A Twist of Fate notes:
Hey all! Well, after a year of hemming and hawing, I finally got the first (and second) chapter of this potential monstrosity out of my mind and onto the computer. Problem is, not everyone is familiar with the Blue Seed series, and for this particular fic you really do need to have a working knowledge of that particular anime. Especially taking into consideration the time frame I've put this particular story in. Unfortunately, I can't give you readers a working knowledge of the Blue Seed characters without spoiling some of the anime surprises for you. *cries* And believe me, I've been trying to think of a way to do so, but no solution has really presented itself. So if you're wanting to watch Blue Seed, ADV has put out a DVD collection of all four discs, Blue Seed, the Perfect Collection, for a decent price, which you could probably get for even cheaper on ebay. And I'm sure the VHS are probably even cheaper than that, it's just that there are a lot of them (13 in all). If you have NO desire to watch the Blue Seed anime but just want to read the story and don't mind spoilers, then by all means keep reading. ^^;; So, here we go, Blue Seed, 101.
Blue Seed is, in my infamous yet accurate description, "A cute anime about a human sacrifice." Amazingly enough, after the person I gave that description to saw the series herself, she agreed with me. There are 26 episodes all total in the TV series, with three OAV episodes making up the second season (which, sadly, hasn't been released in the US and I've had major problems finding it fan subbed). Also, I recommend watching it subbed as opposed to dubbed, because ADV did a REALLY bad job dubbing the series, and Momiji sounds, well, not like herself.
Basic storyline as taken from the back of the Blue Seed DVD set:
For thousands of years the forces of the Aragami have been held in check by a steady diet of human sacrifices (actually, it's more like the death of the Kushinada causes the Arigami to fall into an eternal slumber), but now the bonds have been broken and mankind's oldest and deadliest enemies are stirring. To combat an enemy who can attack anywhere, anytime, without notice will require the most talented agents from around the world and every resource available to modern civilization. The most effective armaments, however, could be two very special human weapons. Joining the battle are Momiji Fujimiya, last daughter of the family charged with containing the Aragami, and Mamoru Kusanagi, former servant of the Aragami.
What's neat about the series as well is that after every two episodes, they have an omake, or extra episode that has NOTHING to do with the main storyline what so ever. Example, the first omake has to deal with Kusanagi taking risqué pictures of all the women in the series and selling them to Kunikida. At the end they get shot up by Momiji and the rest of the gang.
Now for the character profiles, which were compiled by Ruri-san and posted on their Blue Seed site, Beyond the Blue: Blue Seed and Blue Seed 2. [ ] If you're REALLY curious about the series, I recommend visiting this site. Everything is well thought out, with wonderful episode summaries (including of Blue Seed 2, which is rather hard to find), zodiac signs, pictures, the Japanese myth that the Blue Seed series idea was taken from, and much much more. A ton of effort was put into this site, and it shows.
Momiji Fujimiya: Momiji is a fifteen year old girl born and raised in Izumo, the birthplace of many Japanese myths and legends. She has always considered herself to be normal; just a typical girl, really, but when Kusanagi enters her life, she finds out that that is far from the truth.
He tells her that she is the daughter of the Kushinada family, one of two twins and that he has come to kill, her. Luckily she is saved by the TAC, but not before meeting Orochi, an Aragami monster who has plans of his own for her.
At first, Momiji can't accept what Kusnagi has told her, because... well, let's face it: Momiji is far from being out of the ordinary in an kind of way. In fact, she'll be the first to tell you that she isn't very bright - and she's not all that graceful, either, come to think of it... But she is sweet, she cares for others and throws her whole heart into something once she's made her mind up.
Momiji has an unfailing faith that humanity is inherently good and this plays a large role in how she views herself as the Kushinada. She endears herself to those around her; even those who don't really like her and discovers that love can be quite wonderful and painful at the same time...
Momiji finds dealing with Mamoru Kusanagi, her self-appointed protector, difficult and trying at times, but comes to rely on his presence in more ways than one. He seems oblivious to her feelings, and Momiji is too shy to express how she feels...
Side note by me: Dead center in Momiji's chest is a dark blue Mitama (soul) that she received when she threw herself in front of a killing blow that was aimed at Kusanagi. This Mitama helps enhance some of her psychic abilities when it comes to pinpointing Aragami locations (when they're close to them) by giving off a high pitched ringing and pulsing with a white light that's very visible.
