Inu-Yasha Tragic Coincidence?

A Mary Sue is a "perfect" character, generally an original character in fanfiction or RPGs. Typically described in agonizing detail so that the reader knows exactly how beautiful and charming and wonderful they are, Sues are known for being all-powerful and all-knowing, except at the exact moment that they need to be weak and vulnerable so that (insert name of hot, sexy character that the author/player likes) can rescue them and the two can fall in love. They're frequently "unique" (i.e. "the last member of her clan" or "the only woman to ever do so-and-so"), and have false flaws which represent the creator's sad attempt to make them seem like they aren't Sues (like they can't cook, can't sing, aren't self-confident, etc.).

In a nutshell, a Sue is an insert of the author's fantasy self; their idea of an ideal character who can play out all their fantasies of being popular, cool, and in love with their favorite series character.

Now, back on topic...

It's certainly true that Kagome doesn't have the same level of direct trauma as the other characters do. I think this is partly because she's the female lead, and given the nature of the story and intended audience, she needs to be accessible to normal teenage girls. Rather than escaping or confronting pre-existing problems, she's only just being thrust into them when the anime starts. I mean, wouldn't you feel just a bit traumatized to be in her situation? XD

And while she may not have lost her family, they HAVE been put at risk (remember the Noh mask demon?) because of who Kagome is and what she's gotten into. She also doesn't spend much time with them. What might seem like every girl's fantasy - being thrown into a magical new world where you have powers and whatnot - isn't actually all that great, as evidenced by how disconnected she is from her family, her friends, her social life.

Kagome's various tragedies and issues are a lot more low-key than, say, Inuyasha's or Miroku's or Shippou's - but they're there. She's got way more responsibility and danger in her life than she probably ever imagined. XD She's constantly seeing her friends hurt, and wrestling with her emotions in regards to Inuyasha, and wondering where she stands as compared to Kikyo... I'm sure she's often felt like a third wheel, or simply a burden when she needs to be rescued.

 

You may have hit the nail on the head there, Dilandau. I certainly hadn't thought of it that way, but going back to the original topic, I can't help but wonder if Takahashi could've thought of some other tragedy for some of the other Inuyasha leads instead of these brutal and gory deaths of their family members. Though I understand that, since the story takes place in the feudal ages, death is much more common and made much less of a big deal, it seems a little ridiculous to have almost every character's family killed.

And yes, I would DEFINITELY feel traumatized to be in Kagome's situation, and that's why I'm always irritated when the very small (though still existent) anti-Kagome league riles up and starts yelling that Kagome is the worst character of all time because she's a coward compared to, say, Sango. Of course she'd be more cowardly then Sango because Sango's been born and raised in the feudal ages, whereas Kagome's a girl of modern civilization. Blech, but I'm getting off topic XD Always seem to do that when Kagome's involved..

Actually, I don't think Kagome minds it all that much. True, the limited time with her family is a disadvantage, but (as shown when she returns home) her social life is quite another story. Whenever she shows up back at school she's constantly interrogated by her nosy friends, annoyed by Hojo, and ends up coming home relieved to be returning back to the feudal era. With friends like that, I can almost understand why .

 

That's a point. But then again, a lot of the interrogation is her grandfather's fault in the first place, given the stories he comes up with. XD

But consider this: I would imagine that Kagome was originally very close with her friends, or at least thought she was. Then, BAM!, she's got this double life to lead - and suddenly, maybe she doesn't feel like they have that much in common anymore. It has to be difficult to be in her shoes because, well, she doesn't really fit into either time. She's too modern and often too soft for the feudal era, but as the series progresses she seems almost equally out of place in the modern world. As you noted, she's usually relieved to get away from the life that she used to have. The experiences she's had with Inuyasha & crew have brought her much closer to them - but as Kagome herself realizes, what's the likelihood that she could ever "belong" with them? No matter the series' eventual outcome, I think she has quite a lot of emotional hardship to deal with.

 

Well, not non-existant for long. Heh.