I have found several fanfiction where Sesshomaru and Kagome get together because he goes into "heat" and either comes across her or seeks her out or something and intense lemons ensue. Either that, or Sesshomaru holes himself up in some cave and ends up going into a demonic rage and causing bodily harm to himself because of the heat.

While most of the stories I have read that use the male demon "heat" are pretty good, I cannot figure out why this idea is so popular..or why it is used at all.

"Heat" is something that only happens to female animals. It is part of their estrous cycle, which is a period in which the female is sexually receptive and ready to conceive. It is called being in "heat" because this is the only time the female copulates. Male animals are not restricted to a "heat" period - they will battle other males and mate with as many females as they can to pass on their genes. However, wild dogs are known to create "pair bonds" which usually results in a socially monogamous relationship ;P.

As for the second part of what I mentioned up there...why would he go into a rage and cause himself harm? Yeah, during "heat" females are more sexually active..have a higher sex drive and all that..but they don't cause themselves harm if they don't get any. I don't really understand this one.

So there is my opinion. I guess I kind of just want to know what your all's opinions and ideas are on the male demon "heat" thing. :3

I think the terminology is wrong. I think the appropriate term for a male would be rut. This could account for the elevated aggression. Male elephants are known to kill rhinos when they're in rut. All of that aggression.

Of course, this doesn't account for the aggression toward himself.

Also: This sort of heightened sexuality is common in ruminants like deer or sheep. A carnivorous group like canines wouldn't do it.

Good point. However, I still don't really think it is very appropriate for Sesshomaru, being a dog. Most aggression seen in dog packs is dominance and hierarchy issues.

Either way, I could only see female youkai going into heat. But at the same time, the more intelligent youkai (the ones who can achieve a humanoid form) may be more like humans in that they are capable of choosing to mate at any time, whether the female is fertile or not. Just as they are able to rely on their intellect to make decisions, instead of mostly instinct as animals do.

Interesting thoughts. To be honest, when reading stories that include male animal demons going to into heat I never really tie them into being the same as the animal they are compared with.

Demons, who have an animal counter part- like a canine for example. I do not really see Sesshoumaru as a normal 'dog', I see him and other canine demons as a completely different species.

Which is why I guess that them going into heat doesn't really bother me, or I've never really put much thought into it.

Yeah, I don't really see him as being exactly like a dog, either. As I mentioned in my last post...I see him as something between human and animal, with a little supernatural on the side.

Well, fundamentally, it's a plot device. How do we make the frigid Sesshoumaru a fiercely sexual creature who wants to boink now even to his own detriment? Is it founded on any sort of reality? Not really. It's just easy and fun, and appeals to writers/readers who like the sexual concept of it.

ladybattousai wrote:
Male elephants are known to kill rhinos when they're in rut.

Technically in elephants it's called musth. Rutting is the mating season of ruminants like deer. But yeah, males of SOME species (none canine) can go into an elevated hormonal phase, which they spend most of fighting with other males, not having sex (though sex is the end result). Aggression during these bouts can go completely out of control.

Heat? Never. There is NO male animal that goes into "heat", because males are fertile and receptive 100% of the time.

It also irks me when authors have Sesshoumaru telling Kagome SHE has gone into heat...humans may have a part of the cycle in which they are *more* fertile, but do not experience heat. Ever. Humans are one of the only species with "concealed ovulation". Humans, which have a menstrual cycle, can be sexually active (and potentially concieve) at any time, but animals with estrous cycles are only receptive and fertile at certain times. animals that go into heat have many physiological changes to advertise to males that they are ready. Humans do not because they are always ready.

But I have two degrees in Biology so admittedly it makes me fussy about these things.

I'm also waiting for the day some author includes a baculum in their fic. XD

Tally Mark wrote:

It also irks me when authors have Sesshoumaru telling Kagome SHE has gone into heat...humans may have a part of the cycle in which they are *more* fertile, but do not experience heat. Ever. Humans are one of the only species with "concealed ovulation". Humans, which have a menstrual cycle, can be sexually active (and potentially concieve) at any time, but animals with estrous cycles are only receptive and fertile at certain times. animals that go into heat have many physiological changes to advertise to males that they are ready. Humans do not because they are always ready.

Ah! whenever I would read stories where Sesshoumaru would think of Kagome going into heat or refer to her as being in heat, I always thought that may have just been because he did not know of human's cycles or term for it since he never really spent much time with them(aside from Rin-but she is not old enough to get menstrual cycles)So he just used the term that was used for a female demon.

A baculum would be entertaining. *boing* That was fast...

Maybe youkai are really Vulcans in disguise, and thus every seven years go into pon farr?

They baculum would be amusing... "I broke it!" "Why won't it go down?!?"

Then likewise, the youkai would be mystified by the humans lack of a clitoral bone.

I can see the appeal of the plunnie, but it doesn't make sense to me. Nods, I think along the same lines of 'Males don't go into Heat', and it kind of falls apart after that.

Tally Mark wrote:
ladybattousai wrote:
Male elephants are known to kill rhinos when they're in rut.

Technically in elephants it's called musth.

Haha, you are my favorite person. Ever.

Tooootally adding that to my encyclopedia of completely random information that no one ever wants to hear, but I tell them anyway.

But yeah, fics with the 'heat' and referring to anyone as a 'bi*ch' in the literal sense of the word sort of rub me the wrong way. There isn't really anyway to relate to that, making the characters seem like anything other than weird, sex-crazed animals. Which is not attractive in my opinion. And sort of like reading the script for a National Geographic documentary, British narator and all.

