The Inuyasha manga and anime characters are created by Rumiko Takahashi. Most of the series takes place in a fictional version of Japan's Warring States period with occasional time-travel/flashback elements to modern Tokyo or the Heisei period. The setting and plot incorporate many elements of traditional Japanese folklore and religion; its main characters (both protagonists and antagonists) include a Shintō priestess, a Buddhist monk and several types of yōkai (usually rendered as "demon" in English-language translations of the series).

The story begins with Kagome Higurashi, who, after being pulled down a well by a demon, finds herself in the Warring States period of feudal Japan, where she learns that a powerful jewel known as the Shikon Jewel has been reborn inside her body. After the jewel shatters in an attempt to retrieve it from one of the many demons who are after its power, Kagome joins forces with the half-demon Inuyasha—also after the jewel's power—to track down the Shikon shards before the demon lord, Naraku uses it.

Concept and creation

According to interviews with the author, the style for Inuyasha's clothing was based on "priest's garb" of Japan's Warring States period. The series was conceptualized as a historical drama, a genre which Takahashi had not yet attempted as an entire series. Inuyasha himself was envisioned as "someone who hates to lose", a complex character with "a tense and conflicted personality" rather than being "cheerful and refreshingly straightforward."

In contrast, Takahashi wanted "to show her readers that Inuyasha's opponents are this bad and do these kinds of to gain their understanding of his actions" and "portray what Inuyasha is really angry at, not just that someone is no good because they are evil." She originally planned to make Jakotsu a woman to give the Band of Seven "more diversity" but changed her mind, saying, "when I started thinking about it, I didn't feel comfortable having Inuyasha fight and defeat a girl."^[1]

Main characters

Inuyasha

Voiced by: Kappei Yamaguchi (Japanese); Richard Ian Cox (English)

Inuyasha (犬夜叉) is the main protagonist of the series. He was born of a dog-demon father and a human mother. Though he appears to be a teenager, in "Swords of an Honorable Ruler", which is not written by the author, it is revealed that he is over 200 years old. In addition, according to the official Inuyasha guide by Rumiko Takahashi, his appearance is equivalent to that of a fifteen-year-old boy. Inuyasha initially wanted to use the enormous power of the Shikon Jewel to become a full-fledged demon. Inuyasha has dog ears, claws on his fingers, sports a red garment called the Robe of the Fire-Rat and is always barefoot, which comes in handy when he has to scratch himself with his feet, the way a dog does.

In 2001, Inuyasha won the Animage Grand Prix for Best Male Character.^[2]

Kagome Higurashi

Voiced by: Satsuki Yukino (Japanese), Moneca Stori (English, original series, movies, games), Kira Tozer (English, The Final Act)

Kagome Higurashi (日暮 かごめ, Higurashi Kagome) is the female protagonist and narrator of the series. She is a beautiful, bold, kind and warm-hearted girl. She goes out of her way to help people and teaches Inuyasha to display kindness. She is emotionally and spiritually the strongest in the group and often uses her powers when her friends are in danger. She invited Miroku, Shippō, Sango, Kirara and even Kagura (who declined), to join her and Inuyasha on their quest to collect the Shikon shards and defeat Naraku. She is extremely tolerant in dealing with Inuyasha's pettiness, though the two argue quite a bit. Her kind attitude resulted in many men (Koga, Hojo etc.) strongly falling romantically in love with her. Her heart is pure, although a speck of darkness is found later in the series that is caused by her jealousy of the priestess Kikyo, who Inuyasha once loved. Despite this, Kagome always saved and showed kindness to Kikyo when given the chance. She becomes much more strong and skilled in archery as the series progresses, and eventually learns to master her immensely strong spiritual powers.

In the extra epilogue chapter after the manga's end, Kaede notes that Kagome has developed her powers so much that she no longer needs any assistance from Kaede nor the late priestess Kikyo.^[3] Age 15 at the start of the series, she is a junior high school student born in 1982 in modern Japan. She is the reincarnation of the deceased (and later resurrected) priestess Kikyo, and thus resembles the priestess in looks. Kagome has the Shikon Jewel unknowingly hidden inside her body until her 15th birthday, when a demon pulls her into the Bone Eater's Well at her family's shrine and takes her 500 years into the past. They emerge in the Feudal Era about fifty years after Kikyo's death, where the demon tears the jewel from Kagome's body. She releases Inuyasha from his seal, and he defeats the demon, but after the awakening murder, attempts to slaughter Kagome for the jewel. Kaede, Kikyo's younger sister, uses her great spiritual power to force a necklace of subjugation onto Inuyasha, so Inuyasha and Kagome are bound by the artifact. The jewel's power proves to be a very strong lure for evil. When the Crow Demon seizes the Shikon Jewel, Kagome attempts to stop it with a longbow and arrow, but in doing so, accidentally shatters the jewel into numerous fragments that disperse throughout Japan. She agrees to help find them, as she can sense the presence of nearby shards, and Inuyasha comes along as protector and companion (and, ostensibly, so he can steal the jewel from her when it's complete, though he makes no secret of this).

As the series progresses, she begins to fall in love with Inuyasha, and finds herself competing with the revived Kikyo for his affections. Near the end of the series Kagome finds herself trapped in the Shikon Jewel. She has to make a decision that could make or break the world that she knows and loves, with just one final wish. With the help of Inuyasha by her side, Kagome wishes away the jewel. With the disappearance of the jewel, she is separated from Inuyasha and sent back to her own time. Three years later, 18-year-old Kagome completes her senior high school years and is finally able to return to the Feudal Era to see Inuyasha again. She marries Inuyasha and becomes a priestess to live with him for the rest of her life.

Miroku

Voiced by: Kōji Tsujitani (Japanese); Kirby Morrow (English)

Miroku (弥勒, literally Maitreya), is a lecherous, eighteen-year-old Buddhist monk who travels the countryside performing spiritual services such as exorcisms and demon exterminations, although sometimes he deliberately falsifies these to earn comfortable rewards. Miroku can attack enemies with his khakkhara and sutra scrolls, but his greatest weapon is the Wind Tunnel (風穴, Kazaana) embedded in the palm of his right hand, which is actually a hereditary curse originally inflicted upon his grandfather by Naraku. Though the Wind Tunnel is extremely powerful because it can suck in almost anything in its path, it grows larger and more powerful over time and with continuous use; it will eventually consume Miroku, as it consumed his grandfather and father. Miroku is able to seal up his Wind Tunnel with the prayer beads, but the curse can only be broken by killing Naraku. Miroku first meets Inuyasha by stealing the Shikon Jewel, causing them to fight one another until Kagome leaps between them. After Miroku explains his situation, Kagome asks him to join her and Inuyasha, given their mutual goal of wishing to destroy Naraku. He reluctantly complies, though he soon becomes one of Inuyasha's most trusted companions.

However, Miroku remains notorious for his recurring lechery, usually manifesting as shameless flattery, semi-surreptitious groping, and asking every woman he meets to bear him a child. While he learned these bad habits from the monk Mushin (夢心), who raised him after his father was engulfed into his own Wind Tunnel, Miroku also has the more serious motive of wanting an heir to continue his journey if he dies without defeating Naraku. Over time, Miroku's feelings mature and he begins focusing his affections more exclusively on Sango. However, because of his love for her, he fears that he cannot love her as an ordinary woman and hopes that if his Wind Tunnel consumes him, she will not die alongside him. He later proposes to her, which she accepts, though their relationship takes longer to solidify since Miroku is still prone to flirting with other girls, but expresses jealousy when other men act the same way towards Sango. When Naraku is finally destroyed near the end of the series, Miroku's Wind Tunnel disappears, freeing him from the curse. In the anime, Wind Tunnel disappears when Kagome purified Naraku's remained soul, but in the manga it is unknown if it happened when Inuyasha killed Naraku with Meido Zangetsuha or when Kagome purified the soul.

In the end of The Final Act, Miroku marries Sango and has three children with her, twin girls and a boy. He supports his family financially by exorcising demons with Inuyasha. However, according to Inuyasha, the payments he asks for a little more than what he deserves, but Miroku defends this as he has to provide for a family.