Momiji Picture Links:
; Momiji leaps between Kusanagi and Orochi
; Impalement
Yamata no Orochi: Yamata no Orochi; monster of the Kushinada legend that was slain by the Storm god Susano-oh. Orochi makes his debut at the beginning of Blue Seed and he captures Momiji to sacrifice her inside of a ceramic field in order to free the Aragami race from the power of the Kushinada. Not only is he the arch enemy of the Kushinada, he is also the one responsible for killing Mamoru Kusanagi's parents and enslaving him to the Aragami race.
Orochi gave the toddler Kusanagi seven of his souls to make him stronger so that he might protect the Princess Kushinada. He did this not out of kindess but out of determination to keep the humans from sacrificing the young Princess and sending the Aragami back into eternal slumber. He is Kusanagi's master, and he doesn't take to betrayal very well, attempting to kill Kusanagi for rebelling against the Aragami.
He is unsuccessful, however and ironically ends up dispensing another of his Aragami souls to save Momiji in order to ensure the Aragami's continued presence in the human world.
Orochi Picture Links (sorry for the low quality):
Mamoru Kusanagi: Mamoru Kusanagi, or Kusanagi as he is usually called - the guy with green hair, orange skin, cat-like eyes and an over developed sense of invincibility. His first name literally means guardian in Japanese, but you very rarely hear anyone call him by his first name. He is usually referred to as "Kusanagi" which also has significance in the Kushinada legend: Kusanagi no Tsurugi, a sword with the name "Grass Cutter. Kusanagi has no home nor family.
He was enslaved as a child by Yamata no Orochi who killed his parents, priests of a Shinto shrine, and then charged Kusanagi with protecting Kaede, the Kushinada. He served the Aragami well, until he thought that they had killed Kaede, and then he rebelled against them, seeking revenge and freedom from them. So he set out to kill the other Kushinada, Kaede's twin, Momiji. He traveled all the way to Izumo, but was followed by Orochi and instead of killing Momiji, he found himself protecting her.
Kusanagi seems to enjoy irritating Momiji, about her underwear, especially and is not too bright when it comes to understanding how she feels about him.
Side note: Kusanagi's weapon of choice is a pair of plant like "blades" that come out of his arms. They remind me of really long, sharp, sword like thorns, and he's very skilled at using them.
Kusanagi Picture links:
; This one kinda shows you his plant blades.
Kaede Kunikida/Kaede Kushinada: Kaede Kunikida is the Princess Kushinada. She was first born to the Fujimiya family and at her and Momiji's birth (my note: the birth of the twins and the division of the Kushinada power is what woke the Aragami up in the first place), the two were split apart with the hopes that it would be easier to protect them that way. Kaede takes her responsibilities as the Kushinada very seriously, but as she grows, she begins to question just what her responsibility as the Kushinada is. Her search leads her on a journey far away from her family and the TAC, and she disappears in a bright pillar of light at the beginning of the series. Kaede is the antithesis of Momiji: refined, mature, intelligent and graceful; and yet at times, Momiji shows wisdom beyond Kaede's understanding.
Despite her absence, Kaede's presence continually haunts Momiji's life, for Kusanagi cared deeply for the Princess Kushinada and upon her return, his preoccupation with Kaede leads him away from Momiji on a search for the Kaede who disappeared and an unacceptance of the Kaede that took her place.
Kaede Picture Links:
Daitetsu Kunikida: Mr. Daitetsu Kunikida was born in Tokyo and is the leader of the TAC. He also happens to be Kaede's adoptive father and was devastated when she disappeared, seemingly struck down by the Aragami. He is a rather rugged and gruff individual, but inside he's nothing but a softie. After Kaede's disappearance, he leads the TAC to Izumo, to protect the other Kushinada, Momiji, and after a battle with Orochi, takes Momiji back to Tokyo in order to protect her. Momiji's grandmother has given him custody of Momiji, and Kunikida comes to care deeply for her, just like he cared for his daughter Kaede. Kunikida exemplifies honor and consciousness, wanting to protect his country but not at the cost of the life of an innocent girl.
He is torn between duty and what he believes to be right and wrong, and when the Japanese government wrests Momiji away from the TAC to offer her as a human sacrifice, he rebels against them to steal her back, unwilling to let them sacrifice her, believing that there has to be another way to stop the Aragami.
He is very dedicated to his job and Japan, and develops a special bond not only with Momiji, but also with another member of the TAC in particular.
