Inuyasha: A Great example of Alignment In Action!

[The_Gunslinger658]

Hi all-

Been watching Inuyasha the last few days and it struck me as how some of the characters Alignments have changed! For example Kikyo, the Shrine Maiden (I am assuming those reading this thread are familier with Inuyasha) went from Lawful good to Lawful evil IE after she was ressurrected her alignment changed.

Lord Sesshomaru the Aristocratic Assassin, my favorite character in this series, goes from CE to NG! So for those DM's who have problems with Alignment, this series is a great way to understand how alignment works. Also for those who have watched this series, what other D&D related stuff can be learned and used from this series?


Scott

 

[Kaodi]

While your basic premise is perhaps correct, I don't think I quite agree with your alignments.

Kikyo was originally perhaps in the grey area between lawful good and neutral good, though if you were to say one I'd probably go with lawful good. Similarily, she later flirts with lawful evil at times, but I think she can mostly be said to be lawful neutral post-animation. Really, she maybe did something crazy like going from lawful good, to neutral good when she gave in to Inuyasha, to lawful neutral before she died.

For Sesshomaru, chaotic evil would probably be about right initially, but I would say he ends up as chaotic neutral, not neutral good. He exhibits some good behaviour from time to time, but I don't think he is actually good, just like he is no longer really evil. I just don't see Sesshomaru being non-chaotic. The guy just can't make up his mind. Well, other than " I hate Naraku, " but even chaotic people have goals.

 

[Klaus]

While your basic premise is perhaps correct, I don't think I quite agree with your alignments.

Kikyo was originally perhaps in the grey area between lawful good and neutral good, though if you were to say one I'd probably go with lawful good. Similarily, she later flirts with lawful evil at times, but I think she can mostly be said to be lawful neutral post-animation. Really, she maybe did something crazy like going from lawful good, to neutral good when she gave in to Inuyasha, to lawful neutral before she died.

For Sesshomaru, chaotic evil would probably be about right initially, but I would say he ends up as chaotic neutral, not neutral good. He exhibits some good behaviour from time to time, but I don't think he is actually good, just like he is no longer really evil. I just don't see Sesshomaru being non-chaotic. The guy just can't make up his mind. Well, other than " I hate Naraku, " but even chaotic people have goals.

Plus Seshomaru is only nice to the girl he rescues. He's mean even to that little sidekick of his.

Miroku strikes me as very Chaotic Good, whereas Sango is LG (can you see the conflict brewing here?). Kagome is mostly NG or LG, with Inuyasha starting out as CN and veering towards CG as he warms up to Kagome.

 

[LoneWolf23]

Nah, Sesshomaru is totally Lawful Evil.. The guy's whole shtick is he's a Youkai Noble following the proud traditions of his ancestors, and that he's ticked off that his dad left one of his swords to his bastard hybrid half-brother...

He keeps Jaken around as his retainer, and has since accepted Rin as his vassal, and in spite of being an otherwise ruthless bastard, takes care of them out of a sense of "Noblesse Oblige". He also fights with a slight sense of honor, as skewed as it may seem to us.

 

[Nyeshet]

Considering he is LE, a 'skewed' sense of honor is probably to be expected. Personally, I would put him as LE with NN leanings. Occasionally his actions are Good (or lean that way), and occasionally his actions lean towards Chaos.

I agree that Inu Yasha was CN and now is probably CG. Kagome is NG, I think.

Kikyo is a harder one to place. She was NG with Lawful leanings, then - having been betrayed - she reacted by abandoning Good (that had not availed her) for a more LN bent. After her resurrection her alignment vascillated a bit. At times she came across as LE/NE, but then she was also under the influence of Naratu as I recall. Later, she seemed to have removed herself from his influence, but she is too cynical to return to NG or even LG. Instead she is (or returned to) LN - with tendencies occasionally towards both Good and Evil, as it suits her needs.

 

[BroccoliRage]

Everyone's alignment in that show is clearly Amoral Silly.

Just kidding, put down the torches.

 

[Nifft]

I think there are a few clear-cut alignments in that show:

Shippo: CG
Kaede: LG
Koga: CN
Naraku: NE

For Inuyasha himself, I think N is the best descriptor. He's tending towards NG, but he's not all that decisive.

Sango is a bit hard to place. She does her job (demon-slaying) which seems good, but at the end of the day, is just something she's paid to do. She goes after Naraku with the others, but she has a personal reason for wanting revenge. Her devotion to Kagome may be the one thing leading her into G territory. She seems bound by duty. LN?

Miroku. Chaotic Grabby?

Cheers, -- N

 

[Nightfall]

*chuckles* I so need to link this to one of the Inuyasha boards I post at.

 

[DM_Matt]

Aparently Sesshomaru's path to redemption occurs largely in the manga, after they stopped making it into anime.

Spoiler

In the manga, he tries (unsucessfully) to resurrect Kagura with the Tenseiga, proving his capacity for love and/or compassion. This unlocks the offensive powers of the sword. On another occasion, Rin dies when traveling with him to hell, and Sesshomaru feels guilt that his ambition caused her to die, and iirc he said he'd give anything to get her back.

 

[Nightfall]

Matt,

eh they do redeem him a little in the anime, just with the movies.

The manga does show off his more "human" side some how.