Sango

Voiced by: Houko Kuwashima (Japanese); Kelly Sheridan (English)

Sango (珊瑚) (literally "coral") is a sixteen-year-old Yōkai taijiya (妖怪退治屋, "Apparition Exterminators"), known in the English dub as "demon slayers"; i.e. humans skilled at killing yōkai. She who hails from a village that practices the act as their profession and is also the original home of the Shikon Jewel. While travelling, she wears a traditional woman's kimono, over which she wears long skirt, most likely "mo-bakama", and traditional woman's arm guards and leg guards, and straw sandals. As a demon slayer, Sango dresses in a black skin-tight jumpsuit, and pink armor plates made of demon parts, and a red sash. Of her broad repertoire of tools and tricks for fighting demons, Sango usually wields her most powerful weapon called the Hiraikotsu (飛来骨, "Flying Return Bone"), a human-sized boomerang made of purified demon bones. Her other weapons include a concealed sword and poisons. She is always accompanied by the demon cat Kirara and was ranked as #44 in a survey conducted by Newtype Japan for Favorite Anime Heroine in 2002.^[4]

Sango is first seen when she and her family and companions were on a mission to slay an evil demon while another demon had actually possessed the lord of the castle. The demon possessing the lord ends up controlling Sango's younger brother Kohaku (in English, "amber") and causes him to slay all of their exterminators except Sango. Realizing a demon was possessing both the lord and Kohaku, Sango attempts to attack the lord, but she and Kohaku are shot by the lord's retainers and assumed to be dead and buried at the orders of the lord's son.

Naraku later tricks Sango into attacking Inuyasha by deeming him responsible for her village's destruction. When the plot fails and Sango joins Inuyasha's group, Naraku revives Kohaku, controlling him as a pawn to manipulate Sango's emotions. While Sango seeks revenge against Naraku, her primary goal is to rescue Kohaku from his influence and save her brother's life. Sango is often the victim of Miroku's lecherous tendencies and gives him a loud slap for it, though she eventually falls in love with him. While she accepts Miroku's proposal of marriage, she requests that Miroku stop his lecherous actions and not to flirt either. He gradually acquiesces to her request, focusing his attention on her exclusively.

At the end of series when Miroku loses his Wind Tunnel, Sango retires from the demon exterminating business and marries Miroku, using the next three years with Miroku and form a family with a pair of twin girls and a baby boy. The two move into a larger home in Kaede's village.

Shippō

Voiced by: Kumiko Watanabe (Japanese); Jillian Michaels (English)

Shippō (七宝) (literally "tail") is a young orphaned kitsune, who attempts to steal the Shikon Jewel from Inuyasha and Kagome, wanting to become stronger and avenge his father's death. Though his plan fails, Inuyasha and Kagome aid him after hearing his story, and he becomes their companion. Shippō normally appears to be a young boy with certain fox-like features: his legs, feet, ears, and tail. Aside from this being an unusual form for a kitsune, perhaps unheard of, he does not seem to be confronted with the common kitsune problem of remaining in the mortal plain. He can shape-shift, but his other forms (such as a large flying balloon) are temporary and often ineffective, usually given away by his lingering fox tail ( traditionally a hallmark of kitsunes and ironically coherent with Shippo's name ) of Li and 2 5'' in height. He can also create illusory duplicates of himself, as well as weak Foxfire (狐火, Kitsunebi) magic and toy-based tricks such as his giant spinning top attack. Naively observant, he often directs cheeky comments to Inuyasha, earning a smack on the head. His actual age is never stated in the series; according to the official Inuyasha guide by Rumiko Takahashi, his appearance is equivalent to that of a seven-year-old boy.^[1] He often bears crushes toward the little girls in the village and often succeeds in his efforts to protect and impress them ; Kagome believes Shippō has picked up some of Miroku's habits. Though he is the weakest member of Inuyasha's group, Shippō gradually becomes braver during the series and is dedicated to his friends. Despite Inuyasha's attempt to stop Shippō from joining their final battle against Naraku, Shippō goes anyway in hopes of helping his friends in the ways that he can. At the end of The Final Act, Shippō resides in Kaede's village, but often leaves to train and take the kitsune demon examination.

Kirara

Voiced by: Tarako

Kirara (雲母), "Kilala" in the English anime dub, is Sango's faithful companion who usually appears to be a small kitten-sized feline with two tails, but can become large enough to carry several passengers whenever the need arises. She is a spiritual entity, like the kitsunes and is most likely a nekomata. Her full-sized form has more prominent fangs, flames around her feet and tail, and enough power to fly through the air fast enough to keep up with Inuyasha's top speed. In her small form, she is small and cute, with no fangs, wide eyes, and two tails. It is made apparent that Kirara once belonged to Midoriko when they go to her cave for the first time. When Kohaku's memory returns, Kirara is the first character to find out. Following the destruction of both Naraku and the Shikon Jewel, Kirara became partners with Kohaku on his quest to slay demons for those in need.

Recurring characters

Kikyo

Voiced by: Noriko Hidaka (Japanese); Willow Johnson (English)

Kikyo (桔梗) was/is an extraordinarily powerful, high-ranking priestess who lived fifty years prior to the events of the series. A very vengeful woman and quite cautious of who she trusts, Kikyo was given the task by the Taijiya clan to guard and purify the Shikon Jewel. She fell in love with Inuyasha, who considered using the Shikon Jewel to turn him completely human so it would fade and she could live with him as a normal human. However, having had an indirect role in his creation, Kikyo is mortally wounded by Naraku posing as Inuyasha and believed the real Inuyasha betrayed her. Kikyo found Inuyasha, who also fell for Naraku's deception when he assumed Kikyo's form to antagonize the half-demon into attacking the village, and sealed him to the Sacred Tree. Though Naraku had expected her to use it to save her life, and corrupt it so he can have it, Kikyo dies after requesting to have the Shikon Jewel be burned with her body on the funeral pyre. Though Kikyo intended to keep it safe within her soul, the Shikon Jewel is brought back to the feudal era through her modern-day reincarnation, Kagome Higurashi.

Kikyo is suddenly brought back to life when a demon-sorceress named Urasue captures Kagome and transfers a fragment of her spirit into a clay human-like body made with graveyard soil and Kikyo's ashes, and kills Urasue. Due to her new nature, finding herself more free as she lacks emotions, Kikyo requires the souls of dead women to prolong her new life. Kikyo initially intends to kill Inuyasha before learning the truth that Naraku played them against each other, her feelings for Inuyasha rekindle a bit as the series progresses while expressing some jealousy towards Kagome. Regardless, Kikyo focuses her full attention on Naraku, who regards her as a threat yet could not harm her due to Onigumo's influence. But once Naraku manages to cast out Onigumo's soul, having witnessed the demon's heart being taken away from Mount Hakurei, Kikyo is mortally wounded and sent falling into a river of miasma. Though Kagome manages to heal Kikyo, the lingering effects of the miasma remain as she uses a fragment of Midoriko's soul to restore her body.

When Naraku learned that Kikyo was intending to destroy him the moment he completes the Shikon jewel, he attempts to kill her again after absorbing Onigumo's soul to maintain the jewel's defiled state. Kikyo's wounds begin to spread throughout her body, obliging Kagome to go to Mount Azusa to retrieve a sacred longbow with special spiritual abilities of its own to heal Kikyo. However, Kikyo conceals the fact that she sent Kagome to Mount Azusa to purify her of the miasma Naraku had tainted her with. Kikyo shares her last moments with Inuyasha and finally dies in his arms peacefully. Her light is then transferred into Naraku's shard showing a tiny speck of purity in the darkness. When Naraku kills Kohaku after he finally had the will to live after apologizing to Sango, Kikyo's light within the shard decided to save Kohaku's life instead. In the end, she left the task of purifying the Jewel to Kagome, leaving herself to finally be a "normal woman". Before dying for the third and final time, she came to her younger sister Kaede in a vision, apologizing for her longtime suffering without her.

Sesshōmaru

Voiced by: Ken Narita (Japanese); David Kaye (original series, movies, games), Michael Daingerfield (The Final Act) (English)

Sesshōmaru (殺生丸, Sesshōmaru) is a powerful dog demon (daiyōkai), feared throughout the feudal era. Born of a great demon bloodline, he is the older half-brother of Inuyasha. Chronologically, he is over 200 years old, while according to the official InuYasha guide by Rumiko Takahashi, his appearance is equivalent to that of a 19-year-old male.

