Inuyasha Top 10 Highest Rated Episodes
By: Harley Acres & Dylan Acres
It's interesting to be able to chart the audiences following a show over its life, which shows started slow and built an audience, or which were strong out of the gate and held their audience until the end? To give context, the numbers here are a percentage of total television owning households in the Kanto region which is the largest television market in Japan. It is important to note that comparing ratings from similar days, months and years is somewhat useful, however it would be unfair to compare ratings from the 1980s to thows from the 1990s, 2000s or later due to the fragmentation of the television viewing audience (due to the addition of more and more television channels, streaming services, and video games).
When possible anime programs that aired in the time slot following
Inuyasha and anime that aired against
Inuyasha on other networks are cited to give further context. Here we examine the highest rated episodes of
Inuyasha (and the lowest rated episode as well). Also we will mention the highest rated episodes of
Inuyasha: The Final Act and
Yashahime, but because they are comparatively short series, looking at ten episodes from each would encompass a quarter of both series total run. If you would like that information, please see
our individual episode summaries for each episode's specific rating.
Director: Megumi Yamamoto (山本恵)
Animation Director: Shinichi Sakuma (佐久間信一)
Script: Katsuhiko Chiba (千葉克彦)
Storyboards: Megumi Yamamoto (山本恵)
As we discuss in our directors guide, Shinichi Sakuma is one of the most prolific directors of Inuyasha having served as animation director on 68 episodes. Director Megumi Yamamoto's other work includes Eatman '98, Yakitate!! Japan (焼きたて!! ジャぱん) and Beyblade (爆転シュート ベイブレード/Bakuten Syutto Beibureedo).
That night, Inuyasha's was the lead in to Detective Conan (名探偵コナン) which scored a 20.9 with episode 272, "The Secret Rushed Omission (Part 2)". [1]
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Director: Hirofumi Ogura (小倉宏文)
Animation Director: Rie Nakajima (中島里恵)
Script: Katsuhiko Chiba (千葉克彦)
Storyboards: Toshiya Shindome (新留俊哉)
Hirofumi Ogura would move on to direct Dan Doh!!, Yakitate!! Japan, Gintama (銀魂) and Kekkaishi (結界師) as well as the series director for Black Butler II (黒執事/Kurotsuji II).
Inuyasha's was followed by, Detective Conan, which scored a 21.2 with episode 268, "The Truth Behind Valentine's (The Resolution)". [2]
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Director: Masakazu Hishida (菱田正和)
Animation Director: Shinichi Sakuma (佐久間信一)
Script: Junki Takegami (武上純希)
Storyboards: Masakazu Hishida (菱田正和)
Masakazu Hishida got his start on the Sunrise anime Cho Mashin Eiyuuten Wataru (超魔神英雄伝ワタル) and Turn A Gundam (∀ガンダム) and has directed feature film anime as well including the first Yatterman film (劇場版 ヤッターマン 新ヤッターメカ大集合! オモチャの国で大決戦だコロン!).
Airing immediately following that night's Inuyasha was Detective Conan episode 256 "The 14th Round of the Matsue Tamatsukuri Linked Verse Contest (Part 2)" which scored a 18.6. [3]
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Director: Masakazu Hishida (菱田正和)
Animation Director: Shinichi Sakuma (佐久間信一)
Script: Katsuhiko Chiba (千葉克彦)
Storyboards: Akira Nishimori (西森章)
Screenwriter Katsuhiko Chiba has worked on Zatch Bell (金色のガッシュ!!/Konjiki no Gashu!!), Shaman King (シャーマンキング) and later returned to work on Yashahime as well. It is said he is best known for his comedy scripts on Kabutoborg (人造昆虫カブトボーグ V×V/Shinzou Konchuu Kabutoboogu Bictori by Bictori). [4]
Inuyasha was in its early days, having replaced Kindaichi Case Files (金田一少年の事件簿/Kindaichi Shonen no Jikenbo) in its timeslot. Following Inuyasha on NTV that night was, Detective Conan episode 214 "The Mysterious Retro Room Case" scored a 19.4. [5]
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Director: Akira Toba (鳥羽聡)
Animation Director: Shinichi Sakuma (佐久間信一)
Script: Junki Takegami (武上純希)
Storyboards: Mitsuko Kase (加瀬充子)
The first original story for the Inuyasha anime and the tone for these stories was set by screenwriter Junki Takegami. He also wrote for Maison Ikkoku and Gu-Gu Ganmo (Gu-Guガンモ) along with over 80 scripts for One Piece.
