After 167 episodes, Sunrise Inc. decided to end the animated show because it had caught up to the still-ongoing manga series it is based on and they were out of material. However, on a radio talk show, the producer of the show announced that they only ended the first series of the show, hinting that a second series will be coming soon. The series has since concluded with a 26 episode series titled Inuyasha: The Final Act where all original voice actors return for the conclusion. The anime concluded it's run on March 27, 2010.
"Inuyasha," the name of the main character, roughly translates to "dog demon." "Inu" means "dog" - the exact meaning of "yasha" is a topic of debate, but is generally accepted to refer to a supernatural creature like a demon.
The name "Onigumo" is made up of the Japanese words for "ogre" and "spider."
The four-episode story arc beginning with "The Ancestor's Name is Kagome" features four youkai ninja: Suzaku the bird, Seiryuu the dragon, Byakko the tiger, and Genbu the tortoise. These four are mythological creatures in Chinese constellations, each representing a direction and a season of the year, and they appear in many historical Chinese myths and legends, as well as many other works of modern Japanese fiction - most notably the anime series "Fushigi Yuugi." These four symbols also appear again in the fourth Inuyasha movie, "Guren no Houraijima," as the four villains Kyoura, Ryuura, Juura, and Goura.
Kirara, Sango's youkai companion, closely resembles a creature from Japanese mythology called the nekomata. However, Kirara does not display the traditional behaviors of the nekomata, which include carrion-eating and necromancy.
The episode "Chokyuukai and the Plundered Brides" features a boar youkai named Chokyuukai and his servants, a kappa named Sa Gojyo and a monkey youkai named Son Goku. These three, and the "master" to whom Chokyuukai briefly refers, are figures from Journey to the West, a famous work of Chinese literature about a Buddhist monk's pilgrimage to India. Journey to the West was itself adapted into the anime series "Gensomaden Saiyuki."
Inuyasha's distinctive red clothing is said to be woven from the fur of the fire rat. This garment is one of the treasures sought in the Taketori Monogatari (The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter), a popular Japanese folktale from the 10th century. The connection is made more explicit in the second movie, "The Castle Beyond the Looking Glass," which makes many references to the Taketori Monogatari and even quotes from it directly.
The Staff of Heads, or nintoujou, wielded by Sesshoumaru's retainer Jaken is an actual artifact displayed at the Kamakura Museum in Japan.
"Kirara," as it is written in Inuyasha, is an onomatopoeia word referring to the sound of the sparkling of a stone, particularly mica.
Kagome's name is written only in hiragana, the Japanese phonetic alphabet; since there are no kanji assigned to it, it does not actually carry its own meaning. However, it sounds like a word referring to a woven bamboo pattern. "Kagome" is also a nonsense sound featured prominently in a children's song.
Shippou means "Seven Treasures" in Japanese
"Sesshoumaru" can be translated to mean "destruction of the circle of life" or "cruel perfection." "Sesshou" refers to "cruelty" or "the destruction of life." "-maru" is a common ending for male Japanese names and refers to a circle, which indicates perfection. ("-maru" is used to end the names of Japanese ships; the reference to a circle expresses the hope that the ship will complete its voyage and return safely home.)
Sesshoumaru is Japanese for "Destruction ". The "maru" on the end of his name has no meaning. It was common to add that ending to boys' names.
"Miroku" is the Japanese name for Maitreya, who in Buddhist tradition is the joyful Buddha yet to come.
The kanji for Sango's name means coral, while her brother Kohaku's means amber.
Kikyo(u)'s name means Chinese Bellflower - a flower which is often used for mourning
Kagura is Japanese for "the dance of the gods". The word refers to a specific type of Shinto dance.
Naraku is Japanese for "Hell".
Rin's name is written in hiragana with no kanji assigned to it, so it doesn't have a meaning. Rin can mean "Park"
Jaken is Japanese for "Wicked Hearted".
Kouga is Japanese for "Steel Fang".
Myoga is Japanese for "Unnoticed Assistance".
Kaede is Japanese for "Maple Tree".
Hojo is Japanese for "Aid".
Totosai is Japanese for "Sword Purification".
Kanna is Japanese for "Godless".
Hakudoshi is Japanese for "White Child".
Some of the nudity in the manga had to be toned down considerably for the anime. For instance, there are several times in the manga when Kagome is bathing and you can see her nipples. The anime never did anything that revealing.
When show on Japanese television, Playstation was the sponsor.
Throughout the entire series Inuyasha never says his own name, yet all major characters refer to him by his name.
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