Sesshōmaru saw his father as the ultimate opponent, wishing to defeat him in combat and take his two legendary swords, Tessaiga and Sō'unga. He displayed an animosity towards his brother for being named by their father to have ownership of Tessaiga. Instead, Sesshōmaru inherited Tenseiga (天生牙), a sword that can not harm the living yet can bring back someone from the dead only once. Because it was a weapon that could not harm, Sesshōmaru keeps the weapon as a decorative piece on his person for occasional use. He is accompanied by his retainer Jaken and his two-headed longma steed A-Un.

Sesshōmaru is a master swordsman and one of the most powerful demons in the series. He appears as a tall and handsome young man. He has fair skin, golden eyes with slit pupils, waist-length white hair (in the anime, his hair reaches as far as his knees), and a purple crescent moon on his forehead. Sesshōmaru's true form is that of a giant red-eyed white dog. He only fully transformed into his demon form three times: once during a battle with Inuyasha, resulting in the loss of his left arm, another time when he met his mother, and during the battle against Magatsuhi. He produces an acidic poison that is mainly released from his claws in the Dokkasō (毒華爪) attack. While in his true form, the Dokkasō attack is transferred to his fangs.

Sesshōmaru attempts to steal Tessaiga from his father's resting place and lost his left arm during the battle with Inuyasha. Regardless, Sesshōmaru continues attacking his brother. By chance, Sesshōmaru encounters a human girl named Rin and saves her from death, ending up becoming her guardian while gradually becoming more sympathetic and caring. This also leads to Sesshōmaru to have a shaky truce with Inuyasha as they both have a mutual enemy in Naraku, who tempts Sesshōmaru by using Rin as a hostage. Eventually, Sesshōmaru encounters the severed head of Goshinki and brings it to Tōtōsai's expelled apprentice Kaijinbo so the fangs can create the cursed blade Tōkijin (闘鬼神), which Sesshōmaru used as his main weapon until it is later damaged beyond repair by Moryomaru.

According to the manga and anime, Sesshōmaru's growing feelings of compassion because of comments over Kagura's death result in his Tenseiga transforming into a fighting weapon, enabling the "Meido Zangetsuha" attack. Another interpretation that derives from the anime could plausibly be his growing feelings for Kagura that caused this change. When Kohaku and Rin were taken to the Underworld he goes after them. Rin died from being in the realm for too long before Sesshōmaru's mother revives her with the Meido Stone Inu no Taisho gave her. This was another lesson meant to teach him compassion.

Learning that Tenseiga was actually created from a discarded fragment of Tessaiga, Sesshōmaru finds out that his mastery of the Meido Zangetsuha was all part of his father's plan to bestow the ability to Inuyasha. Sesshōmaru would later have a final fight with Inuyasha that would serve in proving his half-brother's worth to use the Meido Zangetsuha and to finally end his obsession with Tessaiga and his father. Despite relinquishing the Meido Zangetsuha, Sesshōmaru in turn possessed Tenseiga.

During the battle against Magatsuhi, Sesshōmaru gains his own blade that is a manifestation of his own power: Bakusaiga (爆砕牙), which has the power to negate an opponent's ability to regenerate while inflicting damage after initial impact. The creation of Bakusaiga also restores Sesshōmaru's arm, which Tōtōsai explained to be the result of Sesshōmaru finally letting go of his obsession over Tessaiga and truly surpassing his father. In the final battle against Naraku, Sesshōmaru helps Inuyasha to definitely kill him. In the series epilogue, Sesshōmaru continues to travel while often visiting Kaede's village to bring Rin gifts.

Jaken

Voiced by: Yuichi Nagashima (Japanese); Don Brown (English)

Jaken (邪見) is a small green imp-like demon who is extremely loyal to Sesshōmaru, often praising his master's greatness although Sesshōmaru usually ignores and sometimes abuses him. Jaken himself is not especially powerful, but he wields the Nintōjō (人頭杖), a fire-throwing staff that Sesshōmaru gives him. The manga explains little about Jaken's past, but the anime shows that Jaken was once a lord among similar demons. During battle with another yōkai tribe, the enemy leader had Jaken by his neck when Sesshōmaru appeared in the middle of the battle and told the demon to move out of his path. When that was disobeyed, he destroyed the yōkai with his poison whip. Out of a sense of obligation, Jaken followed Sesshōmaru, who allowed him to become a servant if he could use the Nintōjō. In the epilogue, he still travels with Sesshōmaru. After hearing Kagome call his lord, "brother-in-law", Jaken threatens to kill her only to be shut up again by Sesshōmaru.

Rin

Voiced by: Mamiko Noto (Japanese); Brenna O'Brien (English)

Rin (りん) is an eight-year-old orphan girl who is always barefoot. She finds Sesshōmaru in the woods beneath a huge tree. After witnessing some bandits' brutal murderer of her parents, Rin is sent into a period of shock, only communicating with hand gestures and friendly smiles. Rin is mortally wounded during a wolf demons raid of her village. Sesshōmaru finds Rin's lifeless body and uncharacteristiclly revives her using Tenseiga. After this, Rin starts to speak and remains in company with Sesshōmaru, Jaken, and A-Un. Throughout the series, she is known for her kindness and loyalty to Sesshōmaru, despite this. She believes that men are more evil than demons because human robbers killed her entire family. In The Final Act, she causes grief and great sadness to him when she dies so in a way, Rin brings out the best in Sesshōmaru who never shows to other people his feelings for Rin, but he does have them. Rin also has a good relationship with Kohaku, as she tells him what about her family's murderous death. Kohaku tried to kill her when under Naraku's mind control, but once free, he became Rin's best friend and protects her along with Sesshōmaru. She is able to fully control A-Un and is recognized as his main master, as shown several times in openings and episodes that Jaken cannot fully control the beast, even though he got him first. She later becomes friends with Kohaku during his time with Sesshōmaru's group.

At the end of the series and either ten or eleven, Rin is adopted to live with Kaede, although Sesshōmaru is shown often visiting her and bringing her gifts. Inuyasha stated that she is in the village to practice to return to a human village or whatever she chooses.

A-Un

A-Un (阿吽) is a two-headed dragon demon and Sesshōmaru's beast of burden who is one of two yōkai in the series and is explicitly stated to be a herbivore, like Totosai's ox. Despite traveling with Sesshōmaru for centuries, he has no name until Rin gives him one, calling the right head "A" and the left head "Un" (the Kanji symbols 阿吽 together translate as "Alpha and Omega"). A-Un can fire yōkai energy from both mouths. The right head shoots blue beams of lightning, while the left shoots green lightning that can control clouds and possibly the weather and has the ability to fly like Sesshōmaru. A grey cloud-like gas trails from his legs in flight, similar to Kirara's flames. He seems to respect Rin more than Jaken therefore she is recognized as his true master. On their journeys, Rin and Jaken often rest on his back to fly over great distances. When Sesshōmaru leaves Rin in a safe place, A-Un stays with her as her protector. He saves Rin from a group of lesser demons while she is collecting herbs to save Jaken from being poisoned by Naraku's Saimyosho. A-Un also defeats many of Setsuna no Takemaru's zombie warriors in Inuyasha the Movie: Swords of an Honorable Ruler.

Kohaku

Voiced by: Akiko Yajima (Japanese); Alex Doduk (original series eps. 24–101), Danny McKinnon (original series eps. 102–167, movie 2, games), Aidan Drummond (The Final Act) (English)

Kohaku (琥珀) (literally "amber") is Sango's eleven-year-old brother who, like his family, is also a demon exterminator. Disguised as a young nobleman, Naraku summons Sango's family and companions to slay a false demon on Kohaku's first day on the job, then controls him with a spider web and makes him kill all of the other exterminators, with Sango surviving solely by sheer luck. While Kohaku is seemingly killed by the castle's guards, Naraku resurrects him as an amnesiac puppet to use against his sister using a shard from the jewel. After several encounters with Sango and her friends, Kohaku begins to recover his painful memories, and is aversive to confronting the memories. Kagura helps him escape from Naraku, and later joins with Kikyo. When being with Naraku, or with the Band of Seven, Kohaku was allowed to be free-willed.

After being freed from Naraku's grasp with a Jewel shard embedded in his back, traveling with Kikyo, and several encounters with Sango, he decides to stay with Kikyo because staying with her soothes his soul. When Kikyo was tainted with Naraku's spider webs, he was forced to leave in order to prevent his shard from being tainted. Kohaku also has a good relationship with Rin during his time with Sesshōmaru, becoming fast friends after meeting, and became protective of her in The Final Act.

