This screenshot motivational poster is highly and I mean highly Pro-Sesshoumaru, Pro-Inuyasha, Pro-Ayame, Pro-Shuran, Pro-Hakkaku, Pro-Ginta, Pro-Shunran, Pro-SessAyaInu in the OT3 sense, Pro-ShuHak in the BroTP sense, and Pro-GinShun in the OTP sense. Furthermore, this is my contribution to this year’s Red Ribbon Reviewers’ month. So, sit back, relax, and soak in the sheer triumph, fortitude, awesomeness, and brilliance of this group of seven intrepid combatants.
Well, dear readers, after such a grueling week of uncertainty and existential anxiety which culminated quite well with a nice return to normalcy, Inuvember is continuing to be up and running with a septet of splendid Feudal Era superhero friends who can give the Justice League, the Avengers, the X-Men, the Teen Titans, the Seven Samurai, and even the Seven Dwarves from Snow White by the Grimm Brothers as well as the Seven Fairies from Sleeping Beauty by Charles Perrault a major run for their money. I would highly decree that this is what I feel Sesshoumaru’s and Inuyasha’s or the Inu Brothers’ team should have consisted of. Not only with Ayame fighting by their side as their wife as well the glue who holds the group together, but also with having Shuran on board as the big guy doing what he can to protect his teammates, Hakkaku to liven the group with high amounts of energy, Ginta to be the poster boy of adorability, and Shunran to be that ray of sunshine who tries to ensure fun, optimism, and positive group dynamics.
You can call me a Pollyanna optimist all you want, but I can see this group of seven exceptional fighters working really well together when it comes to combining their powers to defeat various villains particularly Naraku. This also goes hand-in-hand with my AU headcanon of having Sesshoumaru, Shuran, Inuyasha, Hakkaku, Ginta, Ayame, and Shunran starting out as the closest of childhood friends, i.e. when Sesshoumaru was 7, Shuran was 6, Inuyasha was 5, Hakkaku was 5, Ginta was 4, Ayame was 3, and Shunran was 1, and growing up to be the firmest of friends on and off the battlefield. That tightness has also permeated within their respective families from Sesshoumaru, Inuyasha, and Ayame being in a glorious threesome with a family they can call their own while their children are blessed to have two dads and one mom to Shuran and Hakkaku being the happy single dads to their respective children to Ginta and Shunran being the supportive couple that they are and giving their children the home that they really need. Even when they have reached their thirties as of this year, with Sesshoumaru at 39, Shuran at 38, Inuyasha at 37, Hakkaku at 37, Ginta at 36, Ayame at 35, and Shunran at 33, and have a nice set of grandchildren they can call their own, they still run a tight ship and manage to stay as active as possible.
Furthermore, as you can already tell, these are the seven characters I hold with such utmost regard and have been keeping close to my heart, mind, and soul in all of Inuyasha. These were the guys who made my days as an Inuyasha fan a lot brighter and a lot more blissful to the point where I look back at this series with as much enjoyment as possible, despite its hugely gaping flaws. If you ask me, I highly believe that Sesshoumaru, Inuyasha, Ayame, Shuran, Hakkaku, Ginta, and Shunran should have been the seven main heroes of Inuyasha because it is not only their collective powers that can be in full evidence, but also what they can offer in terms of growing together as a team and growing as individuals.
You also notice that I have been comparing The Splendid Seven, the group name I gave to Sesshoumaru, Inuyasha, Ayame, Shuran, Hakkaku, Ginta, and Shunran, to the likes of The Justice League, X-Men, The Avengers, and, of course, The Seven Samurai. This is because I can see their strengths being put to fantastic use to take down all types of nasty creatures as well as cultivate equally strong home lives to let their children and grandchildren thrive well. Ergo, there is not a force in the universe that can knock these seven warriors down even if it tried. So, let’s get to know the integral role each of these warriors play within this seven-member group.
