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This is a list of characters from InuYasha, the manga and anime series by Rumiko Takahashi.
[edit] InuYasha's group
From left to right: Kirara, Sango, Shippo, Kagome, Miroku, and Inuyasha.
- InuYasha (犬夜叉, InuYasha?)
- Voiced by: Kappei Yamaguchi (Japanese), Richard Ian Cox (English)
- InuYasha is the main character of the manga and anime. InuYasha is a "hanyō", his father was an inu yōkai (dog demon) and his mother was human. He wields the Tetsusaiga, a supernatural sword made from one of his deceased father's fangs. InuYasha has a tendency for massive regeneration and can recover from injuries which would be fatal for any average human. This ability is likely derived from his yōkai powers. On the night of the new moon each month, InuYasha loses his yokai powers and changes into a normal human with black hair and violet 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. InuYasha appears and acts 15 years old, but, since he is half demon, maybe is much older. InuYasha means dog spirit/demon. ("Inu" meaning "Dog and "Yasha" meaning "Spirit/demon.")
- Kagome Higurashi (日暮 かごめ, Higurashi Kagome?)
- Voiced by: Satsuki Yukino (Japanese), Moneca Stori (English)
- Kagome is the second main character of 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 emerges from the Bone Eater's Well in the Feudal era. Kagome takes over Kikyo's task of protecting the Jewel of Four Souls after she accidentally shattered it. 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 it was recently revealed in the manga, that Kagome's true power is being sealed by the evil side of the Jewel, out of fear that she might be able to purify it. Kagome means "Woven Bamboo Pattern" if write in kanji, using hiragana alone, it is a kind of beet.
- Miroku (弥勒, Miroku?)
- Voiced by: Kōji Tsujitani (Japanese), Kirby Morrow (English)
- Miroku 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.
- Sango (珊瑚, Sango?)
- Voiced by: Houko Kuwashima (Japanese), Kelly Sheridan (English)
- Sango is a yōkai slayer (taijiya) 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 her 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 somehow 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, which Sango agrees to. Sango means "Coral."
- Kirara (雲母, Kirara?)
- Voiced by: Tarako
- Kirara is Sango's faithful, yōkai-nekomata companion. She has cream-colored fur, black ears, two black stripes near the end of each of her two bushy tails, and black-tipped paws. Kirara can change between two forms, a ferocious yōkai the size of a lion with the ability to fly, and a cute little kitten. Sango often uses Kirara's flying ability in her large transformed form as transportation to keep up with InuYasha's running and leaping ability. As well, Miroku and Shippo also use Kirara's large transformed flying ability for transportation. Kirara's age is unknown; but she used to be Midoriko's companion. Kirara means "Mica."
- Shippo (七宝, Shippō?)
- Voiced by: Kumiko Watanabe (Japanese), Jillian Michaels (English)
- Shippo is an orphaned young kitsune 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 so small and light, whenever the group is traveling anywhere Shippo is almost always seen hitching a ride. Shippo's exact age is not known, but he looks and acts 7 years old. Shippo's name in kanji literally refers to precious metals and stones, but the word is also a pun for "tail" (尻尾).
[edit] Supporting characters
- Kaede (楓, Kaede?)
- Voiced by: Hisako Kyoda (Japanese), Pam Hyatt (English)
- Kaede is Kikyo's younger sister. She became the miko of their village after Kikyo died. She often shares advice and knowledge about demons and other spiritual anomalies with InuYasha's group, and was the first to recognize Kagome as her sister's reincarnation. Kaede is well-respected and held in high regards by Kagome, Sango, Shippo, Miroku, and even InuYasha. InuYasha is easily annoyed with her, though will listen to her when necessary. In the anime, Kaede lost her right eye during a yokai attack on the village. The manga does not directly state how she lost her eye.("Kaede" means "maple tree.")
- Myōga (冥加, Myōga?)
- Voiced by: Kenichi Ogata (Japanese), Paul Dobson (English)
- Myōga is a yōkai-flea who is supposed to watch out for InuYasha even though he usually runs away from dangerous situations. Myōga was initially charged with protecting the grave of InuYasha's father which held the Tetsusaiga. Now he mostly gives information and advice to Inuyasha and his group. Myōga also enjoys drinking yokai blood, and actually saves InuYasha's life at one point by drinking the poison out of his blood. He often gets slapped by InuYasha and others because he drinks their blood without permission.