At the end of the series, Kohaku travels with Kirara to continue his demon-slaying job and states that he was not going to return because the house was getting "crowded" with his brother-in-law, Miroku, and his two nieces and nephew.

Demon Wolf Tribe

The are different Demon Wolf Tribes in this show that come from the North and the East. They have a humanoid appearance, pointy ears, and fangs. Most of their outfits are made from fur and are shown to wear instep guards.

By the end of the anime, the Demon Wolf Tribes were united into one tribe.

Koga

Voiced by: Taiki Matsuno (Japanese); Scott McNeil (English)

Kōga (鋼牙) is a wolf demon who is the young leader of the Eastern Wolf Demon Tribe that was nearly wiped out by Kagura and Naraku. He first meets Inuyasha as an opponent in battle, but becomes a reluctant, occasional ally despite maintaining a strong sense of rivalry about their relative combat strengths and the courtship of Kagome. He quickly falls in love with Kagome after kidnapping her because of her kindness and beauty. Inuyasha is always uneasy and jealous during Kōga's visits because he worries that Kagome might have feelings for Kōga. In this way, Kōga has often been the source of Kagome's and Inuyasha's fights.

Koga and Inuyasha don't get along but the two do team up whenever Kagome's life is in danger whenever they go up against Naraku or one of his demons. Inuyasha and Koga have a common enemy in Naraku, and it's what put them on the same side were they work together. Inuyasha has even save Koga's life on more than one occasion. An uneasy sort of friendship can be said to be shared between the two. However Inuyasha and Koga still don't get along from time to time. But The two have another common goal and that is to protect Kagome.

Kōga later wields a most powerful weapon named Goraishi (五雷指) and carries a sword that he does not often use that he took from a human as "decoration". After suffering serious wounds, Kōga is partially restored by three Shikon Jewel shards embedded into his legs and right arm. The shards are eventually taken away from him by Naraku, gravely weakening him; he is last seen telling Kagome that she may leave Inuyasha and come to him at any time.

In the epilogue of the anime, it is revealed that Kōga united all of the wolf demon tribes and married Ayame, the wolf demon girl he had long ago promised to marry "on the night of the lunar rainbow," a promise he had seemed to have completely forgotten when she appeared earlier but evidently eventually had to keep.

Ginta and Hakkaku

Ginta Voiced by: Hiroyuki Yoshino (Japanese); Paul Dobson (English)
Hakkaku Voiced by: Daisuke Kishio (Japanese); Alistair Abell (English)

Ginta (銀太) and Hakkaku (白角) are two wolf demons from the Eastern Wolf Demon Tribe that always follow Koga around. They both deeply worry about Koga and Kagome since she is almost always in trouble with Inuyasha around.

Kai

Voiced by: Yuka Nishigaki

Kai (灰) is a wolf demon from the North Wolf Demon Tribe and the older brother of Shinta. His village was attacked by a badger demon that worked for Byakuya.

In the epilogue of the anime, Kai was present when Koga and Ayame have their wedding.

Shinta

Voiced by: Momoko Saitō

Shinta (芯太) is a young wolf demon from the North Wolf Demon Tribe and the younger brother of Kai. His village was attacked by a badger demon that worked for Byakuya.

In the epilogue of the anime, Shinta was present when Koga and Ayame have their wedding.

Ayame

Voiced by: Yumi Kakazu (Japanese); Natalie Walters (English)

Ayame (菖蒲) is a red-haired wolf demon who is the granddaughter of the North Wolf Demon Tribe's leader. Koga once saved her from the Birds of Paradise and promised to marry her when she got older.

In the epilogue of the anime, Ayame finally got married to Koga.

Antagonists

Naraku

Voiced by: Hiroshi Yanaka (first appearance), Toshiyuki Morikawa (formal form) (Japanese); Paul Dobson (English)

Naraku (奈落, "Hell") is the main antagonist of the series, having caused the misery of most of the main cast. He was born fifty years ago from the desires of a gravely burned bandit named Onigumo (鬼蜘蛛, "Oni Spider"), who was found by Kikyo and his wounds tended to. As the injuries had severely crippled him, Onigumo forms a pact with the surrounding demons attracted to his darkness to consume him in return for his soul to occupy a new body created from their merged bodies so that he could satisfy his frustrated lust for Kikyo. However, with Onigumo buried deep in his subconscious, the newly born Naraku acted against his human self's desire as he arranged for Kikyo's demise and her falling out with Inuyasha in the expectation that events would corrupt the Shikon Jewel. But when Kikyo had the jewel burned with her corpse, Naraku bides his time until the Shikon Jewel is brought back to the feudal era by the priestess's reincarnation Kagome. Naraku also learned of Inuyasha being freed from his seal and traveling with Miroku, attempting to enlist Sesshōmaru's help before revealing himself.

While Naraku originally appears in the form of a hooded figure wearing a robe made from a baboon pelt, which is also utilized by his Golems (傀儡, Kugutsu), he later permanently assumes the guise of the young lord Kagewaki Hitomi (人見蔭刀). After his body is heavily damaged by Kagome when he attemptes to use Sango's brother Kohaku against her, Naraku heals his body by locking various demons in a mountain to engage in a death match before absorbing the winner after it assimilated its defeated opponents. Soon after, receiving Shikon Jewel Shards from Kikyo, who speculate his intent with the jewel is to become a full demon, Naraku gains the ability to create his incarnations. Eventually, after losing the Hitomi clan castle, Naraku takes refuge in Mount Hakurei and tricks the priest Hakushin into creating a powerful, holy barrier around the mountain to conceal his presence from his enemies while resurrecting the Band of Seven to hold off them off. By the time that barrier around Mount Hakurei is dissolved, Naraku appears in a new form after having removed his heart and splinter it into two pieces: his physical heart placed within the newly created Infant while his human soul is left within the ruins of the mountain. This act enables Naraku to mortally wound Kikyo without Onigumo's presence to hinder him and with power nearly equal to that of a full demon. The removal of his heart also rendered Naraku invincible, unless harm comes to the Infant as he conceals the infant while personally go after the remaining Shikon Jewel shards.

But having suspected the Infant would turn on him, having absorbed a barrier-destroying tree demon known as Yomeiju in preparation, Naraku allowed the Infant and his vessel Moryomaru to do as they will before tricking the latter to devour him so he can absorb his heart. But when Naraku learns of Kiyo's intent to purify him and the completed Shikon Jewel, Naraku is forced to reabsorb Onigumo's soul as a countermeasure before Kikyo finally dies in the battle that ensued. With only Kohaku's Shikon Jewel shard left, ignoring the speck of purity within the nearly completed Jewel, Naraku focuses on getting the boy with the aid of Magatsuhi. Once completely restoring the Shikon Jewel, Naraku creates a giant spider-like body around himself as he attempts to have Inuyasha's group and Sesshōmaru destroy whatever speck of light remained in the jewel. It was during the final battle, as it concludes around Kaede's village, that Naraku uses the Shikon Jewel to become demonic version of himself. After Sesshomaru cuts him in half with Bakusaiga, Inuyasha definitely destroyed his body with multiple barrage Meido Zangetsuha attacks. Both Inuyasha and Kagome asking him what he was really after and how his methods have involve turning loved ones against each other, Naraku realizes that he desired Kikyo's heart before the jewel and his soul was purified. His purified soul, reduced to a head and near missing from material world, realizing he was nothing more than its pawn, Naraku uses his wish to grant the Shikon Jewel's desire to prolong its existence by bringing himself and Kagome into the Shikon Jewel's world to become part of it once the girl makes a selfish wish to complete the act. In the manga, Naraku's soul is destroyed forever by Inuyasha when he cuts the point of light in the darkness inside the Shikon Jewel with Meidō Zangetsuha, which is the key to kill him: in fact, with Inuyasha's attack at this very point, the purity of the Jewel called Naohi annihilates forever the evil corrupting presence within it, then the Jewel's shimmering and voice completely stopped. Instead, in the anime version, Kagome uses her wish to have the Shikon Jewel cease to be with Naraku fading with the jewel and its trapped occupants.

Naraku's basic abilities are shape shifting and absorbing his opponents, later gaining new abilities as he enhances himself over the course of the series. Unlike other half-demons, Naraku can choose what time of the month he loses his demonic powers where he is reduced to a human head attached to multiple demons, using that form to remove demons he considers weak from his body as part of his self refinement. But, to his distaste, Naraku permanently has a spider-shaped birthmark on his back that is a constant reminder of the humanity that constitutes his being. Naraku possesses several poisonous abilities, such as producing a deadly miasma (瘴気, shōki) and the poisonous Saimyōshō (最猛勝) wasps, the latter used chiefly to prevent Miroku from uncovering his Wind Tunnel.

