As the son of a human woman and the Great Dog Demon, whose name can literally be translated to "dog demon" (犬夜叉), Inuyasha is a half-demon due to him being the son of a human mother and a demon father. He was pinned to a sacred tree for fifty years by a sacred sealing arrow shot by the priestess Kikyo after he attempted to steal the Shikon no Tama. At one time he fell in love with Kikyo, but after the real Inuyasha was confused with Naraku (who was disguised as Inuyasha) this caused Kikyo to want Inuyasha dead for supposedly betraying her. Eventually after the spell was broken and he was released from the sacred tree, Inuyasha met Kagome, a girl from another time era, and falls in love with her and she ultimately ends up becoming his wife. He wields Tessaiga, a sword forged from his father's fang. Inuyasha's main goal is to defeat Naraku, mostly because Naraku was the one responsible for killing Kikyo.
Inuyasha remained in suspended animation for fifty years until Kagome Higurashi pulled out the arrow and freed him. With the Shikon no Tama shattered, Inuyasha and Kagome travel together to retrieve its shards, joined later by Miroku, Sango, and Shippo. Initially wary of Kagome's resemblance to Kikyo, Inuyasha develops a complicated friendship with Kagome, though they both eventually end up falling in love with each other. However, he still cares for Kikyo and is devastated when she dies. He also forms strong friendships with their other companions, though he rarely admits it. His sword, Tessaiga, was made from one of his father's fangs (and later incorporates one of Inuyasha's fangs as well); its full power could not be unleashed until he learned how to trust in himself and his father's fang; thereby unleashing all of the Tessaiga's power, energy, and strength. Tessaiga's sheath has an unusually strong and powerful barrier that protects its bearer from almost any attack, and can repel or reverse many attacks made against the bearer.
During the Story
The plotline of the series can be summarized in a capsulation of the first episode:
"Kagome, your average teenage schoolgirl, is happily leading a normal life in contemporary Japan. But on her 15th birthday, a mysterious female centipede demon emerges from an ancient well on her family’s property and drags her back through the well to the world of feudal Japan."
In feudal Japan, Kagome meets our hero, Inuyasha, apparently asleep, pinned to a tree through the shoulder by a sacred arrow. Intent on becoming stronger, Inuyasha originally intended to use the Shikon Jewel to change from a half demon to a full demon. To acquire the Jewel, he would have to steal it from Kikyo, the priestess tasked with purifying and protecting the Jewel. After several unsuccessful attempts to even approach Kikyo, Inuyasha began to develop feelings for her. Their subsequent encounters lead to a close relationship, and the idea of using the Jewel to make Inuyasha a full-fledged human being, so that he could live forever with Kikyo, appealed to them both.
Another half demon named Naraku had been observing them, hoping to steal the Shikon jewel himself. He subsequently tricked them into betraying one another; in Inuyasha's case, he took on the form of Kikyo, and attacked Inuyasha. Because of Naraku's schemes, and their own lack of faith in each other, their relationship ended when Inuyasha broke into Kikyo's village and stole the Shikon jewel. In defense of the village, and to keep him from escaping with the jewel, Kikyo shot Inuyasha with a sacred arrow sealing him to a tree in an seemingly eternal, enchanted sleep. Moments afterward, Kikyo collapses from a wound she received from Naraku—though at first the viewer is lead to believe that Inuyasha wounded her—and she dies within a few short moments. Part of her final instructions to her sister Kaede was to have the jewel burned with her body so that demons and evil men could never use it.
50 years later, Inuyasha was released from the tree by Kagome Higurashi, a young girl from the present (1996) who unknowingly carried the Shikon jewel inside her body. Initially, Inuyasha mistook Kagome for Kikyo, due to their similar appearances, before realizing she isn't Kikyo (being able to tell through their different scents). Inuyasha was subsequently freed by Kagome, in order to help fight off the Mistress Centipede. After killing Mistress Centipede, Inuyasha attempted to steal the Jewel again, but was thwarted by Kaede, now an old woman, who put an enchanted prayer bead necklace around him, which allowed Kagome to subdue him simply by saying the word "Sit" or "Sit Boy". Being unable to remove the necklace, he was effectively in Kagome's power, and subsequently unable to obtain the Jewel. Kagome accidentally shattered the Jewel while shooting at a demon trying to flee with it, and the shards were scattered around Japan. Inuyasha, Kagome, and their friends then began the search for the shards of the Shikon jewel."
Inuyasha is offended when someone calls him a dog - especially Koga, a wolf demon - or suggests that he is inferior to full demon. His arrogance and hostility can readily be explained by his upbringing. We know that he was raised from his birth by his human mother in her father's court. He was ostracized and rejected by all humans except his mother, and she died while he was still a very young child. All we know from that time until his meeting with Kikyo is that he was rejected by his paternal half-brother Sesshomaru and other full demon and the human villagers alike. All that he knows of his father is what he has been told by his mother and others such as old Myoga, the flea. All that he has from his mother are the robe of the Fire Rat and his memories. All that he has from his father are his demon blood and the Tessaiga.
Knowing this, we surmise that Inuyasha was on his own from an early age. His "bad attitude", foul language, extreme self-confidence are comparable to that of an orphaned teenage street punk who has been forced to fend for himself from the age of perhaps six or seven (human equivalence).
With the incredible strength and healing powers and abilities inherited from his dog-demon father and his robe of the Fire Rat, Inuyasha is able to survive hostile encounters with humans. While he is stronger than many full demons, his constantly being targeted by them due to his half-demon status which inevitably fueled his desire to become stronger.
His main weakness is that he, like all half-demons, loses his demonic powers and capabilities during a certain time period each month; Inuyasha's time is once a month during the night of a new moon. His hair turns black and he loses his superhuman strength, speed and defensive capabilities, as well as his dog ears, claws, fangs, etc. In this form, all his demon powers are gone and he turns fully human; however, he regains his powers at sunrise. He prefers to keep it a secret because on that night he is vulnerable, and only his group and a few others know his secret, and protect it wisely, but even this does not stop some, such as Naraku and Sesshomaru. Another weakness is not being able to protect Kagome or the fear of losing her or losing his friends.
Personality
At the root of the half-demon Inuyasha's existence there lies the conflict of human and demon. The fear or anger at his lack of belonging caused darkness to be in his heart. However, through the involvement of Kagome and friends, he was comforted and able to develop a strong and gentle disposition.
Immediately after being released from his fifty-year seal, Inuyasha wanted to become a demon and acquire power quickly by using the Shikon Jewel. In the rage of battle, he ceased to have concerns for the lives of others. However, after meeting Kagome and other humans, he came to understand the truth about being a demon and began to search for true strength of spirit. His intention to become a demon went from finding his place in the world to wanting to protect his companions but he began to harbor doubts over it, since Miroku said he would never be the same that he was and possibly kill Kagome and other innocent people. He had no desire to lose his human spirit anymore nor would he want to kill Kagome. Over the course of the series, as his bond with Kagome deepened, Inuyasha's goal to become a demon faded and he was pleased with just remaining a half-demon.
