List of Inuyasha characters
 | It has been suggested that Kagura (InuYasha), Inu no Taishou, Izayoi, Ryūkotsusei, Hosenki (InuYasha), Jinenji and Shako (InuYasha) be merged into this article. (Discuss) Proposed since October 2008. |
 | This article's lead section may be too short to adequately summarize the key points. (September 2008) |
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This is a list of characters from InuYasha, the manga and anime series by Rumiko Takahashi.
InuYasha's group
InuYasha
InuYasha (犬夜叉) is the protagonist of the manga and anime. InuYasha is a "hanyō", his father was an inu yōkai (dog demon); his mother was human. He wields the Tetsusaiga, a supernatural sword made from one of his deceased father's fangs. Among other powers, InuYasha has can recover from injuries fatal for an average human. This ability is likely derived from his yōkai powers. On the night of the new moon, InuYasha loses his yokai powers and changes into a human with black hair and brown eyes. Prior to meeting his current companions, he would conceal himself during this time. InuYasha loves the miko Kikyo, but now is also in love with Kagome, leading to tension between the three characters after Kikyo is ressurected by the oni Urasue (Onigumo). InuYasha means 'dog spirit' or 'dog demon.' ("Inu" meaning "Dog and "Yasha" or "yasya" meaning "spirit/demon."). At the end of the manga he and Kagome marry.
Voiced by: Kappei Yamaguchi (Japanese); Richard Ian Cox (English)
Kagome Higurashi
Kagome Higurashi (日暮 かごめ, Higurashi Kagome) is the second protagonist of both the manga and anime. Kagome can be extremely sweet, but can also become very dangerous when provoked. She is the reincarnation of Kikyo, a priestess who died 50 years before the time Kagome first emerged from the Bone Eater's Well in the Feudal Era. Kagome takes over Kikyo's task of protecting the Jewel of Four Souls after accidentally shattering it in Episode 1. Kagome has also developed feelings for InuYasha. This relationship proves to be a driving point of the series. Kagome has great spiritual power due to the fact she is Kikyo's reincarnation. But the manga recently revealed that the evil side of the Jewel is sealing Kagome's power, out of fear that she might be able to purify it. Literally, "Kagome" translates as "Woven Bamboo Pattern" if written in kanji, using hiragana alone, Kagome is a kind of beet. At the end of the series, she spends 3 years away from the well and finishes high school, then marries InuYasha and lives in the feudal era.
Kagome lives with her younger brother, Sota Higurashi (日暮 草太, Higurashi Sōta), her mother, and her grandfather in the modern world. These three are the only ones in the modern era aware of Kagome's double life and often cover for her while she is in InuYasha's world. Her mother takes Kagome's time travel adventures in stride and makes sure her daughter gets all the supplies she needs; Sota collects Kagome's homework from school and admires InuYasha, who he respects as an older brother; Grandpa is a shrine keeper and invents many bizarre excuses as to why Kagome is not in school. Hōjō (北条) is a boy has a crush on Kagome and Yuka, Eri, and Ayumi (由加 / 絵理 / あゆみ) acts as Kagome's three closest modern-day friends. In the anime, Sota crushes on a girl, Hitomi.
Voiced by: Satsuki Yukino (Japanese); Moneca Stori (English)
Miroku
Miroku (弥勒) is a Buddhist 'houshi,' or low-ranking, itinerant monk who traveled the countryside performing services such as exorcisms and yōkai exterminations to earn his living. He suffers from a hereditary curse originally inflicted upon his grandfather Miyatsu by Naraku. The hole in his hand became a kazāna (wind tunnel) which sucks in almost anything in its path. Miroku uses the kazāna as a powerful weapon against yōkai, but the longer he has it the larger it grows. If the curse is not broken by Naraku's death, it will consume Miroku just like his grandfather and father. Miroku's behavior is uncharacteristic of a proper monk. He is a talented con artist who does not hesitate to invent fictitious supernatural menaces which he can then offer to combat in return for food and shelter, and like his grandfather he has a distinct weakness for pretty women. He makes a point of asking every attractive woman he meets if she will bear his child, claiming that he wants to be sure of an heir to continue his pursuit of Naraku if he dies. He often has the urge to grope women's butts, Sango's being his most frequent target. In spite of his lecherous behavior, Miroku has a core of deep spirituality and impressive spiritual powers. He also gains feelings for Sango as the series continue. He even asks her to marry him after they kill Naraku. Miroku's name comes from the Buddhist god Maitreya. At the end of the manga series they end up killing Naraku and has twin girls and a baby boy.
Voiced by: Kōji Tsujitani (Japanese); Kirby Morrow (English)
Sango
Sango (珊瑚) is a demon slayer who hails from a village of professional yōkai slayers. Sango wields the Hiraikotsu, a massive boomerang made of yōkai bones, along with a broad repertoire of tools and tricks for battling yōkai. Sango's family was killed, and her entire village destroyed, by Naraku's yōkai so that Naraku could steal their Jewel shards. He then blamed InuYasha and manipulated Sango into trying to kill him. When that ploy failed, Naraku used a shard of the Shikon Jewel to revive and control Sango's little brother Kohaku, forcing him to fight InuYasha and company, and using him as a means by which to manipulate Sango. She seeks vengeance against Naraku, but her primary goal is to rescue Kohaku from Naraku's influence and save his life. She has feelings for Miroku, although she is offended by his constant groping and lechery. Miroku eventually asks Sango to live with him and bear his children after Naraku is destroyed, to which Sango agrees. At the end of the manga series, she gives birth to twin girls and newborn baby boy.