Magatsuhi

Voiced by: Takeshi Kusao (Japanese); Michael Dobson (English)

Magatsuhi (曲霊) is the evil corrupting presence within the Shikon Jewel that caused various events in the series. His existence is eventually made known to Inuyasha's group when Naraku gave him a temporary human-like body to act through to assist in the restoration of the Shikon Jewel with the personal goal to completely defile it. As it would later be revealed, Magatsuhi is responsible for sealing Kagome's full spiritual power out of fear of the girl being a threat to him. After losing his temporary body due to Bakusaiga, Magatsuhi resorts to bodily possessions before being stopped by Inuyasha with with Dragon-scaled Tessaiga and killed by Sesshōmaru with Tenseiga during the final battle against Naraku.

Jewel's Demon

Jewel's Demon is the incredibly powerful dragon Yokai created from numerous demons from ancient time that battled the priestess Midoriko before forcing the priestess to trap their souls in what became the Shikon Jewel. It was only after Naraku's death that he reveals the Shikon Jewel's intention to trap Naraku and Kagome, then replacing he and Midoriko, to prolong its existence. Then, after Naraku's death, he was Inuyasha's last enemy inside the jewel. Inuyasha fights through him to reach her before holding the composing demons off. In the manga, he is destroyed forever by Inuyasha when he cuts the point of light in the darkness inside the Shikon Jewel with Meidō Zangetsuha, which is the key to destroy the jewel's evil: in fact, with Inuyasha's attack at this very point, the purity of the Jewel called Naohi annihilates forever the evil corrupting presence within it, then the Jewel's shimmering and voice completely stopped. Instead, in the anime version, Kagome destroys the demon for good when she made a selfless wish for the Shikon Jewel to be erased from existence.

Naraku's Incarnations

After acquiring enough Shikon Jewel shards, Naraku gained the ability to create new demons from his being that are technically his "offspring". However, each is treated by Naraku as expendable minions; tools to use as he wishes. He manipulated some of his earliest creations through threatening to destroy their disembodied hearts should they betray him. Eight detachments were directly created by Naraku within the series' storyline.

Kanna

Voiced by: Yukana (Japanese); Janyse Jaud (English)

Kanna (神無) is Naraku's first detachment, appearing in the form of a ten-year-old girl in white. Kanna is the only person that Naraku trusts with important information about his actions, allowing her to dictate in his stead. As a "concealed incarnation" of Naraku, Kagura seeming to be jealous of her "older sister", Kanna has no scent of demonic aura which makes her undetectable to Inuyasha, Miroku and Kagome, and immune to demonic aura-related effects such as the Hakurei barrier. She also is nice to Kagura and informative of Naraku's warnings. She is immune to the Infant's ability to read hearts to know what someone is truly thinking, but possesses thoughts and feelings of her own.

Kanna carries a demonic mirror that can act as a crystal ball for scrying and steal souls of those reflected in it. Once a soul is trapped by her mirror, she can control that person's body to carry out her bidding. However, the mirror can be overwhelmed by an especially powerful soul such as Kagome's, forcing Kanna to release all of the trapped souls before the glass shatters. The mirror can also create a glass demon to copy the abilities of whatever it reflects, though Kanna herself suffers damage when the glass demon is wounded. In her last battle, Kanna is ordered by Naraku to commit suicide, shattering herself and her glass demon into thousands of tiny shards. Driven by Kanna's final thought, one of the shards hits Kagome's right eye and gives her the knowledge of how to destroy Naraku. Kanna told her that the small bit of light in the Shikon Jewel will kill him.

Kagura

Voiced by: Izumi Ōgami (Japanese); Janyse Jaud (English)

Kagura (神楽) is Naraku's second detachment, although she is introduced before her "elder sister" Kanna. As a wind witch who is always barefoot, Kagura uses a fan to enhance her powers where she can create a blade-like tornado or use wind to animate dead bodies. She can also use her feather hair-ornaments as transportation, enlarging them to ride in the wind. Though initially cold and calculating, Kagura despises Naraku more than she does his enemies, because he possesses her disembodied heart and uses it as a means to punish her or remind her of her place. As a result, Kagura's desire to be free leads her to covertly aid both Inuyasha and Sesshōmaru, developing feelings for the latter, in hopes that they can kill Naraku for her so that she can reclaim her heart. As time goes on, Kagura becomes much more sympathetic and caring toward Inuyasha and even more hostile toward Naraku and his minions.

After Kohaku's memories return, she becomes increasingly protective of him; she shares information with him about Naraku's weaknesses. When Hakudoshi attempts to take the Shikon shard that keeps Kohaku alive, Kagura openly aids Inuyasha's group in helping Kohaku escape while telling them that Moryomaru holds Naraku's heart. Soon after, Kagura is found by Naraku as he mocking awards her the freedom she desired by placing her heart into her body before impaling her with miasma-injecting tendrils. Ending up on a flower field and found by Sesshōmaru, who knows she is beyond Tenseiga's power to be saved, Kagura spends her final moments with Sesshōmaru before her body dissolves into the wind as Inuyasha's group arrived.

Goshinki

Voiced by: Masaharu Satō (Japanese); Michael Kopsa (English)

Goshinki (悟心鬼) is Naraku's third detachment, a large oni with two horns extending from its head, as well as spikes protruding from his elbows. He extremely agile for his size; however his most dangerous ability is reading minds, which he uses to avoid dangerous situations and exploit his enemies' weaknesses. When Goshinki breaks Tessaiga, he provides Inuyasha's demon lineage the opportunity to take over. Goshinki to reads the now feral and blood-lustful Inuyasha before he is completely ripped aparts with only his head remaining. Goshinki's head is then found by Sesshōmaru who momentary revives the demon so his fangs can be used by Tōtōsai's expelled apprentice Kaijinbo to create the cursed blade Tōkijin.

Juromaru and Kageromaru

Voiced by: Takumi Yamazaki (Japanese); Brian Drummond (English)

Juromaru (獣郎丸) and Kageromaru (影郎丸) are respectively Naraku's fourth and fifth incarnations, but are extremely dangerous. While the more human-like Juromaru is like a berserker who is normally shackled with a mask covering his mouth, the parasitic Kageromaru uses his sickled arms to kill Naraku before being placed in his brother's stomach. Acting through a puppet, Naraku later removes the restraints on Juromaru so he and Kageromaru can slaughter Inuyasha's group and Koga, however the two fail and are killed.

Muso

Voiced by: Hiroshi Yanaka (Japanese), Paul Dobson (English, Onigumo), Brian Dobson (English, Muso)

While technically Naraku's sixth incarnation, Muso (無双, Musō) is actually Onigumo himself. Originally faceless and without memory of his past, Onigumo took the face and name of a wandering monk. Eventually with Kagura watching on Naraku's order, Muso ventures to Kikyo's former village and regains his memories of Onigumo and desires for Kikyo. He sees Kagome with Inuyasha and fights in order to possess Kagome. However, as the demons composing his body are beginning to break away because his human aspect is removed, Naraku is left with no choice but to reabsorb Muso back into his body.

The Infant and Moryomaru

Infant voiced by: Ai Kobayashi (Japanese), Chiara Zanni (English)
Moryomaru voiced by: Masaki Terasoma (Japanese), Ross Douglas (English)

The Infant (赤子, Akago) is Naraku's heart and seventh detachment, appearing in the form of a human baby yet can speak fluently and control people with the darkness in their own hearts. It is later revealed that the Infant's appearance was intentional by Naraku as he expected the detachment to be as devious as himself. His goal was to use Kagome to find the remaining shards of the Shikon Jewel. He finds her jealousy of Inuyasha's feelings for Kikyo, but Inuyasha saves her before the Infant can control her. Because the Infant possesses his heart, Naraku had the infant placed under much protection. But overtime, the Infant and Hakudoshi conspired to destroy Naraku while making themselves the dominant aspect of his being.