Even when his life is in danger, he refuses to back. Enemies are taken aback by his unorthodox fighting style and he achieved greater victories than his abilities would suggest. Inuyasha is driven by a fierce, persistent determination to win and his guts in battle have proved to let him get a favorable result. However, his volatile emotions often turn into childish behavior and becomes tiresome to his friends. Inuyasha himself cannot control his tumultuous soul. Even if seriously wounded, the moment he detects the presence of those he most protect at all costs he would completely forget the pain. The overflow of his emotions went beyond his body's limits. This is especially true when Kagome is involved. Inuyasha is incredibly hotheaded and easy to upset, often striking out with his fists at the source of his annoyance. He often was seen even hitting little kids if they bothered him, which is often the case with Shippo (Inuyasha even hit a young girl too. In InuYasha the Movie: Fire on the Mystic Island, he hit Asagi for insulting Kagome). He does hold a chivalrous side, as he refuses to physically harm human women under any circumstance (though, demonic women are an exception). He is impatient by nature and can be very prideful, having much difficulty to admit he was wrong about something. During his arguments with Kagome, it takes a lot for him to accept his mistake (as Kagome is usually the wronged), which frustrates her immensely because of his immaturity.
That Inuyasha loses his demon power on the night of the new moon is kept a secret. It is Inuyasha's policy, having lived through a cruel past, to believe he might be killed if he relaxes. However, since meeting Kagome and gaining friends who know of his secret, he opened his heart and forged bonds that allow him to entrust his life to others. Even with his friends beside him however, there is a certain anxiety inside of him that never disappeared and they quietly accepted this.
However, despite how cynical and anti-social he outwardly behaves, the sides of himself that he reveals in casual moments exposes his good inner nature. He cannot hide his true feelings. Although his friends describe him as "easily deceived and honest to a fault" and "unable to understand the subtleties of the human spirit", his personality is difficult to dislike. Inuyasha is extremely susceptible to spells and trickery, and has a blunt, almost brutal honesty about most things, which is why he often seems to be rude and disrespectful to others (which he often is to begin with). Such as he blatantly told Kagome her food is horrible when she made it all for him to impress (in Affections Touching Across Time and anime, both these remarks earned him a furious "Sit!" from Kagome). This is mostly due to the fact that, having ostracized from both human and demonic communities, he has little experience in how to properly react in such social situations. Despite his tough and insensitive exterior, he truly cares for his friends who are as good as family to him, for each of them, in their own way, saved him from his loneliness.
Inuyasha has said that it's best to kill anyone who bares their teeth as soon as possible, but sometimes-special circumstances prevent him from doing so. He hates those that kill for fun and gladly rescues people in torment. He realized that all life is equally important which is a huge contrast from how he once was. Inuyasha hates to kill humans and even if they are lowly bandits, he is consumed with guilt. He has a strong distaste for people who ostracized from others for just being different, which he likens to his own lonely, miserable childhood.
Power more than fighting tactics, fighting spirit more than wisdom. Inuyasha has fought multitudes of powerful enemies and suppressed them with raw power and instinct. Rather than analyze matters, Inuyasha runs on reckless emotion and-even if seriously injured in battle- he eventually achieved favorable results in the end. Inuyasha's instinct and experience is a product of daily training. When he sees something new, his eyes light up and he tries to interact with it. Inuyasha is dense and rather slow to catch on to something, such as he didn't know Sango's feelings for Miroku until way later.
Fifty three years ago Inuyasha met Kikyo and began to develop feelings for her. By meeting Kikyo, Inuyasha learned the warmth of the human heart and became attracted to her. Through a conspiracy, however, they were torn apart. When he learned that Kikyo gave her life to pursue him, he vowed to never let a woman die again. Those feelings increase all the more for the one that looks like Kikyo. Kagome being the reincarnation of Kikyo was utterly confusing to him and all he ever saw when he looked at her was Kikyo, however eventually this fades with time. Although scorned by a resurrected Kikyo in the beginning, feelings of affection and remorse resurfaced inside of him. He was guilty of Kikyo's death and offered to die for Kikyo since he was the cause, but Kagome had stopped him.
He had feelings for the two women and glares with murderous intent at any man who dares get close to either of them. Even when at the mercy of Kikyo, who came close to him and then backs away, or even when Kagome repeatedly protested his unreasonable actions, Inuyasha never questioned himself. Feelings of love confused him. Inuyasha was poor at expressing his affection for Kagome, which always ended up upsetting her. Inuyasha's selfish, possessive personality, even was brought up against Naraku once finding out he loved Kikyo as well, which greatly infuriated and disgusted him.
Inuyasha often saw Kagome's tears during their journey. And when tears were shed for him, with their gentle scent bringing relief, he feels that he has found his place as a protector above all else. Contact with Kagome healed the deep loneliness in his soul. In the beginning, Inuyasha didn't think there was anyone in the world who would grieve over his death. He finds a different kind of comfort in Kagome than he found with Kikyo. He even confided in Kagome some of his memories of being bullied as a half-demon and knows happiness when he is with her.
Dog-like actions
Occasionally, Inuyasha will perform dog like actions, though mostly for comic relief. Inuyasha will sometimes get down on his hands and knees with his nose to the ground, much like how a real dog does. It usually attracts too much attention, though Inuyasha usually doesn't care because his mind is on other things. He will also sometimes sit down and scratch his ears with his feet.[1] Being a dog demon, he does growl from time to time and usually does this when he's angry, annoyed, or frustrated. Also like a real dog, he might shake himself dry. Rumiko Takahashi talks about Inuyasha's ears feel the same as five uncooked Chinese dumpling shells atop one another,his nose is always set to damp. When he catches a cold it dries out just like a real dog.
Appearance
He has long silver hair, golden eyes, and claws on his fingers. It's hinted by some people that he is quite handsome.
One aspect of Rumiko Takahashi's work is the considerable amount of historically correct detail. Inuyasha is set during the "Warring States " period, which is "Pre-Edo", or Muromachi, and Ms. Takahashi has mentioned in interviews that Inuyasha's clothing was based on standard "priest's garb" of the era. Here we can assume she refers to Shinto Priests, as at that time there were Shinto priests, Zen priests, and Buddhist priests among others. (Miroku is typical of the wandering Buddhist priests, while Kagome's grandfather and Kikyo are typical of the Shinto Shrine priest/priestesses.)
Inuyasha's signature red garments is the Robe of the Fire-Rat, which are made of the legendary "Fire-Rat Fur (Hinezumi)" which is said to be fireproof. The historical reference can be found in the ancient Japanese folk tale "Taketori Monogatari", or "The Bamboo Cutter's Tale".
From canon, we read "hinezumi no ke de otta koromo da, heta na yoroi yori tsuyoi ze" (火鼠の毛で織った衣だ、下手な鎧より強いぜ。); the literal translation is: "It's clothes woven from fire rat's fur, stronger than poor armor." These claims are substantiated in numerous incidents throughout canon.
We can see that Inuyasha's garments are a jacket with "separated"
sleeves, kosode (shirt), hakama (pants) bloused at the ankles and obi (belt).
