Thanks a lot!

Masked Rin is like, the best thing ever.  

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I live in Mexico, and I really appreciate all your work thanks for everything.  

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I'm from Chile, and I also appreciate your work… thank you very much for the releases!  

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The joke page this week is spot on, Starks. Bravo.

Noble and badass though it may be, I laughed when Sango showed up in front of Naraku like she could actually take him on by herself. And Rin being all "Why don't I get a vote in deciding whether or not to save me?" was adorable.

I'm starting to think this isn't the beginning of the final battle, instead I'm guessing Naraku's going to find himself foiled again. This battle may be penultimate, though. RT can't stretch this too much farther and still finish in time for New Year's.

Does anyone else think that Naraku's death won't be the automatic end of the manga? I just feel like RT could still add one post-Naraku arc, just to wrap all the story threads up. Maybe not anything action-heavy, but more like an epilogue. Just a thought.

And finally: WHERE THE HELL IS SESSHOUMARU?!?!  

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Hey! that was cool! Sango vs. Naraku! Poor Kohaku, he really need some counsuling to get him over those memories.
(Maybe he needs Lelouch to Geass him…hehe)

I laughed out loud at Jaken this time, he's like, if Rin dies, Sessho-sama will kill me! And then he just wants to leave Kohaku!!

I'm starting to think that Sessho just fell into a big hole and disappeared. Rin is in mortal danger, and he's still nowhere around?!
When Naraku talked about killing Rin, I was like. "You can try if you want to…but if you want to see another day, I suggest you step AWAY from the child!"  

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No way is this the last big arc. Sango will have her Hiraikotsu repel Naraku in some one-time-uber-attack, like Kouga used.

I wonder how this arc ties in to Sessho and the sword issue. It has to, somehow.

And Miroku is one giant step closer to dying. They have to off Naraku, and soon.  

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Sessho is just taking his time that's the only explanation I could give. He's gonna make his grand re-entrance soon. I wouldn't be suprised if he didn't show up next chapter, although that may be pushing it a bit.

But yea last time Sango faced off against Naraku was when she first joined the group. We all know what happened then. I wonder if Naraku is gonna pull the same trick and try to use Kohaku to get to Sango again.

I can't wait to see what happens to Hirakotsu. I just hope it isn't demons coming out of it because that's type corny if you ask me. I'm thinking it might have the ability to maybe ward off the strong poison Naraku is letting out of his body. We'll see I guess.  

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Sess. is coming. Everyone calm down! He has to make his awesomely bad ass entrance at just the right time.

Gosh. Sess. Is such a badd ass. I love it.  

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I swear, every conversation on any of these scanlation sites turns into something about Sesshoumaru.

Either way, this was a good chapter :} Nonetheless, I too am beginning to think that it's not the end, unfortunately. I just want to see how this series ends instead of it being drug out further. It was getting monotonous there for a while.  

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2799- Heh, agreed. It feels like a Sesshoumaru fanclub.

Am I the only one who didn't think this was the 'end' end? Maybe the second to last, but obviously RT couldn't resolve everything in one battle. I'm sure there will be an epilogue, Inuyasha and Kagome will probably have the last scene.  

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Well, it was an interesting chapter and I liked the joke page very much! xD (you know, I got the same feeling when watching the anime and in every episodes the 'conversation' appeares at least half the time: 'Kagomeeeeeeeeeee!' 'Inuyashaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!') xP

Anyway, I believe we're one step closer to the end, however I don't think a final battle would be the very last scene. I don't know if this will turn out as the final battle or not, but I think an epilogue-like chapter will be definetely needed.

Oh, someones got a problem with Sesshoumaru??? -.-
Ahem.
Anyway, it does make me wonder where the hell is he?! Though an idea just popped into my mind! Maybe on his way here he meet Byakuya and they finally battle! That would be great; I just love the scenes where those two are facing each other – I don't know, it's just they always so… so… funny! xDD  

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You know what I just realized? We're long overdue for a chapter with color pages…

It's obvious that chapter 500 will have color pages to amplify the earth-shattering plot twist we are all anticipating.

  

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I vote for Naraku being a puppet again. For some reason, I think Sango's going to defeat him…only to realize it was another "trick".

I'm shivering in my boots thinking about how furious Sesshoumaru might be hearing about the scenario. Then again, I also think being away from the action is actually good. You need to distance yourself from some situations in order to work through them.

So, he can take his time, only if he comes back with resolve of what has to be done.   

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One way or the other… Rumiko must resolve the issue of Kohaku's shard within the next few chapters.  

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Aaaah! I want to see Sesh fighting against Naraku! Wow I hope he finally makes his 'Grand' entrance in next chapter.  

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Do you think Sesshy and Sango would fight alongside each other?  