Kunikida Picture Links:
Koume Sawaguchi: Kome Sawaguchi is from lower Tokyo. She used to be with the Ground Self Defense Force where she earned the nickname "The Hurricane". She has a very tough exterior, feeling that her strength is what defines her as a person. At the beginning of Blue Seed she is transferred to the TAC, but doesn't seem to be very happy about it. In fact, when she happens to run into her supervisor from the Self Defense Force on an airfield on the way to Izumo, she clobbers him in the face for transferring her without telling her!
Kome is uncomfortable expressing emotion except when it comes to her weaponry. She is very passionate about her guns and rocket launchers, which is reflected in her personal motto of: "If you have bullets, keep shooting." It's a motto that she takes very seriously and demonstrates devotion to time and time again. She displays a tendency to be headstrong and a bit rebellious, and she is of the opinion that she can overcome any Aragami monster if she has enough fire power, which is not always the case. She also happens to be very superstitious, something that is at odds with her rough exterior.
But Kome is not always what she seems; she may be tough on the outside, but inside, she is caring and, I think, a bit self-conscious. Her warmer side can be seen when she finds and befriends an abandoned puppy and again when she develops an attachment towards one of her co-workers.
Koume Picture Links:
Azusa Matsudaira: Azusa Matsudaira is the penultimate scientist. She lives for her projects, burying herself in her research so deeply, that she often forgets everything else, from eating and sleeping to outings with her son and her ex-husband. Matsu is from the Aichi prefecture and she came to the TAC through the Science and Technology Agency. She is a specialist in biotechnology and sometimes her knowledge is the only thing that saves the members of the TAC from being obliterated by giant Aragami monsters.
Matsu is a quiet individual, and despite having her nose buried in her projects, she often makes very perspicacious observations concerning the other members of the TAC: Momiji and Takeuchi, in particular. She is also a maniacal driver and can wield missile launchers with the best of them!
Matsu Picture Links:
Ryoko Takeuchi: Ryoko Takeuchi was born in Hokkaido in northern Japan. She was an officer with the Metropolitan Police Department before coming to work for the TAC. Ryoko is a very calm and collected person. She is strong and yet gentle, and she has an enormous crush on the man in charge of the TAC. Ryoko is a very likable character, taking charge when necessary and often offering support and words of comfort to Momiji when she is troubled. Ryoko feels responsible for Kaede's death, since she went after Kaede to try and stop her but was unable to do so.
Ryoko gets along with everyone, except for Sugishita who is constantly rubbing her the wrong way with his constant come-ons and one-liners.
Like Daitetsu Kunikida, Ryoko has a strong love of country and a strong sense of duty, and again like Kunikida, she is unwilling to offer Momiji as a sacrifice, even when Momiji has willingly accepted her fate.
Takeuchi Picture Links:
Yoshiki Yaegashi: Mr. Yoshiki Yaegashi; the computer specialist and all around nerd... And yet you can't help but like him and feel just a little bit sorry for him when he develops a crush on Momiji. Yaegashi is a native of the Miyagi Prefecture and before transferring to the TAC he was with the Economic Planning Agency. He is quiet but has an obsession with...adult oriented computer games. He even develops a program to detect and track the Aragami based on the mathematical probability of what kind of underpants Momiji is wearing.
He is good at number crunching but hopeless when it comes to weaponry. Although, as the story progresses, we see his determination to overcome what he feels are some of his shortcomings, learning to fire a rocket launcher and then, later, a bazooka in order to try and win Momiji's heart. He has a tendency to get on Kome Sawaguchi's nerves and she is constantly yelling at him and even pulverizes him a time or two... Is it any wonder that these two get together? After all, opposites do attract!
Yaegashi Picture Links:
Sakura Yamazaki: Sakura Yamazaki is a CIA operative sent to Japan to scout out the Aragami situation. She was born in Japan, and her family was responsible for banishing a water monster, Nodzuchi (sp?). When Momiji and Kaede were born, the water monster awoke. Sakura's mother died trying to banish it and Sakura was taken to America by a government agent. She has a great deal in common with Kusanagi. Perhaps that is why they are always competing against one another to see who can kill the Aragami first...
Sakura is attractive, over-confident in her abilities and can be accused of not knowing her own strength (such as when she demolished a construction site). She loves the limelight and gets quite testy when she feels that she is being upstaged; one of the main reasons for her dislike of Momiji. As far as she's concerned: Momiji is nothing but a sacrifice; where's the talent in that? Whereas Sakura has worked to become a top notch priestess. She is bold, out-going, and in Kusanagi's own words, has a lot of nerve. Despite her exhibitionism, she is a great character and a lot of fun to watch.