Hakama
Inuyasha's hakama, quite likely the Sashinukistyle. Hakama of that era were often made leaving the crotch seam hemmed, but unclosed. This allowed one to accommodate the
necessary bodily functions without the need to disrobe entirely. Other styles of hakama had a fly created by overlapping seams. Modern hakama, especially those used in the martial arts, are usually sewn shut.
During the Sengoku period, a style of hakama developed to mimick the ballooning trousers seen upon the visiting Portuguese sailors. The hem of the hakama was cut narrower than the body, and ended in a sewn cuff to provide the balooning effect. The style continued into the Edo period, as Karusan-Bakama.
The Sashinuki hakama are a more formal somewhat larger style, often worn by court nobles Heian era. They are as much as 1.5 to 2 times the length of "normal" Hakama, and comprised of 6 panels as opposed to the "low class" four-panel hakama. This amount of fabric allows them to blouse voluminously over the leg, and is then secured about the ankle by a cord run through the hem. This, then becomes another subclass of hakama: the kukuri- (tied).
Suikan/Hitoe
By the two decorative cords and the hitatare sleeve cords went through a
hidden seam. Since his jacket is tucked into the pants, and his white shirt clearly shows through the slits, perhaps it is a modified hitoe. However due to the length seen in several manga episodes, it may be more correctly a kariginu.
Other discussions point to the similarity between Inuyasha's jacket and the archaic kariginu, a samurai's hunting jacket commonly worn by court nobles. Jaken's jacket, while similar, is clearly a jo-e - we can see the differences in that Jaken's jo-e is neither tucked into the hakama, ( it is a belted over-garment) nor is it sewn shut along the sides.
According to sengokudaimyo.com the description of the hitoe corresponds quite closely to the appearance of Inuyasha's robe. It is an unlined robe, two panels wide. The back is arranged in a double fold like a large dart to accommodate the extra fabric. The color is traditionally a red-orange, although they have been found in a pale green.
Sleeves
The sleeves are "separate" from the body (so the body is almost vest-like), and held on at the bottom. This feature allows the white shirt worn underneath to be seen clearly (Jaken's jacket has the same feature). When worn, the seam will separate somewhat at the top showing the white shirt beneath.
When worn, the sleeves appear to "bell" -- that is they are much wider at the wrist than at the shoulder. However it is clearly seen as early as manga vol 2, scroll 1 (Yura's Web) his jacket was hung to dry, that the sleeves appeared square. In another, vol 7 scroll 9 (When we are Two), Inuyasha was reclined upon his jacket showing clearly that the sleeves were square cut and the length was much longer than hitoe. Thus it may be more correctly a Kariginu.
The sleeves have the ribbon or cord sewn through the hem, at the wrist called sode-kukuri. This can serve at least two purposes: it would allow the sleeve to be gathered at the wrist (like the hakama at the ankle) and it is often used to gather the material for easy folding for storage.
Shoulders
The shoulders of the jacket body are wider than the wearer (deliberately) so that the shoulder of the jacket "hangs" past the wearers shoulders. This appears to be a fashion feature, as it is also repeated in the garments worn by Jaken, Kikyo, Kaede, and Kagome's grandfather.
Hitoe Erratta
The hitoe is shorter than a kimono, and is tucked into the hakama. It is so short in fact that the white shirt (Kosode) shows through the side Hakama slits instead of the jacket. The Jacket has a narrow collar, and a diagonal Front, closing left over right. It and is held shut with tied strips, like a Karate Gi top.
The jacket appears to be "too large" so that a fold of cloth is seen absolutely horizontal, about sternum height.
There is a black cord across the chest from the right shoulder to the left hip, tied in a simple bow. It is not a sword cord, but appears to be holding the excess fold of the jacket in place.
Kosode
Kosode(literally: "little sleeve") were originally worn as underwear but by the Kamakura era, became accepted outer layer garments; more dressy with
less sculpted sleeves. Kosodeof the Heian and Kamakura Periods were
always white. Inuyasha's kosodewould be very much like a modern Kendo or
Naginata Keikogi, with the sleeve fitting somewhat closely like a modern
loose shirt, and extending to slightly past the wrist.
The slits in the side of the hakama show the white kosode, and
the openings at the sleeves and shoulders of the suikan(jacket) show
it as well. This is a deliberate fashion effect.
Obi
The belt appears to be a standard obi: a wide, stout cotton or silk belt about 12 to 15 feet long, and about 4 to 6 inches in width. It is often made of six or more folds or layers of cotton cloth heavily stitched together. The obi is worn over the top of other garments (except for the kimono, long vest, or outer coats) and is the belt through which the sword sheath (saya) is thrust.
Order of Dressing
Generally, the kosode is put on first, then the suikan, then the hakama. Both the shirt and jacket have two or more (sometimes internal) ties for holding it closed, just like a Karate Gi. In all cases, the garments are overlapped "left over right" as viewed by the wearer.
"To wear a kimono, wrap the right side of the kimono over the body, then overlap it with the left side. Right on top of the left is only used to dress a corpse for burial."
The hakama has a separate front and back, with a two ties attached to each, resulting in 4 belts to attempt to handle. Inuyasha's hakama appears to be the style which does not have a "back board", as is found on modern martial arts hakama, and Kagome's grandfather's hakama.
In the martial arts, the small board of the hakamais centered at the
small of ones back, not higher. This is to position the obicorrectly
just over the hips so the sword is "low" in the sash making drawing the
sword much easier.
However, we can see that Inuyasha wears his obi and his hakamamuch
higher up around his waist, nearly to his ribs.
The hakamaknots should be simple and flat for comfort. They will
be covered by the obi. The obi knot is usually square and tight.
Inuyasha's obi knot is more of a slightly floppy bow knot.
Regarding color, while the manga started with an interesting "pink" color,
the bright red is the accepted color now.
Accoutrements
The "Kotodama no Nenju" (necklace of subjugation) is introduced in the very first manga as a spiritual device to control Inuyasha. It was first created by Kikiyo and she meant to give it to him as a present, and had thought of a command she felt was appropriate: "Beloved". After he gave her his mother's lip paint in two seashells, however, she changed her mind and told him she had forgotten his gift. Her sister Kaede would later activate it, originally intending to keep Inuyasha from killing or hurting Kagome. He is unable to remove it. It consists of a number of round beads (estimated at between 42 and 49 in number) and between seven and ten magatama (comma shaped) beads which are often mistaken as claws. The magatama is an ancient comma-shaped bead infused with great spiritual and mystical powers. These beads have been found as far back as the Jomon period (jo-mon-jidai, about 10,000 BC to 300 BC).
This singular necklace is more a comic relief, making a small joke with the command "sit!" (osuwari in the original version) and the fact Inuyasha is part dog demon. This tends to bring to mind that the necklace is an obedience collar and Inuyasha the unruly dog. In this case, Kagome says "sit!" and he must 'obey', the necklace yanking him down by the neck and head-first into the ground; many times (and to Inuyasha's bad luck) he is up a tree or any other high place. Even if his head is already on the ground, repeating the command is no less painful for him, with his face throwing up chunks of soil from the force. It appears that it was prepared to receive any command and adapted to this one, Kagome being reminded of Inuyasha's dog ears. She would sometimes even say sit in her sleep by accident. Interestingly enough, the only time Inuyasha didn't get a face full of dirt was when Inuyasha was trying to plug up the Well with a boulder to prevent Kagome from leaving. When she said "sit", he made odd movements to prevent being yanked down. In the end, he was pulled down and the boulder fell on him, throwing out his back.