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2810

Not really. If he shows they'll just fight him at the same time. But no teamwork or anything. Even in the last Sess+Inu battle, they didn't really team up. Sess just kind of took a little something extra from Inu's sword. But he still did his own stuff. And if Inu had been the one who had tried to convince him to use Tess' power, and not daddy's flea, he probably wouldn't have.  

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If Sessho jumped into the fight, Sango would probably back off and get Kohaku, Rin and Jaken to safety, while Sessho destracted Naraku. That would be the smart thing to do. Then have Kagome purify the shard once more.  

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Better question. Does Sesshoumaru even care about Sango? I mean, the most they've ever interacted with each other was when she begged him to spare Kohaku's life many volumes ago.  

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But it's not about Sango! It's about Rin! You see, Rin is in danger… Jaken and Kohaku just happen to be there with her, as well as Sango, so, in order to save Rin, he would also have to save the others, ne…? :S  

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Rin? Who cares about Rin? < /sarcasm >

It's not like Rumiko has apprehensions about killing lolis… Rin has died twice. Kanna killed herself.

  

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Who cares about Rin?

WHO CARES ABOUT RIN?!!!

Sesshomaru cares about Rin!!!!He'd sacrifice his life for that girl if necessary!

He doesn't care about Sango, but if Rin commanded him, he'd help her and Kohaku out.  

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Sesshomaru showing up in the next chapter is highly doubtful, and if he does, then it won't be until the end of the chapter when the whole Inuyasha group is there already.

Next chapter is about Sango's Hirakotsu and how it will react. And I'd like to see Sango take on Naraku by herself because in all honesty I'm sick of seeing Inuyasha weilding that overpowered sword against Naraku, as the others stand there and watch. It's nice to see someone else fight Naraku by themself for a change.  

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10 years…

50 volumes…

500 chapters…

AND WE STILL AIN'T DONE!

Something big better happen for 500.  

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Considering the ego-pummeling he just got over Tenseiga, the tardy Sesshoumaru is no doubt wallowing in self-pity with a bottle of sake. Okay, maybe not, but he better be, as he has been pretty derelict by now, and the next brotherly conflict with Inuyasha may this time be the younger brother rightfully scolding the older for his negligence. Father has already fated Sesshoumaru to be somehow in-his-mind "defeated" so that Tetsusaiga can acquire the meidou. That battle will be fun to see, with a suprise definitely in the brewing!

I'm sure he'll show up on the scene eventually, but not till after Inuyasha and gang, so they all can witness Sango's ultimate love for Kohaku, in whatever form that plays out. It'll be about time the brothers get a good up-front dose of how siblings are supposed to care for each other, and it will be hard scoffing at or ignoring Sango craddling Kohaku.

Kohaku may yet live…in trying to push buttons, Naraku revealed Kohaku's guilty patricide to a shocked Rin, so now she potentially can to do the empathy and healing role for Kohaku in a way Sango can't because of all the tragic guilty feelings Sango's presence brings. Nah, too complicated, and it would mean Kohaku would one day have to approach mean Sesshoumaru as his future father-in-law. Nope, either way the kid is doomed.

When he does show up, Sess is going to be so pissed! Naraku once again signed his long death warrant, but then Inuyasha may be in for some truly harsh stress-relief pummeling from his brother as well. Beware Inuyasha!

They all better hurry…Miroku does not appear to have much time left.  

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Personally, I think this is one of the best chapters we've had in a long time. Rin finding out about Kohaku's past, Kohaku being willing sacrifice himself to save Rin, and Miroku sucking up more shouki are definitely things I have been wanting to see. Although, this chapter has also made me slightly more of a Sango hater. Just a fun fact, Mosiac in Sam Lee's Mosaic ( they showed it on CN) his voice is played by the same guy who plays Miroku in dubbed Inuyasha. In case anyone thought they heard his voice before but couldn't remember where. ^_^  

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My theory about Kohaku shall stay as it is.

He can and most certainly will give up his shard, but the question has never ceased as to whether Rumiko could device a non-cheesy plot device strong enough to save him.  

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Lol who knows, she'll prolly make it so that when the shard was first placed in his back way back when, that he was still somewhat alive and not completely dead.

But I also think he's gonna die, and it could be very soon too.  

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Kohaku is, I think, completely dead. Otherwise, why would Sessho's mom comment that Sessho couldn't save Kohaku with Tensaiga? I also could have sworn that Sessho once commented that Kohaku smelled of death.

On Sango's upcoming battle: I really hope those pansy youkai don't jump out of Sango's Hiraikotse. They're lowly demons that shouldn't stand a chance in hell repelling Naraku, even if they've been purified to the nth degree. Naraku, repelled by a centipede and deer demon? Come on. Hopefully it'll be good.

Nice to see Kagome fighting. A couple more inches to the right and Naraku's last incarnation would've been history.

I don't see why Naraku couldn't slice and dice Kohaku; it's not like touching him sparks the purity backlash; it's only when he touches the shard.

