The weekly column by Michihiko Suwa, the Yomiuri TV producer
December 20, 2004 Original Japanese text

In this time, I am going to report an event "InuYasha thanksgiving fair." It was held on December 12, 2004 at Hibiya Open-air stage in Tokyo. Unfortunately, it was bad weather on the day. the temperature was as low as 8º C (46º F) even at 12 pm . It also rained. The staff and I were trembling with saying "cold! cold!" Even so, as many as 1500 fans came. It stopped to rain around the start of the event. Voice actors and actress, Mr. Kappei Yamaguchi (InuYasha), Ms. Satsuki Yukino (Kagome), Mr. Koji Tsujitani (Miroku), Ms. Hoko Kuwashima (Sango), Ms. Kumiko Watanabe (Shippo) and others appeared on stage. With Mr. Hasegawa (announcer of Bunka Housou Radio, a host of Anime scramble) and Ms. Mamiko Noto (Rin) emceeing, the event started.

The site was filled with excitement during the event, which warmed up the whole site. Amusing games and shows took place. For example, we played games named "Searching Shards of Shikon" that audiences searched shards of Shikon hidden in the site together with the voice actors, and "Shippo's Ball Delivery" that the audiences rolled a big Shippo-shaped balloon with undulating. Moreover, we showed famous scenes and favorite lines selected by the voice actors on a big screen, and brought on overseas InuYasha-group cosplayers. At last, Ms. Noto did a reading of Ms. Takahashi's letter to the voice actors. Hearing it, a certain actress was moved to tears. Accordingly the event ended in a triumph. In a closing address I said "Let's let 2005 be the year of InuYasha, too," and the audiences responded loudly. I was grateful that the cast and all the audiences could feel united and all the members of the cast got a feeling that they wanted to hold the event again. I became convinced of a big hit of the movie 4 "InuYasha Fire on the Mystic Island" that is theatrically released on the 23rd. It was a great pleasure to be able to confirm the fans' enthusiasm for InuYasha and the ties between the cast and the fans even after the end of its TV series.

Because curtain speeches will take place in Tokyo and Osaka on the premiere, I wish you to come to the theaters. Shippo, Miroku and Kagome are to visit Osaka, and InuYasha, Do as Infinity and I are to go to Tokyo. In addition, hosted by Mr. Tomonori Jinnai who performed in the movie as a voice actor, a promoting TV program titled "Come! Tomonori Jinnai's InuYasha Theater" is scheduled to air on TV. Please check this page to watch the program:

http://www.ytv.co.jp/inuyasha_movie04/tokuban/tokuban.html

Because it won't rerun except for on Yomiuri TV, if you fail to check the schedule, you may never see it.