Voiced by: Houko Kuwashima (Japanese); Kelly Sheridan (English)
Kirara
Kirara (雲母) is Sango's faithful, demon-cat companion. Kirara usually appears in the form of a small feline no larger than a kitten with two tails. When necessary, she can transform into full demon with larger saber-teeth, flames around her feet and tail, and at a size large enough to carry 2-3 humans on her back. In her full demon mode, Kirara is capable of flying, an ability InuYasha's group find useful for transporting Sango, Miroku, and Shippo when InuYasha is running quickly or jumping to greater heights than they would normally be able to keep up with. For most of the series, Kirara stays primarily with Sango and aids InuYasha's group in battles. At the end of the series and Naraku has been defeated, she chooses to join Kohaku as he trains to become a demon slayer while Sango starts her new life with Miroku and their children.
In the anime series, it is suggested that she was once the companion of Midoriko, who originally created the Shikon no Tama.
Voiced by: Tarako in both the original Japanese and the English dubbed version of the series.
Shippo
Shippo (七宝, Shippō) is an orphaned young fox demon whose father was killed by the Thunder Brothers, Hiten and Manten, and the first character in the story to join InuYasha and Kagome in their travels as a group. Shippo can shape-shift, but his forms are temporary, often incomplete and ineffective, and he is usually given away by his telltale tail. His other noteworthy abilities are turning into a large pink flying balloon, illusionary tricks with toys like his giant spinning top attack, weak fox fire magic, and making things multiply. He tends to be naively observant and often makes pointed and cheeky comments directed towards InuYasha, earning him a retaliatory bonk on the head. InuYasha and Kagome serve as older sibling figures to Shippo. Because he is so small and light, whenever the group is traveling anywhere, we see Shippo almost always hitching a ride. Shippo's exact age is not known, but he looks and acts approximately seven years old[1].
Voiced by: Kumiko Watanabe (Japanese); Jillian Michaels (English)
Sesshomaru's group
Sesshomaru
Sesshomaru (殺生丸, Sesshōmaru) is InuYasha's older half-brother. Unlike InuYasha, Sesshomaru is a full-blooded Inu-yokai and is initially very contemptuous of InuYasha for being a half-demon and for consorting with humans. He is a very powerful demon who seems to have no true equal when it comes to raw power; although given the chance in volume twenty-three of the manga, he could not defeat Naraku. Takahashi also stated that Sesshomaru has no permanent home, though he rules over the Western Lands. Unlike almost every other sentient demon in the world of InuYasha (aside from those affiliated with his and InuYasha's father in some way), he has no interest in possessing even one shard of the Shikon Jewel. Initially, Sesshomaru is ruthless and cruel in his pursuit of Tetsusaiga and his dealings with his brother. However, as the series progresses, he begins to undergo a change in his behavior, one largely brought about by the influence of Tenseiga and the human child Rin. He stops trying to claim or destroy Tetsusaiga, and, while still sometimes hostile in his attitude toward InuYasha, he is sometimes helpful in his encounters with InuYasha's group, occasionally showing up to intervene in desperate situations (and generally making the excuse that he was only there to get information from them regarding Naraku's whereabouts). He, like InuYasha and his friends, becomes determined to destroy Naraku after Naraku attempts to manipulate him using Rin as a hostage, and his growing compassion for people such as Kagura finally prompts Tōtōsai to volunteer to reforge Tenseiga and make it able to perform the Meidou Zangetsuha ("dark path of the dawn's moon blast") attack.
Voiced by: Ken Narita (Japanese); David Kaye (English)
Jaken
Jaken (邪見) is a small green yōkai, and acts as Sesshomaru's servant. Jaken is not especially powerful but is extremely loyal. Despite this loyalty, Sesshomaru more often than not ignores him. However, Jaken continues to verbally promote the greatness of Sesshomaru in ways that the aristocratic Sesshomaru would never do himself. Sesshomaru once resurrected Jaken with the Tenseiga when he was killed by Kaijinbo when possessed by Tōkijin. Jaken does not engage in battle much, but when he does engage in direct battle, it's usually with the company of some other strong yokai the weapon known as the Staff of Heads (人頭杖, nintōjō), though he only occasionally uses it to fight. In the manga, little is explained about Jaken's past, but in the anime, it is explained that Jaken was once a lord among similar demons. A battle broke out with another yōkai tribe. The leader of the larger demon tribe had Jaken by his neck, when Sesshomaru appeared and told the demon to move for he was blocking Sesshomaru's path. The yōkai did not heed him and as soon as Sesshomaru repeated himself he used his poison whip and destroyed the yōkai. Jaken, captivated by Sesshomaru's power, felt a need to repay him, and followed him. Sesshomaru told him that if he could use the Staff of Two Heads, then he could become his servant.
Voiced by: Yuichi Nagashima (Japanese); Don Brown (English)
Rin
Rin (りん) is an orphan girl who finds Sesshomaru in the woods after he was badly injured by InuYasha's using the Wind Scar on him. Rin's family was killed by bandits, and she lives on the outskirts of her small village, having to fend for herself. Although Sesshomaru snubs her, she visits him regularly and attempts to take care of him. She steals fish from the village for him, only to learn he doesn't eat human food. The villagers beat her for the theft, and when Sesshomaru idly inquires about her injuries, she is disproportionately happy. She initially appears mute, as she doesn't speak to Sesshomaru, rather she makes hand gestures and smiles.
