Born of a noble dog demon in the Feudal Era of Japan, Inuyasha struggles constantly with the fact that his mother was human.  His adventures escalate when he thinks he is betrayed by the one human (Kikyou) he has learned to trust who pins him to a tree with an arrow when he's about 17.  Now, 50 years later, he is in a party with the reincarnation of this woman, a girl named Kagome from the present.

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Kagome is your typical 15 year old Japanese school girl.  But when she gets pulled down the "Bone Gobbling Well" near her home, she finds out she is much more than she could have imagined.  A reincarnation of a very powerful priestess, Kagome has the unique ability to see the shards of the Shikon No Tama (The Jewel of Four Souls).

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Kikyou is probably the most powerful and yet tragic character in the series.  She was a priestess who lived 50 years ago and became very attached to Inuyasha.  Thinking that Inuyasha had betrayed her, she pinned him to a tree with a sacred arrow just before dieing herself.  Now, 50 years later, her reincarnation has appeared in a girl named Kagome.  Kikyou's body is reconstructed by a demon wishing to use her holy powers and a portion of Kikyou's soul (her hatred for Inuyasha) remains in the body until it is destroyed.  Her body continues to roam the earth, gaining the power to remain here from the souls of young women.

Bitter.

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Kaede is the current high priestess to the village next to the tree where Inuyasha was pinned.  She is also the younger sister to Kikyou.  Being very young when her sister was killed, she has felt a great sense of obligation and responsibility to those around her all her life.  She is very wise and spiritually strong, although not as much so as her older sister.

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Shippo is a young boy fox demon (although in the animation he almost comes across as a girl).  His father was a great Fox demon whose fur alone held power even after his demise.  Being very young, though, Shippo can only cast minor magical feats mostly consisting of illusions.  He can disguise himself as anyone or anything, though he can never hide his tail.  An adorable comic relief.

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A ladies' man to be sure, this monk usually has more on his mind than affairs of the cloth.  Miroku's a fast talker and can usually keep the party supplied with the occasional hot meal and warm bed in exchange for an "exorcism" of a lord's estate.  He also has a family curse which left him and his father and grandfather with a void in his right hand that creates a wind tunnel which sucks in everything in its path.  If Miroku cannot find the demon who put this curse on his family before it is too late, he will suffer the same fate as those before him...to be swallowed into the void of his own hand.

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Hard and a bit callused from her upbringing in a demon slayer's village, her weapon of choice is a huge boomerang made from the bone of a demon.  During a mission on which her family and many of the finest warriors from the village were involved, she was left the soul survivor of the group.  She now  seeks to free her little brother, now no more than a puppet, from the clutches of Naraku. 

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The older, full demon half-brother of Inuyasha.  His clothing posture, and attitude all are constant reminders of his regal heritage.  He is calm, meticulous, and bitter in the fact that his father left him a sword which has only the ability to revive 100 lives in one sweep while leaving Inuyasha with a sword with that can decimate 100 demons with one stroke.  During an early fight with Inuyasha, Sesshomaru looses his left arm.  He constantly must find replacements for it in order to be an effective fighter.  He is one of Inuyasha's greatest foes.

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This little imp is more of a pest than a vassal.  Sesshomaru's ever faithful servant, Jaken is an attempt at comic relief that turns into a bad joke.  He is forever on the heals of his lord and master and proves to have little skill to speak of.

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A little flea with a storehouse of knowledge in his head, Myoga is forever the coward.  He is the vassal of Inuyasha, though his uses other than the occasional bit of trivia are questionable.  He continually tries to drink blood from the party and is swatted  for every attempt.  Again, a bit of comic relief that can turn a bit annoying.

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Once a human himself named Onigumo, the demon Naraku seeks the jewel shards to achieve his full potential.  His methods are methodical, devious, and underhanded to say the least.  He is the main cause of suffering for Sango, Miroku, Inuyasha, Kikyou, and Kagome as well as countless others.  He takes great pleasure in the emotional strife of others and rather than get into an all out fight (which he does have the physical strength to win), he would rather set traps that set friends and family at each other's throats.  In some cases, though, love has the ability to leave him a bit confused.

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The warrior priestess who fought to fend off countless demons.  She plays no part in the series other than it is her soul that birthed the Shikon No Tama.  The Jewel of Four Souls (or four parts of a complete soul) is in reality her soul in crystal form which shot from her chest long ago.  A complicated story...

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