To that end, Hakudoshi provides the Infant with Moryomaru (魍魎丸, Mōryōmaru), a 100-foot-long (30 m) demonic golem created from demons who was briefly sealed in the body of a monk named Goryomaru (御霊丸, Goryōmaru) before assimilating the human's body after he was killed by Hakudoshi. While Moryomaru was originally a puppet, he gains a mind of his own when the Infant is placed inside of him. Acting as a medium of the Infant's will to become a dominant aspect of Naraku, Moryomaru goes to absorb different demons to increase his power to the point of nearly defeating most of Naraku's enemies when they ganged up on him as he destroyed Tokijin before running off. However, Moryomaru meets his end when tricked into absorbing Naraku, enabling him to reabsorb the Infant and consume Moryomaru from the inside out.

Hakudoshi

Voiced by: Ai Kobayashi (Japanese); Chiara Zanni (English)

While indirectly Naraku's eighth detachment referring to himself as the embodiment of his "essence", Hakudoshi (白童子) is actually created from the right half of the Infant when he was severed in half by the power of a dying monk and matured into a barefoot boy who is extremely dexterous and proficient with a halberd and other handheld weapons. As they were originally one, Hakudoshi possesses many the Infant's abilities while unable to be killed directly as he does not possesses Naraku's heart. Hakudoshi also acquired the demon horse Entei before the steed was killed by Inuyasha. Like Naraku himself, Hakudoshi is sadistic and loves to cause chaos; however, unlike him he doesn't mind getting his hands dirty and doesn't flee as quickly. Eventually, seeking to betray Naraku, Hakudoshi creates Moryomaru to house the Infant and make his other half the more dominant over their creator. However, Naraku knew of their traitorous intentions and had the Saimyosho leave Hakudoshi to be sucked into Miroku's Wind Tunnel.

Byakuya

Voiced by: Mitsuaki Madono (Japanese); Michael Adamthwaite (English)

Byakuya of the Illusions (夢幻の白夜, Mugen no Byakuya) is Naraku's final detachment created for the sole purpose of acting during Naraku's final moments, a moth-Demon who uses illusions and origami magic while able to detach his left eye to serve as recon. As Byakuya was designed to only exist as long as Naraku lives, his body can be severely damaged when Naraku suffers mortal injuries. Originally, his purpose is to observe Inuyasha and Moryomaru's growing powers and report back to Naraku, gradually becoming more active in his creator's plans. During Inuyasha's final battle with Naraku, Byakuya uses the bladeless sword he carried on his person to absorb Inuyasha's stray Meido Zangetsuha to carry out his task: slashing Kagome with time delayed Meido that would activate upon Naraku's death. Though hit by Inuyasha's Meido Zangetsuha at point blank range, Byakuya accepts his fate as he achieved his purpose.

Entei

Entei (炎蹄) is a fire-breathing horse yōkai that obeys only the most powerful of yōkai.

The anime gives some insight into Entei's background which was completely unexplored in the manga. Entei first appears to a rather powerful halberd-wielding ogre demon named Rengokuki who fought off hordes of demons with ease and a had a strong will. Recognizing his strength, Entei offers him his servitude and the two become a feared duo. Some time later, the demon is pacified by a powerful holy seal which is then destroyed by Hakudōshi.

Entei reunites with his old partner and does battle with Inuyasha's group and is able to fend them off if only for a little while before fleeing. He later comes across Hakudōshi and challenges him, but he seems to be unable to even phase him. As the battle drags out, Entei begins to second-guess Rengokuki's power and eventually throws him off his back rejecting his old master and accepting Hakudōshi as its new master. Rengokuki is subsequently beheaded and the Hakudōshi takes his weapon as a prize. From forward on, Entei is ridden by Hakudōshi for all of his future appearances until he is finally vanquished in a cave by Inuyasha with his Backlash Wave.

The Band of Seven

The Band of Seven (七人隊, Shichinintai) were group of human mercenaries that were killed a long time ago. They are resurrected undead manipulated by Naraku through Shikon Jewel shards to hold off his enemies during his time at Mount Hakurei.

Kyokotsu

Voiced by: Daisuke Gōri (Japanese); Dave "Squatch" Ward (English)

Kyokotsu (凶骨, Kyōkotsu) is a giant who happens to be both the largest of the Band of Seven and the weakest. Though human, Kyokotsu has developed a taste for demons. Kyokotsu terrorizes the wolf-demon tribes before being defeated by Koga in battle who pulls out his Shikon shard and returning him to the dead.

Jakotsu

Voiced by: Ai Orikasa (Japanese); Jenn Forgie (English)

Jakotsu (蛇骨) is the Band of Seven's third in command and Bankotsu's most trusted. A gay homicidal woman-hater, who wears women's kimonos and who sadistically kills his male opponents as a sign of affection. Jakotsu is armed with a snake-like sword which has segmented retractable blades that reach a great distance and bend at a moment's notice, making it difficult for an opponent to calculate his next move. When Inuyasha and his group arrive at Mount Hakurei, Jakotsu battles Inuyasha until he is defeated. The fight leaves Jakotsu severely weakened with Renkotsu using the opportunity to steal his Shikon shard.

Mukotsu

Voiced by: Tetsu Inada (Japanese); Trevor Devall (English)

Mukotsu (霧骨) is a short man who is the Band of Seven's poison maker, concealing his face behind a veil. He abducts Kagome out of lust, attempting to rape her (The anime depicts him initiating a wedding ceremony before Miroku and Sango come to their friend's aid). Though he succeeds in poisoning the human heroes, Mukotsu is killed by Sesshōmaru.

Renkotsu

Voiced by: Tomokazu Sugita (Japanese); Brian Drummond (English)

Renkotsu (煉骨) is the second-in-command of the Band of Seven that often uses wires and fire, which he spews from his mouth, and later a hand cannon. Renkotsu is the band's most intelligent member and secretly acts against Bankotsu by stealing their comrades' Shikon shards for his use. When Bankotsu learns of this, he kills Renkotsu.

Ginkotsu

Voiced by: Hisao Egawa (Japanese); Mark Gibbon (English)

Ginkotsu (銀骨) is a cyborg-like member of the Band of Seven, with a slew of different weapons such as saw blades and a firearm on his back. Renkotsu maintains Ginkotsu's mechanical body, before it is destroyed by Inuyasha. Renkotsu then rebuilds Ginkotsu into a tank-like body. Eventually, Koga causes Ginkotsu to self-destruct by clogging his cannon with a piece of Renkotsu's armor. Ginkotsu's jewel shard is subsequently used by Renkotsu to heal his wounds.

Suikotsu

Voiced by: Hiroaki Hirata (Japanese); Michael Donovan (English)

Suikotsu (睡骨) was originally a physician who developed a blood thirsty second persona and is armed with artificial iron claws. After being revived, Suikotsu's good side attempts to live a normal life before his alter ego assumes control at the coaxing of his comrades. At one point, Suikotsu returns to the village with his normal "good" appearance, but is still violent and willing to kill. After taking Rin as a hostage, he is beaten by the combined strength of Sesshōmaru and Kikyo's sacred arrow, and asks them to remove the Shikon shard from his neck to let him die peacefully. Respecting his wishes, Kikyo reaches for the shard but is stopped by Jakotsu, who takes it to Bankotsu.

Bankotsu

Voiced by: Takeshi Kusao (Japanese); Matt Hill (English)

Bankotsu (蛮骨) is the leader of the Band of Seven, also its youngest and strongest member. Though a skilled mercenary who killed many people; Bankotsu retains a sense of honor and compassion where his comrades are concerned. Bankotsu carries the Zanbatō-like halberd Banryu (蛮竜), a weapon he reclaims by attacking the daimyo who executed the band. After his fight with Inuyasha, which cracks the blade, Bankotsu gains the ability to deflect Inuyasha's "Wind Scar" attack after he repairs Banryu with the jewel shards Renkotsu stole from Kagome. When Inuyasha's group reaches Mount Hakurei, Bankotsu learns of Renkotsu's treachery and kills him. From there, Bankotsu adds his comrades' shards into his body to avenge them in his final fight with Inuyasha. Inuyasha gradually retrieves the jewel shards out of Bankotsu before bifurcating him, with Naraku spiriting Bankotsu away to confiscate the last shard from his remains. In the anime, Bankotsu reaches Banryu's quota of 1,000 yōkai and 1,000 warlords to enable the weapon to convert its owner's hated into demonic energy. This proves to be Bankotsu's downfall as Inyasha crushes him with his Backlash Wave, which shatters Banryu.