Later, the wolf-demon Koga chases a thief to the village. After killing the thief, Koga lets his wolves attack and kill the villagers to steal food. Rin escapes the village and runs through the forest towards Sesshomaru, but she trips along the path. The wolves catch up to her and attack her. Recovered from his wounds, Sesshomaru is leaving when he catches Rin's scent and follows it to her mauled and lifeless body. Remembering her smile, he states that he wishes to test his sword again then uses the Tenseiga to resurrect her. After setting Rin on her feet again, Sesshomaru walks away, leaving the dumbfounded Jakenand a wide-eyed Rin standing on the path. After a moment, they both follow. The next time Rin is seen, she is clean, wearing a new, colorful kimono, and talking and acting more like a typical child.
Throughout the series, she is generally seen following Sesshomaru, whom she addresses as Lord Sesshomaru, or waiting for him with Ah-Un and sometimes Jaken while Sesshomaru is dealing with more dangerous tasks. Though Sesshomaru never speaks of having and feelings for her, he is shown to have a strong protective instinct, and its clear that Rin is devoted to him. At one time, she and many other children are captured by another demon that is destroyed by a group of monks lead by Ungai. Rin refuses to go with the monks as she knows Sesshomaru is already on his way, but Ungai attempts to force her to come. Rin fights him and calls for Sesshomaru, who reveals that he was indeed already there. The monks are unable to hurt him the same way they destroyed the lesser demons and Rin is freed from Ungai's hold. When she seems to hesitate to leave with him, Sesshomaru tells her to do as she wishes and walks away. She waves goodbye to Ungai and runs after him. Once they rejoin Jaken, Rin spots several graves along the path, and asks Sesshomaru to remember her after she dies. Sesshomaru appears surprised by the question and responds: "Don't say such silly things."[2]
Rin is killed for a second time in the series when she and Kohaku, now also journeying with Sesshomaru, are taken by the "Dog from Hell." When he finds her, Sesshomaru is visibly disturbed with a look of disbelief and shock on his face. It is at this point that he learns that Tenseiga can only revive a person once. Rin's lifeless body is taken by the Master of Hell, with Sesshomaru and Kohaku following to take it back. When they return from the Land of the Dead, Sesshomaru's mother uses her Meidou stone to revive Rin. Jaken confirms that it made Sesshomaru happy while Sesshomaru puts his hand on Rin's cheek.
In the final chapter of the manga, set three years after the defeat of Naraku, Rin no longer travels with Sesshomaru and Jaken. Instead, she lives with Kaede, which InuYasha comments is "practice" for her to live in a human village as an adult, or whatever life she chooses. Sesshomaru is shown visiting her and bringing her gifts.
In the original anime adaptation, Rin is voiced by Mamiko Noto. In the Viz English dub, she is voiced by Brenna O'Brien.
Kohaku
Kohaku (琥珀) is Sango's younger brother, who was once under the control of Naraku. When Naraku disguised himself as Kagewaki Hitomi, the son of a lord, he used Lord Hitomi's father to call upon Sango and the demon slayers to slay a false demon. Naraku forced Kohaku to turn against his companions, killing his father and all the demon slayers. Sango survived solely by sheer luck. Castle guards also killed Kohaku that night, only to be later resurrected by Naraku as an amnesiac puppet. After several encounters with Sango and her friends, he began to recover his painful memories and sought to secretly find a way to destroy Naraku while still maintaining the illusion of being under his control; he later formed an alliance with Kagura, who sought freedom from Naraku's tyranny. Following Kagura's death, he joins Kikyo as he believes travelling with her will be the only way to redeem himself. He remains by her side until she tells him to separate from her for fear of being unable to keep his shard pure. However, he is nearly captured by Byakuya, and only a timely arrival by Sesshomaru saves him. Kohaku remains with Sesshomaru's group after this, and helps protect Rin, who he has a friendship with. In the last chapter of the manga, Kohaku goes with Kirara along with a new weapon which Totosai made for him. When Totosai asks him if he will visit his sister, Sango, he replies that he will not, since the house it getting too crowded. He then goes off with Kirara to become a better demon slayer.
Voiced by: Akiko Yajima(Japanese); Alex Doduk (1), Danny McKinnon (2) (English)
Ah-Un
Ah-Un (阿吽, 阿吽) is a two-headed dragon demon and Sesshomaru's loyal/domesticated beast of burden. He is one of the only two yōkai in the series who is explicitly stated to be a herbivore. Despite the fact that he has traveled with Sesshomaru for centuries, he did not have a name until after Rin gave him one, naming the right head "Ah," and the left head "Un." Ah-Un can fire yōkai energy from both mouths. The right head can shoot blue beams of lightning, while the left can shoot green lightning that can control clouds and possibly the weather. Also when it flies, a grey cloud-like gas gathers around its legs which is similar to the flaming versions of those around Kirara's. On their journeys, Rin and Jaken often rest on his back when they are flying over great distances. When Sesshomaru leaves Rin in a safe place, either with Jaken or by herself, Ah-Un stays with her and will act as her protector if she is threatened. He saved Rin from a group of lesser demons when she went to collect an herb to save Jaken, who was dying from being poisoned by Naraku's Saimyōshō. Ah-Un also defeated many of Setsuna no Takemaru's zombie warriors in InuYasha the Movie 3: Swords of an Honorable Ruler. When Sesshomaru takes Jaken with him, Rin will remind him to "come back and get us," thus indicating that she considers Ah-Un to be a part of the family on the same level as herself and Jaken.
