Volume 7

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The Inuyasha Narrative, Part 7: The Full Demon Sesshomaru
	Translation provided by: Robby Stine of Kanabits

The Real Demon Needed for the Story

I knew from a relatively early stage that Sesshomaru was a character I wanted in the story. Inuyasha is, of course, a half-demon, and I needed a full demon older brother to compare him against to show the reader what a real demon was at its essential level. I had the basic idea to create an older brother character early on, but I only started thinking about things like his personality, speech mannerisms, and design once I was already working on my manuscripts.

The Large Changes in His Design

When I first started working on the storyboards, Sesshomaru looked completely different than how he looks now. His hairstyle and clothing were completely different. He looked kind of Arabian and not Japanese at all. And he was half-naked! Looking at that initial design, I knew it absolutely would not work. He wasn’t wearing nearly enough clothes and looked awful, the exact opposite of the cool older brother I needed him to be. So while I was inking the images, I started adding things to the design. Once I got the idea for a mid-length furisode kimono, I knew that was his look. So yes, I didn’t have a handle on his design until working on the manuscripts. I mean really, in the beginning, he was wearing less clothing than Koga!

The model for the mark on his forehead came from Hatamoto Taikutsu Otoko. I thought it would be something I could use in the story later on, but unfortunately, the opportunity never arose. Oh, and by the way, the fluffy thing on his shoulder? It’s fur. Dog fur. I don’t think I ever had a chance to make that clear.

Rules for the Ultimate Demon

I wanted him to interact with a human character, and that’s where Rin came from. I wanted to create an opportunity to soften his heart. He probably just wanted to test out Tenseiga when he rescued her, but as their interactions continued, I think readers realized he actually wasn’t such a bad guy. He was the kind of character that didn’t just get stronger as things went on, but also bettered himself.

While I was working with Sesshomaru, I set some rules for myself about his character. He could never break out in a cold sweat. He could never lose his cool. He could never stumble over his words. He could never act like he cared if he lost a battle. As a result, he turned out to be the coolest character I’ve ever created.

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