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Now THAT is more like it. The crew got the direction right this time, dodging the uneven flashiness of the previous installment by embracing something more slow and existential in the midst of a presumed end to the series’ main threat. Our protagonists, coping with this sudden outcome, break off, giving the audience a personal glimpse of their paths in the aftermath; many episodes of Inuyasha don’t feel as open and vast as this film presents itself, with the looming melancholy overcome by a connected disturbance in the form of the main antagonist, Kaguya. Yes, her personality and arc is no less duller than the most expendable of the series’ villains, but that’s less of a problem in this case, for the story prompts a bigger picture in its rock-solid center. What remains in The Castle Beyond the Looking Glass is a polished, grand, and much more cinematic Inuyasha film that is impressive to watch even despite its predictability. If you were to argue that the film only exists to further the romance between Inuyasha and Kagome, sure, that may be true. The way I look at the film is that I'm not at all fixated on how that subplot is presented to me, for I am so much more impressed with the direction this film goes that I'm not even frustrated by anything, really. That's probably why my review for Affections Touching Across Time was so long, because of the sheer incompetence from it.
The opening scene alone blew me away - it moves so swiftly and urgently yet so patiently. This opening fight sequence features no music during its first half, reminding the series’ viewers of the situation and threat our protagonists have been dealing with. The riveting buildup to Inuyasha’s transforming back to his half-demon form might be my favorite sequence in the film for its direction alone. Adding to the lack of action that follows this introduction are character moments that benefit the string of events set in place for the remainder of the plot while still benefiting their personal journeys, even establishing something refreshing stylistically with a more angled and manga-faithful art style as a plus. Even though said lack of action does leave the remaining fight scenes during the climax as less impressive than many of the series' previous fights, the film still benefits enough to give room to breathe, in regards to TCBTLG's overall narrative. The technical quality, even if not amazing compared to other anime films, mixed with the personal character growth and inner feelings of confusion and eventual danger from our protagonists make for an entertaining-yet-flawed sophomore film that is not only watchable, colorful, and balanced in terms of its action and comedy, but also a closer to a knockout for a mere franchise product.
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