- Tōtōsai (刀々斎, Tōtōsai?)
- Voiced by: Jōji Yanami (Japanese), Richard Newman (English)
- Tōtōsai is an elderly blacksmith yōkai and an old friend of Inu no Taishou. He forged Tetsusaiga and Tenseiga. He usually appears to repair the damaged swords or to instruct InuYasha on using Tetsusaiga. Tōtōsai can breathe fire and wields a giant forging hammer. His hammer can open large fire pits when stuck on the ground. He travels on a flying three eyed ox named Momo. ("Tōtōsai" means "sword purification.")
- Hachiemon (八衛門, Hachiemon?)
- Voiced by: Toshihiko Nakajima (Japanese), Terry Klassen (English)
- Hachi is a tanuki (raccoon dog) Miroku befriended. In the anime, he once took the form of Miroku to sell fake seals, and exorcisms and get away with the ladies, but when Miroku caught up with him in a cave being assaulted by a weasle spirit. Hachi sometimes acts as the transportation for InuYasha's group by transforming into a large yellow blimp-like creature. Hachi is short for Hachiemon.
[edit] Kikyo's group
- Kikyo (桔梗, Kikyō?)
- Voiced by: Noriko Hidaka (Japanese), Willow Johnson (English)
- A beautiful and powerful shrine maiden who loves InuYasha and was killed by Naraku (disguised as InuYasha) who made the two fight fifty years prior (in InuYasha's time) to the story's start. 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 (an authentic one) 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 reincarnation), she is known to be a heroine in her village and gradually returns to the love-motivated and caring personality which she possessed when she was alive. In episode 47, InuYasha admits that he would go to hell with Kikyo. In the manga, she is killed by Naraku and dies in the arms of InuYasha. "Kikyo" means "balloon flower", which means "unending love".
- Shinidamachū (死魂虫, Shinidamachū?)
- The shinidamachu (soul collectors) gather the souls of dead women before they can ascend to heaven and drop them into Kikyo's body, which cannot function without souls to energize it. Usually, they do Kikyo's will without apparently being commanded. Each shinidamachu is quite weak and readily destroyed. However, as a group, they are able to lift Kikyo into the sky.
- Kocho (胡蝶, Kochō?) and Asuka (飛鳥, Asuka?)
- Kocho Voiced by: Yuki Masuda (Japanese), Katie Chapman (English)
- Asuka Voiced by: Kaori Shimizu (Japanese), Chantal Strand (English)
- Kikyo's shikigami that summoned Kagome when Kikyo needed to be purified of Naraku's shōki and act as messengers to InuYasha when Kikyo wants to speak to him. Both are powerful and capable of erecting barriers all by themselves. Even after they are destroyed by Kohaku, Kikyo can summon them again. Later in the manga, Kikyo summoned them in order to protect Kohaku from Naraku.
[edit] Sesshomaru's group
- Sesshomaru (殺生丸, Sesshōmaru?)
- Voiced by: Ken Narita (Japanese), David Kaye (English)
- 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, 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 demon in the world of InuYasha, he has no interest in possessing even one shard of the Shikon Jewel.
- Sesshomaru first appears in search of the sword called Tetsusaiga, created from their father Inu no Taishou's fang, which has the power to kill a hundred yōkai with one swing. However, Inu no Taishou left Tetsusaiga to InuYasha, and Sesshomaru instead inherited the Tenseiga, a sword which cannot harm the living, but can bring the dead back to life. Inu no Taishou did this in the hopes that Sesshomaru would learn compassion. Considering Tenseiga useless to him, Sesshomaru battles InuYasha several times for possession of Tetsusaiga, and when Tetsusaiga is broken by a bite from Naraku's incarnation Goshinki, Sesshomaru has Goshinki's fangs forged into the evil blade called Tōkijin, which only he is powerful enough to control.
- 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 (see below). 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. Sessho means destroyer. Maru is a suffix commonly adding to boys' names. Translated together, Sesshomaru's name means "destroyer of the circle of life."
- Jaken (邪見, Jaken?)
