Episode 30

'''Tetsusaiga is Stolen! Showdown at Naraku's Castle!' is the thirtieth episode of the InuYasha'' anime.

Synopsis

 * 1) Sango brings the Tessaiga to Naraku, deciding that it is her only choice.
 * 2) Inuyasha and the others arrive at Naraku's castle, where Sango has been brutally attacked by Kohaku.
 * 3)  With the group surrounded by a deadly miasma, Kagome purifies it with a Sacred Arrow; she is able to damage Naraku with her arrow as well, causing the demon to flee.

Summary
Sango ponders whether or not to steal the Tessaiga, when Inuyasha awakes. They share brief words about how hard it can be to kill a former loved one, and Kagome, awake too, understands that Inuyasha sympathize with Sango over Kohaku because he feels her situation is the same as he and Kikyō, turned against each other by Naraku. Miroku then wakes up and warns everyone that they are surrounded. Indeed, countless demons attack, led by a Kohaku deprived of his memories and will by Naraku. Inuyasha fights the demons, then Kohaku, but refrains from killing him at Kagome's demand.

At everyone's surprise, Kohaku then talks, in a voice devoid of emotion he says that indeed he deserves to die, since he killed so many people, including his family and friends. He stabs himself to try and extract the Jewel shard from his back, but Sango yells at him not to do it and uses her Hiraikotsu to send the Tessaiga flying in the air. It falls back in her normal form of an old katana. Kohaku relents and flees with the demons to Naraku. Sango, still confused, wonders what to do. She then calls Kirara, seizes the Tessaiga and follows her brother, flying.

While her friends follow her by scent, Sango goes to Naraku's castle. She confronts him and demand the return of her brother. She's even ready to throw her own weapon away to see Naraku. Naraku shows her Kohaku, but puts the blame on the Shikon Jewel for all the evil that happened. Enraged, Sango attacks, throwing the Tessaiga at Naraku and using her own concealed blade to slash him. He reveals himself to have borrowed the appearance of the young lord of the castle after killing him. Sango attacks again, but her blade breaks, leaving her unarmed and wounded. Kirara attacks Naraku, to no avail : his poison defeats her. Naraku then asks Sango to serve him : when she (obviously) refuses, he has her brother come and attack her. Kohaku commences on repeatedly attacking her with his Kusari Gama and wounds her severely, yet Sango continues to resist Naraku's offer to serve him. Suddenly, the Hiraikotsu comes back to Sango, seemingly due to Naraku's will : he doesn't want Sango's death so much as her corruption, which he would obtain if she kills her brother. But, light-headed, Sango realize that there's just no way she can kill her own loved brother, and renounces to pick her weapon. She falls before him, but then he seems to remember who she is, calling her his sister, and letting go of his weapon as Sango's friends arrive on the scene.

As Sango lay in Kagome's lap, recovering, Naraku wonders why she couldn't kill her brother. He seems unable to comprehend how one could love someone more than their own lives. Sango's friends, on the other hand, understand now perfectly well that Naraku isn't after meaningless death, but after the corruption which arise from mistrust and hatred between friends or family. Angered, Naraku attacks, surrounding them with poison. Sango gives her own mask to her brother : this act of selfless love purifies the Jewel shard embedded in his back. Said shard reminds Kagome that she can locate Naraku, even in the miasma, by the other Jewel shards in his possession. She fires sacred arrows at him, wounding him, to his astonishment. A violent wind arises, and he escapes with Kohaku in the confusion.

As the sun rises, Sango tries to leave her friends, feeling she's unworthy of their trust and might end up betraying them again, but they all say it's alright and continue to wish for her to stay in there group and fight Naraku. Upon hearing this Sango breaks down into tears and falls unto Kagome's lap hugging her. As she cries Kagome consoles her that everything will be alright, and they will both defeat Naraku and save her brother Kohaku.

Trivia

 * When Naraku (Kagewaki Hitomi in disguise) grabbed the Tessaiga, he wasn't affected by the anti-yõkai barrier. This could be directly inferred that he was merely a hanyõ, although the whole group didn't realize this until Kōga's incident.
 * Although Kagome has used her Sacred Arrow before, this is the first time it is enshrouded with lilac-colored spiritual energy and that she has control over its targeting accuracy, and is able to strike Naraku twice, almost blowing him to smithereens. This was referred as an "enchanted arrow" by Naraku, who knew that only Kikyō, as a top-level miko was capable of such strength.

Differences from the manga

 * In the manga, Sango is taken aback when Inuyasha suddenly awakens before she attempts to steal his Tessaiga. In the anime, though, Sango hesitates herself and isn't surprised when Inuyasha awakens.
 * During his fight with Kohaku, Inuyasha slams his Tessaiga into the ground and then punches Kohaku in the face. He does neither in the manga.
 * Kohaku speaks in the anime, whereas he remains mute the entire time in the manga.
 * When Naraku asks Sango to throw down her weapon, she throws it into the roof of the castle in the anime. The manga merely has her place her Hiraikotsu on the ground.
 * In the anime, Naraku blames all the terrible events that have happened to Sango on the Shikon Jewel. This conversation does not happen in the manga.
 * Sango tosses Tessaiga at Naraku before attacking in the anime, leading to a brief sword fight between the two. Naraku never uses the Tessaiga to trade blows with Sango in the manga.
 * Naraku is able to wound Sango with the Tessaiga in the anime, causing her to fall to the ground before his hair sprays her with miasma. The manga merely has Naraku's hair immobilize Sango.
 * Naraku's Saimyōshō lead the group to the castle in the manga. They do not in the anime.
 * Naraku attempts to have Sango kill Kohaku herself to corrupt the Shikon shard in the anime, though he simply intends on having Kohaku kill Sango in the manga.
 * Sango rushes at Kohaku and embraces him, which causes him to hesitate in the manga. The anime omits this, though Kohaku hesitates and even remembers that she is his older sister.
 * The anime cuts out a major portion of the fight with Naraku, including his hair changing into snake-shaped miasma, Miroku attempting to use his Kazaana, and Inuyasha giving his robe to Kagome to wear.
 * Sango using her mask to protect Kohaku from the miasma is anime exclusive.
 * The scene of Kohaku carrying off Naraku's head from the battle is cut in the anime.

第三十集 Episod 30 Tập 30