Side note: The most famous Magatama are the Yasakani no Magatama - one of The Three Sacred Treasures of the Founding of Japan. Clearly the influence of the sacred sword, Magatama, and Mirror can be seen in the Inuyasha story line as similar but lesser items are used by various characters ...
Saya (sword sheath): The Tessaiga's sheath is made of wood from a sacred tree which is not only strong enough to contain the Tessaiga's energy, but can ward off attacks. It is so powerful that when Tessaiga is sheathed, sparks of yellow light fly off it. The saya does not have a sageo (sword cord).
Tsuba: The Tessaiga does have a traditional golden-bronze tsuba (guard) but we are never shown any detail. There is considerable discussion over the guard after transformation - whether it is flame or strong fur such as Sesshoumaru's "boa."
Tsuka: The tsuka (grip) is wrapped with ratty tsuka-ito (grip-ribbon) in a simple X fashion rather than the traditional more complicated weaving.
Lastly, we see that Inuyasha wears his sword either edge-upward or edge-downward indiscriminately—he doesn't seem to care either way (which fits his personality). Traditionally the katana is worn edge-up for quickest draw. The archaic Tachi (war sword) is worn edge-down, the sheath suspended from rings attached to a sword belt which is typically incorporated into the samurai's armor.
Powers and Abilities
• Superhuman Strength: Inuyasha's yokai blood gives him superhuman strength. He has also shown to be able to uproot trees and break through walls and fortress gates and has a punch feared by yokai many times his size. In the battle against the Noh mask in the manga, he is shown to be able to punch through solid steel, as he did while destroying the mask. Similarly, in later manga chapters, he accidentally deformed Kagome's bike with his hands while attempting to fix it. According to Zusetutaizen Ougikaiden official guide, he is at least "strong enough to easily lift a boulder - with a diameter greater than the length of his body-over his head with one hand"; it is later confirmed that he is capable of lifting 10 tons with a single arm, and can press a maximum of 20 tons when employing both arms.
• Superhuman Speed: Inuyasha's speed has been shown to easily exceed that of a normal horse, but is considerably slower than Entei, the yokai horse that served as Hakudoshi's steed. He has been observed by many characters as running like he is flying and slowing his falls in mid-air. While not capable of true flight, Inuyasha, having inherited a lesser version of his father's more rudimentary powers, can manipulate his own yoki to an extent when he jumps, allowing him to glide over long distances and slow his falls as he lands. According to Rumiko Tahakashi, Inuyasha's full powered leaps are capable of clearing three mountain peaks.
• Superhuman Stamina: Inuyasha's stamina likewise far exceeds human standards, possibly derived from the fact that his yokai blood is that of an Inu Yokai. He is shown to be able to run and leap vast distances at great speeds and often complains how his comparatively weaker human companions always slow him down by needing to rest so much every day. He is also able to endure a great deal of physical pain, as was once demonstrated in an early battle with Sesshomaru, when he continued fighting even after being impaled in the stomach. While not a show of durability, it indicates how strong Inuyasha's life force is, as he can continue fighting while ignoring grievious injuries.
• Superhuman Durability: While not immune to stronger yokai, holy weapons, spriitual powers, bladed weapons, yoki attacks, or shrapnel, Inuyasha's physique is about as durable as a human with his level of strength. He has shown to be capable of surviving considerable blunt force trauma, able to withstand a direct blow from a solid wooden log that broke on contact, falling several stories into a crevasse in his fight with Ryukotsusei, and being thrown hard enough to shatter solid rock. His skin is thick enough for him to survive being tangled by Yura's wire-thin hair strands, which are capable of cutting through solid tree trunks. His Fire Rat Robe serves as a sort of armor, granting him resistance against heat and fire. His physiological makeup also grants him resistance to certain acids, as shown when he stood up to his ankles in the Stone Oni's stomach acid and resisted having Sesshomaru's acid injected into his wrist (albeit with injury; with the latter blinding him by spraying his acid in his eyes).
• Regeneration: When injured, Inuyasha heals far more rapidly than a human. For example, when Totosai had to yank out one of Inuyasha's fangs to repair the Tessaiga, he mentioned that Inuyasha would grow a replacement canine in one day. Combined with his considerable stamina, he can recover from critical, non-dismembering injuries (such as being stabbed in the chest with a sword and having a hole punched through his gut by Sesshomaru) with no trace of a scar after several hours.
• Superhuman Senses: While inferior to those of the Inu no Taisho and Sesshomaru, Inuyasha's senses are nonetheless developed beyond those of any ordinary human or animal. He is shown to be able to hear what people are whispering from great distances, as was the case when, while perched on a tree, he overheard Akitoki Hojo hiding in a bush and quietly praising Kagome under his breath. Likewise, his sense of smell is shown to be extremely sensitive - he can smell hints of blood from kilometers away and can detect the presence of people by smell long before they can be seen - but can also be overloaded by strong scents and tastes, as shown in "The Cursed Ink of the Hell-Painter" where he was temporarily knocked out by the strong smell of black ink. His sense of smell is also his method of detecting yoki, and thus is used in locating the Kaze no Kizu, the striking point of the Bakuryuuha and yoketsu auras, and, once, scenting the path of the outside world to pierce Sesshomaru's Meido Zangetsuha. He has also been able to catch a whiff of Naraku's power from many miles away as soon as he lets down his barrier, with at least as much accuracy as Kouga, despite the later being a full yokai.
• Longevity: Because of his mixed heritage and being the son of a once powerful Inu-Daiyokai; Inuyasha ages slower than normal humans as he is about over 200 years old in Demon years but appears to be the equivalent of a 15 year old human.
Techniques
Sankon Tessō(散魂鉄爪 lit. Soul-Scattering Iron Claws, "Iron Reaver Soul Stealer" in the English dub): By channeling his yoki through his claws, Inuyasha can increase his claws' range and strength to cut though objects and demons deeper than logically possible, allowing him to destroy weaker demons many times his size in one hit. Despite being Inuyasha's most rudimentary yoki-powered attack, it is still strong enough to destroy weaker demons even if they are enhanced by the Shikon Jewel, as shown when he easily disposed of the Mistress Centipede.Rumiko Tahakashi stated in an interview that Inuyasha's full-powered Sankon Tesso is strong enough to cut through an industrial steel support beam. In his yokai form, his Sankon Tesso becomes crimson-colored and is strong enough to cut through a daiyokai's skin, as shown when he battled Ryukotsusei.
Hijin Kessō(飛刃血爪 lit. FlyingBlade Blood Claws; "Blades of Blood" in the English dub) : A ranged version of the Sankon Tesso. By dipping his claws in his own blood and channeling his yoki through his claws, Inuyasha can sling his yoki-infused blood at his enemies in the form of multiple, red shurikan-like crescents. Because it requires his own blood to attack, Inuyasha only uses the Hijin Kesso as a last resort to catch his opponents off guard, or if they are too fast to land a direct attack/employ ranged attacks. While he prefers taking blood from an already open wound, Inuyasha can draw blood by digging his nails into his palms.