- Voiced by: Yuichi Nagashima (Japanese), Don Brown (English)
- A yōkai who is Sesshomaru's servant: not especially powerful but extremely loyal, he is usually a comical character. Sesshomaru typically responds to Jaken's failures or more annoying behavior with a sound beating, but Jaken believes this is Sesshomaru's right and never wavers in his loyalty. Jaken started following him in the first place after being captivated by his power and majesty when he slew a threatening demon, saving Jaken's life (this was incidental; Sesshomaru killed the demon simply because it was in his way. Note: these events were related ONLY in the anime). Jaken means "Blunt" or "Unkind"
- Rin (りん, Rin?)
- Voiced by: Mamiko Noto (Japanese), Brenna O'Brien (English)
- Rin is an orphan girl who discovers Sesshomaru in the woods after he is recuperating from a battle with InuYasha. Mute after the trauma of seeing her family killed by bandits, she lived on the outskirts of a small village, mostly fending for herself. Although Sesshomaru snubs her efforts to care for him, she continues to bring him food and water, and is disproportionately happy when he inquires idly about the injuries she received at the hands of the villagers, a reaction he does not understand. As Sesshomaru prepares to leave the area, he smells blood and follows the scent to discover that she has been killed by wolves. He revives her with Tenseiga, and Rin now follows him with fanatical loyalty and regained her ability to speak. Sesshomaru comes to her aid when she is in danger. Rin means "Park."
- Kohaku (琥珀, Kohaku?)
- Voiced by: Akiko Yajima (Japanese); Alex Doduk (1), Danny McKinnon (2) (English)
- 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. Kohaku was made to turn against his companions, killing his father and all the demon slayers, Sango surviving only by sheer luck. Kohaku was killed that night also by the castle guards, 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 and later forming an alliance with Kagura. For a while Kohaku accompanied Kikyo with the intention of assisting her in carrying out Midoriko's will. Around the time of Kikyo's death, however, he was saved from Byakuya by Sesshomaru, and currently travels with Sesshomaru, Jaken, and Rin. "Kohaku" means "Amber."
- Ah-Un (阿吽, Ah-Un?)
- A two-headed dragon yōkai who has traveled with Sesshomaru for centuries as his loyal/domesticated beast of burden. He is one of the only two yōkai in the series who is explicitly stated to be a herbivore. Ah-Un 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, grey cloud-like gas gather around its legs that are 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: Swords of an Honorable Ruler. When Sesshomaru takes Jaken with him, Rin will remind him to "come back and get us," indicating that she considers Ah-Un to be a part of the family on the same level as herself and Jaken.
[edit] Naraku's group
- Naraku (奈落, Naraku?)
- Voiced by: Toshiyuki Morikawa (Japanese), Paul Dobson (English)
- The main antagonist, Naraku (literally means "underworld", or "hell") 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.
- Kanna (神無, Kanna?)
- Voiced by: Yukana Nogami (Japanese), Janyse Jaud (English)
- The manga reveals Kanna to be the first detachment of Naraku; she appeared later than Kagura and is often (mistakenly) thought to have been created second. She is a yōkai who appears to be a pale little girl with white hair and clothing. She has the power to steal souls with her mirror. Her mirror also has the power to deflect weapons and can be used as a means of scrying. ("Kanna" means "nothing.")
- Kagura (神楽, Kagura?)
- Voiced by: Izumi Oogami (Japanese), Janyse Jaud (English)
- 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 Sesshomaru (for whom she has feelings of love) and InuYasha 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. ("Kagura" means "dance of the gods.")
- Goshinki (悟心鬼, Goshinki?)
- Voiced by: Masaharu Satō (Japanese), Michael Kopsa (English)
- Naraku's third detachment. 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, and InuYasha killed him. 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. ("Goshinki" means "Mind Reading Devil.")
- Akago (赤子, Akago?)
- Voiced by: Ai Kobayashi
- Naraku's heart and seventh detachment, he is a baby that can possess anyone with darkness in his/her heart. His main goal is to control Kagome's mind by finding pain, anger, or jealousy within her heart, and use her abilities to find the remaining shards of the Shikon no Tama. He finds her jealousy of InuYasha's feelings for Kikyo, but InuYasha saves her before Akago can control her entirely. Like Hakudōshi and Kagura, Akago is not loyal to Naraku. He is destroyed along with Mōryōmaru by Naraku.
- Hakudōshi (白童子, Hakudōshi?)
