From the creator of Gantz comes a new refreshing franchise in the form of the one and only Inuyashiki. Having been released 3 years ago, and by a famed artist at that, it was a surprise it didn’t gain as much popularity as its predecessors. Well our Underrated Anime Series doesn’t exist for nothing! Let’s jump into it!
First off, what is Inuyashiki? Sounds a lot like Inuyasha doesn’t it? Rest assured, this is far from a copy from the famous and beloved franchise that features our favorite half-dog demon.
This is a battle of morals, humanity, and the circle of life.
Ichirou Inuyashiki has just been diagnosed with terminal cancer at only 58 years-old. He has nothing left to live for, aside from a materialistic family and a stray dog. When he’s out one night, suddenly there’s a flash and the next thing he knows, Mr. Inuyashiki is fully cured of his illness, gifted with new found energy, a fresh new start at life, and…super powers?
Using his newfound abilities, he sets off to make the world a better place! But he wasn’t the only witness to that extraordinary occurrence, and in a world where there is good, there also exists evil.
Inuyashiki is definitely one of my all-time favorites in the anime genre. Like its predecessors, it takes the concept of good and evil and rather than greying the area between the two, it instead explores it. Inuyashiki is a good old man with a gentle heart thoroughly engaged in preserving peace among society, never taking a single life once. On the other hand, there’s Hiro Shishigami who, like Inuyashiki has been blessed with super awesome mecha superpowers, but uses his newfound powers for chaos and destruction.
The story switches to and from the perspectives of both Inuyashiki and Hiro as they go about their lives, the former saving innocents from danger, and the latter putting innocents in danger. Eventually we reach the point where our two protagonists meet and thus the battle of good and level comes to fruition.
It’s evident from the beginning that both main characters have conflicting personalities, and it’s not unrealistic to expect the one on the opposing side of justice to be unlikable and all around hated. While Hiro succeeds in earning our disdain from his resulting actions, the ones around him don’t. You will notice how the effects of his choices impact his loved ones, from his best friend to his very own mother.
If you wouldn’t say it in real life, don’t say it on the internet
He grows so infamous to a point where the the internet catches on and users begin to harass his family and peers, even going as far as to dox them. Needless to say, the results are tragic. This is not a concept that is commonly tackled in most modern media. Inuyashiki provides an insight on the lack of awareness and consequences of one’s actions, especially during this arc. Many neglect to acknowledge that their actions on the internet are very real and can have dire consequences, even if what they think they’re doing is just. Hiroya Iku does an excellent job of conveying this. Even now in 2020 this is still a very real issue, so the way he managed to include this in a story already about the moral compass certainly ages well.
But let’s not forget the other characters including Mr. Inuyashiki himself, as they all also have compelling backstories. Iku doesn’t hesitate to develop all of this characters in his works, no matter how minor they are. Complete this beautiful masterpiece with a single from the famous MAN WITH A MISSION and some beautiful visuals, and you got yourself an indescribable masterpiece.
If I could summarize the whole thing, Inuyashiki is extremely relevant to the state the world is currently in; it puts things into perspective in such a way that we can understand. Bystanding, bullying, neglect, nepotism, and pride are only a few things to name running rampant even in the 21st century. It’s important that we all remember to help one another and empathize. Karma is very real and unless you learn from your past actions and face your own imperfections, things will never improve – both for you, and for others. In a world filled with Hiro Ishigami’s, be a Ichirou Inuyashiki!
Inuyashiki is rated for Mature audiences and is available for streaming on Amazon Prime.
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