Naraku's group
Naraku
Naraku (奈落) is the series' main antagonist, Naraku (literally means "underworld", "hell", or "basement") is responsible for nearly every character’s suffering throughout the series. He is a hanyō that originated from a bandit named Onigumo ("Demon Spider"). Unlike InuYasha, he can choose the time of the month when he becomes his weak human form. Like InuYasha, Naraku's main goal is to collect all of the shards of the Shikon no Tama in order to become a full yōkai. He has feelings for Kikyo because of Onigumo's lust for her while he was alive. Later, he expels his human heart and with it his feelings for Kikyo and his human half, making him a full demon. Even though he gets rid of his heart he reveals his true wish on the shikon jewel is that he wants Kikyo's heart. He is killed by InuYasha near the end of the series.
Voiced by: Hiroshi Yanaka, Toshiyuki Morikawa (Japanese); Paul Dobson (English)
Kanna
Kanna (神無) is the first detachment of Naraku. She is a yōkai who appears as a girl with white hair and clothing. Kanna carries with her a demonic mirror, with which she can steal the souls of those reflected in it. Once a soul is trapped within her mirror, Kanna can control their host bodies to her bidding. However, if a powerful be locked into the mirror and overflow it, the mirror will start to crack, forcing Kanna to release all souls currently trapped within, lest her mirror shatter. The mirror also has the ability to create a glass demon that can copy the abilities of whatever it reflects, though Kanna receives all damage in the glass demon's stead. Kanna is the only incarnation that Naraku trusts, telling her important information about his actions and allowing her to give orders to his other incarnations and pawns. In her last battle, Kanna is ordered by Naraku to commit suicide, shattering herself and the glass demon she was currently using into thousands of tiny shards. One of the shards hits Kagome's right eye, and using it Kanna directs her final thought into telling Kagome how to destroy Naraku.
Voiced by: Yukana Nogami (Japanese); Janyse Jaud (English)
Kagura
Kagura (神楽) is a wind sorceress, created as the second detachment from Naraku. Although Naraku's servant, Kagura has an independent mind, and wants to be free of Naraku. She seeks freedom, but cannot defy Naraku openly because he holds her heart and could kill her instantly by crushing it. Instead, she looks for ways to oppose him covertly, ultimately assisting both InuYasha and Sesshomaru (for whom she has feelings of love) against him and acting in Kohaku's defense rather than allowing Hakudōshi to take his Shikon shard. She is finally released from Naraku's control after Hakudōshi's death; however, Naraku kills her soon afterward. She seems to have feelings for Sesshomaru, because, at her death, she describes how she wanted to see him one last time.
Voiced by: Izumi Oogami (Japanese); Janyse Jaud (English)
Goshinki
Goshinki (悟心鬼) is Naraku's third detachment and takes the form of a large horned ogre. Goshinki has the ability to sense the thoughts of others, which enables him to outmaneuver InuYasha and break Tetsusaiga by biting it. However, breaking Tetsusaiga caused InuYasha to transform into his berserk yōkai state, after which Goshinki could no longer read his thoughts, resulting in Goshinki's death at the claws of InuYasha. Sesshomaru, realizing that Goshiki had broken Tetsusaiga, took his fangs and had the sword Tōkijin made from them; Tōkijin, filled with Goshinki's malice, is too powerful and malevolent for anyone but Sesshomaru to handle.
Voiced by: Masaharu Satō (Japanese); Michael Kopsa (English)
Kageromaru
Kageromaru (影郎丸, Kagerōmaru) is the fourth detachment, a tiny slithering creature with a human head and two scythed-arms. Despite his form, Kagerōmaru is revealed to be quite fast, and can also tunnel in the ground. He resides in Juromaru's stomach, who is loyal only to him, where he can make surprise attacks on the enemy. Kageromaru has a love of eating the insides of people and yōkai alike. Despite this, Kagerōmaru is revealed to be quite intelligent, and, unlike Juromaru, is shown being able to talk. He was killed along with his younger brother by InuYasha and Koga.
Juromaru
Juromaru (獣郎丸), the fifth incarnation, is perhaps the least loyal of all of the incarnation Naraku creates. Juromaru's only loyalty is his elder brother Kageromaru, who is hidden in Jūrōmaru's stomach when covered by a metal mask. When first introduced, Juromaru was chained up, possibly because his elder brother attempted to kill Naraku. Jūrōmaru has little intelligence and never speaks, characterized only by a lust to kill. He and his elder brother were killed by InuYasha and Koga.
Muso
Muso (無双, Musō) was separated from Naraku in his attempt to remove his human side, Onigumo, which would also remove Onigumo's love for Kikyo. He is the sixth detachment of Naraku. Naraku cared so little for the incarnation he neither named it or gave it a face. Muso took both his name and face from a wandering monk he slew. Muso ventured to Kikyo's former village, where he runs into InuYasha's group, and battles them quickly after their encounter. Soon Naraku quickly realizes, however, that he cannot abandon Onigumo when demons try to gain their freedom from his body, and Muso was absorbed back into Naraku.
Voiced by: Hiroshi Yanaka (Japanese); Brian Dobson (English)
Akago
Akago (赤子) is Naraku's heart and seventh detachment, and is capable of speaking fluently. He is a baby that can possess anyone with the darkness in their heart. His main goal is to control Kagome's mind by finding the pain, anger, or jealousy within her heart, and use her abilities to find the remaining shards of the Shikon Jewel. He finds her jealousy of InuYasha's feelings for Kikyo, but InuYasha saves her before Akago can control her. Like Hakudoshi and Kagura, Akago is not loyal to Naraku. He is destroyed along with Moryomaru by Naraku.
