Recently I read a lot of fanfic with Inuyasha being a baka and choosing Kikyo over Kagome, so that she would be paired with Sesshomaru. The "you are the lesser reincarnation" trope or trend is very tiring.
1- Kikyo die its not hers anymore she lost it
2- it not call reincarnation for nothing it Kagome's (I think that Shippo made a similar comments)
3- maybe the gods upgraded the "soul" seeing as the first one failed

Those are excellent points, but we must remember that some of our readers LIKE stories of that nature. And some of our writers have taken some extremely interesting viewpoints using similar 'tropes.' In the end, it's more a case of 'to each, their own.'

One person's banquet is another person's poison, so we just avoid those things we don't like and read the ones we do!

~~Wiccan~~

Good point, Wiccan!

Personally, I agree with you, Mimi. I've made (what I feel) is the mistake of utilizing these tropes BUT to each their own. I personally enjoy the typical blanket-scenario. I always go back to it, lolol. But as a writer, these tropes are a form of expression and shouldn't be downplayed. There are readers (such as myself) who do enjoy them and writers who enjoy writing them.

I've read some amazing fanfiction with the scenario: Inuyasha choosing Kikyo as the better reincarnation. Would I write it myself now? Probably not, but it's an enjoyable scenario, a realistic scenario. The likelihood of that happening is high depending on where you are the series.

Point is: Don't tear it down because you don't like it, just stay away from it. Writers put their hearts and souls into their work, even for a trend or story line that is constantly used. Be mindful of others.

I always find this trope interesting if confusing, since in a general sense reincarnation seems to be linear rather than cyclical. As in Kikyou dies and Kagome inherits her soul in another time and in another body, and so is her reincarnation.

A linear inheritance.

The suggestion of the well, allowing Kagome to traverse time does seem to make this trope cyclical, since in a literal sense time-hopping is impossible, or unlikely. And a person encountering their past self from another lifetime, would also be impossible, and unlikely. Kagome could therefore be breaking the natural laws of time and existence without meaning too, so it does raise questions about how the well is able to exist in both times, and able to provide a passage between times.

It's interesting.

I like to think Kagome and Kikyou's reincarnation theme is only cyclical because they're bound by something in common.

The Shikon jewel, which we've already seen can bend natural laws, just like the Bone Eater's Well.

~ Pyre