing him. It turns out that Shintarō's dad has been missing for half a month so something must have happened to him. The men tell him that only the sons of chiefs are allowed on the Island so he is the only one who can go there. Shintarō asks for a boat again so he can go my himself. The villagers ask if his father didn't do something to upset the Holy One. They say that maybe he said something that would call down a curse on the village. Shintarō says that his father lives for the village and he wouldn't be that irresponsible. The villagers aren't listening. They're talking amongst themselves saying that if they go they might get cursed. Inuyasha's voice disrupts their conversation as he asks about the sacred island.

Shintarō takes them to his home and tells them that Hijiri Island is an island at the center of the lake where ordinary men can't set foot. For generations only men of his household could cross the sacred ground and care for the Great Priest, Hakushin. Hakushin was a powerful priest who lived in the area over a hundred years ago who became a living Buddha and was enshrined in a small temple on the island. Miroku explains to the gang that it means that the man reached enlightenment while still alive. He goes on to say it's when a monk refuses food and enters Nirvana even though his physical body withers away. Kagome asks about Shintarō's father and he tells her that he left two weeks ago when a weird light fell onto Hijiri Island. The Gang is surprised. Inuyasha thinks it's Naraku. Shintarō's sisters ask him not to go by himself. The Gang decide to go check it out. Shintarō says that he'll navigate for them because Hijiri Island is always covered in mist and slightly dangerous.

Upon arrival, Inuyasha is carrying Shintarō and Kagome onto Hijiri Island. There's a barrier just like on Mount Hakurei but it's not as strong. Inuyasha lands in a field of purple flowers. He recognizes the smell. It's the same as the smell of the Naraku puppet. Shintarō says that the flowers weren't there before. There's a small temple in the middle of the flower field. It is the Great Priest's temple. Shintarō runs to it. It's in ruins. He trips over something. He turns around to see what he tripped over and sees his father. Or rather, his father's skeleton dressed in his clothes. Now they know that Naraku was there. Kagome senses Shikon Jewel shards.

Bankotsu appears from the temple, and begins attacking the group. Kagome warns Inuyasha that she senses Shikon Jewel shards.

Bankotsu attacks and Inuyasha whips out the Tessaiga. He swings but misses Bankotsu. Bankotsu attacks and Inuyasha dodges. The goup wonders how Bankotsu is managing to hold Inuyasha off. Inuyasha tries using the Wind Scar...but nothing happens. Inuyasha is shocked. Now Bankotsu understands why Naraku told him to fight Inuyasha there. Miroku realizes that the hold barrier is purifying Tessaiga's demon energy and even though Bankotsu was brought back to life, he is still human.

Miroku says that something nearby must be generating the barrier, concluding that it must be coming from the temple.

Shintarō runs towards the temple. He begs the Holy One to help Inuyasha. Once inside the temple he sees the staff that his father had. Kagome runs into the temple after him and Shintarō tells her that the Great Priest is missing. His body was enshrined in the temple but is not there anymore.

Kagome goes outside the temple and tells Miroku that the Priest's remains are missing so Naraku must have taken them. Miroku wonders who is creating the sacred barrier, since the priest is missing.

Inside the temple are Miroku, Kagome, and Shintarō. Miroku tells her that he thought the priest was generating the barrier but Shintarō has no idea what Miroku is talking about when he says, "barrier". He tells Miroku that Hakushin saves men's souls; he does not creates barriers. Miroku tells Shintarō that the strange light he and his father saw was the demon Naraku. Shintarō's father most likely fought to protect the temple from Naraku. Kagome wonders where the Priest's remains are and who's creating the barrier.

Bankotsu and Inuyasha are still fighting. Sango stops Bankotsu in his tracks with her Hiraikotsu and Inuyasha attacks. Miroku yells to Inuyasha to hold on a little longer as he runs through the flowers. He takes out some sacred scrolls, rubs them with Shippō's demonic scent, and throws them. One flies to a certain spot on the island and Miroku recognizes it as the source of the barrier. He puts Shippō down and runs to the source. He puts his staff on it and he sees the Priest's Holy Dokko inside the mini-barrier. Miroku's staff isn't strong enough to break the mini barrier. Shintarō wants to try it with Miroku, using his father's staff. They both hit it at the same time and after a few seconds, it breaks. All the flowers immediately begin to disappear.

Inuyasha's Tessaiga begins to pulse and the Wind Scar forms around it.

Since the Great Priest's dokko was creating the barrier, Kagome wonders whether or not Hakushin is lending his power to Naraku.

Music

 * Opening Theme — Grip! — Best of Inuyasha II
 * Father leaves to check on Hijiri Island — The Living Buddha, Hakushin (Sokushinbutsu Hakushin Shōnin) — TV OST Vol. 3
 * Inuyasha recalls the pure-smelled demon puppet — Sign of Unrest (Fuon na Kehai) — TV OST Vol. 1
 * Shintaro demands to go to Hijiri Island — Evil Spirits Desiring the Shikon no Tama (Shikon no Tama o Nerau Chimimōryō) — TV OST Vol. 1
 * Shintaro is adamant that his father has protected the island — In a Trip of Destiny (Shukumei no Tabi e) — TV OST Vol. 1
 * Kagome and co. wonder how Naraku put up the sacred barrier — The Hidden Well to the Sengoku Era (Kakushi Ido kara Sengoku Jidai e) — TV OST Vol. 1
 * Inuyasha says the island’s flowers smell like Naraku’s demon puppet — Evil Demon, Naraku (Jayō Naraku) — TV OST Vol. 1
 * Kagome senses a jewel shard, Bankotsu emerges from shrine — Evil Hearted Renkotsu (Jashin Renkotsu) — TV OST Vol. 3
 * Bankotsu uses his upgraded sword, Inuyasha’s Wind Scar fails — Clash (Gekitotsu) — TV OST Vol. 3
 * Bankotsu takes advantage of the lack of the Wind Scar — Hell Insects, Saimyōshō (Jigoku Mushi Saimyōshō) — TV OST Vol. 2
 * Shintaro finds his father’s staff, Hakushin’s body is gone — Inuyasha’s Metamorphosis (Hengeshita Inuyasha) — TV OST Vol. 2
 * Flashback to Shintaro’s father trying to stop the demons from taking Hakushin — Ryūkotsusei Resurrected (Yomigaeru Ryūkotsusei) — TV OST Vol. 2
 * Miroku uses sutras to find the source of the island’s barrier — A Difficult Battle (Kusen) — TV OST Vol. 3
 * Miroku and Shintaro break the barrier & flowers disappear — Inuyasha’s Metamorphosis (Hengeshita Inuyasha) — TV OST Vol. 2
 * Bankotsu is still willing to fight Inuyasha without the barrier — Shōki — TV OST Vol. 2
 * Ending Theme — Itazura na Kiss — Best of Inuyasha II