Sesshoumaru: Stealth, Strength, and Smarts Incarnate
Sesshoumaru can be compared to Batman, Cyclops, and Nick Fury because of how conscientious he is when it comes to his enemies and the tactics he has to know all about their weak points and their strong points. Moreover, much like Batman, Sesshoumaru is a very stoic person and another superhero who shares that said stoicism is J’onn J’onnz aka Martian Manhunter because of how much of a man of few words he is as well as having that signature aloofness he is well-known for. Speaking of strong, he can prove himself to be just as physically powerful to lift up heavy objects and have his punches leave a huge mark on his enemies. Furthermore, he is the eldest, most intelligent, and most calculating of the group, thus making sure that his teammates do not do anything stupid as well as have his presence make anyone who messes with him weak in the knees. Ergo, it is not just super strength that makes Sesshoumaru formidable, but also tact, an imposing presence, and sheer determination.
Inuyasha: Super Strength and Beastly Ferocity in One Glorious Matrimony
Inuyasha certainly has the strength of Superman, the beastly charisma of B’wana Beast, the fierceness of Wolverine, the raw power of Thor, and a bit of that just mindset of Captain America, as he is a force never be to be underestimated, despite being a hanyou. However, Inuyasha can also be compared to The Hulk, considering how he can turn into a full yokai when provoked, which is quite the same story for Sesshoumaru, but for Inuyasha he is a whole lot fiercer when he transforms. He has iron claws, elephant-like strength, and cheetah-like reflexes which make him an extremely formidable combatant never to be underestimated on by any stretch of the imagination. Furthermore, Inuyasha is the third eldest as well as the strongest and the fiercest member of the group and is even the default leader with Sesshoumaru functioning as the co-leader as well as the lancer and Ayame being the second-in-command. In terms of Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha as brothers, one subtle superhero comparison that can be made is how J’onn J’onnz and Superman had that bond in the Justice League Christmas episode Comfort and Joy because of how J’onn came to grasp how important spending the holidays with one’s family means to Superman, despite his adoptive parents not being his real blood but rather surrogate, as well as noting that J’onn is full-on martian while Superman is a superhuman from another planet, thus making a nice comparison to Sesshoumaru as a full dog yokai and Inuyasha as a dog hanyou.
Ayame: The Warrior Princess Fighting for Courage, Justice, and Hope
Ayame is the Feudal Era Japanese version of Wonder Woman, Hawk Girl, Jean Grey, and Black Widow while mixing them altogether with Xena’s strength, Buffy’s sass, Captain America’s willingness to protect the weak, and some of Iron Man’s smarts. We are talking about a warrior who can fling leaves like shuriken, punch like the greatest cannon in the world, and has all the makings of a complete super-heroine thanks to her courage, stamina, strength, speed, and readiness to protect others from harm. She may be second-in-command with Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha collaborating as the leaders, but she can prove herself worthy to shield her friends and family from all harm. Furthermore, this is the type of heroine who can be a role model to young girls everywhere much like her Western counterparts Wonder Woman, Hawk Girl, Jean Grey, Black Widow, Xena the Warrior Princess, and Buffy the Vampire Slayer thanks to her strength, sass, not wanting a man to save her from danger, and a surprising amount of warmth she encapsulates as the Team Mom, Cool Big Sis, a loving wife to both Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha, and a caring, supportive mother to their children including Dai, Roku, Rin, Shiori, Shinta, and Ai as well as the sixth eldest member of the group. Should any harm be done to her friends and family, she will be not be afraid to let her own strength come into full force.
Shuran: The Big, Strong Guy with a Surprisingly Great, Big Heart
When one sees Shuran’s massive size, he can be easily compared to The Hulk, Superman, Colossus, Beast, and Captain Marvel in terms of sheer unadulterated strength and power, but he can also be compared to J’onn J’onnz because of his full-martian race and Green Lantern because of his ability to summon lightning from his hands which compares nicely to Green Lantern’s abilities to shoot beams from his ring. Shuran could also be compared to Solomon Grundy as well as Sabertooth because of how they are rivals to Superman and Batman and Wolverine respectively. He may be the largest and strongest member of the team, but that does not stop him from having some occasions where he can express his softer side. Where he expresses his unbridled rage and power to his foes, thus giving them the shock of their lives, he expresses gratitude, joy, and loyalty to his friends and family to the point of using his super strength and imposing size to protect them from all forms of harm. Given that he is the second eldest member of the team, he is the brawny big brother who does not back down from a fight that easily. As a single dad, he even passes down that strength and solidarity to his six children Kohaku, Shintaro, Taichi, Souta, Bunza, and Souten.
