Inuyasha
A schoolgirl falls 500 years into the past, frees a half-demon, and breaks the jewel every demon in Japan wants.
Last updated: 10 November 2026
Inuyasha is a 167-episode action adventure anime by Sunrise, adapted from Rumiko Takahashi's manga. Tokyo schoolgirl Kagome Higurashi slips back to feudal Japan, frees the half-demon Inuyasha, and joins him to recover the shards of the shattered Shikon Jewel before the demon Naraku completes it. A 26-episode sequel, The Final Act, finished the story in 2009 to 2010.
About Inuyasha
Kagome Higurashi is pulled down her family's shrine well into feudal Japan, where the Shikon Jewel inside her body draws every demon nearby. She frees Inuyasha, a half-demon sealed to a tree for fifty years, but the jewel soon shatters and its shards scatter across the country. Kagome and Inuyasha travel together to recover them, joined by the monk Miroku, the demon slayer Sango and the little fox demon Shippo, while the spider demon Naraku schemes to claim the completed jewel for himself.
Inuyasha is a TV anime from 2000, first released in Fall 2000. It belongs to the Action and Adventure and Fantasy genres and is listed as a completed series. The summary above is written by the AnimeYug team in our own words.
Story & Plot
On her fifteenth birthday, Kagome Higurashi is dragged by a centipede demon down the dry well on her family's Tokyo shrine grounds and climbs out five centuries in the past, in Japan's war-torn feudal era. Inside her body sits the Shikon Jewel, a marble-sized orb that grants demons enormous power. Chased by demons, Kagome frees Inuyasha, a half-human, half-demon boy who was pinned to a sacred tree by a sealing arrow fifty years earlier. When a carrion crow steals the jewel and Kagome shatters it with an arrow, its shards scatter across Japan, and the two agree to hunt them down together, bickering the whole way.
Their journey gathers a found family. Miroku, a charming monk with a cursed wind tunnel in his hand, joins the hunt because the curse came from Naraku. Shippo, a small fox demon orphan, tags along for protection and mischief. Sango, the last fighter of a demon slayer village wiped out in Naraku's trap, brings skill, grief and her two-tailed cat Kirara. Again and again the trail leads back to Naraku, a shape-shifting spider demon born from a bandit's twisted longing, who collects shards, sets traps and turns old loves and siblings against the group.
Two older wounds shape the road. Inuyasha's elder brother Sesshomaru, a cold full-demon lord, despises his half-brother yet keeps crossing his path with growing, grudging respect. And Kikyo, the priestess who once loved Inuyasha and guarded the jewel before both were tricked into betraying each other, is brought back from the dead with unfinished feelings for both Inuyasha and the world that moved on without her. Kagome, who is Kikyo's reincarnation, has to build her own place beside a boy whose heart is still tied to the past.
The original series ends mid-quest after 167 episodes, so the story closes in Inuyasha: The Final Act, which adapts the manga's final volumes at a brisk pace. Old enemies settle their scores, Sesshomaru finds something worth protecting, and Kagome must choose between her modern life in Tokyo and the feudal world that has become her home. It is a warm, complete ending to one of the defining adventures of its generation.
Story Arcs & Episode Guide
The Inuyasha anime is split into story sagas. Here is every saga in order, with its episodes and years.
| Arc | Episodes | Years | About |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Jewel Shatters | Episodes 1-54 | 2000-2002 | Kagome arrives in the feudal era, the jewel breaks, and Miroku, Shippo and Sango join the hunt as Naraku is revealed. |
| Naraku's Castle | Episodes 55-101 | 2002-2003 | The group chases Naraku's incarnations and castles, Kikyo's fate deepens, and Kohaku's tragedy drives Sango onward. |
| The Band of Seven and Mount Hakurei | Episodes 102-167 | 2003-2004 | The resurrected Band of Seven mercenaries strike, the barrier of Mount Hakurei hides Naraku's rebirth, and the race for the last shards tightens. |
| The Final Act | The Final Act, episodes 1-26 | 2009-2010 | The manga's ending adapted: the last shard, Naraku's final form, and Kagome's choice between two worlds. |
Why Watch Inuyasha
- A complete story: 167 episodes plus The Final Act's 26, so the manga's ending is fully animated.
- Rumiko Takahashi's mix of action, romance and comedy, with a quest that keeps raising the stakes.
- Kaoru Wada's score blends traditional Japanese instruments with big orchestral themes.
- A strong travelling party: every member joins for a personal reason tied to Naraku.
- Four films and a sequel series, Yashahime, if you want more time in this world.
Who Is It For?
Rated TV-14 in the US. Expect frequent demon battles, some blood, frightening demon designs and sad storylines about loss and betrayal, balanced by a lot of comedy and romance. It suits teens and adults best; younger viewers may find some demon scenes scary.
Main Characters
View all characters →Voice Actors
The Japanese voices behind the main characters of Inuyasha.
- InuyashaHalf-demon hero hunting the Shikon Jewel shardsJapanese voiceKappei Yamaguchi
- Kagome HigurashiSchoolgirl from modern Tokyo who can sense the jewel shardsJapanese voiceSatsuki Yukino
- MirokuMonk with a cursed Wind Tunnel in his right handJapanese voiceKoji Tsujitani
- SangoDemon slayer whose village was destroyed through Naraku's trapJapanese voiceHouko Kuwashima
- ShippoYoung fox demon travelling with the groupJapanese voiceKumiko Watanabe
- SesshomaruInuyasha's older brother, a full-demon lordJapanese voiceKen Narita
- KikyoPriestess who guarded the Shikon Jewel fifty years agoJapanese voiceNoriko Hidaka
Staff & Production
- Original Creator
- Rumiko Takahashi
- Animation Studio
- Sunrise
- Series Director
- Masashi Ikeda (episodes 1-44), Yasunao Aoki (episodes 45-167 and The Final Act)
- Series Composition
- Katsuyuki Sumisawa
- Music
- Kaoru Wada
Manga & Source Material
Inuyasha adapts Rumiko Takahashi's manga, one of the defining shonen series of its era.
