Volume 9

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The Inuyasha Narrative, Part 9: Sango, a Woman With Very Human Weaknesses
	Translation provided by: Robby Stine of Kanabits

A Girl’s Tragedy Showcasing Naraku’s Cruelty

Sango came about because, by around volume nine or ten of the manga, I was looking to finalize the members of Inuyasha’s group. Kagome was still the only girl, so I wanted to give her a female companion to travel with when the group went into action.

When Sango first made her appearance, we already were familiar with Naraku, and we’d already seen his human form. I created the entire situation with the demon slayer village and her brother being controlled to show just how cruel Naraku was. That story and the way it progressed was unlike anything I’d ever done up to that point. I felt bad for her, but I needed Sango to have these terrible things happen to her to make it clear how evil a foe Naraku was.

Sango is the most easily fooled, or maybe the most easily defeated. She has an uncertain heart, after all. Out of everyone in the party, she is the weakest emotionally. She’s the most skilled demon slayer in her village, so naturally, she is physically very strong, but mentally...she’s probably more sensitive than even Kagome.

Practical Battle Armor

When designing Sango’s battle armor, I thought about what was important to protect. Places like her neck, and of course her vital spots. Her usual kimono would be difficult to fight demons in, so she has to change before battle. The design for her armor came from practicality, and it provided an enjoyable contrast to her everyday look.

Finding Happiness in the End

I had a lot of fun with Sango. I make a point of never having characters in my manga talk about their own death, but I thought it was something Sango actually might do. Like that time Miroku was poisoned and demons were closing in on them. He told her to leave him and escape, but instead she refused, saying she’d rather die with him than leave him behind. This is something you absolutely cannot say in a shonen comic, but it is absolutely something she would say. Sango is the brooding type, but of course, considering what happened to her it would be ridiculous if she wasn’t.

I paired her and Miroku together because they had a lot of chemistry when I had them work together, and their banter was always amusing. It seemed the natural thing to do. At the very least, I thought she deserved some happiness in the end.

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