InuYasha the Movie 3: Swords of an Honorable Ruler

Although Tenka Hadou no Ken is the third Inuyasha feature film, it's the first of them to actually have the scope of a full-length feature. The other two movies were basically just longish episodes, and could have easily been divided up into the series itself. Tenka no Hadou Ken has the feel of something bigger.

This may be at least in part because of the storyline of the movie, which reaches back to the time of Inuyasha's birth and his father's death. We finally get a look at his father, Inu no Taisho, and a peek into the pasts of Inuyasha, his parents, and his brother Sesshoumaru.

The plot in brief: most Inuyasha fans probably already know about the two swords Inu no Taisho left his sons, Tessaiga and Tenseiga. The title of Tenka no Hadou Ken - which translates to "The Sword of World Conquest" - refers to a third sword, Sou'unga. While Tessaiga is the sword of man, and Tenseiga is the sword of heaven, Sou'unga is the sword of hell. After Inu no Taisho's death, it was sealed - only to end up at the Higurashi shrine in the present day for Kagome and Inuyasha to run across.

Predictably enough, all hell breaks loose.

Tenka no Hadou Ken is particularly interesting because not only does it give us a glimpse of Inuyasha's father, it also provides a peek at the inner workings of his brother Sesshoumaru, one of the series' more inscrutable characters. The movie also contains all the ingredients that make the series what it is: the semi-mythological setting and most of the regular cast of characters, whose interaction is as layered and satisfying as ever. Although the somewhat grim storyline mostly precludes humor once it gets going, there are a few comedic moments - most notably the opening scene with Inuyasha and Kagome, which is comedy gold.

Fans of the series should definitely not miss this installment.