Voiced by: Ai Kobayashi
Hakudoshi
Hakudoshi (白童子) is the eighth detachment from Naraku and created from Akago's body, he was Entei's final master and takes the form of a 7-year-old child. Like Naraku, his heart is not inside his body, so he is able to endlessly regenerate himself. Due to being created from Akago, he is capable of using all of Akago's abilities, and can regenerate all damage, as his heart is not in his body, but inside his brother Akago. Hakudoshi is able to tame a fire-horse named Entei (炎蹄), which Hakudōshi used to move from place to place prior to Entei's destruction. Hakudoshi also claims a naginata from a pig-demon. Hakudoshi uses this to decapitate ogres and use their heads to see into the borderland between the dead and living worlds.
Over time, both Akago and Hakudoshi grow tired of Naraku's rule over them, and seek to betray and overthrow him. To help Akago in battle and protect him, Hakudoshi creates Mōryōmaru. Naraku eventually realized their wish to betray him, however, and Naraku instructs his Saimyosho to abandon Hakudōshi in battle, giving him no protection against Miroku's Wind Tunnel, and he is destroyed.
Voiced by: Ai Kobayashi (Japanese); Chiara Zanni (English)
Byakuya
Byakuya (白夜) is Naraku's ninth and final detachment, meant to replace Kagura. He is loyal to Naraku and has an incredible power of creating illusions. His main purpose was to observe InuYasha and Mōryōmaru's growing powers and report these observations back to Naraku, though was never given details about these missions, much like Kagura, and had chosen to stay protective of his own life after witnessing Kanna's death. Byakuya has the power to possess people with paper soldiers, summon vines to entrap his enemies, teleport others to different dimensions, detach organs from his body, and erect barriers. He travels on a giant origami paper crane.
After taking the power of one slash of InuYasha's Meidou Zangetsuha, he later slashes Kagome with the blade. However, before he gets a chance at a second strike, InuYasha attacks him with his Medou Zangetsuha and Byakuya is absorbed into it. When Naraku dies, a Meidou appears behind Kagome, due to Byakuya's Meidou Blade.
Moryomaru
Moryomaru (魍魎丸) was an enemy of Naraku. He was a 100-foot long monster in a human form who could shoot blasts of energy from his arm. At first, he is merely a life force puppet, the more refined of various such creations made from yōkai by Hakudōshi, and as such, he had no true personality, soul or will. He is given to Kanna, who places Akago inside of him, giving Moryomaru Naraku's soul. Moryomaru begins to increase more and more in power as he absorbs different yōkai to gain their abilities. During a battle, he nearly defeats an onslaught of most of Naraku's enemies which included Kikyo, Kohaku, Kagome, InuYasha, Miroku, Sango, Shippo, and Sesshomaru. He succeeds in breaking Sesshomaru's sword, but flees after nearly losing a shard of the Shikon Jewel. He is killed when he devours Naraku, and Naraku absorbs his power from the inside and uses it to be reborn.
Princess Abi
Princess Abi is the princess of featherless blood-sucking fire bird yokai and servant to Naraku. Her mother, Queen Tekkei, became ill after she ate a poisoned yōkai, which prompted Princess Abi to collect blood for her. After attacking several villages, Naraku had appeared to make a deal with her; he would give her weapons and become his servant in exchange for his blood. Princess Abi eventually attempts to fight with InuYasha, though the battle ends with him leaving her after destroying her shield. Princess Abi grew suspicious of Naraku over time and decides to betray him. To prove she isn't an ally, she attempts to attack the baby Akago, one of Naraku's offspring. After a quick battle with InuYasha, Princess Abi leaves, finally having enough blood for her mother. However, Naraku decides to reveal his true intent to use Tekkei to get into the border between the worlds of the living and the dead. Tekkei, finally revealing her full form of a giant bird yōkai, attacks and swallows Naraku, who responds by decapitating her from the inside. Naraku then kills Princess Abi painlessly, a reward for being useful, and uses Tekkei's blood to create a pathway between the living and dead worlds.
Band of Seven
The Band of Seven (七人隊, Shichi'nintai), referred to in VIZ Media's English dub as The Band Of Seven or The Band Of Seven Men but in Animax's English dub as the Shichi'nintai, are seven mercenaries brought back to life by Naraku using the Shikon Jewel shards. All of their names end in kotsu ( 骨), meaning "bone".
Bankotsu
Bankotsu (蛮骨) is the leader, the youngest, and the strongest member of the Band of Seven; he carries the huge Banryu halberd. Bankotsu is a skilled mercenary and has killed many people; however, he frequently shows a sense of honor and compassion, albeit only for his six companions.
After being brought back to life, Bankotsu seeks his weapon, Banryu, and kills evertone in the surrounding area once he succeeds. The scent of blood draws InuYasha's group to him, and Bankotsu engages in battle with them. However, Bankotsu soon realized that he was not powerful enough when his halberd was nicked by InuYasha's Wind Scar. He took the jewel shards Renkotsu stole from Kagome to repair his damaged blade, giving it the power to deflect the Wind Scar. Later, Bankotsu soon realizes how deceptive Renkotsu has become, killing him when he learned Renkotsu murdered Jakotsu. With 7 fragments in his body and two in his halberd, Bankotsu headed off to destroy InuYasha deep inside Mount Hakurei. In the manga, InuYasha wins slowly cuts the Shikon shards out of his body as the battle progresses until Bankotsu was cut in two, with Naraku stripping the remaining half of its shikon jewel shards. In the anime, Bankotsu slew 1,000 yōkai and killed 1,000 warlords with Banryu. Banryu, in turn, transformed into a demonic weapon ability to release physical manifestations of its users' hatred in the form of powerful demonic energy. However, this proves to be his downfall as InuYasha takes the opportunity and unleashes the Backlash Wave, crushing Bankotsu and shattering Banryū.