Sakura Picture Links:
Shunichi Sugishita: Shunichi Sugishita is twenty five years of age and considers himself to be quite the ladies' man. He is the General Manager of the Aragami Countermeasure Management Command Center and works as a go between for Metropolitan Police Department and the Terrestrial Administration Center (aka TAC). Not many people get to be manager at his age, or so he says. And Momiji seems to be quite impressed by this fact, until Takeuchi tells her that his department is where Metro dumps all the losers. Takeuchi and Sugishita used to work together at the Metro Police Department, a fact that he tries hard to get her to remember, and a fact that she would just as soon forget.
Sugishita is always making passes at Takeuchi and usually gets beat up for his efforts. He even makes a pass at Sakura and ends up getting burnt there, too. Poor boy; some guys were just born to lose, I guess....
Murakumo: Murakumo emerges as a powerful nemesis; an Aragami in human form. He considers himself to be the perfect specimen, for he has eight souls and Kusanagi an imperfect specimen for Kusanagi only has seven. He is stronger, faster and meaner than Kusanagi, just because of one measly blue seed. He is not what I would call an ultimate bad guy; he's more of the shady grey kind... He is bad though, willing to exterminate those of his own race who act out of their own selfish reasons, and yet when there is an opportunity to exterminate members of the TAC, he doesn't. Maybe it's because he feels that it is beneath someone of his perfect caliber to do so, or perhaps it is because he is NOT the perfect bad guy, but just a plant guy who wants to establish the kingdom Ne No Kuni; Kingdom of the Roots and home to Aragami.
Murakumo's short-term goal is the rebirth of Lord Susano-oh, the guardian deity of the Aragami. It is through Susano-oh that he believes that his Kingdom will be established. But he gradually realizes that he is being used, and he rebels against the god he worked so hard to bring to earth.
Murakumo Picture Links:
; He's the guy in front
Susano-oh (Susano-oh no Mikoto): Susano-oh of legend slew Orochi no Orochi and wed the Princess Kushinada. Susano-oh's role in the here and now of Blue Seed is not quite so cut and dried however. He is the guardian deity of the Aragami, but how can this possibly be, when in legend he killed one of the greatest Aragami monsters? Could it be that the legend is incorrect? That Susano-oh really does want to do away with the existence of the human race? Is this what he has told Kaede, the Kushinada? And if that is so, why does he keep calling to Momiji, sending her dreams and visions of the future?
It could be argued that he calls to Momiji because he can't control his power as a child and that the dreams and visions she has have nothing to do with Susano-oh, but are a result of her innate power and the power of the mitama that is embedded in her chest. It's a toss up, either way, but I have my own theories as to Susano-oh's role as guardian deity and husband to the Kushinada... I won't bore you with them, however.
Group Picture Links:
; From left to right: Matsu, Takeuchi, Koume, Kusanagi, Momiji, Kunikida, Sakura
; Kaede and Momiji in their Kushinada ritual outfits, and Kusanagi
; From front to back, Momiji, Takeuchi, Koume, and Kaede
; Momiji and plushes of everyone (I thought it was cute)
; The TAC
; Sakura and Kusanagi with his plant blades.
Momiji and the TAC, you can see her Mitama here.
; Momiji, Kaede, Murakumo, and Kusanagi. You can see the light her Mitama emits when an Aragami is near.
Opposing Forces
Now for the timeline. The Inu Yasha timeline takes place roughly a month after the events in Tankouben Volume 18. If you haven't caught up with the manga translations, I recommend going here [ ] I'm going to be pulling heavily from the manga since I'm pretty much unable to keep up with the anime due to bizarre DVD problems with the Hong Kong sets, and my computer being unable to download and play them from the internet. And I'm too cheap to go and get the commercial DVDs at the moment, so I'm kind of stuck. ^^;; At least until the box sets are released. ^_~ Having said that, you'll probably notice that I use the anime look of the characters, as opposed to the manga look.
For the Blue Seed timeline, this takes place shortly after episode 19 of the anime series. I'm going to be doing some major screwing around with the timeline here, because around episode 19/20 things really start moving fast in the BS world, heading towards it's conclusion. I'll be making references to things that have happened in previous episodes. Basically, the group has found out that Kaede is alive and working for the Aragami for reasons yet unknown. She is taking the young Susano-oh to places of stored up psychic power in order for him to grow.
Inu Yasha is the property of Rumiko Takashi, and Blue Seed is the property of Yuzo Takada. I don't own anything but the situations contained within this fic. Wheeee! Finally, on with the fic!