- Voiced by: Ai Kobayashi (Japanese), Chiara Zanni (English)
- Created from Akago's body, he was Entei's final master and looks like a 7-year-old child. Like Naraku, his heart is not inside his body, so he is able to endlessly regenerate himself. Created as the eighth detachment of Naraku. He is killed via Miroku's wind tunnel after being betrayed by Naraku. ("Hakudōshi" means "white child.")
- Byakuya (白夜, Byakuya?)
- He is Naraku's latest detachment, meant to replace Kagura. He is loyal to Naraku unlike his last few detachments, and has an incredible power of creating illusions. He travels around on a giant origami paper crane.
- Saimyōshō (最猛勝, Saimyōshō?)
- An endless supply of wasps-from-hell emerge from a hive in Naraku's possession. The Saimyōshō are used as spies to see what others are doing from somewhere safe. Naraku also uses them to poison Miroku if he uses his Kazāna (Wind Tunnel). At first they are introduced by their full name, but in the first episodes of the english anime they are just called "Naraku's poison insects" or "hell wasps" until late in the dub.
- Mōryōmaru (魍魎丸, Mōryōmaru?)
- One of Naraku's enemies. Due to his telepathic powers, both Kagura and Kohaku suspect he is Akago. He is a 100-foot monster with a human shape, and can shoot blasts of energy from his arm. He was originally a soulless puppet created by Hakudōshi. He is killed in the InuYasha manga when he devours Naraku. Naraku absorbs his power on the inside and uses it to be reborn.
- Juromaru (獣郎丸, Jūrōmaru?) and Kagerōmaru (影郎丸, Kagerōmaru?)
- Voiced by: Takumi Yamazaki (Japanese), Brian Drummond (English)
- The fourth & fifth detachments of Naraku. Both were slain soon after they were released. Juromaru is a mindless killing machine that obeys only Kagerōmaru, a snake-like creature with scythes for arms, which lives in his abdomen. They are defeated by InuYasha and Koga.
- Muso (無双, Musō?)
- Voiced by: Hiroshi Yanaka (Japanese), Brian Dobson (English)
- He 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. He was absorbed back into Naraku because it was too early for Naraku to become a full-fledged demon. The name "Muso" was never actually his own, but rather the name a monk he murdered shortly after leaving Naraku's body. He stole the face of the murdered monk since he came out of Naraku's body without a face of his own.
[edit] Yōkai-Wolf tribe
From left to right: Hakkaku, Koga, and Ginta.
- Koga (鋼牙, Kōga?)
- Voiced by: Taiki Matsuno (Japanese), Scott McNeil (English)
- The young leader of a yōrōzoku (yōkai-wolf tribe), Kōga 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 two shikon jewel shards in each of his legs and one in his right arm which gives him increased speed and strength. Although he bickers with InuYasha constantly, when one of them is in danger, the other will lend a hand. He considers Kagome his woman, which irritates InuYasha to no end. Koga constantly professes his love towards Kagome but Kagome does not share his affections, only having eyes for InuYasha. As the series goes on, Koga lets up on his affections for Kagome gradually. Eventually, in chapter 466 of the manga, he leaves her behind with the statement 'if InuYasha ever starts getting on your nerves, you can come to me.' "Koga" means "Steel Fang."
- Ayame (菖蒲, Ayame?)
- Voiced by: Yumi Kakazu (Japanese), Natalie Walters (English)
- The wolf girl who is in love with Koga. Long ago, Koga made a promise to marry her, yet he fails to fulfill his promise. She has red hair that is always in two ponytails with an iris in it, green eyes, has white wolf fur draped over her shoulders, a necklace (most likely an emerald), and red-and-blue armor. She only appears in a few episodes in the anime.
- Ginta (銀太, Ginta?)
- Voiced by: Hiroyuki Yoshino (Japanese), Paul Dobson (English)
- Ginta is one of Koga's followers. His hair is gray with a dark blue piece in the center. He has mostly fur for his armor. His name is never really said in the manga.
- Hakkaku (白角, Hakkaku?) (Means "White Horn(s)" or "White Antler(s)"
- Voiced by: Daisuke Kishio (Japanese), Alistair Abell (English)
- Hakkaku is the other of Koga's followers. He has a white mohawk, chain armor, and a fur hide. His name is never really said in the manga.