Voiced by: Takeshi Kusao (Japanese); Matt Hill (English)
Renkotsu
Renkotsu (煉骨) is the second in command and is the fourth strongest member of the Band of Seven. He became resentful of Bankotsu's power and dares to betray him. After Ginkotsu self-destructed to save Renkotsu from Koga, Renkotsu took Ginkotsu's shard and stuck it in his wounded shoulder. Later, he killed the injured Jakotsu after his battle with InuYasha and took his jewel shard. As punishment for hiding the shards and killing Jakotsu, Bankotsu kills him. Renkotsu was an expert with explosives and metallurgy who used bombs, cannons, and other artillery. He was also a gifted strategist, and possessed some skill at hand to hand combat although the only members of the group he surpassed in fighting skills was Mukotsu and Kyokotsu. He was also skilled at mechanical work, to the point of being able to reconstruct Ginkotsu into a living artillery weapon resembling a modern tank.
Voiced by: Tomokazu Sugita (Japanese); Brian Drummond (English)
Jakotsu
Jakotsu (蛇骨) carries a very powerful sword, the Jakotsuto, which has snake-like, retractable blades that make it difficult for an opponent to calculate Jakotsu's next move. He is the first openly homosexual character in the InuYasha universe. Jakotsu is the second strongest of the Band of Seven and was placed third in command. He was a close friend of Bankotsu before they formed the Band of Seven, Bankotsu even stating that Jakotsu is the only person he trusts. After a lengthy fight with, Jakotsu loses to InuYasha, who spares his life. Badly wounded, Jakotsu happily accepted that he died after fighting the battle he wanted and having fun in his second chance at life, though he could have survived if the Shikon Jewel shard embedded in his neck wasn't taken by the scheming Renkotsu. This action is later avenged by Bankotsu when he kills Renkotsu himself.
Voiced by: Ai Orikasa (Japanese); Jenn Forgie (English)
Suikotsu
Suikotsu (睡骨) is the third strongest of the Band of Seven. Has two personalities; "Doctor Suikotsu" is good, kind, and respected by villagers and "Suikotsu of the Band of Seven", who is evil and blood-thirsty. The evil side emerged when he was traumatized by seeing a child killed in front of him. Mount Hakurei's purity tends to favor Doctor Suikotsu, and after transforming into both forms, he emerges back at the village he practiced at without the markings on his face, but still violent and willing to kill. He was soon beaten by both Sesshomaru and Kikyo's sacred arrow when he used Rin as a hostage, and, after explaining how he had overcome his double personality, asked Kikyo to remove the Shikon Jewel shard from his neck and let him die peacefully. Respecting his wishes, Kikyo reached to retrieve the jewel, but was stopped as Jakotsu removed it himself and took it to Bankotsu. He used metal claws as weapon, each having exceptionally long blades. He also possessed phenomenal strength, agility, and savage combat skills due to his unique form of mania and bloodlust.
Voiced by: Hiroaki Hirata (Japanese); Michael Donovan (English)
Ginkotsu
Ginkotsu (銀骨) has metal parts on his body and various amounts of weaponry within and is the fifth strongest of the Band of Seven. His speech is rarely intelligible, only changing when angered. He barely survives his first encounter with InuYasha and is reconstructed into a siege tank with spider-like legs by Renkotsu. Later, he fought Koga with Renkotsu. In the manga, he exploded when Koga had stuffed pieces of armor into his cannons, causing them to backfire. In the anime, he survived this attack, but went berserk when Renkotsu received a heavy wound to his left shoulder, causing Ginkotsu to unleash every weapon he had on Koga to no avail. Ginkotsu then self-destructed in an explosion while shielding Renkotsu with his own jewel shard in an effort to save Renkotsu's life.
While in human form, he carries a katana, an axe attached with a chain, a spear, wires, a grappler that replaced his left arm, disk-blades, a cannon on his shoulder, and a drill in his chest. In his tank form, his offense is two main cannons. For movement, he has spider-like legs along with disk-blade wheels. In the anime, his additional weapons include a larger array of firearms, as well as launching his main body off like a rocket, which contains wire launchers and a flamethrower. His final weapon is a self-destruct mechanism.
Voiced by: Hisao Egawa (Japanese); Mark Gibbon (English)
Mukotsu
Mukotsu (霧骨) is a short poison master and is the sixth strongest of the Band of Seven. He abducts Kagome and, in the anime, tries to have a wedding ceremony with her but becomes angry at her due to her reaction to his facial features, and tries to kill her when she tries to remove his Shikon Jewel shard. However, in the manga, Mukotsu tries to come onto Kagome until she stabs him, and soon after Miroku and Sango appear. Mukotsu poisons Kagome, Miroku, and Sango, nearly killing them, but was soon killed by Sesshomaru, on whom his poisons have no effect.
Voiced by: Tetsu Inada (Japanese); Trevor Devall (English)
Kyokotsu
凶骨 (Kyokotsu) is a giant, large and slow witted. His size is his weapon, and proves to be a formidable foe. He terrorized yōkai-wolf tribes, who were defenseless before his size and invulnerability. Despite his massive size and fearsome looks, Kyokotsu is the weakest of the seven and is human. Kyokotsu is defeated when, while holding Kōga with his hand near his face Koga takes the jewel shard from his forehead, instantly killing him.
