Episode 39

Trapped In A Duel To The Death! is the thirty-ninth episode of the InuYasha anime.

Synopsis

 * 1) A woman named Kagura, who appears to be one of Naraku's minions, slaughters a large group of Kōga's comrades.
 * 2) Inuyasha is framed for the slaughter, and he is attacked by an enraged Kōga who has obtained another Shikon no Tama shard.

Summary
The episode begins with Kagome being shown the drawings Shippō had made about her fight with Inuyasha. She compliments his work, but is embarrassed when she is told that the drawings had been seen by Kaede and the rest of the village. Meanwhile, Kōga's Wolf Demon Tribe is approached by members of another Wolf Demon Tribe. The other tribe reveals that there are a great deal of sacred jewel shards in a lord's castle. An offer is made to Kōga, that in return for his help his tribe could receive half of the sacred jewel shards obtained from the castle. Kōga refuses, and the other tribe assumes that it is because of his injured right arm. However, it is actually because Kōga is too focused on his desire to kill Inuyasha before he hunts for more shards. Some members of Kōga's tribe leave anyways to join in the attack.

In the forest, Inuyasha and the rest of the group are hunting a bear demon that has a fragment of the sacred jewel. Inuyasha states that he would rather hunt down Kōga for the two shards that he has in his legs. Bandits appear, and threaten the group but are knocked away as the Bear demon reveals itself. Before Inuyasha can kill the bear demon, Naraku's poison insects come and take the jewel shard from its head. Despite an overall agreement that Naraku is setting a trap, they follow the insects.

At the castle we meet a new minion of Naraku, a woman who wipes out the entire tribe of wolf demons that have come seeking the sacred jewel shards. An apparent survivor of the wolf demons returns to Kōga's tribe and gives him a shard of the sacred jewel, warning him that he must hurry before everyone else is killed. Kōga rushes off to the castle and imbeds the shard into his right arm. Shortly after, the wolf demon that had come back to the tribe with the news dies.

When Inuyasha and the group reach the castle, they find bodies of the wolf demons littering the courtyard. Naraku's minion raises them into zombies that can not be stopped. However, when she senses that Kōga is approaching they all fall and cover Inuyasha in their blood. Upon arrival, Kōga assumes that Inuyasha killed all of the other wolf demons. Inuyasha, Kagome, Sango, and Miroku try to explain that they were after a demon known as Naraku, and that they have all been set up in a trap. Fueled by anger at previous events, and unable to believe the stories, Kōga attacks Inuyasha. The new jewel shard in his arm grants him exceptional strength and is supposedly greater than his previous shard. However, it looks different from the normal shard, and glows red and black.

Once again, Kagome tries to explain what happened to Kōga. He is unable to believe her, and it is concluded that the only option is for him and Inuyasha to fight. Inuyasha senses Naraku inside of the mansion, but is preoccupied with fighting Kōga. Sango and Miroku enter the mansion, and find Naraku's minion. She reveals that her name is Kagura. Kagura says that Naraku is not there, and she disappears. Sango and Miroku are left to fight one of Naraku's demon puppets.

Music

 * Opening Theme — I Am — TV OST Vol. 2
 * Shippō shows Kagome his drawings — Old Flea, Myōga (Nomi no Jijii Myōga) — TV OST Vol. 1
 * North wolf tribe visits Kōga to tell him about the jewel shards at a castle — The Hidden Well to the Sengoku Era (Kakushi Ido kara Sengoku Jidai e) — TV OST Vol. 1
 * Kōga remembers the birds tearing out his arm jewel shard — Fight to the Death (Shitō) — TV OST Vol. 1
 * Kagome guides the group — Searching for the Shikon no Tama (Shikon no Tama o Motomete) — TV OST Vol. 1
 * Forest demon tries attacking Inuyasha, it is killed by Naraku’s insects — Fang Sword, Tessaiga (Kiba no Ken Tessaiga) — TV OST Vol. 1
 * Kagura sees the jewel shard — Evil Demon, Naraku (Jayō Naraku) — TV OST Vol. 1
 * Kagura traps wolves and kills them — Attack (Shūgeki) — TV OST Vol. 1
 * Inuyasha arrives at castle and sees corpses — Evil Spirits Desiring the Shikon no Tama (Shikon no Tama o Nerau Chimimōryō) — TV OST Vol. 1
 * Wolf corpses come to life and attack Inuyasha’s group, Kagura makes the corpses bleed on Inuyasha — Attack (Shūgeki) — TV OST Vol. 1
 * Kōga tries attacking Inuyasha — Evil Spirits Desiring the Shikon no Tama (Shikon no Tama o Nerau Chimimōryō) — TV OST Vol. 1
 * Kagome sees the darkness in Kōga’s jewel shard, he is deeply angry — Dilemma (Kyūchi) — TV OST Vol. 1
 * Miroku and Sango meet Kagura, she sets up a demon puppet — The Hidden Well to the Sengoku Era (Kakushi Ido kara Sengoku Jidai e) — TV OST Vol. 1
 * Ending Theme — Fukai Mori — TV OST Vol. 2