Episode 42

The Wind Scar Fails is the forty-second episode of the InuYasha anime.

Synopsis

 * 1) Kanna's mirror has the ability to deflect an attack back at the attacker, such as Sango's Hiraikotsu and even Inuyasha's Kaze no Kizu; Inuyasha is seriously wounded by the attack.
 * 2) Kanna's attempt to steal Kagome's soul proves ineffective, leading Naraku to wonder if it is because she has such a large soul.
 * 3) Naraku reveals that Kanna and Kagura are incarnations created from his being; Naraku shows Inuyasha's group the massive Shikon no Tama shard he has in his possession, which gave him the necessary power to create incarnations of himself, revealing that Kikyō gave him the shard that she had stolen from Kagome, shocking everyone.

Summary
Kanna has started stealing Kagome's soul. When she says that Kagome can no longer move, she wants to take her shards of the Sacred Jewel from her, but Kagome sits up and draws her bow. Miroku realizes in time that Koharu wants to stab him and overwhelms her then he goes in search of Kagome, while Kanna is surprised that Kagome can still move so well. When Miroku and Kirara enter, Kanna makes a retreat and Shippō wakes up again.

Inuyasha still plagued with the villagers and Kagura around. To make matters worse, his right arm, which Kōga had attacked, is still broken. Kagura also lets her wind up, as she has learned something since the last encounter and wants to prevent the wind scar. Also this time there can be no wind scar because Kagome cannot shoot an arrow so that she disturbs the wind of Kagura. Then Inuyasha sees that there is a wind scar in Kagura's wind and decides to hit it. Kagura even asks him to Miroku's been in horror while, because he knows that Inuyasha's attack as the bone boomerang Sango will be thrown back. Kagura willingly creates an opening for Inuyasha to use, and when he hits with the Wind Scar, Kanna, standing right in front of Kagura, deflects it and throws it back at Inuyasha, who gets badly hurt by his own destructive force of the wind scar.

When the dust clears, Inuyasha lies motionless on the floor and his friends come to him. Then Naraku appears in a purple cloud of miasma on the ground, who wants to see in person to ask Inuyasha how it felt to have his own power turned back on him so easily. Miroku says to Naraku he is honored by the presence of him and not a demon puppet and tells him that he is a coward who never sullies his hands who only knows how to lay traps and nothing else and he must've been quite confident about his trick this time.

Naraku says to Miroku he is free to use the Wind Tunnel and suck up everything in sight but tells him he's not that foolish. Miroku wants to use his Wind Tunnel on Naraku, Kagura, and Kanna, but with that he would also suck in the mirror that contains all the souls of the villagers and Kagome, which is why he rejects the plan. Naraku thinks that his incarnations, Kagura of the Wind and Kanna of the Void, serve very well, whereupon Miroku realizes that Naraku's power is growing and that the can cannot be perceived as they've fought Kagura the Wind Sorceress before but not Kanna of the Void as she has no presence and scent and no wonder they didn't realize it until it was too late, which is why Inuyasha did not smell them either. Shippō tells Inuyasha to hang on. Meanwhile, Kagome wakes up and wants to be brought to Inuyasha by Kirara.

Kagura asks Naraku haven't they talked enough and shall they take Inuyasha's head with them. Naraku only stays silent. Kagura questions Naraku wasn't he going to tell a certain woman that Inuyasha has been killed as she thought that's what he wanted. Naraku confirms it as was only through that woman's cooperation that he was able to create Kagura and Kanna and he would like to her face when he shows her Inuyasha's head as he takes out a nearly whole Sacred Jewel he has in his possession, shocking Miroku.

Naraku says to Miroku that he mentioned earlier that he doesn't dirty his own hands, however, even at the top there's someone higher up as there is a woman who used him in order to kill Inuyasha for her. Miroku becomes shocked as Naraku doesn't mean that woman. Naraku mentions that it was Kikyō. Inuyasha wake up in surprise and hurt as he thinks of Kikyō. Shippō becomes concerned about Inuyasha. Naraku tells them that Kikyō personally handed the shards of the Sacred Jewel to him of her own free will before putting the fragments away. Inuyasha thinks about Kikyō as he feels more pain.

Kagura says that Kikyō is eager to see Inuyasha's dead face then uses her Dance of Blades to try to kill them. Miroku tells Shippō to stay down as he tries to fend them off at first but couldn't as he is defeated. Shippō calls out to Miroku in worry. Kagura tells Inuyasha to hand over his head as she uses her Dance of Blades again but were fended off by Kagome's arrow. Shippō realizes that's Kagome's Sacred Arrow and calls out to Kagome. Kagura becomes surprised at Kagome and tells Kanna that she has failed and why is she still moving. Naraku realizes that Kagome's soul is too big for Kanna's mirror is and therefore cannot be completely paralyzed. Kagome and Kirara land on the ground, Shippō runs towards them. Kagome tells Shippō she's okay but wonders about Inuyasha. Shippō says Inuyasha is still breathing but he's hurt all over and can't move. Inuyasha notices Kagome.