[edit] Characters from modern day
- Kagome's family
- Sota Higurashi (日暮 草太, Higurashi Sōta?), Kagome's Mother (かごめの母, Kagome no Haha?) and Kagome's Grandfather (かごめの祖父, Kagome no Sofu?)
- Sota Voiced by: Akiko Nakagawa (Japanese); Saffron Henderson (1), Rebecca Shoichet (2) (English)
- Kagome's Mom Voiced by: Asako Dodo (Japanese), Cathy Weseluck (English)
- Kagome's Grandpa Voiced by: Ginzo Matsuo (1), Katsumi Suzuki (2) (Japanese); French Tickner (English)
- They are the only ones 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 (first aid , food); Sota collects Kagome's homework from school and admires InuYasha who he calls "Inu no nīchan" ("big brother" in the dub); Grandpa is a shrine keeper and comes up with all sorts of bizarre excuses as to why Kagome is not in school.
- Hōjō (北条, Hōjō?)
- Voiced by: Yuji Ueda (Japanese), Matt Smith (voice actor) (English)
- A boy in love with Kagome in the modern era, he is oblivious to the fact that Kagome does not seem to be in love with him. He often gives her unusual health-related gifts because of her many "sicknesses" from his family's health food store. Kagome later meets Hōjō's ancestor, Hōjō Akitoki, in InuYasha's time; both descendant and ancestor are very alike in personality. In real life, the Hōjō clan were virtually annihilated during the Sengoku Era by Toyotomi Hideyoshi.
- Yuka, Eri, Ayumi (由加 / 絵理 / あゆみ, Yuka, Eri, Ayumi?)
- Yuka Voiced by: Kaori Shimizu (Japanese), Jillian Michaels (English)
- Eri Voiced by: Yuki Masuda (Japanese); Saffron Henderson (1), Rebecca Shoichet (2) (English)
- Ayumi Voiced by: Nami Okomoto (Japanese), Cathy Weseluck (English)
- Kagome's three friends from modern day. Throughout most of the series, they encourage Kagome to go out with Hōjō and are alarmed by her (necessarily vague) descriptions of InuYasha, getting a not entirely accurate impression of him as a jealous, violent two-timer. However, when the three of them manage to actually meet InuYasha at the Higurashi shrine (his ears concealed by a bandanna), they are charmed by him and seem to give up convincing Kagome to dump him for Hōjō. In the manga, their names are never really said, and are replaced with a picture of their heads. Ayumi only appears once in the manga.
- Hitomi
- Sota Higurashi's love interest. First appears in episode 90: Sota's brave confession of love, an episode full of humor and childish love. She only appears in the anime.
[edit] Band of Seven
- Shichinintai (七人隊, Shichinintai?) "Seven-Man Band" or "Band of Seven" in the dub
- The Shichinintai are seven executed mercenaries who were resurrected by Naraku to do his bidding.
- Bankotsu (蛮骨, Bankotsu?)
- Voiced by: Takeshi Kusao (Japanese), Matt Hill (English)
- The leader, the youngest, and the strongest member of the Shichi'nintai; he carries the huge Banryū halberd, which is often confused with a sword due to the relative size of the blade to the handle. Bankotsu is a skilled mercenary and has killed many people for a price; however, he frequently shows a sense of honor and compassion (if only for his six companions). He is defeated by InuYasha, but not killed. With most of his body gone, Naraku has no further use for him, and kills him to get the jewel shards. Bankotsu is a human, but sometimes mistaken for a demon for his powers. It is proven in the anime when InuYasha cannot use his Backlash Wave because he has no demonic aura. Bankotsu has also admitted this in the anime.
- Renkotsu (煉骨, Renkotsu?)
- Voiced by: Tomokazu Sugita (Japanese), Brian Drummond (English)
- Spits fire; resentful of Bankotsu's power and dares to betray him. He is the fourth strongest member of the band of seven and the smartest. 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. Later Bankotsu gets mad at Renkotsu for hiding the shards and killing Jakotsu. Bankotsu then finishes off Renkotsu and takes his three shards. Renkotsu's final resting place is at the base of Mt. Hakurei.
- Jakotsu (蛇骨, Jakotsu?)
