I’ll join you in talking to the void about inuyasha since I am rewatching it for the first time since I was a teen (and it is the first time I actually have an order): I see what you mean with Kagura. But some poetic bittersweet death does the story good. Sess being there when she died and comforting her was a huge character development.

I’ve seen some clips from Yashahime and I doubt I’ll be able to watch it. I think the idea of the main conflict is compelling, but it’s already the language (“dad” instead of “father” is already off putting) and the character design (the tomboy daughter looks like she is wearing a suit and I somehow dislike that they had to make a tomboy character to begin with instead of a boy) that makes me unlikely to watch it.

I’ve spoiled myself the whole Rin thing though while I was in the middle of my rewatch and I have to admit I can see it. And I like it, and I prefer it. There is nothing romantic between Kagura and Sess, she only gives small indications, apart from the final declaration in the final act. (Not there yet in the manga, might scream into the void later.) He clearly only has compassion towards the end but no romantic or emotional attachment.

Honestly I can see it. While he is thankfully not grooming Rin when she is a child or showing any kind of romantic feelings towards her, it’s obvious she has a very unique position for a reason. The whole thing where he jumped into the Meido to save her from the netherworld (?) was a crazy episode. She’s the only person who makes him feel emotions like fear, sadness, regret, despair, and yes, love. Love for her, Jaken, life, his brother, the quest, people and beings. Hell even Sess’s mom was like “tf” and somehow found it in herself to revive a “human being” that is beneath her like an ant.

Afaik, even in Yashahime Sess is not being too present with Rin and never was, and their relationship isn’t all too lovey dovey. Their relationship, even when a romantic one, will be very… discrete. People point out that he is hundreds of years old anyway, so there will always be a difference in age/maturity when he finds a human partner. But I think this is almost making it too complicated. He is a demon. She is a human. The ick that we perceive stems from seeing it as a human-human coupling, when he is a demon and cannot be assessed this way. Apart from that, Japan in the feudal era and such. Him giving her choices en masse is already quite the luxury. Him not aging also. He is still a spoilt teenage/tween brat at the beginning of the series, despite being hundreds of years old.

Also I think Rin has a crush on Sess all along. I still have 4 episodes to go from the final act and idk what happens to Kohaku, maybe that would have been a more satisfying match for the audience, but I think for the characters SessRin makes more sense than SessKag and KohRin. I can absolutely imagine Rin being the pushier one to get together with Sess.