Voiced by: Daisuke Gōri (Japanese); Mark Gibbon (English)
Supporting characters
Kaede
Kaede (楓) is Kikyo's younger sister. As a child, Kaede accompanied Kikyo as she worked, helping her with various tasks such as gathering herbs or holding her arrows. After her sister's death, Kaede became a miko in her own right and defends the village against demons. When Kagome arrives, Kaede recognizes her as the reincarnation of Kikyo. After Kagome free's InuYasha, Kaede uses her abilities to puts the "Beads of Subjugation" on him to give Kagome the power to control him with a spoken word. She often shares advice and knowledge about demons and other spiritual anomalies with InuYasha's group. Kaede is well-respected and held in high regards by the villagers and the members of InuYasha's group. Though InuYasha is easily annoyed with her, he listens to her when necessary and doesn't hesitate to protect her from a threat.
Kaede is shown as having lost an eye sometime during her life. In the manga, it is never stated how this happened. In the anime adaptation, it is said that she lost it during a demon attack on the village.
In the anime adaptation, she is voiced by Hisako Kyoda. In the Viz English dub, she is voiced by Pam Hyatt who depicts her with an archaic tone and vocabulary, such as using "ye" even extra-grammatically as an accusative and dative).
Myoga
Myoga (冥加, Myōga) is a flea demon who appears randomly and gives InuYasha information on current events, foes, and the shards of the Jewel of Four Souls. He was originally charged with protecting the grave of InuYasha's father, where the Tetsusaiga was hidden. However, he fled when Sesshomaru came to the grave in search of the sword. Myoga also enjoys drinking demon blood, and actually saves InuYasha's life at one point by drinking the venom from a spider demon out of his blood. He often gets slapped by InuYasha and others because he drinks their blood without permission.
Myoga often flees before or during a battle, and the others have recognized as a sign of pending danger. Anywhere he is around is considered a safe area. In the anime series, he is engaged to another flea demon named Shoga, though he continually runs from her to avoid the marriage. He is voiced by Kenichi Ogata in the original Japanese series, and by Paul Dobson in the English dub.
Totosai
Totosai (刀々斎, Tōtōsai) is an elderly blacksmith yōkai and an old friend of InuYasha and Sesshomaru's father. He spends most of his time at his forge, located within a volcano, where he works to create and repair his customer's swords. When he goes out, he travels on a flying three eyed ox named Mō-Mō. He forged both Tetsusaiga and Tenseiga, the swords which belong to InuYasha and Sesshomaru, respectively. Their father entrusted him to help his two sons master their respective swords. As the series progresses, he strengthens both swords as InuYasha grows stronger and Sesshomaru grows more compassionate, the requirements needed for each to be considered more capable of handling the blades.
Much to InuYasha's annoyance, Totosai is often absent-minded and will abruptly forget what is happening, even in the middle of a battle. He occasionally scolds with InuYasha on how he uses Tetsusaiga, lamenting that his sword is in the hands of someone he feels is so unworthy. His complains have helped annoy InuYasha enough to help him increase in power.
Though Totosai often acts like a cowardly old man, he is capable of breathing fire and wields a giant forging hammer. His hammer can open large fire pits when stuck on the ground, and he has been shown to be strong enough to pause an attack from Sesshomaru long enough to allow InuYasha to get away. At the end of the series, he allows Kohaku to work for him.
In the anime adaptation, he is voiced by Jōji Yanami. In the English dub, Richard Newman provides his voice.
Hachiemon
Hachiemon (八衛門) is a tanuki, who goes by the nickname Hachi. Hachi calls Miroku Master and is willing to do what Miroku asks. In the anime, he once took the form of Miroku to sell fake seals and exorcisms and have his way with the ladies. The eventual result was that while Hachi was being assaulted by a weasle demon, Miroku intervened and saved Hachie from the demon. Hachi sometimes acts as the transportation for InuYasha's group by transforming into a large yellow blimp-like creature.
Voiced by: Toshihiko Nakajima (Japanese); Terry Klassen (English)
Kikyo
Kikyo (桔梗, Kikyō) is a powerful shrine maiden who loved InuYasha and was killed by Naraku (disguised as InuYasha), who made the two fight fifty years before the start of the story. She is brought back to life by the ogress Urasue, using soil from her grave and a part of Kagome's soul. Although she looks alive, her body is still "dead," and she must ingest the souls of dead women in order to move. Her body is made of clay and graveyard soil and is considered a "clay doll." Although she is initially driven by hate, trying to drag InuYasha to hell and to kill Kagome, her village considers her a heroine, and Kikyo gradually returns to the love-motivated and caring personality she possessed while alive. However, once she discovered the truth about how Naraku killed her, she wanted revenge on Naraku. In episode 14 of the anime, InuYasha admits that he would go to hell for/with Kikyo. In the manga, Naraku kills her and she dies in the arms of InuYasha. In the latter chapters of the manga, she and Kohaku work together; she protects Kohaku and saves his life. She dies in InuYasha's arms after being attacked by Naraku.
