| “ |
Geez, maybe I'm having a dream. |
” |
—Janis[src]
Janis (ジャニス, "Janisu") was an American exchange student who was made exclusively for the Nintendo DS game InuYasha: Secret of the Divine Jewel. She was also the reincarnation of the daughter of the god Datara. When Kagome Higurashi was absent from school, Janis went to Higurashi shrine to visit Kagome where she was attacked by a yōkai who emerged from the Bone-Eater's Well and rescued by the mysterious Monk Sen. Later, Janis followed his advice to go to the feudal era through the well and looked for Kagome. After passing through, she met Kagome and her friends. Once she touched a shard of the Shikon no Tama, it blended in with her body and awakened her Kamui powers. She agreed to accompany them on their journey until she was able to remove the Jewel Shard from her body.
History
She made fast friends with Kagome and when coming to see her after school. One day she was attacked by a demon. At the end of the battle the mysterious Monk Sen instructed her to go into the well because that's where Kagome was, and as her fate. After meeting Inuyasha and the gang she inadvertently absorbed a jewel shard and soon after she developed special powers that were awakened by the jewel shard and was later given a spear to wield by the God of Habaki. Eventually she learns that she possesses the Kamuitama because she is the reincarnation of a girl named Tsugumi, who was the human bride of the god of storms Datara. Being Datara's bride Tsugumi possessed some of his powers. Soon she learns Tsugumi's tragic tale where she was forced to kill her own husband and the child on her wedding day because Datara had been possessed by a cursed mask and in order to thwart Tsugumi's attempts to stop him he held their infant daughter hostage. Tsugumi died after destroying her husband, a scenario very reminiscent of Kikyō and Inuyasha. Janis learned that defeating Datara and returning her powers was the only way to free the shard from her body thus stopping demons from hunting her. After she defeated Datara and freed him of the cursed demon mask, she wa allowed to speak with Datara and Tsugumi where she learns that she is not Tsugumi's reincarnation but in fact the reincarnation of their infant half-god child. With the jewel shard out of her body and her powers gone Janis was unable to return to the feudal era, and returned to America shortly after the events.
Physical description
Janis wore an academy uniform with a blue top with a red tie in a gold trim, white stockings and penny-loafers similar to Kagome's, and a grey skirt. She has long, curly blonde hair held back by a red clip, white pearl earrings, pale skin, and blue eyes.
Personality
At the beginning of the game, Janis was a little cold and standoffish to other people such as Yuka, Ayumi, and Eri. Her only friend was Kagome, but still retained a slightly friendly demeanor. She also appeared to have a caring side, such as when Kagome didn't show up for three days (she was in the Feudal Era), she decided to go visit her. She's also seemed to be adventurous, when she mentioned that the Feudal Era seemed to be dangerous, but "kind of fun" as well.
Powers & Abilities
- Summon Shikioni: Janis wass able to summon Shikionis that given by Monk Sen to defeat some weak yōkai during the journey.[1] Smilar to shikigamis, shikionis are capable of protecting the owner from danger. When Janis met Monk Sen for the first time after he destroyed a yōkai at the Higurashi Wellhouse, Sen realized that her body didn't contain the Kamuitama and concerned she would be defeated and got serious wound from a weak yōkai. Sen advised her to enter the Sengoku jidai and later gave her two shikionis to find her best friend, Kagome. After Janis met Monk Sen for the second time under the Goshinboku, she was able to use her Kamuitama by her own will. But the ability of summoning shikioni is not used after Sen taking them back.[1]
- Kamuitama: Commonly known as the Power of God, Janis obtained this mystical power from Tsugumi, the wife of Datara.
- Lightning Arrow: Appeared to be several arrow like shining lightnings which able to pierce some yōkai.[1]
- Infernal Meteor: About three blazing meteors will drop down to the earth to crush whole opponents, it also consider as an effective power to defeat the opponents.[1]
- Heavenly Essence: Apart from destroying yōkai, Janis was able to restore an ally with full strength.[1]
- Power Leaf: A power that can increase the strength of an ally.[1]
Weapons
- Akanemaru: A weapon with red handle and silver blade that was given to her by the God of Habaki who lived at Mount Habaki. Not much specific power will be used through the naginata, but it acted as an offensive and defensive tool against yōkai.[1]
Quotes
- "The Bone Eater's Well...This is what that monk was talking about. Such a scary name. This place is creepy."
- ―Janis
- "Hey... It's pitch-black. Pass through the well? Does he mean I have to go in there? How creepy. What should I do? Should I go in?"
- ―Janis
- "Perhaps Kikyō is also after Kamuitama for me, haha."
- ―Janis
- "But you have not the Kamui yet. Datara’s Kaumi is too much for you to handle."
- ―Janis
- "Datara! If I really am the reincarnation of the child you had with Tsugumi, then that makes you my father. Isn’t that strange? I have a real father back in the world that I’m from…Even though we don’t have the best relationship. And now I have a father who’s a god."
- ―Janis
- "I think families should stay together always."
- ―Janis
Trivia
- Janis is the only American character to appear in the entire series or any of the games.
- Throughout the course of the game, Janis is often commented by other characters on her strange hair color, most of them finding it very pretty.
- It is possible that in the feudal era people might associate her as a goddess, as only yokai have her unique features in skin tone, hair and eye colour.
- Despite attending school in Japan, she doesn't wear the serafuku like other schoolgirls in Tokyo.