Airing immediately following Inuyasha's episode was Detective Conan episode 267 "The Truth Behind Valentine's (The Reasoning)" scored a 20.0. [6]
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Director: Tatsuya Ishihara (石原立也)
Animation Director: Shouko Ikeda (池田晶子)
Script: Katsuyuki Sumisawa (隅沢克之)
Storyboards: Tatsuya Ishihara (石原立也)
For two consecutive weeks, Inuyasha had one of its highest ratings periods. Screenwriter Katsuyuki Sumisawa was one of the primary writers behind Inuyasha and he returned to oversee Yashahime as well. Shouko Ikeda was killed in the Kyoto Animation Arson that killed 36 people by perpatrator Shinji Aoba (青葉真司). [7]
That night's episode of Detective Conan following Inuyasha was episode 266 "The Truth Behind Valentine's (The Case)" which scored a 20.4. [8]
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Director: Akira Nishimori (西森章)
Animation Director: Shinichi Sakuma (佐久間信一) & Atsushi Shigeta (重田敦司)
Script: Ai Ota (太田愛)
Storyboards: Akira Nishimori (西森章)
In addition to his work on Inuyasha, Akira Nishimori was also one of the storyboard artists on the Rumiko Takahashi Anthology series. Additionally he served as the director for the anime film éX-Driver (エクスドライバー/Ekusudoraiba).
That night's episode of Detective Conan following Inuyasha was episode 228 "The Murderous Pottery Class (Part 1)" which scored a 19.4. [9]
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Director: Tatsuya Ishihara (石原立也)
Animation Director: Shouko Ikeda (池田晶子)
Script: Takashi Yamada (山田隆司)
Storyboards: Tatsuya Ishihara (石原立也)
Once again Inuyasha scored two of its highest ratings on consecutive weeks in March of 2001. Episode director Tatsuya Ishihara got his start working on Tenchi Universe (天地無用!). The previously mentioned Kyoto Animation arson attack impacted his career as well. After Yasuhiro Takemoto (武本康弘) passed away in the fire, Ishihara became the replacement director on Miss Kobayashi's Dragon Maid S (小林さんちのメイドラゴンS/Kobayashi-san chi no Meidoragon S). [10] Additionally he directed episodes of K-On! (けいおん!) and the film The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya (涼宮ハルヒの消失/Suzumiya Haruhi no Shoshitsu).
That night's episode of Detective Conan was episode 229 "The Murderous Pottery Class (Part 2)" which scored a 19.8. [11]
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Director: Hitoyuki Matsui (まついひとゆき)
Animation Director: Hiroaki Noguchi (野口寛明)
Script: Takashi Yamada (山田隆司)
Storyboards: Hitoyuki Matsui (まついひとゆき)
Hitoyuki Matsui is not only an anime director, but also a director for the stage as well. His works include Brat Cop (がきデカ/Gaki Deka), Fist of the North Star 2 (北斗の拳2/Hokuto no Ken 2), and Naruto (ナルト). He also returned for Inuyasha: The Final Act.
Following Inuyasha was Detective Conan aired episode 225 "The Secret of the High Sales" which netted a score of 21.6. [12]
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Director: Tamiko Kojima (小島多美子)
Animation Director: Hayao Nobe (野部駿夫)
Script: Shusuke Kaneko (金子修介)
Storyboards: Tamiko Kojima (小島多美子)
Kojima would go on to storyboard episodes of Maison Ikkoku, Ranma 1/2 and Oishinbo (美味しんぼ). Throughout her career she worked almost exclusively as a director and storyboard illustrator however she did write a single episode of Urusei Yatsura, episode 102.