Voiced by: Noriko Hidaka (Japanese); Willow Johnson (English)
Koga
Koga (鋼牙, Kōga) is the young leader of a yōkai-wolf tribe, who wishes to avenge his fallen comrades who were slaughtered by Kagura, one of Naraku's minions. While brash and arrogant, he is shrewd enough to run from a fight if he thinks he cannot win. He had three Shikon jewel shards, one in each of his legs and one in his right arm, which gave him increased speed and strength. He is first battled by InuYasha, after allowing his pack to eat villagers, though Koga retreats after sensing that InuYasha would use his Wind Scar. Although he bickers with InuYasha constantly, one will help when the other is in danger. Koga courts Kagome, protects her whenever possible, and professes love to, which irritates InuYasha, though Kagome doesn't share his affections. Later, his entire pack, with the exception of Ginta and Hakkaku, are destroyed by Naraku. Koga vows to destroy Naraku after this, and then leaves, but before he leaves, he tells Kagome that she may leave InuYasha and come to him if she ever feels the need.
Voiced by: Taiki Matsuno (Japanese); Scott McNeil (English)
Ginta
Ginta (銀太) is one of Koga's followers. His hair is silver, with a dark blue piece in the center. He has mostly fur for his armor.
Voiced by: Hiroyuki Yoshino (Japanese); Paul Dobson (English)
Hakkaku
Hakkaku (白角) is also one of Koga's followers. He has a white mohawk, chain armor, and a fur hide.
Voiced by: Daisuke Kishio (Japanese); Alistair Abell (English)
Ayame
Ayame (菖蒲, Ayame) is a wolf girl in love with Koga. Long ago, during the night of the lunar rainbow, Koga made a promise to marry her. Yet he fails to fulfill his promise. When Ayame comes to get Koga, he states that he is going to marry Kagome. She has red hair that is always in two ponytails with an iris in it, and her eyes are green. Her clothing consists of white wolf fur draped over her shoulders, a necklace, and armor that is red and blue. She is only seen in the anime, and is not present in the manga.
Voiced by: Yumi Kakazu (Japanese); Natalie Walters (English)
Minor characters
Midoriko
Midoriko (翠子) is a shrine maiden of great spiritual power from many centuries before the Sengoku period. She had the power to destroy demons by purifying their souls, and was considered the most powerful living human alive in her time. During this time, Kirara was her companion. During a battle with a powerful group of demons, she tired and was unable to purify a fierce demon's soul that she had seized. As she neared death in battle, she thrust forth her soul from her body, and by taking and enveloping the souls of the demon with which she battled, the sacred jewel was formed. Her soul remained locked in battle with the yōkai's soul inside the Shikon Jewel until Naraku killed her with Magatsuhi's wish.
Magatsuhi
Magatsuhi (椿) is the yōkai who killed Midoriko and whose soul with whom she continuously battles inside the jewel. Like Naraku, Magatsuhi was created by a corrupt human who lusted after a priestess and allowed his body to be consumed by yōkai. However, unlike Naraku, who retains a humanoid form, Magatsuhi's true form is much more monstrous. Magatsuhi is first seen in manga chapter 89 as the mummified corpse of an unnamed but massive demon. Later in the manga, the demon's name is revealed to be Magatsuhi, and it is able to (temporarily) escape the jewel and create a humanoid body out of some of Naraku's spare parts. However, this body was soon destroyed by Sesshomaru and InuYasha. In chapter 555 in the manga, InuYasha saw Magatsuhi combating Midoriko inside the Shikon Jewel.
Magatsuhi states that if Kagome were to make a selfish wish on the Jewel, Kagome would replace Midoriko in the eternal fight and Naraku would replace Magatsuhi. InuYasha refuses to believe Magatsuhi, and proceeds to attack it in an attempt to reach Kagome. In the end he and Naraku were destroyed forever by InuYasha when he cuts the point of light in the darkness inside the Shikon no Tama with the Meidou Zangetsuha and arrives in the Meido outside the jewel to save Kagome.
Tsubaki
Tsubaki (椿) is a dark shrine maiden who made a deal with a demon to retain her youth and beauty. In her youth, she was Kikyo's rival and sees her chance at revenge when she encounters Kagome. She met her end when Naraku lured her to do his bidding with the almost complete Shikon no Tama and she underestimated Kagome's abilities. She appeared in anime only episodes 60--64 as the Dark Priestess (暗い尼僧).
Hakushin
Hakushin (白心上人) was once a great monk that helped people during a famine. When he became sick and was dying, the people buried him alive on an island called Hijiri so that he could become a "living Buddha". He was unable to give up his attachment to live to achieve full Buddha-hood. Naraku found him on Hijiri and revives him into a living mummy. Naraku convinces Hakushin that he hated those who buried him and to help him by erecting a barrier around Mount Hakurei that purifies every creature that has supernatural or demonic powers and prevents people from acting on impure or evil thoughts. The barrier causes InuYasha to change into his human form, prevents Miroku from groping women, slow's Sesshomaru's speed, and greatly weakens Kikyo. After hearing the story of Hakushin, Miroku and Sango search the mountain and find him, but are unable to convinces nor force him to remove the barrier. Hakushin later runs into Kikyo, who is able to persuade him to remove the barrier and pass on to death so he could find peace.
He is voiced in the anime adaptation by Fumio Matsuoka and in the English dub by Hiro Kanagawa.
Mushin
Mushin (法師) is the lecherous monk who took care of young Miroku when his father died as a result of the Wind Tunnel curse. Miroku got his lecherous tendencies from his caretaker. Mushin was once possessed by a Urn Grub and almost killed Miroku. Mushin resides in a shrine next to the grave of Miroku's father.
Voiced by: Yuzuru Fujimoto (Japanese); Alec Willows (English)