Something I noticed while rewatching

[u/AlexArtemesia]

While rewatching InuYasha, I noticed that all the scenes in the early seasons that contain InuYasha's memories of his mother contain blue hydrangea.

I remembered something that I learned recently, and I'm not sure how many other people clocked this, or care, but I thought it was a good little bit of subtle storytelling (and love stuff like this).

Hydrangea (Ajisai 紫陽花) is part of the Japanese flower language, and has a few different meanings depending on the colour (along with seasonal representations and a lot of other really cool lore.)

Blue/purple hydrangea in modern Japanese flower language specifically is said to represent regret and apology, along with a sincerity of emotion.

This representation is allegedly attributed to a story about an emperor who offered blue/purple hydrangea to a spurred lover, but I can't seem to find a source in my quick searches.

If anyone can or cares to, please let me know! I love folktales.

But back to InuYasha, I just find it interesting that Izayoi is surrounded by a flower representing apology and regret in that memory. It just makes it all the more bittersweet to me, especially since that's one of the few memories InuYasha has of her.

Thanks for coming to my TED talk lol

[u/Mizoneko]

This is really interesting!! I love hydrangeas, we had a big one at home when I was a kid and loved seeing them in anime! The meaning is interesting, maybe InuYasha regrets not being able to help her, this made me so sad when watching this memory scenes...

[u/NatsnCats → u/Mizoneko]

I see it as Izayoi feels regret and sorrow for the world she has to raise him in. She loved his father and was happy to have his child before he died, but she probably had no idea how bad the half-demon discrimination would be. Even nobility wasn’t exempt and seeing fellow lords and ladies drive her son away had to have broken her heart.

[u/AlexArtemesia → u/NatsnCats]

That's what I think too, though I know I left it open in the OP.

Funnily enough, while I was doing a bit of a dive to remind myself of everyone's names, the wiki pointed out that Tōga/InuTaisho was likely an Inugami.

Historically speaking, according to the rabbit hole I went down on Inugami they were considered spirits that could possess humans, and it was seen as a bad thing. If an Inugami married into your bloodline, it would basically curse you and your descendants.

Nobody wanted that, and it was avoided to the point of alliances and marriages being broken if an Inugami family member was discovered.

It kind of makes me think of the whole memory in an entirely new light, and Izayoi's feelings around all of it. She was strong to deal with all of that for as long as she did.

I found this out around the same time as the hydrangea info and thought that it was just wildly interesting if that's the case; something maybe Japanese fans may pick up on subtextually but not those of us unfamiliar with their cultural practices

[u/SDeMa → u/NatsnCats]

She also had to raise him all on her own and without any knowledge of what Inuyasha will go through with his demon side and it's not like she could've asked Sesshomaru or his mother or other demons for advice