Time Travel: By jumping down the Bone Eater's Well, Inuyasha can travel back and forth five hundred years to and from the future. In episode four among others, Inuyasha traveled to Kagome's time without the aid of a jewel shard. Others besides Kagome and Inuyasha are unable to travel through the well, as shown when Shippo attempts to go through the well but fails. In episode eleven, Sota (Kagome's younger brother) attempts to go down the well to call Inuyasha for help, and after a while InuYasha comes through the well to help (though for some reason, in episode four, Yura was able to send her hair through the well; possibly because Yura'a hair was tied to Kagome and Kagome brought it with her through the well).
Human Form: Like all hanyō, Inuyasha turns completely human once a month (barring one incident in Mount Hakurei due to unique circumstances); in his case, during the new moon. On the night of the new moon his hair turns black, his eyes turn brown, he loses his yokai abilities and attributes, and can only use Tessaiga in its katana form. Only Inuyasha's friends and a few others know his secret as Inuyasha tries to stay hidden during the new moon.
Yōkai Form: If Inuyasha's life is in danger and the Tessaiga is out of Inuyasha's yokai form.
reach, his latent yōkai blood overloads his system and drives him into fits of feral rage. When transformed, Inuyasha's sclera turn deep red, his irises become blue slits with white pupils; jagged purple stripes appear on the sides of his face, and his fangs and claws lengthen. In this form, Inuyasha is capable of utilizing his full physical yokai strength, which was more than enough to destroy Goshinki and Gantenmaru with a single swipe of his claws in both encounters and land shallow cuts on Ryukotsusei. His yoketsu is also powerful enough to erode Sesshomaru's Meido Zangetsuha after cutting his own yoketsu with the Dragon-Scaled Tessaiga. However, because yoki is toxic to humans and hanyo alike, Inuyasha's body and mind cannot handle the power he inherited from his father. With every subsequent overload, this form's intelligence diminishes and it becomes easier to trigger and harder for him to revert to normal. Not only his mental state, but Inuyasha's hanyo body is also unable to fully cope with the stress of his full yokai strength, meaning that if left unchecked, Inuyasha will continue fighting until his body either gives out or is destroyed by another opponent.
Purified Form: While trapped in the Stone Ogre's belly, Inuyasha's Purified Form
Inuyasha used a shard of the Shikon no Tama to strengthen the Tessaiga's power, an effort which backfired when the impure powers of the shard flowed through Tessaiga, causing Inuyasha to transform. Kagome, seeing Inuyasha's predicament, ran to him and her embrace purified the shard, leaving Inuyasha in a purified version of his yōkai form. In this form, he retained the stripes, eye markings, and pronounced fanges and claws of his yōkai form, but his eyes remained unchanged and he retained his self-awareness. His yōki was increased exponentially, allowing him to enhance the Tessaiga's Kongosoha's barrier-piercing effect with an intensity far superior to previous usage. After the shard was removed from the Tessaiga, Inuyasha reverted to his hanyō self.
Weaknesses
Mediocre Swordsmanship: For all his strength and stamina, Inuyasha's strength is less effective against more skilled fighters and opponents who are adaptable or rely more on their wits. As noted by many onlookers and opponents (particularly Sesshomaru), he has little proficiency, adaptability, or improvisation with wielding the Tessaiga as an actual sword; nor has he shown any interest in improving his swordsmanship or martial ability. While his swordplay is shown to steadily improve over the course of the series, he still prefers his overall reckless approach to combat, which has been proven to be his downfall many times by allowing enemies to exploit gaping holes in his attack patterns and once led to the Tessaiga being broken by Goshinki.
A yokai sword forged from the fang of the Inu no Taisho by swordsmith Totosai. In its sealed state the Tessaiga resembles an unassuming katana with a nicked, scratched, and dented blade and torn hilt-wrap. When wielded by a hanyo who cares for humans, the blade transforms into a five-foot long fang (referring to its name) with a hank of white Inu Yokai fur for a tsuba.
Powers
Katana Form
Anti-Yokai Barrier: The Inu no Taisho placed a protective barrier around the Tessaiga that will burn full-blooded yōkai who attempt to touch it, as shown when Sesshomaru first attempted to steal the Tessaiga from his father's grave. Though unable to transform it, the Tessaiga's barrier will protect humans from harm if they are holding it. In the case of hanyos, the barrier also serves as a means of preventing the hanyo's latent yokai blood from overwhelming their sanity when in danger, while making up for their supressed power with the transformed sword's own power.
Tessaiga no Saya (鉄砕牙鞘, lit. Scabbard of the Iron-Crushing Fang): The Inu no Taisho designed the Tessaiga's sheath to deflect energy attacks with the barrier used to contain Tessaiga's power. These barriers, though powerful, can only withstand a certain amount of damage before breaking, as stated by Totosai. The sheath also possesses the power to recall the Tessaiga.
True Form
Kenatsu (検圧器, lit. Sword Pressure): This is the special ablitiy that allows the Tessaiga to cut opponents without touching them, surrouding the blade in youki. Inuyasha forgoes uses this ablitiy once he learns the Kaze no Kizu.
Kaze no Kizu (風の傷, lit. Scar of the Wind; "Wind Scar" in the English dub): A special attack that can kill one hundred demons in a single strike. Originally, Inuyasha activated this technique by finding the rift (or "scar") between the yoki aura of his yokai opponent and his own. By striking the Kaze no Kizu with the Tessaiga, this released the tension between the clashing yoki auras in the form of six yellow streams of yoki strong enough to burn inch-deep ruts in solid rock. According to Inuyasha Profiles, the Kaze no Kizu has a maximum range of 80 meters. When first demonstrated by Sesshomaru, it was powerful enough to take out one hundred weak yokai and shatter the tip of a small hill. (The anime exaggerates this feat by making it look like it destroyed an entire mountain). During Inuyasha's battle with Ryukotsusei, the Kaze no Kizu wraps itself around the Tessaiga, allowing him to fire it at will by putting his own yoki into the attack, but repetitive use will drain his energy until he is too weak to fire it.
Bakuryūha (爆流破, lit. Bursting Stream Blast; "Backlash Wave" in the English dub): Tessaiga's ōgi ("ultimate technique"). By catching his yokai opponent's yoki-based blasts with the Kaze no Kizu and striking the specific weak point, Inuyasha can reflect the attack back at his opponent with the added power of the Kaze no Kizu. The ensnared energy combined with the Kaze no Kizu takes on the form of several destructive tornados. However, this technique specifically requires a second yoki aura to activate, and thus is useless against non-yokai opponents. In addition, it will only work if Inuyasha's own yoki aura is able to overwhelm that of his opponent without completely dwarfing it, making it unusable against yokai whose power surpasses his own.
Red Tessaiga
Barrier-Shattering: Gained by breaking Shiori's scarlet-colored orb over the Tessaiga's blade, this form allows Tessaiga to cut through most holy and yoki-based barriers (including Naraku's original shield). When in used, the Tessaiga's blade briefly glows red.