- Voiced by: Ai Orikasa (Japanese), Jenn Forgie (English)
- Carries a very powerful sword, the Jakotsutō, which has sneaky retractable blades that make it difficult for an opponent to calculate Jakotsu's next move. He is the second strongest of the band of seven. Jakotsu is quite openly a homosexual sadist, hates women, and is also effeminate to such a degree that he is easily mistaken by fans for a woman, mostly because of his makeup and clothes (though other characters have no trouble identifying him as a man). He was a close friend of Bankotsu (but not physically attracted to him) before they formed the band of seven. Jakotsu states throughout the series that he loves InuYasha. He was killed by the traitorous Renkotsu.
- Ginkotsu (銀骨, Ginkotsu?)
- Voiced by: Hisao Egawa (Japanese), Mark Gibbon (English)
- At first a man that listens to Renkotsu's orders, he has metal parts on his body, and various amounts of weaponry within (sort of like a feudal era version of a cyborg).The fifth strongest of the band of seven. He often seems to say what sounds like "gesh" or "yesh" from time to time. InuYasha destroys most of Ginkotsu, except his head and body trunk. Renkotsu rescues Ginkotsu and re-invents him as part of a mobile vehicle, particularly a tank, when a majority of his original body is destroyed. In the manga, Ginkotsu exploded because Koga stuffed pieces of armor into his cannons, causing them to backfire. Renkotsu takes his jewel shard for himself.
- Suikotsu (睡骨, Suikotsu?)
- Voiced by: Hiroaki Hirata (Japanese), Michael Donovan (English)
- Suikotsu is the third strongest of the band of seven.:Uses metal claws as weapon, a man with a split personality: one is a nice, caring doctor, and one is an evil murderer; the evil side awoke when he was traumatized by seeing a child being killed in front of him, he is back to his good self at the moment of his "final" death (after resurrection). He cannot live with himself for all the crimes that his other half committed so he asked Kikyo (who he had formed a strong bond with while in his doctor side) to remove his jewel shard. However, Jakotsu on seeing that Kikyo was about to take the shard, uses his sword to remove the shard and present it to Bankotsu.
- Kyōkotsu (凶骨, Kyōkotsu?)
- Voiced by: Daisuke Gōri (Japanese), Mark Gibbon (English)
- A giant. Large and slow witted, his size is his weapon, and proves to be a formidable foe. Even though he looks like a demon, he is actually human and is a toss up between he and Mukotsu for the weakest member of the band of seven. He is the first of the Band to make an appearance and the first to die when he is defeated by Koga after he terrorizes the western territory of the wolf tribe.
- Mukotsu (霧骨, Mukotsu?)
- Voiced by: Tetsu Inada (Japanese), Trevor Devall (English)
- Poison master. He tried to force Kagome into marrying him, but when she tried to get the Jewel shard from his neck, he turned on her and tried to kill her. Sesshomaru appears moments later, looking for Naraku, and kills Mukotsu. He was the weakest of the band along with Kyokotsu.
[edit] Other characters
- Midoriko (翠子, Midoriko?)
- A shrine maiden of great spiritual power from many centuries before the Sengoku period. Her soul was locked in battle with a yōkai's soul inside the Shikon no Tama, and the jewel came out of her body.
- Magatsuhi (椿, Magatsuhi?)
- Magatsuhi is the yōkai who killed Midoriko and who's soul 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 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 temporarilly 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. As of chapter 555 in the manga, Magatsuhi is seen combating Midoriko inside the Shikon Jewel by Inuyasha. It states that if Kagome were to make a selfish wish on the Shikon Jewel, then she would replace Midoriko and it would be replaced by Naraku. Inuyasha refuses to believe Magatsuhi, and procedes to attack it in an attempt to reach Kagome.
- Tsubaki (椿, Tsubaki?)
- A dark shrine maiden who made a deal with a yōkai 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 her underestimation of Kagome's abilities.
- Onigumo (鬼蜘蛛, Onigumo?)
- The human bandit whose feelings for Kikyo and greed for the Shikon no Tama was the catalyst for the creation of Naraku. Taken from the legendary tsuchigumo.
- Entei (炎蹄, Entei?)
- A yōkai horse who serves only the most powerful yōkai.
- Hakushin (白心上人, Hakushin?)
- A "living Buddha" (saint) who created a purifying barrier around Mount Hakurei at Naraku's request.
