Inuyasha The Movie 1: Affections Touching Across TIme

Inuyasha Movie 1: Affections Touching Across Time is the first of four films based on the hugely popular anime and manga series Inuyasha, and was released in 2001 in Japan, and 2004 in the USA. The movies don't feel necessary to the anime series, and are even a little confusing as to where they fit into the series. The best I could find seems to place this film as being suggested to watch after episode 54 of the series. Sadly I watched the series years ago, and I don't remember everything, so without having fresh knowledge of the series, the film can be quite confusing. I would not recommend these films to people who have not been familiarized with the series. The movie looks really nice, which would make sense one of the character designers Hideyuki Motohashi, worked on animes based on two of my favourite mangas by Yu Watabe, Fushigi Yugi and Ceres. I always had a deep love for the art of those character designs, and it felt warm and refreshing seeing that style used in this film as well. The animation is beautiful, and has all of the charm of the series. The voice acting, is good, and done by the same actors as the anime, which helped with the continuity of it. The movie really just feels like an extended episode, following the same formula as nearly every episode of the series. The same types of jokes, the same frustrating romance (holy fuck Kagome and Inuyasha just fucking admit you're in love, holy shit it gets frustrating watching them), so if you are a fan of the series, then you will enjoy this, because it is like an episode that just goes on without breaks. I do however feel the same about the film as I did the anime, which is that it gets very redundant after a while. I mean really every episode is very similar, track done a shard, long battles, cleanse the shard, repeat repeat repeat... Don't get me wrong I love Inuyasha, I think the series is beautiful and well done, but I am not blind to it's flaws either. I mean really not a lot to say about this film, it just feels awkward taken out of the series, and viewed alone. It is confusing, too long, redundant, and honestly just a little boring. I don't want to come across as hating it though, because I also at the same time do love it, and I have always loved the series, and it is nice watching this and revisiting the series. Also as I watch the next three movies, I am not sure how to not just write the same review three more times. So we will see what I can find to say about them. Would I recommend this film? Have you seen the series? No: then don't watch this, go watch the series first, or this might just be pointless and confusing to you. Yes: then this is your film, if you just finished episode 54, then pop this in, and it will fit the story line, if you just finished the series and it is fresh in your mind, then it will just give you more of what you already love, and it will be a wonderful treat. So this film is very specifically targeted to huge fans of the series. Also if you are like me and watched the series years ago and forgot much of it, then go re-watch the series before watching this, because it will make it much better. This really is a film for fans only, and I don't know even that I would recommend it to even just casual fans, but more for hardcore fans who really can't get enough of Inuyasha.