Hey all! Well, after a year of hemming and hawing, I finally got the first (and second) chapter of this potential monstrosity out of my mind and onto the computer. Problem is, not everyone is familiar with the Blue Seed series, and for this particular fic you really do need to have a working knowledge of that particular anime. Especially taking into consideration the time frame I've put this particular story in. Unfortunately, I can't give you readers a working knowledge of the Blue Seed characters without spoiling some of the anime surprises for you. *cries* And believe me, I've been trying to think of a way to do so, but no solution has really presented itself. So if you're wanting to watch Blue Seed, ADV has put out a DVD collection of all four discs, Blue Seed, the Perfect Collection, for a decent price, which you could probably get for even cheaper on ebay. And I'm sure the VHS are probably even cheaper than that, it's just that there are a lot of them (13 in all). If you have NO desire to watch the Blue Seed anime but just want to read the story and don't mind spoilers, then by all means keep reading. ^^;; So, here we go, Blue Seed, 101.
Blue Seed is, in my infamous yet accurate description, "A cute anime about a human sacrifice." Amazingly enough, after the person I gave that description to saw the series herself, she agreed with me. There are 26 episodes all total in the TV series, with three OAV episodes making up the second season (which, sadly, hasn't been released in the US and I've had major problems finding it fan subbed). Also, I recommend watching it subbed as opposed to dubbed, because ADV did a REALLY bad job dubbing the series, and Momiji sounds, well, not like herself.
Basic storyline as taken from the back of the Blue Seed DVD set:
For thousands of years the forces of the Aragami have been held in check by a steady diet of human sacrifices (actually, it's more like the death of the Kushinada causes the Arigami to fall into an eternal slumber), but now the bonds have been broken and mankind's oldest and deadliest enemies are stirring. To combat an enemy who can attack anywhere, anytime, without notice will require the most talented agents from around the world and every resource available to modern civilization. The most effective armaments, however, could be two very special human weapons. Joining the battle are Momiji Fujimiya, last daughter of the family charged with containing the Aragami, and Mamoru Kusanagi, former servant of the Aragami.
What's neat about the series as well is that after every two episodes, they have an omake, or extra episode that has NOTHING to do with the main storyline what so ever. Example, the first omake has to deal with Kusanagi taking risqué pictures of all the women in the series and selling them to Kunikida. At the end they get shot up by Momiji and the rest of the gang.
Now for the character profiles, which were compiled by Ruri-san and posted on their Blue Seed site, Beyond the Blue: Blue Seed and Blue Seed 2. [ ] If you're REALLY curious about the series, I recommend visiting this site. Everything is well thought out, with wonderful episode summaries (including of Blue Seed 2, which is rather hard to find), zodiac signs, pictures, the Japanese myth that the Blue Seed series idea was taken from, and much much more. A ton of effort was put into this site, and it shows.
Momiji Fujimiya: Momiji is a fifteen year old girl born and raised in Izumo, the birthplace of many Japanese myths and legends. She has always considered herself to be normal; just a typical girl, really, but when Kusanagi enters her life, she finds out that that is far from the truth.
He tells her that she is the daughter of the Kushinada family, one of two twins and that he has come to kill, her. Luckily she is saved by the TAC, but not before meeting Orochi, an Aragami monster who has plans of his own for her.
At first, Momiji can't accept what Kusnagi has told her, because... well, let's face it: Momiji is far from being out of the ordinary in an kind of way. In fact, she'll be the first to tell you that she isn't very bright - and she's not all that graceful, either, come to think of it... But she is sweet, she cares for others and throws her whole heart into something once she's made her mind up.
Momiji has an unfailing faith that humanity is inherently good and this plays a large role in how she views herself as the Kushinada. She endears herself to those around her; even those who don't really like her and discovers that love can be quite wonderful and painful at the same time...
Momiji finds dealing with Mamoru Kusanagi, her self-appointed protector, difficult and trying at times, but comes to rely on his presence in more ways than one. He seems oblivious to her feelings, and Momiji is too shy to express how she feels...
Side note by me: Dead center in Momiji's chest is a dark blue Mitama (soul) that she received when she threw herself in front of a killing blow that was aimed at Kusanagi. This Mitama helps enhance some of her psychic abilities when it comes to pinpointing Aragami locations (when they're close to them) by giving off a high pitched ringing and pulsing with a white light that's very visible.