Kagome crawls to Inuyasha to Inuyasha as she tells him that she is so glad that he is alive and thinks to herself how did this happen and how did Naraku get a hold of that Sacred Jewel fragment as it's the very one that Kikyō stole away from her and it must have been Kikyō who gave Naraku the fragments which they have worked so hard to collect, however, even after Kikyō did a dastardly thing, Inuyasha still loves her and even after being so badly wounded he can't forget about Kikyō.

Naraku tells Kagome to give this message to Inuyasha: that if he must hate, then hate Kikyō since her wish is Inuyasha's death. Kagome says she tired of listening to Naraku and pulls out her bow and arrow. Shippō warns Kagome to not fire an arrow as it will deflect just like the Tessaiga was. Kagome tells Shippō not to worry as her arrows go after bad people before firing an arrow at Kanna and although she knows that Kanna's mirror actually repulses any attack, she also knows that her arrow can break any spell. When Kanna holds up the mirror for protection, the arrow is sucked into it. Kagura asks Kanna why didn't the arrow deflect. Kanna says it is because the arrow has a soul and is therefore sucked into the mirror. The mirror is now full and starts to crack, which is why Kanna quickly releases all souls. Everyone's souls returns to their bodies. Kagome realizes all of the souls have been returned and tells Miroku to use his Wind Tunnel. Miroku attacks with his Wind Tunnel, but Naraku escapes with his two incarnations. As Koharu sees this, she remembers what Miroku said to her earlier. Naraku tells Inuyasha that he'll let him live for a while longer as the Sacred Jewel will continue to give him new powers and them all enjoy the immeasurable power of the Sacred Jewel.

The next day the group leaves Koharu for good and they hike up to a small hut. Miroku and Sango are silent as Shippō tries to give a speech that they shouldn't be so demotivated. Meanwhile, Kagome has taken care of Inuyasha and his condition is slowly improving. Shippō and Kirara go to get more herbs for Inuyasha with Kagome. Inuyasha, who is lying in the hut, thinks to himself that Kikyō handed Naraku the Sacred Jewel fragments, who had died once and who arose again with a body made of clay, who hates him and tried to kill Kagome and wonders where is his Kikyō as he thinks of her.

Trivia

 * Kagura clarifies that she can control anything that once held a life/soul with her "Dance of the Dead."
 * Kagura creates a wall of wind to block the pull of the wind tunnel when Naraku and his incarnations retreat; it wasn't simply to create a barrier of debris.

Music

 * Opening Theme — I Am — TV OST Vol. 2
 * Kagome recaps Miroku’s meeting with Koharu — To the End of Sorrow (Kanashimi no Hate ni) — TV OST Vol. 1
 * Kagome recaps the village attacked by Naraku’s incarnations — Evil Spirits Desiring the Shikon no Tama (Shikon no Tama o Nerau Chimimōryō) — TV OST Vol. 1
 * Kanna cannot subdue Kagome’s soul, Miroku fends off Koharu — The Hidden Well to the Sengoku Era (Kakushi Ido kara Sengoku Jidai e) — TV OST Vol. 1
 * Inuyasha’s right arm still hurts — Big Counterattack (Daihangeki) — TV OST Vol. 1
 * Kagura recalls her encounter with the Wind Scar — Attack (Shūgeki) — TV OST Vol. 1
 * Inuyasha thinks he sees Wind Scar, Kanna deflects it back at him — Dilemma (Kyūchi) — TV OST Vol. 1
 * Naraku arrives — Evil Demon, Naraku (Jayō Naraku) — TV OST Vol. 1
 * Naraku says that Kikyō tried to use him to kill Inuyasha — Dead Soul (Shinidama) — TV OST Vol. 1
 * Kagome wonders how Naraku got a majority of the Shikon Jewel — Trap (Wana) — TV OST Vol. 2
 * The villagers’ souls leave the mirror — Evil Spirits Desiring the Shikon no Tama (Shikon no Tama o Nerau Chimimōryō) — TV OST Vol. 1
 * Miroku uses his Wind Tunnel, Naraku’s group leaves — Kazaana — TV OST Vol. 1
 * Villagers do not remember anything — One Day in the Village (Mura no Ichi Nichi) — TV OST Vol. 1
 * Inuyasha laments for Kikyō — Misfortunate Miko, Kikyō — TV OST Vol. 1
 * Ending Theme — Dearest — TV OST Vol. 3