- Written and illustrated by Rumiko Takahashi
- Serialised in Shogakukan's Weekly Shonen Sunday from November 1996 to June 2008
- 558 chapters collected in 56 volumes
- The first anime covers roughly the first 36 volumes; The Final Act adapts volumes 36 to 56
- Viz Media publishes the manga in English
- Takahashi is also the creator of Ranma 1/2 and Urusei Yatsura
Music
Kaoru Wada's score carries the series, and the original run alone uses six openings and eight endings, many by hit J-pop acts of the time.
Opening Themes
- “Change the World”by V6First opening (episodes 1-34)
- “I Am”by hitomiSecond opening (episodes 35-64)
Ending Themes
- “My Will”by dreamFirst ending (episodes 1-20)
- “Fukai Mori”by Do As InfinitySecond ending (episodes 21-43), still one of the most loved anime endings of its era
Series Timeline
- 1996
Rumiko Takahashi's Inuyasha manga begins in Weekly Shonen Sunday in November.
- 2000
The Sunrise anime premieres on 16 October 2000.
- 2004
The TV series ends at episode 167 in September; the fourth film, Fire on the Mystic Island, follows in December.
- 2008
The manga ends in June after 558 chapters.
- 2009
Inuyasha: The Final Act premieres, adapting the manga's remaining volumes with the same studio and cast.
- 2020
Sequel series Yashahime: Princess Half-Demon begins, following the daughters of Inuyasha and Sesshomaru.
Release Schedule
- Original series
- 167 episodes, 16 October 2000 to 13 September 2004
- The Final Act
- 26 episodes, October 2009 to March 2010
- Films
- Four films, released 2001 to 2004
- Sequel
- Yashahime: Princess Half-Demon, 48 episodes over two seasons, 2020 to 2022
- Status
- Complete; no new episodes announced
Streaming line-ups vary by country. Details as of 10 November 2026.
Quick Answers
Is Inuyasha finished?
Yes. Inuyasha has finished airing, so you can watch the complete story from start to end without waiting for new episodes.
What genre is Inuyasha?
Inuyasha is a Action and Adventure and Fantasy anime. You can browse more titles like it on our Action anime page.
When did Inuyasha release?
Inuyasha first released in Fall 2000. It is a TV series.
How many episodes does Inuyasha have?
The original series has 167 episodes (2000 to 2004), and Inuyasha: The Final Act adds 26 more (2009 to 2010), for 193 TV episodes in total. There are also four films and the 48-episode sequel series Yashahime.
Is Inuyasha finished?
Yes. The original 2004 ending stops partway through the manga's story, but The Final Act adapts the remaining volumes, including the manga's true ending, so watching both series gives you the complete story.
Do I need to watch the Inuyasha films?
No. The four films tell standalone stories with original plots, written to slot into the TV run without changing it. They are enjoyable extras, especially Swords of an Honorable Ruler for fans of Inuyasha and Sesshomaru's father, but the TV series and The Final Act are the essential watch.
What is Yashahime: Princess Half-Demon?
Yashahime is a sequel series by Sunrise (2020 to 2022, 48 episodes) about the next generation: Sesshomaru's twin daughters Towa and Setsuna, and Moroha, the daughter of Inuyasha and Kagome. The original cast appears in supporting roles. Watch it after The Final Act.
Should I watch The Final Act right after episode 167?
Yes. The Final Act is a direct continuation, not a remake or a recap. It picks up the quest for the last jewel shards with the same studio and voice cast, and it moves quickly because it assumes you know the original series.
Watch Order
Here is the release order for Inuyasha and the series connected to it. Start at step 1 and work your way down.
- 1InuyashaTV series (2000-2004), 167 episodes: start here. The four films were released during this run and can be watched alongside it or saved for afterwards.
- 2Inuyasha the Movie: Affections Touching Across TimeFilm (2001): a standalone adventure about the moth demon Menomaru, made to fit after the early TV episodes.
- 3Inuyasha the Movie: The Castle Beyond the Looking GlassFilm (2002): a standalone story built around the moon princess Kaguya; watch any time after the first film's era of the series.
- 4Inuyasha the Movie: Swords of an Honorable RulerFilm (2003): a standalone story about the demon sword So'unga and the brothers' father; a favourite for Sesshomaru fans.
- 5Inuyasha the Movie: Fire on the Mystic IslandFilm (2004): a standalone adventure on the island of Hourai; the last film of the original run.
- 6Inuyasha: The Final ActTV sequel (2009-2010), 26 episodes: adapts manga volumes 36 to 56 and gives the story its ending. Watch after the original series.
- 7Yashahime: Princess Half-DemonSequel series (2020-2022), 48 episodes over two seasons (season two is titled The Second Act): follows the daughters of Inuyasha and Sesshomaru. Optional, and watch it last.
Where to Watch
Inuyasha is officially available to stream on these platforms:
Streaming availability changes often and differs by country. Please check the platform in your region.