Momiji Picture Links:
; Momiji leaps between Kusanagi and Orochi
; Impalement
Yamata no Orochi: Yamata no Orochi; monster of the Kushinada legend that was slain by the Storm god Susano-oh. Orochi makes his debut at the beginning of Blue Seed and he captures Momiji to sacrifice her inside of a ceramic field in order to free the Aragami race from the power of the Kushinada. Not only is he the arch enemy of the Kushinada, he is also the one responsible for killing Mamoru Kusanagi's parents and enslaving him to the Aragami race.
Orochi gave the toddler Kusanagi seven of his souls to make him stronger so that he might protect the Princess Kushinada. He did this not out of kindess but out of determination to keep the humans from sacrificing the young Princess and sending the Aragami back into eternal slumber. He is Kusanagi's master, and he doesn't take to betrayal very well, attempting to kill Kusanagi for rebelling against the Aragami.
He is unsuccessful, however and ironically ends up dispensing another of his Aragami souls to save Momiji in order to ensure the Aragami's continued presence in the human world.
Orochi Picture Links (sorry for the low quality):
Mamoru Kusanagi: Mamoru Kusanagi, or Kusanagi as he is usually called - the guy with green hair, orange skin, cat-like eyes and an over developed sense of invincibility. His first name literally means guardian in Japanese, but you very rarely hear anyone call him by his first name. He is usually referred to as "Kusanagi" which also has significance in the Kushinada legend: Kusanagi no Tsurugi, a sword with the name "Grass Cutter. Kusanagi has no home nor family.
He was enslaved as a child by Yamata no Orochi who killed his parents, priests of a Shinto shrine, and then charged Kusanagi with protecting Kaede, the Kushinada. He served the Aragami well, until he thought that they had killed Kaede, and then he rebelled against them, seeking revenge and freedom from them. So he set out to kill the other Kushinada, Kaede's twin, Momiji. He traveled all the way to Izumo, but was followed by Orochi and instead of killing Momiji, he found himself protecting her.
Kusanagi seems to enjoy irritating Momiji, about her underwear, especially and is not too bright when it comes to understanding how she feels about him.
Side note: Kusanagi's weapon of choice is a pair of plant like "blades" that come out of his arms. They remind me of really long, sharp, sword like thorns, and he's very skilled at using them.
Kusanagi Picture links:
; This one kinda shows you his plant blades.
Kaede Kunikida/Kaede Kushinada: Kaede Kunikida is the Princess Kushinada. She was first born to the Fujimiya family and at her and Momiji's birth (my note: the birth of the twins and the division of the Kushinada power is what woke the Aragami up in the first place), the two were split apart with the hopes that it would be easier to protect them that way. Kaede takes her responsibilities as the Kushinada very seriously, but as she grows, she begins to question just what her responsibility as the Kushinada is. Her search leads her on a journey far away from her family and the TAC, and she disappears in a bright pillar of light at the beginning of the series. Kaede is the antithesis of Momiji: refined, mature, intelligent and graceful; and yet at times, Momiji shows wisdom beyond Kaede's understanding.
Despite her absence, Kaede's presence continually haunts Momiji's life, for Kusanagi cared deeply for the Princess Kushinada and upon her return, his preoccupation with Kaede leads him away from Momiji on a search for the Kaede who disappeared and an unacceptance of the Kaede that took her place.
Kaede Picture Links:
Daitetsu Kunikida: Mr. Daitetsu Kunikida was born in Tokyo and is the leader of the TAC. He also happens to be Kaede's adoptive father and was devastated when she disappeared, seemingly struck down by the Aragami. He is a rather rugged and gruff individual, but inside he's nothing but a softie. After Kaede's disappearance, he leads the TAC to Izumo, to protect the other Kushinada, Momiji, and after a battle with Orochi, takes Momiji back to Tokyo in order to protect her. Momiji's grandmother has given him custody of Momiji, and Kunikida comes to care deeply for her, just like he cared for his daughter Kaede. Kunikida exemplifies honor and consciousness, wanting to protect his country but not at the cost of the life of an innocent girl.
He is torn between duty and what he believes to be right and wrong, and when the Japanese government wrests Momiji away from the TAC to offer her as a human sacrifice, he rebels against them to steal her back, unwilling to let them sacrifice her, believing that there has to be another way to stop the Aragami.
He is very dedicated to his job and Japan, and develops a special bond not only with Momiji, but also with another member of the TAC in particular.
