Episode 24

Enter Sango the Demon Slayer is the twenty-fourth episode of the InuYasha anime. It first aired in Japan on April 23, 2001.

Synopsis

 * 1) A Demon Slayer named Sango is introduced; Sango, her brother Kohaku and their father go off on a mission to destroy a demon, as requested by a lord.
 * 2) The mission proves to be a trap, as the entire population of the demon slayer village is decimated by demons.
 * 3) In another layer of the trap, Kohaku is possessed by a spider demon and is forced to kill his father and comrades, and he injures Sango before he is killed himself.
 * 4) Naraku tells the surviving lord, Kagewaki Hitomi, that a half-demon named Inuyasha slaughtered the villagers in the demon slayer village; Sango overhears this and vows to destroy Inuyasha.

Summary
A village notices something approaching in the woods and are attacked by a monstrous giant centipede demon. A man calls a demon slayer named Sango, who quickly defeats the giant centipede and retrieves a Sacred Jewel fragment which she reveals to the village. After taking off her armor and preparing to leave, the village offers her a payment fee for slaying the monstrous centipede, but she refuses, accepting the Sacred Jewel fragment she retrieved from the centipede. Meanwhile, Inuyasha, Shippō, Kagome and Miroku are resting in the forest by a fire that the group have set up, with Shippō wondering about how many stars there are. Inuyasha reminds the group that Naraku is collecting Sacred Jewel fragments as they speak, with Shippō saying that the more and more fragments Naraku gathers, the stronger he gets and that if he manages to retrieve all the Sacred Jewel fragments it'll be too late for the group and the best strategy is to gather more Sacred Jewel fragments than Naraku. Just as Shippō and Inuyasha are about to have yet another argument, Miroku asks Inuyasha that if he does manage to retrieve all the Sacred Jewel fragments and become a true full demon, will he remain the same person as his? Inuyasha claims that he will, but Miroku then asks Inuyasha recalls ever meeting demons who sought the Sacred Jewel for good. While stating this to be a theory, Miroku believes that those who seek and obtain the Shikon Jewel lose their hearts in the process. Inuyasha states that the he never said he wanted to be "good" demon, but Miroku points out him that he wants to protect Kagome, which is why he seeks more power. But once he finally achieves his goal and becomes a full demon, who's to say he won't go mad and kill her. In his mind, Inuyasha refutes  this, claiming that the demons they fought were bad from the start, and that he's different. Kagome, having heard the conversation, is left troubled by this.

The next morning, Inuyasha and the group encounter people from the nearby village and discover that a woman had not only defeated a demon, but had retrieved a Sacred Jewel fragment. Miroku asks Inuyasha if he knew about this. Inuyasha says 'no' as when he first came across the Sacred Jewel it was already in Kikyō's possession and he never even thought about how the Sacred Jewel was made or where it came from.

Meanwhile, Sango returns to her home village and reveals that the latest demon she slain was a centipede and that a few pieces of legs and skin were all she could bring back. After explaining this, she is greeted by her pet nekomata, Kirara. After petting Kirara, Kohaku, Sango's younger brother comes and reminds her that her father wants to see her. After showing the Jewel fragment to her father, he performs a ritual in an attempt to suppress the evil inside the Jewel. Despite this, he expresses doubt of it working, explaining that 50 years prior it was in the possession of priestess who had unusual purification abilities, but was killed in a fight for control over the Jewel. Sango's father advises that the family watches over the Jewel fragment until they find someone who has the ability to purify the Jewel. Sango leaves to rest, while her father advises Kohaku to start battle training. Kohaku asks Sango if all demons spit toxins and breathe fire, who explains that some of them do, but that the ones they need to be most afraid of are ones that pretend to be human.

Later that night, Sango, Kohaku, and another group of demon slayers are hired with the task of killing a giant spider demon that has been terrorizing Kagewaki's castle every night and killing several people. The castle's keeper notices that Sango's younger brother Kohaku, and Sango's father claims that Sango and Kohaku are the Province's two top fighters, which is only true of Sango. After everyone is told to do their best at slaying the spider demon, the said monstrous creature appears from the clouds and attacks the group. Meanwhile, inside the castle, Nagasaki Hitomi tells Kagewaki that demon slayers have been hired and that the demon is responsible for his illness. Everyone at the castle is amazed by Sango's fighting skills, and the group easily takes down the monstrous demon. Upon noticing this, Sango rightfully suspects that the demon was a little too easy to slay and suspects that this one is trap. Sure enough a piece silk attaches to Kohaku and under its mind control he begins killing villagers, his father and even tries to attack Sango, who notices that the spider demon's silk thread leads to Kagewaki's castle and she quickly realizes that Nagasaki has been possessed. She tries to head to the castle and attack but she's injured by Kohaku who is shot with arrows from the castle guards and Sango is also shot. Kagewaki arrives and shows everyone that Nagasaki was actually possessed by the demon, explaining why he suddenly started acting strangely.