Diamond Tessaiga
Kongōsōha (金剛槍破, lit. Diamond Spear Blast; "Adamant Barrage" in the English dub): Attack gained from Housenki after Naraku had used the shard to make him fight Inuyasha, this technique fires a barrage of diamond shrapnel when Inuyasha swings the Tessaiga. The diamond shrapnel's effect allows it to negate stronger holy and yoki-based barriers that the Red Tessaiga cannot, including Naraku's later barriers.
Dragon Scaled Tessaiga:
Yoki Absorption: This technique was gained after breaking the yokai sword Datsuki, which could absorb an opponent's yoki. Inuyasha initially had trouble understanding the (relatively) complex mechanics of this ability. Because yoki is toxic to both humans and hanyos, Inuyasha's half-breed nature limited how much yoki the Tessaiga could absorb at once. As the Tessaiga reached its limits, the blade and hilt would grow hotter as a warning sign to Inuyasha. If Inuyasha tried to push past the Tessaiga's limit, the sword would "regurgitate" the absorbed yoki back at him and causing him critical injury. After absorbing the senki, the sword now purifies the yoki it absorbs, removing its original limits without regurgitating the energy.
Yoketsu Cutting: After realizing the true nature of the Tessaiga (and swords is general) is to cut; Inuyasha learns to see the yoketsu of his yokai opponent and can use the Dragon-scaled Tessaiga to cut it, instantly destroying weak yokai. By cutting off portions of yoketsu, Inuyasha can weaken stronger yokai and destroy parts of enemies made of several aggregated yokai, which can prove fatal.
Black Tessaiga
Meidō Zangetsuha (冥道斬月波, Dark Path Cutting Moon Wave): This technique opens up a black portal several meters in diameter that sends anything in its radius directly to Hell itself. However, the portal can be destroyed if the target's energy reserves are sufficiently powerful enough - as shown when Sesshomaru tried to use it on Inuyasha when the latter was in his yokai state. It can also be used to enter/exit Hell at will, as shown when Sesshomaru passed the technique on to Inuyasha. Inuyasha has also used this ability to enter and exit pocket dimensions (specifically, the Shikon no Tama and the Bone Eater's Well's closed-off time tunnel).
.Cutting Meido Zangetsuha: After absorbing the original Meido Zangetsuha from the Tenseiga, the Tessaiga's variant fires a barrage of black crescent-shaped portals that, after cutting its demonic opponent, traps the severed portion of their body in the underworld, thus the technique keeps the original ability intact while adding the Tessaiga's cutting nature, making for a much stronger technique.
is the reincarnation of Kikyo, thus meaning that she and Kikyo share the same soul. Naraku stated in chapter 546 of the manga that the shikon no tama used Kikyo's lingering feelings for Inuyasha and was reborn in Kagome, utlizing her body to return to the feudal era. She is the person responsible for releasing Inuyasha from his 50 year slumber on the sacred tree and also the person responsible for sealing Naraku's fate. At first glance Inuyasha mistook Kagome for Kikyo, stating the two smelt and looked similar. They're forced to team up when Kagome accidentally shattered the shikon no tama in an attempt to regain its possesion. Through out the course of their journey, Inuyasha and Kagome began to develop romantic feelings for each other and slowly begin to fall in love.
As a result of his feelings towards her, Inuyasha becomes fiercely protective over Kagome, though this is partly due to the fact that he could never save Kikyo and in his own words, "The thought of losing two women is unbearable." Inuyasha can often be seen competing with Koga for Kagome's affections, though Kagome has never showed any signs of attraction towards Koga, always kindly rejecting his advances towards her. His love for Kagome is quite obvious as his friends immediately recognized his very strong and fierce protectiveness over Kagome and even his enemies have noted this and have used Kagome as an advantage, including Naraku. And another fact being that during times of weakness or being wounded and unable to fight that if Kagome is put in danger and about to possibly die, Inuyasha spontaneously regains physical strength beyond all odds in order to protect her, surprising his friends. This leads them to take note that its the strength of his desire to protect Kagome that brings on such spontaneous physical strength.
At first, out of pride and denial, Inuyasha outright denies that he loves Kagome (in the anime series), but over time, he stops trying to deny his feelings towards her. While Inuyasha and Kagome were trapped in the jewel together, Inuyasha realized that Kagome was born to be with him and he to her. After Kagome wished away the shikon jewels existence, Kagome returned to her world for three years to complete high school and Inuyasha spends those three years living a rather lonely life missing Kagome (Shippo stating Inuyasha visits the well at least three times a day) spending much of his free time alone, worrying his friends and as well as Kaede due to the high extent of his loneliness. However, Kagome's strong and overwhelming desire to see Inuyasha again allows her passage to the feudal era once more and she and Inuyasha are reunited; the two marrying directly right after her high school graduation and Kagome moving to the Feudal Era to be with him for good, learning to become a priestess. Inuyasha and Kagome then proceed to live a happy life together where they are able to adapt to their new, permanent life, happily married to each other in the Feudal Era as husband and wife.
Inuyasha met Kikyo 50 years ago when Inuyasha tried to steal the shikon no tama from her. She sensed a different aura about him, stating that they were similar because of their abnormal lives as outcasts. She used this as an excuse for being unable to kill him, even after he tried a second time to steal the shikon no tama. Eventually Kikyo and Inuyasha's relationship grew to a point where they were comfortable enough to speak with each other up close. In chapter 47 of the manga Inuyasha stated that "once he saw Kikyo's sad and lonely expression, for the first time in his life he felt bad." After that point, Inuyasha and Kikyo spent most of their time with each other. Together they decided to use the Shikon no Tama to make Inuyasha a full human, granting both of them the lives of normal humans and people. However, a half demon named Naraku, born from the body of a wounded bandit who secretly coveted Kikyo's heart tricked them into betraying each other, which resulted in Kikyo's death and Inuyasha's 50 year slumber. Kikyo was later resurrected by Urasue using a small portion of Kagome's soul to animate Kikyo's body and to bring her back to life. She was initially enraged with Inuyasha for what she believed to be a great betrayal, but it was soon realized that neither were responsible for the actions that occured 50 years ago and that they both had been tricked. Inuyasha soon realized he still loved Kikyo, stating in chapter 76 of the manga that there hasn't been a single day where he's forgotten about her, yet later in the series he refrains from seeing her in part due to Kagome's feelings. He attempts to move on from Kikyo, but fails miserably. Before Kikyo dies for the final time, Inuyasha sheds tears over his inability to save her since she was the first woman he has ever loved. He bids her farewell with a final kiss, stating that he didn't want Kikyo to endure any more sorrow and that he wanted to protect her forever before she finally dies.