Kunikida Picture Links:
Koume Sawaguchi: Kome Sawaguchi is from lower Tokyo. She used to be with the Ground Self Defense Force where she earned the nickname "The Hurricane". She has a very tough exterior, feeling that her strength is what defines her as a person. At the beginning of Blue Seed she is transferred to the TAC, but doesn't seem to be very happy about it. In fact, when she happens to run into her supervisor from the Self Defense Force on an airfield on the way to Izumo, she clobbers him in the face for transferring her without telling her!
Kome is uncomfortable expressing emotion except when it comes to her weaponry. She is very passionate about her guns and rocket launchers, which is reflected in her personal motto of: "If you have bullets, keep shooting." It's a motto that she takes very seriously and demonstrates devotion to time and time again. She displays a tendency to be headstrong and a bit rebellious, and she is of the opinion that she can overcome any Aragami monster if she has enough fire power, which is not always the case. She also happens to be very superstitious, something that is at odds with her rough exterior.
But Kome is not always what she seems; she may be tough on the outside, but inside, she is caring and, I think, a bit self-conscious. Her warmer side can be seen when she finds and befriends an abandoned puppy and again when she develops an attachment towards one of her co-workers.
Koume Picture Links:
Azusa Matsudaira: Azusa Matsudaira is the penultimate scientist. She lives for her projects, burying herself in her research so deeply, that she often forgets everything else, from eating and sleeping to outings with her son and her ex-husband. Matsu is from the Aichi prefecture and she came to the TAC through the Science and Technology Agency. She is a specialist in biotechnology and sometimes her knowledge is the only thing that saves the members of the TAC from being obliterated by giant Aragami monsters.
Matsu is a quiet individual, and despite having her nose buried in her projects, she often makes very perspicacious observations concerning the other members of the TAC: Momiji and Takeuchi, in particular. She is also a maniacal driver and can wield missile launchers with the best of them!
Matsu Picture Links:
Ryoko Takeuchi: Ryoko Takeuchi was born in Hokkaido in northern Japan. She was an officer with the Metropolitan Police Department before coming to work for the TAC. Ryoko is a very calm and collected person. She is strong and yet gentle, and she has an enormous crush on the man in charge of the TAC. Ryoko is a very likable character, taking charge when necessary and often offering support and words of comfort to Momiji when she is troubled. Ryoko feels responsible for Kaede's death, since she went after Kaede to try and stop her but was unable to do so.
Ryoko gets along with everyone, except for Sugishita who is constantly rubbing her the wrong way with his constant come-ons and one-liners.
Like Daitetsu Kunikida, Ryoko has a strong love of country and a strong sense of duty, and again like Kunikida, she is unwilling to offer Momiji as a sacrifice, even when Momiji has willingly accepted her fate.
Takeuchi Picture Links:
Yoshiki Yaegashi: Mr. Yoshiki Yaegashi; the computer specialist and all around nerd... And yet you can't help but like him and feel just a little bit sorry for him when he develops a crush on Momiji. Yaegashi is a native of the Miyagi Prefecture and before transferring to the TAC he was with the Economic Planning Agency. He is quiet but has an obsession with...adult oriented computer games. He even develops a program to detect and track the Aragami based on the mathematical probability of what kind of underpants Momiji is wearing.
He is good at number crunching but hopeless when it comes to weaponry. Although, as the story progresses, we see his determination to overcome what he feels are some of his shortcomings, learning to fire a rocket launcher and then, later, a bazooka in order to try and win Momiji's heart. He has a tendency to get on Kome Sawaguchi's nerves and she is constantly yelling at him and even pulverizes him a time or two... Is it any wonder that these two get together? After all, opposites do attract!
Yaegashi Picture Links:
Sakura Yamazaki: Sakura Yamazaki is a CIA operative sent to Japan to scout out the Aragami situation. She was born in Japan, and her family was responsible for banishing a water monster, Nodzuchi (sp?). When Momiji and Kaede were born, the water monster awoke. Sakura's mother died trying to banish it and Sakura was taken to America by a government agent. She has a great deal in common with Kusanagi. Perhaps that is why they are always competing against one another to see who can kill the Aragami first...
Sakura is attractive, over-confident in her abilities and can be accused of not knowing her own strength (such as when she demolished a construction site). She loves the limelight and gets quite testy when she feels that she is being upstaged; one of the main reasons for her dislike of Momiji. As far as she's concerned: Momiji is nothing but a sacrifice; where's the talent in that? Whereas Sakura has worked to become a top notch priestess. She is bold, out-going, and in Kusanagi's own words, has a lot of nerve. Despite her exhibitionism, she is a great character and a lot of fun to watch.