Supporting characters

Feudal Japan characters

Hachiemon

Voiced by: Toshihiko Nakajima (Japanese); Terry Klassen (English)

Hachiemon (八衛門) is a tanuki from Awa who serves Miroku. His basic abilities are low and he has no weapons or skills for battle. He is an unremarkable being, but he understands Miroku well. Although Hachi is Miroku's servant, he often does not travel with him. Since he is a tanuki, he has the ability to transform. If he puts a leaf on his head and transforms, he can assume the form of a giant yellow gourd. He can fly in this state. When he runs away, he can lay down a smoke screen to deceive enemies.

Kaede

Voiced by: Hisako Kyoda (Japanese), Pam Hyatt (English, original series, movies, games), Linda Darlow (English, The Final Act)

Kaede (楓) is Kikyo's younger sister that assisted her with various tasks such as gathering herbs or holding her quiver of arrows. After Kikyo's death, Kaede became an unusually strong shrine priestess in her own right and defends the village against demons. When Kagome arrives, Kaede recognizes her as the modern-day reincarnation of Kikyo. After Kagome frees Inuyasha, Kaede puts the "Subjugation Beads" onto him to give Kagome the ability to control him with a mere spoken word: "Sit." Kaede is highly respected by the villagers and the members of Inuyasha's group, and she often advises them about demons and other spiritual anomalies. Though Inuyasha is easily annoyed by her, he listens to her when necessary and does not hesitate to protect her from a threat. Kaede loses her right eye sometime during her life and wears an eyepatch over it. Supplementary information states that she "lost her elder sister and her eye in an incident fifty years ago."^[1]

In the anime, she loses her eye while helping defend the village from a demon attack shortly before the Shikon Jewel incident. Kikyo's powers weakened after falling in love with Inuyasha and in her state, she still tried to defend the village during a demon attack. A demon began attacking Kaede from behind and Kikyo fired an arrow the demon. The demon broke into pieces from the arrow and a piece of the debris pierced Kaede's eye. In The Final Act, Kikyo's spirit came to Kaede before she died. Kaede, during the vision, returned to her younger self, right at the time of Kikyo's first death. Kikyo apologized to her, saying that Kaede suffered much because of her. Kaede, in tears, says that was never the case. Kikyo vanishes forever and, when the vision ends, Kaede is still in tears, thinking of all the years she lost with the sister she loved so much, and not being able to do anything to help her.

In the finale of The Final Act set three years later, Rin lives with Kaede in the village to become accustomed to living alongside other humans. While having been present when Sango gave birth to a baby boy, Kaede is also training Kagome to become a full priestess.

Myoga

Voiced by: Kenichi Ogata (Japanese); Paul Dobson (English)

Myoga (冥加, Myōga) is a flea demon who appears randomly and gives Inuyasha information on current events, foes, and the shards of the Shikon Jewel. Assigned to protect Tessaiga's hiding place in the grave of Inuyasha's father, he runs away when Sesshōmaru comes there in search of the sword. Myoga often flees before or during a battle, which the others recognize as a sign of pending danger; his mere presence in any area is enough to determine its safety. Myoga enjoys drinking demon blood, and actually saves Inuyasha's life at one point by drinking a spider demon's venom out of his blood. He can save the others in a similar manner, but often gets slapped for drinking their blood without permission. In the anime, he is engaged to another flea demon named Shoga, but continually runs from her to avoid the marriage.

Totosai

Voiced by: Jōji Yanami (Japanese); Richard Newman (English)

Totosai (刀々斎, Tōtōsai) is an elderly blacksmith and the creator of Tessaiga and Tenseiga, from the fangs of his old friend, The Great Dog Demon, who entrusted him to help his two sons. As Inuyasha grows stronger and Sesshōmaru grows more compassionate, they become more capable of mastering their respective swords, which Totosai strengthens accordingly. He spends most of his time at his forge inside a volcano, but sometimes travels elsewhere on a flying three-eyed ox named Mo-Mo (猛々). Totosai often appears to be a cowardly, absent-minded old man, but he has the strength to pause an attack from Sesshōmaru long enough to allow Inuyasha to get away; he can breathe fire and his long forge hammer can open large fire pits in the ground. At the end of the manga, he continues his role as a blacksmith as seen when giving Kohaku a new weapon.

Jinenji

Voiced by: Hisao Egawa (Japanese); Michael Dobson (English)

Jinenji (地念児) is a half-human, half-demon who lives in a hut with his human mother. Together they grow a variety of medicinal plants, including some known for being powerful against poisons. He is first seen when Kirara is poisoned by Naraku's miasma and Inuyasha and Kagome travel to the village to find a cure. Because of his demon blood, the villagers falsely suspect him of killing people, but Jinenji is a gentle giant who is scared of humans because of the way they treat him. He is surprised when Kagome is not frightened by his appearance at all and willingly helps him collect herbs. Jineji also holds a crush on Kagome and loves Kagome's warm smile. Shunned and abused by humans during his own childhood as a half-demon, Inuyasha attempts to convince Jinenji that he needs to be more forceful towards the villagers, especially after he rescues them from the demon who really committed the murders. In the end, Jinenji decides to continue his more gentle approach, giving healing herbs to the men injured during the demon attack. Like Inuyasha, Jinenji becomes fully human once a month. During one of these times, Rin visits his home searching for the same cure to heal Jaken, who was poisoned by the wasps while protecting her. At the end of the anime series, Jinenji was seen helping Kagome.

Shiori

Voiced by: Kaori Mizuhashi (Japanese); Nicole Bouma (English)

Shiori (紫織) is a half-demon who was born from a human mother named Shizu and a bat demon father named Tsukuyomaru

Goryomaru

Voiced by: Masaki Terasoma (Japanese); Ross Douglas (English)

Goryomaru (御霊丸, Goryōmaru) was a monk who lived in an old temple with a group of orphaned kids. The children, whose parents were killed by demons, were rescued by him and were taken care of. Goryomaru was attacked by a demon which tried to "absorb" him. While trying to overpower the demon, his arm got replaced by the demon's laser-shooting cannon-like arm.

The children he rescued are his followers as well and employ rechargeable urn-like weapons (which resemble Goryomaru's arm) to fight and exorcise demons. The monk and the children's slaughtering of demons capture the attention of Kagura who finds the temple and attacks it. She retreats after being badly hurt by Goryomaru's beam. Following this, Hakudoshi finds Goryomaru and kills him by cutting his throat. Later, Goryomaru is revived by Naraku and is fused with Moryomaru.

Sesshomaru's Mother

Voiced by: Yoshiko Sakakibara (Japanese); Lisa Ann Beley (English)

Sesshōmaru's Mother (殺生丸母, Sesshōmaru no Haha) is a powerful inu yōkai who was the first wife of the Inu no Taisho. While she is similar to her son Sesshōmaru in demeanor, she is somehow kind-hearted with a certain playfulness about her. Like Sesshōmaru, she has the ability to transform into a giant dog demon. After the Dog General's death, entrusted with a Meido Stone that allows her to open a path to the underworld and revive the death, Sesshōmaru's Mother takes residence in a large palace in the sky. When Sesshōmaru's Mother is visited by her son over the matter of Tenseiga and the Meido Zangetsuha, having waited for her role in the Dog General's plan to enable her son to stand out of his father's shadow, she carries out her lover's plan by using the Meido Stone to place Sesshōmaru in the underworld for a test. Though Sesshōmaru passed the trail to understand that Tenseiga is a weapon of healing and life that can be used by one who is compassionate towards others, it cost Rin her life. Sesshōmaru's Mother, seeing Seeshomaru deeply cares for the girl as the Dog General did for Izayoi, proceeds to revive Rin with the Meido Stone. Ultimately, Seeshomaru's Mother succeeds in teaching her son to value the lives of others and set him on the path his father intended.

Inu no Taisho

Voiced by: Akio Otsuka (Japanese); Don Brown (English)

The Dog General (犬の船長, Inu no Taisho) was an extremely powerful yōkai lord who ruled the Western Lands, and was known throughout Japan. Never formally addressed with a name, he fathered two sons by two different mothers: Sesshōmaru from his consort, a dog demoness, and Inuyasha from a human woman named Izayoi. The Dog General is first mentioned in chapter twelve of the manga as Inuyasha's father, "a demon dog that prowled the lands of the west." The Dog General possesses the power to absorb his enemies' attacks and make them his own, such as gaining the Meidou Zangetsuha ability from Shishinki. Prior to his death, Myoga explaining that the fight played a part in his death, the Dog General sealed Ryukotsusei after being unable to kill him. The gateway to the Dog General's tomb is hidden in a black pearl (a mystical gem that creates a path between the mortal and spirit worlds) inside Inuyasha's right eye. Within the pearl, the Dog General's body is shown as an enormous dog skeleton in a suit of armor, serving a shrine where Tessaiga, a weapon created from his fang, was placed before Inuyasha could claim it. Over the course of the series, his sons having been in constant conflict because of succession, the Dog General was revealed to have secretly planned the events that would allow Inuyasha to inherit a perfected Meidou Zangetsuha and to be able to make peace with Sesshōmaru who would be able to finally stand out of their father's shadow.