Meanwhile, Kagome and the rest of the group are navigating their way through the forest and are having a hard time finding the village of the demon slayers. Kagome is particularly interested in learning the origin of the Sacred Jewel. Soon, the group notices a hoard of demons flying overhead and realizes that they're after something. Meanwhile, back at Kagewaki's castle, Sango and Kohaku are presumed dead and buried, but Sango isn't willing to give up without a fight and because her grave is shallow and the dirt is easy to dig through, she easily escapes her shallow grave. Meanwhile, Naraku who is in his baboon mask witnesses attack on the village from a distance and immediately heads down to retrieve Sacred Jewel fragments.

Meanwhile, Kagome and the group, who have been following the demons for the night arrive at the village to find that the villagers are dead and the worst of the damage has already been done. Kagome also points out that she doesn't sense any Sacred Jewel fragments there, meaning that Naraku has already taken them. Inuyasha suggests that they bury the dead villagers first before moving on to find the Jewel fragments. Before they can start however, Kagome is quick to notice something approaching them— it's revealed to be a giant nekomata who approaches them growling, until a voice tells her not attack and that they're not enemies. The voice is revealed to be none other than Myōga and the nekomata is revealed to Kirara. Myōga explains that for generations, the inhabitants of the village worked and trained to fight demons but were killed at an unusual time. Myōga also informs InuYasha that he followed rumors of the Sacred Jewel, which lead to them village and while trying to find the village and the group, he came a cross a white baboon, who Inuyasha recognizes as Naraku.

Meanwhile, Sango overhears Naraku informing Kagewaki of the village's destruction and framing Inuyasha for do it. Believing Inuyasha to be responsible for the death of the villagers, she retrieves her weapon and vows to kill Inuyasha.

Music

 * Opening Theme — CHANGE THE WORLD — TV OST Vol. 1
 * Enter Sango — Taijiya, Sango — TV OST Vol. 1
 * Miroku asks Inuyasha if he can remain the same with the Shikon Jewel — In a Trip of Destiny (Shukumei no Tabi e) — TV OST Vol. 1
 * Inuyasha’s group asks villagers about demon slayers — Delinquent Monk, Miroku (Furyō Hōshi Miroku) — TV OST Vol. 1
 * Sango asks about the Jewel’s purity, her father tells Kohaku he will be ready to do battle — Searching for the Shikon no Tama (Shikon no Tama o Motomete) — TV OST Vol. 1
 * Slayers fight spider demon — Fight to the Death (Shitō) — TV OST Vol. 1
 * Kohaku kills the three slayers, he tries to kill Sango & stabs her back — The Hidden Well to the Sengoku Era (Kakushi Ido kara Sengoku Jidai e) — TV OST Vol. 1
 * Kohaku comes to his senses and realizes what he has done — To the End of Sorrow (Kanashimi no Hate ni) — TV OST Vol. 1
 * Kagome’s group walking in forest, strange wind — Sign of Unrest (Fuon na Kehai) — TV OST Vol. 1
 * Naraku absorbs demons and take jewel shards in massacred village — Evil Demon, Naraku (Jayō Naraku) — TV OST Vol. 1
 * Inuyasha’s group enters slaughtered village — Evil Spirits Desiring the Shikon no Tama (Shikon no Tama o Nerau Chimimōryō) — TV OST Vol. 1
 * Myōga thinks village was attacked unusually, Sango overhears Naraku saying her village got annihilated — The Hidden Well to the Sengoku Era (Kakushi Ido kara Sengoku Jidai e) — TV OST Vol. 1
 * Myōga says he has visions of a white baboon, Sango vows to kill Inuyasha — Evil Energy (Jaki) — TV OST Vol. 1
 * Ending Theme — Fukai Mori — TV OST Vol. 2

Differences from the manga

 * In the manga version, this episode doesn't happen until after the chapters of the "Fateful Night in Togenkyō" episodes.
 * In the manga, Kagome was in the modern era and therefore absent when Miroku was questioning Inuyasha's intentions when he obtains the completed Shikon Jewel.
 * The anime omits Miroku explaining to the villagers that Inuyasha is his "disciple".
 * In the manga, Sango is barraged by the guards' spears before being attacked from behind by Kohaku.
 * In the manga, when Kagewaki Hitomi attacks his father, he lops off his father's head, which then turns into a spider. In the anime, he strikes his father's back, and stabs the spider's shadow.
 * The anime adds a scene of Naraku infiltrating Sango's village during the fight with the horde of demons.
 * The group poking fun at Myōga always abandoning Inuyasha when things get dangerous is omitted in the manga.

Die Dämonenjägerin Sango Episod 24 第二十四集 Tập 24