Shippō becomes Inuyasha and Kagome's traveling companion after Inuyasha takes down the Thunder Brothers who had killed Shippō's father, making him an orphan. Shippō and Inuyasha argue constantly, but are shown to really care for each other time and again. He often bullies Shippō, such like hitting him in his head all the time, which is often followed by Shippō whining to Kagome and her saying "Sit!" to punish him for bullying Shippō. Quite similar to two brothers often disagreeing and fighting and it is, unsurprisingly, often used as a running gag for comic relief in the series. Kagome later states that they always fight because they're so close to each other.
surprisingly, Inuyasha hated Sesshōmaru too because of his cruel treatment towards him. Inuyasha cut off Sesshōmaru's left arm in the early part of the series when Sesshōmaru was trying to find the Tessaiga to increase his own power. Over the course of the series, Sesshōmaru and Inuyasha come to care for one another and even help each other on occasion. They have a love/hate relationship, but in the end help each other fight and defeat their common enemy, Naraku. They also help one another in the third Inuyasha movie against the demon sword, Sō'unga.
Miroku joins Inuyasha's group after Miroku reveals that Naraku is the demon who killed Kikyo and deceived her and tricked Inuyasha into believing they had betrayed the other in order to get the Shikon no Tama. When Miroku had tried to make a move on Kagome, Inuyasha instantly got mad and demanded him to never to lay a hand on her or to make any advances towards her whatsoever. This clearly surprises Kagome and causes Miroku to believe InuYasha is in love with Kagome, which InuYasha instantly denies, though Miroku is left unconvinced. Miroku and Inuyasha almost act like brothers and always look out for one another. Although Inuyasha is often annoyed with Miroku's lecherous tendencies towards women and views him as a hopeless fool, he does acknowledge the spiritual power that he possesses. Miroku often gives advice to InuYasha when it comes to Kagome when she is upset with InuYasha, and InuYasha fails to see what's wrong even though it can be blatantly obvious, annoying Miroku.
Inuyasha treats Sango like a sister. They argue from time to time, but Sango always helps Inuyasha when he's in trouble and she occasionally gives him advice when it comes to Kagome. Inuyasha sympathized with her situtation with Kohaku and often tried to give encouragement that he could be saved from Naraku's mind control. He cares about Sango and finds her a good ally on the battlefield, though he was incredibly dense to Sango's feelings for Miroku and often shoots his mouth off about Miroku's flirtatious personality among women without thinking; causing him to recieve viscious glares from Sango confusing InuYasha. Inuyasha, in reaction to his, usually cowers among these times and thinks to himself, "What's with the glares?"
Koga
Inuyasha and Kōga are known to be rivals towards each other. They're constantly A typical encounter between Koga and Inuyasha.
fighting for any reason they can find and whenever Kōga is near, Inuyasha instantly gets infuriated demanding he leave immediately. Though what is known to infuriate Inuyasha the most is when Kōga flirts with Kagome always increasing his anger towards Kōga demanding that he leave her alone and maintain his distance whenver he tries flirting wiht her. Though despite all their fighting, the two do help each other when the other needs it and eventually become friends.
Higurashi Family
InuYasha always comes to the modern era to pick up Kagome from her family to bring back to the Feudal era. Kagome's mother considers Inuyasha to be a perfect match for her daughter and views him like a son to her and Souta obviously idolizes him as a hero to a point that he calls him Inu-niisan ("Dog Brother"). Kagome's mother even offers her consent and support with her going back and forth between the two different periods. She often makes lunches for InuYasha and others as well as medical supplies for them along replacing Kagome's clothing and shoes whenever when her current ones are damanged during her deadly battles with the Feudal Era. Kagome's mother even gave her blessing for Kagome to leave the present time to live with InuYasha in the Fedual Era. It is also a similar fact that both Souta and InuYasha never met or knew their fathers because Souta's father was killed in a car accident while Mrs. Higurashi was pregnant with him and InuYasha was born right before his father had sacrificed himself for him and his mother.
Naraku was the enigmatic demon who was responsible for Kikyo's death and Inuyasha's being sealed to the sacred tree. He was born of the bandit Onigumo who desired Kikyo's heart and from demons who desired the Shikon no Tama. Naraku disguised himself as Inuyasha and slashed at Kikyo, making her believe Inuyasha had betrayed her, then disguising himself as Kikyo and firing a sacred arrow at Inuyasha, making Inuyasha believe Kikyo had betrayed him. Naraku's ultimate goal was for Kikyo and Inuyasha to kill one another, for them to bathe in each other's blood, and turn the purity of their love into rancid hatred, thus making the Shikon Jewel even more tainted, dark, and 'beautiful', as Naraku called it. When Inuyasha learns of Naraku's existence and that he was the one who ensnared Kikyo and he in a trap 50 years ago, he vows to destroy him, and avenge Kikyo's death. Throughout the series, his intense hatred for Naraku grows, as the demon becomes more and more evil, using and tricking numerous people for the sole purpose of gaining a complete Shikon Jewel. In the end, Inuyasha is able to defeat Naraku along with the help of his friends and allies, avenging Kikyo and destroying the Shikon Jewel for good.
Also known as the Great Dog General or Lord of the Western Lands, Inuyasha's father was a great yokai who was well known and feared, and the original owner of the Tessaiga and the Tenseiga (and the Soun'ga in Movie 3). He entrusted Inuyasha the Tessaiga knowing he'd care for humans and protect them, having human blood in his veins. He also gave him Tessaiga to keep Inuyasha's demon blood in check. During the battle with Ryukotsusei, Inu no Taisho was mortally injured and after the battle died from his injuries. In the third movie, while he was still greatly wounded from his battle with Ryukotsusei, he still managed to save Izayoi and his newborn son, whom he named "Inuyasha", from Takemaru of Setsuna. He died shortly there afterward. Inuyasha never met his father, but he did know of him and respected his power, gaining even more respect for him after he gains his father's phantom sword, the Tessaiga.
Izayoi was Inuyasha's human mother. She raised him on her own until she died. It is not known how she died. Inuyasha loved his mother and was very protective over her, often getting angry when someone insults her. In Swords of an Honorable Ruler, just after giving birth to Inuyasha, she was killed by Takemaru, who fell in love with Izayoi and hated the thought of her being in love with a yokai. She was later revived by Tenseiga. Izayoi was a very beautiful and young princess. She had long black hair and brown eyes and stood around 5'3-5'4. She was very caring and loved her son. The only time she was seen was in the series was when Inuyasha asked her what a "half-breed" was. Izayoi was also the only human who didn't reject or bully Inuyasha, thus leaving the two to their own and excluded them from other humans. Inuyasha's mother was very special to him. He loved her very much as she was the only family he had left. When she died, Inuyasha was devastated. He buried her and visits her grave quite often.
Quotes
"Not really a demon; not really human. I'm not either. That's all. There was no place for me, so I had find one myself. And then I realized. I had a place, but I was the only one in it. I didn't know any other way to live."
"Somehow, without my ever noticing it, it felt so natural, having Kagome near."
"When I saw Kikyō's sad and lonely expression, I felt guilty, for the very first time in my life. After that, I couldn't get her out of my mind. She was always by my side and I by hers."
"Kagome... before I met you, I never trusted a living soul. But you've cried for my sake. You've always stayed by my side. When I'm with you, I feel so peaceful and happy. But I'm not supposed to be all ease and cheerful. Kikyō...Kikyō came after me and lost her life. So its only fair that I repay her with my own life."
"I couldn't save Kikyō. That pained me. I couldn't say that I was suffering. I felt like I had to bear this alone. But I was so focused on myself that I never considered your feelings. I never noticed that you were also suffering. Forgive me, Kagome."