Also, why didn't Naraku partially disintegrate when he touched Kohaku's extremely pure shard, like when he did the same with Kouga's shards way back when?

Thanks for everything Starks.  

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"I don’t see why Naraku couldn’t slice and dice Kohaku; it’s not like touching him sparks the purity backlash; it’s only when he touches the shard."

Because Naraku is a sadistic bastard who enjoys seeing people die in the most fucked up way possible.

This is how I see things turning out:
Miroku comes to Sango and co.'s aid (he risked his life trying to save both Kohaku and Sango before, and sucking in that shouki could have forshadowed something).

Sesshoumaru eventually shows up and takes on Byakuya (I admit that's wishful thinking >.> )  

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I've always wondered… What would happen the moment the shard is removed? Would he die instantly? Turn to bones like the Shichinintai? Suffer for a few seconds?  

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I think that he'd prolly suffer for a few seconds then die. You know in every manga they gotta have a dying character say their final words. The Band of Seven were already bones by the time the shards were put in them, whereas Kohaku's body didn't rot and was well in tact.  

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I have a random question that I'm sure you guys could answer. I was always under the impression that the only reason Kagome could travel through the well is when she has sacred jewel shards on her. If this is correct, why can Inuyasha travel through the well…and if somehow the jewel is destroyed or disappears on the fuedal era side of the well…how will kagome even get the chance to go back to her world?

This all might have been answered before…but Im still kind of new to this whole inuyasha tale.  

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elise: The whole Kagome-needs-shards thing is an anime only addition (and makes little sense as you say!) so it's not really canon. There's no indication in the manga that it's a requirement to travel through time. I wouldn't worry about it too much now, Takahashi will probably explain at the end how the connection works (since she's told us kagome might have to choose between worlds)  

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Elise, listen to Effo. He's right! The whole shard thing couldn't hold up. Especially later in the manga when Kohaku has the last piece and the two are still going back and forth between times. I mean if they needed the shards to travel, Kagome would've been stranded for a while already.  

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The stupid shard requirement was something that was established in the anime only but was quickly dropped.  

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Long time no see^^ In my school the new semester started, I'm having very busy days than vacation.

It seems that Sango will surely be Very angry at Sesshy. Sesshy, come back Quickly, or you could be hit by her (with hands? Hiraikotsu? kuku…)Well, you're already late, though. :p
Like others said, it was good to see the fights of Inu's 'Group'.(Byakuya would be punished kuku…will you betray, too?)
It really relieved me that Kohaku didn't die yet.(sigh of relief) but…
I don't think this would really be final-fight with Naraku. Well, well…let's see what happens^^

Thanks for the chapters^^(with the next chapter, the 50th book ends! wow…)  

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PS
Kagome also must come quickly. She should purify Kohaku's shard. That's what Kikyou said, too. And I think she(&others) will(If Rumiko sang intends not to kill Kohaku). Anyway, I expect next chapter&Sango&Hiraikotsu!^^  

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Again the shard required to travel through the time topic. To be precise in the anime this theory is established only in one place, I think in episode 33 where Kikyo took the big shard from Kagome, in the end credits (actually the announce to the next episode) the Kagome voice moans about that and says if she could use Miroku`s or Sango`s shard instead. As it was already said, this goof haven't been repeated in any form since then. Also don't forget that Shippo couldn't travel even with the shard.

Now, I don't know why everybody exclude the possibility that Kohaku have never died.
Kohaku appeared in the series after the period required for complete recovery of Sango. As both are siblings it is not hard to think that they can both survive great wounds. Actually Sango was worse injured, especially in the back.

If you remember at one point Sango also had shard in her. The shard didn't healed her instantly and removing the shard didn't killed her, either.

As for the Sessho-mom, all she said was that Tensaiga couldn't revive one who have already been revived by shards.

Of course my theory have 2 big flaws. Kohaku should know if he's been revived, and Kikyo should have been able to tell the difference.

BTW, have you though what would happen if Kohaku succeeded in choping his head while having shard in the back (/me imagining walking headless body).  

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Yeah, but Sango's a lot tougher then Kohaku (at their time of death anyway). He was only a little boy with not nearly as much will power.  

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Starks,
you had the habit to create new posts for the previews. Please next time separate the spoilers in the same way. I don't want to read spoilers or comments of them. I can avoid your well marked spoiler but there is no way to read only the comments that doesn't contain spoilers.  

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Yeah, I'll be resuming that habit starting next week. I'll see if I can muck around with the SQL database later tonight and split the comments from this post into another post for the 498 preview.  

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The shard requirement for using the well is set up early in the manga too, when Inuyasha steals the shards from Kagome and pushes her down the well thinking it's for her own good. She's stuck in the future until Shippo brings the SJ shards into the well while she's trying to get through.  

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