[edit] Cameo appearances
Shin'ichi Kudo (Jimmy Kudo) and Ran Mori (Rachel Moore) of Detective Conan (Case Closed)greatest anime show make a cameo appearance in episode 128. Detective Conan is published on Shonen Sunday along with InuYasha.
Shampoo, the famous Chinese Amazon from the popular series Ranma ½ (also created by Rumiko Takahashi), makes a brief appearance in the cultural festival episodes alongside other anime characters (on a further note, when InuYasha ran away from the spicy curry stand, for a brief moment a duck could be seen on the floor in the background who possessed similar animation designs to Mousse from Ranma ½).
Munto of the movie by the same name also makes an appearance in this episode.
[edit] Game characters
- Michiru Kururugi (枢木 みちる Kururugi Michiru)
- The male version of the main character in the game "InuYasha: The Secret of the Cursed Mask", he has the mysterious and powerful powers of Shikigami that comes down to some elements like fire, water, wind and light; there are animals symbols for his elemental attacks.
- Kaname Kururugi (枢木 かなめ Kururugi Kaname)
- The female version of the main character in the game "InuYasha: The Secret of the Cursed Mask", she has the mysterious and powerful powers of Shikigami that comes down to some elements like fire, water, wind and light; there are animals symbols for her elemental attacks.
- Utsugi
- A mysterious demon that has the powers of Shikigami and appears as a female or male depending on which gender of the main character of "InuYasha: Secret of the Cursed Mask" you are playing.
- Kakuju
- A mysterious old man or woman that appears in "InuYasha: Secret of the Cursed Mask" he/she helps out the main character by teaching him/her about Shikigami and more, including he/she has some past connection with Utsugi.
- Mahoro
- A demon that has the ability to transform into a person's loved one or closest friend. It appears in "InuYasha: Secret of the Cursed Mask".
- Ogre
- Known as "Skeletal demon", Ogre is an incarnation of Naraku that a demon puppet of Naraku releases on InuYasha and the others in Naraku's castle in "InuYasha: Secret of the Cursed Mask."
- Janis
- A human girl from the modern era who becomes friends with Kagome in the game, "InuYasha: Secret of the Divine Jewel". Janis is an American, and is the reincarnation of the daughter of the god, Datara. She follows Kagome one day after school, and is attacked by a demon who emerges from the Bone Eater's Well. Rescued by the mysterious Monk Sen, Janis follows his advice to follow Kagome to into the feudal era through the well. After passing through, she meets Kagome and her friends and finds her Kamui powers have been awakened by the power of a Sacred Jewel shard. She agrees to accompany them on their journey until she is able to remove the Jewel Shard from the inside of her body.
- Lord Gorai
- The infamous Lord of the Northern Lands who appears in "InuYasha: Secret of the Divine Jewel"'. He is a powerful Demon who sought the Demon Mask, 500 years before the main storyline, and used the mask to control the god Datara. After an encounter with InuYasha's group, Gorai grants them safe passage through the mountains and allows them to reawaken the dormant Datara. With the god as his slave, he planned to steal Datara's Kamui powers. Gorai and his forces attacked and destroyed many human villages, but his units are wiped out by Naruku's demon puppets. After a brief battle with InuYasha and his friends, Gorai was defeated and injured. Naraku stepped in to distract InuYasha with his Demon Puppets, allowing Gorai to escape. The Demon Lord played into Naraku's plans to steal Datara's Kamui by allowing Gorai to steal the Kamui first, and then taking it from him. Both Gorai's and Naraku's plans are eventually thwarted by InuYasha's group, and Datara was freed from his control.
- Sara
- Known for using a spell to control humans, Sara is a powerful female demon who appears in "InuYasha: Secret of the Divine Jewel"'. Despite leading a small army of her demon minions, she can be somewhat overconfident in her own abilities. After her battle with InuYasha's team accompanied by Janis, Sara retreated. Her serious injuries led her to the New Moon Cave, which would open only on the night of the New Moon. Despite it being the Night of the New Moon, a human InuYasha and his group entered the demon-infested cave and encountered Sesshomaru. Sara knew of their presence, and captured Kagome, Sango, Miroku, Shippo, and Kirara. She succeeded in stealing the Sea God's Kamui, but was confronted by Sesshomaru. He and Janis temporarily joined forces to destroy Sara, and return the Sea God's Kamui.
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| InuYasha's group |
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