It's not like I get anything out of: "and then, because Kagome was in heat, they rutted in hopes that she would be pupped (which is a term that also urks me)". Like, "OMG, rutting is so hawt. And romantic. Dreamy goo mush."

...ok, I'll stop now lol

Xeraki wrote:
I have found several fanfiction where Sesshomaru and Kagome get together because he goes into "heat" and either comes across her or seeks her out or something and intense lemons ensue.

*coughs*

I am totally guilty of doing that. However, in my own defense I ascribed it to the fact that demons only have certain periods of fertility because otherwise (since they live long lives) they would totally overpopulate. Can you imagine Kagome popping out a mini Sesshou every year or so for some 500 odd years? (assuming she lived as long as he and blah blah blah.) That's a BIG family!

Basically, though, as someone else said, it's just a convenient plot device. I plead insanity on the basis that I had no control over what my fingers wrote once my mind decided Sesshou and Kagome needed a good romp.

It doesn't really bother me when other people use a "heat" to inject some lemony fun, but I can understand why it would bother some people. *shrugs* That's my 2¢.

I know males technically don't go into 'heat', or technically any human doesn't, but there are periods when I feel much more inclined to engage in umm...activites then others. Plus, there are periods when I'm just turned on period. Perhaps a Male Demon's 'heat' period is a human male turn on cycle on steroids?

Oh, I definitely understand that it is mostly a plot device to get the two together. I don't hate on it for that at all. In fact, Tiegrsi, I read your story that uses the "heat" and really enjoyed it. I understand the whole..limiting the number of births thing, but like I mentioned I think something like that would be found with the female youkai instead of the male. I think I kind of agree with Walter, in that it would make sense for the male equivalent to be just..really strong urges.

I'm just a little nitpicky about the male "heat" not being realistic xD

And ooh, I wonder if Sess would have a baculum in his humanoid form as well..or just in his demonic form? Perhaps you should be the one to write that, Tally! ;P

I also agree with ToWriteLoveOnAPage, the crazed animal sex thing can be entertaining sometimes, but its become extremely popular lately, and a tad overdone xD I don't read them all that often, though. I definitely prefer the stories that are more geared towards a plot, and lemons that are actually portrayed as beautiful like the act itself can be. c:

Walter205 wrote:
I know males technically don't go into 'heat', or technically any human doesn't, but there are periods when I feel much more inclined to engage in umm...activites then others. Plus, there are periods when I'm just turned on period. Perhaps a Male Demon's 'heat' period is a human male turn on cycle on steroids?

I completely agree. There are times when guys, like myself, do experience something more from time to time.

With the idea the "Demons" are more powerful and tied into nature via their animalistic likeness it is possible that it is just a much stronger version. I have always liked the ideas that when the female demons or Demoness, however you prefer, go into heat it causes a effect on the males that can give much of the same reaction since demons are more instinctual and are supposed to have much stronger senses and have the chance to be effected greater than a human would.

I have also read that on some degree human female kind do go into a form of heat.
Studies have shown that a woman is more inclined to need to feel "Sexy" and "attractive" around the ovulation cycle, when they are most fertile and certain activities can bring about conception, and the woman can go out of her way to attract someone even when she really would do that sort of thing normally.
It has also been proven that the hormonal increase from the woman effects men too, they seem to crave the woman more when around her during that "time".
It is true as well that when a woman and man spend enough time together that their hormones balance out together, even more so if they are sexually active together.

I think under the right circumstances it is possible for a demon with stronger senses
and a stronger tie to his instincts could have a reaction that could be like going into "Heat" not that I'm sure that is what is should be called.

Natures call can come to anyone in the strangest of ways, you never know...
So I say anything is possible.

=#=War=#=

(Please forgive any spelling/grammar I suck at typing lol!)

Hmm, yes I also agree that male demons wouldn't go into heat. But, I also go a little futher than that. You see, as demons are different than other living beings, I thing they would also have different urges(or 'gentler'-'toned down' ones).

Let me explain, as in Inuyasha the demons are youkai (which could be anything between demon, spirit, monster apparation, etc..) they probably would have the instincts of their 'mortal' counterparts, just not their 'urgency' (or 'potentcy'). Specifically the sexual ones. They have extremely long lives, so I don't think they would be all that concerned with finding a mate/wife as soon as possible when they enter sexual maturity. And, as not many things can kill them (except other demons, holy beings and demonslayers), I don't think they would also be concerned with passing their genes on 'before they perish'. So I don't think they are all that active umm... 'between the sheets', at least not as active as humans (and how active most writers seem to prefer to portray them). It probably just doesn't 'occupy' them as much as it does humans, it's most likely not that much of a concern.

To back up my belief a bit: If youkai really like to (need/want to) couple that often, then why don't they have more than a couple chideren (and I don't belive there is a kind of birth control for them... and I especially don't believe they could control when they would conceive.... no living thing should be able to do that, it defeats the purpose of the act - 'that' has first and foremost evolved as a way of reproduction... the pleasure came after--> to encourage it).
It is said that Inu no Taisho lived for a really long time, yet he only had 2 children, princess Abi was the only child of her mother (and I believe her old), Hosenki had only one son, Totosai no kids (that we know of), same for Myoga, there are only two thunder brothers, Kouga was an only child...
And, lets say there is the argument that there was no love between them... to whom did they go instead? Why aren't there children of those other partners? I don't think they need (or yearn) to do 'it' as much as other 'mortal' being do.

And I believe that the more powerful/controlled (advanced/higher) demons have less of a reproduction drive than lower demons (lower demons have many 'babies', higher ones have significantly less).

~lily