By comparison, airing immediately following that night's Inuyasha episode was Detective Conan episode 250 "The Idols' Secret (Part 2)" which rated a 20.9. [13]
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Director: Teruo Sato (佐藤照雄)
Animation Director: Atsuo Tobe (戸部敦夫)
Script: Junki Takegami (武上純希)
Storyboards: Teruo Sato (佐藤照雄)
This is the episode of the original Inuyasha anime with lowest viewership, as accounting for the extremely late timeslot of Inuyasha: The Final Act would not be a fair comparision between the two series. Director Teruo Sato has worked on each Inuyasha series including Yashahime. He also worked on the Ranma 1/2 OVA "Nightmare of Spring Sleep" and directed the fourth Inuyasha film Fire on the Mystic Island.
For context, the highest rated anime of this year (2004) was the February 8th episode of Sazae-san (サザエさん) which scored a 30.0%. [14] That night's episode of Detective Conan, which followed Inuyasha, was episode 358 "Metropolitan Police Detective Love Story 5 (Part 1)" which scored a rating of 8.8. [15]
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Bonus: Highest Rated Episode of Inuyasha: The Final Act - Episode 7: Mausoleum of Mount Azusa
Rating - 3.3 (November 14, 2009)
Director: Shinya Watada (綿田慎也)
Animation Director: Shinichi Sakuma (佐久間信一) & Yu Saito (斎藤佑)
Script: Katsuyuki Sumisawa (隅沢克之)
Storyboards: Shinya Watada (綿田慎也)
Episodes of Inuyasha: The Final Act cannot be compared ratings-wise with episodes of the original series due to the fact that it aired at such a late hour in Japan, 2:20 am. As a result its ratings were very low compared to other programs that aired during primetime. Because of the late hour there is very little to compare ratings with. Programs like repeats of Big Wind-Up! (おおきく振りかぶって/Ookiku Furikabutte) aired at a similar time on a different night and network (TBS) and had generally similar ratings. [16]
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Bonus: Lowest Rated Episode of Inuyasha: The Final Act - Episode 8: Among the Twinkling Stars
Rating - 0.7 (November 21, 2009)
Director: Akira Toba (鳥羽聡)
Animation Director: Sachiko Sugimoto (杉本幸子) & Sayaka Koiso (小磯沙矢香)
Script: Katsuyuki Sumisawa (隅沢克之)
Storyboards: Atsuo Tobe (戸部敦夫)
Strangely the highest and lowest rated episodes of Inuyasha: The Final Act are only one week a part from one another. Again, there is very little that can be used to give a comparison to these ratings as there are no anime airing against it or following it.
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Director: Kento Nakagome (中込健人)
Animation Director: Miya Takaku (髙久美弥), Sachiko Sugimoto (杉本幸子), Hiroto Kato (加藤洋人) & Kaori Saito (齋藤香)
Script: Katsuhiko Chiba (千葉克彦)
Storyboards: Katsumi Ono (小野勝巳)
Yashahime aired at a much more respectable hour of the day (5:30 pm) when compared to Inuyasha: The Final Act (2:20 am), as a result its ratings are more in line with eventing programming. Kento Nakagome worked on other anime such as Aikatsu on Parade! (アイカツオンパレード！)
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Bonus: Lowest Rated Episode of Yashahime - Episode 48: A Never-Ending Future
Rating - 3.4 (March 26, 2021)
Director: Mitsuhiro Yoneda (米田光宏), Takashi Mamezuka (豆塚隆), Kenichi Domon (土門健一)
Animation Director: Manabu Katayama (片山学), Rie Nakajima (中島里恵), Taiki Eto (江藤大気), Kumiko Shishido (宍戸久美子), Shuji Maruyama (丸山修二), Atsuo Tobe (戸部敦夫)
Script: Katsuyuki Sumisawa (隅沢克之)
Storyboards: Terry
Surprisingly the lowest rated episode of Yashahime was its final episode. To clarify, Yashahime did not end due to its ratings, it was scheduled for 48 episodes and fulfilled its allotment.
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Dylan Acres is a psychology professor at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College. Harley Acres is an art history professor at Pikes Peak State College. The brothers founded Rumic World in 1996.