Hakkaku: Hyperactive, High-Strung, yet full of Heart
Hakkaku has the energy of The Flash, the charisma of Iron Man, the intensity of Hawkeye, the accuracy of Green Lantern, and Nightcrawler’s enthusiasm, thus making him a very energetic member of the team who knows how to liven things up. However, he can also be compared to Batman because he may not have super-extraordinary powers, but he does have sufficient combat prowess to help him, his friends, and his family get themselves out of any sticky situation. Hakkaku is the fourth eldest of the group who functions as the hilariously high-strung keet who keeps the energy up and running within the team both on and off the battlefield. As a single dad, he passes down that energy to his six children Asagi, Shion, Hitomi, Mizuki, Koume, and Kokichi as well as the importance of kindness, mercy, compassion, and loyalty.
Ginta: The Charismatically Hilarious Charmer
Ginta has the charming hilarity of The Flash, the physicality of Hawkeye, the lovability of Nightcrawler, and the upbeat energy of Spyke, as all of these traits make him the lovable pretty boy with a hilarious streak of the team. His positivity and his charisma make him the shining light of the group who can make sure they do not let despair consume them. Speaking of light, I could also compare him to The Green Lantern because of how much he can radiate and eradicate any dark force not necessarily with a ring but mainly with attitude. Furthermore, he is the fifth eldest member as well as the charismatically charming pretty boy of the team. That charm and lovability about him, plus his cute dimples, have made him cultivate a loving, secure, and supportive romantic relationship with Shunran as well as make Inuyasha perceive him as the little brother he would like to have, Ayame consider him as her good friend, Hakkaku love him as his brother, and make him gain a good amount of respect from Sesshoumaru and Shuran.
Shunran: The Feisty, Rambunctious, Enthusiastic Minx with a surprising amount of Brain
Shunran can be compared to Hawk Girl’s persistence, Iron Man’s craftiness, Shadowcat’s vivacity, Rogue’s youth, and Black Widow’s feminine charms as well as Gabrielle’s sweetness, Dawn’s girlishness, and Willow’s smarts. One should never let Shunran’s girlishness fool anybody because she is just as crafty, sneaky, and surprisingly accurate with all of her attacks which do not rely on muscle but on tact, trickery, and luring the enemies to a fatal trap wrapped in silk and smelling like cherry blossoms, lavender, and roses. Shunran is the youngest team member, which also makes her the baby of the group, and is easily the most traditionally feminine combatant. I say traditionally feminine because she is exuberant about her girlishness and is a nice contrast to Ayame’s warrior girl mentality and personality. Speaking of Ayame, Shunran is her foil in nearly every way from being very supportive of her endeavors to looking up to her as her older sister from another mother to being each others’ confidantes to being by each others’ sides through thick and thin. She is even extremely supportive of Ayame’s three-way relationship with Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha, as she does look up to the two dog yokai brothers as her beloved older brothers-in-law. As for her relationship with Ginta, it has been full of positivity, unconditional love, and boundless support from the very beginning, which they have been cultivating for years and has been passed down to their children including Moegi, Satsuki, Sayo, Saki, Kanna, and Ai.
In conclusion, Sesshoumaru, Inuyasha, Ayame, Shuran, Hakkaku, Ginta, and Shunran joining forces and becoming one superb team does make Feudal Era Japan and the world a much better place. Foes better beware when they strike with their collective strength.
I hope you all enjoyed this and I would love to hear from you too. Do you believe Sesshoumaru, Inuyasha, Ayame, Shuran, Hakkaku, Ginta, and Shunran make such a formidable team? Comment below and let me know. I shall see you all in the next submission. Take care and stay safe, everybody.
Sesshoumaru, Inuyasha, Ayame, Shuran, Hakkaku, Ginta, and Shunran from Inuyasha belong to Rumiko Takahashi and Sunrise.