Izayoi

Voiced by: Kikuko Inoue (Japanese); Alaina Burnett (English)

Izayoi (十六夜) was a gentle, beautiful human, who is the daughter of an impoverished noble house. She loved the Dog General and was saddened that the young Inuyasha was shunned for his half-demon status. Little else is revealed about her family, age, or even how she died, with Inuyasha only noting that she died "a long time ago" and that her manner of death "wasn't her fault." Upon her death, Inuyasha inherits the Robe of the Fire Rat, which the Dog General gave Izayoi to protect her on the night Inuyasha was born, and a shell containing Izayoi's favorite lip coloring which he gives to Kikyo.^[5][6]

In Inuyasha the Movie: Swords of an Honorable Ruler (not directly based on the manga series), on the night of Inuyasha's birth, she was a captive of Takemaru of Setsuna and his samurai, who plan to lure the Great Dog Demon into coming to rescue her so they can kill him. Izayoi pleads with Takemaru to leave and save his own life, but Takemaru claims he loves her and stabs her through the chest with a spear. Before dying, she gives birth to Inuyasha. The Dog General, being injured by Ryūkotsusei, fights his way through Takemaru's men and the burning building to reach his dead lover and his newborn child. He uses the "Tenseiga" to restore her to life, then covers her with the Cloth of the Fire Rat and orders her to flee. Before Izayoi names her son Inuyasha and flees, the Dog General fights against Takemaru to the death.

Hosenki

Voiced by: Ryūzaburō Ōtomo (Japanese); Dave Pettitt (English)

Hosenki (宝仙鬼, Hōsenki) is an oyster-demon who cultivates a variety of magical jewels. He created the black pearl in Inuyasha's right eye that enabled Sesshōmaru to travel to his father's grave and try to steal Tessaiga, the sword his father willed to Inuyasha. Needing to return to the netherworld later in the series, Inuyasha's group seeks out Hosenki, but learn that he has died and his namesake son cannot make the gems yet. He tells Inuyasha that he must wait a hundred years before he can make the gems. They find another path to the netherworld where they find the departed Hosenki sitting among the bones of the Dog General's body. However, he has been corrupted by a tainted shard of the Shikon Jewel and attacks Inuyasha. After Naraku reclaims his shard, Hosenki returns to normal and gives Inuyasha the use of Adamant Barrage, an attack gained by Inuyasha's loyalty to his friends and lack of greed.

Modern Japan characters

Kagome's Family

Kagome has a little brother who loves to help Inuyasha get along with Kagome. Her mom helps out by taking care of the lunches and dinners for Kagome to bring to Inuyasha's world for them to share. Kagome's Grandfather makes up weird sicknesses so she doesn't have to go to school when she is well.

Kagome's Mom

Voiced by: Asako Dodo (Japanese); Cathy Weseluck (English)

The mother of Kagome and Sota is never given a name. The novel Shousetsu Inuyasha reveals that her husband, Kagome's father, was killed in a car accident when Kagome was five years old. Since then, she was widowed and left to take care of her two children, with the help of her father-in-law. She is very supportive of Kagome and welcoming to Inuyasha. She does not appear to mind Kagome spending long periods of time in the Feudal Era.

Sota Higurashi

Voiced by: Akiko Nakagawa (Japanese); Saffron Henderson (original series seasons 1–5, movies 1 & 2), Rebecca Shoichet (original series season 6, movie 3, The Final Act) (English)

Sota Higurashi (日暮草太, Higurashi Sōta) is Kagome's younger brother, with whom she has a typical brother-sister relationship. He looks up to Inuyasha as an older brother figure.

Grandpa

Voiced by: Ginzo Matsuo (original series seasons 1–2, movies 1 & 2), Katsumi Suzuki (original series seasons 3–6, Movie 3, The Final Act) (Japanese); French Tickner (English)

Grandpa (じいちゃん, Jiichan) is the grandfather of Kagome and Sota and Kagome's mother's father-in-law. Grandpa often covers for Kagome's prolonged absences at school with interesting, and often absurd, excuses, which make Kagome's friends worry a lot about her.

Kagome's Friends

Hojo

Voiced by: Yuuji Ueda (Japanese); Matt Smith (English)

Hojo (北条, Hōjō) is a school friend of Kagome who has a very large crush on her. Kagome's school friends think that they should be together, but Kagome, while she is attracted to him, never took the dates he asked her on seriously even though she agreed and every single time would either forget or bail out on the dates so that she could go back to the Feudal Era to be with Inuyasha. Hojo is always under the pretense that Kagome has a fatal illness, due to the excuses Kagome's grandfather tells in order to keep Kagome out of school for long periods of time while she is in the Feudal Era. Because of this, Hojo is frequently seen giving Kagome traditional remedies and supplies for her various fictional illnesses. Sometimes her grandfather uses the gifts from Hojo on himself. When Hojo shares his family tree, they notice that one of his ancestor's name is Kagome. In short, Kagome is attracted to Hojo, but in a friendly way. He seems to be a girl magnet. In the ending of The Final Act, Hojo is seen dating his college classmate after the series ended.

Yuka, Ayumi, and Eri

Yuka Voiced by: Kaori Shimizu (Japanese); Jillian Michaels (English)
Ayumi Voiced by: Nanami Okamoto (Japanese); Cathy Weseluck (English)
Eri Voiced by: Yuki Masuda (Japanese); Saffron Henderson (original series seasons 1–5, movies 1 & 2), Rebecca Shoichet (original series season 6, movie 3, The Final Act) (English)

Yuka, Ayumi, and Eri are Kagome's three best friends from the modern era.

Yuka (由加) has neck-length brown hair. Being the most outspoken of the three, as well as being very sharp-witted, she often expresses concern over Kagome's relationship with her "delinquent boyfriend," Inuyasha.

Ayumi (あゆみ) has wavy shoulder-length black hair. Being the naive, optimistic, gentle one of the three, she is the only one of the group to express support for Kagome's relationship with Inuyasha.

Eri (絵理) has straight shoulder-length black hair and is frequently shown wearing a yellow headband. Like Yuka, she is very outspoken and well concerned with Kagome's relationship health, and because of this, she never hesitates to give her opinion on Kagome's potential boyfriends (Hojo and Inuyasha).

Midoriko

Midoriko (翠子) was an extremely powerful priestess who lived centuries before the events of the series. She was well known for her vastly strong spiritual abilities, more specifically her ability to purify demon souls and spirits, rendering them completely powerless. It was because of this ability that she was both hated and feared by demons. In her final battle, she was ambushed by many yōkai. The battle lasted for seven days and nights and eventually a yōkai, created when many yōkai possessed a mortal man who secretly desired Midoriko, captured her in his jaws. In one final attempt to defeat the demon, she pulled his soul into her body - fusing it with her own soul - and then expelled them both simultaneously. Both the demon and Midoriko died, but their souls combined to give birth to the Shikon Jewel. Midoriko and the demon remained imprisoned within the Jewel and continued to battle ever since. In the ending, when Inuyasha entered the jewel, he finally saw Midoriko herself and witnessed her to help him fighting and defeating a huge amount of demons then disappearing and never returning. In the manga, the demon's desire expressed by Naraku dissolved forever her soul in order to prepare the place for Kagome. In fact, after her disappearance, the demons tells to Inuyasha that her battle with them has lasted for the hundreds of years since the Shikon no Tama was born, and Kagome will continue it from here. Furthermore, as soon as the light dies, the huge spider web with Naraku's dead soul instantly appears. Instead, in the anime series, after Kagome makes her wish to destroy the jewel and also stop its plan to replace the demon and Midoriko with Naraku and herself, Midoriko ceased her fighting and disappeared along with the demons she fought, implying that her battle had finally ended and she was allowed to move on to the afterlife.

See also

References