"You're wrong! That's not why Kagome was born! Kagome taught me how to smile, how to believe in people! Kagome was the reason I could make friends and rely on those friends! To shed tears for others, to understand true strength and kindness…They’re all things I learned from Kagome! Kagome was born to meet me! And I was born for her!"
"I need you with me, Kagome. Haven't you realized that yet?!"
"I was afraid. I thought I was going to lose you. I was terrified."
Inuyasha: "I just don't like giving up. There's a difference!"
"Humans are more arrogant and greedy than any other living creature, and I'm part human too, which why I refuse to give up! On top of that, when a human has someone he's gotta protect, his power grows exponentially. I have what it takes to destroy you. All thanks to my human mother!"
"What's the matter? I can handle that demon with a small fry."
"Feh! Serves him right."
"You're right. Kikyō was cuter. Much cuter."u're right. Kikyo was cuter. Much cute
Trivia
Author Rumiko Takahashi stated in an interview that Inuyasha is an akita inu. According to Ms. Takahashi's official Zusetsutaizen Ougikaiden character databook, Inuyasha is a bit older than 200 years. His father died shortly after Inuyasha's birth. Another sign of his age is that his sword Sounga was sealed 200 years ago, as stated in the 3rd movie. His appearance and general behavior are "equivalent" to a human 15-year-old at the start of the series.
Inuyasha appeared in the opening cutscene of It's a Rumic World. He mistook Lum (from Urusei Yatsura) as a demon and tries to attack her. Kagome appears and tells him to "Osuwari" and his face slams down. When Ranma (boy-type) (from Ranma 1/2) appears, Ranma believes that Inuyasha went to Jusenkyo because of his dog ears. And Inuyasha comments that he and Ranma sound alike (an obvious reference to the fact that Ranma and Inuyasha are voiced by the same person). Ataru (also from Urusei Yatsura) reappeared (he appeared earlier, flirting with Ranma's girl side) and asked Kagome for her name, e-mail and a date (Kagome believes he is one of Miroku's decendants), this enraged Inuyasha, Ataru managed to escape his anger and tried to get a date out of Kagome and Ranma (Ataru splashed cold water on Ranma, causing him to change back into a girl). Lum was angered because he was asking someone else on a date (Kagome and girl-type Ranma) and shocked him with her electicity abilities, Inuyasha used the Kongosoha (Adamant Barrage) attack and Ranma used the Shi Shi Hokodan (fueled by his "heavy khi" or anger and dispear) combined with Moko Takabisha. All attack hit him (due to his bad luck) and Inuyasha, Lum, and Ranma run after him. Kagome turns to the screen and wishes the viewer enjoys the special. Inuyasha, Lum, and Ranma return, join hands with each other, and bow.
In the unofficial live action series Holy Pearl, Inuyasha was renamed as Wen Tian who was half-dragon and half-human.
He was played by Atsuhiro Sato in live action stage play.
In one chapter of the manga, Kagome states that Inuyasha becomes human on the night of a full moon. This is most likely a translation error.
Inuyasha seems to take offense when someone mentions a puppy or dog. As seen in one episode, Kagome patted him on the head and said "Good boy!", and near the end of the second movie, when Kagome commented how the Celestial Robe returned to Akitoki Hojo, Kagome said it found it way back to its rightful owner, just like a puppy. Inuyasha then glared at Kagome.
Inuyasha's yokai form is somewhat similar to Super Sonic from the Fleetway: Sonic the Comic Sonic series. As both can turn the tides of a battle, both can turn against allies, and the character cannot remember what happened during the transformation.
Inuyasha is shown to be cockier in his full demon form in addition to his insatiable bloodlust and insanity. When he was fighting Goshinki, he stated that his blood is in a higher class, a class of his own. He also referred to Gatenmaru as "filthy vermin" before cutting him into pieces.
Even though Inuyasha doesn't like killing humans, when he stole the Shikon Jewel 50 years ago, he possibly killed some humans when the shrine exploded. He also threatened to kill Kikyo for the Shikon Jewel and later tried to kill Kagome after he killed Mistress Centipede. Though, it is likely that he was attempting to frighten Kagome into giving him the Shikon Jewel by threatening her life. This is evidenced by the fact that Kagome was able to outrun Inuyasha and dodge his attacks, despite his previous showings of superhuman prowess.
When Inuyasha attacked the Mistress Centipede, Inuyasha was seen spinning while performing the Iron Reaver Soul Stealer. This action has not appeared again.
Kagome has called Inuyasha a pervert a few times. Such as when he told her to take off her miko outfit. She thought he meant to get naked but he really meant to take it off and put on her old clothes (because she looked like Kikyo). But, usually it is never on purpose and because of his protectiveness, bad luck, or stupidity, he is classified as a "Accidental Pervert".
Inuyasha, along with Shippo, Miroku, Tessaiga, and Kagome make a cameo appearence in Ranma 1/2 OVA Episode 13. During one of Akane's nightmares, Inuyasha is seen face down, dead with Shippo's body on top if his and Tessaiga stuck in the floor.
In The Last Banquet of Miroku's Master, Inuyasha reveals that he can still talk inbetween sits.
It is currently unknown if Inuyasha's Beads of Subjugation still work when he's a human.
Inuyasha, along with Sesshomaru were parodied by Wataru and Hayate in Episode 7 of Hayate the Combat Butler. Wataru even imitates Inuyasha's Wind Scar attack. But part of the "Kaze" part of "Kaze no Kizu" was bleeped. Most likely to avoid copyright infringment.Wataru(left) and Hayate parody Inuyasha and Sesshomaru in Hayate the Combat Butler.
In some episodes, Inuyasha's toenails are just like a human's, while in others, they are sharpened like his claws.
In the two episodes when Inuyasha fights Naraku at Mt. Hakurei, it is seen that Inuyasha calls his tessaiga to him when it is out of his reach.
Coincidentally, both Kappei Yamaguchi and Richard Ian Cox have also voiced Ranma Saotome's male half in Ranma 1/2.
Inuyasha's appearance, body language and personality is based on his predecessor Ranma Saotome from Ranma 1/2 much like how most characters in InuYasha are are based off Ranma 1/2 characters. Since both series were created Rumiko Takahashi it likely to be the case.
In many fanfictions written by fans, he is given the surname 'Takahashi' or 'Taisho'
His and Kagome's Korean voice actors Gang Su-jin and Jung Mi-suk are previosly worked for vocied for Son Goku and his son Gohan
In the Inuyasha Profiles Book, it was stated by Rumiko Takahashi that Inuyasha's ears feel the same as five uncooked Chinese dumpling shells atop one another and that his nose is always set to "damp". When he catches a cold it dries out.
In Inuyasha the Movie 3- Swords of an Honorable Ruler when it shows Inuyasha at the beginning as an infant he is shown to have already been born with a full head of silver hair unlike regular human babies who are born bald or has a small tuft of hair on their heads.
While there is much speculation amongst fans that perhaps Sesshomaru had some hand in Inuyasha's upbringing after his mother's death, there is no support for this theory in canon.
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