Sakura Picture Links:
Shunichi Sugishita: Shunichi Sugishita is twenty five years of age and considers himself to be quite the ladies' man. He is the General Manager of the Aragami Countermeasure Management Command Center and works as a go between for Metropolitan Police Department and the Terrestrial Administration Center (aka TAC). Not many people get to be manager at his age, or so he says. And Momiji seems to be quite impressed by this fact, until Takeuchi tells her that his department is where Metro dumps all the losers. Takeuchi and Sugishita used to work together at the Metro Police Department, a fact that he tries hard to get her to remember, and a fact that she would just as soon forget.
Sugishita is always making passes at Takeuchi and usually gets beat up for his efforts. He even makes a pass at Sakura and ends up getting burnt there, too. Poor boy; some guys were just born to lose, I guess....
Murakumo: Murakumo emerges as a powerful nemesis; an Aragami in human form. He considers himself to be the perfect specimen, for he has eight souls and Kusanagi an imperfect specimen for Kusanagi only has seven. He is stronger, faster and meaner than Kusanagi, just because of one measly blue seed. He is not what I would call an ultimate bad guy; he's more of the shady grey kind... He is bad though, willing to exterminate those of his own race who act out of their own selfish reasons, and yet when there is an opportunity to exterminate members of the TAC, he doesn't. Maybe it's because he feels that it is beneath someone of his perfect caliber to do so, or perhaps it is because he is NOT the perfect bad guy, but just a plant guy who wants to establish the kingdom Ne No Kuni; Kingdom of the Roots and home to Aragami.
Murakumo's short-term goal is the rebirth of Lord Susano-oh, the guardian deity of the Aragami. It is through Susano-oh that he believes that his Kingdom will be established. But he gradually realizes that he is being used, and he rebels against the god he worked so hard to bring to earth.
Murakumo Picture Links:
; He's the guy in front
Susano-oh (Susano-oh no Mikoto): Susano-oh of legend slew Orochi no Orochi and wed the Princess Kushinada. Susano-oh's role in the here and now of Blue Seed is not quite so cut and dried however. He is the guardian deity of the Aragami, but how can this possibly be, when in legend he killed one of the greatest Aragami monsters? Could it be that the legend is incorrect? That Susano-oh really does want to do away with the existence of the human race? Is this what he has told Kaede, the Kushinada? And if that is so, why does he keep calling to Momiji, sending her dreams and visions of the future?
It could be argued that he calls to Momiji because he can't control his power as a child and that the dreams and visions she has have nothing to do with Susano-oh, but are a result of her innate power and the power of the mitama that is embedded in her chest. It's a toss up, either way, but I have my own theories as to Susano-oh's role as guardian deity and husband to the Kushinada... I won't bore you with them, however.
Group Picture Links:
; From left to right: Matsu, Takeuchi, Koume, Kusanagi, Momiji, Kunikida, Sakura
; Kaede and Momiji in their Kushinada ritual outfits, and Kusanagi
; From front to back, Momiji, Takeuchi, Koume, and Kaede
; Momiji and plushes of everyone (I thought it was cute)
; The TAC
; Sakura and Kusanagi with his plant blades.
Momiji and the TAC, you can see her Mitama here.
; Momiji, Kaede, Murakumo, and Kusanagi. You can see the light her Mitama emits when an Aragami is near.
Opposing Forces
Now for the timeline. The Inu Yasha timeline takes place roughly a month after the events in Tankouben Volume 18. If you haven't caught up with the manga translations, I recommend going here [ ] I'm going to be pulling heavily from the manga since I'm pretty much unable to keep up with the anime due to bizarre DVD problems with the Hong Kong sets, and my computer being unable to download and play them from the internet. And I'm too cheap to go and get the commercial DVDs at the moment, so I'm kind of stuck. ^^;; At least until the box sets are released. ^_~ Having said that, you'll probably notice that I use the anime look of the characters, as opposed to the manga look.
For the Blue Seed timeline, this takes place shortly after episode 19 of the anime series. I'm going to be doing some major screwing around with the timeline here, because around episode 19/20 things really start moving fast in the BS world, heading towards it's conclusion. I'll be making references to things that have happened in previous episodes. Basically, the group has found out that Kaede is alive and working for the Aragami for reasons yet unknown. She is taking the young Susano-oh to places of stored up psychic power in order for him to grow.
Inu Yasha is the property of Rumiko Takashi, and Blue Seed is the property of Yuzo Takada. I don't own anything but the situations contained within this fic. Wheeee! Finally, on with the fic!