User:YumeChaser/InuYasha

Manga
Written and illustrated by Rumiko Takahashi, InuYasha premiered in Japan in the November 13, 1996 issue of Shōnen Sunday, where it ran until its conclusion in the concluded in the June 18, 2008 issue. The chapters were published by Shogakukan in 56 tankōbon volumes, with the first volume released in May 1997, and the last released in February 2009.

Viz Media licensed the series for an English translated release in North America. Initially, Viz released it in monthly American comic book format, each issue containing two or three chapters from the original manga, but eventually abandoned this system in favor of trade paperbacks with the same chapter divisions as the Japanese volumes. Viz released its first trade paperback volume in March 1998. At the time, American manga reprints were normally "flipped" to conform to the American convention of reading books from left to right by mirroring the original artwork; among other effects, this caused right-handed characters to appear left-handed. Viz later stopped flipping its new manga releases, although InuYasha was already well into printing by the time this change was made. Reprints of older volumes have not been "reflipped" to match the newer ones. As of January 12, 2010, 44 volumes were released in North America, and new volumes of the series are being released monthly. Viz has also started to reprint the series in their "VizBig" format, combining three of the original volumes into each omnibus with slightly larger pages and full-color bonus art that was previously reduced to grayscale.

Viz Media also issues a separate series of "ani-manga" volumes which are derived from full-color screenshots of the anime episodes. These volumes are slightly smaller than the regular manga volumes, are oriented in the Japanese tradition of right to left, feature new covers with higher quality pages, and a higher price point versus the regular volumes. Each ani-manga volume is arranged into chapters that correspond to the anime episodes rather than the manga.

InuYasha is also licensed for regional language releases in Brazil by Editora JBC, Italy by Star Comics, France by Kana, Finland, Germany, Norway, and Poland by Egmont, Spain by Glénat, Indonesia by Elex Media Komputindo, Mexico by Editorial Vid, Israel by Aruts Hayeladim, Vietnam by NXB Trẻ and South Korea by Haksan Publishing.

InuYasha
Based on the first 36 volumes of the manga series, the InuYasha anime adaptation produced by Sunrise premiered in Japan on Animax on October 16, 2000 and ran for 167 episodes until its conclusion on September 13, 2004. It was also broadcast on Yomiuri TV and Nippon Television. In East Asia and South Asia it was aired on Animax's English-language networks.

The English dub of the anime was licensed release in North America by Viz Media. The series was broadcast on Cartoon Network as part of its Adult Swim programming block from August 31, 2002 through October 27, 2006. A year later the series aired on Canada on YTV's Bionix programming block from September 5, 2003 through December 1, 2006.

Fourteen pieces of theme music were used for the series; six opening themes and eight ending themes. The first opening theme was "Change the World" by V6 and was used for the first thirty-four episodes. The second opening was "I Am" by Hitomi which lasted until episode sixty-four where it was replaced by Nanase Aikawa's "Owarinai Yume" (終わりない夢). Every Little Thing's Grip! was the fourth opening from episodes ninety-six to 127. The fifth and six opening themes were "One Day, One Dream", used from episodes 128 to 153 and "Angelus", used from episode 154 until the end of the series. The songs are sung by Tackey & Tsubasa and Hitomi Shimatani respectively.

The first ending was "My Will" by Dream. The song used from the first episode to episode twenty then "Fukai Mori" by Do As Infinity became the second ending used from episodes twenty-one to forty-one. "Dearest" by Ayumi Hamasaki was the third ending running from episodes forty-two until sixty. "Every Heart (Minna no Kimochi)" by BoA was the fourth ending. It lasted until episode eighty-five where it was then replace by "Shinjitsu no Uta" by Do As Infinity. "Shinjitsu no Uta" was the ending from episodes eighty-six to 108. Day After Tomorrow's "Itazura na Kiss" (イタズラなKISS) was the sixth ending and ran from episodes 109 to 127, until it was succeeded by Namie Amuro's "Come", that was the ending theme song from episodes 128 to 146. The last ending theme was "Brand-New World" by V6, which was used from episode 149 until the end of the series.

InuYasha: The Final Act
In the 34th issue of Shōnen Sunday, it was announced a 26-episode anime adaption of volumes 36 to the end will be made by the original cast and crew and will air on Japan's YTV. The following week, Viz Media announced it had licensed the new adaptation, titled Inuyasha: The Final Act (犬夜叉 完結編). . The series premiered on October 3, 2009 in Japan with the episodes being simulcast via Hulu and ShonenSunday in the United States. In other parts of Asia the episodes are aired on the same week on Animax-Asia.

Four pieces of theme music were used, one opening and three endings. "Kimi ga Inai Mirai" by Do As Infinity was the opening theme song for the series, lasting from the first episode onwards. "With You" by AAA was the first ending from episode one to nine. The second ending was "Diamond" by Alan from episode ten to seventeen. The third ending theme was "Tōi Michi Saki de" (遠い道の先で) by Ai Takekawa.

Films
Four films, which exist separately from the anime time line, have been released in Japan. All four films have also been released with English subtitles and dubbed audio tracks to Region 1 DVD by Viz Media. The first film, InuYasha the Movie: Affections Touching Across Time, was released in Japan on December 16, 2001. In the film, InuYasha, Kagome, Shippo, Sango, and Miroku must face Menomaru, a demonic enemy brought to life by a jewel shard, as they continue their quest for the Shikon Jewel shards. In the second film, InuYasha the Movie: The Castle Beyond the Looking Glass, released on December 21, 2002, the group defeats Naraku and returns to their normal lives only to have to deal with a new enemy named Kaguya.

The third film, InuYasha the Movie: Swords of an Honorable Ruler, was released on December 20, 2003. In it, a third sword of InuYasha's father called So'unga is unleashed from its centuries-old seal and seeks to destroy the Earth forcing InuYasha and Sesshomaru to work together to stop it. The fourth film, InuYasha the Movie: Fire on the Mystic Island, was released on December 23, 2004, and depicts InuYasha and his friends attempting to rescue children trapped on the mysterious island Houraijima by the wrath of the four gods, the Shitoushin, or "The Four War Gods" (As named in the English film.)

CDs
Multiple soundtracks and character songs were released for series by Avex Mode. Three character single were released August 3, 2005, "Aoki Yasei o Daite" (蒼き野生を抱いて) by InuYahsa featuring Kagome, "Kaze no Naka e" (風のなかへ) by Miroku featuring Sango and Shippo, and "Gō" (業) by Sesshomaru featuring Jaken and Rin. The singles charted at number's 63, 76, and 79 respectively on the Oricon chart. Three more character songs were released on January 25, 2006, "Rakujitsu" (落日) by Naraku, "Tatta Hitotsu no Yakusoku" (たったひとつの約束) by Kagome Higurashi, and "Abarero!!" (暴れろ!!) by Bankotsu and Jakotsu. The singles charted at number's 130, 131, and 112 respectively on the Oricon chart.